Reduced quarantine approved for some foreign arrivals

The Thai government has agreed to reduce mandatory quarantine for certain categories of arrivals from overseas. The national committee on communicable diseases, which falls under the umbrella of the Public Health Ministry, has approved the measure based on the fact that a global vaccination drive is leading to a gradual reduction in case numbers.

According to a Nation Thailand report, the following categories of international arrivals are included in the reduced quarantine, which varies from 7 to 10 days:

• Foreigners with a valid Covid-19 vaccination certificate that is no more than 3 months old and no less than 14 days old, in possession of a negative Covid test result: 7 days’ quarantine
• Repatriating Thai nationals who have a valid Covid-19 vaccination certificate no more than 3 months old and no less than 14 days old but who do not have a negative Covid test result: 7 days’ quarantine
• Foreigners who have a negative Covid test result but no vaccination certificate: 10 days’ quarantine

Reduced quarantine will not apply to travellers from any part of Africa, due to the highly contagious nature of the South African variant that has recently emerged. All arrivals from Africa will still be required to undergo 14 days’ quarantine.

The reduction in quarantine is one of a number of measures being looked at to review the country’s decimated tourism sector. Officials are also planning to introduce ”area quarantine” in major tourist destinations from next month.

Under the proposal, foreign tourists will only have to remain in their hotel room for the first 3 days of their 14-day quarantine. They will be tested for Covid-19 during the first 3 days and if negative, allowed to leave their room and roam freely around the resort for the remainder of their stay. However, they will not be permitted to leave the resort until they have completed the full 14 day quarantine period.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand