Thailand relaxes travel restrictions for international tourists

Thailand has eased travel restrictions for citizens from 56 countries. However, the visitors will be allowed to complete a two-week quarantine in the hotel. As per the official website of the tourism industry, all the travellers will first need a visa and then Certificate of Entry (COE). Without the two, they will be denied boarding/entry to Thailand. 

Tourists from countries including Australia, France and the United States can travel without visas but would need a certificate to show they were free of Covid-19 72 hours before travel and a place at a quarantine hotel, Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for Thailand’s Covid-19 taskforce said.

Visitors would then be subject to a two-week quarantine period after arriving, he said, adding that the normal 30-day visa would be extended to 45 days.

While in quarantine, arrivals would undergo three Covid-19 tests, up from two required previously, Taweesin said, adding that more testing could potentially lead to shorter quarantine times in the future. The revisions come as the tourism-reliant economy struggles to encourage more domestic activity, but an ongoing travel ban continues to keep most foreign tourists away.

“The entry of tourists will stimulate the economy,” Foreign Ministry spokesman, Tanee Sangrat, told Reuters.

Thailand’s entry restrictions have helped keep its Covid-19 cases at a low 4,281, but caused widespread economic damage and many job losses.

Tourism plays a major role in the Thai economy which accounts for about 18 percent of its GDP.38.3 million people visited Thailand in 2018, up by around 7.5 percent from the previous year. The figure is a remarkable 54 per cent higher than the tourist footfalls in 2014, just before five years.