The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) alerting airlines around the world of Thailand’s new regulations regarding passengers travelling to Thailand under the “Test and Go” and “Sandbox” programs, intended to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant.
The CAAT is also seeking cooperation from all airlines by helping to check the documents of their passengers travelling to Thailand, to ensure they meet the new regulations.
The CAAT’s action follows the decision yesterday, by Thailand’s Centre for COVID-19 Administration (CCSA), to suspend immediately the issuance of the “Thailand Pass” to travellers from 63 low-risk countries and territories for travel to Thailand with only minimal quarantine of no more than one day.
Under the new regulation, which will be reviewed on January 4th, travellers already issued with a “Thailand Pass” under the “Test and Go” program can travel to Thailand with hardly any quarantine, but they will have to undergo more intense checks, with two RT-PCR tests. Those who have applied for “Thailand Pass” but have yet to receive the greenlight can still enter the kingdom once they are issued the pass, under the conditions set by the government, currently still the same as those who have already been issued the pass.
Those travelling under the “Sandbox” scheme must now remain in their certified hotels for at least seven days before travelling elsewhere, but without strict isolation. To avoid quarantine which typically lasts 7 to 14 days, they must enter Thailand through Phuket.
Travellers who arrive in Thailand under the two schemes must now undergo a second COVID-19 RT-PCR test at government-designated facilities.
