Thailand stimulates tourism by creating a bubble and reopening international flights.

Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn - Thailand's Minister of Tourism and Sports - has requested the Thai Travel Agents Association (ATTA) to design 6- to 7-day tours in five areas ready for pilot implementation, including: Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Krabi, Phuket, and Pattaya.

According to the plan, the number of international tourists at these pilot sites will be limited to 1,000 per day across Thailand in the initial phase. This plan requires approval from the Ministry of Public Health, including a list of countries with similar requirements, and the project is expected to begin this coming August.

This draft is a call for Thai authorities to provide a plan for a "travel bubble" for countries with a low risk of Covid-19 infection, with no new community transmission cases for 30 days.

Mr. Phiphat also stated that after the Thai government approved domestic tourism stimulus packages at the end of June, he estimated that the country's domestic tourism target this year could reach 120 million trips, as government subsidies allow people to spend more on travel activities.

In the initial phase of implementing the "travel bubble" stimulus plan, which applied between provinces, cities, countries, and territories that had effectively controlled the COVID-19 pandemic, Thailand had to start with tour-based tourism to more easily manage routes, areas, and recreational activities.

The Director-General of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Yuthasak Supasorn, said that within a month of reopening designated sites in the first phase of the project, if Thailand successfully manages services for domestic tourists without new infections, the second phase will open more destinations and increase tourist numbers.

Phase three is when the entire country can reopen to international tourists, including both solo travelers and tour groups, by applying the same disease screening standards as the previous two phases.

Besides planning to develop a tourism bubble, Thailand officially lifted its ban on international commercial flights to the country at the beginning of July. However, this does not mean that tourists from all over the world can freely travel to the Land of Smiles.

All entrants must comply with the rules and conditions under the Immigration Act, the Infectious Diseases Act, the Aviation Act, and the Thai government's emergency decrees. International visitors permitted to enter include: business travelers, foreigners married to Thai citizens, and workers with work permits or long-term residence cards.

My Tong