Finally, after this long wait of COVID-19 lockdown, Thailand is re-opening to welcome tourists from all over the world. Before you plan your next trip to Thailand, kindly note the following regulations.

Travel to Thailand post-lockdown

The Latest Update on Travel To Thailand Restrictions: 2 June 2021: –

• Thailand’s government has reinstated a 14-day mandatory quarantine for both vaccinated and unvaccinated national and foreign travellers starting on May 6, 2021.
• The Thai Embassies and Consulates have started issuing Certificate of Entry for those nationals on the Visa Exemption List to enter Thailand.
• Foreigners entering Thailand must make an ASQ hotel reservation and purchase COVID-19 insurance, which costs around 4,000 THB 
• Thai embassies and consulates are now granting 60-day tourist visas, as well as special tourist visas (STVs) and Certificates of Entry to enter Thailand.
• Thailand permits semi-commercial planes to fly in and out of the country.
• Diplomats and foreign workers, including their families, business representatives and experts invited by the government, permanent residents, foreigners with Thai families, students and their guardians, medical tourists and their attendants, business visa holders, Thai Elite Visa holders, APEC Cardholders, and special tourist visa (STV) holders will be among those allowed to enter Thailand. For further information and to apply for a Certificate of Entry, foreigners should contact the Thai Embassy in their present location.
• Thailand will admit a limited number of long-stay international tourists under the Special Tourist Visa (STV) Program from October 1, 2020, until September 30, 2021. This long-stay visa is available to foreign citizens who are visiting Thailand to stay for an extended period as tourists to help the country’s tourism economy. Those who meet the requirements should contact the Tourism Authority of Thailand Office or the Thai Embassy in their present location for additional information.

7 Steps to enter Thailand: –

Zone 1: – Body temperature checked

Step 1 – Body temperature must be below 37.3 degrees Celsius

Step 2 – Mobile phone SIM cards will be distributed to inbound passengers for free before passing through quarantine counters.

• All arrivals are required to download and install the alert application.
• Masks remain required in airports.

Zone 2: – Quarantine

Step 3 – Follow the instructions to proceed to the quarantine counter. Persons experiencing diarrhea, fever, or feeling unwell should notify a quarantine inspector.

Things to prepare:

• COVID-19 health insurance policy with a minimum coverage of US$100,000
• A medical certificate with an RT-PCR laboratory result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected issued any more than 72 hours before departure.
• A vaccine certificate.

Zone 3: – Immigration

Step 4 – Passport should be presented at the immigration counter to undergo an immigration inspection.

When the immigration inspection is complete, please proceed to the first-floor arrivals hall.

Things to prepare:

• T.8 Form
• Certificate of Entry (COE)
• A confirmation of booking in an SHA Plus-certified accommodation establishment.

Step 5 – Claim baggage

Step 6 – Proceed customs

Zone 4: – Arrivals Testing (SWAB Day 0 )

Step 7- Get a test at the airport testing facility.

After passing through the airport testing facility, passengers can proceed to the exit No.2

Eligibility Criteria for Certificate of Entry: –

• Thai nationals
• Foreigners under the Visa Exemption List
• Foreigners with a valid non-immigrant B visa (with Work Permit) and those with a non-immigrant B visa (with Work Permit) extension of stay, as well as their wives and children.
• Foreigners and their families who have been granted authorization (WP3) to work in Thailand by the Ministry of Labour.
• Members of the diplomatic corps with non-immigrant D and F visas, as well as their families.
• Foreigners with non-immigrant O visas who are Thai citizens’ wives, parents, or children.
• Non-natives with a Certificate of Permanent Residence, as well as their wives and children, are eligible.
• Foreign students, as well as their parents or guardians, who are enrolled in Thai-approved formal educational institutions.
• Outsiders and their companions who require medical care in Thailand. This does not, however, cover medical therapy for COVID-19.
• Foreigners invited by the government and those granted special permission to enter the Kingdom, such as Thailand Elite Visa holders.
• Foreign migrant workers with official documents.

Tourist Visa (TR): –

Eligibility Criteria for TR Visa:

Applicants who want to visit Thailand for tourism purposes will be granted this type of visa.

Conditions for TR Visa:

• The TR Visa is only good for a single visit to Thailand for tourists. Afterwards, the VISA category cannot be modified.
• TR Visa is valid for three months after it is issued. Travellers must travel to Thailand within these three months. They will be permitted to stay in Thailand for up to 60 days, beginning on the day of their arrival. The stay can be extended for another 30 days, for a total of 90 days starting from the day of admission.
• Stay permit will be cancelled and the TR Visa holder will be barred from visiting Thailand in the future if he or she violates the entrance requirements (for example, if he or she engages in work-related activities).

Procedures for TR Visa Application:

The following documents should be prepared-

1. Completed application form
2. A passport with at least two blank pages and a validity of at least six months from the date of intended arrival into Thailand is required.
3. One current passport-sized (4×6 cm) picture
4. A copy of India’s residence registration
5. 6-month bank statement with balances of at least 500,000 INR maintained THROUGHOUT the 6-month period with bank attestation
6. Itinerary/journey plan and estimated trip date, as well as expected flight, airline, and return date
7. Reservation confirmation for travel to Thailand
8. Confirmed Returned air ticket
9. Treatment and medical expenditures linked to COVID-19 during your travel to Thailand should be covered by a health insurance policy with a minimum coverage of USD 100,000.
10. 2500 INR for visa processing

Special Tourist Visa (STV): –

Eligibility Criteria for STV:

Applicants who want to visit Thailand for tourism purposes will be granted this sort of visa.

Conditions for STV :

• STV is valid for a single entry into Thailand for long-term tourism purposes only.
• STVs are valid for three months after they are issued. Travelers must enter Thailand within these three months. They will be permitted to stay in Thailand for up to 90 days, beginning on the day of their arrival. STV can be renewed twice during a visitor’s stay in Thailand, each time for a duration of up to 90 days.
• During your stay in Thailand, you will not be able to alter your STV to another form of visa.
• The stay permit will be cancelled and the STV holder will be barred from entering Thailand in the future if he or she violates the entrance requirements (for example, if he or she engages in work-related activities).

Procedures for STR Visa Application:

The following documents should be prepared-

1. Completed application form
2. A passport with at least two blank pages and a validity of at least six months from the date of intended arrival into Thailand is required.
3. One current passport-sized (4×6 cm) picture
4. A copy of India’s residence registration
5. 6-month bank statement with balances of at least 500,000 INR maintained THROUGHOUT the 6-month period with bank attestation
6. Itinerary/journey plan and estimated trip date, as well as expected flight, airline, and return date
7. Evidence of long-term lodging: either a fully paid hotel reservation in Thailand for the whole period of the desired stay in Thailand, or a completely paid hotel reservation in Thailand for the whole length of the planned stay in Thailand (after the mandatory quarantine). The hotel must provide a reservation that specifies the length of stay, as well as the hotel’s contact information and tax ID number. A fully paid Thai home lease for the period of the expected stay in Thailand (after the mandatory quarantine). The lessor must provide the lease, which must include the length of stay, as well as the lessor’s contact information and tax ID number. A contract for the hire-purchase or mortgage of immovable property; OR a condominium title document.
8. A criminal history (verification shall be valid for not more than three months and must be duly notarised)
9. Medical certificate produced in the nation where the application is filed, indicating the absence of the disorders listed in Ministerial Regulation No.14 (B.E. 2535). (certificate shall be valid for not more than three months and must be duly notarised).
10. A copy of a current health insurance certificate valid for the duration of your stay in Thailand.
11. Having a minimum outpatient benefit of 40,000 THB in Thailand (or 100,000 INR)
12. Have a minimum inpatient benefit of 400,000 THB in Thailand (or 1,000,000 INR)
13. At least USD 100,000 should be set up to cover all medical costs, including COVID-19.

Thailand ASQ: –

All passengers, Thai and international, will be obliged to undergo a 14-day quarantine starting May 6, 2021, regardless of nationality or immunisation status. All passengers, both Thai and international, must undertake a mandated quarantine in one of the Ministry of Health’s approved Alternative State Quarantine or ASQ Hotels.

Following the launch of a COVID-19 vaccination campaign, Thailand is making it simpler for overseas tourists to enter the country. According to the most recent travel advice, the necessary quarantine time for both foreigners and Thai passengers arriving in Thailand from most countries will be 14 days commencing May 6, 2021.

However, it’s important to note that this quarantine requirement will also be applied for those tourism visitors who will travel from countries with a COVID-19 variant, such as Africa, who will still need to complete a 14-day state quarantine in accordance with the original regulations.

Thailand Health Screening: –

Many nations, including Thailand, have implemented additional screening techniques and health regulations for travel at airports as a result of the spread of the COVID-19. For international arrivals, visitors must present a printed copy of a COVID-19 PCR test with negative results, a printed and duly filled out T8 Health Declaration form listing the traveller’s health information, such as fever, vomiting, blood pressure, and a list of places visited before arriving in Thailand, as well as a copy of the traveller’s vaccination card if the traveller has received vaccinations. The tourist will be asked to download the ThailandPlus programme, which will also act as a health tracker, to their mobile phone. Some airports, such as Phuket and Samui, will now need a COVID-19 test, whether a PCR test or a fast test, while arriving at the airport for inter-provincial travel.

Remarks: –

• Consular authorities maintain the right to seek further papers if they believe they are required.
• The processing fee for visas is subject to change at any time without notice.
• Certain nationals must apply for visas only at the Thai Embassy or Consulate-General in their home or resident country, or at the authorised Thai Embassy.
• Genuine papers and information must be provided by the applicants. The applicants’ applications will be denied if they offer counterfeit papers or incorrect information, and they may be barred from visiting Thailand in the future.
• Travelers must apply for a Certificate of Entry after acquiring a TR Visa/STV (COE). Travelers who do not have a COE will be denied entry even if they have a valid visa.
• TR Visa/STV holders must prepare the following required documents to apply for COE online (APPLY HERE: https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/regis/step?language=en)
• For pre-approval stage (Registration):
• Copy of passport
• Copy of valid TR Visa/STV
• Processing Time : 3-5 days 
• For final approval stage (Confirmation):
• Flight confirmation
• Confirmation of an Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) hotel reservation for at least 15 nights, beginning on the date of arrival in Thailand. Please make a direct reservation with the hotel, asking for the ASQ package. You may also make a reservation here (reservation must be made for 15 nights). Bookings made through other online agencies that do not include an “ASQ package” will be denied. For a list of approved ASQ hotels visit this link.
• Health insurance that EXPRESSLY covers COVID-19 medical treatment costs, with a minimum coverage of 100,000 USD for the duration of your stay in Thailand. It is recommended that travellers acquire health insurance that fulfills Thailand’s admission requirements here.
• Those with current health insurance should request a “cover letter” from their insurers verifying that COVID-19 is covered with a minimum coverage of 100,000 USD.
• All travellers must produce the following documentation at check-in and upon arrival in Thailand:
• Admissions certificate
• Fit to Fly: Valid visa/re-entry permission Health Certificate must be issued no later than 72 hours before travel.
• Medical Certificate with a test result stating that COVID-19 was not discovered using the RT-PCR technique, certified or issued no more than 72 hours before departure time.
• Health insurance that satisfies the entry criterion, as well as confirmation from an ASQ hotel

We recommend that you check your local Thai embassy or consulate before making any arrangements or reservations, as travel rules and limitations for foreigners entering Thailand may vary significantly based on the nation and visitor. You may also post your inquiries in the comments area.

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