Foreign travelers were prohibited from visiting Thailand for most of 2020. Thailand began progressively allowing foreigners to enter the country in 2021, and outsiders must adhere to the Thai government’s health and entry standards. Foreigners can now Travel to Thailand but under certain conditions. Please check which of the following programmes will allow you to enter Thailand before making any plans.
No Quarantine – Test & Go
The No Quarantine Program allows fully vaccinated travelers to enter Thailand without being subjected to quarantine. You must be traveling to Thailand from one of the 63 Listed Low-Risk Countries, and you must have spent at least 21 days in your leaving country. You are not obliged to stay in a mandated quarantine or sandbox, but you must stay for one night in a certified SHA+ or ASQ hotel while you await the results of your RT-PCR COVID test, which was performed upon arrival.
No Quarantine: Phuket Sandbox
The Phuket Sandbox programme is open to travelers from any country (excluding Africa) who are properly vaccinated and arriving in Phuket. Quarantine is not required under the Phuket Sandbox Program. The tourist only needs to stay in a certified SHA+ Hotel in Phuket for a minimum of 7 nights before being free to travel across Thailand.
Quarantine Program
Tourists entering Thailand through Bangkok will be obliged to stay for 7 nights for fully vaccinated travelers, 10 nights for partially vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers, and 14 nights for travelers from Africa under the Quarantine Program. Quarantine Hotels are available in Bangkok, as well as adjacent provinces such as Samut Prakan and Nonthaburi, and Pattaya.
Thailand Pass
Thai and foreign nationals visiting Thailand must get a Thailand Pass before entering the country. Currently, the Thailand Pass is available through the Phuket Sandbox and Bangkok/Pattaya Quarantine Programs.
Visa Requirements
You must determine the appropriate visa to enter Thailand. Here are the most common types of visas you may obtain:
- Visa Exemption (for visiting Thailand for tourism purposes not longer than 30 days)
- Tourist Visa (for visiting Thailand not longer than 60 days)
- Special Tourist Visa
- Non-Immigrant Visa (for visiting Thailand based on the different purpose of stay and the visa is valid for 90 days. It is extendable for a further one year.
- Thai Elite Visa
- Visa on Arrival
One can apply for the Thai Visa (tourist visa and non-immigrant visas) online, by mail, or in person.
Obtaining a 30-day visa exemption or a 60-day tourist visa is currently the simplest way to enter Thailand. You simply need to purchase COVID 19 insurance, which is less expensive, and you can change your visa to a non-immigrant visa such as a marriage visa, retirement visa, Thai Elite visa, or other non-immigrant visas after arriving in Thailand and completing the quarantine. If you need assistance changing your Thai visa, please contact our Bangkok office.
Flight Booking to Thailand
Most major airlines, including Qatar, Etihad, Emirates, and others, currently have permissions to fly commercial flights to Thailand on a daily or weekly basis. Before booking tickets to Thailand, make sure you know about the various types of visas available to foreign nationals at this moment to see if you’re eligible to travel. Your flight to Phuket Sandbox must arrive in Thailand without making a domestic stop in Bangkok.
Because obtaining a tourist visa or visa exemption from the Thai embassy is quicker, if you intend to prolong your stay in Thailand or change your visa category, you should arrange a return trip that you can simply cancel once you arrive in Thailand.
AQ Hotel Booking for Bangkok or Pattaya Quarantine
For individuals arriving in Bangkok from outside the country, a reservation at an AQ hotel is mandatory for quarantine. The AQ hotel package often includes three meals per day, complimentary wifi, a private car shuttle from the airport to the AQ hotel, a 24-hour on-call nurse, and a health checkup twice daily. The package includes two COVID-19 testing kits as well. All AQ bookings are subject to the hotel’s particular terms & restrictions, so read them thoroughly before making a reservation.
SHA+ Hotel Booking for Phuket Sandbox
Travelers who intend to participate in the Phuket Sandbox programme or enter Thailand through it must reserve SHA+ Hotel accommodations for the duration of their sandbox stay. You must spend at least 7 nights in a Sandbox Hotel.
COVID-19 Insurance Purchase
You must obtain COVID-19 insurance that meets Thai government criteria, such as coverage of up to THB 1.75 million (equal to at least USD $50,000) for medical expenses resulting from injury or illness, including COVID-19.
The insurance policy must be valid for the duration of your trip to Thailand. It could be 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, six months, or even a year.
Application for Thailand Pass
One must apply for the Thailand Pass through the official Thailand Pass website. Henceforth, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs evaluates and authorizes all applications.
All tourists must apply for the Thailand Pass at least 5 to 7 days before their date of arrival to Thailand.
To apply for the Thailand Pass, go to https://tp.consular.go.th/ and register by filling out the Thailand Pass registration page with your personal information and uploading supporting documents including a copy of your passport, a copy of your valid visa, and COVID-19 travel insurance.
Get COVID-19 RT-PCR Test Reports
You must also obtain the following after receiving your COE or certificate of entry:
Medical certificate and test results must not discover you to be COVID-19 positive.
The COVID test is mandatory using the RT-PCR technique within 72 hours of departure. Some airlines may not accept home kit testing, so verify with the airline you’re flying with for specific requirements.
Do your Document Filing Before Departure
You should print out and present these documents to your airline before departure:
- Thailand Pass
- Valid visa in your passport (if any)
- Proof of Vaccination (if any)
- Medical Certificate with a laboratory result indicating COVID -19 negative. The COVID test must be by the RT-PCR method, within 72 hours before departure.
- COVID 19 travel insurance certificate
- Copy of confirmed hotel booking
- Copy of flight reservation
- Receipt of payment for COVID tests (for Sandbox program)
For any type of assistance in immigration or Visa conversion, feel free to email us your requirements at [email protected]
