The requirement that all international travellers show proof of full Covid-19 vaccination before boarding flights to Thailand will take effect from Sunday, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) said on Saturday.
The aviation regulator has formally notified all parties about the change to arrival rules for international travellers aged 18 and over. They will take effect for flights landing in Thailand from 1am local time on Monday and will remain in effect at least until the end of the month.
The vaccination requirement was scrapped last October but it has been revived as travel from China is about to resume worldwide on a large scale. Many countries have responded with special measures out of concern that Covid-19 is sweeping through China since the country scrapped its zero-Covid restrictions last month.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has said that any rules adopted in Thailand must not discriminate against any particular country.
According to the CAAT, everyone travelling to the country from Sunday must show proof of full vaccination or a letter certifying that they have recovered from Covid-19 infections no more than six months prior. Unvaccinated travellers must have proof of why they cannot receive a vaccine.
Details of the approved vaccines and required number of doses are available on the CAAT website.
Airlines will be responsible for checking the relevant documents before passengers board and must bar those without the correct paperwork. It is not clear whether passengers will also be required to show the documents again when they land in Thailand.
As well, people who will be travelling from Thailand to a country where a negative RT-PCR test is a condition of entry must show proof of health insurance. This is to ensure that the costs of their care will be covered if they test positive before leaving Thailand.
Thai passport holders or travellers in transit are not required to submit proof of vaccination or hold a Covid-19 insurance policy.
A Xiamen Airlines flight with 200 passengers is scheduled to be the first flight from China to touch down at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Sunday.
