Government outlines 3 entry schemes for international travellers from November

With confirmation that international travellers from 46 “low-risk” countries can enter Thailand with minimal quarantine, the government has outlined 3 entry schemes effective from November. The Bangkok Post reports that the first scheme, “Test & Go” will apply to tourists from the aforementioned countries, who will need to show evidence of being fully vaccinated at least 14 days before their arrival. They will also need to have a negative PCR test result, taken within 72 hours of departure from their home country, as well as Covid-19 insurance coverage of at least US$50,000.

Under this scheme, travellers will be permitted to arrive at any international airport in the kingdom, after which they will need to take a second PCR test. This test will need to be pre-booked with a SHA Plus hotel, where they will be required to spend their first night. The hotel cannot be more than a 2-hour drive from their arrival airport and travellers must remain there until they get the result of their second PCR test.

According to the Bangkok Post report, this means that travellers arriving at Suvarnabhumi for example, could choose to book a hotel in Bangkok or in Pattaya. Once they receive a negative result from their PCR test, they will be free to travel anywhere in the country without any further Covid-19 tests.

Scheme number 2 has the catchy title, “Living in the Blue Zone” and is available to those whose countries have not made it onto the “low-risk” list. Under this scheme, 17 so-called “blue zone” provinces will be open to vaccinated foreign arrivals during their first 7 days in the kingdom. In addition to the same testing requirements as the first group, they will also be subject to a further test on day 6 or 7 of their stay. This test will be carried out using an antigen test kit, making it cheaper than PCR testing. The Bangkok Post reports that from December, the “blue zones” will expand to 33 provinces and then 45 from January. To qualify as a blue zone, a province must have vaccinated at least 70% of its population.

Meanwhile, for unvaccinated travellers unable to partake in either of the schemes above, the delights of scheme number 3 are available. Unvaccinated international arrivals will be subject to a mandatory 10 day stay in an alternative quarantine facility. Scheme number 3 has been optimistically named, “Happy Quarantine”.

For more information on how to get into Thailand during the pandemic, CLICK HERE.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post