STARTING today, all foreign visitors entering Thailand are required to possess medical certificates and health insurance.
The move, covering all nationalities, is to curb the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus.
The Bangkok Post said that travellers to the kingdom have to show authorities a health certificate, issued no more than 72 hours before travelling, confirming that they have been tested and are free from the virus.
They must also present an insurance policy showing minimum coverage for coronavirus of not less than US$100,000 (RM440,000).
This measure was previously a requirement for places the government classified as "disease infected zones" – China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, Italy and Iran.
"We are blocking infection from coming into the country. That is why people need medical certificates and health insurance to enter Thailand," said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
"This will now include all countries to minimise infection so we can control it," he added.
Since most people worldwide cannot get tested for the virus currently due to high costs and shortages of test kits, the requirement is in effect a blanket travel ban – although the government stopped short of describing it as such.
"The measure aims to minimise the number of arrivals as much as possible," said government spokesman Narumon Pinyosinwat.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the measure should discourage foreigners from travelling to Thailand.
"We are enforcing strict measures so that it will be very difficult for them to come here."
He said the Interior Ministry will also close all borders.
The introduction of the new measures comes as dozens of civil society organisations in Thailand demand that the government close the country’s borders and restrict people's movement to limit infection.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) also requires Thai nationals returning to the country to show fit-to-fly health certificates and a letter acknowledging their return issued by either a Thai embassy, a Thai consulate general, or the Foreign Ministry.
Thailand has recorded a large jump in the number of infections this week, which health authorities have divided into new imported cases and those with connections to earlier cases.
The rise in infections led the government to close schools, universities, and entertainment venues around the country on Wednesday.
Thailand has recorded one death since the outbreak, with 42 patients having recovered and gone home, and 229 still being treated in hospital.