Thailand notifies airlines on changes to passenger entry rules from May 1
Airlines worldwide have been instructed to follow Thailand's new entry measures from May 1, according to a Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT)'s notice to airmen on Thursday.
The CAAT notice follows the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration deciding last week to scrap the Test & Go scheme from May 1 to make it more convenient for arriving foreign tourists.
The CAAT notice states that:
- Vaccinated passengers can enter the country without taking Covid-19 test upon arrival. However, they are advised to take rapid antigen test if they develop symptoms.
- Unvaccinated passengers must present a negative RT-PCR result taken within 72 hours of departure, otherwise they must remain in the alternative quarantine system and take an RT-PCR test on day 4 or day 5.
- All passengers must have evidence of Covid-19 insurance with at least US$10,000 coverage so they can claim treatment expenses if they test positive.
- Passengers must register for the Thailand Pass with a copy of their vaccine certificate or a negative RT-PCR result taken less than 72 hours before departure. They will receive a QR Code for presenting to airlines once the documents have been reviewed. Airlines can deny boarding to passengers who do not have such a QR Code.
- Airlines must check passengers whether they have the QR Code generated by the Thailand Pass system before travelling, while airlines must take responsibility for returning passengers who do not have the QR Code back to their country of origin.
- Airports and related agencies must strictly adhere to the government's measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, such as by wearing face mask and checking body temperature before entering the venue.
The CAAT has also asked airlines to screen passengers' documents in line with new entry measures and inform them to prepare all documents, so they will be able to travel to Thailand freely.
