Thailand to allow long-stay tourists in island of Phuket from October

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Thailand to allow long-stay tourists in island of Phuket from October

By Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng

 

FILE PHOTO: Empty chairs are seen on a beach, which is usually full of tourists, amid fears of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Pattaya, Thailand, March 27, 2020. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun/File Photo

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand will allow foreign tourists to visit for longer stays from October, a senior official said on Friday, as the government tries to revive a key economic sector that has been devasted by the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Tourists will have to stay for at least 30 days, with the first 14 days in quarantine in a limited vicinity of their hotel, before they can visit other areas, Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Yuthasak Supasorn told Reuters.

The announcement comes after authorities suspended plans to create ‘travel bubbles’ with partner countries as the number of coronavirus cases in Asia rose. 

 

“On Oct. 1 we will start in Phuket,” Yuthasak said.

 

Visitors will have to take two coronavirus tests during quarantine before they are able to travel to the rest of the island, Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, said on Thursday.

 

Staff will also have to remain in the hotel, he added.

 

Visitors will have to take an additional test and remain within the province for another week before they can travel to other parts of the country.

 

Thailand has gone nearly three months without a confirmed case of a local COVID-19 transmission. It has recorded over 3,300 cases.

 

The government’s coronavirus taskforce on Friday extended a state of emergency for another month until the end of September to control the outbreak.

 

The tourism-reliant economy has been battered by the collapse of global travel as infections spread.

 

Southeast Asia's second-largest economy shrank 12.2% in the second quarter from a year earlier, the worst contraction since the 1998 Asian crisis due to the pandemic impact.

 

The country expects to receive 8 million foreign tourists this year. By comparison, it had a record 39.8 million tourists in 2019.

 

(Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Kim Coghill)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-08-21

 

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[Pottinger]

Iteration No. 26734 (soon to be superseded)

[shady86]

I'm looking forward for foreigners to spend their money to quarantine 14 days at 5 star resorts!

[Travelanimal]

Finally some sense prevails . They should test at airport and if negative send them 7 days In qurantine rather than 15 

[Sheryl]

And how exactly are tourists going to get there? Will they start to issue tourist visas again? Flights?

[Sundown]

Thanks, this will be the funniest topic for the next few days ????

[mehrdad]

Who would be will to go on such a journey? 
 

[Surelynot]

2 minutes ago, mehrdad said:

Who would be will to go on such a journey? 
 

No one

[sebastion]

Thailand the hub of quarantine travel

[Justgrazing]

12 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

 

Tourists will have to stay for at least 30 days, with the first 14 days in quarantine in a limited vicinity of their hotel, before they can visit other areas

Limits the market already .. how many people can take a mth in one hit from their vacation allowance and then spend nearly half of it indoors .. 

[MadMac]

Sounds very attractive 555

[MadMac]

But perhaps a way for stranded expats to come back, if anything at all.

[Sujo]

4 minutes ago, Justgrazing said:

Limits the market already .. how many people can take a mth in one hit from their vacation allowance and then spend nearly half of it indoors .. 

And the other half in quarantine in their home country. There is you 4 week holiday gone.

 

I will pass.

[Laza 45]

12 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

No one

People with lots of $$ and think they will be better of there than where they are.. an ready for a holiday.. no everyone is poor.. 

[86Tiger]

15 minutes ago, Sundown said:

Thanks, this will be the funniest topic for the next few days ????

It will change in 48 hours.  Only because they will not assemble again before Monday....

[samsensam]

 

goodish news, there is something of a 'can do' (or a 'crikey we've got to do something...!') attitude appearing but they also need to consider practicalities; i mean how many people want to come on holiday and sit in their hotel for 14 days? how many tourists come on holiday for more that 14 days? a few i'm sure but not many.

 

however, possibly a way for retiree visa holders to return

[Samui Bodoh]

There is so much negativity on TVF that you aren't seeing the big picture. Assuming that this goes ahead, and it likely will, it'll be taken up by thousands and thousands of people. And yes, details will still need to worked out.

 

I can't speak for Phuket, but on Samui there are approximately 10,000 people who spend the winter on the island; they have money and want to come back. On a personal note, I have had approximately 15 friends from the 'Snowbird' group who have already asked me when and how they can return. How many people spend the winter on Phuket in a normal year?

 

if you were in Northern Europe, Russia, Canada, etc, wouldn't you want to spend your winter in Thailand? The land of tropical islands, hot chicks, great food, beaches, etc?

 

Think it through...

 

Barring a massive increase in numbers of virus cases in Thailand, this will go ahead and it is a good thing; thousands and thousands of poor Thai people will get an income, businesses will be saved, and hopefully enough people will be able to generate enough income to see them through until next year when a more proper tourist season can occur.

 

This is a very good thing.

 

 

Edited August 21, 2020 by Samui Bodoh
Lack of coffee

[CapeTown]

9 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

No one

Exactly. More stupidity.

The government wants 0 cases and is trashing its economy and starving 90% of its citizens. It is waiting for a free vaccination program for all its citizens - paid for by The West.

 

Stupid infantile and irresponsible.

 

It should begin immediately by readying its health and testing sector. Then opening to China, which is completely safe and is one third of all foreign overnight visitors.

 

The difference this pathetic "initiative" will make is negligible. It's just a sop to some powerful critics.

 

Meanwhile, the economy as a whole (tourism, manufacturing, oil & gas) is in tatters. 

 

Use those foreign reserves to bootstrap the economy. This would devalue the over-valued baht at the same time.

 

Get a grip before Big Business and The Street throw you out.

[Boomer6969]

Which puts Phuket "off limits" for domestic tourists. I love their level of thinking.

[CapeTown]

3 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

 it'll be taken up by thousands and thousands of people.

It won't 

3 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

 

 

 

[Naturesway]

6 minutes ago, Sujo said:

And the other half in quarantine in their home country. There is you 4 week holiday gone.

 

I will pass.

I can’t find words for fooling and idiot thinking and management there. why don’t you make a rule everybody should remain in their home country just send your money for us to Thailand. The brainlessness and greediness can lead to a big fall please remember!

[Dart12]

3 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

Which puts Phuket "off limits" for domestic tourists. I love their level of thinking.

Why?

 

[Hound dog 100]

When you got Phuket you pretty much have to stay in your 5 star resort because taxis are such a rip off.  The questions  are who would want to?  And why do you have to stay another 16 days?

[86Tiger]

6 minutes ago, samsensam said:

 

goodish news, there is something of a 'can do' (or a 'crikey we've got to do something...!') attitude appearing but they also need to consider practicalities; i mean how many people want to come on holiday and sit in their hotel for 14 days? how many tourists come on holiday for more that 14 days? a few i'm sure but not many.

 

however, possibly a way for retiree visa holders to return

They are trying.  But still don't have the concept.

 

The draw to Thailand was easy to get to and relatively cheap.  There are too many other places cheaper and easier to get to with all these restrictions.

[samsensam]

5 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

Why?

 

 

because the sensitive locals will see it as a plague island ????

[Big Yuley]

Dont understand why after 14 days and a few tests you need to have another test and stay in Phuket area for another 7 days before being allowed to travel to other parts of Thailand.

So really its 3 weeks quarantine

And as others have said, how you going to get there?

Most of the free world are still closed. 

 

And why only Phuket.

Why not other areas

Edited August 21, 2020 by Big Yuley

[Seeall]

30 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

No one

Not the point... they did their job and need a pat on the back for it...

[Oldie]

Perhaps Thailand finally gets what was missing here anyway - all inclusive resorts. I understand that "all inclusive" can be a little bit problematic here... 

[geisha]

24 minutes ago, Laza 45 said:

People with lots of $$ and think they will be better of there than where they are.. an ready for a holiday.. no everyone is poor.. 

people with lots of $$ as you say will not be stupid enough to lock themselves inside !!! a hotel for 14 days quarantine. 

[mybeat]

Quote

Tourists will have to stay for at least 30 days, with the first 14 days in quarantine in a limited vicinity of their hotel, before they can visit other areas

Other areas of Phuket or Thailand? After 30 days can you travel within Thailand?

 

Quote

Visitors will have to take an additional test and remain within the province for another week before they can travel to other parts of the country.

Who are said visitors? tourists or someone visiting tourists?

 

Edited August 21, 2020 by mybeat