How To Travel To And Train In Thailand During COVID-19

Muay Thai gyms and stadiums in Thailand are finally starting to reopen, which means you can now visit the country for a training holiday in “the art of eight limbs.”

However, there’s a list of requirements you must follow to successfully arrive and quarantine before you can get the most out of your training session in Thailand.

Here’s how you can go to Thailand to train Muay Thai during COVID-19 restrictions.

Know How Long You’re Going To Stay

Before you start the process of traveling to Thailand, the first question you have to ask yourself is: How long do I want to stay in the country?

If you plan on being there for less than 90 days and are coming from one of the visa-exempt countries, you don’t need a visa.

However, if you plan on staying for more than 90 days or you’re traveling from a country that isn’t on Thailand’s visa-exemption list, you’ll need to apply for a Special Tourist Visa (STV).

Once you decide on how long you’re going to stay, you must book your Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) hotel and get your COVID-19 travel insurance before you apply for the visa.

Book Your Alternative State Quarantine Hotel

When you arrive in Thailand, you must quarantine for 10-to-14 days (depending on which country you’re coming from) at an ASQ hotel. The Thai government has an official list of ASQ hotels in Thailand to choose from.

When you arrive in the country, the ASQ hotel’s shuttle van will bring you from the airport to your hotel room, where you’ll go through quarantine and occasional COVID-19 testing.

If your tests come back negative after the first few days, you’ll be allowed to leave your room and go to select areas of the hotel.

But we can’t get too far ahead of ourselves just yet – you still have to get COVID-19 insurance and doctor’s clearance before coming to Thailand.

Get COVID-19 Insurance

After you book your ASQ hotel, you’ll need to secure health insurance that will cover you for at least US$100,000 in treatment should you get COVID-19 while in Thailand and need medical assistance.

Moreover, the COVID-19 insurance must cover you for your entire stay in the country.

You’ll also have to present a copy of your insurance when you arrive in Thailand and when applying for your Certificate Of Entry (COE), which is the next step.

Apply For A Certificate Of Entry

When you book your ASQ hotel and get COVID-19 insurance coverage, your next step is to apply for a COE on Thailand’s official COE website.

Applying for a COE is a two-part process.

First, you have to upload a copy of your passport, visa (if applicable), and health insurance. You will then be pre-approved, which means you can buy your round-trip plane ticket.

Once you have your plane ticket, you must upload it to the COE website along with your ASQ booking confirmation to get your official COE.

Take Your COVID-19 Test

Within 72 hours of leaving your home country for Thailand, you must take a COVID-19 test and produce a negative result. The doctor must be certified to issue Fit To Fly certificates.

You must bring your Fit To Fly certificate – and original copies of all the previously mentioned documents – with you to the airport and have all of them neatly organized and ready to present once you land in Thailand.

Quarantine

After your 10-to-14-day quarantine – and as long as you don’t test positive for COVID-19 – you’ll be allowed to leave your hotel and start training in Thailand.

However, keep in mind that not all gyms will be running to full capacity as the country returns to a normal way of life.

Read more: Liam Harrison Recalls Shock Of First Training Experience In Thailand