India Entered Into An Air Bubble Pact With Thailand: Check Details, Eligibility For Travel

As we reported earlier, in a bid to attract high-value young Indian visitors Thailand is planning to initiate an air travel bubble with India.

So finally, on Monday, 21st Feb 2022, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt of India has informed that India and Thailand have entered into an air bubble pact to start flight operation between both countries.

To enable more convenience to air passengers travelling between the two countries, earlier this month, Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has approved a proposal to establish an Air Travel Bubble (ATB) between India and Thailand.

After this air bubble arrangement with Thailand, India has taken the total number of such arrangements to 36 countries which include;

Afghanistan, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Iraq, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates (UAE), United Kingdom (UK), United States of America (USA) and Uzbekistan

India – Thailand Air Bubble Arrangements

India has created an air bubble arrangement with Thailand. Indian and Thai carriers are now permitted to operate flights between India and Thailand and carry the following categories of persons on such flights:

Travel From India to Thailand

• Nationals/residents of Thailand;
• Any Indian national or national of Nepal or Bhutan destined for Thailand and holding a valid visa of Thailand. The airlines must ensure that all the passengers meet the requirement for entry before issuance of ticket/boarding pass to the passengers.
• Foreign nationals holding a valid visa for Thailand.

Travel From Thailand to India

• Indian nationals or nationals of Nepal or Bhutan in Thailand;
• All Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders and Person of Indian Origin (PIO) cardholders holding passports of any country; and
• Nationals of Thailand and foreign nations holding a valid Indian visa as per extant guidelines. The airlines must ensure that all the passengers meet the requirement for entry before issuance of ticket/boarding pass to the passengers.

Passengers travelling on flights from India to Thailand should be destined for Thailand only.

Similarly, only passengers originating from Thailand should be allowed to travel on flights from Thailand to India.

Thailand Reopens For Tourism

The Kingdom has reopened from 1st February 2022 and resumed its quarantine free travel programmes such as the Test and Go Entry Scheme and Sandbox Programme.

Effective from 1 February 2022, the Sandbox area will include; Phuket, Krabi, Phan-Nga, Surat Thani (Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan), Chonburi (Pattaya and some districts), and Trat (Koh Chang)

Apart from this, the country is now also offering eVisa on Arrivals for Indian tourists, customers can now apply their VOA through the official website of VFS Global.