The Ministry of Tourism and Sports will propose to the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) that the “Thailand Pass” requirement for all international arrivals be revoked and that the RT-PCR COVID-19 tests required upon arrival be replaced with the quicker Rapid Antigen Tests.
According to Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the replacement of the RT-PCR test on arrival, tentatively set to start on May 1st, with antigen tests conducted by formal medical facilities, would only be possible if COVID-19 infections and deaths during and after the long Songkran long holiday in April remain stable, at between 50,000 and 60,000 cases a day, including those who have only tested positive using antigen tests and daily fatalities do not exceed 100.
The CCSA will also be asked to consider the Ministry of Tourism and Sports’ proposal to revoke the “Thailand Pass”, expected on June 1st, to encourage more tourists to visit Thailand without the need to apply for “Test and Go”, “sandbox” or other quarantine programs.
Thailand Pass was introduced on November 1st last year, when Thailand reopened to international travellers, who had to apply for the pass at least seven days before their departure.
At least seven million tourists are projected to visit Thailand this year, against a projected target of 10 million. Revenues from tourism this year are estimated to be about 30% of those recorded in 2019 and to be on par with 2019 revenues in the next two years.
