In October 2022, Thailand dropped all Covid entry restrictions. However, the Thai government held a meeting on 5 January 2023 to discuss potential changes to the entry rules in light of China’s reopening.
What followed was a PR and communication disaster. The Thai authorities decided to change the entry rules at short notice. On the 7 January, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) announced that travellers needed proof of Covid-19 vaccination. That was subsequently amended to say unvaccinated travellers could travel, but may be subject to a Covid-19 test on arrival in Thailand. That changed yet again on 9 January when the Thai authorities rescinded the previous announcements. We are now back to where we were before all this fiasco kicked off.
After all the changes and confusion, this is the current situation as of 14.00 local time on 9 January 2023:
- No entry restrictions to Thailand
- No need to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination
- Unvaccinated travellers can travel to Thailand
- If your home country (e.g. China) require a PCR test upon returning back, you may need to have health insurance before entering Thailand
- No compulsory insurance for other travellers, but it is advised
- With all the confusion, there may be a delay before airlines update their websites/social media with the latest information
Information first published: 8 January 2023
Last updated: 9 January 2023 (2.30pm Thai time)
