Thailand drops PCR test requirement for vaccinated tourists
Manas Sen Gupta
Sat, 23 April 2022, 2:20 pm·2-min read
Vaccinated visitors in Thailand will not have to take RT-PCR tests, Thailand’s Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) agreed in a meeting on 22 April 2022. The CCSA, government’s COVID-19 task force, met to discuss the easing of the country’s COVID-19 entry rules.
A series of decisions were taken in the meeting, which comes days after some other countries in Southeast Asia, such as Singapore, eased their entry requirements in a bid to gradually open the region to tourism.
The new decisions are expected to come into force starting 1 May.
Key Thailand travel decisions taken at CCSA meeting
Only two schemes to be in place
Image credit: Mathew Schwartz/@cadop/Unsplash
For the ease of visitors, Thailand’s new COVID-19 entry rules will have just two air travel schemes — one for vaccinated travellers and another for unvaccinated travellers.
Thailand drops PCR tests for vaccinated tourists
Starting 1 May, all inoculated passengers arriving in Thailand are recommended to take a self Antigen Test Kit (ATK), or as Rapid Antigen Test, on the fifth day of their arrival. The government expects that travellers will monitor their own health and take an ATK test if they feel they have symptoms.Further, visitors will not be required to book an SHA+ hotel as part of the Test & Go entry scheme. Their insurance will be reduced to US$10,000 from the current US$20,000.
Vaccinated travellers will no longer be required to take any pre-departure test or on-arrival test. But they will have to register through Thailand Pass with their vaccination certificate, insurance and other necessary documents. Inoculated travellers are free to travel with any mode of transport.
Rules for unvaccinated travellers
Unvaccinated travellers and those not vaccinated according to regulations of the Thai Health Ministry will have to register on Thailand Pass with five-day hotel booking and insurance.They are exempt from both pre-arrival and on-arrival tests but will be required to head directly for the hotel in designated transport.
An RT-PCR test will be undertaken on the fourth day of their arrival and they will be required to take the ATK test on their own throughout the duration of their stay.
It was also reported by local media that the CCSA reviewed the colour coding of the country and the re-opening of all land border checkpoints.
Thailand’s new COVID-19 entry rules will have to be signed and published in the Royal Gazette to become effective.
