China reopened its borders on January 8 and has given up on Covid-related self-isolation for three years. Due to the huge number of Covid infections, numerous countries have changed their entry regulations for people from China.
So is Thailand. In the most popular Asian travel destination, all international travelers – not just Chinese! – Must provide proof of full Covid-19 vaccination before boarding a flight to Thailand. This has been approved by the Thai Civil Aviation Authority. Unvaccinated persons can also provide a certificate of recovery; Recovery from Covid should not be older than six months. A valid vaccination exemption is also acceptable.
The rule applies to anyone over the age of 18 and to all flights landing in Thailand from Monday. This measure is valid for at least one month.
Brief exemption from the obligation to present evidence
This means that entry into Thailand is exempt from proof of vaccination for only three months. On October 1, 2022, the requirement to get tested and vaccinated when traveling to Thailand was lifted. From now on, passengers traveling to Thailand must have a Covid certificate ready at departure, preferably in hard copy.
If you want to travel from Thailand to a country that requires a negative corona test for entry, you must also provide proof of health insurance. This is to ensure that any possible treatment costs are covered in case of a positive PCR test in Thailand.
Patching of edits
The interesting thing in the Thai case is that the reintroduced measures apply to all travelers, not just those from China. For example, in the EU region, a special corona test requirement for people entering the country from China is hotly debated. It has already been reintroduced in some countries, but not yet implemented in some, including Switzerland. The EU, which wants to be united in health issues after the corona pandemic, offers patchy measures again.
So why does Thailand put all travelers in the same pot? Thai Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul stated that the regulations enacted in Thailand should not discriminate against any country. However, it is conceivable that Thailand does not want to underestimate important Chinese tourists while it is so close to the Chinese New Year. This starts on January 22, 2023 and is one of the most important travel times for the Chinese.
Most recently, China has threatened countries that are currently taking unilateral measures with vague “countermeasures,” as DW reported.