The government on March 16 will consider the latest proposals to reduce or modify coronavirus quarantine rules in hopes of reviving foreign tourism.
Suggestions to reduce mandatory quarantine for vaccinated tourists to seven days and create a new “resort quarantine” will be on the table at the Cabinet meeting.
Under immense pressure from the tourism industry to eliminate mandatory quarantine, which the sector claims is crippling foreign tourism, the government is moving slowly toward easing restrictions for those vaccinated against the virus.
But wary officials appear unmoved to eliminate quarantine requirements even if travelers are fully vaccinated. The latest proposal would cut the time in half to seven days, if a traveler was vaccinated in the past three months and has a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours of flying.
Another proposal – resort quarantine – would allow non-vaccinated tourists to roam their entire resort after testing negative for Covid-19 after three days of isolation in their rooms. They could not leave the hotel grounds for two weeks, however.
The Tourism and Sports Ministry envisions resort quarantine being used in Pattaya, Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui, Surat Thani and Chiang Mai.
