The government on Wednesday reported one new case of coronavirus disease, another of the soldiers who were quarantined on returning from a military exercise in Hawaii.

Thailand ranked highest in a global survey for its effective handling of Covid-19 and recovery from the crisis. The Global Covid-19 Index (GCI), published yesterday (July 28), gave Thailand an index score of 82.06, putting it on top of the global chart as an example of best practices in tackling the dreaded virus.

There were no foreign tourist arrivals for a third straight month in June, as borders remained closed amid the pandemic, with a consequent 66% year-on-year drop in the January-June period to 6.69 million visitors, tourism ministry data showed on Wednesday.

The government reported on Tuesday that two more soldiers who returned last week from a military exercise in the United States have tested positive for coronavirus disease.

Despite its negative image of unrest, Yala province offers a rich bounty of tourist attractions for visitors – from Ay Yer Weng’s famed sea of mist to grand historical monuments, cultural events, and of course, great durian.

Rebound dependent on vaccine progress

The Public Health and Education ministries are looking to restore normal classroom operations given that no new Covid-19 transmissions have been recorded since the beginning of the new term almost a month ago.

A large number of tourists have flocked to the Khao Yai National Park in this northeastern province for a long holiday from Saturday to Tuesday, causing heavy traffic along the road to the park.

The Immigration Bureau has said that foreigners with transit or tourist visas or visa on arrival (VoA), whose stay was extended due to the Covid-19 outbreak, must leave the country by September 26.

A new set of ancient paintings were discovered in Phang Nga Bay Marine National Park on Friday (July 24).

Three Thai returnees in state quarantine have been infected with the coronavirus, bringing the total to 3,282 cases.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said that the long holiday weekend from July 25 to 28 is expected to generate around Bt6.8 billion revenue for the tourism industry with hotel occupancy getting a 24 per cent boost.

Trust in prosecutors, police shaken badly

As travel restrictions gradually lift and despite fears of a resurgence in Covid-19 cases, research from Booking.com shows travel is again a top-of-mind topic with two-thirds (66% ) of travellers across five countries saying they plan to travel within the next six months, and more than two-thirds (36% ) planning to travel internationally for leisure within that time.

The government is planning to spend Bt600 million to buy doses of the Covid-19 vaccine being developed by Oxford University in the UK.