Thailand Scraps Test & Go and Sandbox, Decreases Minimum Health Insurance Coverage

Thailand wants to phase down its controversial Test & Go entry system, opting instead for simpler classifications of “vaccinated” and “unvaccinated” for foreign travelers. The Thailand Pass itself will continue, but the application process will be easier as a result of these changes.

Bye Bye Test & Go

Fully vaccinated foreign travelers arriving on flights are no longer required to undergo the mandatory RT PCR test upon arrival. The discontinuation of PCR testing for vaccinated travelers scraps the Test & Go entry program, which obliged travelers to reserve a SHA+ hotel for 1 night of quarantine while waiting for the test results. There will be no more Covid tests and no more 1-day quarantine for the vaccinated.

However, the government agency suggests that fully vaccinated travelers should undergo an Antigen test on Day 5 with the hope that they would self-monitor their health while in Thailand. However, this suggestion will not be implemented in the latest update.

Unvaccinated visitors who report a negative PCR test through the Thailand Pass system within 72 hours of travel will be handled equally to vaccinated travelers, with no PCR test and quarantine upon arrival.

Those who did not submit a negative RT PCR test before travel are required to undergo quarantine for 5 days upon the arrival. This includes a PCR test on day 5 of their stay.

Below are the updated entry measures starting May 1, 2022.
Arrivals via land must take Antigen Test

Arrivals via land will be classified as “short-term” or “long-term” tourists. Short-term tourists staying in Thailand for less than 2 days are not required to register for the Thailand Pass or buy medical insurance. Long-term tourists staying longer than 2 days need to register for the Thailand Pass and purchase medical insurance.

Land arrivals are further classified as “vaccinated” and “unvaccinated.” All long-term travelers must submit to an ATK test upon arrival. Anything that follows is based on your vaccination status. Vaccinated travelers with a negative Antigen test can visit Thailand by land without quarantine, whereas unvaccinated travelers with a negative ATK test must still need to face a 5-day quarantine.

All land arrivals who test positive are obliged to undergo a 5-day quarantine.

Minimums health insurance coverage decreased

The mandatory minimum health insurance coverage would be decreased from US$20,000 to US$10,000 for all land and air travelers. However,  short-term land travelers who intend to spend less than two days are exempted. All tourists are required to buy medical insurance exempt for Thai nationals and expatriates insured by Thailand’s social security system, who do not need extra insurance coverage upon reentry.

Restaurants and bars can remain open until 12 a.m.

The announcement of CCSA also includes restaurants and bars.  SHA+ certified restaurants are permitted to operate until 12:00 AM, this includes ‘bars’ that operate as ‘pseudo restaurants’. The ‘official’ mandate to end alcohol sales at 11 p.m. has been widely flouted in recent months by visitors and locals, as nightlife businesses sought to return to ‘regular’ working hours and reboot their businesses.

Moreover, the CCSA evaluated the reopening of all land border controls and assessed the provinces’ color-coding system depending on their COVID-19 cases.

The changes are anticipated to take effect on May 1. However, all revisions must be approved and published in the Royal Gazette, which is expected to happen next week.

Here’s the official announcement from the Thailand Pass website:

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