On June 16, the Tourism Authority of Thailand held a “Thailand Update” to provide the industry with the latest local information. Mr. Kentaro Kano, in charge of the Japanese market at the Tourism Authority of Thailand Headquarters, gave the presentation.
According to the announcement by the COVID-19 task force of the Thai government, the number of new cases of new coronavirus infection in Thailand is currently around 2,000 per day, and the number of deaths is in the 10-20 range, with some daily fluctuations but a gradual downward trend as averaged over the past week. Regarding vaccination, approximately 42% of the respondents have completed the third dose of vaccination, and approximately 76% have completed the second dose. In urban areas such as Bangkok, the majority of people have received four or five doses of the vaccine, especially those who belong to companies and institutions,” Kano explained (according to a report made about a month ago, the number of new cases and deaths per day were in the range of 3,000 to 5,000 and 30 to 50, respectively, and the third dose of vaccine was given to about 39% of the population). vaccination rate was about 39%).
Looking back on the past trends, the wave of Omicron strain infections, which spread rapidly from around February, is gradually coming to an end. In Japan, bars and other nightspots have already begun to reopen for business, and morning and evening traffic congestion has returned to 80% of what it was before the coronary disaster.
He then clarified the situation regarding the number of people entering Thailand. In a previous article (“Thailand no longer requires pre- and post-travel inspections if vaccinated. As discussed in our previous article (“Thailand: Vaccinated Travelers No Longer Need Pre- and Post-Travel Inspections; Latest Entry Process by Case”), the “Sand Box” and “Test & Go” policies that were in place from July 2021 to April 2022 have both been abolished, and “Free to Go” has now been introduced, allowing travelers to travel freely in Thailand without inspection and quarantine.
As a result of these efforts, the number of tourists is on the road to recovery. In particular, since May, when both post-entry inspection and quarantine were waived under the “Free to Go” program, the number of visitors has surged, with more than 470,000 tourists visiting Thailand in the past month. He expressed his hope that “as flights are restored and seat restrictions and government restrictions are eased, we will soon be able to welcome more than 1 million travelers per month.
Next, Mr. Kano explained the latest process on how to enter Thailand. Currently, visitors to Thailand are required to register for a “Thailand Pass” before their scheduled travel date. The “Thailand Pass” screening process has now been speeded up with the introduction of AI. The QR code will be issued immediately or within two hours at the latest upon completion of registration. This QR code must be presented at the airport check-in counter and at Thai immigration.
In fact, there is a proposal to abolish the “Thailand Pass” itself in July or August. However, until the Thai government makes an official announcement after carefully assessing the infection situation in and outside of Thailand, the pass is the only way to guarantee the safety of travelers. Therefore, we urge all travelers to pre-register for the pass before traveling to Thailand.
© Source travel watch
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.