Thailand announces mandatory health certificates from visitors amid COVID-19 scare

Thailand on March 18 announced that all the incoming passengers would require health certificates proving that they haven’t contracted COVID-19 along with insurance, international media reported. This move comes as the South Asian nation reported 272 cases of infection and one death as for now. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand reportedly announced that it now requires all the air passengers, both Thai and foreign nations from 15 nations to show COVID-19  free health certificates and COVID-19 insurance before boarding their flights to Thailand.

The new conditions aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus, are set to go into effect from March 21, CAAT governor Chula Sukmanop reportedly said. He added that the airlines are supposed to check whether the passengers have travelled to the 15 affected nations as soon as they board the aeroplanes. 

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According to reports, Airlines must require passengers from those infected zones and 11 ongoing local transmission areas 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. The 11 ongoing local transmission areas are Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan (specific cities), Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.  Airlines must also require that passengers from these places have insurance covering COVID-19 treatment in Thailand, up to at least $100,000, a Thai media outlet reported. Also, the passengers are required to provide full details of their accommodation in Thailand. 

No complete lockdown 

This comes as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on March 17 announced that all schools and entertainment venues will be shut to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the country. The recent development came after the number of cases in the country doubled in the last three days. According to reports, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha while talking to the media said that there are no plans of complete city or country lockdown yet. 

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