Thailand Should Open To Vaccinated Travelers By October 2021
It was recently reported that popular Phuket in Thailand was planning to reopen to international travelers by July 2021. At that stage, it was also hoped that, under certain conditions, Thailand as a whole would also be able to reopen to international visitors. Now, as the rest of the world continues to slowly open its borders, Thailand has said, “The time has come for us to take that calculated risk.” However, foreign tourists will only be able to travel to Thailand in October.
Thailand plans to reopen to vaccinated tourists in mid-October
Thailand’s government has been weighing the risks of reopening its borders to international travel against the income the country is losing through its lack of tourism. Now, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has said in a media statement that they plan to fully reopen to vaccinated international travelers by mid-October, 2021.
“I know this decision comes with some risk because, when we open the country, there will be an increase in infections, no matter how good our precautions,” he told Associated Press (AP). “But I think when we take into consideration the economic needs of the people, the time has come for us to take that calculated risk.”
Prayuth then laid out a plan that would allow fully vaccinated international travelers and returning Thai citizens to enter the country within 120 days, without the need or quarantine or other inconvenient restrictions.
At present, international travelers must quarantine for at least seven days on arrival in Thailand. Admittedly, the country has offered several very glamorous ways to do so in style, including luxurious hotels and resorts and even luxury quarantine on a yacht.
Current COVID-19 situation in Thailand
Since April, Thailand has experienced a surge in COVID-19 cases, leading to 80 percent of the country’s total 204,595 confirmed cases. This also represents around 90 percent of the total 1,525 deaths from the coronavirus in Thailand.
The country’s vaccination program is proceeding slowly, with only around 7 percent of Thailand’s population of 69 million people receiving at least one dose of a vaccine. According to Prayuth, Thailand has now secured more vaccines and hopes that by early October, at least 50 million people will have received at least their first shot of the vaccine. In fact, some Thai travel agencies have reportedly been selling “vaccine tours” to the US to their local citizens in an effort to encourage vaccinations.
In July, the country will start its trial program to allow fully vaccinated international travelers to head to Phuket, without the need for a mandatory quarantine period. However, those visitors will be limited to staying on Phuket for at least two weeks before being allowed to head to mainland Thailand.
This is disappointing for many, as Thailand had originally hoped to launch a campaign to bring international tourists to Thailand by July 1. However, taking things slowly and safely is likely the best course of action.
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