Thailand Reopening to Canadian Travellers: What You Need to Know

After a brief pause in reopening through January, Thailand will be fully reopening once again on February 1, 2022 through a Test & Go scheme.

Along with Singapore reopening Vaccinated Travel Lanes, South East Asia as a whole is beginning to open up, and could make for a very worthwhile trip in 2022.

Thailand Travel Restrictions

As of February 1, 2022, fully vaccinated tourists from any country can apply for a Thailand Pass up to 60 days in advance of their trip.

How Can Canadians Enter Thailand?

All Canadians are allowed to enter Thailand by air, as long as they are fully vaccinated. As of October 2021, when departing Canada by air, travellers are required to present proof of vaccination.

Travellers must fulfill all of the following criteria prior to boarding for entry without quarantine:

• Be fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to entry.
  • All World Health Organization (WHO)-approved vaccines are accepted.
  • Either the Canadian COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination or the vaccination card from your provincial health authority will suffice.
  • Unvaccinated children are exempt.
• Have an insurance policy with coverage no less than US$10,000.
• Apply for Thailand Pass.
• Download MorChana, a contact tracing app.

Thailand has removed all testing pre-entry testing requirements as of May 1, 2022.

Testing & Quarantine Upon Arrival

As of May 1, 2022, there are no tests or quarantine to be carried out upon arrival.

Testing & Quarantine Upon Return

As of April 1, 2022, a negative test is no longer required prior to travelling back to Canada.

If you need to find a test in Thailand, tests do appear to be readily throughout Thailand, with all major hospitals offering testing.

There are also private third parties who arrange a test on your behalf, with prices falling in the US$90 ($115) range. I assume these tests will be cheaper if acquired directly from the lab; however, ease of access and your language skills may make a difference here.

Of course, it’s also worth inquiring with your hotel or resort directly to arrange testing, as they may offer more convenient options for taking the mandatory on-arrival and Day 8/9. 

Alternatively, consider purchasing a Switch Health RT-LAMP or antigen test kit for an easy remote testing option via telehealth video link.

Current Health Requirements in Thailand

Like most of Asia, health and safety requirements are abundant in Thailand, including mandatory masks in all public spaces, the beach, the pool, and inside vehicles.

Restrictions in Thailand are separated by colour-code regions, and all major destinations are in the least-restrictive “blue zone”.

This means attractions like museums, art galleries, spas, pools, are all open, subject to public health measures such as mask-wearing and have a 75% capacity limit imposed.

In Bangkok, restaurants have opened normally and can serve alcohol until 11pm. All entertainments venues, including nightclubs, remain closed throughout the country.

How to Get to Thailand

There’s no shortage of ways to travel to Thailand in greater comfort using your travel rewards points.

Using Aeroplan, flights from Canada will cost 85,000 Aeroplan points one-way in business class, regardless of your routing.

The most convenient one-stop options from Canada include Turkish Airlines, Etihad Airways, Swiss, or any combination of a European layover followed by a flight on Thai Airways.

If you’re interested in travelling in greater luxury flying First Class, consider the following routings:

• Etihad Airways 787 First Class via Abu Dhabi or Oman Air First Class via Muscat for 130,000 Aeroplan points one-way
• Emirates First Class via Dubai for 178,750 Emirates Skywards miles one-way
• Cathay Pacific First Class via Hong Kong for 70,000 Alaska miles one-way
• Japan Airlines First Class via Tokyo for 75,000 Alaska miles one-way

Certain Thai islands such as Koh Samui have very few options for direct flights. In these cases, travellers can simply book an award ticket to Bangkok, and then use either Etihad Guest miles or cash to book the Bangkok Airways flight separately.

Conclusion

After a brief pause due to the Omicron variant, Thailand’s Test & Go scheme will restart on Feburary 1, 2022, alongside the existing Sandbox schemes for certain regions. Make sure to read carefully as the rules differ slightly depending on which region you’re visiting.

Thailand does have very strict COVID-19 protocols on paper, such as a limitation on alcohol sales at restaurants. These are subject to change and varying degrees of enforcement, so be aware of all the current restrictions in place prior to arrival.

As always, you can refer to our Travel During COVID-19 Resource for Canadians for the most up-to-date information on travelling in the pandemic era.