Thailand: Covid 19 Entry Requirements 2023

If you’re planning to travel to Thailand, here’s what you’ll need to know and expect if you want to visit during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Updated January 9th 2023

Thailand has taken a step back in the removal of its Covid-19-related restrictions after reintroducing vaccine requirements for travellers.

From Sunday, all international tourists flying to the South-East Asian country need to show proof of vaccination against Covid-19, or documentation of recovery from the virus.

Travellers will be asked to provide this proof before boarding flights with the airlines, which are responsible for ensuring they have the right documentation for travel.

Airline passengers who cannot provide proof of vaccination before flying will be subject to testing at their port of arrival.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand confirmed the rule change on Sunday.

Updated July 11th 2022 

Latest News as of July 11, 2022

• For up-to-date information and weekly updates regarding current Thailand travel restrictions, please visit the Weekly Updates for Thailand Travel Restrictions.
• Starting July 1, 2022, Thailand will have new entry requirements. To learn more about the new entry requirements, please visit: Thailand Travel Restrictions for July 1.
• Before traveling to Thailand, we highly recommend purchasing your COVID travel Insurance and booking your hotel stay:
  • Buy your COVID Insurance now at AXA Thailand.
  • Book your hotel in Thailand at Agoda.com
• Travelers may join our Facebook Group to ask questions, get help and read the latest developments: https://www.facebook.com/groups/howtoenterthailand

Travel to Thailand

Travelers may enter Thailand with or without quarantine based on their vaccination status and country of departure.

New entry requirements are being introduced on July 1, 2022. To know how you will need to enter Thailand as a vaccinated or unvaccinated traveler, please see below.

Vaccinated Travelers – Vaccinated travelers will need to have a copy of their vaccination certificate on hand before boarding a flight and on arrival. Children under 18 who are traveling with vaccinated parents do not need to complete any RT-PCR or Pro-ATK test before departing.

Unvaccinated Travelers – Before coming to Thailand, unvaccinated travelers need to complete an RT-PCR or Professional Antigen (Pro-ATK) test through a clinic or medical professional. The test result must be issued within 72 hours before departing for Thailand.

An ATK (RAT) home test is not acceptable. Children under 18 traveling with unvaccinated parents also need to complete a test.

With the removal of the Thailand Pass, airlines, and Immigration Officers will conduct random checks of passengers to confirm Covid requirements are met. It is best to have your Vaccination or Covid Test certificate available to show upon inspection.

Do You Need a Visa to Enter Thailand?

Visitors from countries under the Visa Exemption List are not required to obtain a Thai visa in order to travel to Thailand for tourism purposes. The Thai Immigration Bureau will allow foreigners to stay in Thailand for 30 days. Tourists will be able to apply for a 30 days visa extension at any local immigration office in Thailand.

If you wish to stay longer or are traveling for a purpose other than tourism, please know that the normal 60-day Tourist Visa, Thai Elite Visa, and other non-immigrant visas are available at Thai Embassies or Consulates around the world.

Do you want to stay in Thailand for 5, 10, or 20 years? You may consider the Thai Elite Visa program. It is an easy-to-apply and hassle-free visa application for your long-term stay in Thailand. For more information about the Thai Elite Membership and Visa application, you may check this page: https://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand-visa/thai-elite-visa

Applying for Thailand Pass

Starting July 1, 2022, Thailand Pass is no longer required for foreign travelers entering Thailand.

Vaccinated travelers do not need to provide proof of vaccination before arriving. Unvaccinated travelers(including children traveling with unvaccinated parents) will need to complete an RT-PCR or Professional Antigen Test (Pro-ATK) test 72 hours before departing for Thailand.

Updated June 18th 2022

Thailand’s government has revealed its plans to completely drop the Thailand Pass needed for entry, paving the way for the country’s easiest entry requirements since the start of the pandemic. The popular Southeast Asian country, whose capital city Bangkok was once crowned the world’s most visited city back in 2019, has struggled to welcome tourists in large numbers since introducing strict entry requirements as Covid-19 spread, but that could all be set to change with the removal of the pass.

Following a government meeting, it was revealed yesterday that Thailand would be removing its Thailand Pass requirements for all foreign travelers from July 1st. That means that travelers will no longer have to apply for a Thailand Pass in order to enter, nor will they need to purchase an insurance policy that covers Covid-19 prior to flying to the country. Thailand will also be removing its thermal scanning facilities at its borders.

Updated June 1st 2022

The following rules will be in effect from 1 June, 2022, with specific requirements for vaccinated and unvaccinated/not fully vaccinated travellers from all countries/territories with scheduled arrivals from this date.

Pre-arrival requirements

Vaccinated travellers must have the following documents for entering Thailand:

• A valid passport, or a Border Pass for arrivals via border checkpoints.
• A Thailand Pass (via https://tp.consular.go.th/) (Thais are exempt from this requirement.) Once all essential details have been completed via the system, the QR code will be automatically issued (no waiting time)
• An insurance policy with coverage no less than US$10,000. Thais and foreign expatriates under Thailand’s national healthcare coverage are exempt from this requirement.
• 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 5-17 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 with a history of COVID-19 infection who have recovered by medical treatment, and travellers who have received at least one dose of an approved vaccine post-infection must have a certificate of COVID-19 recovery.

Unvaccinated/not fully vaccinated travellers must have the following documents for entering Thailand:

• A valid passport, or a Border Pass for arrivals via border checkpoints.
• A Thailand Pass (via https://tp.consular.go.th/) (Thais are exempt from this requirement.) Once all essential details have been completed via the system, the QR code will be automatically issued (no waiting time)
• An insurance policy with coverage no less than US$10,000. Thais and foreign expatriates under Thailand’s national healthcare coverage are exempt from this requirement.

On Arrival Requirements

Upon arriving in Thailand, all travellers must undergo entry screening, including body temperature check, and present the required documents to the Immigration/Health Control officer to carry out the checks.

The vaccinated travellers will then be allowed entry and are free to go anywhere in the kingdom. *For arrivals by land using a border pass, they will be allowed a stay of no longer than 3 days within the specified areas only.

Likewise, unvaccinated/not fully vaccinated travellers who have uploaded proof of a negative result from an RT-PCR test or professional ATK within 72 hours of travel via the Thailand Pass system will be allowed entry and are free to go anywhere in the kingdom.

Unvaccinated/not fully vaccinated travellers without a negative test result within 72 hours of travel are required to follow the public health instructions and guidelines as deemed appropriate by the Health Control officer at the point of arrival.

During the Stay

While in Thailand, both vaccinated and unvaccinated/not fully vaccinated travellers are advised to strictly follow the health and safety standards. Travellers who are experiencing COVID-like symptoms should get tested. If testing positive, they must get the appropriate medical treatment.

Updated April 6th 2022

Thailand most recently dropped the pre-departure testing requirement.

There are now three separate entry schemes to choose from depending on where you plan to go in Thailand and whether you have been vaccinated or not.

Test & Go, Sandbox, or Alternative Quarantine

If you have been vaccinated, I don’t quite understand why someone would want to enter using the Sandbox that requires you to book the same hotel for five nights, after which you are allowed to other parts of Thailand.

The Alternate Quarantine is an option for those that have not been vaccinated and requires you to quarantine for five nights.

Test & Go Requirements

• Proof of Vaccination
• SHA Extra+ hotel reservation for a night that includes transportation from the airport + PCR-RT test + Antigen test kit
• Proof of Insurance

You no longer need to provide proof of airline ticket when applying for the pass. The pass is valid for 72 hours from the indicated departure time (it cannot be earlier but can be later).

Thailand has released the following information about various schemes in place now:

TEST & GO scheme (Day 1 at the SHA Extra+ hotel, in order to wait for the COVID-19 RT-PCR Test result)

Travellers eligible to travel to Thailand under TEST & GO scheme:

• Travellers from all countries
• Those who have received 2 doses of vaccine, no less than 14 days, prior to their departure to Thailand (The date of the second dose injection is considered as Day 0 and the next day is considered as Day 1).
• Those who were infected by COVID-19 and have received at least 1 dose of vaccine, not less than 14 days prior to their departure to Thailand (The date of vaccine injection is considered Day 0 and the next day is considered day 1).
• Those who have received 2 doses of vaccine before being infected by COVID-19 and have completed no less than 14 day quarantine period prior to their departure to Thailand. The travellers are required to have medical certificate from the doctor, stating the recovery from COVID-19 and asymptomatic confirmation.
• List of vaccines, approved by Thai authorities https://bit.ly/34J1mdZ
• Travellers of ages between 6-11 years old, who are not vaccinated or fully vaccinated but travelling with fully vaccinated guardians.
• Travellers of age between 12-17 years old, who have received 1 dose of vaccine can independently enter Thailand under TEST & GO scheme. Travellers in this group who have not been vaccinated can enter Thailand under TEST & GO scheme with fully vaccinated guardians.

Procedures for TEST & GO scheme:

• • Enter Thailand via Suvarnabhumi International Airport or other international airports or certain ports on Samui island.

  • Have proof of reservation and fully paid for SHA Extra+ hotel or Alternative Quarantine (AQ) hotel confirmation for 1 nights (Day 1)

  • For Day 1, the SHA Extra+ hotel must include 1 RT-PCR test and airport transfer. The hotel must be within 5 hr. distance from the arrival airport. The travellers with negative test result will be allowed to leave the hotel and travel to other areas. For DAY 5, The travellers must take an ATK (Antigen Test Kit).

    List of SHA Extra+ hotels: https://web.thailandsha.com/shaextraplus

    List of AQ hotels: http://hsscovid.com/

    • BOOK THROUGH asq.ascendtravel.com
    • BOOK THROUGH www.agoda.com/quarantineTH
    • BOOK THROUGH Thailand’s Quarantine Information Center
    • BOOK THROUGH www.entrythailand.go.th

  • Holders of a non-Thai passport must have health insurance policy with coverage of no less than 20,000 USD (health insurance is not required for Thai passport holders). The health insurance can be purchased at https://covid19.tgia.org/

  • Apply for Thailand Pass through the website  tp.consular.go.th at least 3-7 days prior to the departure date. Travellers are required to fill in an online form and upload relevant documents, including proof of full payment for 1 night accommodation in the  SHA Extra+ or AQ hotel(s) with 1 RT-PCR tests and airport transfer. Once the application has been approved, the Thailand Pass QR code will be sent to registered email of the applicants. The Thailand Pass QR code will be valid for 72 hrs. after the registered departure date and time.What is Thailand Pass? https://bit.ly/3jRv5Wk

  • Travellers who have been infected by COVID-19 for no less than 14 days must present COVID-19 recovery certificate or asymptomatic certificate, issued and signed by the doctor.

  • Travellers of ages under 6 years old, who are not fully vaccinated can enter Thailand under the same scheme as their guardians. Upon arrival in Thailand, they will be tested by saliva testing.

Sandbox scheme (Stay and travel within Sandbox areas for 5 days) Sandbox areas are as follows:

• Phuket and Phang Nga
• For Phuket and Phang Nga sandbox, travellers must enter Thailand via Phuket International Airport, or Suvarnabhumi International Airport with the transit period no longer than 24 hrs. (without leaving the transit area in the airport) and continue the journey by a sealed flight (PG 5275 or PG 5279) to Phuket. Details of international flights to Thailand and sealed flight from Bangkok to Phuket must be specified in the same booking for Thailand Pass registration.
• KrabiFor Krabi sandbox, travellers must enter Thailand only via Phuket International Airport, Krabi International Airport or Hat Yai International Airport. (Domestic transit is not allowed).
• Suratthani (Samui Island, Pa Ngan Island and Tao Island)
• For Suratthani Sandbox, travellers must enter Thailand via (1) Suvarnabhumi International Airport with the transit period of no longer than 24 hours (without leaving the transit area in the airport) and continue the journey by a sealed flight (PG 5125 or PG 5171) to Samui. Details of international flights to Thailand and sealed flight from Bangkok to Phuket must be specified in the same booking for Thailand Pass registration or (2) Hat Yai International Airport.
• Travellers under Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, or Suratthani Sandbox scheme are allowed to travel within these areas during the 5-day period.
• Chon Buri (only Pattaya City, Bang Lamung, Si Racha, Si Chang, and Sattahip – only Na Jomtien and Bang Saray)Enter Thailand via Suvarnabhumi International Airport and continue their journey to the Sandbox area by the hotel’s sealed route airport transfer.
•  Trat (only Koh Chang)Enter Thailand via Suvarnabhumi International Airport and continue their journey to the Sandbox area by the hotel’s sealed route airport transfer.
• SongkhlaEnter Thailand via Hat Yai International Airport and continue their journey to the Sandbox area by the hotel’s sealed route airport transfer.

Travellers eligible to travel to Thailand under Sandbox scheme:

• Travellers from all countries
• Those who have received 2 doses of vaccine, no less than 14 days, prior to their departure to Thailand (The date of the second dose injection is considered as Day 0 and the next day is considered as Day 1).
• Those who were infected by COVID-19 and have received at least 1 dose of vaccine, not less than 14 days prior to their departure to Thailand (The date of vaccine injection is considered Day 0 and the next day is considered Day 1).
• Those who have received 2 doses of vaccine before being infected by COVID-19 and have completed no less than 14 day quarantine period prior to their departure to Thailand. The travellers are required to have a medical certificate from the doctor, stating the recovery from COVID-19 and asymptomatic confirmation.
• List of vaccines, approved by Thai authorities https://bit.ly/34J1mdZ
• Travellers of ages between 6-11 years old, who are not vaccinated or fully vaccinated but travelling with fully vaccinated guardians.
• Travellers of age between 12-17 years old, who have received 1 dose of vaccine can independently enter Thailand under TEST & GO scheme. Travellers in this group who have not been vaccinated can enter Thailand under TEST & GO scheme with fully vaccinated guardians.

Procedures for Sandbox scheme:

• Have proof of reservation and fully paid for SHA Extra+ hotel or AQ hotel confirmation for 5 nights, including 1 COVID-19 RT-PCR test and 1 ATK (Antigen Test Kit). The first COVID-19 RT-PCR test is on the arrival day in Thailand and the second one with ATK (Antigen Test Kit) is on Day 4-5. Travellers may have only 1 COVID-19 RT-PCR test if there is a proof of less than 5 day stay in the Sandbox areas and  a departure ticket directly from the Sandbox areas to any country outside Thailand.

• For Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, and Suratthani Sandbox, travellers are not eligible to stay in more than 3 hotels within 5-day period.

• In case the SHA Extra+ or AQ hotel reservation does not include the COVID-19 RT-PCR tests, travellers must apply and pay for the COVID-19 RT-PCR tests at the website thailandpsas.com

• List of SHA Extra+ hotels: https://web.thailandsha.com/shaextraplus

  List of AQ hotels: http://hsscovid.com/

  You may book the hotel at the following links:

  • BOOK THROUGH asq.ascendtravel.com
  • BOOK THROUGH www.agoda.com/quarantineTH
  • BOOK THROUGH Thailand’s Quarantine Information Center
  • BOOK THROUGH www.entrythailand.go.th

• Holders of a non-Thai passport must have health insurance policy with coverage of no less than 20,000 USD (health insurance is not required for Thai passport holders). The health insurance can be purchased at https://covid19.tgia.org/

• Apply for Thailand Pass through the website tp.consular.go.th at least 3-7 days prior to the departure date. Travellers are required to fill in an online form and upload relevant documents, including proof of full payment for 1 night accommodation in the  SHA Extra+ or AQ hotel(s) with 1 RT-PCR tests and airport transfer. Once the application has been approved, the Thailand Pass QR code will be sent to registered email of the applicants. The Thailand Pass QR code will be valid for 72 hrs. after the registered departure date and time.What is Thailand Pass? https://bit.ly/3jRv5Wk

• Travellers who have been infected by COVID-19 for not less than 14 days must present COVID-19 recovery certificate or asymptomatic certificate, issued and signed by the doctor.

• Travellers of ages under 6 years old, who are not fully vaccinated can enter Thailand under the same scheme as their guardians. Upon arrival in Thailand, they will be tested by saliva testing.

Updated December 20th 2021

Updated October 28th 2021

Updated July 2nd 2021

Thailand has recorded over 2,000 deaths and more than 265,000 cases of Covid-19 as of July 2.

Most travelers must quarantine for 14 days in an Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) facility.

However, on July 1 the island of Phuket reopened to vaccinated foreign visitors without quarantine requirements.

If the Phuket reopening is successful, officials say they will open nine more popular tourist destinations on October 1: Bangkok, Chonburi, Chiang Mai, Petchaburi, Prachuap Kiri Khan, Phang Nga, Krabi, Surat Thani and Buriram.

 

Thailand awaits you !

 

Golden beaches with swaying palms. Ornate temples and lush forests. Thailand has long been the go-to destination for those after a no-nonsense, easy-on-the-eye tropical break.

Swimming pool at Purana Residence, a private, luxury 4 bedroom villa with ocean view located in Panasea Retreat, Bophut, Koh Samui, Thailand

Countries allowed to travel to Thailand

Currently, Thailand has a Tourist Visa Exemption Scheme that allows guests from certain territories to enter Thailand without a visa for a stay of up to 45 days. This is in effect until 30 September 2021 and is valid for countries like the USA, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, UK, and Russia. Meanwhile, Korea and Peru established a bilateral agreement with Thailand to allow a stay of up to 90 days. For a full list of countries, please see the details here.

All travelers who have received a Certificate of Entry are required to download the ThailandPlus Application and register. Upon arrival in Thailand they will have to show a QR code that will be scanned by the Thai authorities upon arrival.

Thailand has released an online step-by-step guide offering detailed information on entry procedures.

 

Restrictions

 

Travelers entering under the “Tourist visa exemption scheme” can stay for up to 45 days.

Meanwhile, the STV, introduced in October 2020, allows for 90-day stays, and can be renewed twice.

Having initially been offered to travelers from low-risk countries, it is now available to travelers from all countries worldwide. You must apply for an STV via the Thai consulate or embassy in your own country.

All travelers must provide proof of an insurance policy that covers treatment for Covid-19 up to the cost of $100,000 and a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure.

A PCR test must be taken on arrival, after which all travelers must quarantine at government-approved quarantine facilities or Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) facilities. This can include luxury hotels, some of which have developed quarantine packages.

A full list of participating hotels and resorts, along with package rates, can be found here: asq.locanation.com.

On July 1, Phuket reopened to vaccinated travelers from low- and medium-risk destinations without quarantine restrictions. However, visitors need to stay in a SHA+ accredited hotel on the island for 14 days before they are allowed to travel elsewhere in the country.

Phuket visitors need to apply for a Certificate of Entry. They will also need to provide proof of an insurance policy that covers treatment for Covid-19 up to the cost of $100,000, a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure and a certificate of vaccination against Covid-19 with an approved vaccine administered no less than 14 days before their travel date.

A full list of requirements for Phuket can be found on the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s website and guidelines for the reopening can be found here.

Related Phuket Largest of All Island in Thailand Most Popular Quickly and Easily

Covid Situation

 

At the moment, Thailand is reporting around 5,000 new cases per day on average, with the majority of cases in Bangkok and its surrounding provinces.

A nationwide vaccine program officially kicked off on June 7. Thailand aims to vaccinate 70% of the population by the end of the year.

Tree Pool House | Haute Retreats

What can visitors expect?

More than 80 national parks have closed temporarily.

Masks are worn at all times in public, both indoors and out, temperature checks are the norm. You will face fines if you don’t wear a mask.

Entertainment venues — including bars and nightclubs — throughout the entire country have been ordered to close. Restaurants are open but not permitted to serve alcohol.

Visitors to these destinations will find empty beaches and heavily discounted accommodation options.

In Phuket, many shops, restaurants and hotels in the southern beaches of Patong, Kata and Karon have closed due to the lack of tourists.

 

Useful links

 

Thai Embassy, Certificate of Entry details

Certificate of Entry form

Special Tourist Visa

Tourism Authority of Thailand Newsroom

 

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