The COVID-19 situation in Thailand
Thailand will lift the latest pandemic-related travel rules this week as it finalizes its national COVID-19 emergency decree. From October 1, the Southeast Asian country will no longer require travelers to provide proof of vaccination or a negative test to enter the country, Thailand’s Tourism Authority confirmed to Travel + Leisure. The decision comes as Thailand downgrades COVID-19 from “a dangerous contagious disease” to “a contagious disease under surveillance.”
The new rules “simplify the ability for everyone to experience the vibrant culture, cuisine and natural beauty of Amazing Thailand. We hope the simplification of the arrival process will encourage travelers to plan their visits, leading to a resurgence of Thailand Tourism,” said Santi Sawangcharoen, director of TAT’s New York office and acting director of TAT’s Toronto office, in a statement shared with T+L, Thailand will also increase the length of stay of visa-exempt travelers from 30 to extend 45 days.
Embassy and Consulate in Thailand. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the new visa regulations will come into effect from October 1 to March 31, 2023.
Thailand began receiving international tourists in July 2021 under a Phuket sandbox program before eventually expanding travel and then tightening border restrictions again in light of the emergence of the Omicron variant. Go Thailand Pass allows vaccinated international visitors to travel anywhere in the country and skip quarantine. The latest country to lift restrictions. In July, Australia lifted all remaining pandemic-era rules, and nearby New Zealand followed suit earlier this month.
In October, Japan also plans to welcome back independent travelers, while Hong Kong has simply relaxed travel rules and scrapped its mandatory three-day hotel quarantine.
