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On the evening of October 11th, in a televised address to the nation, the Thai Prime Minister announced plans to reopen the tourism industry nationwide in November. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha acknowledged that the decision to reopen the country at this time would come with many risks, but stated that it was a crucial step in reviving the country's tourism sector, which is on the verge of collapse.
Specifically, travelers who have been fully vaccinated and tested negative for Covid-19, and who come from 10 "low-risk" countries, will be allowed to enter Thailand without quarantine. Some of these countries include...England, Singapore, Germany, China, and the United StatesThailand has been among the first countries to benefit from this policy. "If they receive a negative test result before boarding the plane and upon arrival in Thailand, they will be allowed to travel freely like Thai citizens," Prayuth Chan-ocha declared. In addition, Thailand has pledged to open its doors to tourists from even more countries starting December 1st.
Tourists from other countries not on the low-risk list will be allowed entry, but they will be required to undergo medical quarantine.
Previously, Prime Minister Prayuth had pledged to reopen the country in October and announced an accelerated vaccination campaign to achieve a 70% vaccination rate; however, the reopening has been postponed until November. To date, 48% of Thais have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while 30% have received both doses.
"It is time for us to be ready to face the coronavirus and live with it... just as we have lived with other epidemics based on adequate treatment and vaccination," said Prayuth.
Last year, Thailand lost approximately $50 billion in revenue due to a drop in foreign tourist numbers to 6.7 million, significantly lower than the record high of 39.9 million visitors two years prior.
Thailand continues to report around 10,000 new infections daily, primarily due to spread from the Delta variant. As of October 11th, 48% of the Thai population had received at least one dose of the vaccine, while over 30% had completed their vaccination program.
Three months ago, Thailand began a campaign to revive its vital tourism industry by implementing a "sandbox" model on Phuket Island. Although the number of tourists visiting the island was far below the target, many people remained optimistic about the program, saying, "This is much better than doing nothing."
