Thailand Pass will be a boon to tourism industry, promises minister
The Thailand Pass, which will replace the COE (Certificate of Entry) system, will boost the number of arrivals significantly when the country reopens on November 1, Tourism and Sports minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan said on Tuesday.
“Hotel bookings under the Phuket Sandbox scheme for November went up considerably after October 21, when the list of 46 low-risk countries from where double-jabbed tourists can arrive without having to quarantine was released,” Pipat said.
“We expect the number of rooms reserved for November to surpass all other months since the sandbox scheme started in July.
“With the introduction of the Thailand Pass, the number of foreign travellers will likely rise from November until yearend, especially among those who had to suspend trips they had planned earlier,” he added. “This will help revive Thailand’s tourism industry, which has been suffering from the impact of the Covid-19 crisis for almost two years now.”
According to the Foreign Ministry, the Thailand Pass system is web-based and designed to make the documentation process for people entering Thailand more efficient. This system collects both travel and health information and will help facilitate the filing of TM6 and T8 forms.
From November 1, the Thailand Pass will replace COE and will be required for all fully vaccinated Thais and foreigners arriving from any of the 46 low-risk countries or those entering under the different sandbox programmes. The system also applies to people who have not been vaccinated or have received just one shot and are entering Thailand under the alternative quarantine programme.
The COE website will stop taking registrations from November 1, though tourists can apply for a COE in advance at the Thai embassy or consulate until November 7. Thailand Pass will start accepting registrations from 9am on November 1 at: https://tp.consular.go.th/.