Thailand Requires Tourists from China, India to Have Covid-19 Health Insurance Coverage

Thailand’s Public Health Department announced Thursday that tourists from India and China, both of which require a negative RT-PCR test and $10,000 in health insurance coverage when entering Thailand, will be required to purchase health insurance that covers COVID-19 for the duration of their stay in the Kingdom plus 7 days.

Arriving tourists with respiratory disease symptoms would be subjected to rapid antigen and/or PCR tests and that wastewater samples from all flights from China would be tested for COVID-19 variants and sub-variants.

Aircrew, students, and other visitors from China and India may enter Thailand with letters of guarantee from their host organizations specifying health insurance coverage. 

Thai immigration officials will randomly check these passengers’ insurance coverage, and if they do not have such documents, they will be advised to obtain health insurance coverage before entering Thailand, according to Anutin.

The public health minister Anutin Charnvirakul, also stated that Thailand has arranged for voluntary COVID vaccinations for foreigners and will charge a reasonable fee for the service.

The Thai government purchased the vaccines, and vaccination services will be available at specific locations in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chonburi, Pattaya, and Phuket.

Anucha stated that a sub-committee had been formed to manage the health, economic, and social aspects of increasing foreign arrivals, particularly Chinese tourists.

Thailand Offers Free Covid-19 Testing

Meanwhile, the government is providing free Covid-19 tests to sick visitors and will vaccinate foreign tourists who request it at “reasonable prices,” according to Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.

He also emphasized that health insurance is still required for visitors from China and India, as the two countries require Covid tests before departing Thailand.

Minister Anutin said after chairing a meeting of the National Communicable Diseases Committee on Thursday that either antigen or PCR tests for Covid-19 would be performed on visitors with respiratory symptoms as part of routine disease surveillance.

The Covid-19 tests for ill visitors will be free, according to Dr. Tares Krassanairawiwong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control (DDC).

Because visitors from China and India must show proof that they are Covid-free upon their return, Mr. Anutin stated that they must have at least US$10,000 in health insurance coverage to cover any treatment if they test positive while in Thailand.

“At communicable disease control checkpoints, officials will randomly check if visitors have health insurance,” he said. “Those who do not have health insurance documents must purchase health insurance before entering the country.”

The health minister also stated that Covid-19 vaccines would be made available to foreign tourists voluntarily at reasonable prices in designated locations.

Initially, vaccinations will be available at the following locations:

• Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital, Lerdsin Hospital, Rajavithi Hospital, Bangrak Medical Center, Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute, and the Institute for Disease Control and Prevention are all located in Bangkok.
• Chiang Mai Neurological Hospital is located in Chiang Mai.
• Pattayarak Health Unit, Chon Buri
• Phuket: the Phuket Public Health Office’s service center.

Mr. Anutin stated that providing vaccines to foreign tourists would not affect the availability of the Covid-19 vaccine for Thai citizens.

Dr. Tares stated that more than 20 million doses are available for Thais and visitors who require the shots. According to him, the majority of foreign tourists have already been immunized. According to the DDC, more than 77% of the local population has had at least two shots.

According to him, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) discovered that some foreign tourists wanted vaccinations.

The TAT Newsroom website has the most up-to-date information on all rules for foreign visitors entering Thailand.