Air passengers must have Covid-free certificates

Last updated on May 13th, 2021 at 05:51 am

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand now requires all air passengers, Thai and foreign, to show Covid-19-free health certificates and Covid-19 insurance before boarding their flights to Thailand. CAAT governor Chula Sukmanop announced the condition, and other requirements, on Wednesday as part of government efforts to contain novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19).  

He said arriving passengers who visited China, Hong Kong, Iran, Italy, Macao or South Korea in the past 14 days will be quarantined. When passengers check in, airlines must check whether they had visited Covid-19 epidemic areas in the previous 14 days.

Airlines must require passengers to present health certificates issued no more than 72 hours before the  flight departs. The certificates must guarantee that the passengers are free of Covid-19, regardles where they board. Airlines must also require that passengers have insurance covering Covid-19 treatment in Thailand, up to at least US$100,000. Passengers who fail to present the required documents must not be allowed to board their flight to Thailand.

Those who comply and are allowed to board must provide the address of their accommodation in Thailand, either by written forms or by AOT mobile phone app. CAAT also requires airlines to seat passengers as far as possible from each other, and to disinfect their planes – among other preventive measures. Mr Chula said Thai disease control officials were authorised to isolate aircraft and quarantine passengers.

Airlines that fail to comply must pay for the subsequent transport, quarantine and treatment of passengers, and the cost of related cases of disease control.