If you’re asking yourself “when will Thailand open to tourists?”, you’re in the right place. I’ve been staying up to date on the various answers to this question since Thailand’s borders first closed in early 2020.
The good news is that technically speaking at least, the borders aren’t closed anymore. You can easily visit Thailand in 2021, provided you’re OK to jump through one of several hurdles in order to do so.
For example, if you’re asking “Can I go to Thailand this summer?”, the answer is “yes,” but it’s also more complicated than that. Continue reading to learn more about when you might next be able to visit Thailand (or be willing to, keeping in mind all the restrictions).
UPDATE: As of January 2022, only the Phuket Sandbox remains open for foreign tourists—the “Test & Go” scheme is indefinitely suspended. Please stay tuned to this page for updates as they become available.
Is Thailand Open or Closed?
The real question is “when will Thailand reopen to tourists without quarantine?”. As of now, all roads into Thailand require some form of quarantine. For some tourists it’s the “Test and Go” scheme which, in spite of being billed as “quarantine-free” requires you to wait, locked inside a hotel room, until a post-arrival PCR test comes back negative. For others it’s the “Phuket Sandbox” or a flight into Bangkok‘s Suvarnabhumi Airport and 15 days in an Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) hotel before enjoying relative freedom outside of it.
When will Thailand reopen international flights? Currently, as of December 2021, commercial flights to the Kingdom have finally resumed operating. However, these operate with frequency much reduced from before the pandemic, which may result in higher prices in some cases. The overall message is this: Thailand is open, but only to travelers who are willing to disentangle themselves from a great deal of red tape.
How to Visit Thailand Right Now
Test + Go
The good news? After many false starts and amid a lot of skepticism, Thailand kicked off the “Test + Go” scheme, which allows quarantine-free travel into the Kingdom for vaccinated travelers from dozens of countries, on November 1, 2021. The bad news? You actually have to quarantine for between 8-24 hours, while you wait for the results of your post-arrival PCR test to come back negative. Do keep in mind that while Thailand Test + Go is much more complicated than entry schemes in many countries in Europe, the Middle East and Latin America, it still represents the quickest and most liberal tourism reopening in all of Asia. Countries like Japan, Taiwan and China are still totally closed.
Phuket Sandbox
When it comes to unwinding Thailand travel restrictions, 2021 has been a mixed bag. The Phuket Sandbox, for example, bills itself as a “quarantine-free” arrangement. However, you need to remain in Phuket for at least 7 days (which is essentially a quarantine), to say nothing of mandatory testing and tracking; at any moment, your trip could be ruined, in some cases by a technical error.
Samui Plus
An other part of Thailand open to tourists is Koh Samui. Well, Samui Plus, as it’s officially being marketed. The good news? If you stay here for your 14-day non-quarantine quarantine, you can also travel to the nearby islands of Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao. The bad news? You can only travel on “fixed routes,” which doesn’t really sound like a vacation to me.
Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ)
When will Thailand open its borders to foreigners? Well, if you don’t mind sitting in a quarantine hotel for 16 days, 15 nights, the border is already open to you, no matter where you come from. Most of these properties are in Bangkok, which means you can travel directly from Suvarnabhumi Airport to your quarantine location. These hotels are expensive and the quarantine is wholly confining—your room is literally like a jail cell. But if you need to visit Thailand, you can.
Education or work visa
Given the various quarantine systems being imposed, it’s difficult to argue that Thailand is open to tourists the way it was before Covid-19. Indeed, sitting through hours, days or weeks of quarantine might prove more valuable to travelers entering Thailand to start a new job or to study, such as I did a few years ago when I learned Thai in Bangkok.
When Will Thailand Reopen to Tourists Without Quarantine?
Currently, I am planning to visit Thailand in just after Christmas 2021. This will be under the conditions of what is now known as the “Test + Go” Scheme, which Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha first announced in June. I have my ticket and have sketched out a relatively detailed itinerary, although I’m keenly aware entry requirements could change at a moment’s notice.
With this being said, I do think that the economic and political costs of closing Thailand up again would be too much for the country (and Prayuth) to bear, even if Covid-19 spirals out of control again. The relatively small number of tourist businesses that actually survived are just now getting back on their feet; they will be doomed if they have to face enough another month of total closure. Moreover, Prayuth’s political future is tied to the recovery of the Thai economy, which will only be possible if the tourism industry recovers.
Other FAQ About Visiting Thailand After Covid-19
Is Thailand open to US citizens?
As of November 2021, vaccinated US citizens can enter Thailand quarantine-free under the “Test + Go” scheme. Well, almost quarantine-free. You will need to wait in your pre-booked hotel room until you return a negative result via your pre-booked PCR test, which can take as long as 24 hours.
Can I travel to Thailand right now?
You can travel to Thailand now, as of December 2021, if you accept the conditions of the “Test + Go” scheme or if you quarantine, either in a hotel or on the islands of Phuket or Koh Samui. Can I travel to Thailand this winter? Yes, and by that time conditions for entering the Kingdom will most likely have relaxed.
Is it safe to visit to Thailand right now?
Thailand has always been a country where safety is relative. Violent crime is low; car accidents are common. You are less likely to be pickpocketed or robbed than you are to succumb to food poisoning. When it comes to Covid in Thailand, vaccinated travelers are at minimal risk, while you are taking a gamble if you enter the Kingdom un-vaccinated. When can I travel to Thailand again? Anytime you feel safe.
The Bottom Line
When will Thailand open to tourists? This is a simple question with a long, complex answer. As of December 2021, Thailand’s border is open. Foreigners who are willing to participate in the cumbersome “Test + Go” scheme or to quarantine, either in a hotel or on islands such as Phuket or Koh Samui, can enter the Kingdom, albeit subject to restrictions imposed upon local people, up to and including lockdown. No matter when you plan to visit Thailand after Covid-19, I do hope you will consider hiring me to plan your trip.
