Thailand entry requirements have been updated with two new schemes tailored for vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers.
Thailand entry requirements: Rules in effect from May 2022
Thailand remains a premium travel destination for South African thrill-seekers. The Asian country boasts tropical temperatures all year round, amazing beaches, and a great selection of Instagrammable tourist hotspots.
Thailand is also one of the countries South Africans can visit without a visa. This, coupled with the fair currency exchange between the South African Rand and Thai Baht, makes Thailand an attractive destination.
However, in the age of COVID-19, planning a trip to Thailand is no longer as simple as purchasing return tickets and securing accommodation.
There are health measures in place to control the threat level posed by international travellers at ports of entry.
These rules are currently in place for travellers looking to visit Thailand.
Things to sort out before you visit Thailand
Vaccinated
- A valid passport, and a Thailand Pass or a Border Pass for arrivals via border checkpoints
- An insurance policy with coverage no less than $10 000 (Not applicable to Thais and expats)
- A certificate of COVID-19 vaccination
- Everyone 18 years of age and older must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with an approved vaccine at least 14 days before travelling to Thailand.
- Travellers 5-17 years of age travelling to Thailand unaccompanied must get vaccinated with at least 1 dose of an approved vaccine at least 14 days before travelling to Thailand. Those travelling with parents are exempt from this requirement.
- Travellers with a history of COVID-19 infection who have received at least 1 dose of an approved vaccine post-infection must have a medical certificate of COVID-19 recovery.
Unvaccinated
- A valid passport, and a Thailand Pass or a Border Pass for arrivals via border checkpoints
- An insurance policy with coverage no less than $10 000
- A proof of prepayment for 5-night quarantine at government-approved hotel/s; such as, SHA Extra Plus (SHA++) hotel, or AQ Accommodation/s, plus a proof of prepayment for 1 RT-PCR COVID-19 test.
- The quarantine is exempt for unvaccinated / not fully vaccinated travellers who are able to upload proof of a negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours of travel via the Thailand Pass system. The exemption also extends to travellers under 6 years of age travelling with parents.
On-arrival requirements
All travellers will have to undergo entry screening upon arrival in Thailand. This includes body temperature screening, and COVID-19-related checks.
Vaccinated
Travellers are allowed to enter the country and go anywhere in the kingdom, subject to passing entry screening tests.
Unvaccinated
Travellers can enter and explore the kingdom without quarantine if a negative PCR test, taken not longer than 72 hours, is submitted via the Thailand Pass system. If not, unvaccinated travellers must proceed to an SHA+ quarantine facility and remain indoors for at least five days.
