Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha got people’s hopes up yesterday with talk of Thailand opening up to international tourists from 46 countries on November 1st without the need for quarantine.
Needless to say, after the requirements were released today, unless you are desperate to visit Thailand, it is unlikely few tourists will bother.
After all, when the requirements for no quarantine in Thailand after November 1st are not much different than the requirements for most of the last year — strict and expensive — when international tourists can travel to many other countries without these severe restrictions, most, of course, will.
What are the requirements for no quarantine in Thailand after November 1st?
Just as ridiculous as you might expect if you know anything about the Thai government and their never-ending panic over Covid-19. A virus with a 99.5 – 99.7% survival rate.
Requirements for no quarantine in Thailand after November 1st
First of all, the 46 countries themselves were announced by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) today. They are:
Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bhutan, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Cyprus, Czech, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States and Hong Kong.
As for the requirements, they go like this:
- A Certificate of Entry must be applied for (or a Thailand Pass once the CoE is phased out) and approved before an international traveler will be allowed to board the plane.
- All arrivals in Thailand must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, and must have received their second dose at least 14 days before leaving for Thailand.
- Any arrival must have been in the country of their departure for at least 21 days before boarding a plane for Thailand.
- All arrivals must have proof of a negative RT-PCR test for Covid-19 no more than 72 hours before their flight.
- General health insurance covering at least US$50,000 is mandatory.
- Arrivals must agree to a second RT-PCR test upon arrival.
- The first night of the trip must be spent in an approved hotel pending the result of the test.
- The MorChana tracking app must be downloaded to each tourist’s phone, so their location can be tracked at all times.
Anyone who has not been vaccinated, has had only one dose, received the second dose less than 14 days before departure, or is arriving from a country not on the 46-country list will be required to quarantine. This could be in a hotel or it may be in a hospital or other medical facility.
The CCSA did not mention what would happen if a tourist arrives in Thailand and tests positive for Covid-19, although it is likely a mandatory 14-day stay in a hospital would be required.
Unfortunately too, with the country’s bars, nightclubs and entertainment venues still mandated closed, and with masks mandatory everywhere you go, the long list of requirements for no quarantine in Thailand after November 1st are not likely to cause most people to book their flight.
That’s why many expats are recommending continuing to stay away from Thailand until February or March of 2022 at the earliest.
By that time, they believe, the requirements will be far less strict as Thai authorities realize few international tourists are willing to go along with them.
