Thailand Pass | Cancelled from July 01.2022

[Sundance2020]

CoE - Certificate of Entry | Replaced by Thailand Pass System

Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced an update to procedures for arrival in the Kingdom, starting on November 01.2021 The unpopular Certificate of Entry, currently required for all international visitors, will be replaced by the Thailand Pass System starting on November 01.2021 to satisfy the paranoia of the Thai Immigration Department.

The Thailand Pass would be a replacement for international travellers, both foreign and Thai, who enter the country by air. The Thailand Pass System, is a web-based application that would guide people through the process of gathering and uploading all the necessary documents for entry.

The digitalization of the entire immigration process will address the challenges of expanded documentation requirements the Covid-19 pandemic brought on, including the vaccination certification that will be handled online by the Department of Communicable Disease Control under the umbrella of the Public Health Ministry. But it will also help facilitate the filing of the traditional TM6 immigration form as well as the T8 health declaration form.

Before the development began on the new Thailand Pass to replace the CoE, the Foreign Affairs Ministry had approved over 400,000 CoE's for people to travel internationally to Thailand.

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Thailand Pass Website | Applications accepted from November 02. 2021



The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has begun the process of replacing the Certificate of Entrywith the new Thailand Pass System which will be accepted from November 02. 2021 onwards. The Ministry announced that the website will be live for people arriving in Thailand after November 02. 2021 to register for the Thailand Pass.

>> Thailand Pass Website

New applicants will receive a QR code from the Thailand Pass System that travellers will show to the airline and immigration officials and other screening staff. The previous CoE Website will be closed on November 01.2021 - no longer accepting any new requests as well as closing all open applications for a Certificate of Entry.

Anyone who has already received their Certificate of Entry can use it as normal, but new ones will not be issued anymore. All extra fees paid that aren’t necessary with the new rules going into effect on November 01.2021 may be refunded from the hotel.

Children under 12 years arriving from one of the 63 approved low-risk countries will not need to be vaccinated, but will need to undergo a Covid-19 test just as their adult guardian does, and remain at an SHA+ or AQ hotel for one night while awaiting the results.

For those who are using the expanded Sandbox program, arriving into one of the 17 designated Blue Zone provinces and not coming from one of the 46 approved countries, children under 12 again are exempt from vaccination requirements but will have to be tested for Covid-19 and stay in an approved hotel for the 7-day Sandbox period.

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Thailand Pass - General Information

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Thailand Pass - General Information

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Thailand Pass - General Information

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Thailand Pass - General Information

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Thailand Pass - General Information

[Sundance2020]

Visitors have 3 Options to come back to Thailand
Thailand Pass | Sandbox Program | Alternative Quarantine



The Thailand Pass is now in force if you want to come back to Thailand, whether local or foreign traveller. There are now 3 main options which provide topics for vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers, from one of the 63 approved low-risk countries, or outside of that list - for example Russia. Even for fully vaccinated travellers its not quite quarantine free, You will be required to stay at an approved SHA+ hotel for one night as you wait for your test result to come back. Once you receive a negative result you will be able to go anywhere in Thailand and stay anywhere you want.

Whilst there’s still some paperwork involved, the new Thailand Pass is a quicker and easier way to upload your documents and get approval from the Government. The Thailand Pass replaces the earlier Certificate of Entry paperwork. Thus, many people are having huge issues to apply for the Thailand Pass, others have breezed though the process without any technical problems. We can only recommend you persist if you want to come back to Thailand at this time as, hopefully, the government’s IT people get their sh*t together! Over the first week, some 65,000 people have applied to re-enter Thailand under the Thailand Pass.

For the tourists that just want to arrive at the airport, get a stamp in their passport and head to the nearest beach or bar, THAT situation is not available in Thailand at the moment. Thailand has never looked better the county is heading into the best weather of the year. Thai people are keen for you to come back and enjoy the many opportunities awaiting for you. The congestion in some tourist locations is long gone – the beaches are clear, the waters blue, the temples peaceful and the prices competitive.

Yes, there are still a number of restrictions in different part of the country, but they are being lifted on a weekly basis and Thailand, you can be sure, is opening up again. There is a clear narrative from the Thai government now that they want to one up and allow tourism to resume. Of course there are going to be many who will wait, or even demand, that the restrictions are fully eased before they return. But the Thai government is leading the way in South East Asia with a plan, a process and a commitment to re-launch tourism in a safe and controlled manner. Just before we go through the three ways to re-enter Thailand now, here are a few of the details….

THE THAILAND PASS

Getting the Thailand Pass
All international travellers now have to apply online for a Thailand Pass which was launched on November 01. 2021 Now this replaces the Certificate of Entry. Here you can upload required documents including your vaccination certificate and medical insurance with minimum coverage of US$50,000. If you are having problems with the uploads, It will take 1-7 days for approval of your Thailand Pass, once you’ve uploaded all the required paperwork (below). Once approved, a QR code is generated which the traveller can use as they enter Thailand.

Arrival in Thailand
International travellers can enter Thailand through one of 6 international airports: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui and U-Tapao Airport in Rayong. Buri Ram airport is also an option, but only for charter flights. You will need to present a negative RT-PCR test result issued within 72 hours before travelling, and your Thailand Pass QR code as you pass through health screening and immigration.

• Mor Chana App
  You’ll have to download the Mor Chana app on your phones. The app automatically evaluates your risk daily whilst in Thailand. Set the app data to ON.
• Airport Transfer - Hotel | PCR Test
  From the airport to your approved ASQ or SHA+ hotel, you’ll be picked up by the hotel, you can’t jump in a normal taxi. They’l be waiting for you as you depart the airport. The approved hotel will provide the RT-PCR test, in conjunction with a local hospital.
• 1st Night Accommodation
  Fully vaccinated Thai or foreign residents CAN’T quarantine in their homes for the first night after they arrive in Thailand. They must stay in an approved SHA+ hotel until they receive a negative test result. It’s the same for everyone at this stage.
• Positive Covid Results
  If the result is positive, they will be sent to a hospital or an AQ hotel, at your expense… so check the fine print on your Covid insurance.

Travelling with children
Children under 12 years of age, travelling with their parents, aren’t required to have a vaccine certificate. For children older than 12, a vaccine certificate and medical insurance is required.

Medical insurance
Only Thai nationals aren’t required to have medical insurance because any medical costs incurred by citizens will be covered under Thailand’ universal health care system.
The same insurance exemption now applies to foreign residents who already have medical and health insurance in Thailand. You’ll need to ensure that your insurance policy does not only specify Covid-19 health coverage, but other general illnesses and hospital expenses.

Visitors from 63 countries and territories
Fully vaccinated travellers from the 63 listed countries and territories are required to have stayed at least 21 days in one or more of THOSE countries before travelling to Thailand.
But fully vaccinated local and foreign residents can travel to to one of the 46 countries for a shorter period and then return. You’re not required to stay a full 21 days in that country.
But that exemption doesn’t apply to local and foreign residents who visit countries that aren’t on the list of 63 eligible countries or territories.

Transit passengers
For transit passengers passing through countries that aren’t on the list 63 approved countries or territories, they can continue their trip to Thailand IF the transit period does’t exceed 12 hours and if they stay in the airport.

Test and Go

• Exemption from Quarantine (except for the first night as you await the result of your PCR test on arrival)
• Travellers from eligible countries / territories only
• You will need to stay at your hotel until your negative test result comes back.
• You’ll need to have travelled from a port in eligible country / territory and have stayed in eligible countries / territories for at least 21 consecutive days
• You’ll need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no less than 14 days before travelling
• You’ll need to obtain a negative COVID-19 test result, issued within 72 hours before travelling

Here’s the documents you’ll need to upload into the Thailand Pass Website

• Passport
• Your visa into Thailand
• Your Certificate of Vaccination
• Paid up AQ / SHA+ hotel reservation confirmation (for the duration of 1 day and including the fee for one RT-PCR test)
• Insurance with minimum coverage of 50,000 USD

THE SANDBOX PROGRAM

The Sandbox program is still going and allows a lot more options than before.
You can come from anywhere in the world, not just the approved 63 low-risk countries.

• Travellers from any country / territory
• You’ll need to stay in the Sandbox area for 7 days and then will be able to travel within Thailand.

The Sandbox areas now include:

• Bangkok
• Buri Ram
• Chiang Mai
• Chon Buri
• Krabi
• Loei
• Nong Khai
• Phang Nga
• Phetchaburi
• Phuket
• Prachuap Khiri Khan
• Ranong
• Rayong
• Samut Prakan
• Surat Thani
• Trat
• Udon Thani

Documentation

• You’ll need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no less than 14 days before travelling
• You’ll need to have a negative COVID-19 test result , issued within 72 hours before travelling
• And you’ll need to upload the following documents into the Thailand Pass website…
• Passport
• Your Thai Visa
• Certificate of Vaccination
• Paid SHA+ hotel reservation confirmation throughout the 7 days period…. That includes the fees for RT-PCR test and Antigen Self-test Kit
• Insurance with minimum coverage of 50,000 USD

ALTERNATIVE QUARANTINE

Now for the final option which is available for everyone else, including people who haven’t been vaccinated. It’s now simply called Alternative Quarantine… at one stage they did call it Happy Quarantine but they’ve decided to get rid of the silly name and just call it what it is!

• Travellers from any country / territory
• Stay in quarantine for 10 days and then will be able to travel everywhere in Thailand after your 10 day stay.

Here are the Documents you’ll need to upload on the Thailand Pass Website

• Passport
• Thai Visa (if required)
• Paid ASQ hotel reservation confirmation (fully paid or a deposit of at least 15,000 THB / 500 USD)
• This will include the fees for two RT-PCR tests
• Insurance with minimum coverage of 50,000 USD

>> Thailand Pass Website

[Sundance2020]

Successes and failures in the Thailand Pass Program

Now that the Thailand Pass has been open for about a week, some successes and failures of the revised system replacing the Certificate of Entry are noticeable. The government has issued a warning against a fake registration site, Hotmail accounts not working, and why you might not receive your confirmation, while at the same time applauding more than 50,000 Thailand Pass applicants approved out of 92,000 submitted.

The most recent figures show that 92,240 people have registered online for the Thailand Pass. Of those, a total of 50,231 applications had been approved, with 16,798 of them being automatically approved. Statistics also show that in the first 5 days of the reopening from the beginning of this month, 16,595 foreigners had arrived internationally into Thailand.



That said, a lot of complaints have been shared by people desperately struggling to get approved before travel and hampered delays in the process, as about 42,000 people are currently waiting for approval. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs suggested that the process takes time and those who are travelling urgently should contact the Thai Embassy or Consulate in their country.

Add to that compatibility issues, some resolved and some still pending, and a picture of slow triumph and maddening failure emerges.

Most importantly, authorities are warning against scammers who registered and created a website at thailandpass.org (one wonders why the government didn’t spend the few hundred THB to make sure that all related domain names were purchased and secured). They advise people that the website is not at all affiliated with the Thailand Pass programme and may steal your personal information. The site currently appears to be advertising hotels for those arriving after getting their Pass approved, aiming to make commissions on hotel bookings and insurance sales through the portal.

While an API issue that meant that the Thailand Pass website was only accessible through Google Chrome and required a plug-in to be installed originally seems to be resolved, the system still does not accept Microsoft email addresses like the popular Hotmail domain, and those who submit with an email address from there will not receive confirmation. Microsoft is said to be working on resolving the problem now. The Foreign Ministry offered the following suggestions for possible reasons the people are not receiving their QR code after submitting all their information at the Thailand Pass website:

• Your email address is incorrect or the account’s storage is full
• You have entered the same information or attempted to apply for the Thailand Pass several times
• You did not upload a clear and valid Covid-19 vaccination passport
• The documents that you submitted do not meet the requirements, like a hotel that doesn’t have RT-PCR testing available, etc.

[Sundance2020]

Thailand Pass Problems ? 24-hour Hotlines Support



The Thai government has been touting the success of the Thailand Pass programme while quietly acknowledging a cornucopia of shortcomings and problems users have encountered and publicly complained about. But, due to the high volume of complaints about problems in attempting to register on the Thailand Pass website, the Department of Consular Affairs has beefed up their helplines with a number of 24-hour phone numbers travellers can call if they have difficulty submitting their applications online.

The Phuket Info Centre official Facebook page that is run by the Ministry of Interior’s Phuket office announced the new call centre upgrade yesterday. They listed 4 local Thai phone numbers that are available 24 hours for people from around the world to call with Thailand Pass problems. The expanded live helplines are hoped to be an opportunity to speedily resolve some of the issues people are finding on the Thailand Pass website. After initial server errors with the API have been mostly worked out (frustrated users hadthe most luck by using the Google Chrome browser and installing a plug-in), some people are still experiencing server problems as well as running into errors when submitting documents for their Thailand Pass.

Others have not received a QR code or any confirmation of their submittal or confirmation of their application (hint: Microsoft-based email systems don’t work, use Gmail) as well as dozens of horror stories of not hearing back in time, or portions of families or groups getting a response and approval while others are stuck crossing their fingers and hoping hours before their flight.

People are still advised to seek help from the Royal Thai Consulate-General or Royal Thai Embassy in their home country. (The author attempted to get answers several times from the Los Angeles Embassy but was met with cut and paste responses that did not relate to the question.) Technical problems with the Thailand Pass website can be reported by email to [email protected]

The 4 new 24-hour Thailand Pass Call Centre hotline phone numbers are:

• +66 (0)2-572-8442
• +66 (0)65-205-4247
• +66 (0)65-205-4248
• +66 (0)65-205-4249

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CCSA admits some hotels are scamming Thailand Pass travellers

Some Thai hotels are deceiving foreign arrivals by letting them book a room without transport or Covid testing, then trying to sell them a new package on arrival. CCSA spokesperson Apisamai Srirangson says some hotels are deliberately only selling a room, whereas the Thailand Pass requirements stipulate that the package must include transportation from the airport to the hotel and PCR testing on arrival.

The Bangkok Post reports that when unsuspecting travellers arrive, they must then purchase a new package or risk being denied entry to the kingdom. Apisamai says some hotels that have deliberately misled tourists will then refuse to refund them if they cancel their reservation and book a Thailand Pass package at another property.

“Some hotels had the packages that included limousine and Covid-19 testing, but also allowed visitors to reserve only rooms and seek PCR testing themselves. This shows that such hotels intentionally deceived visitors. Visitors who were unaware of the requirement and bought incomplete packages later had to cancel their reservation and, in some cases, did not receive a refund.”

Thailand re-opened on November 1 with minimal quarantine for vaccinated travellers from 63 approved countries. All arrivals must complete Thailand Pass registration, which replaces the much-criticised Certificate of Entry. Thailand Pass requires all international arrivals to have proof of being fully vaccinated, a negative PCR test within 72 hours of travel, and US$50,000 in Covid-19 insurance coverage. They must also have transportation from the airport booked through their hotel and must undergo a second PCR test organised by the hotel.

Apisamai says participating hotels have been advised of all conditions pertaining to the Thailand Pass system and foreign arrivals who have not purchased a limousine service from the airport to their hotel, as well as a second PCR test, will be denied approval to enter the country.

[Sundance2020]

Thailand Pass Info

[Sundance2020]

Thailand Pass Info

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Thailand Pass Hotlines | eMails for assistance with registration process

Thailand Pass hotlines were launched to assist travellers with registering for schemes to enter the country. Registration for the Thailand Pass is free, but the government spokespersons have been warning travellers about third party websites asking for a fee for Thailand Pass registration. Website

For entry in Phuket, Krabi, and Phang Nga, travellers can email [email protected] for assistance.

Those registering for the Phuket Sandbox can call +66 (0) 7653 220 or email [email protected]

Travellers are also asked to fill in a on Google Docs. Website

For other destinations, travellers can contact the Department of Consular Affairs at +66 (0) 2572 8442 or email [email protected]

Travellers entering under the Test & Go or Sandbox scheme must book accommodation at a hotel or resort with a SHA+ certification from Thailand’s Safety and Health Administration. For Test & Go travellers, a SHA+ hotel booking is needed on Day 1 and Day 5 of their stay. A hotel needs to confirm the booking before the Thailand Pass can be verified by the Department of Disease Control. For enquiries about hotel booking authentication, call the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s hotline at 1672.