Travel bubble talks to pick back up once Covid-19 is under control

Once the Covid-19 outbreak is under control, Thailand will pick back up on travel bubble discussions with countries such as Vietnam, Singapore, Laos and Malaysia. Travel bubbles could start as soon as October if the daily Covid-19 count significantly decreases by the end of the month.

The country’s Covid-19 immunisation plan needs to be accelerated and the daily Covid-19 count needs to drop, Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Minister, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, recently told the Bangkok Post.

“We have to speed up inoculations, particularly in Bangkok, to achieve herd immunity by the fourth quarter. The number of daily infections should be below 200 by the end of this month to restore international tourism confidence.”

Thailand has experienced a drastic spike in Covid-19 infections, with more than 50,000 confirmed infections since April 1, making up the majority of the cumulative case count since the start of the pandemic last year. Deaths related to Covid-19 increased from just under 100 at the end of March to more than 450.

Phiphat says Thailand needs the situation to be under control before resuming talks with other countries about potential travel bubbles because no country will want to make a deal while the infection rate is high.

SOURCE: VN Express