23 Dec, 2021
BANGKOK, 23 December 2021: The Thai government suspended Thailand Pass applications for Test and Go and Blue Zone Sandbox at midnight (00:00) 22 December 2021 until further notice.
The temporary suspension was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at around 1700 on Tuesday. Subsequently, the government confirmed the suspension was necessary to combat the rise in Omicron variant infections. The Test and Go status will be reviewed possibly as early as 4 January but more likely in mid-January.
A statement posted on the government public relations website confirmed the meeting of the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) chaired by Prime Minister and Defense Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha decided to close registration temporarily for travellers wishing to enter Thailand under the Test and Go quarantine exemption scheme and the Blue Zone Sandbox scheme. The Phuket Sandbox and Happy Quarantine options are still active.
Around 200,000 travellers have used the Thailand Pass Test and Go scheme since it was launched in November. The Test and Go and Blue Zone suspension does not impact the Phuket Sandbox and Happy Quarantine schemes. The latter is subject to a seven or 10-day quarantine, depending on your vaccination status. Public health officials insist the country is still open to visitors who are prepared to quarantine or comply with the Phuket Sandbox conditions that require travellers to stay put on the island for seven days and undergo two PCR tests before visiting other destinations in Thailand.
The new rules
Applicants who have received their Thailand Pass QR Code before midnight on 22 December can enter Thailand under the scheme they have registered.
Applicants who have registered but did not receive their QR Code by 00:00, 22 December must wait for their Thailand Pass to be considered and approved. Once approved, they can enter Thailand under the scheme they have registered based on the conditions in place up to the suspension.
New applicants who filed applications after the deadline will not be able to register for Test and Go and Sandbox measures (except Phuket Sandbox). Thailand Pass will only accept new applicants seeking to enter Thailand under Alternative Quarantine (AQ) or Phuket Sandbox only. The Alternative Quarantine varies from seven days for vaccinated travellers and 10 days for unvaccinated travellers.
Passengers who will arrive in Thailand under Test and Go and Sandbox Programme must undergo their 2nd COVID-19 test using the RT-PCR technique (not ATK self-test) at government-designated facilities (no additional cost).
