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Traveling to Thailand-The Thailand Pass

Traveling to Thailand-The Thailand Pass

by | Dec 19, 2021 | 0 comments

COVID has created many changes in traveling, and I’m happy that many countries have started to open their borders to travelers.  As I’ve mentioned before, now more than ever, traveling takes planning.  As of November 1, 2021, Thailand has reopened to travelers with a no-quarantine option.  Here are a few tips if you plan to travel to Thailand.

No quarantine.

No quarantine entry does not genuinely mean quarantine-free.  Thailand is happy to accept fully vaccinated travelers under three programs. Test and go, Sandbox, and Alternative quarantine.  In any program, travelers must complete at least a one-day quarantine.  With the Test and Go program, travelers must stay at least one night in an approved hotel and wait for their pre-paid COVID test results to return as negative.  Only a negative result will allow the traveler to move around inside Thailand.  With the Sandbox program, travelers must stay in a sandbox destination within Thailand for seven days before moving through other parts of Thailand after a negative COVID test result.  With the Alternative program, travelers must stay for 7 to 10 days in an approved hotel and test negative before being free to leave the hotel.

Thailand pass

The Thailand pass is required for all travelers to Thailand, both citizens, and foreigners.  It ensures that travelers meet all the entry requirements before arrival in Thailand.  It is free to apply for the Thailand Pass, but the system is rather cumbersome and rigorous. Some service providers can complete the process for travelers for a fee, and I highly recommend it for those who do not want the stress.  The response time is from 3 to 7 days to get a response, so I highly recommend preparing well in advance.

Thailand Pass requirements.

The requirements for the Thailand pass include 

  • Passport
  • Proof of a WHO-approved vaccination
  • Proof of at least $50,000 U.S. of COVID insurance
  • Payment confirmation of one night’s stay at an approved hotel
  • Copy of flight booking
  • Copy of visa, if required

Travel requirements

  • To be able to travel to Thailand, travelers will also need,
  • A negative PCR test to be taken at least 72 hours before departure
  • Payment confirmation of the PCR test you will take after arriving in Thailand
  • Thailand’s MorChana App to record the results of your rapid test
  • Cannot have visited any of the countries not on the approved list within the past 21 days.

In short, travel to Thailand is not as easy as it once was.  The new Thailand Pass online registration system is not very easy to navigate.  I found that some credentials had to be formatted correctly for the system to accept them. For example, some documents could be PDF, but others needed to be in Jpeg format.  Even though I am an experienced traveler, it took me three tries before I could complete the process, in addition to two phone calls with over an hour of holding time.  

Post-COVID travel has proven to be a bit daunting. Has it stopped you from traveling? I’d like to know.

https://www.tatnews.org/2021/10/quarantine-free-thailand-reopening-for-vaccinated-tourists-from-1november-2021/

COVID-19 travel restrictions.

COVID-19 travel restrictions.

by | Dec 15, 2021 | 0 comments

Recently a friend traveled from Washington DC to Egypt. She discussed with me the harrowing experience of trying to get a required Covid test for travel. With recent federal guidelines, the need for Covid testing has increased, and availability has decreased. As the holidays are a busy travel season, it stands to reason travelers needing testing during the holidays will also surge.  Here are a few things to think about regarding Covid testing and the holidays.

A surge in Covid testing

Many of the issues involved with the current availability of Covid testing affect the recent executive order requiring Covid vaccination for federal employees. Companies with over 100 employees will be required to comply with the order or face significant fines. As expected, there are many questions regarding the order and implementation that need an answer.  However, the demand for Covid testing has risen, and so travelers need to prepare.

Thanksgiving travel

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and it’s usually one of the busiest times for people to travel.  In 2020, many suggested curtailing travel during the Thanksgiving holiday, and many ignored that suggestion.  In preparation for the upcoming busy Thanksgiving travel season, the U.S. Air Travel Public Safety Act may require all passengers on domestic airlines to either be fully vaccinated, tested negative, or fully recovered from Covid.

Preparing for holiday travel

In essence, travelers should be aware of travel restrictions and Covid guidelines.  They should know where their Covid testing sites are. Find out if they need to have Covid symptoms or can test as a precaution. Research the timing of their test before seeing friends and family as exposure varies. It’s also good to know the different Covid test options, PCR or antigen.

As with any travel experience, preparation is critical.  Stay safe this holiday season and if you choose to travel, do it safely.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/09/09/executiveorder-on-requiring-coronavirus-disease-2019-vaccination-for-federal-employees/

https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=09C19B4C-EB814CD1-B793-486B573EA1D1

https://ebonytravelers.com/know-before-you-go-covid-testing/