In a bit of good news, on March 8, 2021, Thailand’s Deputy Premier and Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced that Thailand plans to reduce the mandatory quarantine period for vaccinated foreign visitors to seven days from 14 days currently. This plan is subject to approval by a national committee later this month.
That approval is almost a certainty as Thailand wants more visitors for the Thai New Year celebration, Songkran, which runs from April 13 -15. Vaccinations must be administered within three months of the travel period and visitors will still be required to show negative COVID-19 test results within three days of their departure.
In addition, officials are proposing that the 14-day quarantine period be reduced to 10 days for those without vaccine certificates but have a negative test result. People arriving from South Africa would still be required to quarantine for 14 days due to Covid-19 variants that are viewed as more dangerous.
Thailand is betting on a revival in tourism, which accounted for about a fifth of the country’s gross domestic product, to return Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy to growth. A successful reopening by Thailand could spur other tourism-reliant nations to follow suit. The Thai tourism industry has called for mandatory quarantines to be lifted completely as early as July 1.
As with many of the tourism-related pronouncements from officials in the Thai government, additional details are required to understand exactly what is being proposed. So far, the only statement about what will be accepted as proof of vaccination is that vaccination certificates must show evidence of vaccination in accordance with the requirements of each brand. What that evidence is and how it is demonstrated remains to be specified.
Final Thoughts
I view this announcement as a step in the right direction but one that doesn’t go nearly far enough to make visiting Thailand attractive enough to result in a significant increase in tourism that Thailand desires and needs.
Having a difference of only three days in the required quarantine period between vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers doesn’t seem to make much sense. Those who are vaccinated and test negative prior to and after travel pose almost zero risk. A reasonable quarantine period, if any, for vaccinated travelers who test negative pre departure and post arrival should be three to five days tops.
As far as benefiting tourism, quarantines arguably help hotels but hurt the rest of the tourism industry. Budgets and time to spend traveling for most tourists are limited. The more time and money that is spent sitting in a hotel room, the less time and money is available for tourism in general.
Also, it could be said that if they come at all, tourists who have time constraints on travel will not spend more nights in a hotel because of a quarantine. Another tourism-limiting factor that stems from Thailand’s quarantine system is that the hotels that have been approved for quarantine are comparatively expensive. Backpackers and tourists who prefer budget accommodations may not come at all. That may be part of the plan.
What is the maximum amount of time or money you would be willing to spend in quarantine?
Salsaworldtraveler'sblog 
Vaccine passports are an effective concept, but they feel a bit frustrating as someone who won’t be eligible for at least another few months. It will be particularly difficult if the waiting period extends beyond summer, and I’m forced to watch other people enjoy holidays whilst I have to stay at home
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Being old is a bitch my friend. It is nice there are a few advantages to go with all of the disadvantages. I hope you don’t have to wait long and that you remain safe and healthy until you are able to get vaccinated. Vaccine production, approval, and distribution seems to be picking up worldwide. I’ve been vaccinated but am still waiting on the travel situation to improve. Take care. John
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Hahaha very true! I’m sure it won’t be too long now, and you’re probably right to want to wait in what remains a volatile travel climate
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A travel experience where we won’t have to worry about Covid will be so amazing.
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I hope the Thai New Year celebrations do not become super-spreader events…
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Good point. I don’t know what restrictions there will be, if any. Any restrictions will be hard to enforce I think, especially in the countryside.
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Fingers crossed that it goes well…
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I hope so too. Songkran was cancelled last year. The celebrations may be even wilder than normal this year.
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there’s probably a lot of pent-up stress that people want to blow off…
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look its something that makes us feel like somewhere in the world they moving back to something like normal. Will be highly interesting to see if in July they do scrap quarantine. Aussies won’t be able to go regardless. Although the current deadline here for the block on international flights is the end of June, it will 100% be extended again I think. They keep doing it in 3-month increments. However, some changes may be made come the end of September if the vaccine rollout here goes well, and indeed overseas roll out will be just as important. With the exception of Israel and maybe the USA, few countries have more than 1% vaccinated right now. its trending upwards. It will be a little while until Australians – any Australians, are FULLY vaccinated. they are saying it will be a 12 week gap between Astra Zeneca jabs. and we just started this week on those. Comparatively its less of a gap for Pfizer but we have much fewer Pfizer jabs available. by the end of the month we are supposed to be producing Astra Zeneca ourselves in large numbers. I imagine I will get my first jab by April’s end. So potentially fully vaccinated in July. man I am ranting sorry! anyways 7 days is a huge improvement on 14, but honestly whats the point? why would a vaccine halve the time you need to be quarantined? if you can still get it, it might actually take LONGER to show up in a test not less time. who’s working their science, Trump?
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The U.S. CDC is starting to issue guidance on what activities are safe for those who have been vaccinated. If it can be proven that being vaccinated reduces the chance of infecting others to near zero, then vaccines should be a get-out-of-jail-free card. That is the assumption but remains unproven so far. The vaccine situation in Australia sounds bad. I hope you get vaccinated as soon as possible.
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it is bad and it isn’t. Whilst the delay is frustrating, and the blockade of vaccines to Australia by Italy and the EU is cause for stress, here either way we will be locked down for some time to come – in this case I mean locked into Australia, not in our homes. If they continue to contain the virus here, where at the moment the only new cases are in hotel quarantine (and then we get a small outbreak) then as far as people staying safe we should be okay. I would think it’s not just the numbers of vaccinated here in Australia that determine the border decisions, but also that of other countries. The WHO says that if we get to around 60% vaccinated then we develop some sort of low level herd immunity, 75% is desirable, so its a wait and see. still very uncertain.
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The in-country lockdown is a pain but few infections and deaths is outstanding. I hope that after the vulnerable and those seeking benefits like travel, others are still interested in getting vaccinated and reaching herd immunity. Some airlines here have had to offer extra perks to get employees to take a vaccine. This effort is the first in history. Will be interesting how it plays out what lessons are learned. Thanks for your comments.
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