The world is moving on from the pandemic, but is Thailand? You may see people on domestic flights in Thailand wearing masks, but are they mandatory?
The Thai government made face masks “voluntary” in June but still recommends wearing them in crowded spaces. A statement in the royal gazette said that.
The wearing of a mask is a voluntary practice. The Ministry of Public Health only recommends that the general public wear masks when with others in a crowded or poorly ventilated place.
Some places, like the BTS SkyTrain in Bangkok, say they ask passengers to wear face masks on the train. However, I’ve tested this out myself, and so far, no one’s stopped telling me to put on a diaper.
Planes are considered the same. It is not a lawful requirement to wear face masks on domestic flights, but a few airlines still recommend them. Some airlines may push for mask-wearing more than others.
Bangkok Airlines, where I’ve flown several times without a mask since the government announcement, told The Thaiger that wearing face masks is unnecessary. They also don’t require presenting any Covid Test result or vaccination.
Thai Smile also told The Thaiger that face masks are not a requirement, but they recommend wearing them during the flight. I’ve flown on them once without a mask since the announcement, and no one said a thing.
However, AirAsia flights said the cabin crew will likely ask passengers to wear masks unless they eat.” However, one mask-opposing passenger told The Thaiger that they had flown AirAsia for the past three weeks multiple times and did not wear a mask. They do, however, announce on the speaker system, “Please wear a mask at all times,” but there were no real consequences.
Similarly, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air, and Thai VietJet recommend wearing a mask during flights but don’t require it.
The nation’s flag carrier, Thai Airways, which serves both domestic and international flights, recommends but doesn’t enforce the use of face masks.
One passenger flying from the UK to Bangkok with Thai Airways told The Thaiger…
“From the moment I boarded the plane until now, I haven’t worn a mask or been asked to wear one. On the flight, only Thais wore them and the odd non-Thai. Same at Suvarnabhumi Airport.”
Source TheThaiger