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Thailand Coronavirus Updates – Live Post

For the latest updates, please now refer to the new post: Thailand travel restrictions and advice.

This a live post that will be updated regularly to report the latest news on the Coronavirus in Thailand.

The global COVID-19 outbreak may affect your travel to Thailand, so check back regularly if you have a holiday booked.

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Latest Thailand Coronavirus updates:

  • April 2021
The ASQ quarantine period has now been reduced from 14 days (15 nights) to 10 days (11 nights). However, those traveling from countries that have COVID-19 variants will still have to do 14 days (15 nights) quarantine.
You will still need the relevant COVID insurance. Details on where to get that can be found in this post.
As of the time of writing, the list of countries is as follows:
  1. South Africa
  2. Zimbabwe
  3. Mozambique
  4. Botswana
  5. Zambia
  6. Kenya
  7. Rwanda
  8. Cameroon
  9. Congo
  10. Ghana
  11. Tanzania
In other good news: The Tourism Authority of Thailand has announced that Phuket will reopen to vaccinated foreign visitors without quarantine requirements from July 1.
Note: To date, Thailand has registered 92 deaths and 29,000 cases of Covid-19. Compare this with road deaths, which average at 60 per day.
  • Nov 2020

All groups of people are now eligible to enter Thailand. Travelers of all nationalities can apply for new ‘tourist visas' lasting up to 60 days.

A quarantine period of 14 days is currently in place at designated hotels.

Apply for the visa as usual from your local embassy and they will provide further instructions.

To fly you will need the  following:

– A fit-to-fly certificate from your doctor
– A pre-flight coronavirus test (within 72 hours of flying). You will then be required to take a second test once you land.
– Pre -registration with a hotel in Thailand under the Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) arrangement

Special COVID-19 travel insurance that covers a minimum of $100,000. Please see this COVID insurance post here for more details.

Please note: The price of the quarantine hotels ranges from 27,000 THB (about 900 USD) to 220,000 THB (about 7,000 USD) for the two-week quarantine. So the cheapest is approximately 1,800 Baht per night.

  • September 2020

Any foreigner holding a Thai Elite visa is eligible to return to Thailand.

As with all approved categories, the requirements for a certificate of entry are:

– Medical insurance worth a minimum of $100,000
– A fit-to-fly certificate
– A pre-flight coronavirus test
– Registration with a hotel in Thailand under the Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) arrangements

In addition, the following groups can also return to Thailand (subject to the same restrictions):

– Non-Thai nationals with a certificate of permanent residency, including their spouses and children
– Non-Thai nationals with work permits, including their spouses and children
– Non-Thai nationals permitted to enter under a special arrangement
– Migrant workers whose employers are allowed to bring in workers

  • Monday 27th July: Thailand extends visa relief for foreign nationals. See here. 
  • Wednesday 15th July: Please see the latest advice for foreign nationals in this Facebook post. 
  • Thursday 25th June: lockdown committee to ask the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to extend lockdown for another month to prevent a “second wave”. Under proposed rules, certain groups of people will be allowed into the country:

Those groups are as follows:

  1. 700 business persons
  2. 2,000 teachers and students
  3. 2,000 persons with Thai spouses or residence visas
  4. 15,400 skilled workers
  5. 30,000 medical tourists

Proposed “travel bubbles” for regular tourists will take another couple of months to organise. The “bubbles” will allow travel between Thailand and countries at low risk for Covid-19, without the need for quarantine.

  • Tuesday 23rd June: Entertainment venues will open in July but with limitations such as temperature checks, social distancing, limits on customer numbers and midnight closing.
  • Friday 19th June: Phuket airport has resumed operations for domestic flights. Major bus and train routes begin to reopen.
  • Friday 29th May: Thailand plans to fully reopen on July 1. The intention is that all lockdown restrictions will be lifted. This includes interprovincial travel and international travel, as well as the end of emergency decree and curfew. (As yet, no specific details have been announced regarding international arrivals and the quarantine rules post July 1).
  • Sunday 17th May: Malls and department stores to re-open. Nighttime curfew shortened by one hour, from 10pm to 4am to 11pm to 4am.
  • Saturday 16th May: Thailand extends inbound flight ban until 30th June.
  • Thursday 14th May: Bangkok Airways resumes domestic flights with limited routes. Read here.
  • Wednesday 6th May: WHO release Thailand coronavirus situation report. Read here.
  • Tuesday 28th April: State of emergency extended for another month to May 31. Inbound traffic by land, water and air will remain heavily restricted. Inbound flights will be banned for another month. Curfew will remain from 10pm to 4am. Unnecessary interprovincial travel must be cancelled or postponed. Provincial governors will set their own restrictions regarding gatherings in public places. Plans to reopen business and public spaces have started to be formed. See the proposed easing of restrictions here.
  • Thursday 23rd April: No major changes to report. Travel restrictions remain the same. However, infection rates are falling, as seen here. 
  • Wednesday 15th April: Travel restrictions remain in place until April 30, when they will be reviewed. The official list of restrictions can be found here.
  • Thursday 9th April: Updates from immigration on visa extensions during the pandemic: The person whose visas has expired from 26th of March 2020 will be automatically extended to 30th of April 2020. There is no need to apply for a visa extension at Immigration Office for this period and will not be fined THB 500 per day for this case. Aliens who are due for 90 days reports between 26th of March 2020 and 30th of April 2020 are temporarily exempted from reporting in this period until further notice. Aliens who are holding Border Passes will be allowed to stay in Thailand for now. However, Aliens with Border Passes must depart Thailand within 7 days of the border crossing points opening date. Aliens are advised to follow announcements regarding Immigration measures closely for updates. (Currently measures announced until 30 April 2020 or further updates)
  • Monday 6th April: Immigration Bureau announces 9 documents now required for foreign nationals to extend their stay for up to 30 days. New requirements include land deeds, rental contracts, and selfies taken at place of residence. Not all documents will apply to everyone. Immigration is defending this measure on the grounds of national security.
  • Wednesday 1st April: Phuket International Airport will close from April 10-30, 2020.  Travelers should expect flights in or out of Phuket to cease beginning at 12:01 a.m. April 10
  • Wednesday 1st April: All foreigners are barred from entering Mae Hong Son province and there will be a daily curfew prohibiting anyone from leaving their residence from 10 pm to 4 am.
  • Wednesday 1st April: The Ministry of Public Health confirmed that foreign nationals are required to pay for any treatment for the COVID-19 virus received after the March 22 requirement for non-Thai citizens entering Thailand to present virus-free medical certificate and health insurance.  Payment is required for treatment at both public and private hospitals.  
  • Saturday 28th March: Thai AirAsia announces the suspension of operations on all domestic routes from April 1-30.
  • Thursday 26th March: 90-day in-person reporting restricted. Foreigners living in Thailand are being asked to process their 90-day reports at home via an online platform or, more traditionally, by post.
  • Wednesday 25th March: As of Wednesday at midnight, foreigners are banned from entering the country under an emergency decree. This will remain in force until 30th April.
  • Tuesday 24th March: Thailand will be in an emergency mode from March 26 for a month to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told a news conference on Tuesday. The emergency decree will mean the prime minister will have the executive power to declare further measures to contain the virus, including giving extra authority to officials and allowing the setting up of checkpoints to reduce people movements.
  • Sunday 22nd March: Royal Thai Army soldiers sanitizing streets with industrial spraying equipment. 188 new cases.
  • Saturday 21st March: 89 new cases confirmed. Death toll remains at 1.
  • Friday 20th March:  Most border provinces closed, leaving only one international checkpoint open. The exception will be Chiang Rai as it borders on Myanmar and Laos and will be allowed to maintain one checkpoint for each country.
  • Wednesday 17th March: Schools and universities across the country will be closed for two weeks. In the greater Bangkok area, entertainment venues, including massage parlours, will also close for 14 days. The order did not cover seaside resorts like Pattaya and Phuket, or the northern city of Chiang Mai. Other places including boxing rings, sports fields, horse races, will be closed in the greater Bangkok area until the situation improves.
  • Tuesday 16th March: Thailand reports 30 new coronavirus cases, including three foreigners.
  • Monday 16th March: The Songkran party on Khao San Road has been cancelled to prevent the possible spread of coronavirus.
  • On Wednesday Thailand cancelled the grant of visa on arrival for 18 countries and visa exemption for three others to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The 18 countries are: Bulgaria, Bhutan, China (including Taiwan), Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Malta, Mexico, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and Vanuatu. Visa exemption will be cancelled for South Korea, Italy and Hong Kong.
  • 11th March: 6 new cases announced. Number of deaths remains at 1.
  • 10th March: 3 new cases announced. Number of deaths remains at 1.
  • Kasikorn Bank has announced it is stopping the foreign exchange service,  both at branches and foreign exchange offices (FX Booth) all over the country indefinitely from 17:00 on Sunday March 8, 2020 onwards until the epidemic situation has changed significantly for the better as determined by the Ministry of Public Health.
    The bank employees who operate at all foreign exchange offices (FX Booth) have been ordered to close.  They will Self-quarantine at home for 14 days according to the Department of Disease Control's guidelines by order of the  Ministry of Public Health. Currently, no bank employees have been infected with COVID-19 in any way. Customers are able to use the foreign exchange service via electronic banking as usual.
  • 8th March: The Ministry of Public Health of Thailand (MoPH) announced that of a group of 133 Thai nationals returning to Thailand from South Korea, 6 are PUIs and are now under treatment/investigation, and 60 Thai nationals (33 female, 27 male) who had traveled from Daegu or North Gyeongsang are now quarantined at the Thai Navy Base at Sattahip. The rest of the group, 67 persons, will be sent to designated government sites for 14-day quarantine in their hometowns.
  • 7th March: The MoPH announced two new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in Thailand to 50. Both new cases are Thai nationals who visited Italy along with a previously reported confirmed case. All three returned to Thailand on 2 March

Does Thailand have Coronavirus?

Yes. COVID-19 is active in Thailand.

How many people are affected?

Currently 3,146 people in Thailand have contracted Coronavirus. 3,008 have recovered, 80 are under treatment.

There are currently 45 cases for every 1 million people.

How many people have died?

58 people have died so far.

What measures is Thailand taking to prevent the spread?

Thailand has active screening at all airports for people from countries that have active cases of Coronavirus.

Thailand is increasing surveillance and testing to determine the extent of the epidemic. It is detecting cases as quickly as possible and isolating cases to prevent spread of the virus, and identifying contacts  of the infected.

People coming from China, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Iran and Italy will be subject to mandatory 14-day self-quarantine, the Tourism Authority of Thailand said in a statement. They must apply for visas and present health forms at check-in certifying they are at no risk of developing the disease known as Covid-19, or they will be denied boarding.

Arrivals from another group of 11 countries with ongoing local transmission have to report symptoms to officials for at least 14 days as well as the places they visit. The nations are Japan, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the U.K. and the U.S.

Is it safe to travel to Thailand?

The FCO has not issued a warning against travel to Thailand, but has stated the following:

The FCO advise against all but essential travel to areas within the provinces on the Thailand-Malaysia border, including Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Southern Songkhla province. This does not include areas north of and including the A43 road between Hat Yai and Sakom, and areas north-west of and including the train line which runs between Hat Yai and Pedang Besar.

Should I still go on my holiday?

This is a personal decision that you should make based on your intuition and the condition of your health. You also need to check with your flight operator as to whether they are operating flights.

The risk of infection in Thailand is small but still possible. Consider the following:

  • Age: Those over 60 are at greater risk of serious complications if infected.
  • Pre-existing health conditions: those with respiratory problems, heart disease, and those who are undergoing or have recently undergone chemotherapy or radiotherapy are at greater risk of complications through infection.
  • Pregnant: traveling to a country with active Coronavirus cases creates a higher health risk for you and your unborn child.

Is there panic buying?

As we saw with the 2011 floods, some people are buying more storable foods than normal, and some super market aisles are looking emptier than usual. However, there is no food shortage and plenty of restaurants to eat at.

What precautions can I take if I travel?

WHO recommends that individuals protect themselves and their families from COVID-19 or any other infectious disease by following four basic steps:

  • Regular, frequent hand-washing with soap and water, or alcohol-based hand-rub
  • Sneezing/coughing into elbow, sleeve or tissue
  • Avoid touching eyes, nose, mouth
  • Attempting to maintain at least 1 meter distance from others, especially those who are coughing or sneezing.

It is also wide to wear a mask in malls and other crowded places. Take some with you, as there may be a local shortage.

Will my travel insurance cover me if I catch Coronavirus?

If you travel against government advice then you are likely to invalidate your travel insurance. If unsure, speak to your travel insurer.

Can I cancel my trip and get claim on my insurance?

Travel insurance may cover non-refundable cancellation costs, in specific circumstances. These may include medical advice against you or a member of your group from traveling or government advice against traveling.

Check your travel insurance policy for the scope of cover. Travel insurance is not designed to cover ‘disinclination to travel’ where the FCO advice has not changed to advise against travel.

What are you doing – staying or leaving?

I'm staying for now. I'm enjoying fewer tourists and more space. I'm wearing a mask and being more cautious, but not panicking.

Next Steps to Plan Your Trip:

Worried Travel Insurance Won't Cover You?

Get a quote for proper health insurance here.

Book Your Accommodation

The best hotel rates for Thailand are found at Agoda, Booking.com, and Hotels.com.

Looking for an Island Getaway?

How about this hidden gem here?

Comments Sort by : newest | oldest

  2. JamesE says

    Another change in the process: With the advent of visa exemption allowed for an entry into Thailand the process to apply for permission has been split in two. Up until recently, there was a single stream: Upload required information, get permission to complete your application, and submit everything else for COE and visa. Now, there are two streams. One, which is all electronic submission, is the same data as before and directly results in a COE. The second, with hard copy in the US anyway as we still don't have access to eVisa, is the regular visa application. If you are going in under a visa waiver (now 45 days to give you credit for quarantine) you only need to do the first stream.
    Reply

      • JamesE says

        Mail-in only right now due to the COVID. When I did it waaayyyy back 7 weeks ago. The electronic submission resulted in the return of a PDF of a prefilled visa application. I printed that and mailed it, and all the other required docs, back to the consulate. Once all that was submitted I waited ten days and received, electronically, my COE, and, a day or two later, my passport with visa affixed. Along with, in a uniquely Thai way, *all* of the papers - like Page 2 and following from my bank statement, airline reservation, insurance coverage - that they didn't want. At least I got my money's worth out of the US$23.65 postage stamp... The new 2-track system is separated from both the old COE system (as my Thai partner discovered to the woe of the poor employees at the consulate) and from the old visa system. (Note: There is a backdoor, but you have to ask nice...) The main takeaway is that this/these are systems in flux. Read *all* the instructions every time you go in as things might have changed and they may not be highlighted.
        Reply

  3. JamesE says

    FYI - Taiwan is now closed to transit passengers (as I found out when my flight got canceled last night). If you're thinking about flying, or already booked, on EVA Air or China Airlines you might want to have another look.
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Hopefully that won't happen. I don't get it. Surely they had the test before they flew and tested negative? That would be quite something if all 4 of the same family tested negative in the UK and then positive on arrival. I know the tests have been shown to be unreliable, but surely not that unreliable. And everyone else on the flight tested negative, so they didn't get it on there. Unless they did but the person who spread it tested negative on arrival.
      Reply

      • JamesE says

        If you sent me the PDF of a positive COVID test from six months ago I could return you a negative test from the same lab dated tomorrow. Not everybody chooses to play by the rules. All of the paperwork involved in travel - even the COE - is electronically transmitted and I'm sure many are pushing the boundaries just to get to somewhere relatively safe.
        Reply

          • JamesE says

            Only takes one PDF. Once you get it set up (5 min max) the other 3 are less than a minute each. Easy-peazy. TBH, I think doing this is risky AF but if your choice is winter in the UK with people dropping like flies and two weeks in a Bangkok hospital... Thailand has handled this pandemic very well while the rest of the world is swimming against the tide. That's a big draw and people are willing to cut corners to get there.
            Reply

  5. JamesE says

    The Visa exemption travel scheme is live at your local Thai Embassy website. But... Just like any other traveler to Thailand right now, you will have to jump through the same hoops. 1) Application is online and you will have to prove a prepaid round-trip air ticket on one of the semi-comm flights. 2) Prepaid ASQ hotel (these are non-refundable). 3) Prepaid health insurance with US$100K COVID coverage. 4) A copy of your bank statement and passport. From this you will be granted a Certificate of Entry. Once you have that in hand you will also need a negative RT-PCR COVID test (do NOT make the mistake of getting the wrong test) and a Fit-to-Fly Health Certificate from inside of 72 hours from your departure (fly late in the week). At departure you will have to show the COE, Fit-to-Fly, COVID test, and insurance certificate to the airline. At least you won't have to spend money on the visa and postage...
    Reply

  6. David says

    Noticed an article today mentioning that the 30-day visa exemption rule is back in play, so for eligible countries (Canada being one of them), if you visit for tourism purposes for less than 30 days no VISA is required now. Still have to meet the other requirements which includes appropriate health insurance coverage, negative COVID test, and must quarantine for 14 days.
    Reply

  7. JamesE says

    At last... I received my Certificate of Entry on Friday and will have my passport and visa in hand tomorrow. Total time from starting the booking/ASQ/Insurance process to completion was 19 days. The visa turnaround was faster (4 days) than what I was expecting. 7 days was consumed by the post office. Plan ahead and don't cut any corners or make any mistakes. One final note, if you're in the US make damn sure you have your COVID test appointment set up weeks in advance. The free/typical tests take up to 72 hours to get back. Make sure it's an RT-PCR test. The "Fit-to-Fly" health certificate is also turning out to be more of a hassle than I thought. Most doctors don't seem to do them but there are a few online docs that do. Get that lined up in advance too.
    Reply

      • JamesE says

        When I applied my only option was the Single Entry Tourist Visa. They've since opened up the Special Tourist Visa for all countries but, when I last checked, the application process had not been put online. The Fit-to-Fly, Certificate of Entry, and RT-PCR COVID test are for the airlines on departure and the Thai EOC on arrival.
        Reply

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