As Thailand is slowly opening, the Thai government has established a set of requirements for everyone entering the country. These include Thailand Pass, government-approved Covid-19 Thai travel insurance policy and Covid-19 negative PCR test. For people who wants to utilize the "Test and Go" program, it will be easiest to look for 1-night package from the hotel that includes airport pickup and drive through PCR testing*.

When we first planned for Thailand entry requirements in October, it was Certificate of Entry (COE) and the Sandbox program (7 days in Phuket or another approved location). By the time we were ready to set off in November, it was a completely different program and it was the Thailand Pass we needed to apply for.

We found some of the comments in Reddit to be very helpful in and more up to date than anything we found from governments websites. It was very helpful to learn from people who were travelling in the days before us to understand what they experienced and learn from their mistakes.

Thai Pass documents required for Test & Go program*:

For the fastest result, make sure to covert PDF to JPG by screenshot tool or scanner.

• E-Visa if applicable

• Certificate of Vaccination (Fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no less than 14 days before travelling)

• Only the QR Code portion of the Certificate of Vaccination (cropped from your certificate)

• Certificate of COVID-19 Insurance over $50,000

• Passport photo

• Passport (scan file or JPG will be the best format)

• Obtain a negative COVID-19 test result (RT-PCR), issued within 72 hours before travelling

• Booking for 1 day on approved SHA Extra+ or AQ hotel (for the duration of 1 day and including the fee for one RT-PCR test and airport pickup)

• Proposed flight information

Before we applied for the pass, we thought we would need flight booked and was worried that we won't be able to get the pass in time. Once I started the application process, the website is actually asking for proposed itinerary.

Most hotels in Thailand currently are very flexible with booking cancellation and travel date changes. We decided to booked with the hotel directly that provides the test and go package to have a open communication channel for better services.

We booked with Carlton Hotel which has amazing customer services, room, in-room dining options and is in a great location. There are many other hotels in Bangkok provides similar package. More info on accommodations to come!

What to expect once in Bangkok

We didn't know what to expect at all on how each airport or airline will handle the boarding and landing process. For the most parts, it was smooth process with much more document verification along the way. The only place felt a bit of chaos was the trasnfer at Vieena where they manually check the vaccination certificate at the gate without anyone forming a line.

When we arrived in Bangkok in the morning, the airport was empty. We have to fill out the declartion form in the waiting area (see the blue chairs in the picture above) and give it to customs officers with Thailand Pass, vaccine certificate and passport. See more info here on the Aiport Arrive Guide.

The RT-PCR testing centre will require your passport and vaccine certificate again, so always make sure you have print out version handy. We stayed in the car, and the testing was done through the window. 2 antigen quick testing kits were handed to us for testing later.

All travellers must download and install the MorChana application—a health alert and tracking application—and register an account , and set it on at all times for the COVID-19 precautionary measures and to record the result on Day 5-6 in the application. [Download MorChana for iOS and Android.]

If you haven't done so, the hotel desk will remind you again as it's required to scan hotel's QR code with the app upon entering.

Once at the hotel, we were checked in and assigned a room without a room key. We were confined in the room until the test result is sent back to the hotel service desk. Even though there are many dining and delivery options just right outside of the hotel, on our first day, the devliery option wasn't allowed. This was why we want to make sure we have decent in-room dining options, good, clean and spacious room and good customer service for our first day in Bangkok.