Thailand holidays are about to get a little easier for Brits as the country is set to scrap quarantine for fully vaccinated Brits from November.
The holiday hotspot will welcome fully vaccinated UK travellers, provided they can show proof of vaccination and a negative PCR test that shows they are Covid-free at the time of travel.
Visitors can then moved around Thailand freely the same way as Thai citizens can, the country's Prime Minister confirmed in a televised statement.
The easing of quarantine will begin from November 1 and will include 10-low risk countries including the UK, USA, Germany, China and Singapore.
There are plans for the list to be further expanded in December and again in January. (It's worth noting that entertainment venues will be able to reopen from December, and rules will lift at the same time to allow for alcohol to be consumed in restaurants).
The news comes just a week after Thailand was one of 47 countries removed from the UK's red list.
Under the current entry rules, anyone travelling to Thailand will need to have a pre-approved reason and will be required to quarantine in a state facility for 14 days.
The exceptions to this are Phuket and Koh Samui, which are open to vaccinated Brits for holidays as part of a phased reopening in Thailand.
The schemes, dubbed the Phuket Sandbox and Samui Plus, allow for UK tourists to visit without needing to quarantine while in the holiday hotspots.
There are of course other entry requirements in place too such as needing your travel to be pre-approved, having heath insurance which includes Covid cover, and confirmation of a hotel booking. The rules differ slightly depending on which of the two holiday destinations you want to visit, but you can find out more on the Royal Thai London Embassy website.
As for coming back to the UK? Thailand is now on the 'rest of the world' list, and the Foreign Office allows for non-essential travel.
The rules back in the UK are dependent on your vaccination status.
For those who are fully vaccinated, you'll only need to take one test, a PCR test on day two after landing. (It's expected that this will be changed to a lateral flow test later this month although no exact date has been confirmed yet).
For those who are unvaccinated/partially vaccinated arrivals, you'll need to take a pre-departure test, and PCR tests on days two and eight. You'll also need to self-isolate for 10 days. You can also pay for a fourth 'test to release' to leave early.
- Travel rules are up to date at the time of writing but these can change quickly during the pandemic - always check the latest Foreign Office advice before booking or going on a trip.
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