From June 1st, Thais returning to Thailand need not apply for a “Thailand Pass”, but foreigners are still required to do so, but the process for foreigners to enter Thailand will be made easier, while quarantine for air and land arrivals will be scrapped, according an announcement by The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) today (Friday).

There is to be no quarantine requirement for those who are not fully vaccinated arriving by air or land, but they must either take a rapid antigen test, administered a medical professional, within 72 hours prior to departure or upon arrival. The insurance coverage requirement remains US10,000.

No COVID-19 test results will be required prior to travel for international arrivals who are fully vaccinated.

The CCSA also decided to allow pubs, bars and karaoke bars in the “Blue”, or “sandbox” zones, and “Green”, or COVID-19 surveillance zones, to reopen until midnight, effective from June 1st, but with certain restrictions, including no sharing of unwashed glasses or liquor sales promotions, but the sale of alcohol is allowed and close contact between customers and bar employees is permissible, but they must wear face masks.

Currently, some such venues are been allowed to operate as “eateries”, after they were given permission by the authorities, but the new measures announced today mean the restrictions have been eased, and that they will be allowed to “fully reopen” once they are permitted to do so by local health authorities.

Service providers in the entertainment venues, who include musicians, must be fully inoculated, with booster shots, and all personnel must be screened every day and take rapid antigen tests every seven days or if they develop symptoms or are at risk after having been exposed to an infected person. All are required to comply with the “Universal Prevention” program.

Customers must show evidence that they have been fully inoculated, including booster shots, and comply with the “Universal Prevention” program.

Those who are over 60, have underling diseases or are pregnant are advised not to visit such premises.

To reopen for business, entertainment venues must seek approval from the provincial Communicable Disease Committee in each province, including Bangkok. Only properly registered venues will be allowed to reopen.

Tables in the premises must be at least one metre apart and the venue must be well ventilated. The operators must also check their customers to make sure that they are fully vaccinated with booster shots.

The CCSA also agreed to the rezoning of 14 of the 65 “Yellow”, or high COVID-19 surveillance provinces, to “Green”, and five to “Blue”, or “sandbox” tourism zones. This means there will be 17 “Blue” zones, 46 “Yellow” zones and 14 “Green”.