when will thailand reopen to tourists without quarantine
This is to enforce social distancing. The following was submitted by Open Thailand Safely, a campaign pushing the Thai government to reopen Thailand to international tourism by July 2021. So if you want to bring USD / EUR in cash, bear this in mind. However, the anticipated arrival of a Scandinavian group has been postponed indefinitely as, according to the Minister of Tourism “the second lockdown in Europe is making it tough to draw tourists to Thailand”. The local industry has been calling for relaxed quarantine rules to attract tourists from countries that have started vaccine rollouts, such as China, Singapore and the UK. But the idea of only letting people into the country from countries that haven’t had a new case for 60 or more days severely limits the potential numbers. In August 2020, only diplomats, foreigners with a Thai spouse, work permit holders and people with permission to work can enter. Firstly, it might be quite a long time until any tourists are allowed into Thailand. So that is only for one person to use. – Having to check in and out of shops, restaurants, businesses, attractions etc using your phone. And around 20% of workers in Thailand are employed in tourism related businesses. And today, the first tourists for over 6 months will arrive in October. Tables, cooking utensils and eating utensils should all be cleaned at least 3 times a day. From 15 November onwards, 60 day Tourist Visas are available to most nationalities. The good news is that by the time it does, there will be a lot of pent up demand. But it seems clear there won’t be any real tourists entering Thailand until there’s a system in place for covid passports and also vaccinations are well under way in Thailand. As the longer it is before tourism recovers, the longer it will be before people can earn a living wage again. Hello, The latest plans from the Health ministry are to reduce quarantine time to 10 days or possibly zero. The first batch of covid vaccine arrived in Thailand yesterday. But at least it is a start to re-opening the country and a small piece of good news. In the past week a group of expat resort and business owners have formed a group dedicated to opening Thailand safely. It is another small step into allowing visitors to return to Thailand, but I doubt too many will take advantage of it until the 14 day quarantine period is reduced. I have a flight to Bangkok booked to Thailand in July December February. If approved, the program will allow a small number of visitors from low-risk countries to enter Thailand and quarantine at designated hotels and resorts on Phuket for 14 days. I have a flight to Bangkok booked to Thailand in, Recommended Hotels, Guesthouses and Resorts, Thailand not opening to foreign tourists any time soon, cancelled all scheduled international flights, Which Koh Chang Beach is Best for You? Firstly from Thai workers returning from Myanmar and avoiding quarantine by crossing the border illegally. This was confirmed in August 2020 However, they have to go though 14 days quarantine as their own expense. What usually happens now is that if you are deemed to be in the danger zone, you have to wait a while to cool off before trying the temperature check again. ( The serviceman got into the country on a military flight and avoid being tested on arrival. For anyone wanting to stay longer, or who doesn’t qualify for a visa exemption, a Tourist Visa is required. Eg on a deserted beach with no-one around or if you are on an early morning run when you’ll need to be able to breathe properly. On the plus side, this is a great time to visit Thailand. The Special Tourist Visa (STV) was the easiest way to be allowed to do this. Resorts and local government officials in places such as Phuket, Pattaya and Chiang Mai have been calling for the government to admit tourists who have been vaccinated against covid. However, local covid infection rates are under control and coming down. There’s still a long waiting list for repatriation flights to Thailand. Chinese visitors will almost certainly be allowed in before any from Europe. Always handy to have and after a while you’ll miss not having a splash of alcohol gel on your hands after a meal or using public transport. ). Mainly because very few Thais will have been vaccinated by 1 July. However, tourists are still excluded. “One person can easily spend as much as five by staying at the finest hotels,” he said, adding that full and free travel should become a “thing of the past.”, The government confirms plans to allow seven groups of foreigners to enter the country. So, for anyone who is able to spend a few weeks in the country, the overall costs won’t be much higher than normal. Private transfers will be increasingly attractive to visitors who want to avoid all the delays and temperature checks at airports, train and bus stations. However, there is a proposal before parliament to extend this to 45 days, to compensate for the obligatory 14 day quarantine period. So schools in these provinces, are shut until the end of January. However, a Certificate of Entry and 14 day quarantine period are required. This was the first locally transmitted case for 100 days. Simply because there are fewer places that will take foreign banknotes. With destinations in mountains, beaches and remote locations being more popular than normal. One covid19 case was the daughter of a diplomat who had just returned to Thailand. hello, The first group of Chinese tourists who were scheduled to arrive in Thailand tomorrow, has been postponed. Anyone registering over 37.5C will be required to be monitored and / or consult a doctor. This also isn’t surprising as, currently, commercial flights to Thailand are banned in October. Elsewhere, the death of the 2020 – 21 High Season is the subject of opinion pieces . Foreigners have to pay from around 30 – 250,000 Baht to stay in ‘alternative state quarantine’. So far the only place that people seem to have had issues in travelling is by plane to Chiang Mai. Prices for quarantine are currently from around 40,000 Baht per person to 250,000 Baht per person, depending on the hotel. This gives 60 days stay inside Thailand and can be extended for a further 30 days once in Thailand. This is because the government seems hell bent on doing everything to ensure there can’t be a single new case. However, tourist numbers - which were once as high as 40million in 2019 - … While it has already made some efforts to reopen borders to foreign tourists, strict quarantine rules have kept most away. The first group of tourists to visit Thailand since the coronavirus crisis has landed in Bangkok. And then backtracked a few days later, saying numbers would actually be much lower. You will also see a lot of businesses displaying their Safety and Health certification. These visitors receive a 30 day entry stamp. And scanning out of a business at the end of a visit is often ignored. And so can’t be increased by operators. And in a quieter locations, away from mass market tourism. So it’s not all doom and gloom. This includes passport holders from most Western nations. Especially as social distancing, people must sit further than 1 metre of each other, has to be enforced on buses and trains. And then from the discovery of over 1,000 cases in Burmese workers at a large seafood market near Bangkok. Yes. And the Tourism Authority of Thailand have gone full circle and come back to the idea of travel bubbles. With this and the current lockdowns and government advice not to travel, meaning most Thais aren’t having weekends away, it’s not surprising that hoteliers are getting more vocal in their demands for tourism to be re-started as soon as possible. Thai government announcements and policy get reported but rarely become reality. (November 2020 – Very few places now bother with this app. The government has been very cautious in it’s approach so far. And yesterday the government put forward yet another plan. The government’s latest Travel Advisory requires all passengers arriving by air to have a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test result taken within seven days of their flight. A normal Tourist visa, not the new STA. There’s only so long that families members can support each other. Check the Accommodation Guide, Where to Eat? This week both Phuket and Samui announced they were ready and willing to take incoming tourists. Unlike Singapore and Hong Kong for example, that have an agreement whereby citizens, who have tested free from covid-19 can travel between the two countries without requiring a quarantine period. Another week, another plan to get tourists back. By the end of the week the plan for any foreigners who enter the country in the coming months, for whatever reason, having to do 14 days quarantine at their own expense was back on the table. Pattaya is a vibrant city that offers way more than the nightlife for which it’s famous. At present it’s just a proposal from the Thai tourism authorities. Thailand still hasn’t begun covid vaccinations. Source: https://thailandsha.tourismthailand.org/. In addition, the number of visitors is limited to a maximum of 100 per day and a total of 1,200 per month. Take a smaller, more personalised tour with a local guide. Public health is being put ahead of economic factors by the government. The decision will be mulled over during several meetings next Monday, March 15 with the CCSA. When visitors do return to Thailand they shouldn’t be surprised to see their favourite bar, restaurant or tour agent shuttered. At present it is the provincial governors have the power to impose quarantine on visitors from elsewhere in Thailand. Diners should be at least 1 meter from each other. Will I be allowed in? When do you think the average tourist will be able to get back in to Thailand? But I doubt the country will welcome people from nations where there are still hundreds or thousands of cases a day without either quarantine or a vaccine being available. Here in Thailand tourism is estimated to account for almost 18% of GDP. Visitors will only be able to enter Thailand by charter flight or private jet. Long-term visitors from all countries are now being allowed in, but a 14-day quarantine will remain in place. A travel bubble plan tourists has now been drawn up by the government and tourism authorities. A secure payment service, eg using contact-less phone banking or payment apps, should be provided to reduce the amount of contact between service providers and clients. It looks like the Tourism Authority has begun to realise that it’s much heralded Special Tourist Visa (STV) isn’t going to be as popular or sought after as they expected. The Middle Eastern country of Oman has resumed the issuing of tourist visas, but travellers are only allowed to stay for a maximum of 10 days and will need to present a negative COVID-19 test result on arrival.. Needs I specials documents to fly there ? So a bit more advance planning will be required. As of mid December, tourists from 61 nations ( i.e. The bad news is that only 26% of people think there next international trip will be in 2020. Only alternate seats can be used. However, it’s later revealed most passengers are business people or spouses returning to stay with their family. ( However that will depend on Chinese authorities removing their ban on outbound tours and the requirement for 14 day quarantine for Chinese returning from abroad. ) It simply prevents you from developing symptoms. Can Thailand Elite visa holders come into Thailand now? As of November 2020, Thailand hasn’t really re-opened for tourism. Waiting staff must maintain bodily hygiene, wear cloth masks, sanitary masks or face shields, cover their hair with caps and wear gloves at all times while working. All hotel staff are required to wear face masks. Try to limit the time spent in the restaurant to under 1 hour, in order to reduce the number of people you come in contact with. Advertisement: Thailand is considering removing quarantine requirements for travelers who have completed their COVID-19 vaccines. Having successfully obtained all the documents you will be able to get on your flight. It is the first small step in Thailand re-opening for visitors. There’s no reason to suggest this will change in the next 2 or 3 months. And I almost forgot about the tourist tracking app. Thailand and other countries are negotiating the possibility of a “city-to-city” or “island-to-island” travel bubble so that vaccinated tourists visiting the kingdom can visit designated Thai cities or islands without the need for quarantine. So services such as shared minibuses and tourist buses or boats to islands will be running fewer services than normal. Now that coronavirus has been brought under control in Thailand, the Thai government is doing its best to encourage domestic tourism to get Thais to travel more extensively and spend their money supporting tourist related businesses around the country. In reality this probably won’t make any difference to the number of visitors wanting to come to Thailand. Which is, at best, 3 star. One new requirement for tourists who visit Thailand in the future is a new $10 fee that every visitor will have to pay. This month’s buzz words are ‘area quarantine‘. Khao Sod English reported that director of Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority has stated that the doesn’t expect flights for tourists to resume until late September at the earliest. There haven’t been any cases of coronavirus in Thailand for over 3 months. Outside Bangkok, it’s now ( late 2020) rare to see any diners or restaurant staff wearing facemasks. Leaving issues of privacy etc aside, in theory it’s a good idea. Diners should also try to avoid paying in cash to reduce physical contact. But with a 14-day quarantine in place, it’s clear that tourists simply won’t visit Thailand. But the lack of flights, plus quarantine requirement will deter the vast majority of tourists. However, 14 day quarantine period will still be required, in addition to covid testing prior to visiting and on arrival and and tracking whilst in the country. But these measures will only be temporary and, as this is Thailand, will most likely start to be ignored pretty quickly. And alcohol is banned. (Graphic below from The Bangkok Post). According to the CCSA, the targeted countries include China, Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar and some Middle East nations. prices are form around 40,000 – 140,000 Baht for this. Thailand Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said Thailand will reopen to foreign tourists in October with limitation. A prominent banner on the official website proclaims, “Amazing Thailand, Happy Quarantine” and encourages visitors to “change a boring quarantine into a joyous, relaxing time.”