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Updated 8 November 2021
Affectionately known as “The Land of White Elephants,” Thailand is a much-sought paradise on account of its extraordinary beauty and cultural uniqueness. The buzz of Bangkok, tropical shores of Phuket, grandiose temples Chiang Rai, the luscious Chiang Mai countryside never fails to disappoint millions of tourists, who visit the country every year.
After sidelining its international tourism for nearly two years, Thailand is now open for international travellers wishing to once again indulge in the country’s sedative beaches and illuminating culture. Here is a complete guide of the latest quarantine requirements in Thailand for international visitors and returning residents alike.
Table of Contents
Who can enter Thailand now?
Thailand has now reopened its borders to fully vaccinated travellers arriving by air from 63 approved countries/territories. Travellers must have stayed in the approved countries for a period of 21 days or more before departing for Thailand.
The approved countries are as follows:
Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mongolia, Myanmar Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan.
Thailand entry requirements
General tourists are not required to apply for a Thai visa. Visitors from countries under the visa exemption list are not required to obtain a Thai visa in order to travel to Thailand for tourism purposes. The Thai Immigration Bureau will allow foreigners to stay in Thailand for 30 days. Tourists will have the option to apply for 30 days visa extension at any local immigration office in Thailand. The visa extension due to COVID-19 is valid for 60 days.
Required documents
The following are necessary for travel to Thailand.
- The Thailand Pass system has replaced the Certificate of Entry (CoE) as one of the prerequisites for entering Thailand. You can apply for the pass here
- A certificate of vaccination with an approved vaccine at least 14 days before travelling. Note that travellers under 12 years of age travelling with parents or guardians are exempt from the vaccination requirement
- A COVID-19 health insurance policy with a minimum coverage of USD 50,000 (this does not apply to nationals of Thailand)
- A confirmed payment for a 1-night stay at SHA+, AQ, OQ, or AHQ accommodation, and 1 RT-PCR test
- A medical certificate with an RT-PCR laboratory result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected, issued no more than 72 hours before departure
For foreign travellers and Thai nationals arriving in Thailand, a fit-to-fly certificate will no longer be required. Aside from the Thailand Pass, flight and hotel bookings, and COVID Insurance, travellers are only required to provide the COVID-19 RT-PCR test that is taken and conducted within 72 hours before their flight from their country of departure.
Quarantine requirements
Fully vaccinated travellers travelling from the above countries are allowed to enter Thailand without having to serve quarantine. Note that travellers will be asked to spend a night in a government-approved hotel while they await the results of their Covid-19 test.
Fully vaccinated travellers departing from countries not mentioned above, they are permitted to enter for tourism purposes by way of Thailand’s sandbox program. The program requires travellers to spend seven days in designated hotels in destinations including Phuket, Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Koh Samui. After seven days have elapsed, travellers will be allowed to freely visit other parts of the country.
Alternative Quarantine Program
Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travellers may still enter Thailand but must serve the mandatory alternative quarantine of 10 days in a designated quarantine hotel in Bangkok, Phuket, or Samui before they can travel to other parts of Thailand.
Where to quarantine in Thailand?
The quarantine period must be served at an approved AQ Hotel which provides stand-by nurses and COVID-19 tests conducted by partner hospitals. The full list of AQ hotels can be found and booked here.
However, foreign travellers who do not wish to stay in designated AQ hotels may instead opt to spend their mandatory quarantine in Golf Quarantine, Yacht Quarantine, and Villa Quarantine accredited by the Thai government, to boost the tourism sector.
Foreign travellers who do not wish to stay in designated Alternative Quarantine or AQ may opt to spend their mandatory quarantine by partaking in the following programs. These programs have been accredited by the Thai government in an effort to boost its tourism sector.
Digital Yacht Quarantine
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in collaboration with Thailand’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA) and the Thai yachting organizations in Phuket, launched Thailand’s first ‘Digital Yacht Quarantine’ project. This will allow yachters to complete their 10-day quarantine in the luxury of their own yacht.
After arrival in Thailand, yachters will need to contact the Thai Yacht Business Association (TYBA) which will help arrange for the requisite COVID-19 RT-PCR tests. After the testing, each yachter will be given a smartwatch health tracker to be worn round the clock. The temperature, blood pressure and pulse readings will be monitored on a real-time basis by the Thai authorities using the NB-IoT technology.
Golf Quarantine
Along similar lines, visitors can also spend their mandatory quarantine teeing at an approved golfing course. Six golf resorts have got the go-ahead from the government as of now, including Blue Star Golf Course in Kanchanaburi and Artitaya Golf Club and Resort in Nakhon Nayok.
