Thailand planning travel bubble with South Korea once Covid crisis eases

Thailand plans to launch a travel bubble arrangement with South Korea once the Covid-19 situation improves, according to tourism officials. The Tourism Authority of Thailand says the plan would allow for quarantine-free travel between the 2 countries, with hopes it will provide Thailand with a much-needed tourism boost.

The plan has been confirmed by the TAT’s Thanet Petchsuwan, who will oversee international marketing for the Asia and South Pacific regions from October.

“My first mission will be to talk to the new Chinese ambassador to Thailand about the possibility of allowing Chinese citizens to travel abroad. We are also preparing talks with South Korea to launch a tourist-exchange programme, or travel bubble, without the need for quarantine. We are considering the timing and procedures for the programme’s launch once the Covid-19 situation in Thailand unwinds.”

Nation Thailand reports that TAT offices in the region are busy promoting the Kingdom to vaccinated Asian travellers, as tourists participating in Phuket’s sandbox scheme and the Samui Plus re-opening are primarily from Europe and the US.

In addition to South Korea, the TAT plans to target other Asian countries with a low rate of Covid-19 infections, including China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. However, of note is that Hong Kong officials recently moved Thailand to its list of high-risk countries, with arrivals subject to mandatory 21-day quarantine.

According to the Nation Thailand report, the TAT says it will ask other Asian nations to help reduce the cost of quarantine for returning citizens.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand