Covid vaccine required?

[scroggins]

Are covid vaccinations currently required to enter Thailand? I'm finding conflicting information on this.

 

Apologies if this is not the right place for this post. Thanks in advance for any replies.

[sirineou]

As far as know.

Not necessarily. 

If you are not vaccinated , you can enter the sandbox program where you are free to roam in the sandbox area, such as Phuket ,

If you are not vaccinated you will have to quarantine at an ASQ hotell for 14 days in your room. 

following article has some good info.

https://www.thaiembassy.com/travel-to-thailand/thailand-travel-restrictions

[BritTim]

At the current time, if you are willing to submit to the strict 15-night mandatory quarantine (ASQ) vaccination is not required. In my view, though, it is only a matter of time before Covid vaccination will become one of the requirements for entry into Thailand (as yellow fever vaccination already is for entry from infected areas). Some less restricted ways of returning to Thailand (into so called "sandboxes") already require full vaccination with an approved Covid vaccine.

[LomSak27]

As stated above, not required to enter.
However, once you get through the mandatory ASQ hotel quarantine on arrival. If you travel anywhere you are likely going to have to have a RT PCR test to do so, with a chance of quarantine AGAIN on arrival in next province. It is a furball at present. If you are unvaccinated, yes they look at that, traveling upcountry could land you in, another 'provincial  quarantine' depending on that provinces regulations. 

 

There is a Facebook site. 'Thailand Travel Restriction' They keep as up to date with provincial restrictions as anyone and there color coding scheme. Note a couple people on that site, had arrived here unvaccinated, thinking they could travel around, and were seriously depressed with the reality of things.

Hopefully this will change, but.

[bkk6060]

Explained above but I think the vaccination requirements based upon recent information are bogus.

The Thai requirement does say this:  

• Certificate of vaccination completed at least 14 days and no more than 12 months before arrival in Thailand.

12 months?  The recent announcements are even the best rated vaccines wear off after 6 to 8 months (or even less) which is why boosters are being administered.  So, a 2 dose Sinovac given 12 months ago I guess seems to qualify. 

Edited September 22, 2021 by bkk6060

[ubonjoe]

32 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

12 months?  The recent announcements are even the best rated vaccines wear off after 6 to 8 months (or even less) which is why boosters are being administered.  So, a 2 dose Sinovac given 12 months ago I guess seems to qualify. 

I think the 12 months is standard for many places and the WHO. The covid 19 vaccinations are still relatively new compared to previous ones. The 12 months may change after there is more experience with their efficacy.

[LomSak27]

Ok, but who has been vaccinated for twelve months at present? Not an issue for some time.

 

I flew domestic into CM last Friday. I half expected a wave threw, but they were really enforcing. All passengers had to form up in 4 lines in baggage claim (yes & a mess),  then go through the cattle chutes processing papers. The one difference from posted rules that I have seen was local Thais were being asked to show 1 vaccination of AZ or Sino--- or a RT PCR test. In my case, they looked over everything I had. Would emphatically advise, if a non Thai national, you have all papers they ask for. plus appropriate QR codes

 

 

[marin]

7 hours ago, sirineou said:

If you are not vaccinated , you can enter the sandbox program where you are free to roam in the sandbox area, such as Phuket ,

you have to be fully vaccinated to enter the Phuket sandbox..

[GroveHillWanderer]

7 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

12 months?  The recent announcements are even the best rated vaccines wear off after 6 to 8 months (or even less) which is why boosters are being administered.  So, a 2 dose Sinovac given 12 months ago I guess seems to qualify. 

Actually "recent announcements" in both the UK and US say pretty much the opposite.

 

They say that the vaccines are still providing good levels of protection, especially against hospitalisation or death and that booster shots are only needed for certain "at-risk" groups - not for the general population.

 

As the quote below from an article on Yahoo! Finance states:

 

Quote

"The primary job was to prevent hospitalization and deaths, and we’re still seeing that at north of 90% for most of the vaccine. So I think they also felt that those at risk are really the group they wanted to focus on."

3 reasons why the FDA rejected Pfizer's booster shot for general population

 

The same is true in the UK:

 

Quote

Booster shots will also be available to those who are clinically extremely vulnerable and anyone aged 16 to 65 in an at-risk group for COVID.

COVID-19 booster jab invitations to be sent out

 

Again, only at risk groups are to get boosters as the medical authorities say the vaccines are still giving sufficient protection.

Edited September 22, 2021 by GroveHillWanderer

[sirineou]

45 minutes ago, marin said:

you have to be fully vaccinated to enter the Phuket sandbox..

You are right, I meant to say if you are vaccinated . 

[skatewash]

56 minutes ago, marin said:

you have to be fully vaccinated to enter the Phuket sandbox..

True, but you can enter Phuket internationally via Phuket ALQ which is the only way an unvaccinated person can enter Phuket.

[MarcIssan]

And I heard the USA approved the 3rd Pfizer booster shot for those over 65 and for the ones at greater risk.  Can anyone venture a guess as to whether I can get that one here?

[skatewash]

10 minutes ago, MarcIssan said:

And I heard the USA approved the 3rd Pfizer booster shot for those over 65 and for the ones at greater risk.  Can anyone venture a guess as to whether I can get that one here?

Up to this point I believe all the Pfizer vaccine being administered in Thailand has come from a US donation.  All the vaccination programs I have heard about in Thailand involving Pfizer have been for those who had not previously received any covid vaccinations (an exception was made for a third Pfizer booster shot for those frontline medical staff that have been vaccinated with Sinovac).  So, I would say no, not to my knowledge.  That may change as more people become vaccinated, but I believe that's the state of situation at the present time.

[misterphil]

Wrong. You must be fully vaccinated for sandbox. 

[MrJ2U]

Probably going to be a lot of trouble and extra expenses traveling without being vaccinated.

 

If you end up needing a vaccine to return home it'll be hard to get one in Thailand thats aporoved by a western nation also.

 

Besides maybe saving your life or an extremely expensive hospital stay its probably wise to get vaccinated before international travel.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 22, 2021 by MrJ2U

[MarcIssan]

14 hours ago, skatewash said:

Up to this point I believe all the Pfizer vaccine being administered in Thailand has come from a US donation.  All the vaccination programs I have heard about in Thailand involving Pfizer have been for those who had not previously received any covid vaccinations (an exception was made for a third Pfizer booster shot for those frontline medical staff that have been vaccinated with Sinovac).  So, I would say no, not to my knowledge.  That may change as more people become vaccinated, but I believe that's the state of situation at the present time.

Perhaps I am naively comfortable having 2 shots in me and can wait for the 3rd when and if Thailand offers it. 

[CartagenaWarlock]

On 9/21/2021 at 8:23 PM, ubonjoe said:

I think the 12 months is standard for many places and the WHO. The covid 19 vaccinations are still relatively new compared to previous ones. The 12 months may change after there is more experience with their efficacy.

Free movements like before (pre covid days) are doomed for foreseeable future. I am fully vaccinated in September in the USA. I enter in march next year and leave in November next year. I am stuck again unless I get boosters. A nightmare scenario, in deed. 

[bkk6060]

1 hour ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

Free movements like before (pre covid days) are doomed for foreseeable future. I am fully vaccinated in September in the USA. I enter in march next year and leave in November next year. I am stuck again unless I get boosters. A nightmare scenario, in deed. 

Just get a booster before you come back.  And, I would think/hope boosters would be much more available in Thailand sometime next year.

[DrJack54]

On 9/22/2021 at 6:08 AM, scroggins said:

Are covid vaccinations currently required to enter Thailand? I'm finding conflicting information on this.

No.

However it would indicate a level of stupidity to come to Thailand unvaccinated.

[scroggins]

Thanks for the replies everyone (except DrJack54 - I don't understand the need for such vitriol). It seems like Thailand may not be a practical option after all, given the obstacles described here.

[DrJack54]

20 minutes ago, scroggins said:

Thanks for the replies everyone (except DrJack54 - I don't understand the need for such vitriol).

Not vitriolic at all.

There are restrictions on flying inter province unvaccinated in Thailand. 

In some countries you cannot attend some functions such as concerts without evidence of vaccination. 

There have been reports in this forum of arriving in Thailand unvaccinated and testing positive. Consequence not pleasant.

 

I repeat anyone travelling to Thailand unvaccinated is being foolish at best. Yes just my opinion.

BTW, OP did you read the many other posts suggesting travel unvaccinated is not sound.

Edited September 24, 2021 by DrJack54

[hioctane]

If you are unvaccinated, it is not advisable to go to Thailand now unless you are only planning to one location. You will possibly be subjected to more quarantines and tests.

[hotandsticky]

3 minutes ago, hioctane said:

If you are unvaccinated, it is not advisable to go to Thailand now unless you are only planning to one location. You will possibly be subjected to more quarantines and tests.

 

 

At present you are advised not to travel to Thailand at all.

[scroggins]

My Thai wife and I, along with our son, were planning to move to Thailand, not travel there. However, in light of the restrictions described here we will not be doing so in the near future.