In a recent development, Thailand
has announced plans to eliminate pre-arrival testing for incoming visitors
starting next month. As per the Tourism Authority of Thailand, starting May 1,
visitors will not have to get tested before coming or upon arrival,
irrespective of their vaccination status.
Though fully vaccinated
travellers will be able to enter the nation and travel around without any
quarantine restrictions, the rules will be little different for unvaccinated
visitors.
Rules for unvaccinated visitors
1) If a visitor is not fully
vaxxed and enters the nation without a negative PCR test, he/she will need to
book a minimum 5-day stay in a government-approved hotel and quarantine there.
There, they’ll get tested with a PCR test on the fifth day of their trip.
2) Alternatively, if a traveller
is unvaccinated but arrives in the country with a negative RT-PCR test, taken
within 72 hours of their arrival, they won’t need to quarantine. They are free
to travel throughout the nation.
However, all those visiting
Thailand will still have to register for a Thailand Pass online and obtain an
insurance policy with a minimum coverage of $10000 (less than the previous
$20000 requirement).
Apparently, Thailand began
welcoming foreign travellers without quarantine under its Phuket Sandbox
program in July 2021. Then, in November, the country started permitting
tourists to visit the rest of the country without quarantine requirements.
Again, in December, the rules became stricter because of the Omicron variant.
In February 2022, Thailand again
started its Test & Go Thailand Pass program to boost tourism. Fully vaxxed
visitors from foreign nations were allowed to visit any part of the country and
skip quarantine.
