Thailand’s Test and Go scheme for reopening made a return yesterday, as the country looks to inspire the same volume of travelers to its shores that made Bangkok the world’s most visited city in 2019. Here’s an easy guide on how you can apply for entry via the Test and Go route that will have you on a picturesque island faster than you can say Pad Thai.
What Is Thailand’s Test And Go?
Test and Go is a method of entry for foreign travelers into Thailand. It allows travelers to enter the country without having to restrict their travel to one province – as is the case with the sandbox entry schemes – but there are some caveats that make it different from its previous iteration. Travelers must submit proof of prepayment for 2 RT-PCR tests and accommodation in either SHA Extra Plus (SHA++), AQ, OQ, or AHQ facilities for Day 1 and Day 5 of their time in Thailand – a list of which can be found here.
During these nights, travelers will be unable to leave their rooms until their Covid-19 test results come back. If a negative test result returns following their Day 5 test, travelers will be free to travel Thailand without restriction from that point onwards, whereas those who test positive will be forced to enter quarantine.
How To Apply For Thailand’s Test And Go
In order to enter through the Test and Go scheme, travelers must first apply for the Thailand Pass, a compulsory document for all travelers heading to Thailand, within 60 days of their planned arrival in Thailand. After clicking on to the website, travelers should select the “Test and Go” method when prompted.
To make a successful Thailand Pass application, travelers must have the following documents ready during registration:
- Scanned copy of passport and visa (where required)
- Proof of fully vaccinated status such as a vaccination certificate, or proof of recovery and one dose of vaccine post-infection
- Insurance with coverage worth $50,000 USD
- Confirmation of fully paid SHA Extra+/AQ hotel reservations (Day 1 and Day 5 with RT-PCR tests and airport transfer). The hotel for Day 1 must be within five hours of the traveler’s port of arrival, and the second hotel can be anywhere in the country.
Throughout the course of registration, the above documents will need to be uploaded, which can be a fairly lengthy process. Following the application, travelers should receive notice of whether or not their Thailand Pass application has been accepted within 3-7 working days. They will be issued a QR code, which travelers will have to show prior to boarding and upon arrival in Thailand. In the event that the application is rejected, a reason why is usually offered.
Travelers will then have to take an RT-PCR test no more than 72 hours before their departure to Thailand. Once all documentation has been checked and the flight to Thailand is complete, travelers will then need to take the first of their Covid tests in Thailand on their first day. If negative, travelers may roam at leisure until repeating the process on Day 5. After a negative result is obtained on Day 5, travelers are free once again to explore Thailand.
Common issues that travelers are facing regard the uploading of documents. The Thailand Pass application only supports jpg, jpeg and png file types, despite many travelers having their documents in pdf form. This is easily remedied, as travelers can do a screenshot/screen grab of their file and save as one of the accepted file types. Others reported seeing an “api server error” after submitting their application, which was solved by refreshing the page of changing their web browser. A fairly lengthy and admin-filled process, it’ll all be worthwhile once you’re on the beach enjoying all Thailand has to offer.
