Thailand Relaxes Travel Curbs for Tourists From Over 50 Countries

[Yohan]

While this is good news, I am not sure if this is really true, I cannot verify this news, nothing published in Thailand so far about it.

At least no visa, but still 15 nights in quarantine.... however I cannot find any list of these 50+ countries. Some intern'l media publish the same text with 56 countries....

There is another news going on that Thailand will shorten the quarantine to 10 nights, but nothing so far can be confirmed when this will be the case....

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/govern ... -countries

Thailand on Thursday eased travel restrictions for citizens from 56 countries in a bid to boost the country's pandemic-hit tourism industry, though visitors will be required to undergo a mandatory two-week hotel quarantine.

Tourists from countries including Australia, France and the United States can travel without visas, but would need a certificate to show they were free of Covid-19 72 hours before travel and a place at a quarantine hotel, Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesperson for Thailand's Covid-19 taskforce said.

Visitors would then be subject to a two-week quarantine period after arriving, he said, adding that the normal 30-day visa would be extended to 45 days.

While in quarantine, arrivals would undergo three Covid-19 tests, up from two required previously, Mr Taweesin said, adding that more testing could potentially lead to shorter quarantine times in the future.

The revisions come as the tourism-reliant economy struggles to encourage more domestic activity, but an ongoing travel ban continues to keep most foreign tourists away.

"The entry of tourists will stimulate the economy," Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Tanee Sangrat, told Reuters.

Travellers from other countries not included in Thursday's announcement could still be eligible for a 90-day special tourist visa and a certificate of entry.

Thailand's entry restrictions have helped keep its Covid-19 cases at a low 4,281, but caused widespread economic damage and many job losses.

"We are confident in the Thai public health system, before this we were not sure, but now we are confident in the system," Mr Tanee said.

About same text:
https://www.usnews.com/news/world/artic ... -countries

[Yohan]

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/20 ... ves-closer

This article is a bit old, but it is again under consideration to shorten quarantine after arrival.
Who wants to stay in a hotelroom for 15 nights, unable to go out and pay for that and for medical checks?

10-day tourist quarantining moves closer
Covid plan formally submitted to CCSA
PUBLISHED : 6 NOV 2020 AT 05:00

The Public Health Emergency Operation Centre has approved the proposal to reduce the mandatory quarantine period for tourists under the special tourist visa (STV) from 14 to 10 days, permanent secretary for public health Kiattiphum Wongrajit, said on Thursday.

Speaking after a meeting yesterday, he said it was agreed the reduction should apply to visitors from countries with low risk of Covid-19 transmission.

If visitors are from countries assessed to have higher risk than Thailand, they will still be subject to the 14-day quarantine period, Dr Kiattiphum said.

He explained that testing of Covid-19 is carried out on the first, second, third, seventh, eighth, ninth and eleventh days after arrival, and any infection is usually detected during the first 10 days.

However, chances of detecting infections after 10 days of quarantine are slim. Of 1 million people tested, only 1.5 persons were found to be infected, Mr Kiattiphum said. He added that the chances of finding infections after 14 days of quarantine are 0.3 out of 1 million.

He said the proposal will be submitted to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) for endorsement.

Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said yesterday that Thailand has been praised for successfully controlling the spread of Covid-19, largely due to the public's willingness to cooperate with disease control measures.

"It is not because of the government, but because of all Thais working together that we have prevented the disease," the minister said. He also urged people not to lower their guard.

The CCSA yesterday reported six new coronavirus infections, all quarantined arrivals from five countries, raising the total to 3,810.

The CCSA said the new cases were two from France and one each from Germany, the Netherlands, Hungary and Myanmar. The two cases from France were a 59-year-old French construction consultant and his Chinese wife, 46.

The couple arrived in Thailand on Oct 29 and stayed at an alternative quarantine facility in Nonthaburi.

Last month to shorten the quarantine was not approved yet, we will see what will happen next year in January 2021.

https://www.thephuketnews.com/emergency ... -78026.php

Emergency decree extended into 2021, 10-day quarantine on ice

BANGKOK: The Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has approved the extension of the emergency decree for 45 days, covering the New Year’s holiday and an international badminton tournament.

Wednesday 18 November 2020, 06:49PM

However, the CCSA, chaired by Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, did not approve the reduction of the 14-day quarantine period to 10 days.

While state news agency NNT reported that the CCSA approved the reduction “in principle”, the mandatory 14-day quarantine remains in effect.

After the CCSA meeting today, CCSA Spokesman Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin announced that “the meeting” had agreed to extend the emergency decree for another 45 days, from Dec 1 to Jan 15, to facilitate the work of disease-control officials.

Thirty more days have been added, so as to cover the New Year’s holiday and the HSBC BWF World Tour, which will take place in Thailand from January 12-31 next year, he said.

Dr Taweesin said the meeting approved “in principle” a reduction in the quarantine period, so that returnees and tourists are subject to a 10-day area quarantine.

However, until further notice They will be closely monitored for another four days.

Oddly, while announcing that the mandatory quarantine will remain at 14 days, Dr Taweesin explained to the press that reducing the quarantine period was well supported by studies conducted abroad.

“Although the level of risk is not significantly different, it [reducing the quarantine period] has been approved by foreign studies,” he said.

“To ensure public safety, the CCSA and the Ministry of Public Health will revise the details before the issue is proposed again,” Dr Taweesin noted.

Of note, the CCSA’s decision today to not yet reduce the mandatory quarantine period came while the Public Relations Department of Thailand itself was promoting articles arguing in favour of reducing the quarantine period (see images in gallery above).

[Yohan]

https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... tta-337640

Visa-exemption stamps not enough to revive tourism – ATTA
By Pattaya Mail December 17, 20200305

Bars are quiet due to no tourists because of the 14-day quarantine requirement, ATTA says.
The government can loosen all the visa requirements it wants, but foreign tourists won’t return to Thailand until the mandatory quarantine period is abolished, the Association of Thai Travel Agents said.

ATTA President Wichid Prokobkosol on Dec. 16 applauded the restoration of visa-exemption status for travelers from 56 countries, but said it will have little impact on arrivals as all tourists still must endure expensive 14-day quarantines.

“If the government doesn’t unlock the quarantine state, 95 percent of tourists will be too inconvenienced to come. Income from tourism may increase from 1-3 percent, but that’s not much.”

In force until March, visa exemption allows tourists from 56 countries to arrive in Thailand without a visa and receive 30-days legal status with just a stamp in their passports.

ATTA President Wichid Prokobkosol says foreign tourists won’t return to Thailand until the mandatory quarantine period is abolished.
Combined with the reintroduction of the single-entry tourist visa and long-stay Special Tourist Visa, Thailand is basically open for business again, just as before the pandemic – except for the quarantine requirement.

So, while there are no visa or immigration barriers to entry, tourists still won’t come in large numbers if they have to be locked up in a hotel room for their first two weeks, Wichid said.

Thailand will see an increase in tourists thanks to visa exemption and single-entry visas, but the only ones who likely will take advantage of them are long-stay and retired travelers who can spend three to six months in the country, he said.

He said the current thousands of foreign arrivals Thailand is receiving would jump to tens of thousands, but not three million a month Thailand saw in 2019. Wichid predicted those tourism levels won’t return for as many as three years.

It will be a long time before we see pre-Covid tourist numbers on our beaches.
ATTA will continue to pressure the government to abolish quarantine requirements for travelers from countries without widespread community spread of the coronavirus for the past 150 days, Wichid said.

He noted that eight countries currently qualify under that criteria and those nations previously sent 15 million tourists to Thailand. “If we get only half of them to return, that will help stimulate the economy.”

ATTA has prepared a letter to present to the tourism and finance ministries, Bank of Thailand and other relevant agencies that calls for establishing a central fund to subsidize tourism businesses, offer low-interest soft loans, extend loan-repayment deadlines and pay half of tourism employee wages.

I cannot find any list, which are these 56 countries, and no list about which are these 8 low risk countries etc.
As usual all information about Thailand/visa status etc. remains unclear yet.

[Yohan]

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/303 ... l_referral

Finally, seems to be true, 56 nations, no need to apply for a visa...
but I am not satisfied yet, still waiting ....

Today a long statement is in the Nation Thailand news website

CCSA offers incentives like visa extension to make up for 14 days lost in quarantine
National

Dec 17. 2020

The Centre for the Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) announced on Thursday that some types of visa have been reactivated, the certificate of entry (CoE) validity extended and sports tournaments have been given the go-ahead.

CCSA spokesperson Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin said that since December 1, the authorities have been conducting three Covid-19 tests on people under quarantine, instead of two. The previous set up was to test individuals between the third and fifth day and then again between the 11th and 13th day. Under the new system, visitors will be tested on the first day, then between the ninth and 10th day and then again on the 13th or 14th day.

He said the new testing system may offer authorities an incentive to reduce the mandatory quarantine period from 14 to 10 days, though nothing is clear as yet.Separately, the Public Health Ministry is looking for ways to cut down on the fees private hospitals are charging for Covid-19 tests.

Private hospitals, which have been contracted to test people in alternative state quarantine (ASQ), have been asking the government for more funds.Meanwhile, tourists who arrive on cruise ships and complete their 14-day quarantine on board will be allowed to extend their visa by another 15 days.

The CCSA said that under the current 30-day visa, tourists only have 15 days to travel around after they have completed their 14-day quarantine.Tourists have until December 29 to apply for the 15-day visa extension.

Meanwhile, tourists who are unable to travel within the time period specified in the certificate of entry (CoE) will be granted an extra 24 hours. If the travel can be completed within 72 hours after the original timeframe, then a new CoE will not be required.Taweesin, however, provided little information on the Foreign Ministry’s plan to allow CoE applications to be completed online.

The CCSA has also issued a new list of 56 countries and territories whose citizens do not require a visa and can live in the Kingdom for up to 30 days.

The countries are: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bahrain, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Principality of Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Republic of Slovenia, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Peru, Hong Kong, and Vietnam.Meanwhile, non-immigrant visa holders from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru and South Korea can stay for a maximum of 90 days based on inter-governmental agreements.

Visa on arrival (VoA), however, is still suspended until the Covid-19 situation gets better.

Three types of visitors – transit visa holders, tourist visa holders (not from the 56 countries and territories listed above) and athletes participating in meetings or competitions hosted by Thailand – will get a 15-day extension on their visa to compensate for the 14 days lost in quarantine.The Honda LPGA women's golf tournament will be held in Thailand from May 3 to 9. Spectators will be allowed to join based on the virus situation at the time.Separately, the Digital Economy and Society Ministry is planning to add Mandarin to the Thailand Plus application from January onwards. The apps will also be linked to smart wristbands and Thai Chana apps.The spokesman added that Christmas and New Year celebrations will be held as usual, but under the new normal, people will be required to maintain social distancing, observe hygienic behaviour and agree to cooperate so there is no need for a lockdown like in other countries.

[Winston]

Can you at least choose the hotel you stay at during quarantine? Are there cheap hotels or budget hotels that you can use for quarantine? Food is cheap in Thailand so no worries there. How do they decide which hotel you can choose to go to? Will it be run like a prison? Do you get a range of choices for every budget?

[Yohan]

Can you at least choose the hotel you stay at during quarantine? Are there cheap hotels or budget hotels that you can use for quarantine? Food is cheap in Thailand so no worries there. How do they decide which hotel you can choose to go to? Will it be run like a prison? Do you get a range of choices for every budget?

You can choose the hotel, but not the food, laundry, transfer from airport etc. all is included in the obligatory package, also included are all medical testing and certificate, and you cannot leave the room at least for the next 7 days or so, indeed like a prison...

Yes, you can choose the hotel - you must book it in advance by yourself.
Pricing is starting from about baht 30.000,- up to no upper limit...
A big turn-away for most tourists, me included of course.

Other requirements are health insurance against covid-19, and for long-stay additional health insurance also for general cover of any medical situation. Very expensive if you are older than 60 years.

In my case for long-stay, pensioner (1 year visa requirements) (Japanese permanent resident)
http://site.thaiembassy.jp/en/visa/type/9681/

Better to apply for a tourist visa 60 days, easier requirements as I have my own rooms in Pattaya, but 15 days I will be isolated in a hotel nearby, I do not want that and so I will not go until this will change.
http://site.thaiembassy.jp/en/visa/type/9571/

Requirements are terrible now to be allowed to enter, with or without visa you need a 'certificate of entry', testing required before boarding the airplane and this is expensive too.

https://thaiembdc.org/onlinevisaapplication/

Full list of hotels is here

https://thaiembdc.org/asq/

http://hsscovid.com

Some hotel co-operate with AGODA
https://www.agoda.com/quarantineth

Here also a new website - listing some hotels and requirements
https://asq.locanation.com

[mattyman]

been following a few vloggers on YT. The situation there doesn't look as shitty as the UK. They seem a bit more relaxed about anti-social distancing.

Anyway, isn't the incubation period of SARS-COV-2 now thought to be 10 days?

Shouldn't countries abandon the 'suppression' (prevent all infections at all costs) approach and go to mitigation and focused protection?

[Winston]

Thailand eases quarantine rules for foreigners

https://www.pattayamail.com/featured/th ... ers-346794

[Yohan]

Thailand eases quarantine rules for foreigners
https://www.pattayamail.com/featured/th ... ers-346794

I know, and the only follow-up comment in Pattayamail of this article is from me.

This shows that many regular visitors are not even interested in such 'news' - they don't even reply anymore to such articles - either Thailand cancels any quarantine requirements or most former visitors will never return.

I am willing to accept 3 days quarantine/testing after arrival in Bangkok as a maximum time to be locked away after arrival - but surely not 7, 10 or even 14 days paid out of my wallet. Why shall I stay in a hotel and locked-up, while I have my own rooms only a few miles away?

This does not make sense at all.

------

In Japan there are not so many covid-19 active patients, despite no vaccine is approved for general use yet. Likely vaccination will not be available up to middle of April.
Same in South Korea, and also Thailand did not really start with vaccination for its citizens.

I guess we will know more around summer time, Juli, August or September 2021.

Yes, i could travel to Thailand now, even visafree for 45 days, but I need to pay a lot of money additionally (maybe USD 2500 or so)for quarantine and medical documents. Sorry - I am not willing to throw money away for nothing in return. I will wait it out, until the situation is changing to the better.

-----------------------------------------

https://www.pattayamail.com/thailandnew ... rts-346899

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his cabinet ministers put off their inoculation of COVID-19 vaccine made by AstraZeneca following reports of the formation of blood clots in some people who had been vaccinated in other countries.

Dr Apichart Wachiraphan, director of the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute, said the prime minister and cabinet ministers postponed their vaccination at the institute of the Department of Disease Control under the Public Health Ministry this morning.

The postponement applied to their planned injections of COVID-19 vaccines produced by AstraZeneca and Sinovac.

However, the inoculation of Sinovac vaccine for medical personnel and people of at-risk groups continued as planned.

Health authorities said that the postponement responded to the reports that Denmark and six other countries in the European Union suspended the use of AstraZeneca vaccine because some vaccine recipients had blood clots.

[Winston]

But Yohan, are you saying the quarantine is always in expensive 5 star hotels? Can't you choose your hotel? Can't you just choose a normal 2 star hotel? Or has the government made a deal with 5 star hotels to only allow quarantine in the most expensive hotels? If so, that's obvious corruption and greed. Sickening.

[Yohan]

Only some hotels qualify as quarantine hotels. See lists below.
This corona virus is still causing a chaos, and everybody in charge tells you something differently...

Many hotels are closed anyway, totally out of business.
However if you try to reserve any of these quarantine hotels it is said many reply they are fully booked....

Hotel list
https://asq.locanation.com
https://asq.ascendtravel.com/landing
https://www.asqhotels.co

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... l-out.html

WHO declares there is NO REASON for countries to stop using AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine after Thailand becomes latest to delay jabs
The WHO said on Friday that 'we should continue using the AstraZeneca vaccine'
EU regulators are probing 30 blood clots among five million people given the jab
They say there is no evidence of dangerous side-effects or of a defective batch
Thai premier Prayut Chan-O-Cha's live vaccination was called off at last moment

[Yohan]

https://www.pattayamail.com/thailandnew ... vel-346041

This article is about Thai people traveling abroad. I can imagine that other governments will follow and insist that their own citizens in case the are international travelers need a vaccine certificate.

All Thais must soon hold a vaccine passport to facilitate international travel

Thailand’s DPM and Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul went on Facebook to show what he hopes every Thai will soon be holding, a vaccine passport.
The passport is officially titled “International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis” and has parts in English to facilitate international travel.
Every Thai who has been vaccinated will get one.

[Yohan]

https://www.pattayamail.com/news/thaila ... ies-347292

Thailand signs ‘vaccine passport’ deals with low-incidence and immunized countries
March 15, 2021

Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong has announced that Thailand was planning to enter into bilateral agreements on vaccine passports with other countries and the vaccine passport scheme will take shape within three months.

Thailand is expected to begin signing vaccine passport deals with low-incidence countries which had begun vaccinating their people against Covid-19.

Department of Disease Control Director-General Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong has announced that Thailand was planning to enter into bilateral agreements on vaccine passports with other countries and the vaccine passport scheme will take shape within three months.

He said Thailand will receive a further 1.8 million doses from Sinovac — 800,000 this month and the rest in April — followed by six million doses from AstraZeneca in June. There are also 10 million dose deliveries scheduled for July and August.

Dr. Opas predicted that 63 million doses would be given to over 30 million people by the end of the year, with high-risk areas being the first to begin widespread vaccination drives.

[Yohan]

Good news if you consider to travel to Thailand, it is now open again for tourists. Not totally, still restrictions, but better than before.

https://www.pattayamail.com/featured/7- ... and-347851

7-day quarantine approved for certified vaccinated travellers to Thailand

The CCSA meeting agreed to shorten quarantine periods to 10 days for arrivals without a vaccination certificate (VC) and to 7 days for those with VC, beginning on April 1.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Friday resolved to shorten quarantine periods for foreign arrivals, beginning on April 1.

CCSA spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin said that from April 1, visitors would not be required to show a fit-to fly document. They would be allowed to carry only Covid-19 free certificate (CFC).

The CCSA meeting agreed to shorten quarantine periods to 10 days for arrivals without a vaccination certificate (VC) and to 7 days for those with VC, beginning on April 1.

The 14-day quarantine remains for arrivals from areas where the Covid-19 virus has mutated.

Moreover, quarantined arrivals would be allowed to leave their rooms on the condition that they comply with the Public Health measures. They would be able to use fitness facilities, swimming pool and outdoor exercise area as well as to buy food and goods outside.

[flowerthief00]

Looks like Thailand is the only Asian country making public plans to reopen. First Phuket in July will open to vaccinated tourists without need for quarantine, then in September other major cities, and eventually the entire country. In addition to vaccination I think health insurance is also required.

https://www.travelinglifestyle.net/thailand-reopening-borders/