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Prospective travelers to Thailand were handed encouraging news yesterday as it emerged that the country was mulling a potential reduction in the number of days of quarantine needed upon entry.
Thailand’s current quarantine rules – a mandatory period of 14 days upon arrival in a government-designated hotel – have proven to be a prohibitive factor for many who wish to visit the Land of Smiles due to both their duration and the costs incurred.
With many businesses struggling to cope with the lack of tourists, it’s thought that reducing the period needed to quarantine to 10 days would encourage tourists to travel to the country once more.
The Proposal
In the next week, Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul will present his plans to reduce the mandatory state quarantine to 10 day to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA). The period of 10 days has been suggested as the majority of positive tests from those in quarantine have come before the 10 days.
Despite public concerns about the impact that the easing of such restrictions would have on the spread of the virus, leading doctors in the country feel that it would be safe to do so. The CCSA will decide the outcome following the proposal this week.
Travelers That Can Enter Thailand
Until recently, Thailand had been very selective in who it had allowed to enter the Kingdom, restricting entry to only 11 groups of people, such as Thai nationals, those who worked in the country and those with spousal visas.
However, earlier this month, Thailand announced that travellers from any nation could apply for the 60-day tourist visa.
The tourist visa must be applied for at a Thai embassy, and those who wish to enter the country must have a valid negative coronavirus test result no older than 72 hours before they arrive in the Kingdom and ensure they have the relevant medical insurance.
Upon arrival, tourists must then stay in quarantine before being allowed to travel within the country.
COVID-19 in Thailand
Throughout the pandemic, Thailand imposed strict measures to curb the spread of the virus, and now boasts some of the most impressive statistics of any country. The number of confirmed cases in Thailand is 3,866, with 908 of those coming from Thai nationals arriving from abroad.
From those 3,866, Thailand has only recorded 90 deaths and has been commended by the World Health Organization for its efforts in combating the virus.
Whilst its strict rules such as partially-closed borders, mandatory mask-wearing, temperature checks to enter stores and signing in and out of malls may have limited the number of people infected, they have come at a heavy cost.
Thailand is very dependent on tourism, with Bangkok claiming the accolade of being the most visited city in the world. Many businesses rely on tourists to survive, and popular beach hot-spots such as Phuket, Koh Samui and Ao Nang resemble ghost towns, with many hotels and restaurants either closed or out of business.
The Thai government has introduced popular initiatives to boost domestic travel, yet many industries are still struggling without foreign tourists.
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Disclaimer: Current travel rules and restrictions can change without notice. The decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before traveling. Travel Off Path does not endorse traveling against government advisories
Rudie
Saturday 28th of November 2020
I love Thailand and I visit for two months every year, I go to Bangkok, Pattaya return to Bangkok go to Phuket and return to Bangkok for New year, I received my visa last week the problem however is a shortage of ASQ hotel many hotels are already booked until Mid December and some of them even till Feb. My only concern is that 14 days quarantine is too long - if you do get a hotel by the time you finish your quarantine it’s already 20 December and the holiday season is almost over.
Dave Edwards
Friday 27th of November 2020
The land of the smiles (as long as money is in your pocket) is a lovely place, but Thailand needs to realise who needs who here. In Thailand people are always looking for ways to extort tourists including the government so this scamdemic is nice to see them get some karma. As for you clowns who believe covaids is a killer deadly virus, check out the WHO numbers for influenza since march 2020...flu dissapeared COMPLETELY so I wonder what happened to it? Labelled as something else. This nonsense needs to stop, pcr tests that are amplified until they find genetic matter. Masks that Fauci said 6 months ago would make people sick from pneumonic bacteria and breathing in toxic air. It is all a joke.
alan turner
Thursday 19th of November 2020
14 to 10 days is ridiculous... Rather no quarentine and a covid test each week or 10 days
David
Thursday 19th of November 2020
My family of 4 always visit Phuket in January for 3 weeks for last 4 years, 10 days makes no difference to 14 days. Still far to much hassle to bother to visit. 2022 January I’m there, this year will visit somewhere new.
Randy Dill
Thursday 19th of November 2020
Thailand has long been a gem for budget traveling backpackers. Saving a few bucks as they travel across the country, they usually stay in low-cost convenient arrangement and spend less money than regular tourists who visit the country. However they certainly bring in revenues for the day to day tourist attractions, night life, local restaurants, and local transportation. The present government has more or less shifted its priorities to attract wealthier foreign tourists during this pandemic. Wealthier tourists do NOT necessarily rub shoulders with the locals nor would eat Thai Street food. And they would not be willing to immerse fully in the culture. The usual exempt visitor’s visa foreign tourists will now have to apply a visa with a long list of conditional confusing requirements and a fat bank account prior to enter the kingdom which would put travelers off. Whether it is reducing the quarantine duration for travelers, it may still not attract the tourists demand on of all economic levels.