What is it like to travel in Thailand now and what restrictions are currently in place for tourists?

Feb 5, 2021
4 years ago
Phil **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hello, I am looking at coming to Thailand in a couple of months and wondering if somebody can give me an idea of what it’s like there now?

Are you able to travel to different areas freely?

Can you visit all the islands or is the touristy stuff stopped at the moment?

Thanks a lot
8,508
views
11
likes
180
all likes
60
replies
1
images
39
users
TLDR : Answer Summary
As of now, traveling to Thailand is quite different from the usual experience due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Many tourist attractions and services remain limited or closed, especially in popular areas like Phuket and Pattaya, which are described as being quiet and lacking the usual crowds. While inter-province travel is generally allowed, Samut Sakhon remains under restrictions due to high infection rates. Visitors can access various islands, but the availability of services and accommodations is reduced, offering a more peaceful experience. Opinions vary on whether it’s a good time to visit; those seeking tranquility may find it appealing, while others may feel it's lacking in vibrant nightlife and social opportunities.
John *********
I know a lot of ppl live there they all say same its dead, look on the bright side no quese
Terary **********
I live in Pattaya (big tourist spot) We have only Thai tourists currently. I am glad to see them. Everything is open but very quiet. Bars and everything else (malls, grocery stores, etc) are closed at 11:00pm. The ocean is still here and you can still enjoy it.

I was in Phuket last month - I enjoyed it quite a bit. More business are closed, but the ocean is still there, as is the sun and all the other things. Business in the less tourist places are still open and thriving. Hence, you may not be able to get a high-price beach side dinner but you can get a reasonable priced dinner a few blocks away. Also you can take your reasonable priced meal to the beach. If you feel the need to spend more -please be generous to the locals.

There are fewer tourist attractions but you can get to all the islands. Also there is sun and beach, beautiful scenery and no fucking tourist buses.

I was at Koh Lak 2 months ago. Had the Sun and Ocean and tour operators where still operating.

If you want to come to Thailand to get drunk and fall down, it's probably not worth the trip. If you want to come to Thailand to enjoy the things that are Thai (people food) and Thailand (Sun, Ocean, Islands), then I suggest pack your bags and come along.

Warning there was recently a Covid scare. From about beginning of December to the end of January. During that time there was some restricted movement. The news reported there was restricted movements, from Province to Province or something I don't know. I had no troubles going to/from Phuket, Pattaya, Bangkok.

Best of luck.
Bobby ********
*************************************************************
**********
**********
*****
*****
1/posts/
*****
*****
*****
12/
Bobby ********
To be brutally honest, for a straight out tourist, it's a waste of time coming at this stage. If you have family or home here, yes it's worth jumping through the hoops, but for tourism, forget it. Look at June onwards for any changes. Some dumb heads will tell you things are "almost normal". In the shit can town where my lady comes from, it's exactly the same as it was pre-covid, and probably the same as it was 20 years ago, but these provincial towns where the best thing is the road leading out are not exactly a tourist trap. Phuket and Pattaya are for all intents and purposes closed, and people are going to say "no, some of the bars are open". Yeah. Some. Trust me, the tourist areas are closed. Not much fun to be got after 15 days quarantine.

***************************************************************
**********
**********
*****
*****
*****
/posts/
*****
*****
*****
/
Albert ********
Very deserted all over. not a good time to travel anywhere.you may need a vaccine that would be a good move.
Ari **********
You can not have answers from fake book.
Henning *********
Beautiful here
Christina *********
Bobby Howard I’ve been traveling around Thailand and it’s been really good, hotels have big discounts, domestic flights are super cheap. Beaches are peaceful. Yes you won’t have the crazy nights, and less choice for restaurants,(obviously it’s an economic nightmare, and can be pretty soul destroying seeing seeing how quiet it is) we have a car and travelled to koh lipe, pattalung, Trang, khao Lak, Phang nga, phucket, Krabi, Koh tao, koh phangan and flew to Bangkok. In the last year. If you can withstand the quarantine then go for it 🙂
Bobby ********
Christina Scubabe. The point I've been trying to make is that for long term stayers there's no problem. I've been here continuously since July 2018 (haven't left in that time). For me personally it doesn't affect me at all (provided gyms are open), and I've seen more of Thailand during covid than I've seen in the twelve years I've been here, but I'm looking at it from the point of view of a tourist, coming here for the "touristy" things. And realistically, they are closed or drastically reduced. I made the point that in my lady's home town there is ZERO change, but if someone tells me that Phuket is the same as pre-covid, I have to ask what drugs they are on
Ken ********
@Bobby *******
gyms offering big discounts my gym are offering 6 months for what 1 month usually costs
Christina *********
@Bobby *******
I beg to differ when I travelled around I was a ‘tourist’ visited new places, and did tourist things, snorkel trips, island hopping, kayaking down the rivers, scuba diving, waterfalls, shopping in Bangkok, sunset nights in phucket, Etc. There wasn’t anything we wanted to do that we couldn’t. We were even the only people in Emerald cave! I’ve been there lots and to be the only people was pretty awesome.

I live in Khao Lak, super quiet, many restaurants are shut but still enough open. Beaches are always quiet so not much change. There are still dive trips and trips to surin. A reduced service mainly in weekends and a reduced price.

I can’t wait to get up north next and see it before the crowds turn up!
Bobby ********
Christina Scubabe. Again the point is totally missed. I give up!
Andy ******
prices are still double vietnam’s. foreigners still getting ripped off. thai baht remains very high vis a vis the euro and dollar. air in the cities still sucks. same military government for the past 6 years. plenty of polluted water in the gulf. no mass testing so no one knows the actual amount of covid cases. one hospital head estimated it was 40x the stated amount. you will have to go through quarantine and if test positive go to a hospital. the weather is good in the south. maybe consider a warmer location locally or just get a jacuzzi and sun lamp and stay home.
Kal *********
Do it

I’m ready to go back around July ... tourist traps and red light districts are the Plague of Thailand...
Sandra *********************
Its like Thailand before 15 years 😅 everything got cheaper and its quite empty at the moment, I’m here for a year already, must of restaurants and massage places, bars etc closed 🙁. Other then that the weather is good the beach is quite empty, feels peaceful to me 🙂 (hello from koh samui island)
Tony ***********
I think maybe some people that haven't left Thailand. That don't know how dog shit it is elsewhere might say its shit in Thailand at the moment. But what they don't realize is, its even more shit back home. Im in quarantine still. But even just feeling the warm sun on the balcony makes it worth it for me. To each his own. That being said anything is better then shitty lockdown with no end in sight for the near future. I was going fuckin bananas back home. Even just for the distraction of traveling has been worth it.
Ralphy *****
As long as you are prepared to be in a locked up room 14 days you'll be ok
William *******
There are things that are open, but it is absolutely not as you remembered if you have been here before. I’m talking strictly tourist areas. Phuket is pretty much a ghost area, especially in Patong, Karon and Kata. If you want a low key, peaceful environment with a lot of places you normally see opened are closed then this is your place. I got to Phuket in December and all I can say is OMG this place is deserted compared to what was going on in 2019.
Rattanapron ************
Paradise if you don’t mind about the nightlife. Mostly high-end hotel is really cheap now.
Rowena *****
PATTAYA

for me its better here now.. have bars but with curfew. have nightlifes but limited. live bands too have.

cleaner beaches..nice road trips. malls open. its less tourist but everything is just right and services still available. islands are awesome
เอ็ดเวิร์ด *******
It sounds like you have never been here before. Before my first trip in 2012 I bought a guide book. Sure it costs some bucks, but if you are really serious about spending 1000s to come here, 15-20 bucks is a good investment. read about the country, specific places will list commercial interests who provide, such as scuba diving, elephant rescue parks, etc. You can then email the establishments and see which ones are open. The would be a more thorough job, online you'll most likely hear personal opinions, and good but limited.
Bobby ********
****************************
Bobby ********
****************************
Bob **********
*****************************************************
Phil **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thanks for the help everyone

Except
@Bobby *******
👋
Arthuro *******
Paradise dude if you don’t mind about the nightlife
Craig *******
There's lots to do but if you just want to hang out with other Farangs in tourist bars then you'll be disappointed
William *****************
Chiang Mai is paradise. Many stores closed but so much open also. Lots of Bars, massage, restaurants open right now. Great vibe - even better without many tourists, though tourism is a mixed batch, many lovely people, many assholes. But all the Thai are beautiful.
William *****************
Although right now is beginning of smoke season, until May really.
Andy ********
That is such a hard question to answer without knowing what you want out of a holiday in Thailand. I will try so here goes.

If people are your thing, hanging out in crowded bars of Pattaya, the GoGo bars of Nana Plaza or the Night Clubs of Phuket then it is not the time to come.

If seeing the beauty of Thailand is your thing then there may not be a better time to come. The value in the hotels at the moment is incredible. Beaches are deserted, restaurants have had to up their game to attract the few domestic tourists that are here and the national parks are even more beautiful because of the lack of people.

The biggest negative is that we can’t see into the future. No one knows what will happen with COVID. It has been managed very well so far is all we can say.
Klaus ***********
Opinion: Why the pandemic won't be over until 2024

*************************************************************************************
*******
/03/covid-19-pandemic-end-lon-orig-bks.cnn
Andy ********
@Klaus **********
interesting.
Garrett ***********
@Kl***
Fake news
Klaus ***********
@Garrett **********
trump area has ended. You need two new easy to learn & to type words.
Klaus ***********
Brace Yourself: Long-Haul Travel May Not Get Going Until 2023 ["
******************************************************************************************************************
"]
Lisa *****
You should go to Pattaya News 📰 and get daily reports on the real happenings.. Been here a year. They have not led us wrong!!! Good luck! stay safe!!!!
Jack ******
It's great right now! Unless you're after the bar/go-go scene. Bobby's right about reduction in tourist traps. No bus loads of Chinese tourists, way fewer drunken farangs and 0 backpackers. Services (massage, car and driver, motorbike rental etc) are cheaper. No lines. We went to Koh Samui 2 months ago. The resort (Bandara) has just enough staff to provide good service, but few guests, so it was very private and cheap rates. No nightlife, but everything else we wanted was there. Bangkok is good, good room rates, but quiet. Stores are open. Train service to provinces is available, but on a reduced schedule. C'mon over - wear your mask - tip the help.
Christina *********
@Jack *****
perfect time to visit! 💕
René *******
Some people in this group are rude, unhelpful, lazy and arrogant. Oh dear !!!
David ********
Unless you are wanting to visit Samut Sakhon, which is unlikely in the first place, you can travel anywhere.
Michael *******
paradise
Richard **************
It’s full of bitter, drunken brits
Dale **********
I am currently in thailand the only difficulty i found was the prison quarantine.. i think they do checks when u leave a red area.. a lot of places are having restrictions lifted
Edna *******
The answer is extensive. Please research.
Todd *********
@Edna ******
what exactly would one research? TripAdvisor isn’t exactly doing anyone any favours. This IS his research. Real time humans who are here now. There is NO better source
Edna *******
@Todd ********
I’m in America with a love in Khonkaen. I make it my business to know all I can about Thailand, good and bad. I’m on several informative sites. Some a hoot. Always good to see others perspective from around the world. My love doesn’t have to explain current events to me, except when it affects him. I’m trying to learn traditions, culture and the devout Buddhist way of life. At times our political climate has been similar, until we had a new election and new President. Huge improvement has happened quickly. I have traveled Thailand twice, love it more each time. I love the local culture, rather than tourist traps. A walk in the Forrest, hunting bugs, fruit, learning the flora and fauna. Seeing my devout man on his knees and treating me special.
Todd *********
@Ed**
I understand... and I have definitely never been to Khon Kaen. Interesting. I came here FOR Covid last March as it seemed like one of the few countries that would be able to effectively manage a global pandemic. And that has definitely proven true. Never been a better time to be here 🙂
Ruth *******
@Todd ********
I wish I were there for the same reason. I came back to the U.S. for an emergency and got stuck. Back at the beginning of January 2020, my friends were saying, “I bet you’re glad you’re not back in Asia.” I said, “absolutely not! They’ll get this under control. We will not.” Meanwhile, I moved to the corner of the country that at least had a bit of sanity and muddled through after disaster at the very beginning.
Edna *******
@Todd ********
I would be there now, except for all the nutty regulations. Thais have paid a terrible price for military control. My love is in the Province of Khonkaen, but in a smaller district on the edge. I hear of his, close friends and families horrific hardships.
Dale **********
Im sure this groups title has advice written in it. People these days eh.. if u cant give advice it’s probably better not to say anything 🤐👏
Garrett ***********
@Da**
A lot of retired single guys have no ones else to talk to.
JD ********
@Garrett **********
soooo again... not much different there than pre-Covid ... old men escaping their countries where they treated as jesters not kings...though in reality theyre VN not
Chanon ******
Yes, traveling between provinces is fine now, except for Samut Sakorn, where there’s still high infection. The government relaxed inter-province checkpoints on the 1st.
Danny *******
A lot of the tourist stuff isn't running because there are basically no tourist. You can get around to most of the islands but not everything is open. It's nice and quiet if you like that so of thing.
Reiner *********
Christina *********
@Reiner ********
Trang island? Koh Kradan? I’m curious I want to go!!
Josh ****
@Reiner ********
looks like he’s not gonna answer
Todd *********
@Reiner ********
same question! Great pic
Lisandro *******
@Reiner ********
Where's that?
Darren *******
Tatnews.org
Thai Visa Advice and Everything Else
... members · 60% approval rate
The Thai Visa Advice And Everything Else group allows for a broad range of discussions on life in Thailand, beyond just visa inquiries.
Join the Group
Thai Visa Advice and Everything Else
View the Conversation
Thai Visa Advice and Everything Else