The government’s COVID-19 task force has dismissed the proposed relaxation of health and safety protocols for international arrivals, with the current requirements and rules applicable for Sandbox arrivals from 16 December onwards.
The Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has confirmed the current restrictions and requirements will continue to be applicable to international visitors in the Sandbox campaign, with the arrival RT-PCR test and interprovincial travel prohibition applied for the first 7 days.
This decision to maintain the same arrival protocol comes after a proposal from the Department of Disease Control (DDC) to reduce the interprovincial travel ban for Sandbox arrivals down to 5 days.
Some adjustments have however been made for international travelers, such as the change to maximum transit time between the airport and first-night accommodation from 2 to 5 hours.
Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin, Spokesman for the CCSA, said 171 COVID-19 positive cases, accounting for 0.13% of the total 133,061 international arrivals from 1 to 30 November.
From 1 December, 152 positive cases have been reported among 87,383 international arrivals, accounting for 0.17%.
International travelers to Thailand are currently subject to different arrival protocols based on their conditions, with the Test and Go quarantine-free scheme available for fully vaccinated travelers from lower-risk countries.
Other travelers could enter Thailand without serving quarantine in one of the Sandbox programs, however, they will be restricted from international travels for 7 days. Travelers not eligible for these schemes are subject to quarantine at government-approved accommodations.
Other arrival protocols are also applicable to cargo drivers, vehicle operators, as well as people allowed to enter the country under special conditions.
Different arrival protocols will be applicable for travelers from countries on different tiers, as well as their vaccination status.
The government will also proceed with the reopening of land borders, starting first in a pilot scheme at the Thailand-Laos border in Nong Khai from 24 December, with the Thailand-Malaysia border in Songkhla set to follow suit. (NNT)
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