Guide to Test & Go
For those coming into Thailand from 2020 – mid 2021, an extra two weeks of self-isolation had to be added to the itinerary. Thanks to the launch of “Test & Go” in 2021, the mandatory quarantine period has been drastically reduced.
Test & Go is Thailand’s entry initiative that requires travellers to self-isolate for one night, instead of 14 nights.
However, there are still entry requirements and processes that travellers need to take into account before booking their flight to Bangkok. To navigate those, here’s a guide to Thailand’s Test & Go entry guidelines, vaccination requirements, documents to prepare and application process.
Other useful Thailand-related resources:
- Guide to Singapore-Thailand Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL)
- 2022 Ultimate Phuket Guide
- An expat’s guide to dating in Thailand
Thailand’s “Test & Go” programme overview
“Test & Go”, or more commonly referred to as “Test and Go” is Thailand’s minimal-quarantine entry programme that all nationals can apply for.
Here’s a brief outline of the programme and the application process.
Image credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs via TAT News.org
Under Test and Go, entrants will only need to self-isolate for one night in a SHA Extra Plus (SHA++) accomodation, where they are also required to take an RT-PCR Covid-19 test. Entrants who receive a negative result are then cleared to travel around Thailand.
If they are staying in the Kingdom for more than five days, however, they must also self-administer an ATK test on Day 5 of their trip. The result must then be submitted to health authorities.
Below are more details and instructions on coming into Thailand under the Test & Go scheme.
Apply for Test & Go on ‘Thailand Pass’
The first step to starting your Test and Go application is to register for the online portal, Thailand Pass.
Thailand Pass is the country’s official online registration platform where applicants can submit their application and supporting documents.
It’s also the system where approved travellers will be issued a unique QR code that’ll serve as their “Certificate of Entry” into Thailand.
Applicants typically get their results in five – seven days.
Here are the documents you’ll need in order to apply for Test and Go on Thailand Pass, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
- Medical Certificate that includes a Negative RT-PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before arrival
- Proof of Covid-19 insurance with a minimum coverage of US$20,000
- Residents covered by Thailand’s national healthcare system are exempt from this requirement
- Certificate of vaccination/recovery
- Proof of payment for 1-night stay in SHA Extra Plus Accommodation (SHA++) on Day 1
- Must include RT-PCR Test for Day 1 and ATK Test on Day 5
Read on for further information on the requirements.
Testing requirements
Test and Go applicants must undergo an RT-PCR Covid-19 on the day they arrive in Thailand, as well as self-administer an ATK test on the fifth day of their stay.
For those staying in a SHA Extra Plus (SHA++) Hotel – which we’ll get into in a couple sections – these tests should already be included in your package.
If you need to arrange for separate Covid-19 testing packages, we’d suggest checking out Klook, which has bundles starting from ฿620 (~USD18).
Of course, before even entering the country, applicants need to undergo an RT-PCR test no more than 72 hours before arriving in Thailand.
Approved Covid-19 vaccines
At the moment, Thailand approves of eight different Covid-19 vaccines for Test and Go applicants.
Here are the approved inoculations and required doses, as per the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
- Pfizer-BioNTech or Comirnaty – 2 doses
- Moderna – 2 doses
- AstraZeneca or Covishield – 2 doses
- Sputnik V – 2 doses
- CoronaVac – 2 doses
- Sinopharm or COVILO – 2 doses
- Janssen or Janssen/Ad26.COV2.S – 1 dose
- Covaxin – 2 doses
SHA Extra Plus Accommodation (SHA++)
Test and Go applicants are required to book a special type of hotel, known as a SHA Extra Plus (SHA++) hotels.
In a nutshell, hotels SHA establishments have been vetted by Thailand’s Safety & Health Administration.
https://thesmartlocal.com/thailand/sha-hotels/
For a hotel to get the SHA Extra Plus (SHA++) accreditation, at least 70% of their staff must be vaccinated. Furthermore, they must also be partnered with a hospital in order to provide RT-PCR tests.
Here’s a list of some SHA++ hotels.
Screenshot: ASQ
Many of the hotels’ prices include the required tests, as well as airport transfer.
Resources on travelling to Thailand
With all the different regulations and requirements that come with entry schemes, it can sometimes feel like a challenge to stay on top of everything.
So, we’ve listed a few resources to help facilitate your Test and Go application.
The first resource is none other than the authority on the matter, itself: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). TAT regularly updates their Newsroom section of their site with updates to regulations, new openings and other information relevant to international visitors.
You can also find guides to Thailand’s different entry programmes.
The Ministry of Tourism launched Entry Thailand specifically to help foreign visitors with the required documents, tests and self-isolation period.
The online platform also has a “Journey” section. Here, travellers can input which country they’re travelling from, which city they’re visiting in Thailand as well as their vaccination status.
After that, the system will help come up with guidelines specific to those criteria.
Another government organisation that provides resources to foreign visitors with their travel plans is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Similar to TAT, the organisation frequently posts updates on travelling to Thailand.
Here’s a video the Ministry made back in November after the Test & Go scheme was announced.
We’d suggest looking through the Thailand Pass FAQ section, which provides detailed information on visiting Thailand.
Test & Go Thailand
With quarantine becoming a primary part of travel over the past two years, many seemed ecstatic to hear that countries were relaxing entry measures.
We certainly cheered when Thailand launched the Sandbox programme that allowed visitors to ‘self-isolate’ around Phuket instead of a hotel room. So, when Thailand launched “Test & Go”, we took it as a sign that travel would slowly start looking a little more like pre-2020.
Hopefully, quarantine will become a smaller part of our travel worries as we move forward towards a New Normal.
We hope that this guide was helpful in preparing your trip to Thailand and wish you all the best in your travels.
Cover images adapted from: Tawatchai07 via Freepik, Freepik, Freepik
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