Travellers arriving in Thailand are categorised in three groups per their flight’s origins: Diseased Infected Zones, countries with ongoing local transmission, and other destinations.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to provide the latest update that the Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, has upgraded its Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) control measures for travellers in its intensified effort to contain the spread of the virus.
Travellers arriving in Thailand will now be categorised in three groups for a different level of surveillance.
Travellers from the Disease Infected Zones
All travellers of any nationalities who are arriving in Thailand from the Disease Infected Zones as announced by the Royal Thai Government on 5 March, 2020 (China – including Hong Kong and Macau, Italy, Iran and South Korea), are now required to apply for a visa prior to entering Thailand.
Travellers are advised to enquire about the required documents for visa procedures at any Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General.
At the time of flight check in, all passengers need to present a Health Certificate certifying that they have no risk of COVID –19 (form). If any passenger is unable to present such certificate, boarding shall be denied and the boarding pass shall not be issued.
Before landing, the passengers will have their body temperature rechecked and need to pass the exit screening prepared by the airlines. During the period of transit, all passengers must keep social distancing and only stay in the area near the gate.
Upon arrival in Thailand, all travellers including those who transited for at least 12 hours at an airport in a Disease Infected Zone or who passed through immigration in a Disease Infected Zone must pass Thailand’s entry screening including thermal scan, complete the T8 form or via the AOT Airports Application, and provide the necessary information to the officers at the Quarantine Office.
The Royal Thai Government has put in place a mandatory 14-day quarantine for travellers from the Disease Infected Zones.
- Travellers must implement self-quarantine at their accommodation for a period of not less than 14 days without leaving (unless approved by a disease control officer) until the end of the infectious period or the reason for suspicion.
- Throughout the period of quarantine, travellers must record their own symptoms in the reporting system and monitor their symptoms strictly as required by the MOPH.
- There will be a surveillance officer to closely monitor travellers’ symptoms.
- If a traveller feels sick or suspects that he/she has a fever accompanied by at least one of the symptoms; such as, cough, runny nose, sore throat, and shortness of breath within 14 days of arrival into Thailand, he/she must inform a disease control officer immediately upon the symptoms onset or upon suspecting illness to be tested, treated, clinically diagnosed, isolated or quarantined.
Travellers from countries with ongoing local transmission
On 13 March, 2020, at 19.00 Hrs., the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health has updated a list of countries with ongoing transmission, which now include Japan, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the UK and USA.
Travellers arriving from the countries with ongoing local transmission are required to be under observation (supervision without quarantine) in order to ensure self-monitoring for no less than 14 days until the end of the infectious period or the reason for suspicion.
- Travellers must record their own symptoms in the reporting system and monitor their symptoms strictly as required by the MOPH.
- The traveller must notify the disease control officer about the places he/she visits, so that a surveillance officer can closely monitor his/her movement and contacts.
- If a traveller feels sick or suspects that he/she has a fever accompanied by at least one of the symptoms; such as, cough, runny nose, sore throat, and shortness of breath within 14 days of arrival into Thailand, he/she must inform a disease control officer immediately upon the symptoms onset or upon suspecting illness to be tested, treated, clinically diagnosed, isolated or quarantined.
Travellers from other destinations
Travellers from other destinations will undergo usual entry and exist screening.
Travellers will be advised to strictly follow health recommendations: avoid going to crowded places; avoid staying close to people who have respiratory disease symptoms, and take measures to eat cooked food, use serving spoons, wash hands and wear cloth masks to prevent the disease.
For more details on Thailand’s measures for travellers, issued by the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, on 11 March, 2020, please download:
- Measures under the Communicable Diseases Act B.E. 2558 (2015) to control the Coronavirus Disease 2019 or COVID-19
- Q&A regarding the Measures for Travellers
Currently, the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health is conducting COVID-19 surveillance protocol for visitor arrivals at 46 quarantine offices (screen arrival and departure passengers), including six international airports (Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket and Krabi); six seaports (Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Chiang Saen, Phuket, Samui and Krabi), and 34 ground ports or border checkpoints.
Please be advised that the announcement by the Ministry of Public Health may change at any time in accordance with developing situation. Travellers are to keep up-to-date with the COVID-19 situation in Thailand at https://ddc.moph.go.th/viralpneumonia/eng/index.php.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
