Thailand has made a second rapid about-turn in two days, by announcing on Monday, January 9, that there would be no requirement for arrivals to carry proof of vaccination to enter the country.
This followed the Saturday, January 7, announcement that all incoming tourists would need proof of at least two doses of an approved COVID vaccine. This was Thailand’s initial response to the news that China was to allow its citizens to travel abroad freely from Sunday, January 8. Thailand clearly did not wish to offend the Chinese market by implementing special entry conditions for Chinese visitors as so many destinations have done. So it announced on Saturday that it would implement mandatory vaccination as a condition of entry for all visitors. This is now reversed.
Thai Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, said Thailand was now expecting 7-10 million Chinese visitors compared with an earlier estimate of five million. "This is a good sign for Thailand's tourism sector. The country's economy will recover rapidly after we've been devastated by COVID for the last three years."
The first flight with Chinese visitors since the pandemic started arrived in Thailand yesterday, carrying the first group of an expected 3 465 passengers on day one, Monday January 9.
Thailand will still require foreigners transiting Bangkok, whose next destination is a country requiring a negative pre-entry COVID-19 test, to show proof of health insurance for Thailand, covering treatment for the disease, in case they are unable to enter the next destination.
