29.3 C
Pattaya
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Thailand’s entry rules from 1 February 2022

spot_img

Must read

Thailand’s entry rules from 1 February 2022

Thailand has reopened to foreign tourists, launching a “Test&Go” entry programme without quarantine from February 1

Thailand on Tuesday, February 1, relaunched the “Test&Go” entry scheme, opening the borders to travellers from all countries instead of 63 as before.

Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also started accepting applications for the Thai Pass from 9 am on Tuesday.

Under the new Test&Go scheme, travellers must book and pay for accommodation and RT-PCR tests on the first and fifth days of their stay in Thailand. Previously, travellers arriving under the “Test&Go” scheme were only required to spend one night in a hotel and pay for one RT-PCR test.

This change to the Test&Go rules will be beneficial to hotels as they will sell two nights instead of one.

More than 2,000 hotels in 38 provinces with the SHA Extra Plus (SHA++) label are expected to benefit from the scheme, including 565 in Phuket, 198 in Krabi, 122 in Chiang Mai, 177 in Chonburi and 446 in Bangkok. These hotels are linked to hospitals, which will conduct RT-PCR tests for visitors arriving under the Test&Go scheme.

Foreign travellers must also have insurance with coverage of at least US$50’000. If insurance does not cover the cost of isolation after a traveller is infected or at high risk of infection, they must cover the cost of isolation themselves.

Vaccinated tourists or those with mild symptoms will be allowed to isolate themselves in hospitals, while those in SHA++ hotels can continue to stay in their hotel rooms. In both cases, doctors will monitor patients remotely.

Although Thailand has reopened, the procedure has become more complicated. When tourists provide proof of paid accommodation, the Thailand Pass system gives hotels 30 hours to confirm bookings.

After confirming the booking and confirming the vaccination certificate, travellers will receive a QR code.

This QR code can then be used for the first OT-PCR test. Tourists staying in Thailand for more than five days will be required to report to their booked hotel for a second OT-PCR test. If the second test is also negative, visitors are free to travel around the country.

If the tourists fail to turn up on the fifth day or the hotels fail to contact them, they should call the travel police hotline 1155.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand is forecasting around 200’000 arrivals per month after the country reopened on February 1. Meanwhile, incoming tourists are expected to spend around 60’000 baht per person.

However, Thailand’s non-quarantine “Test&Go” entry programme will be closed again if there is a spike in new Covid-19 cases.

Catch up on more stories here

Follow us on Facebook here

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -spot_img
- Advertisement -spot_img

Latest article