Visitors entering Thailand will no longer be required to show their COVID-19 vaccination or test certificates and infected people with mild or no symptoms will not need to be quarantined from October 1.
The changes were announced on September 21 by Thai Minister of Health Anutin Charnvirakul after a meeting of the National Communicable Disease Committee.
He said the committee resolved to redefine COVID-19 as a communicable disease under surveillance, instead of as a dangerous communicable disease, from October 1 to September next year.
From October 1, infected people who have no or mild symptoms will not be quarantined, but will be advised to strictly follow measures to help control the disease, including the use of face masks, social distancing and hand washing for five days.
Sophon Iamsirithaworn, deputy director-general of the Department of Disease Control, said on September 22 that disease control measures will be relaxed because COVID-19 symptoms are currently not severe and are similar to those of a common cold.
