It was nice while it lasted, but Thailand’s quarantine-free “test and go” policy is on indefinite hold as a result of the worldwide surge in the Omicron variant of Covid-19, according to Reuters.
The policy is suspended beginning on Tuesday, December 28, and will be re-assessed on January 4.
Under the policy, visitors from 60 nations were permitted to enter the nation and travel freely without quarantining provided that they were fully vaccinated and tested negative on arrival.
All visitors already approved to enter under the scheme will be permitted to do so, but no further applications will be considered unless and until the policy is reviewed and reinstated.
In the meantime, visitors may apply to enter the country and observe a seven- to 10-day hotel quarantine.
Alternatively, fully vaccinated travelers may take advantage of the “Phuket Sandbox” system. This system allows travelers to avoid quarantine by entering through Phuket, staying in an approved hotel, and testing negative for Covid multiple times over the course of several days. Travelers are not permitted to leave the island of Phuket during this time. After remaining in the Phuket “sandbox” for the required seven days and testing negative, the travelers are permitted to travel on to other parts of Thailand.