It had first reopened Phuket and then put the brakes on the resumption of tourism. Thailand is now making a gesture towards vaccinated tourists by accepting tourists from ten "
countries considered to be at low risk,
" Prayut Chan-O-Cha said in a televised address, including the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Germany and Singapore. Unvaccinated visitors will still have to remain in quarantine for 10 days if arriving by plane and 14 days by land. All will have to undergo at least two PCR tests. What about French travelers? The Thai prime minister has not yet spoken. The list will be expanded in the coming months to other countries.
The easing also applies to the so-called “sandbox” experimental model set up in Phuket, Thailand's most visited island, which was launched in July as a first step in reviving tourism.
Vaccinated travelers can travel to the island without having to undergo a strict hotel quarantine and after 14 days - along with three negative PCR tests - travel elsewhere in Thailand.
This mandatory stay was reduced to seven days on October 1.
Read alsoThailand will welcome forty times fewer tourists this year than in 2019
A reopening in four stages
Tour operators are optimistic about the peak season after Thailand was taken off the UK's red travel list.
Ranta Images / stock.adobe.com
Ten regions will adopt the Phuket model on
November 1
.
These are the regions of Bangkok, Krabi, Phang Nga, Buri Ram, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Loei, Phetchaburi, Prachuab Khiri Khan and Ranong.
For their part, 20 other provinces will reopen
on December 1
on the same model.
These are Ayutthaya, Chiang Rai, Khon Kaen, Lamphun, Mae Hong Son, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat, Nong Khai, Pathum Thani, Phatthalung, Phetchabun, Phrae, Rayong, Samut Prakan, Songkhla, Sukhothai, Trang, Trat and Yala.
On
January 1, 2022
, 13 border provinces will reopen in turn including Bueng Kan, Chanthaburi, Kanchanaburi, Mukdahan, Nakhon Phanom, Nan, Ratchaburi, Sa Kaeo, Satun, Surin, Tak, Ubon Ratchathani and Udon Thani.
See also
Pad Thai, the queen plate of the streets of Bangkok
Classified orange by France
The kingdom is seeking to save a tourism industry hit by the pandemic.
The sector accounted for one-fifth of Thailand's national income before the Covid, but severe restrictions on travelers to fight the virus have shrunken the tide of tens of millions of foreign visitors, causing the worst economic performance in more than 20 years.
But travel advice from other countries could limit the impact of this reopening.
France, it classifies the kingdom in orange.
The unvaccinated French who want to go to Thailand must justify a compelling reason.
Vaccinated people are not subject to any restrictions, except those imposed by the country and mentioned above.
The kingdom is still grappling with its third epidemic wave, brought on by the Delta variant.
It records around 10,000 new infections per day and totals to date more than 1.57 million cases and 16,369 deaths.
