Analysis: Thailand Pass is finally gone as of today

Thailand

It has been a long time coming, too long according to many of our readers here at TPN media, but as of today, July First, 2022, Thailand Pass is now gone and no longer a requirement to enter Thailand.

The program had spawned thousands of complaints and even here at TPN media numerous angry e-mails and comments from readers, many who swore to never return until the program, originally introduced as a Covid19 era precaution, was in place.

To be fair, the Pass had been eased considerably over the past few months, including being removed for Thai Nationals, and was vastly simplified and easier compared to earlier this year.

However, regardless of any simplification, the pass was clearly a roadblock to many potential visitors, especially short term visitors who wanted to visit at the spur of the moment from nearby countries like Malaysia or India. These visitors, who often stay for a day or two without much pre planning often voiced their dislike for the pre-registration program that Thailand Pass entailed.

Additionally, many older travelers, some self-described as technologically challenged, found the Thailand Pass system difficult to use. Even worse, the required insurance against Covid19 was nearly impossible for some elderly travelers to purchase due to their age and pre-existing conditions, essentially locking them out of Thailand until the program was removed.

With the program removed now a visitor needs only their passport, visa (whose requirements depend on the country the visitor comes from), and at least two doses of an approved Covid-19 vaccine. For that last requirement, it will only be checked at random and if you don’t have it or are unvaccinated you will have a rapid antigen test on arrival instead. This requirement is also likely to go away in the future, probably whenever the Emergency Decree still in place in Thailand since April of 2020 finally goes away.

Today finally marks what many people have been waiting for. An almost complete return to pre-covid entry requirements. Now, it only remains to be seen if many people who said they would visit when the Thailand Pass was dropped will now book a flight.

Thailand is waiting. See you soon!

Adam Judd, TPN media

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Adam Judd
Mr. Adam Judd is the Co-owner of TPN Media since December 2017. He is originally from Washington D.C., America, but has also lived in Dallas, Sarasota, and Portsmouth. His background is in retail sales, HR, and operations management, and has written about news and Thailand for many years. He has lived in Pattaya for over nine years as a full-time resident, is well known locally and been visiting the country as a regular visitor for over a decade. His full contact information, including office contact information, can be found on our Contact Us page below. Stories please e-mail Editor@ThePattayanews.com About Us: https://thepattayanews.com/about-us/ Contact Us: https://thepattayanews.com/contact-us/