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THAILAND plans to reopen Bangkok to fully vaccinated visitors in October, officials said Friday (9/10), as the kingdom seeks to save a tourism industry hit by the pandemic.
Prior to COVID, tourism made up a fifth of Thailand’s national income but travel restrictions imposed to combat the virus saw the usual flood of foreign visitors dwindle to almost nothing, contributing to the economy’s worst performance in more than 20 years.
The kingdom is pressing ahead with plans to reopen despite a deadly third wave of infections, fueled by the delta variant. Thailand’s Tourism Authority said that from October 1, foreign tourists who were fully stabbed would be able to visit Bangkok and four other provinces without undergoing a two-week hotel quarantine.
Instead, the five regions also including the provinces of Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan are expected to follow a “sandbox” model of the kind piloted since July on the holiday island of Phuket. Under the sandbox scheme, tourists must stay in a certain area for seven days after arrival and take a COVID test.
Later in October, 21 more destinations will be added to the list including Chiang Rai, Sukhothai and the popular seaside getaway Rayong. But Thailand’s third and deadliest wave has yet to fully abate, and the tourism agency warned that plans could change.
Thailand went through 2020 relatively unscathed by covid, recording a low number of infections, but since April the Delta variant has persisted and cases have jumped to more than 1.3 million, with nearly 14,000 deaths. More than 29,000 fully vaccinated international visitors visited beaches in Phuket under its sandbox scheme, generating revenue of nearly US$50 million according to government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana.
Three other Thai islands have also reopened Samui, Tao and Phangan with slightly tougher restrictions. One cloud hanging over Thailand’s planned tourism revival is travel advice from other countries that discourages potential tourists from visiting.
The UK and the US have warned against traveling to Thailand due to the rising number of cases and low vaccination rates. About 16% of Thailand’s population has received two doses of the coronavirus vaccine, the government’s COVID task force said. [bisnis.com/photo special]
