Traveling these days is not as easy as before, right? Travelers like you are subjected to more responsibilities, therefore, requiring you to exert more actions, and more effort to be able for you to have a successful trip to your destination.

It is highly suggested to please extend your patience with the travel procedures. And know that every country, including Thailand, is still in battle with the fight against COVID-19 and is doing its best to do so.

Please bear in mind that the additional requirements, responsibilities, procedures asked by the Thai authorities are implemented with the intention to keep the safety of the public health, both Thai nationals and foreign nationals entering the country.

It is understandable that the additional requirements, procedures, responsibilities to enter Thailand set by the Royal Thai Government may have caused some confusion to some travelers and this is the reason why we would like to do our best to guide you in how to have a successful trip to Thailand.

Before you Travel to Thailand

Before you travel to Thailand, there are some things that you will have to consider knowing and doing first. 

Check your Country’s Travel Restrictions

Aside from being updated with the travel advisory of your travel destination, Thailand. You should keep yourself updated with the travel restrictions of your respective country. Check your local travel information whether it is okay for you to travel to Thailand or not.

Check Thailand’s Travel Advisory

Are you from a country that is allowed to travel to Thailand? Lucky for you, Thailand, as of the moment, is open for travelers from countries all over the world. Yes! any of you who are reading this are allowed to enter Thailand. 

However, as mentioned earlier, patience is needed for it would not be that easy.

Check if you need a Valid Visa to Enter Thailand

If you are a non-Thai national but are a citizen from a Visa Exempted country then you are allowed to enter Thailand without a Thai tourist visa which will allow you to stay for a maximum of 45 days only. 

If ever that you are not from a visa-exempt country and you plan to stay in Thailand for more than 45 days, you will have to apply for a Thai tourist visa or other visas for other purposes that will allow you to stay for more than 45 days from the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulates located in your country.

Thai Visa applications can be done online. Note that not every citizen from every country can apply online, some countries may require you to apply for a Thai visa physically. So, please check if you are a citizen eligible to apply online.

Once issued a tourist visa or special tourist visa, and want to extend their stay in Thailand, they can visit any Thai immigration office once the traveler has already arrived in Thailand.

Check Entry Options in Thailand

Know that upon entry to Thailand, you will be subjected to stay in a secured area to make sure that you have not contracted COVID-19 during your trip, depending on your vaccination status. 

There are 2 options given by the Thai government:

Alternative Quarantine System/Hotel Quarantine

This option is available for both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers.

This option will let travelers stay in a hotel room in a hotel establishment for 7 days (for vaccinated) or 10 days (for unvaccinated) or 14 days (for unvaccinated travelers traveling by land) for a mandatory quarantine.

Hotel Quarantine locations can be found at:

• Bangkok
• Buri Ram 
• Chiang Mai
• Chiang Rai
• Chon Buri
• Krabi Mukdahan
• Nakhon Nayok
• Phang Nga
• Phuket
• Prachin Buri
• Surat Thani
• Tak

Travelers will have to book ASQ Hotels if they have chosen this option, the hotel will take care of providing you food and necessities which will be at your expense. 

Sandbox Program

This option is only available for fully vaccinated travelers (except for children).

This option will let travelers stay, still, in a hotel room in a hotel establishment BUT, unlike the alternative quarantine, they will have the privilege to get out of the hotel premises and do any activity that they would like to do, as long as they are within the location of the Sandbox program.

Options of Locations of Sandbox program:

• Phuket Sandbox
• Krabi Sandbox
• Samui Sandbox
• Phang Nga Sandbox

Travelers will have to book SHA+ Hotels if they have chosen this option.

For less hassle and the best-guaranteed price hotel booking, book at Agoda.

Check, Obtain and Prepare the Entry Requirements to Enter Thailand

What are the requirements to enter Thailand? Well, to make it easy for you, here is the list of the requirements that are needed for you to be able to enter the Kingdom of Thailand. Please take note.

1. Valid Thai Visa or Re-entry permit (except for Visa Exempted Countries)
2. Passport (with at least 6 months validity)
3. Confirmed Booked Flight to Thailand
   International Flights to Thailand are available, for easy flight booking to Thailand, you can book at Qatar Airways.
4. Confirmed Booked ASQ/SHA+ hotel and Confirmed payment for COVID-19 test during the stay at the hotel.
5. COVID-19 Insurance Certificate
   In purchasing your travel health insurance for COVID-19 or the COVID-19 insurance, please make sure that the coverage is at least THB 1.75 million ($50,000) which will cover:
   • Medical treatment expenses
   • Life insurance
   • Unexpected expenses relating to COVID-19 incidents
   Need help finding the insurance company with the best insurance policy for COVID-19? Choose the best, AXA.

6. Thailand Pass

   To obtain the Thailand Pass QR code, you will have to register and apply online. Choose among the 3 programs and fill out the form with the necessary details that were asked and upload the asked documents.

   Note that the documents to upload are the requirements from numbers 2 to 5. So, please make sure that you have already obtained the requirements from 2 to 5 to obtain the Thailand Pass QR code via email.

   To know more about the new system, visit the Thailand Pass page.

7. Medical Certificate that shows a laboratory result indicating that you are negative from a COVID-19 RT-PCR test. The result shall not be issued more than 72 hours before departure.
8. Certificate of Vaccination or Proof that you are vaccinated (especially if you are to choose the Sandbox Program)
9. T8 Form
10. Declaration Form
11. Installed ThailandPlus Application

During your Travel to Thailand

On the day of your travel, please make sure that you have all the requirements listed brought with you. For easy access to the required documents, it is suggested for you prepare and organize them.

Also, please follow COVID-19 safety measures. It is advised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand to travelers entering the country to practice:

• Distancing
• Mask Wearing
• Hand Washing
• Temperature Checking
• Testing for COVID-19
• Alert Application

Arrival in Thailand

Upon arrival in Thailand, the travelers are subjects for health screening, and the 1st nasal RT-PCR test will also be done upon arrival. Children will be tested through saliva RT-PCR testing.

After the 1st RT-PCR test, the travelers will be transferred directly to their booked ASQ/SHA+ hotel where they will stay until their required days of stay is complete.

During your Stay in Thailand

You may wonder what will happen during your 7-day or 10-day or 14-day stay in the hotel or in the Sandbox. Well, in general, during your 0-1st day of stay in the hotel, you will wait for the result of the 1st RT-PCR test.

For Travelers who are staying through ASQ hotel

• If Negative Result- you will stay in your room while waiting for your required days of stay to be ending. Only on the 6th-7th day (for vaccinated travelers) or 9th-10th day (for unvaccinated travelers) or 13th-14th day (for unvaccinated travelers traveling through the land) will they have their 2nd RT-PCR test.
• If Positive Result- you will be transferred to a health care facility for COVID-19 medical treatment which will be covered by the purchased COVID-19 insurance.

For Travelers who are staying through the Sandbox program

• If Negative Result- you will be able to roam around outside the hotel premises or any locations inside the Sandbox location and do any activity you can do. Only on the 6th-7th day will they have their 2nd RT-PCR test.
• If Positive Result- you will be transferred to a health care facility for COVID-19 medical treatment which will be covered by the purchased COVID-19 insurance.

Note: Travelers are not allowed to transfer to a different hotel.

Completion of Required Days of Stay

After completing the required days of stay and receiving a negative result from their 2nd RT-PCR test, that will be the only time they are allowed to travel to different Thailand destinations. 

If the traveler decided that they will proceed to travel to different Thailand destinations, they will be given a “Release Form” which will serve as proof that they have completed their 7-day or 10-day, or 14-day stay.

If the traveler decided that they will proceed to go home to their country of origin or they will proceed to travel to other countries, they are still given a “Release Form”. And is suggested to follow travel guidelines and advisory of the country that they will go home or the next country that they will travel to.