Just days after announcing a new requirement that foreign travelers to Thailand must present proof of Covid vaccination, the country has backtracked and withdrawn the rule. The vaccine certificate requirement, which was set to take effect on Monday, was scrapped due to concerns that it would deter tourists. The change comes as Thailand prepares for a wave of tourist arrivals from China, which has recently reopened its borders to the world and eliminated the need for quarantine upon arrival.
According to Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, the decision to waive the vaccine certificate requirement was made in order to avoid “inconvenience” to travelers, as most Thais and tourists from China and other countries have already been fully vaccinated and possess some immunity to the virus. Despite the chaos surrounding the vaccine rule, Thailand is still expecting to see 7 to 10 million Chinese travelers visit by air this year, and is hoping to welcome a total of 25 million foreign visitors in total.
However, Thailand will still require travelers coming from countries that mandate negative RT-PCR test results for entry to have adequate health insurance to cover the cost of treatment in the event that they contract Covid while visiting the country. In fact, the health insurance must cover at least $10,000, depending on the entry requirements of the traveler’s home country.
Despite the ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic, Anutin is optimistic that Thailand’s economy will recover quickly, thanks to a steady influx of tourists. “If Thai people warmly welcome travelers while being cautious about their own health and safety, the economy will recover quickly after being hit hard by Covid during the past three years,” he said. “Today we will accelerate the process of bringing back what we have lost.”
And it looks like the recovery is already underway, as a group of 269 tourists arrived in Bangkok on Monday from Xiamen, marking the first direct flight to Thailand after China lifted its travel restrictions. Here’s hoping the rest of their trip goes smoothly!
Foolish to have visitors allowed in to Thailand without proof of a Covid vaccine. And even more foolish to have the Chinese not show an RT PCR test upon arrival. Have they not read the news about the numerous Chinese travelers arriving in other countries infected with Covid, the numbers are alarming. Thailand will be shut down once again because of this ridiculously lack policy!
You say it is foolish to not see proof of vaccination for visitors, yet we all know vaccinated people can have covid! So I’d suggest your thinking is foolish!
Yes fair enough if you want to suggest EVERYONE shows proof of a test arriving in the country, but we are over 3 years now into this pandemic and so we really need to stop bed wetting and learn to live with this virus as we have done flu our whole life!
Do you really believe in 3 years people haven’t been exposed and built up some immunity? It’s time to move on!
Thailand have absolutely done the right thing! Thank god they came to their senses! 🙏🏼 👏
Exactly! But I’m sure you’ll agree that Thailand government has a problem about announcing stuff, switching, changing and just overall totally useless and niggling requirements. I found it a bit oppressive. It makes you reluctant to trust the authorities and invest money there. That’s unfortunate because the rest of it, people and culture is so chill.
Yeah , The mortality rate is a lot different between Covid-19 and Influenza!! So your statement on that point is extremely FOOLISH !
bla bla bla svejjjjjjete blabla che pallllllle ….
It’s stupid and foolish for the Thai government to allow china into Thailand seeing that covid-19 has reemerge again. Hospitals in China are overrun again because no hospital bed are available.The Thai government is being greedy and irresponsible with Thai residents (nationals) putting their health at risk for the sake of money (the economy) making the government look good in the eyes of the Thai people. I’ve been to Thailand many time and see how Chinese people don’t ware masks because they don’t care. The insurance companies are no more than like (mafia organizations) overcharging premiums for medical coverage by tenths of thousand of money. I see where Thai people see them as corrupt entities. Shame! Shame! on all that are corrupt!!
There has been certificate free travel for months now, all over the world it is getting endemic, except China indeed where because of a 3 year lock down, it is surging like it did in the rest of the world before. With our without vaccination certs it would not make a big difference. The big issue is a non consitency of the government in making and taking decisions (not only on this particular topic)
Well done Thailand for doing the right thing! 👏 Vaccination records don’t do anything as we all know vaccinated people can have covid! Everyone I know who is vaccinated has also had covid!
The only thing that could make any difference is testing ALL visitors, but after 3 years into the pandemic this seems ridiculous! We need to learn to live with this virus as we have done flu our whole life! Time to move on and live life again. 🙏🏼💃🏻🕺🏻
I AM VACCINATED and have not had covid , no its wrong , 2 years ago what a comotion to get to thailand ,and now come we don not give a dam…
Yes because 2 years ago the situation was very different! Most people hadn’t been vaccinated 2 years ago or had covid! Now everyone who wants to be vaccinated has been given the chance or had covid. If you haven’t had covid I’d say you are an exception. Also, if your vaccine actually works then you have nothing to worry about.
Honestly, this is why I left Thailand after living there 5 years. It’s a constant barrage of useless requirements that are changing endlessly. It’s especially the onerous reporting requirements for maintaining a visa. After submitting all kinds of information, proving you have the income, the police report etc, they continue to harass you endlessly. Mexico has a retirement program, you qualify and you are there forever without needing to do dog and pony shows, and no confiscatory banking requirements, or gobs of money left in an account producing nothing. Thailand was not satisfied that I was spending $80-100k a year, they needed to bug me every 3 months, every year. Malaysia has a much better program as well. They can go to h*ll.
The Thai-government made the right decision because there is no pandemic anymore.
The pcr-test is not suitable – he
cannot detect any infection.
Let’s come back to normal life.
Also take away the masks- they
do not protect, they are on the
contrary.
Total stupidity as Chinese are having major problems due to the inadequate sinovac virus used in their country on variants and their failure to be open to information of their problems to other countries…
And yet Thailand has accepted sinovac with open arms to vaccinate their population ??
In other words let the Chinese in with out testing for virus and Thailand will accept another wave of variants as China is being devastated by…
And will also be devastated…