Entry requirements / protocols after July 1st for unvaccinated traveler?

[wml22]

I have a relative who is not vaccinated and wants to visit Thailand after it opens up on July 1st. 

 

I've read articles now stating that Thailand Pass and the Covid insurance requirements are being scrapped from that date onwards. 

 

I'm having a harder time finding information about what exact requirements are still imposed on an unvaccinated tourist entering Thailand after July 1st. Does anyone know this yet?

[John Bird]

Just get the darn shots.  It's not that hard. Personally I wish they refused entry to anti vaxxers. 

[Bagwain]

1 minute ago, John Bird said:

Just get the darn shots.  It's not that hard. Personally I wish they refused entry to anti vaxxers. 

Do some darn research!

[EricTh]

@wml22

 

For unvaccinated, you are advised to take a PCR or professional ATK test within 72 hours of travel.

 

It is a random check for your test results at the Thai airports.

 

If you are positive and if they only find out after you have landed, you will probably be whisked off to a hospital or hotel to quarantine.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 19, 2022 by EricTh

[Scott]

3 hours ago, John Bird said:

Just get the darn shots.  It's not that hard. Personally I wish they refused entry to anti vaxxers. 

For a host of reasons, some people simply cannot get the vaccine.  Some people have allergic reactions to vaccines and some can't for other medical reasons. 

[BritTim]

5 hours ago, Scott said:

For a host of reasons, some people simply cannot get the vaccine.  Some people have allergic reactions to vaccines and some can't for other medical reasons. 

There are certainly those who cannot be vaccinated because of their medical status. In virtually every such case, it would be folly for such persons to travel because of their medical status.

 

To be honest, while I consider those who are unvaccinated by choice to be misguided, there is less reason for them to be discriminated against on entry than during delta and earlier waves. New variants will almost certainly arrive in Thailand through the vaccinated even if unvaccinated are excluded. Vaccination provides only limited protection against infection with recent variants. Sure, the unvaccinated are more likely to become seriously ill, but that is not a major overall public health consideration. Those who smoke tobacco are more likely to suffer strokes and heart attacks, but we do not exclude them from Thailand on that basis.

[arithai12]

9 hours ago, Bagwain said:

Do some darn research!

I suspect that by research you mean sit at a computer asking google to find articles, posts, blogs and vlogs.

You know very well that in this way you will find exactly the answers that you want to hear.

Talking to the few non-vaxxers that I know has been like talking to religious fanatics. They probably think the same of me.

 

But we are digressing. The perfect answer to the OP was given by @EricTh

[talahtnut]

35 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

I suspect that by research you mean sit at a computer asking google to find articles, posts, blogs and vlogs.

You know very well that in this way you will find exactly the answers that you want to hear.

Talking to the few non-vaxxers that I know has been like talking to religious fanatics. They probably think the same of me.

 

But we are digressing. The perfect answer to the OP was given by @EricTh

One could research government published data on adverse reactions

and deaths before criticizing the unvaccinated.

[BritTim]

13 minutes ago, talahtnut said:

One could research government published data on adverse reactions

and deaths before criticizing the unvaccinated.

That is reasonable, but only if you read the follow up reports on which of the potentially adverse reactions were (after careful investigation) caused by vaccines. When looking at databases that record every medical event that occurs following a medical procedure or treatment, unless you are a professional familiar with the characteristics of such databases, it is very easy to be misled.

 

Look up death from all causes by those vaccinated and unvaccinated. Although correlation does not always imply causation, it is nevertheless an eye catching result that you are considerably less likely to die from all causes if vaccinated. The reasons are not fully understood, but one likely factor is that even asymptomatic Covid infections cause damage that can make you more vulnerable to other medical issues.

 

The Database of Adverse Event Notifications is a useful resource, but only if you understand the concept of dependent versus independent events, and read the results of the individual follow-up investigations.

[pomchop]

My guess is that the overwhelming number of unvaxxed are because of being stubborn, or caught up in all kind of political bs and various conspiracy theories etc rather than due to any serious medical reason preventing them from being safely vaxxed.

 

 

[Cory1848]

10 hours ago, Bagwain said:

Do some darn research!

I am not qualified to “do research,” and neither, I suspect, are you. Rather, I suggest following the best advice of the WHO, 200+ national health care agencies around the world, and the millions of health care workers who have been face to face with this virus for the past three years -- nearly all of whom, top to bottom, are in overwhelming consensus about the wisest course of action. At some point, simple common sense has to prevail.

Edited June 19, 2022 by Cory1848

[hottrader77]

11 hours ago, John Bird said:

Just get the darn shots.  It's not that hard. Personally I wish they refused entry to anti vaxxers. 

Why ??? People have died getting the vaccine are you crazy ?

[hottrader77]

2 hours ago, BritTim said:

There are certainly those who cannot be vaccinated because of their medical status. In virtually every such case, it would be folly for such persons to travel because of their medical status.

 

To be honest, while I consider those who are unvaccinated by choice to be misguided, there is less reason for them to be discriminated against on entry than during delta and earlier waves. New variants will almost certainly arrive in Thailand through the vaccinated even if unvaccinated are excluded. Vaccination provides only limited protection against infection with recent variants. Sure, the unvaccinated are more likely to become seriously ill, but that is not a major overall public health consideration. Those who smoke tobacco are more likely to suffer strokes and heart attacks, but we do not exclude them from Thailand on that basis.

It does not matter if you are vaccinated you can still get covid and can still pass covid on and can still die from covid so why get vaccinated in the 1st place ????? Am I one of millions with common sense 

[ubonjoe]

12 hours ago, wml22 said:

I'm having a harder time finding information about what exact requirements are still imposed on an unvaccinated tourist entering Thailand after July 1st. Does anyone know this yet?

Those not fully vaccinated will not need a covid 19 test 72 hours before arrival. They will be screened and will then possibly be given a professional ATK (antigen test).

 

Notice: The OP's question has been answered now. Any further discussions about the pros and cons of being vaccinated will be removed without notice for being off topic.

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, hottrader77 said:

It does not matter if you are vaccinated you can still get covid and can still pass covid on and can still die from covid so why get vaccinated in the 1st place ????? Am I one of millions with common sense 

If you are vaccinated, you can still get Covid (but it is less likely) and can still pass Covid on (but it is less likely) and can still get seriously ill and die from Covid (but it is FAR less likely).

 

You use the same arguments as those who defend their heavy smoking habit by saying non smokers can still get lung cancer, heart disease and strokes (among other conditions) so why give up smoking? You can always be unlucky, whatever measures you take to protect yourself. That does not mean there is no point in taking sensible precautions.

[thairookie]

15 hours ago, EricTh said:

@wml22

 

For unvaccinated, you are advised to take a PCR or professional ATK test within 72 hours of travel.

 

It is a random check for your test results at the Thai airports.

 

If you are positive and if they only find out after you have landed, you will probably be whisked off to a hospital or hotel to quarantine.

 

 

 

 

As far as I understand, it has to be a PCR test within 72 hours of travel and you will not be tested thereafter.  If you do not have a PCR test result, you can choose to be tested upon arrival instead.  Of course, it's a big business then if you are tested positive at the airport.

[yumyai]

There may be further clarification / changes closer to end June when the formal rules are gazetted. However, based on news reports from Saturday, travellers may be asked to show either a vaccination certificate or recent Covid test results. If they haven’t got this proof then they may need to be tested at the airport. 
In other words, get a test done before you arrive or risk being held up at the airport for testing

[EricTh]

3 hours ago, thairookie said:

As far as I understand, it has to be a PCR test within 72 hours of travel and you will not be tested thereafter.  If you do not have a PCR test result, you can choose to be tested upon arrival instead.  Of course, it's a big business then if you are tested positive at the airport.

You will not be tested if immigration officer checked that you have a valid PCR test upon arrival.

 

But if you do not have a negative PCR test, then they might test you at the airport.

 

The checking is at random due to the huge number of tourists coming in.

 

Edited June 20, 2022 by EricTh

[Cory1848]

10 hours ago, BritTim said:

If you are vaccinated, you can still get Covid (but it is less likely) and can still pass Covid on (but it is less likely) and can still get seriously ill and die from Covid (but it is FAR less likely).

 

You use the same arguments as those who defend their heavy smoking habit by saying non smokers can still get lung cancer, heart disease and strokes (among other conditions) so why give up smoking? You can always be unlucky, whatever measures you take to protect yourself. That does not mean there is no point in taking sensible precautions.

Right. Thank you. I’ve been visiting the US for the past few months; I’ve had four shots (three in Thailand and the last one here), then I got COVID, here in the US. Other than fatigue and brain fog for a week or so, it was not a big deal, but had I NOT had those shots, I may have ended up in the ICU ruing my stupidity, or dead.

 

Back to topic, I’ve been told by health care workers here (in the US) that, if you’ve had the virus and gotten over it, false positives may continue to show up in tests. It’s my understanding that, if you DON’T have a vax record, you need to show evidence of a negative test result prior to boarding a flight back to Thailand. A positive test result and no vax record 48 hours before boarding a flight would create a major hassle; so if the vax record forestalls the need for any testing at all, doesn’t it make sense just to get the shots, so you don’t have to leave your travel plans to chance?