Travelers wondering what it is like to visit Thailand now may be interested to know that the country “allows almost everything” again.
This is according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), which is the government entity responsible for promoting tourism in the country.
Masks are no longer needed, and the country’s color-coding system — which placed various limits by county on dining, gatherings and travel activities — is also a thing of the past, according to TAT.
It’s also easier to get to Thailand now, too.
What is needed
Masks, which were previously required on the beach, are no longer mandatory in Thailand.
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Unvaccinated travelers who appear in Thailand without a negative test result, within 72 hours of travel, will be required to pay for an on-site Covid-19 test and take a Covid-19 test, according to TAT. Travelers who test positive for the disease must pay their own medical expenses, according to a TAT representative.
Foreign travelers are still required to show passports and visas, if required, to enter.
“Thailand Pass” is no longer required
Travelers no longer need to apply for a “Thailand Card” to enter. It was introduced in May, and travelers are required to provide proof of vaccination, medical insurance and other documents before departure.
We expect the momentum to continue… [now that] The Thai government has removed the final restrictions on international travelers.
Michael Marshall
CCO Small Hotels
Less bases, more tourists
It didn’t take tourists long to respond to Thailand’s relaxed travel rules.
The day after the “Thailand Pass” was canceled, tourist arrivals at Phuket International Airport rose 20%, with an estimated 9,000 people arriving on Friday, according to a report by Thai Public Broadcasting Service.
On the same day, the number of people crossing the border into Thailand at various checkpoints along the borders with Malaysia and Laos also rose, according to the article.
Indian nationals led the surge in travelers to Phuket last weekend, according to Thai Public Broadcasting Service.
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Number of searches online Michael Marshall, chief commercial officer of Thailand-based hotel operator Minor Hotels, said hotel reservations were also up as of July 1.
“Although it has been early days since all restrictions were lifted, we have seen nearly 10,000 new searches on our website for Thailand destinations from different markets en masse since July 1, which is a very encouraging sign of things to come. “
Even before the rules changed, Thailand’s tourism industry was getting stronger.
The number of international arrivals nearly quadrupled from January to May this year, according to the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports. More than 1.3 million foreigners arrived during this period, compared to less than 35 thousand during the same period in 2021, according to the ministry’s statistics.
From January to May in 2022, 43% of visitors to Thailand came from Asia, followed by 38% from Europe, according to the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
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“We expect the momentum to continue… [now that] “The Thai government has lifted the final restrictions imposed on international travelers,” Marshall confirmed.
He said the number of tourist arrivals increased this year to Phuket, Koh Samui and areas in northern Thailand.
The road to recovery
Thailand’s tourism recovery may go in the right direction, but the road to recovery is expected to be long as inflation, rising travel costs and rising Covid rates worry travelers around the world. Losing travelers from its largest source market, China, won’t help matters this year either.
Given these headwinds, Thai officials expect between five and 15 million international tourists to arrive this year — a huge increase from 428,000 foreign arrivals last year, but a far cry from the nearly 40 million tourists who arrived in 2019, according to Reuters.