Thailand aims for wider tourism reopening from October

[webfact]

FILE PHOTO: An empty hotel and beach which have opened for visitors is seen in Picture taken March 31, 2021. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand plans to waive its mandatory quarantine for vaccinated visitors to its capital Bangkok and top tourist destinations from October, an official said on Friday, in a bid to revive a key industry battered by coronavirus travel curbs.

 

The new measure means easier access to hotspots like Pattaya, Phang Nga, Koh Samui, Krabi and the capital Bangkok, deputy government spokeswoman Traisulee Traisoranakul said, among 10 provinces that will welcome tourists with proof of vaccination against COVID-19 from Oct. 1.

 

Thailand has since a year ago tightened visa processes and required all visitors and returning residents to undergo 14 days of quarantine in government-approved facilities.

 

The announcement comes as the resort island of Phuket prepares to open to vaccinated travellers in July in a pilot scheme for the broader plan. It is seeking to inoculate most of its residents before the reopening, and before mass vaccinations begin in the rest of Thailand.

 

Tourism a key source of income and jobs for Thailand. In 2019, it welcomed a record 39.9 million visitors who spent 1.91 trillion baht ($61.32 billion).

 

That compared with 6.7 million arrivals last year.

 

The new plan could draw 3.5 million tourists this year, generating 298 billion baht ($9.58 billion) in revenue, Traisulee said in a statement, adding that at least 70% of residents in each of the 10 provinces must first be inoculated.

 

Thailand had until last month experienced only minor outbreaks and has been slow to procure and administer COVID-19 vaccines, with only 1.6 million doses used so far.

 

Health Minister Anutin Charnvirankul said on Friday he expects 10 million to 20 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine to be available in the second half of the year.

 

The rush to secure vaccines comes after Thailand was hit early last month by its biggest outbreak yet, which has seen its total cases more than double and deaths more than triple.

 

($1 = 31.1100 baht)

 

(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng, Editing by Ed Davies, Martin Petty)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-05-08

 

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[ukrules]

Mark my words, this is simply not going to happen but even if they do attempt it in one way or another then we have what they're now calling 'green lists'.

 

The UK released its first green list today, it's short and only contains a handful of countries.

 

Portugal and Israel are the notable destinations.

[soi3eddie]

This will depend on how the current outbreak progresses and the appetite for locals in these areas to welcome foreigners. We all know how suspicious many Thais are of any foreign arrivals after Anutin's ill judged remarks last year. This re-opening story seems to be a common theme but until at least 70% of Thais in those areas are fully vaccinated I can't see it becoming a reality. No mention of what hoops the vaccinated travellers have to jump through, or costs to be paid in order to be allowed into Thailand. No quarantine but also no mention of what measures will be in place to stop arrivals travelling to other areas. As usual lacking on the detail but as the current wave is still in full force how can they know? Just more hot air to try and give a glimmer of hope to all those so badly affected.

 

[sirineou]

First of all, I don't believe anything they say. Even when it is official, and you do everything they require, they can just retroactively change it. They are a bunch of clowns. 

    They announced 7-day quarantine for vaccinated people, and you could use the hotel facilities after the third day if tested negative,. So we said Ok, we can live with that. We jumped trough all the hoops , provided all the nessacery documents, Purchased an ASQ, and plane ticket  , got our CEO and packed our bags. Two days before departure, the announced," Ohh . we changed our minds, if you cant make it in by the 6th , now you have to do 14 days quarantine, and you cant leave your room" <deleted>!!!  Lucky for us we had the recourses to , in two days, change our travel plans get a new COE,  and come in before the 6th. But how about all the people who could not? 

Now they say October 1st no quarantine." Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me" 

[ukrules]

3 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

This will depend on how the current outbreak progresses and the appetite for locals in these areas to welcome foreigners. We all know how suspicious many Thais are of any foreign arrivals after Anutin's ill judged remarks last year. This re-opening story seems to be a common theme but until at least 70% of Thais in those areas are fully vaccinated I can't see it becoming a reality. No mention of what hoops the vaccinated travellers have to jump through, or costs to be paid in order to be allowed into Thailand. No quarantine but also no mention of what measures will be in place to stop arrivals travelling to other areas. As usual lacking on the detail but as the current wave is still in full force how can they know? Just more hot air to try and give a glimmer of hope to all those so badly affected.

 

 

The above mentioned green lists are a list of places where people from the UK are allowed to travel for the purpose or tourism.

 

If it's not on the green list (like Spain for example) then nobody is going there on holiday, and that's the end of it.

 

As we're talking about tourism here these are being enforced, for moving house, business reasons, traveling for work etc, then anything goes.

 

They will review the green lists every three weeks....I guess it comes down to population vaccinated and local outbreaks.

 

Thailand does very well on the control assuming the numbers are to be believed (they won't be) but is scoring very badly for vaccinations this year. I'm sure it will be a very different situation by this time next year.

 

[Taboo2]

This is great news!  

[RichardColeman]

If they say from October all you need is your UK vaccination card and nothing else I'll be back to the wife and daughter asap. I just fear whatever hoops they get rid of, they'll add a dozen more more awkward ones

[soi3eddie]

31 minutes ago, ukrules said:

The UK released its first green list today, it's short and only contains a handful of countries.

 

Portugal and Israel are the notable destinations.

 

Singapore, Australia and New Zealand are also notable. For not allowing UK visitors to enter anyway!

 

[madmen]

I hoping for a a Phuket no quarantine July return ( very unlikely) however the OP is just a news article that's rehashed old news so it means absolutely nothing. 

 

 

[Captain Monday]

51 minutes ago, sirineou said:

First of all, I don't believe anything they say. Even when it is official, and you do everything they require, they can just retroactively change it. They are a bunch of clowns. 

    They announced 7-day quarantine for vaccinated people, and you could use the hotel facilities after the third day if tested negative,. So we said Ok, we can live with that. We jumped trough all the hoops , provided all the nessacery documents, Purchased an ASQ, and plane ticket  , got our CEO and packed our bags. Two days before departure, the announced," Ohh . we changed our minds, if you cant make it in by the 6th , now you have to do 14 days quarantine, and you cant leave your room" W*T*F!!!  Lucky for us we had the recourses to , in two days, change our travel plans get a new COE,  and come in before the 6th. But how about all the people who could not? 

Now they say October 1st no quarantine." Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me" 

I already did one grievously excessive/pseudoscientific 15 night BKK quarantine this year looked forward to full vaccinated return late June and 8 night stay. Now with 10 PCR tests passed and waiting for second dose might just not come at all. Is is really worth it?

 

I already decided I am not leaving my room. More hassle than it is worth led down corridors like a sick animal by staff in spacesuits then left on a hot courtyard staring at a roped off pool, separated from other foreign zoo specimens by tape lines on the ground.

 

A dog and pony show I want no more part of jail prisoners in most countries entitled to more exercise

[Rampant Rabbit]

18 minutes ago, Taboo2 said:

This is great news!  

No, this  is  just today's news.

[Flying Saucage]

Europe makes quite a good progress with its vaccination campaigns, and it will open soon for vaccinated tourists without any restrictions.

 

Why?

 

Because on the one hand it becomes more and more clear that vaccinated people pose very little risk anymore for others. Numbers from Israel that the risk to infect others is reduce for more than 90%. So far, this seems to be the case even for the mutants.

 

On the other hand, these countries understand how important tourism is for their economy and also for the freedom of their people.

 

It's a good decision if Thailand does the same. Thailand people need the income from tourism. And vaccinated people neither pose a risk to Thais as high as unvaccinated locals pose a risk among each other, nor do infected people pose a relevant risk for vaccinated tourists anymore.

 

A rare case of a logical decision in Thailand, if this decision really will be made.

 

[ukrules]

16 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

 

Singapore, Australia and New Zealand are also notable. For not allowing UK visitors to enter anyway!

 

So what,  this is the list of places people from the UK are allowed to travel to :

 

• Portugal

• Israel

• Singapore

• Australia

• New Zealand

• Brunei

• Iceland

• Gibraltar

• Falkland Islands

• Faroe Islands

• South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

• St Helena, Tristan de Cunha, Ascension Island

 

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-57026936

 

If it's not on this list then you are not going there.

 

If they don't let them in then they will either go elsewhere or stay home. Not a big deal.

 

It is very notable that Spain is not on this list.

 

[Kadilo]

Blimey here we go again. 
No ones gonna come anyhow until you sort your vaccination programme out because quite simply other Country's don’t trust you and won’t give you the green light until you do so. 

[ezzra]

You can lump this article together with the one saying that the PM 'vow' to vaccinate 70% of the population by year's end, same chances, same credence...

[sammieuk1]

Confirmed they are more stupid than even I imagined ????

[Damrongsak]

For about the last year, I've traveled extensively here in the U.S.  3 out of 4 weeks of the month it's been about 12 km a week due to 2 local grocery runs.  Occasional runs to runs to the post office or an oriental grocery store across town probably double that.  Traveling is wearing me out.  I long for Thailand and the 7-11s every 500 meters. 

[Geoffggi]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The new measure means easier access to hotspots like Pattaya, Phang Nga, Koh Samui, Krabi and the capital Bangkok, deputy government spokeswoman Traisulee Traisoranakul said, among 10 provinces that will welcome tourists with proof of vaccination against COVID-19 from Oct. 1.

I cannot speak for the other popular listed destinations but what are people going to do when they arrive in Pattaya? - IT'S CLOSED !!!!!!

[RotBenz8888]

2 hours ago, sirineou said:

First of all, I don't believe anything they say. Even when it is official, and you do everything they require, they can just retroactively change it. They are a bunch of clowns. 

    They announced 7-day quarantine for vaccinated people, and you could use the hotel facilities after the third day if tested negative,. So we said Ok, we can live with that. We jumped trough all the hoops , provided all the nessacery documents, Purchased an ASQ, and plane ticket  , got our CEO and packed our bags. Two days before departure, the announced," Ohh . we changed our minds, if you cant make it in by the 6th , now you have to do 14 days quarantine, and you cant leave your room" W*T*F!!!  Lucky for us we had the recourses to , in two days, change our travel plans get a new COE,  and come in before the 6th. But how about all the people who could not? 

Now they say October 1st no quarantine." Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me" 

To and fro. I got my last jab 15 April, arrived in Thailand 2 May, just in time for a 7d ASQ program. I'm due to be released tomorrow, but I won't hold my breath. They might just change the rules again, at the very last minute and force me to complete a 14d course, who knows what they might come up with.

[Excel]

I don't know what these people are eating but what ever it is they need to change their diet urgently as their current dietary intake is resulting in ongoing acute verbal diarrhea.

[sirineou]

6 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

To and fro. I got my last jab 15 April, arrived in Thailand 2 May, just in time for a 7d ASQ program. I'm due to be released tomorrow, but I won't hold my breath. They might just change the rules again, at the very last minute and force me to complete a 14d course, who knows what they might come up with.

Same here, After changing everything, we arrived  just under the wire, and qualified for the 7-day ASQ, but I would not hold my breath also, who knows what these people will do. We are scheduled to be released from ASQ the 11th. 

We would like to go to Greece late August , early September, and if what they say about the October no quarantine is true, it would be nice, because there is no way I am doing the quarantine thing again, But  Now who trusts them. 

[trainman34014]

They should just shut their Gobs about anything related to 'opening up' and get on with a fast and effective Vaccination program. However; we know that talking is about the only thing they are really any good at apart from Corruption !

[cedel]

3 hours ago, sirineou said:

First of all, I don't believe anything they say. Even when it is official, and you do everything they require, they can just retroactively change it. They are a bunch of clowns. 

    They announced 7-day quarantine for vaccinated people, and you could use the hotel facilities after the third day if tested negative,. So we said Ok, we can live with that. We jumped trough all the hoops , provided all the nessacery documents, Purchased an ASQ, and plane ticket  , got our CEO and packed our bags. Two days before departure, the announced," Ohh . we changed our minds, if you cant make it in by the 6th , now you have to do 14 days quarantine, and you cant leave your room" W*T*F!!!  Lucky for us we had the recourses to , in two days, change our travel plans get a new COE,  and come in before the 6th. But how about all the people who could not? 

Now they say October 1st no quarantine." Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me" 

I booked also a flight before end of April for the 24th June, as I will be fully vaccinated...A few days later they made backwards and changed the rules, they are really "#*!!@t , untrustable, by luck, I can still cancel or change my ticket for free ....if they put 14 days back for everybody, including vaccinated, that proves they don't believe themself in the vaccine !

[djayz]

Give it a break already! 

[miamiman123]

Hahaha yeah right? 

who u trying to BS? 

[mrfill]

3 hours ago, ukrules said:

Mark my words, this is simply not going to happen but even if they do attempt it in one way or another then we have what they're now calling 'green lists'.

 

The UK released its first green list today, it's short and only contains a handful of countries.

 

Portugal and Israel are the notable destinations.

Oh, come on now. What about those holiday hotspots of St Helena, Tristan de Cunha and Ascension Island. And the glorious beaches and night life of the Falkland Islands and its neighbours, South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands (famed for its snacks). Or the international jet-set paradise of the  magnificent Faroe Islands.

All these fabulous destinations are now available.

 

Cooking with penguin or puffin lessons available on all tours....

[JayClay]

3 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

We all know how suspicious many Thais are of any foreign arrivals after Anutin's ill judged remarks last year

 

I'm willing to bet that, unlike a lot of members of the TV posse, the majority of Thais have probably long since forgotten the remarks to which you refer...

[brucegoniners]

If this government doesn't stop doing stupid things, we'll still be talking about tourist reopening in 2 years.

 

First, quarantining fully vaccinated people is just dumb. You want tourists? If someone is fully vaccinated welcome them in. They are not a threat.

 

Second, get this country vaccinate or people won't want to visit.

 

Third, seal the border. Stop migrants from entering the country and spreading the virus. If you had done this in the first place you wouldn't be in this situation and covid would be gone. Instead you're back in the muck.

[IamNoone88]

The Government and its predictions ... nuff said.

[WineOh]

This lot love 'aiming' at stuff, but do they ever actually hit the target??

 

Keep aiming y'all, it's what you're good at!