Thailand’s prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announced the country will be easing entry rules for international arrivals, including returning Thais and foreign residents, under all three schemes (Test & Go, Sandbox Program, Quarantine) from December 16, 2021.
What’s new from Thursday?
Test & Go
In addition to arrival by air, travelers will be allowed to enter by land (at Nong Khai’s border checkpoint, starting December 24, 2021) and sea, provided they meet the vaccination and testing requirements. The current one-night waiting period in a hotel and a confirmed payment (for a one-night stay at a SHA++ hotel, one RT-PCR test and a prearranged airport transfer) will continue to be required.
Travelers under six years of age, traveling with parents with a negative RT-PCR test result within 72 hours before traveling, are not required to have a pre-arrival negative RT-PCR test result and can have saliva test when entering to the country. Travelers six to 11 years of age, traveling with parents, must have a negative RT-PCR test result within 72 hours before traveling. Travelers 12 to 17 years of age, traveling with parents, are not required to be vaccinated but must have a negative RT-PCR test result within 72 hours before traveling; those unaccompanied must get vaccinated with at least one dose of an approved vaccine and must have a negative RT-PCR test result.
Travelers infected within three months before traveling must have a medical certificate of recovery or get vaccinated with at least one dose of an approved vaccine for an unspecified period of times before travelling.
What isn’t changing: Travel will still only be allowed from approved countries/territories (currently 63) where travelers must have stayed for 21 days or more. An insurance policy with coverage no less than $50,000 is also required. Lastly, everyone 18 years of age and older should get fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with an approved vaccine at least 14 days before traveling to Thailand and must have a negative RT-PCR test result 72 hours before the travel date.
Sandbox Program
For travel in the “Blue Zone” (Sandbox Destinations), the mandatory stay will be reduced from seven to five days. This also means a confirmed payment for five nights at SHA+ accommodation is required. On arrival (the first) testing will continue to use the RT-PCR method but the second testing by an ATK method will be done sooner on Day 4 or 5 from currently Day 6 or 7.
The same rules as above for travelers under six, from six to 11 and from 12 to 17 apply here, as well.
Quarantine
Travelers will be able to entry Thailand at all points of entry: If fully vaccinated, they must undergo a five-day quarantine (currently seven days); if unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, a 10-day quarantine is required, and for the rest of the arrivals, a 14-day quarantine in mandatory. This also means a confirmed payment for five nights or 10 nights at quarantine facilities is required.
Testing will continue to use the RT-PCR method for on arrival, while the second testing will be done sooner on Day 4 to 5, or Day 8 to 9, or Day 12 to 13, depending on the length of the quarantine period.
Note: Travelers under any of the entry schemes are still required to register for a Thailand Pass at tp.consular.go.th.
For more information, visit www.tatnews.org.
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