Thailand intends to discontinue its divisive Test & Go entrance program, instead choosing the simpler categories of “vaccinated” and “unvaccinated” for foreign visitors entering the country. The Thailand Pass — the online pre-registration system – will continue, but the paperwork has been much simplified as a result of these changes. During today’s meeting, the CCSA announced big revisions to the county’s Thailand Pass program, among other things.
International travelers who have been completely immunized against Covid-19 will no longer be required to perform a PCR test upon arrival. The elimination of PCR testing for vaccinated travelers essentially ends the controversial Test & Go admission policy, which forced travelers to spend a night of quarantine in a SHA+ hotel while waiting for their test results. There will be no more Covid tests or one-day quarantine hotels for those who have been vaccinated.
The CCSA still advises that immunized visitors undergo an ATK test on Day 5, with the assumption that they would self-monitor their health while in the country. However, according to the statements made today, this suggestion will not be implemented.
Unvaccinated travelers who submit a negative PCR test through the Thailand Pass system within 72 hours of departure will be treated the SAME as vaccinated travelers, with no PCR test on arrival OR quarantine.
Those who do not submit a negative PCR test before departure, on the other hand, will be compelled to quarantine for 5 days upon arrival, with a PCR test between days 4-5. The requirements for unvaccinated travelers at land crossings are the same as those for individuals coming through international flights.
Meanwhile, the required insurance coverage would be cut from US$20,000 to US$10,000.
Businesses have a lot to be happy about as well. Restaurants that are SHA+ registered, including ‘pseudo bars,’ will be permitted to stay up until midnight. The ‘formal’ obligation to end alcohol sales by 11 p.m. has been widely ignored in recent months, as nightlife entrepreneurs have fought to return to ‘regular’ working hours and restart their operations.
The CCSA also proposed reopening all land border controls and reviewing provincial color-coding depending on infection rates.
All of this is set to go into effect on May 1st, which is next week. However, no exact date has been revealed as of yet. All of the adjustments must be signed off on and published in the Royal Gazette, which is likely to happen early next week.
