Before the end of October, a senior official said Wednesday, the government's plan to reopen to long-term foreign visitors should be finalised.
The plan aims to help revive the ailing tourism industry and save millions of jobs. It aims to enable visitors to enter Thailand via international airports, provided they do a mandatory 14-day quarantine at the port of entry. According to Thosaporn Sirisumphand, secretary of Center for Administration of Economic Situation, they would then be allowed to travel freely.
Thailand is facing a severe contraction this year, as one of the world's most tourism-reliant economies. The hospitality and tourism sectors count on the return of international visitors, who contributed up to two-thirds of tourism revenue before the pandemic, to reverse a business slump and save up to 3.27 million jobs estimated to be at risk by Thailand Development Research.
Government and businesses are weighing the cost of curbing infections and reducing the economic damage that is expected to contract 8.5 per cent this year. It has delayed a plan to reopen Phuket Island Province to foreign tourists.
Source Bangkok Post
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