- CURRENT NEWS / Asia
- 27 January 2022
Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Minister of Tourism and Sports, Thailand, has revealed that the ministry plans to propose to the government a reintroducion of the Test & Go form of immigration without detention, starting from 1 February.
On 19 January 2022, the Ministry of Tourism stated: “We are preparing a plan to move forward with the Test & Go tourism scheme because we believe that the Ministry of Public Health can manage and control it.”
Thailand is expected to reopen to vaccinated tourists, which should allow the country to attract at least 8 million tourists this year, reports the Ministry of Tourism.
Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said each major tourism province has to prepare hotel isolation for asymptomatic tourists who test positive, while tourists have to undergo two RT-PCR tests.
“Tourism is the engine that can revive the overall economy the fastest. It is important to resume travel activities, which have slowed since the suspension of the Test & Go scheme,” Phiphat said.
Among measures being considered are establishing more sandbox areas for tourists, who can skip quarantine if they stay in specified areas for seven days and undergo two COVID-19 tests.
The Andaman sea’s Phuket Island, South-East Asia’s superyacht hub, was among the first to be designated a sandbox area. The eastern Gulf of Thailand and Koh Samui, the other favoured yachting destinations, followed closely in receiving a sandbox designation.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters new sandbox areas in Thailand could include Chiang Mai, Chonburi, Khon Kaen and Samut Prakan provinces.