Travel advice

The information on this page is dedicated to the travel advice of the Embassy of Luxembourg for travelling safely in and around Thailand. If you would like to have more information on the other countries covered by this Embassy (Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore and Vietnam), we suggest that you visit the respective websites of the German and French Ministries of Foreign Affairs that contain regular updates of their travel advice for each of these countries.

News

Disease control measures undertaken by the Thai government to fight the spread of COVID-19 continue to have a considerable impact on air traffic, in particular international travel, and on public life.

Due to ongoing entry restrictions, non-essential tourist travel to Thailand is therefore currently discouraged.

Epidemiological situation

The number of cases remains at a low level compared to the rest of the world. You can find the latest information on case numbers of the Department of Disease Control website. As a result of this increase, the Thai authorities have introduced a number of disease control measures at national and local levels (see details below).

Restrictions in response to the coronavirus

Entry requirements

As of November 1, 2021, travelers from 63 countries and territories including Luxembourg (see the updated list on the website of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs), entering Thailand by air and having a full vaccination certificate carried out at least 14 days before the date of departure, can enter the country under the “Test and Go” scheme. They will have to spend one night quarantine in a hotel certified by the Thai government (see the latest list of hotels here) while waiting for their PCR test result to arrive.

Travelers must stay in the list of countries and territories where individuals are permitted to enter Thailand for at least 21 days or previously came from Thailand.

Those travelers who do not arrive from any of the currently eligible countries and/or who do not have a full vaccination certificate will be subject to a 7-day (Sandbox program) or 10-day (AQ) quarantine respectively. Those travelers will have to meet additional entry requirements under these two programs, details of which can be found on the dedicated page of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

The three programs currently proposed for entry by the Thai government are therefore as follows:

Thailand Pass

As of November 1^st, travelers need to apply for a Thailand Pass, a system which replaces the Certificate of Entry (COE) that was introduced during the pandemic. The Thailand Pass System is a QR code generating system and applicants need to submit their registration at least 7 days prior to their intended travel date. In order to do so, travelers will have to:

Register at https://tp.consular.go.th/
Provide personal details
Upload the required documents:
- Passport
- Vaccination Certificate
- COVID-19 Health Insurance Certificate
- Confirmed ASQ hotel booking or Confirmed SHA+ hotel booking
- Copy of Thai Visa if required

If approved, travelers will receive an email including the QR Entry Code or Thailand Pass ID to use upon entering Thailand. Travelers that need to change their travel date or registration details will need to re-register on the Thailand Pass system.

Travelling with children

Unvaccinated children under the age of 12, travelling with their parents or a guardian, may enter Thailand under the same conditions as their parents. The child’s birth certificate or letter of consent from parents may be required as a proof of relationship/guardianship.

All persons aged 12 or over must have a vaccination certificate confirming that they have been fully vaccinated at least 14 days before their travel in order to be able to enter Thailand under the Exemption from Quarantine scheme.

Additional information on the Thailand Pass is available here: https://www.mfa.go.th/en/content/thailand-pass-faqs

Addition information on then Thailand Pass and information regarding travelling with children is available here: https://www.mfa.go.th/en/content/thailand-pass-faqs

Please refer also to the Q&A section on the TAT website for a useful reference on frequently asked questions including a step by step guide on the different travel schemes, visa requirements and latest updates.

Restrictions in the country

The Thai government has declared a state of emergency, which gives it considerable powers. In particular, restrictions on freedom of movement and movement, freedom of assembly and freedom of expression are to be expected. Travelers must comply with the government’s disease-control measures (surveillance and quarantine measures, control of their movements, etc.). Violations of the emergency ordinance are strictly punished by the Thai authorities and are punishable by imprisonment and fines.

Anyform of criticism - especially if expressed on social media and especially about the monarchy - is likely to lead to legal action.

As a result of the current situation in COVID-19 cases, the government has introduced a Red-Orange-Yellow coulour rating system for each province, depending on the number of daily recorded cases. Varying degrees of restrictions depending on the colour category and additional local measures taken by provincial governors are in place in each province. Those may vary considerably. You should therefore follow the advice of local authorities and comply with disease control measures.

Keep up to date with the latest health advice provided by Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health and updates from the Thai government on the situation, including daily video briefings in English provided by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Hygiene rules

Masks are mandatory when using public transport and in buildings, where your temperature is measured upon entry. Other measures such as downloading a tracking application or providing contact details may be required. Wearing a mask is strongly encouraged in public. Visitors as well as foreign residents in particular should follow these recommendations. In some provinces, face masks are mandatory in public.

High fines may be imposed for breaching hygiene rules.

Regular entry requirements

Visa

Under normal circumstances, Luxembourgish citizens visiting Thailand for tourism can enter Thailand without a Visa and stay for 30 days, provided they are in the possession of a return airline ticket and of a passport that is still valid for at least 6 months.

Luxembourgish citizens, who wish to stay longer than 30 days, or who wish to work in Thailand, have to apply for the appropriate Visa at the Royal Thai Embassy in Brussels before leaving to Thailand. Such a tourist Visa usually entitles you to stay for up to 60 days.

A single extension of the visa-free stay for a maximum of 30 additional days for exclusively tourist purposes is possible. The visa extension must be processed with the responsible Thai immigration office before the visa-free period expires.

You can only enter Thailand through a land border using the 30-day visa exemption twice per calendar year. To cross more frequently, you will need to get the appropriate visa in advance of travelling. This doesn’t apply if arriving by air.

For more information on the different types of individual visas, contact the Thai Immigration Authority or visit the Visa Service of the Royal Thai Embassy in Brussels.

Exceeding the authorized stay (“overstay”)

Violations of residency regulations are not taken lightly in Thailand. Travelers who exceed the authorized length of stay risk being arrested and held in detention, subjected to heavy fines, deportation at their own expense and banned from re-entering Thailand. If you stay up to 40 days beyond the period of your visa, you will be fined THB 500 baht per day up to a maximum of THB 20,000. The enforcement of penalties for overstaying is strict and conditions in detention centres can be harsh.

Lëtzebuerger am Ausland

For your own safety, the Embassy invites you to register your stay in Thailand on the website "Lëtzebuerger am Ausland". Declaring your temporary stay or permanent residence abroad will allow you to receive practical information regarding, for instance, the addresses of the Luxembourg diplomatic and consular missions or information about elections in Luxembourg. In the event of an emergency or crisis situation, the Embassy will be able to contact you as well as your contact person to provide assistance or advice.

Domestic situation

The political situation in Thailand can be volatile. Demonstrations and rallies can take place in all regions of the country. Violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces cannot be ruled out. You should avoid any protests, political gatherings, demonstrations or marches.

Clashes and attacks can occur in the provinces of Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani as well as in parts of Songkhla, in the south of Thailand, on the border with Malaysia. A special emergency law is applied in these regions. You are strongly advised not to travel to these provinces.

Freedom of expression is restricted in Thailand. Criticisms of the government and the realities of the country can become criminally relevant, especially if they are expressed on the Internet or via social media platforms.

Be aware, in particular, of the very strict and broad application of the lèse-majesté crime law in Thailand (see "Legal specifics" below for details).

There are a high number of road traffic accidents in Thailand especially involving motorcycles. The World Health Organisation (WHO) rates Thailand as the world’s deadliest country for fatalities on motorcycles, citing an average of 5,500 motorcyclist deaths annually.

Legal specifics

Lèse-majesté (criticism of the monarchy in any form): The Thai royal family enjoys the highest respect. Derogatory or critical remarks can be punished as crimes of lèse-majesté with a prison term of up to 15 years per offense. Special care should be given to comments or remarks made on the Internet or on social media. The law is interpreted broadly and may include, for instance, retweets or sharing of messages or articles that could be seen as portraying Thailand negatively or making accusations about the Royal Family.

Drugs: The acquisition, possession, distribution, import and export of all kinds of drugs (such as marijuana, ecstasy and other amphetamines) carry long prison sentences – even the possession of small amounts of drugs. Some offenses are punishable under Thai criminal law with the death penalty, which was first applied again in June 2018 after a 9-year suspension. Taking or transporting objects for third parties without knowledge of their contents can have disastrous consequences.

Thefts: Theft of items, even of low value, can lead to prison sentences.

No smoking / electronic cigarettes: Since 2017, smoking is prohibited on certain beaches in Pattaya, Bangsaen, Cha-am, Hua Hin, Phuket, Samui, Phang Nga and Songkhla. Violations of the smoking ban can result in a prison sentence of up to one year and / or a fine of up to THB 100,000. The import of electronic cigarettes is also prohibited, which can be punished with a heavy fine or imprisonment for up to five years.

For more information, please visit the following websites: