Thailand is opening and it is exciting! Not only for you who are probably waiting to spend the perfect holidays on the white sand beach, but also for me, a local Thai who also wanted to explore the world and come back home without a quarantine. You’ve heard it right… I don’t have any privileges as a Thai citizen when it comes to entering Thailand during the pandemic and that’s why I want to share with you my real experience of ‘How I traveled to Thailand’ with no quarantine!

According to the official announcement, if you’ve been fully vaccinated for more than 14 days and you’re traveling from the 63 eligible countries/territories, you are exempted from the quarantine but still have to undergo the ‘TEST & GO’ Program.

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What is TEST&GO Program?

Basically, you’ll have to book a participated hotel for 1 night. They’ll privately pick you up at the airport. You go straight to your room, get tested and you’re free to go anywhere when the result is out.

And yes, I also think the process of entering Thailand is a little more complicated than all of the countries I’ve visited this year. But to be honest with you, it is definitely hassle-free when you arrive. Private pick-up and three meals at your front door after a long flight are totally a great way to get over jet lag!

The eligible 63 countries/territories for the TEST & GO Program are Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bhutan, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Below is the information from the Tourism Authority of Thailand and you can find more information on the official website: TATNews.org

Find the list of approved vaccines here > TATNews.org Please also note that if you’ve recovered from COVID19, only one dose of vaccine is required as a fully vaccinated person.

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What documents do you need?

Apart from the regular stuff you need to travel with, such as a plane ticket and visa (if you need one), you will have to apply for a ‘Thailand Pass’.

Thailand Pass is a web-based system that you register in your travel and health information. Then you’ll get a QR code making your journey to Thailand convenient. You can register for your Thailand Pass here: https://tp.consular.go.th/

Here’s what you’ll need for Thailand Pass registration.

– A Certificate of Vaccination
– A confirmed payment for a 1-night stay at a SHA Extra Plus (SHA++) accommodation, and 1 RT-PCR test. / SHA ++ stands for Safety and Health Administration, it’s a local program to certify if the accommodation is up to the standard, for example, all staff got vaccinated.
– An insurance policy with coverage no less than US$50,000. (If you’re a Thai citizen or an ex-pat who has Thai SSO, you won’t need this.)
– Visa (if you need one)

You will also need a  RT-PCR test within 72 hours before departure but not during the registration.

You don’t have to upload the flight confirmation but as you’ll have to book and pay for the first night of your stay, why don’t you check the best flight deals to Bangkok !? I recommend booking the plane ticket with Traveloka >> https://www.traveloka.com/en-th/flight/to/Bangkok.BKKA

You can also find your travel regulations on >> https://www.traveloka.com/en-th/flight/safe-travel

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Now, the Real Experience…

Let’s talk about Thailand Pass first!

I and my friends were in Paris and we registered for Thailand Pass on the 1st of November, the first day they launched the system. Back then we didn’t know how long it was gonna take precisely. They say 7 working days on the website. I was the only one who had a plan and also have a COE (our previous system before Thailand Pass, you won’t need it anymore.)  So I just tried applying for Thailand Pass and got my QR code within 1 minute!…. Yes, 1 minute I swear to god.

So we thought ‘Oh easy! let’s all go home on the 4th of November.’ Then my 2 friends registered theirs later also on the 1st of November and never got the QR code until after the flight departed.

We even followed up with Thai officers who were very helpful. Since the 3rd of November, They confirmed they’ve already manually granted my friends’ applications but it’s the system that generates the QR code and sends it to the email which cannot be done manually.

Our flight was leaving at 10 am, one of my friends got the QR code at 9 am and the other one got it at 2 pm. Of course, we’d postponed our flight to one week later since the day before. 😉

— You may be curious why I got mine within 1 minute while it took 4 days for my friends. I’ve talked to the officers about this.

If your data, documents, or anything you uploaded can be automatically read and recognized by the system, you’ll get instant approval. If not, the officers will have to approve the application manually which takes a lot more time. And it was true that my documents were scanned while my friend took picture of her passport and proof of vaccination making it not as clear as mine.

Anyway, after the first attempts, we applied again on the 5th of November and got the QR code in the afternoon on the 9th of November. One of my foreign friends also registered and got the QR in the same period. But I’d personally recommend applying for it as early as possible.

Please note that we didn’t have any problem changing the travel dates because the plane tickets and hotel were flexible. But if your flight is non-changeable, make sure you apply for the Thailand Pass as early as you can. The airline will not let you check in without it!!

If your flight is in a few days and you still haven’t received the QR Code, you can try emailing ‘support@tp.consular.go.th‘. Remember to include your name, passport number, and date of arrival. Even the system was not stable at the time but the staffs were definitely helpful and responsive. If you are keen to call a Thai number, here’s the 24/7 call center number +66 2572 8442.

At the check-in…

Apart from your passport and visa, you’ll need only a Thailand Pass QR Code and a printed Covid-19 PCR test. I have the QR code on my phone. You may also want to have proof of vaccination and hotel booking ready just in case they want to check. But they didn’t check mine.

We were flying with Singapore Airline which the airline itself also requires a PCR test. The flight was pleasant and the service was incredible. Food, snacks, beverage, and in-flight entertainment are back as usual. You’ll be required to wear a mask at all times except for when eating.

We had a transit at Changi International Airport in Singapore which you might have heard that they closed everything and put you in a small transit area. It was like that when we flew in October, but in November everything was open, the lounges are operating, shops and restaurants are back.

Arriving Bangkok…

Woohooooo after a journey of 17 hours, now we’ve landed safely at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport! The atmosphere is much more relaxing and lively than the last time I traveled back in May.

There’s only 1 extra step than usual. You’ll be in the line to check your PCR test result and scan your Thailand Pass QR Code. There’re plenty of proper kiosks and they are very fast. No more filling the forms.

That’s it!

Then you go through the Immigration, get your passport stamp, pick up your luggage as normal. When you’re out at the arrival hall, just inform the name of your hotel, someone will coordinate with the driver for you.

I personally think it took a lot faster than the normal old days. But I mean, Bangkok Airport used to handle like 30 flights per hour before the pandemic, now they’re handling like 5 flights per hour, so it’s probably a piece of cake for them.

Test & Go…

You may probably have this question… So is it a 1-night quarantine? or 24 hours? or how long will it take?

The answer is it depends on your hotel and their partnership with the hospital that will be running the PCR test. It also depends on your arrival time, the time you get your nose swap, and how long that hospital runs the test. It will most likely be less than 24 hours.

I stayed at DoubleTree by Hilton on Sukhumvit Road. The hospital they partner with comes in 1-2 times a day. I’ve arrived at the airport at 11 am, arrived at my room around 12.30 pm. Then the hospital came in to do our COVID test at 6 pm, the hospital staff said that the result would be out around 2  – 3 am. If you want, you can have them call you about the result and you’re ready to go instantly…

I wasn’t in a hurry so I told them to just inform me the next morning and I was free to go. Although we stayed and chilled until noon, so mine was full 24 hours.

I talked to some of my ex-pat friends. His hotel did the test right upon his arrival before he gets to the hotel room, and within 6 hours, he was allowed to go. Some hotels also offer a hospital van to swap your nose at the airport. So please check again with your hotel.

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And that’s my experience traveling to Thailand without quarantine… I hope it helps clear things up for you and I also hope you have a nice experience with your journey in my country. Welcome to Thailand!! x.

Check out the best flight deals to Bangkok > https://www.traveloka.com/en-th/flight/to/Bangkok.BKKA

If you have any questions, feel free to DM me on my Instagram @EatChillWander. Cheers!

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