Thailand Will Allow Travellers To Enter Requirement-Free From May 1
Having earned its reputation as one of the strictest destinations in Southeast Asia after enacting some of the harshest border regimes during Covid, Thailand is finally easing travel rules once again.
Having already reopen to tourism, the country is now planning to allow tourists to enter requirement-free as soon as May 1, 2022.
Currently, Thailand has a trio of entry programs in place. While tourists must apply for an exemption to the entry ban and undergo state-observe quarantine upon arriving, those who are vaccinated can apply for the facilitated Test & Go or Sandbox schemes, which we have detailed here.
While the country has already released a timeline for the easing of entry restrictions, and vaccinated foreigners have usually been granted entry, they must still apply for a Thailand Pass under one of the schemes above, while satisfying a number of other border requirements.
Come May, these may be remove altogether.
Thailand Looking To Catch Up With Other Freer Destinations
As the world reopens fully for travel, vacationers are becoming increasingly wary of overly strict entry requirements.
Even in Asia, a continent that has traditionally opted for a more conservative pandemic approach, there have been examples of countries fully lifting tourist bans, such as Singapore and Malaysia.
While Thailand has also reopen, its entry schemes are yet to be scrap, meaning the nation is lagging behind others that have made entry much easier in recent weeks. Thailand Will Allow Travellers To Enter Requirement-Free From May 1.
Vaccinated travelers do not want to have to jump through endless hoops and face excessive bureaucracy in order to travel, and Thailand seems to be more aware of that now.
As revealed by the country’s Tourism and Sports Minister, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the country may fully remove the Thailand Pass much sooner than initially predicted. Thailand Will Allow Travellers To Enter Requirement-Free From May 1.
At present, those entering Thailand must apply for a Pass before flying, which is conceded upon successfully submitting an application for either the Test & Go or Sandbox alternatives.
Although applications are seldom deny, this can be an anxiety-inducing process for some, as applicants are requires to submit personal and health information and wait up to 5 days until they get the confirmation they will be allow to board.
Once landing in Thailand, tourists are again subject to further checks even when holding an active Thailand Pass.
Thailand Pass Could Be Scrapped As Soon As May
According to Mr. Ratchakitprakarn, he will propose an end to all these extra requirements vaccinated visitors must meet once Thailand’s Covid management team meets again on April 22.
Should the Minister manage to convince the others, the change could be enact as soon as May 1, allowing tourists to enter Thailand freely for the first time since the crisis starts.
In order to bypass restrictions, all foreigners would need to present a valid vaccination certificate.
As of April 2022, Thailand considers travelers to be fully vaccinated once 14 days have passed since the completion of a primary vaccination course, and no more than 12 months before the date of arrival.
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