COVID-19 risks
Oct. 19, 2022, midnight
In light of the general improvement in the global infection situation and the fact that the G7 countries have already canceled the designation of levels by country and region, all the new coronavirus infectious disease risk information was announced on October 19. The world is uniformly set to level 1 (please be careful).
Aug. 24, 2022, midnight
On August 24, the infectious disease risk information for 41 countries was changed from level 3 (recommendation to avoid travel) to level 2 (please refrain from non-essential travel), and the infectious disease risk information for 55 countries/regions was changed to level 2. The level has been lowered from (Please refrain from unnecessary and non-urgent travel) to Level 1 (Please be careful).
July 25, 2022, midnight
On July 23, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak of monkeypox a "public health emergency of international concern." According to the WHO, more than 16,000 cases of monkeypox infection in 75 countries and regions have been reported so far, and the infection is spreading worldwide.
July 1, 2022, midnight
Although the infection status of the new corona varies depending on the situation in each country and region, the risk of death and aggravation has decreased, and deregulation at the water's edge and in Japan has also been seen, especially in countries where vaccination is progressing worldwide. I'm on the way. Based on these trends, the infectious disease risk information level is now available after comprehensively considering the actual conditions of each country / region, such as the status of infection, vaccination status, infectious disease control / medical system, and status of various measures in each country / region. Was reviewed.
May 26, 2022, midnight
Although the infection status of the new corona varies depending on the situation in each country and region, the number of new infections and deaths is declining worldwide, and the risk of death and aggravation is mainly in countries where vaccination is progressing. Is declining, and regulations are being relaxed at the water's edge and in Japan. Based on these trends, the infectious disease risk information level is now available after comprehensively considering the actual conditions of each country / region, such as the status of infection, vaccination status, infectious disease control / medical system, and status of various measures in each country / region. Was reviewed.
April 1, 2022, midnight
The level of infectious disease risk information should be reviewed after comprehensively considering the actual situation of each country / region, such as the number of newly infected people in each country / region, vaccination status, infectious disease control / medical system, and status of various measures. It was made. As a result, infectious disease risk information has been reduced from Level 3 "Recommendation for suspension of travel" to Level 2 "Please stop unnecessary and unurgent travel" in 106 countries.
Nov. 29, 2021, midnight
As the infection may spread further, please be informed and try to prevent the infection.
Nov. 29, 2021, midnight
As the infection may spread further, please be informed and try to prevent the infection.
Aug. 13, 2021, midnight
As the infection may spread further, please obtain the latest information and try to prevent the infection.
May 18, 2021, midnight
Coronavirus infections are still spreading worldwide, with more than 160 million confirmed infections and more than 3 million deaths worldwide. Although the number of infected people is decreasing in North America and Europe, the situation continues to require caution, such as the remarkable spread of infection in South Asia.
Based on this situation, the infectious disease risk information level in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Saint Lucia, Thailand, East Timor, and Mongolia has been newly set to Level 2 by comprehensively considering various situations including the deterioration of the infection situation. "Please stop unnecessary and unurgent travel" has been raised to Level 3 "Travel Cancellation Recommendation".
May 18, 2021, midnight
Coronavirus infections are still spreading worldwide, with more than 160 million confirmed infections and more than 3 million deaths worldwide. Although the number of infected people is decreasing in North America and Europe, the situation continues to require caution, such as the remarkable spread of infection in South Asia.
Based on this situation, the infectious disease risk information level in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Saint Lucia, Thailand, East Timor, and Mongolia has been newly set to Level 2 by comprehensively considering various situations including the deterioration of the infection situation. "Please stop unnecessary and unurgent travel" has been raised to Level 3 "Travel Cancellation Recommendation".
Oct. 30, 2020, midnight
As the infection may spread further, please obtain the latest information and try to prevent the infection.
Travel advisories from local embassies and consulates
Information from the past two weeks.
[Warning] Rapid increase in short-term loan fraud targeting Japanese men in Bangkok
July 24, 2024, 12:56 p.m.
One example of a specific method is to approach people saying things like, "I lost my wallet or passport while traveling from X to Bangkok and I'm in trouble," "I'd like to borrow 10,000 baht to cover the cost of reissuing my passport and hotel fees," or "I'll reimburse you from my bank account, so please give me your account number," and then trick them into withdrawing cash from an ATM or transferring it to their own account, etc.
・In order to gain the victim's trust, the perpetrator will claim to work in the medical field (as an X-ray technician) and exchange contact information such as LINE with the victim, show them their bankbook and account balance, etc. Even after receiving the cash, they may continue to request repeated transfers, saying things like "I need more cash for an ongoing project."
-This criminal method has been occurring for several years, but since 2022, when the COVID-19 pandemic subsided, the embassy has been receiving intermittent reports of victims.
(Contact information)
○Consular Section of the Embassy of Japan in Thailand Tel: (66-2) 207-8500, 696-3000
Address: 177 Witthayu Road, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
(Wittayu Road, roughly halfway between Lumpini Police Station and Lumpini MRT Station)
◎If you have submitted a residence notification, please be sure to notify us of any changes to the information listed (changes in address due to moving, additions or changes to mobile phone number or email address, etc.) or if you have returned to your home country or moved out.
◎Short-term travelers staying for less than three months (including overseas tourists and business travelers) who are not required to submit a residence notification should make use of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' overseas travel registration ("Tabi-Regi"). Registered users can receive the latest travel information for their destination, contact emails in the event of an emergency, and emergency contacts in case of an emergency.
・Tabireg: https://www.ezairyu.mofa.go.jp/tabireg/index.html
・If you have signed up for Tabi-Regi Simple Registration and would like to stop receiving emails, please follow the procedure to stop receiving emails from the URL below.
https://www.ezairyu.mofa.go.jp/tabireg/simple/delete
◎In the event of an emergency, the Embassy may use the short message service (SMS) to send relevant information to the mobile phone numbers registered in your residence notification or Tabi-Regi to confirm your safety and request a reply. In this system, the country code for Thailand (+66) is used as a general rule, and messages are sent in half-width alphanumeric characters (Roman letters).
・About the start of operations: http://www.anzen.mofa.go.jp/c_info/pdf/sms_kh.pdf
・Frequently Asked Questions: http://www.anzen.mofa.go.jp/c_info/pdf/sms_qa.pdf
Overseas Safety Measures Information (First Quarter of FY2024 (April-June))
July 17, 2024, 7:41 p.m.
1. Social and security situation, etc. "Terrorism situation in the deep south of Thailand"
During this quarter, in Thailand's far south (Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla provinces), there were an average of approximately 17 terrorist attacks per month using firearms and explosives suspected to be linked to Islamic militant groups.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a risk information of "Level 3: Do not travel (recommended travel cancellation)" for Yala Province, Pattani Province, Narathiwat Province, and parts of Songkhla Province (Jana, Thepa, and Sabayoi districts). Please refrain from traveling to these areas for any purpose. Please note that a risk information of "Level 2: Do not travel unless it is essential" has been issued for the other districts of Songkhla Province.
2. Crime Trends, etc. (1) Crime Trends During the first quarter of fiscal year 2024, 38 cases of crimes against Japanese nationals were reported. This is an increase of 5 cases from the previous quarter.
(2) Case files of Japanese nationals
During the first quarter of fiscal year 2024, six Japanese nationals were arrested by Thai police for crimes including illegal residence, and three Japanese nationals were forced to leave the country for violating the Immigration Control Act.
(3) Other points to note [Sudden increase in complaints about so-called "show money scams"] (May 27, 2024)
In Bangkok, there have been a number of reports of people falling victim to the so-called "show me your money scam" in which men (or men and women) claiming to be from Dubai approach people and ask to see their banknotes, and then steal their cash or credit cards during the transaction. Since May, there has been a sharp increase in reports of such fraud (including from outside Bangkok).
If you are approached by a stranger as described above, please ignore them and leave the situation as quickly as possible.
Example of a crime: At Wat Pho, a man and woman who claimed to be from Dubai persistently approached me, saying they wanted to see the Japanese yen (no crime was committed).
- At a convenience store near Yaowarat (Chinatown), a Middle Eastern man with a child who said he was from Dubai approached me and asked to see some Japanese banknotes so he could show them to his child (no one was harmed).
・In a large shopping center in the Huay Khwan district, a Middle Eastern man who claimed to be from Dubai asked me in English about my nationality. When I answered that I was Japanese, a woman from his group joined me and said, "I want to go to Japan, so show me your Japanese money." When I showed him the bills, the man took out and put back some, while the woman talked about various things, but when I checked later, I realized that a 10,000 yen bill had been removed.
- In front of a department store in the center of Sriracha, Chonburi Province, a man and a woman claiming to be from Dubai asked me about my nationality. When I answered that I was Japanese, they persistently asked me in fluent Japanese, "I'm planning to go to Japan soon, but I've never seen Japanese yen before, so please show me your wallet" (no harm was done as I refused, saying that I was in a hurry).
[Suspicious phone calls made to Japanese companies in Thailand using the name of a representative from the head office] (June 13, 2024)
In June, we received a consultation from a Japanese company in Thailand that had received suspicious phone calls from individuals claiming to be representatives of the head office, such as instructions to transfer large sums of money. We have received similar consultations periodically in recent years and have issued warnings, but there is a possibility that similar cases may occur in the future, so please be careful.
Specifically, the intruder, claiming to be a representative of the Japanese headquarters, explained that "we are currently conducting secret negotiations with our lawyers regarding a corporate acquisition," "we have made a corporate acquisition in the past, but the deal fell through after it was leaked to the public," "this time we must ensure the acquisition is successful in order to increase profitability," and "we have asked several other group companies to invest, but we are a little short on short-term funds," before instructing us to transfer the money.
The voice of the person claiming to be the representative was very similar to his own, the call came from the main number at the head office, the representative's business trip schedule was known, and an email was immediately sent from the representative's email address at the request of the person in charge, so the person in charge began the transfer procedure. However, when the person in charge later became uneasy and checked with the head office representative's contact information, it was discovered that the actual representative had not given the instructions, and the person in charge immediately took steps to stop the transfer, so no actual harm was caused.
Recently, it is said that it is technically possible to use software that utilizes AI to create fake voices and impersonate specific people, and also to use an app to display a phone number other than the actual caller's phone number, such as the head office phone number, to the other party.
If you receive any phone calls, emails, letters, etc. that you do not recognize, please do not believe it at face value, give out your phone number in a hurry, or send emails easily. In addition, be sure to check with the relevant departments at our head office and always suspect the possibility of it being a scam.
[Caution regarding lost or stolen passports]
Since last year, there has been a sharp increase in inquiries regarding lost or stolen passports. The number of inquiries received during this period stood at 82 (17 of which were thefts), remaining at a high level.
Please take care to store your passport in the same way as any other valuable, and take steps to prevent it from being lost or stolen by not casually placing it in an outer pocket of a backpack where it could be easily taken out by a third party. When in crowded places such as on trains, in busy areas, or at event venues, try to carry your bag in front of your body.
○Please refer to our website "Procedures to follow if your passport is lost or stolen in Thailand"
https://www.th.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_ja/consular_lost.html
3. Terrorist and bomb incident occurrence status No incidents involving Japanese nationals were reported during the first quarter of FY2024.
4. Status of kidnapping and blackmail incidents No incidents involving Japanese nationals were reported during the first quarter of FY2024.
5. Safety Issues at Japanese Companies No safety issues were reported at Japanese companies during the first quarter of FY2024.
[Overseas Safety Cheat Sheet 2024 - A manual for avoiding trouble when traveling abroad]
https://www.anzen.mofa.go.jp/pamph/pdf/toranomaki.pdf
[Golgo 13's overseas safety measures manual for small and medium-sized enterprises]
https://www.anzen.mofa.go.jp/anzen_info/golgo13xgaimusho.html
https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/press/release/press4_009327.html
[Safety Guide] (Convention website)
https://www.th.emb-japan.go.jp/files/000207735.pdf
[Caution regarding special fraud cases (to avoid becoming a perpetrator)]
https://www.anzen.mofa.go.jp/info/pcwideareaspecificinfo_2023C035.html
(Contact information)
○Consular Section of the Embassy of Japan in Thailand Tel: (66-2) 207-8500, 696-3000
Address: 177 Witthayu Road, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
(Wittayu Road, roughly halfway between Lumpini Police Station and Lumpini MRT Station)
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◎If you have submitted a residence notification, please be sure to notify us of any changes to the information listed (changes in address due to moving, additions or changes to mobile phone number or email address, etc.) or if you have returned to your home country or moved out.
◎Short-term travelers staying for less than three months (including overseas tourists and business travelers) who are not required to submit a residence notification should make use of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' overseas travel registration ("Tabi-Regi"). Registered users can receive the latest travel information for their destination, contact emails in the event of an emergency, and emergency contacts in case of an emergency.
・Tabireg: https://www.ezairyu.mofa.go.jp/tabireg/index.html
・If you have signed up for Tabi-Regi Simple Registration and would like to stop receiving emails, please follow the procedure to stop receiving emails from the URL below.
https://www.ezairyu.mofa.go.jp/tabireg/simple/delete
◎In the event of an emergency, we may use the short message service (SMS) to send relevant information to the mobile phone numbers registered in your residence notification or Tabi-Regi to confirm your safety and request a reply. In this system, we use Thailand's country code (+66) as a general rule, and messages are sent in half-width alphanumeric characters (Roman letters).
・About the start of operations: https://www.th.emb-japan.go.jp/files/000388576.pdf
・Frequently Asked Questions: https://www.th.emb-japan.go.jp/files/000388577.pdf
Changes to entry into Thailand
July 16, 2024, 7:11 p.m.
Expansion of countries with short-term visa exemptions and extension of the length of stay (extension from 30 days to 60 days for tourism, work, and short-term business purposes)
●One year stay permission after completion of study visa●Establishment of Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)
As this measure is a measure taken by the Thai government, we are unable to answer any inquiries regarding its contents. For more information, please contact the Thai Embassy in Tokyo or the Thai Immigration Bureau.
Changes to entry into Thailand
July 16, 2024, 6:56 p.m.
[Consulate website] Changes regarding entry into Thailand from Saturday, June 1st (2024.5.31)
https://www.th.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_ja/consular_ann.html#visaexemption-thailand
Contact details: Royal Thai Embassy in Tokyo Phone number: +81-3-5789-2433
http://site.thaiembassy.jp/jp/?sphrase_id=998
●Thailand Immigration Bureau Telephone Number: 1178 or 02-572-8500
https://www.immigration.go.th/en/
[Original Cabinet Decision]
Agenda Item 13: Policy on tourism and economic development https://www.thaigov.go.th/news/contents/details/83608
[Official Gazette]
Expansion of countries eligible for short-term visa exemptions and extension of length of stay
https://ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/documents/37563.pdf
●One year stay permission after completion of study visa
https://ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/documents/37565.pdf
Establishment of Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)
https://ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/documents/37566.pdf
