Thailand reopening sees 13,000 travellers, 10 Covid-19 infections
After the first 4 days of Thailand’s big reopening, over 13,000 people have arrived with just 10 of those travellers testing positive for Covid-19. According to the Director of Risk Communication and Health Behavior Development Bureau from the Ministry of Public Health Dr Sumanee Watcharasin, 13,229 people have entered Thailand in the last 4 days, and 10 international travellers – just o.o75% of all arrivals into Thailand so far this month – were found to have Covid-19 infections.
Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok was by far the main entry point, with nearly 70% of all international arrivals passing through Thailand’s main hub. 9,210 people in total flew into Bangkok, while less than half of that, 4,005 travellers total, flew into Phuket International Airport. 182 people were reported to have arrived into Koh Samui.
Some may notice that the government statistics add up to 13,397, which is 168 more people than the total number reported to have arrived. No immediate explanation was given for the discrepancy.
The Ministry of Public Health also listed the top 10 countries of origin for travellers arriving into Thailand, with the US and Germany separated by just 1 traveller:
- United States – 1,593
- Germany – 1,592
- United Kingdom – 1,006
- Japan – 935
- Switzerland – 624
- Sweden – 511
- South Korea – 499
- Netherlands – 363
- United Arab Emirates – 350
- China – 345
The arrival process has been met with some mixed reviews with some saying the RT-PCR test process has been quick, but others reporting long delays. Director Sumanee said that RT-PCR test results have been returned within 6 hours, allowing travellers to continue on to their Test & Go or Sandbox programmes right away. But many people have been posting online that they have waited longer for their test results, sometimes even longer than the 1 day required in an SHA+ or AQ hotel.
Other more positive reports say that the arrival process has been hastened by airline staff helping check passengers’ paperwork before landing to make sure they are ready for the processing upon landing before moving to their SHA+ hotel for their RT-PCR test.
SOURCE: The Pattaya News
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