Thailand to reopen more destinations for fully-vaccinated travellers from 1 October 2021

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The Tourism and Sports Ministry is also looking to open the whole country up without the need for quarantine by January 2022.

More destinations in Thailand are scheduled to reopen from October 2021, for fully-vaccinated international travellers.

These destinations include Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, and Pattaya, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said on Monday.

"This is as Thailand has continued to make significant progress in the vaccination of the country’s population, since the mass rollout began on 7 June," it shared.

Citing the Ministry of Public Health, the TAT noted that from 28 February to 4 September, 2021, a total of 9,879,371 people nationwide have been fully vaccinated, or have completed the two-dose series for a COVID-19 vaccine; another 25,104,942 people have received their first vaccine dose, while another 603,363 people have received their third vaccine dose.

Per a report by Bangkok Post, Thailand's Tourism and Sports Ministry is looking to open the whole country up without the need for quarantine by January 2022, a move with "largely depends on nationwide herd immunity."

According to the report, Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said Bangkok, which was scheduled to reopen in October this year, will do so in November instead, as the majority of residents there will not receive their second dose of vaccine till the end of October.

Per further updates in the report, from 15 October, tourists will be able to enter 25 provinces via the country's sandbox programme, as second destinations, after spending seven days in one of the following:

• Bangkok
• Chiangmai
• Chon Buri
• Prachuap Khiri Khan
• Phuket
• Phetchaburi
• Samui

The Minister was quoted as saying: "We need to propose that list to the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration in order to allocate a proper amount of vaccines for them in time. However, if vaccination does not reach the required level in certain areas, select districts can be isolated or a sealed route is possible in the early stages.

"Only safe areas can reopen to Thai tourists on 1 November, while international tourists are expected to enter without quarantine from January, led by travel bubbles with neighbouring countries starting on 15 January."

Lead photo / 123RF 

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