The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Pattaya director predicted both foreign and domestic tourism would improve steadily as coronavirus vaccines rolled out around the world and in the kingdom.
Kachondej Apicharttrakul said April 6 that the start of Covid-19 vaccinations in Thailand already is inspiring confidence among domestic tourists to visit Pattaya.
Thailand has inoculated only 0.6 percent of its population – just over 200,000 people – in two months, all with a Chinese-made vaccine with suspect effectiveness.
Kachondej said that as foreign countries – which have inoculated as many as 4 million people a day – proceed with their vaccination campaigns more people will feel confident about traveling aboard.
However, Thailand will not see any improvement until the government expands its “vaccine passport” plan to allow more foreigners to arrive without having to undergo quarantine, Kachondej said.
He predicted progress would become evident in October when more Thais are vaccinated and quarantine restrictions relaxed.
Russians and Indians, Kachondej predicted, will be the first to return to Pattaya, then Chinese.
