News Forum - Thailand drops all pre and on-arrival testing, banks on a tourist surge after May 1

[Thaiger]

The CCSA has approved the biggest easing of entry requirements for fully vaccinated travellers (Thai and foreign) starting May 1, but awaiting official publication in the Royal Gazette, expected early next week. There will be no more Test & Go or Sandbox programs, and there’s now more options for unvaccinated travellers. The only 2 options for arriving travellers will simply be ‘vaccinated’ or ‘;unvaccinated’. The Thailand Pass still exists but the only paperwork you need to upload for registration before coming to Thailand is your passport, vaccine information and proof of your insurance. You will still have to await approval […]

The story Thailand drops all pre and on-arrival testing, banks on a tourist surge after May 1 as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

[tezzaaa]

They can always wait patiently for the tourist surge.. It is not going to happen, who is going to pay €400 + for a scam insurance that doesn't even cover you if you happen to be asymptomatic..

[Patron28]

What about children under 1 year old? Do they require a negative PCR Test?

[EdwardV]

Happy days are here again! 

[Dannym]

To I still have to wear a mask everywhere 

[Artemis080]

1 hour ago, tezzaaa said:

They can always wait patiently for the tourist surge.. It is not going to happen, who is going to pay €400 + for a scam insurance that doesn't even cover you if you happen to be asymptomatic..

But you're not limited to buying Thai insurance? You can use your normal travel insurance providing it says covid medical cover.

[HolyCowCm]

2 hours ago, tezzaaa said:

They can always wait patiently for the tourist surge.. It is not going to happen, who is going to pay €400 + for a scam insurance that doesn't even cover you if you happen to be asymptomatic..

My friends was just here for a few months and his insurance only was about $75 USD. Maybe for the year is close to $400 but that still is ok even for 1 year to stay here.

[M.O.]

I was happy to learn about the changes until I was told that on the local thai TV news it was stated that booster vaccination is required for anyone to be considered as vaccinated. Which means having just the two standard jabs is insufficient. True?

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

News Forum - Thailand drops all pre and on-arrival testing

Well according to BP reporting this is a BS statement ….. on arrival testing still required ….

 

For arrivals by land, foreign visitors who intend to stay no longer than three days must be fully vaccinated and pass self-antigen tests.

Otherwise, they cannot enter the country. For visitors who intend to stay longer, fully vaccinated travellers will not be quarantined if they pass antigen tests, while those who are unvaccinated would be quarantined for five days.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2298946/thailand-to-fully-re-open

 

[Ramanathan.P]

There is still a catch......

 

"For arrivals by land, visitors who intend to stay no longer than two days must be fully vaccinated and pass self-antigen tests. Otherwise, they could not enter the country.

For visitors who intend to stay longer, vaccinated travellers would not be quarantined if they pass antigen tests, while unvaccinated travellers would be quarantined for five days.".....Bangkok post

Hence if you are tested positive you will be quarantined. Hence it is better to wait to see how the situation unfolds.

 

[Guevara]

1 hour ago, Artemis080 said:

But you're not limited to buying Thai insurance? You can use your normal travel insurance providing it says covid medical cover.

Yes Artemis you are quite right. I went as far as contacting my Insurers to put it in writing separate to my Worldwide Annual policy.

[SirPixAlot]

3 hours ago, tezzaaa said:

They can always wait patiently for the tourist surge.. It is not going to happen, who is going to pay €400 + for a scam insurance that doesn't even cover you if you happen to be asymptomatic..

I agree that the pre-registration (ThaiPass) is still a nuisance, but I don't see any scam with the insurance. I've chosen a german insurance (HanseMerkur) for my trip last december and I paid only 18€ ($20) for one year with a total coverage of $100,000. It was totally accepted by the Thai Pass application. Just don't choose a thai-Insurance to avoid any kind of scam.

Don't worry, be happy

[Soidog]

I’ve read various articles on what was and wasn’t agreed yesterday. It’s crying out for a clear infographic to explain the news rules for both air and land arrivals. That statement alone says it all. The fact that I feel it needs some form of diagram or flow chart in order to fully comprehend the various requirements suggest it is still far to overly complicated, or I’m thick as a brick (I’ll await the comments and associated upvotes on me being thick as a brick)!

There was a great opportunity to remove the Thailand Pass and they totally missed it. It’s says,  all you need to upload now is your Passport, vaccination status, proof of insurance. Well no one can leave or get in without a passport and is normal well before Covid. Vaccination status can be easily checked before departure. The insurance requirement is utter nonsense. Just introduce the new 300 baht tourist tax and job done.
 

Finally, why the hell have they added confusion and ambiguity about Antigen testing? If they really mean that they are simply advising you to do a test on day 5 if you are vaccinated, then why even say it. Those who want to keep an eye on their health will already do so, and those who don’t give a damn won’t. It’s typical of a regime who can’t stop giving out orders and unnecessary advice. They need to remember the people arriving are from countries where the government and military take a backseat in day to day life. Such comments concern and confuse people. 

[Graham]

Once a general always a general, they just cannot make that transition to public servant (which is what they are).

[Guphz]

3 hours ago, M.O. said:

I was happy to learn about the changes until I was told that on the local thai TV news it was stated that booster vaccination is required for anyone to be considered as vaccinated. Which means having just the two standard jabs is insufficient. True?

Probably. And?

[Guevara]

29 minutes ago, Soidog said:

I’ve read various articles on what was and wasn’t agreed yesterday. It’s crying out for a clear infographic to explain the news rules for both air and land arrivals. That statement alone says it all. The fact that I feel it needs some form of diagram or flow chart in order to fully comprehend the various requirements suggest it is still far to overly complicated, or I’m thick as a brick (I’ll await the comments and associated upvotes on me being thick as a brick)!

There was a great opportunity to remove the Thailand Pass and they totally missed it. It’s says,  all you need to upload now is your Passport, vaccination status, proof of insurance. Well no one can leave or get in without a passport and is normal well before Covid. Vaccination status can be easily checked before departure. The insurance requirement is utter nonsense. Just introduce the new 300 baht tourist tax and job done.
 

Finally, why the hell have they added confusion and ambiguity about Antigen testing? If they really mean that they are simply advising you to do a test on day 5 if you are vaccinated, then why even say it. Those who want to keep an eye on their health will already do so, and those who don’t give a damn won’t. It’s typical of a regime who can’t stop giving out orders and unnecessary advice. They need to remember the people arriving are from countries where the government and military take a backseat in day to day life. Such comments concern and confuse people. 

I think you have summed it up precisely. As to whether you are as thick as a brick, make your own mind up 555. Completely off topic Jethro Tull released an album in the 70's entitled 'Thick as a Brick'.

[Soidog]

4 hours ago, M.O. said:

I was happy to learn about the changes until I was told that on the local thai TV news it was stated that booster vaccination is required for anyone to be considered as vaccinated. Which means having just the two standard jabs is insufficient. True?

I can’t answer that definitively, though logic would dictate that a booster is required. I think a related question would be, how long since you had the booster does it count as being fully vaccinated? No more than 6 months? Or 12 months? 

[Loe]

Hello, why you said after mei 1 change the rules. They changes after april 30

[JJJ]

8 hours ago, AdvocatusDiaboli said:

News Forum - Thailand drops all pre and on-arrival testing

Well according to BP reporting this is a BS statement ….. on arrival testing still required ….

For arrivals by land, foreign visitors who intend to stay no longer than three days must be fully vaccinated and pass self-antigen tests.

Otherwise, they cannot enter the country. For visitors who intend to stay longer, fully vaccinated travellers will not be quarantined if they pass antigen tests, while those who are unvaccinated would be quarantined for five days.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2298946/thailand-to-fully-re-open

The way BP wrote this is confusing. But I think they are only talking about unvaccinated land entries intending to stay longer than 3 days. If you cross at the land border and are unvaccinated you can take a test. 

[JJJ]

4 hours ago, Soidog said:

I’ve read various articles on what was and wasn’t agreed yesterday. It’s crying out for a clear infographic to explain the news rules for both air and land arrivals. That statement alone says it all. The fact that I feel it needs some form of diagram or flow chart in order to fully comprehend the various requirements suggest it is still far to overly complicated, or I’m thick as a brick (I’ll await the comments and associated upvotes on me being thick as a brick)!

There was a great opportunity to remove the Thailand Pass and they totally missed it. It’s says,  all you need to upload now is your Passport, vaccination status, proof of insurance. Well no one can leave or get in without a passport and is normal well before Covid. Vaccination status can be easily checked before departure. The insurance requirement is utter nonsense. Just introduce the new 300 baht tourist tax and job done.
 

Finally, why the hell have they added confusion and ambiguity about Antigen testing? If they really mean that they are simply advising you to do a test on day 5 if you are vaccinated, then why even say it. Those who want to keep an eye on their health will already do so, and those who don’t give a damn won’t. It’s typical of a regime who can’t stop giving out orders and unnecessary advice. They need to remember the people arriving are from countries where the government and military take a backseat in day to day life. Such comments concern and confuse people. 

Once Thailand creates paperwork it is impossible to get them to get rid of it. They simply don’t care that their terrible system wastes other people’s time. 

Of course they didn’t create a system to accept pdf or jpeg. They simply don’t care and wonder why no tourists aren’t coming—who cares if tourists have to waste money on utterly useless insurance? 

[PapayaBokBok]

Down to the meat n bones--all the fat trimmed away----the money for testing---the hotels got their cut---and the hotels that "played the game"...testing sites--hospitals etc......all that stands is the INSURANCE

Ive always said this will be the KEY----as they have been wanting to tack on insurance BEFORE covid and it was the perfect oppty to do it.......Now--will the ins stay or go?.......as this will be the real factor on how BADLY thais need tourists back----cos if they get rid of this after trying for years to install it,  this is the real gauge...

[Marc26]

1 hour ago, PapayaBokBok said:

Down to the meat n bones--all the fat trimmed away----the money for testing---the hotels got their cut---and the hotels that "played the game"...testing sites--hospitals etc......all that stands is the INSURANCE

Ive always said this will be the KEY----as they have been wanting to tack on insurance BEFORE covid and it was the perfect oppty to do it.......Now--will the ins stay or go?.......as this will be the real factor on how BADLY thais need tourists back----cos if they get rid of this after trying for years to install it,  this is the real gauge...

Thailand should keep the insurance

If someone is too cheap to pony up 2000baht for 60 days insurance, you probably don't want that tourist coming to your country 

 

So it's a good barometer 

[Soidog]

19 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

Thailand should keep the insurance

If someone is too cheap to pony up 2000baht for 60 days insurance, you probably don't want that tourist coming to your country 

So it's a good barometer 

Well I had to pay 6,000 baht for 90 day insurance. That said, the actual cost is irrelevant. It’s the principle of it. What is the existing 700 baht in the ticket for and the soon to be added 300 baht. What is that for? 

I can normally get annual travel insurance for around 2,500 baht per YEAR. I don’t mind paying that amount as I want to make sure any problems or accidents are covered. But this Covid insurance with Thai companies is unacceptable. Next time I come back and if it’s still in place, I won’t be buying it from a Thai insurer. 

[KomanderChicknNugget]

A traveler should always have insurance when they go to a foreign country, regardless of COVID. Primarily to cover if you get sick while there and need to be airlifted out, either alive or dead.

[DateMike]

I apologise if this question has been raised prior but wanted to check if starting May 1, tourists can move around freely and travel within Thailand. i was hoping to come for just under a fortnight and wanted to visit Bangkok and Phuket but before i booked my tickets, wanted to be sure there would be no unforeseen issues. Thanks