The ‘travel bubble’ idea to receive visitors from pandemic-curbing countries will not include general tourists, a government spokesman said.
Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman of the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), announced the exclusion of general tourists from the ‘travel bubble’ in response to the concerns that the travel bubble scheme would lead to the new spread of COVID-19.
He said that the travel bubble idea had not been finalized but it was clear that it would not allow hundreds of thousands of foreigners to pay visits per year.
It targeted the visitors who would stimulate the economy, including businesspeople, skilled workers, mechanical experts, foreign patients, teachers of international schools and work permit seekers.
“About 20,000 people have registered to pay visits. They are not tourists. They will be considered first. I believe that if 20,000-30,000 people are to arrive, they can be allowed in and handled,” Dr Taweesin said. CCSA officials were studying their profiles, he said.