Thailand To Restart Quarantine-free Travel From February 1
Faizan Hashmi Published January 20, 2022 | 12:26 PM
Thailand will resume its quarantine-free travel scheme from February 1, officials said Thursday, after the programme was suspended due to the fast-spreading Omicron Covid-19 variant
Bangkok, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Jan, 2022 ) :Thailand will resume its quarantine-free travel scheme from February 1, officials said Thursday, after the programme was suspended due to the fast-spreading Omicron Covid-19 variant.
Pandemic travel curbs have hammered the kingdom's tourism-dominated economy, sending visitor numbers dwindling to a trickle.
Fully vaccinated travellers will now be able to enter under the "test and go" scheme as long as they take Covid tests on the first and fifth days after arriving, spokesman for the country's Covid-19 taskforce Taweesin Visanuyothin told reporters.
Visitors will have to isolate at a hotel while waiting for their test results and will be required to download a tracking app to ensure they comply with the rules.
Seeking to bounce back from its worst economic performance since the 1997 Asian financial crisis, Thailand launched the "test and go" scheme in November as an alternative to two weeks' hotel quarantine.
The programme was suspended late last month over fears about Omicron, but with deaths and hospitalisations not spiking, Taweesin said it could resume, though the authorities will keep it under review.
"In case there are more infections or the situation changes, there will be a re-assessment for inbound travellers and adjust toward the sandbox scheme," Taweesin said.
Under the sandbox programme launched last year as a first step towards resuming tourism, fully jabbed visitors spend seven nights in certain designated locations, such as the resort island of Phuket, before being allowed to travel on to the rest of Thailand.
In a further relaxation of Covid restrictions, restaurants will be allowed to serve alcohol until 11:00 pm -- easing the current 9:00 pm cut-off.
The tourism ministry estimates that some five million foreign visitors will come to Thailand in 2022 -- down from nearly 40 million in the year before the pandemic.
Recent Stories
Bugti assures transporters for addressing their problems
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar meets foreign min ..
3 drug peddlers arrested, hashish recovered
1496,990 children given polio drops in five days: DC
Six terrorists killed, hideout busted in N Waziristan IBO: ISPR
Pakistan, Qatar agree to further expand trade, investment ties
Sindh cabinet approves Rs177.5m to strengthen, mobilize various wings of police
Faisal Karim Kundi takes oath as new KP Governor
Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Chaudhry seeks more vibrant ..
Tahaffuz Manzil Foster Home providing care & support to homeless children
PCB proposes April 7 -May 20 window; tweaks in rules for HBL PSL 2025
Field hospitals now operational across Punjab: Azma Bukhari
More Stories From World
-
Football: French Ligue 1 results - collated
5 hours ago -
Football: Italian Serie A results - collated
6 hours ago -
European Champions Cup semi-final result
6 hours ago -
Football: Italian Serie A table
6 hours ago -
Tennis: WTA Madrid Open results
6 hours ago -
Formula One: Miami Grand Prix sprint race results
6 hours ago
-
Barca have 'huge amount' to change next season: coach Xavi
6 hours ago -
Haaland 'back to business' with four-goal haul in Man City rout of Wolves
6 hours ago -
Newcomer Bellingham Madrid's driving force in La Liga conquest
6 hours ago -
Girona players have made history, says coach after reaching Champions League
6 hours ago -
Reus begins farewell tour while Bayern stumble in Stuttgart
7 hours ago -
Real Madrid La Liga title win in numbers
7 hours ago