The plan now covers nearly 50 nations, up from the previous count of 10 given in mid-October.
Wat Mahathat temple in Thailand’s Sukhothai Historical Park. (Photo: coward_lion/iStock)
Travel-starved residents across Asia, Europe, and North America who are hoping to return to Thailand in the coming months will no doubt be watching its much-anticipated border reopening on November 1. Late last week, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced an updated list of 46 low-risk countries whose people will be exempt from quarantine if they meet certain criteria.
Travelers must have been fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to departure, and remain in low-risk areas for no less than 21 consecutive days before entry. They’ll also need to carry proof of medical insurance with a minimum coverage of US$50,000 for treatment in case of a Covid-19 diagnosis, alongside a booking of one night’s accommodation at an SHA+ or Alternative Quarantine hotel with confirmation of payment. Another requirement is a certificate from a PCR test issued within 72 hours before travel; quarantine-exempt tourists will be swabbed a second time upon arrival. Eligible visitors must then wait at the hotel for one night or until their on-arrival test returns a negative result.
Separately, Thailand will be expanding the scope of its Sandbox program from November 1 to cover arrivals from all countries, regardless of their perceived risk levels, as well as destinations including Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Hua Hin. (All are located in 17 “blue zone” provinces around the country.) Travel for these tourists will be restricted to their chosen Sandbox Area for the first seven days, and they’ll have to undergo a third PCR test on day 6 or 7 of their stay at an SHA+ hotel.
Here is the complete list of low-risk countries and territories identified by Thai authorities:
| Region | Country/Territory |
| Asia-Pacific | Australia |
| Bhutan | |
| Brunei | |
| Cambodia | |
| China | |
| Hong Kong | |
| Japan | |
| Malaysia | |
| New Zealand | |
| Singapore | |
| South Korea | |
| Europe | Austria |
| Belgium | |
| Bulgaria | |
| Cyprus | |
| Czech Republic | |
| Denmark | |
| Estonia | |
| Finland | |
| France | |
| Germany | |
| Greece | |
| Hungary | |
| Iceland | |
| Ireland | |
| Italy | |
| Latvia | |
| Lithuania | |
| Malta | |
| Netherlands | |
| Norway | |
| Poland | |
| Portugal | |
| Slovenia | |
| Spain | |
| Sweden | |
| Switzerland | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Middle East | Bahrain |
| Israel | |
| Qatar | |
| Saudi Arabia | |
| UAE | |
| North and South America | Canada |
| Chile | |
| United States |
