BANGKOK, June 17 — Starting July 1, travellers will no longer need to apply for the ‘Thailand Pass’ and purchase Covid-19 insurance prior to their entry into Thailand.
The ‘Thailand Pass’, is a system where foreign travellers must submit copies of vaccination documents, insurance policies and other related documents to receive a QR code for use when entering the kingdom.
However, the pre-arrival registration process and medical insurance application were seen as discouraging tourists.
Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) spokesperson Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin said foreign travellers still need to show proof they have been vaccinated, while those who are unvaccinated or partly vaccinated need to provide negative Covid-19 test results.
“Foreign travellers will no longer need to purchase Covid-19 insurance with a minimum coverage amount of US$10,000 (RM44,020),” he said at a press conference here today.
Meanwhile, Taweesin said the mask mandate would be dropped except in crowded and poorly ventilated venues.
Masks have been compulsory in public in Thailand, including outdoors, since mid-2021 to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Taweesin said entertainment outlets will be allowed to operate based on pre-pandemic regulations where they can operate until 2am.
The relaxation of these measures will take effect once the announcement is officially published in the Royal Gazette.
Thailand is expected to receive seven to 10 million foreign tourists this year with the easing of the Covid-19 restrictions in the country.
From June 1 to 15, Thailand welcomed 348,699 foreigners. Malaysians topped the list (61,486), followed by India (51,800), Singapore (31,580), Vietnam (18,885) and the United States (15,708).
Thailand was visited by nearly 40 million people who spent about 1.91 trillion baht in 2019.
Over the last 24 hours, Thailand recorded 1,967 new Covid-19 cases and 19 deaths. To date, Thailand recorded 4,494,880 cases and 30,422 fatalities since the pandemic began.
— Bernama
