Tourism

New Covid infection thwarts Thailand’s reopening plan

Not happening : Thailand’s plan to reopen the resort island of Phuket to welcome back foreign visitors has been shelved indefinitely.

Published

2 months ago

September 8, 2020

Olivier Languepin

The government’s plan to reopen the resort island of Phuket as a model to welcome back foreign visitors has been shelved, as the country last week logged the first case of local Covid-19 infection more than 100 days.

The Tourism and Sports Minister, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, has traveled to Phuket to seek views and suggestions from local residents concerning plans to reopen the province to foreign tourists. Their input will be submitted to Prime Minister and Defense Minister, Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha, for consideration.

Under the Phuket model, floated by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, about 200 visitors from Australia and New Zealand would be allowed to travel to Phuket. However, they must first test negative for the virus in their country of origin and stay in quarantine for 14 days at designated places in Phuket.

But after meeting Phuket residents, the Tourism and Sports Minister said they wanted a public hearing to take place because a number of people disagreed with the plan to reopen the province to foreign tourists.

Meanwhile, the government is also organizing trips to Phuket and other provinces for expats and diplomats. Recently, the government arranged a tour for this group to visit Khung Bang Kachao in Phra Pradaeng district, Samut Prakan province.

Last week, a 37-year-old male prison inmate was tested positive for Covid-19 during 14-day quarantine after being sent to jail on Aug 26 for a drug offence. He worked as a DJ at two branches of the Sam Wan Song Khuen pub, one in Bangkok and the other in Nonthaburi, and visited a venue on Khao San Road.

Tourism

Thailand expects 400 foreign visitors in early November

The first group of 41 Chinese tourists is due to arrive at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport from Shanghai , and It is expected that by November 2nd, there will be approximately 400 foreign tourists newly arrived in Thailand.

Published

5 days ago

October 20, 2020

Zhong Li

BANGKOK (NNT) – The Minister of Tourism and Sports expects that there will be approximately 400 foreign visitors in early November and expressed his belief that the Bangkok protest situation will not affect their confidence.

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Tourism

How to measure Covid-19 impact on Thai tourism ?

Due to international travel restrictions still in place, today most (93%) tourism customers are Thais, up 31% from the pre-Covid period.

Published

6 days ago

October 19, 2020

Boris Sullivan

Last year, when foreign tourist arrival numbers nearly hit 40 million in Thailand, major revenue sources came from short-haul markets in Asia, with almost 10 million arriving from China.

(more…)

Tourism

Thailand seeks shorter quarantine period to attract more foreign tourists

The Public Health Ministry has proposed that the mandatory quarantine period for tourists be reduced from 14, to 10 or 7 days, according to the risk level of each country.