Thailand Updates Travel Guidelines, Check New Test & Go Rules Starting April 01

As you may be aware, Thailand announced in March 2022 that it will end the pre-departure Covid-19 testing requirement for international travellers arriving in the Southeast Asian country effective 1 April 2022.

Now, as per the new travel requirements, international travellers will be able to enter Thailand without having to present proof of a negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours of their arrival.

New Test & Go Rules From April 01

Thailand has also updated its Test & Go Rules for international travellers. As per the details shared by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the following rules will take effect on April 1, 2022, and the same rules will also apply to travellers who have applied for/received the Test & Go Thailand Pass or Certificate of Entry with scheduled arrivals on or after today i.e. April 01.

Points of Entry And Eligible Travellers/Countries

Points of entry:

• By air – Direct international flights to Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi, Phuket, Krabi, Samui, Chiang Mai, U-Tapao, and Hat Yai (new) international airports, or transit domestically via dedicated flights.
• By land – Via border checkpoints in Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Songkhla, and Satun (new).
• By water – Eligible types of vessels include private yachts and ships of Thai government agencies, while Thai crew members on cargo ships will also be allowed to enter Thailand.

Eligible travellers / countries:

• For arrivals by air and water: Fully vaccinated Thai citizens and foreign travellers from all countries/territories.
• For arrivals by land: Fully vaccinated Thai citizens and foreign travellers from neighbouring countries connecting with the reopened border checkpoints (Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Songkhla, and Satun).

Thailand Pre-arrival Travel Requirements

All travellers planning to travel to Thailand must have the following documents for entering the country:

1. A Thailand Pass (via https://tp.consular.go.th/) for arrivals by air and land; or a Certificate of Entry (via a Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate-General) for arrivals by water.

2. An insurance policy with coverage no less than US$20,000. Thais and foreign expatriates under Thailand’s national healthcare coverage are exempt from this requirement.

• *TAT recommends that travellers make sure to check the small print of any COVID-19 insurance policy before purchasing. Ultimately, the policy should cover the cost of treatment and other medical expenses associated with being infected with COVID-19, including in-patient hospitalisation, hospital isolation, hotel isolation, or related quarantine. The insurance policy should also cover the whole duration that travellers are planning to stay in Thailand, plus at least 10 extra days as a precautionary measure in the event that the traveller’s second test results in returns as positive.

3. A proof of prepayment for 1 night of accommodation at government-approved hotel/s; such as SHA Extra Plus (SHA++) on Day 1, which should also include the expenses for 2 COVID-19 tests: an RT-PCR test upon arrival (Day 0-1) and an antigen self-test on Day 5. 

4. A Certificate of COVID-19 Vaccination

• Everyone 18 years of age and older must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with an approved vaccine at least 14 days before travelling to Thailand.
• Travellers 12-17 years of age travelling to Thailand unaccompanied must get vaccinated with at least 1 dose of an approved vaccine at least 14 days before travelling to Thailand. Those travelling with parents are exempt from this requirement.
• Travellers under 12 years of age, travelling with parents, are exempt from this requirement.
• For arrivals by water, everyone on board must be fully vaccinated. This is except for travellers under 18 years of age, travelling with parents or guardians.
• Travellers with a history of COVID-19 infection who have received at least 1 dose of an approved vaccine post-infection must have a medical certificate of COVID-19 recovery.

5. A Certificate of COVID-19 Recovery

Travellers with a history of COVID-19 infection within a period of 14 days to 3 months and who have yet to receive any vaccine post-infection must have a medical certificate of COVID-19 recovery.

Requirements On Arrival/During the Stay in Thailand

1. All travellers must undergo entry screening including a body temperature check, and present the required documents to the Immigration/Health Control officer to carry out the checks.

• At the point of entry for arrivals on a direct flight to Thailand’s international airport, and for arrivals with domestic connecting flights at either the first point of entry before boarding the transit flight or at the final airport.
• Also, at the point of entry for arrivals by land and water. 

2. Proceed to the prearranged accommodation or medical facility to undergo the Day 1 RT-PCR test. The trip must be by a prearranged vehicle on a sealed route within a travelling time of no longer than 5 hours. Then, all travellers must wait for the test result within the hotel only. *Travellers under 6 years of age, travelling with parents, can have a saliva test.

• Travellers whose test result returns as negative are free to go anywhere in Thailand but will be provided with 1 Antigen Self-Test Kit for a self-test on Day 5 and be required to report/record the result via the MorChana application or another specified application.
• Travellers whose test result returns as positive will be referred for appropriate medical treatment in accordance with Thailand’s Communicable Diseases Act B.E. 2558 (2015). The expenses must be covered by the required insurance / own expense for foreign travellers, or national healthcare coverage for Thais and eligible foreign expatriates.
  • Pending on their conditions, they may be medically advised to receive treatment in either hospital hotel isolation or community isolation.
  • During receiving the medical treatment – at least 10 days, they must remain in their accommodation only. They should not leave their accommodation unless utmost necessary and must notify the Communicable Disease Control officer in charge.
  • After having recovered from COVID-19, they will receive a medical certificate of recovery.

3. While in Thailand, travellers are advised to strictly follow the standard, good personal hygiene practices; such as wearing a mask in public, maintaining hand hygiene (washing with soap and water or using hand sanitiser), and keeping a physical distance of at least 1 metre from others. *Travellers who are experiencing COVID-like symptoms should get tested. If testing positive they must get appropriate medical treatment.

4. All travellers must download and install the MorChana application, set it on at all times for the COVID-19 precautionary measures and record the self-ATK result on Day 5 in the application.

• *The self-ATK on Day 5 will not be required if the traveller’s length of stay is less than 5 nights or his/her scheduled international departure date out of Thailand is on Day 5 or before. For example, if the traveller plans to stay in Thailand for 3 days, then he/she does not have to report the self-ATK result, but he/she must leave for another country immediately. However, the traveller may be required to take another test depending on the airline and the final international destination.

Guidelines for Domestic/International Departure From Thailand

Domestic Departure – Travellers must show proof that they have received a negative result for their Day 1 RT-PCR test.

International Departure – It is the responsibility of travellers or their organisations to make sure that the travellers meet the requirements of their specific international destination regardless of the point of departure.