PHOTO: Thailand is reopening to international travel with 3 different options. (via Unsplash Evan Krause)
The Tourism Authority of Thailand has released a summary of the new plans to reopen Thailand to allow international tourists to travel on November 1. Thailand will reopen without quarantine for fully vaccinated people travelling from 46 approved countries, who will only have to take a Covid-19 test on arrival and wait in an approved hotel for the results.
Those who want to come to Thailand but didn’t make the list of approved countries will now be able to enter with Thailand’s new and improved Sandbox program, with a week of soft quarantine in one of 17 approved provinces.
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And even those who are not fully vaccinated will be able to travel to Thailand with a quarantine period depending on how they arrive. Those who fly in will quarantine for 10 days while those who arrive by land will require a 2-week quarantine. Those who are vaccinated but want to arrive into one of the 60 provinces that are not approved for Sandboxing will need to quarantine for one week only.
The information was published in the Royal Thai Government Gazette last night, along with relaxed curfew rules, making it official. Below is a chart with all currently known details for the three-pronged reopening program to allow people to travel to Thailand, though the government warns that they could be changed or modified.
For those wanting to travel to Thailand from one of the 46 approved countries, entry requirements are as follows:
“TEST & GO”: Entry without any quarantine
Where can I come from?
Australia Austria Bahrain Belgium Bhutan Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Cambodia Canada Chile China Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hong Kong Hungary Iceland Ireland
Israel Italy Japan Latvia Lithuania Malaysia Malta Netherlands New Zealand Norway Poland Portugal Qatar Saudi Arabia Singapore Slovenia South Korea Spain Sweden Switzerland UAE UK USA
Travel to Thailand by air only.
Must be in the country for at least 3 weeks before travel.
An exception is made for people who leave Thailand and stay in an approved country less than 3 weeks before returning to Thailand.
What do I need to have?
Certificate of Entry (or eventually the Thailand Pass planned to replace the CoE)
Medical Certificate with a negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours of travelling.
An exception is made for a Medical Certificate of Recovery showing a Covid-19 recovery within 3 months.
US $50,000 insurance policy that covers all Covid-19 expenses for the whole duration of travel in Thailand.
Returning Thai citizens eligible for national health insurance are exempt.
Paid hotel for minimum 1 night stay at either an SHA Plus-certified hotel or:
Alternative Quarantine, Organisation Quarantine, or Alternative Hospital Quarantine
Includes the cost of RT-PCR test and ATK.
Certificate of Vaccination. Either:
Full vaccination approved by the Thai Ministry of Public Health or WHO at least 2 weeks before travel.
An approved vaccine allowing one dose at least 2 weeks before travel.
Travellers under 12 with negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours, travelling with a vaccinated guardian.
What do I need to do?
Take an exit screening Covid-19 test before travelling to Thailand.
Be tested immediately on arrival, either at a test centre or accommodation.
Travel by approved airport transfer.
Stay in the approved accommodation until results are received.
Download and use the MorChana app.
Once negative test results are returned, travellers can go anywhere in Thailand.
Travellers will receive an ATK kit that was prepaid with hotel booking.
If they experience any Covid-19 symptoms, they must take the ATK.
If not, the test should be taken on day 6-7, with results reported in the MorChana app and to hotel staff.
Travellers must self-monitor for 7 days and report any symptom to their hotel, who will notify local communicable disease control authorities.
For those who want to travel to Thailand who aren’t coming from one of the 46 approved countries, Thailand’s Sandbox program is expanding to 17 provinces, welcoming fully vaccinated travellers:
Fully vaccinated travellers can travel to Thailand with the same rules as the Sandbox with a few simplifications:
Instead of 2 RT-PCR tests, the second test on day 6-7 can now be done with an ATK at a designated test centre.
The travel health insurance requirement is reduced from US $100,000 to $50,000.
For those who are not fully vaccinated, or who do not want to Sandbox in one of the 17 provinces, the Alternative Quarantine System allows people to still travel to Thailand:
Alternative Quarantine System
How long do I have to quarantine?
7-day quarantine
For fully vaccinated travellers with an approved vaccine.
10-day quarantine
For partially vaccinated or unvaccinated travellers arriving by air only.
14-day quarantine
For travellers arriving by land who are partially vaccinated or unvaccinated.
What are the requirements?
Fully vaccinated travellers can travel to Thailand with the same rules as the Sandbox with a few simplifications:
Instead of 2 RT-PCR tests, the second test on day 6-7 can now be done with an ATK at a designated test centre.
The travel health insurance requirement is reduced from US $100,000 to $50,000.
Neill is a journalist from the United States with 10+ years broadcasting experience and national news and magazine publications. He graduated with a degree in journalism and communications from the University of California and has been living in Thailand since 2014.
