19 Feb, 2021
Sources in the Thai business media have suggested that plans are taking shape for an end to the 14 day quarantine for foreign tourists.
Behind the scenes the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Tourism Ministry, the Tourism Council, ATTA (the Association of Thai Travel Agents and the THA (Thai hoteliers' Association) have been pressing for an end to the two week quarantine that many see as a huge hurdle to the reintroduction of foreign tourism.
They want to see those who have been vaccinated being allowed to come under two plans that are about to be proposed.
The first is called "Quarantine At Home". Under this idea the tourist will be required to quarantine at their home where they are about to begin their journey before setting foot in Thailand.
Once in the kingdom they will have a Covid check but still have to be quarantined for two nights, three days.
The second plan is called Mobile Quarantine. This idea involves the health department and the TAT acting as chaperones for tour groups.
They may decide to allow a DMC (Thaivisa understands this to be a Destination Management Company) to fulfil this chaperone-cum-monitoring role.
So what is the timeline?
According to sources the final details are being ironed out over the coming week and will be presented to the TAT board for discussion among all relevant parties towards the end of February.
Then it will go to the cabinet where PM Prayuth Chan-ocha will be apprised of the plan and make the final decision.
If given the go ahead the sources suggest the plans - possibly both of them - will get the nod from April 1st.
Thaivisa notes that there appeared to have been a cooling of the "vaccination passport" idea but with these extra caveats in place there may be a way forward to opening up the country for those who have received Covid vaccinations abroad.
