Thailand will open to tourism in mid-October

[snoop1130]

Photo : Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)

 

After more than the six weeks of combating the upticks in virus infections throughout the country, the Prayut government announced last Wednesday that Thailand will be open for tourists to visit within 120 days. This would mean that by the morning of October 15, visitors from local and abroad can travel in Thailand without any quarantine providing that they have been fully vaccinated.

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-Ocha revealed the deadline as part of his efforts to shore up support from the business community. They have been very critical of him for imposing the longstanding partial lockdown that has impacted the country’s economic performance. He said that his top priority is to save lives as well as maintain the livelihoods of the Thai people. To prepare for the country’s reopening, he urged every department in government and the governors of provinces to make all preparations so that people can go back to earning a living once again.

 

The announcement came after the government ascertained that the procurement of vaccines for the Thai people could be guaranteed. Since April, the issue of vaccine availability and access has become a hot political topic in the media and in the parliamentary debates. Senior officials at Government House and the Ministry of Public Health have given confusing reports about the status of vaccine security in the country. Beginning July 7, the government’s confidence in achieving mass inoculation should visibly increase. More and more Thais have now registered for vaccination.

 

Prayut said that Thailand has now negotiated with six suppliers of vaccines, namely Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Sinovac and Sinopharm. By the end of year, he said Thailand would have amassed 105.5 million doses, which is sufficient to inoculate all the Thai population. At this juncture, the government plans to administer an average of 10 million jabs a month from July so that by early October almost 50 million people, or 70 per cent of Thai population will have had their first shot.

 

In the post pandemic world, Thailand’s economic strength will still be based on the tourism industry which has long provided national revenue and income for the hotel and service industries. Phuket, the country’s premier tourist resort, will be the first to open up on July 1. Earlier the island has already experimented with its tourism plan allowing long-stay tourists to come exclusively to the island resort.

 

In order to maintain the country’s vaccine security, it is important for Thailand to produce its own vaccines. Siam Bioscience is one of the 25 companies given licenses to produce AstraZeneca for local use and export. Since December of last year, the Thai company has produced millions of doses but they were all for export. However, beginning this month, locally produced vaccines under the brand AstraZeneca will be used in Thailand. It is expected by the end of this year, there will be at least 61 million doses available for the Thai people.

 

As such, Thailand is investing in research and development to produce its own vaccines through local labs and Thai scientists. The most notable has been Chulalongkorn University’s mRNA Covid-19 vaccine, known as ChulaCov19, which began Phase 1 of human trials with 72 volunteers last week. The number of volunteers will soon go up to 5,000 in Phase 2 and even more in the final Phase 3. If all goes as planned, ChulaCov19 could be manufactured in Thailand by the end of this year.

 

By mid-October, Thailand’s new plan to reinvigorate the economy will be put to the test in terms of whether the country can build back better. Lest we forget, Thailand is hosting next year’s Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders Meeting which will be the first face-to face meeting. The whole world will have its eyes focused on Thailand.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-06-30

 

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[ThailandRyan]

Oh boy here is the real story of the day.  Currently in the worst outbreak they have ever experienced during the Pandemic and yet they will open up without a care in the world as to what the rest of the country wants and needs versus ensuring people are vaccinated en-mass with a quality vaccine as discussed in another on-going OP. So a home grown cocktail will not even be ready until next year to help the countries people out yet they insist the country is ready.

5 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Prayut said that Thailand has now negotiated with six suppliers of vaccines, namely Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Sinovac and Sinopharm. By the end of year, he said Thailand would have amassed 105.5 million doses, which is sufficient to inoculate all the Thai population. At this juncture, the government plans to administer an average of 10 million jabs a month from July so that by early October almost 50 million people, or 70 per cent of Thai population will have had their first shot.

 

Again a pipe dream based upon what has already been seen as a failed vaccine roll out, he is truly deluded.

 

4 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

As such, Thailand is investing in research and development to produce its own vaccines through local labs and Thai scientists. The most notable has been Chulalongkorn University’s mRNA Covid-19 vaccine, known as ChulaCov19, which began Phase 1 of human trials with 72 volunteers last week. The number of volunteers will soon go up to 5,000 in Phase 2 and even more in the final Phase 3. If all goes as planned, ChulaCov19 could be manufactured in Thailand by the end of this year.

 

[RandolphGB]

Why wait until October?

[Lemonltr]

It would be great if Thailand produced a MRNA vaccine on a level with Biotech /Pfizer but its not easy. Curevac just had a failure. I think partnering with Bayer. Curevac still have another in the offing with GSK. UK 

[smedly]

That whole piece is careless deluded nonsense 

 

sounds to me like he is willing to throw this whole country under a bus regardless 

[DrJack54]

My favourite is still..."Pattaya Move Forward" 

It's catchy.

[ikke1959]

Keep the people under control by gelling lies, fake news etc. People are trained to believe this <deleted> because it is the Governement.Still talking with Pfizer, Moderna, J&J Astra.. why??? is it not time to order instead of talking??? No quarantine for tourists.. If they do the same as the sandbox it is another name for the same..He getting crazier by the day.. Get rid of this man. The cases are going up and up  or does he not know about the Delta? What does he know in fact? He even doesn't know that the country want to get rid of this man

[Justgrazing]

23 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Phuket, the country’s premier tourist resort, will be the first to open up on July 1

 

Aside the article has numerous contradictions re: number of Vax the rest of it is just hot air by the man himself .. 

Will the eggs on face be enough to make a massive Spanish omelette or will the P M be gurning like a Cheshire cat that just ate the budgie .. stay tuned for the next gripping installment of

" Phuket Sandbox will it fly or die ? " 

[ukrules]

I wonder how long it will be until the first Thai variant of the variants currently circulating in Thailand begins to emerge among the unvaccinated population?

[Surelynot]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

My favourite is still..."Pattaya Move Forward" 

It's catchy.

Pattaya.....the Miami of SE Asia.....drugs, murders, collapsing condos......

[lolalol]

What I really love about this gov is its consistency...

 

Consistent...b....s......

[RotBenz8888]

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

October 15, visitors from local and abroad can travel in Thailand without any quarantine providing that they have been fully vaccinated.

 

Right.... Just like Phuket will be opened, with a few hoops to jump..... 

[lolalol]

1 hour ago, RandolphGB said:

Why wait until October?

 

Because his excellency said 'October'

 

Because his excellency thinks September is a bit too soon and November is a bit too late...

[lolalol]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

That whole piece is careless deluded nonsense 

 

sounds to me like he is willing to throw this whole country under a bus regardless 

 

With pleasure...

[lolalol]

1 hour ago, Justgrazing said:

" Phuket Sandbox will it fly or die ? " 

 

I think it will 'fry'

[lolalol]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

My favourite is still..."Pattaya Move Forward" 

It's catchy.

 

I also like "Hug Thai" campaign

[sapson]

Lunacy prevails ...... yes ok tourists welcome if you are vaccinated and tested.

 

But the real risk to the Thai population is themselves because of the negligent corrupt policies perhaps less than 7% tested for Covid and less than 10% have had two shots of a vaccine so Covid is rampant!

 

These daily propaganda statements from various idiots are absurd.

 

You cant polish a turd!

[kralledr]

All i have to say, to this story is, <deleted>

[Surelynot]

Just now, kralledr said:

All i have to say, to this story is, <deleted>

....best of luck?

[DLock]

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Siam Bioscience is one of the 25 companies given licenses to produce AstraZeneca for local use and export. Since December of last year, the Thai company has produced millions of doses but they were all for export.

 

You sure about that?

 

Given they were still getting approval from AZ in April, I find this highly unlikely, if not a blatant lie.

[Taboo2]

If this is true, then Game on!!!!

[lmxcredt]

[Deleted]

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 hours ago, lolalol said:

What I really love about this gov is its consistency...

 

Consistent...b....s......

 

Nice day to throw this one onto the public scrap heap -- the day Thailand records a record high number of COVID deaths, and the same day the country's capital Bangkok records a record number of new COVID cases.

 

Timing is everything in the world....

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, DLock said:

 

You sure about that?

 

Given they were still getting approval from AZ in April, I find this highly unlikely, if not a blatant lie.

 

That's the first time I've ever heard that claim as well.... that they had millions of export doses sent out dating back to December???

 

"Since December of last year, the Thai company has produced millions of doses but they were all for export."

[RichardColeman]

Look I've been stuck outside for near 16 months and want to get back the family and a normal life again, BUT, even I can see this is doomed to failure in saving the economy.

 

Unless its just flashing you vaccination card at the airport and immigration, then tourists are simply not coming in numbers. It's way to far to travel to get stuck in - least in Spain you could probably at worse case scenario drive back.

 

I have said before I fully expect Thailand's demands of what they require to start to reduce dramatically in the coming months with the realisation Phuket has failed and the coffers are all going the wrong way and no end in sight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bartender100]

I have booked an extremely cheap 5-star hotel on Sukhumvit in Bangkok for November, so fingers crossed

[DrJack54]

3 hours ago, lolalol said:

 

I also like "Hug Thai" campaign

That's very similar to my Thai name. "Khai Hang"

[Albert Zweistein]

Why has Thailand exported "millions" of home brew AZ vaccines and now is negociating (begging ?) to import foreign vaccines ? No faith in their own product ? And where were they exported ? If I remember well deliveries to the Philipines were postponed.

[Bluespunk]

5 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

the Prayut government announced last Wednesday that Thailand will be open for tourists to visit within 120 days. This would mean that by the morning of October 15, visitors from local and abroad can travel in Thailand without any quarantine providing that they have been fully vaccinated.

What time in the morning…

 

sarcasm alert 

[EricTh]

The Phuket sandbox should be delayed to October instead. Do you want Thailand to become like India?