25 Mar, 2022
The Thai tourist ministry is to urge the Cabinet to abolish altogether the Test and Go and Sandbox entry procedures as early as June 1. Under the proposals, vaccinated travellers would need neither a pre-departure Covid test nor a prior online registration. Medical insurance would also cease to be mandatory for entry, unless specified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for particular long stay visas.
Tourist minister Phipat Ratchakitprakarn said the proposals would mean that Thailand’s immigration entry policies would now mirror those in operation before the Covid outbreak in 2020. Although his proposals do contain a reference to an ATK test for new arrivals to take within 24 hours of arrival, there would not be any need to stay in a hotel room pending the result. However, Phipat did say that even this swab health test might be voluntary and unsupervised by health authorities.
If the proposals were adopted by the CCSA, the government’s top health committee, the system would allow many short-term vaccinated vacationers to travel without prior approval for 30 days visa exempt stays. Those requiring a visa, for example 60 days tourist visa or a non-immigrant type, would apply in advance to their respective embassy as in the days of old. Business as Usual would be the clarion call.
The Thai and foreign travel industry has been lobbying the Bangkok authorities to loosen up the rules in order to compete with neighboring countries. If fully adopted, Phipat’s policies would be more or less identical to the entry rules in Cambodia where even the swab test on arrival at Phnom Penh or Siem Reap airport has now been cancelled. However, tourist traffic between the two countries by any land crossing still awaits approval.
Cambodia insists that all foreigners register on the Foreigners Present in Cambodia app if they wish to stay more than 30 days, a technology introduced in pre-Covid days. Thailand requires new entrants to register their initial address on the immigration TM 30 form. Both countries say that the process ought to be carried out by hotels or owners of property, but the responsibility remains the visitor’s if all else fails. But there is no sign that the concept of visitor registration will cease in the post-emergency world.
