Thailand ends Test & Go and sandbox programs

We’ve all been waiting for this: the Thai government’s Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) announced welcome news in a meeting held on Friday, April 22.

The government confirmed it will end the Test & Go and Sandbox programs as of May 1, 2022.

This marks a significant step toward fully reopening the country to foreign visitors and reigniting its tourism sector—crucial for a nation where travel accounted for 20% of pre-pandemic GDP.

Here’s what travelers need to know about the latest entry rules starting May 1:

For vaccinated travelers:

• You must still apply for and obtain a Thailand Pass;

• You must upload a copy of your vaccination certificate along with proof of Covid-19 travel insurance with at least $10,000 USD coverage;

• 🔺No on-arrival test is required;

• Antigen rapid tests (ATK) are recommended during your stay in Thailand. If you test positive, treatment will be covered by your insurance.

Close contacts of infected individuals must self-isolate for five days and monitor symptoms for an additional five days. ATKs should be taken on the fifth and tenth day following contact with a Covid-19 case.

For unvaccinated travelers:

• You must obtain a Thailand Pass plus either: an RT-PCR negative test result from a sample collected within 72 hours before travel and proof of $10,000 USD Covid-19 travel insurance;
  –– OR ––
  a Thailand Pass, $10,000 USD travel insurance, and a reserved 5-day stay in an Alternative Quarantine (AQ) facility;

• Upon arrival, enter Thailand’s Alternative Quarantine system and take an RT-PCR test on day four or five;

• ATK testing is also recommended during your stay. If you test positive, treatment is covered by your insurer;

• Close contacts must isolate for five days and monitor symptoms for five more days. ATKs are required on the fifth and tenth day after contact with a Covid-19 case.