November 1 re-opening of Thailand – The Fine Print

And now for some of the fine print, answering questions you may have had about re-entry to Thailand from next Monday, November 1.

Who can travel to Thailand?
Travellers will be categorised into 3 groups…

• The first are fully vaccinated visitors from 46 countries (www.thaiembassy.com).

They must stay one night in either a SHA+ certified hotel or an ASQ hotel for a RT-PCR test and wait for the result.

Then they can travel anywhere in Thailand.

• The second group is fully vaccinated visitors from countries NOT on the list of 46.

They must stay in SHA+hotels for 7 nights in a “sandbox” area… which will include 17 provinces, including the original Sandbox, Phuket. As well as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri and Krabi.

• The third group is unvaccinated, or not fully vaccinated, travellers.

They are required to stay in ASQ hotels for 10 nights. When they pass the second Covid-19 test they are able to travel to other places in Thailand.

(A link to further details below)

Getting the Thailand Pass
All international travellers must apply for a Thailand Pass which will be formally introduced on November 1 at 9am (Thai time).

This replaces the Certificate of Entry.

Here’s the website for the Thailand Pass.


Here you can upload required documents including a vaccination certificate and medical insurance with minimum coverage of US$50,000.

It will take 1-7 days for approval of the traveller’s Thailand Pass. Once approved, a QR code is generated which the traveller can use as they enter Thailand.

Note that the approval process will be faster if the traveller’s vaccine certification is in a digital format.

So, if you want to enter Thailand in the first 7 days of November you’ll probably need an existing CoE.

Arrival in Thailand

International travellers can enter Thailand through 6 international airports… Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui and U-Tapao airport in Rayong. Buri Ram airport will also be an option, but only for charter flights.

Travellers need to present a negative RT-PCR test result issued within 72 hours before travelling, and their Thailand Pass QR code as they pass through health screening and immigration.

They must download the Mor Chana application on their phones. The app will require them to evaluate their health condition daily while in Thailand.

From the airport to their approved ASQ or SHA+ hotel, they must travel in SHA+ vehicles, not in a normal taxi. Your hotels will organise this for you.

The approved hotel will provide the RT-PCR test, in conjunction with a local hospital.

There will be price ceilings set for RT-PCR to avoid any price gouging.

Fully vaccinated local or foreign residents can’t quarantine in their homes for the first night after they arrive in Thailand. They must stay in an approved SHA+ hotel until they receive a negative test result.

If the result is positive, they will be sent to a hospital or an ASQ hotel, at their expense (check the fine print on your Covid insurance).

Travelling with children
Children under 12 years of age, travelling with their parents, aren’t required to have a vaccine certificate.

For children older than 12, a vaccine certificate and medical insurance will be required.

Medical insurance
Only Thai nationals aren’t required to have medical insurance because any medical costs incurred by citizens will be covered under Thailand’ universal health care system.

The CCSA is working to extend that insurance exemption to foreign residents who already have medical and health insurance in Thailand. This may be announced before next Monday.

Foreign travellers need to ensure that their insurance policy does not only specify Covid-19 health coverage, but other general illnesses and hospital expenses.

Visitors from 46 countries
Fully vaccinated travellers from the 46 listed countries and territories are required to have stayed at least 21 days in one or more of THOSE countries before travelling to Thailand.

But fully vaccinated local and foreign residents can travel to to one of the 46 countries for a shorter period and then return. They are not required to stay a full 21 days in that country.

But that exemption doesn’t apply to local and foreign residents who visit countries that aren’t on the list of 46 eligible countries or territories.

Transit passengers
For transit passengers passing through countries that aren’t on the list 46 approved countries or territories, they can continue their trip to Thailand IF the transit period does’t exceed 12 hours and if they stay in the airport.

Source - The Thaiger

VISA AGENT  /  How to register for: THAI PASS

Thailand to charge foreign arrivals 500 baht “tourism fee” from next year

 

Despite Thailand struggling to reboot its decimated tourism sector, the government is pushing ahead with a proposed tourism fee – and has increased it by 200 baht. The National Tourism Policy Committee originally approved a fee of 300 baht at the start of this year, which would be used to develop tourism destinations and provide tourists with insurance benefits. According to a Bangkok Post report, the fee has now increased to 500 baht.

Yuthasak Supasorn from the Tourism Authority of Thailand says the extra 200 baht will be used to fund projects aimed at transforming the country’s tourism model from mass market to a more high-value, environmentally-conscious model. He’s pretty confident tourists won’t mind paying it.

“The additional cost won’t have an impact on tourists as we want to focus on the quality market. We hope this fund will support a national tourism makeover creating more safe and clean places.”

The Centre for Economic Situation Administration has approved the 500 baht fee, part of a wider “tourism transformation fund” to support transformational projects with a focus on sustainable, high-value tourism. The TAT says the fee will be collected from next year, with officials counting on getting 5 billion baht within the first year, based on 10 million foreign arrivals.

The Bangkok Post reports the TAT and the Tourism and Sports Ministry will hold talks with the relevant authorities to set up a fund committee and agree funding mechanisms, as well as deciding how the fee will be collected from foreign visitors. The fund committee will be tasked with deciding which projects qualify for support. Yuthasak adds that the goal of the fund is not to alleviate the economic devastation of Covid-19, but instead to focus on long-term growth.

Source: Bangkok Post

Our VISA AGENT

#Greece to open airports to arrivals from 29 countries from June 15

Greece said Friday it would reopen its airports in Athens and Thessaloniki to arrivals from 29 countries from June 15, the start of the tourist season.

Visitors would be allowed to fly into Greece from 16 EU countries, including Germany, Austria, Denmark, Finland, the Czech Republic, Baltic countries, Cyprus and Malta, the tourism ministry said in a statement.

But countries hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic -- such as France, Spain, Britain and Italy -- were not on the list.

Outside the European Union, holidaymakers from Switzerland, Norway, and neighboring Balkan countries such as Albania, Serbia and North Macedonia will be allowed to land at Greece's main airports from June 15.

The list also includes Australia, Japan, Israel, Lebanon, China, New Zealand and South Korea.

The ministry said that further countries could be added before July 1 when the country's regional airports also reopen.

"The list... has been drawn up on the basis of the epidemiological profile of each country," taking into account the recommendations of the European Aviation Safety Agency and a report by Greece's commission for infectious diseases, the statement said.

Some visitors will be tested at random for the virus, the tourism ministry said.

Since the start of the outbreak in March, there has been a limited number of flights arriving at Athens international airport, with passengers mandatorily tested and ordered to quarantine for 14 days.

Greece began the gradual easing of lockdown restrictions on May 4, and will start reopening its hotels next month.

It has been less severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that many EU countries, with 175 deaths and 2,906 infections officially registered so far.

Accounting for around 20 percent of Greece's gross domestic product, the tourism sector is hoping to salvage at least some of this year's summer season. 

Source - TheJakartaPost