foreign tourists
- Tourism News
Thai government looking at ways to help stranded Ukrainian, Russian tourists
The Thai government says over 7,000 Ukrainian and Russian tourists affected by flight cancellations will be allowed to extend their visas free of charge. It’s one of a number of measures officials are implementing to help visitors stranded as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Other measures potentially include offering shelter and access to a Chinese payment platform, according…
- Tourism News
National park officers rescue 5 German tourists lost in Koh Phang Ngan forest
Officers from the Than Sadet National Park on Koh Phang Ngan have rescued a group of 5 German tourists after they got lost yesterday while on a forest hike. The 4 women and 1 man had been doing the Khao Ra hike, which takes in the highest peak on the island, when heavy rainfall caused them to get lost. A…
- World News
Tourism officials in Vietnam push for a full reopening to foreign travellers on March 15
Vietnam plans to reopen borders for foreign travellers on March 15, although the date is not yet official. According to the local media outlet VN Express, a draft proposal is in the works to fully allow inbound and outbound tourism starting in mid-March. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is now getting input from relevant agencies before submitting the…
- Tourism News
Hotels now required to confirm paid room bookings and PCR tests with government
As part of the revamped Test & Go entry scheme, hotels are now required to confirm Thailand Pass bookings within 30 hours or applications will be rejected automatically. According to a Bangkok Post report, hotels must verify room bookings and PCR test appointments with the Foreign Ministry in order for a Thailand Pass application to be approved. Yuthasak Supasorn, governor…
- Tourism News
Government to make more Covid insurance options available to foreign tourists
The Thai government wants to offer more Covid-19 insurance options to foreign tourists whose own insurance doesn’t cover hospitels or hotel isolation in cases of asymptomatic infection. According to a Bangkok Post report, the governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand says officials are in talks with the Office of the Insurance Commission. Yuthasak Supasorn says premiums could start at…
- Phuket News
Sealed route proposal for asymptomatic infected tourists gets lukewarm reception in Phuket
Phuket officials have responded less than enthusiastically to a suggestion that infected asymptomatic tourists be allowed to travel via a sealed route. Pichet Panapong, the province’s deputy governor, says he believes infected tourists should stay in their hotel rooms. According to a Bangkok Post report, he’s already said as much to the immigration chief who initially made the suggestion. Pichet…
- Tourism News
Tourism operators want cost of PCR tests reduced when Test & Go resumes
Following the CCSA’s decision yesterday to resume Test & Go from February 1 (with some changes) tourism operators are urging the government to make PCR testing more affordable. The revamped Test & Go entry scheme now requires overseas arrivals to book a hotel on day 1 and again on day 5 of their stay – and to take a PCR…
- Tourism News
CCSA says Test & Go could make a comeback soon – with a few tweaks
The government’s Covid-19 task force meets later today to discuss the fate of the Test & Go entry scheme, along with the potential easing of some restrictions. Supoj Malaniyom from the CCSA says Test & Go could make a comeback soon, but will involve stricter monitoring of foreign arrivals’ health. The Bangkok Post reports that the scheme could now require…
- Phuket News
Phuket seeing healthy tourism demand, with 4,000 Thailand Pass applications a day
The president of the Phuket Tourism Association says the island is proving popular with foreign tourists, receiving 4,000 applications a day through the Thailand Pass system. Bhummikitti Ruktaengam says most of those visitors are from Germany, Russia, Kazakhstan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and France. Bhummikitti credits the success of the island’s Covid-19 measures for inspiring confidence among foreign…
- Phuket News
Phuket governor vows to iron out issues with sandbox requirements
The governor of Phuket has pledged to sort out a number of issues with the island’s sandbox scheme as infection rates continue to rise. According to a Bangkok Post report, Narong Woosiew says the matters identified will lead to improvements, adding that he will soon introduce “Phuket Sandbox Version 2“. “Currently, the local economy is doing well due to the…
- Phuket News
Phuket governor says island will remain open for tourists, despite rise in infections
The governor of Phuket has reassured local businesses that the island remains open for tourists under its sandbox scheme. Narong Wunsiew says that despite a steep rise in Covid-19 case numbers, there are no plans for a lockdown. “As we aim to contain Covid-19 while boosting the economy, we have received pleas for us not to shut down the island…
- Pattaya News
Paramotor accident on Chon Buri seriously injures foreign teenager and Thai instructor
A paramotor accident on the island of Koh Larn, in the eastern province of Chon Buri, has left a teenage foreign tourist and her Thai instructor seriously injured. According to a Pattaya News report, the incident occurred yesterday afternoon when the device became stuck in a power pole as the Thai man and his 17 year old student were flying.…
- Tourism News
Hotel operators blame government’s faulty tracking apps for Israeli tourist escape
The recent case of an Israeli tourist who fled his hotel before he’d received the results of his PCR test can be blamed on faulty tracking apps. So says Angkana Tanetvisetkul from Phuket’s Kata Karon Hotel Association. According to a Bangkok Post report, she believes the current entry requirements involve too many apps that don’t work together – sometimes they…
- Tourism News
Germany removes Thailand from its list of high-risk countries
The Thai embassy in Berlin says Thailand has been removed from Germany’s list of Covid-19 high-risk countries, according to a Thai PBS World report. Provided they are fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine, travellers from Thailand can now enter Germany without having to quarantine. The accepted vaccines are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna, and the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine. In addition…
- Tourism News
Travel agents call for tourism fee to be postponed until industry recovers
The Association of Thai Travel Agents is urging the government to postpone the implementation of a new tourism fee until the sector has fully recovered. Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn says Thailand has averaged around 3,000 – 4,000 foreign tourists per day, since re-opening on November 1. According to a Bangkok Post report, he says confidence is low ahead of the coming high…
- Economy News
Government agency ups 2021 foreign arrivals prediction to 200,000
An agency under the Ministry of Finance has increased its 2021 tourist arrivals forecast to 200,000. The Fiscal Policy Office had previously stated that it expected 180,000 foreign arrivals by the end of the year. According to a Bangkok Post report, Pornchai Thiraveja from the FPO says this now looks likely to increase. During the first 2 weeks of November,…
- World News
Bali governor pushes for reduction in mandatory quarantine
The governor of the resort island of Bali is urging the Indonesian government to reduce quarantine time for international arrivals. TTR Weekly reports that Bali currently has a 2-night quarantine in effect, but Governor I Wayan Koster says it’s putting tourists off coming. He wants to see it reduced to 1 night, until international visitors get the results of their…
- World News
Cambodia ends quarantine for vaccinated arrivals from today
Cambodian PM, Hun Sen, has announced that from today, vaccinated arrivals will no longer be required to carry out mandatory quarantine. According to a Bangkok Post report, the PM confirmed the decision in a voice recording on social media. Cambodia has been imposing mandatory quarantine on foreign arrivals for the last 18 months. The country’s leader says this will no…
- Tourism News
Government considers easing entry rules, antigen testing may replace PCR test
In anticipation of more international arrivals in the coming months, the Thai government is reviewing current entry requirements. According to a Bangkok Post report, officials may replace the PCR test with antigen test kits and rules could be relaxed for people unfortunate enough to have sat near an infected passenger during their flight. Any amendment of the current rules would…
- Tourism News
“We’re fixing it” – Government responds to Thailand Pass complaints
A government spokesman says efforts are underway to fix glitches that have affected the Thailand Pass system since its launch. Social media has been awash with criticism from both Thais and foreigners attempting to use the system. Many have complained about delays in receiving the QR code required for travel, while others say they never received it at all. The…
- Tourism News
Airports of Thailand expects 726,000 passengers in November, mostly domestic
The president of Airports of Thailand says the country’s airports can expect around 726,000 passengers this month, following Thailand’s re-opening. However, Nitinai Sirismatthakarn says most of those will be domestic travellers, with around 270,529 expected from overseas. The Bangkok Post reports that 31 flights, carrying around 2,600 passengers, landed at Suvarnabhumi yesterday. Around 1,500 were international arrivals. Meanwhile, Anucha Nakasai…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok governor says no to extending alcohol sales to 11pm
Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang is refusing to budge on the law that bans restaurant alcohol sales after 9pm, at least for now. He was responding to a call from Thanakorn Kuptajit of the Thai Alcohol Beverage Business Association, who has called for sales to be extended to 11pm. According to a Bangkok Post report, Thanakorn believes allowing eateries to sell…
- Phuket News
Phuket tourism operators expect 1 million visitors in first quarter of 2022
The head of the Phuket Tourist Association is optimistic about Thailand’s re-opening to vaccinated tourists from 63 countries, which starts today. Bhummikitti Raktaengam predicts the southern island will see 1 million foreign tourists in the first quarter of next year. “Bookings in November increased by 20%, while the load factor for some international flights will also rise to 80%, thanks…
- Tourism News
Thailand Pass: all systems go for Monday
The new Thailand Pass system launches on Monday when the country re-opens with minimal quarantine for vaccinated tourists from select countries. The Bangkok Post reports a government spokesman as saying the new system will replace the Certificate of Entry with a more streamlined process. Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana says the online system will allow tourists, Thais, and foreign residents of Thailand to…
- Tourism News
Tourism operators urge government to agree travel bubbles
Thailand’s tourism sector is urging the government to agree travel bubbles with other countries, to ensure quarantine-free travel in both directions. Suthiphong Pheunphiphop from the Thai Travel Agents Association would like to see reciprocal arrangements in place once Thailand re-opens to 46 countries from November 1. According to a Bangkok Post report, he says such an agreement would mean Thai…
- Tourism News
CCSA in bid to reassure Thais that November 1 re-opening will be safe
CCSA spokesperson Dr Apisamai Srirangsan says Thai residents shouldn’t worry about the country’s imminent re-opening to select countries. From November 1, vaccinated tourists from a list of 46 low-risk countries can enter Thailand with minimal quarantine. They will be required to show evidence of being fully vaccinated and have a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours of departure from their…
- Tourism News
Government under pressure to lift alcohol ban, allow nightlife to resume
As Thailand prepares to waive quarantine for vaccinated tourists from low-risk countries, the government is coming under pressure to ease some Covid-19 restrictions. In particular, the Bangkok Post reports on calls to allow restaurants to sell alcohol and for nightlife to resume. Countless bars and clubs remain shuttered, with many operators questioning how Thailand’s re-opening can succeed under such conditions.…
- Tourism News
Government outlines 3 entry schemes for international travellers from November
With confirmation that international travellers from 46 “low-risk” countries can enter Thailand with minimal quarantine, the government has outlined 3 entry schemes effective from November. The Bangkok Post reports that the first scheme, “Test & Go” will apply to tourists from the aforementioned countries, who will need to show evidence of being fully vaccinated at least 14 days before their…
- Chiang Mai News
Chiang Mai ready to re-open despite new cluster of infections
The governor of Chiang Mai says the province is ready for the planned November 1 re-opening to foreign tourists. Despite a new cluster of infections being detected at the large market of Talad Muang Mai, Prajon Pratsakul insists the northern province is ready to re-open. The Bangkok Post reports that 478 Covid-19 cases have been traced to the market, which…
- Phuket News
Phuket sandbox has welcomed 42,000 international arrivals since July 1
Since the launch of the Phuket sandbox scheme on July 1, the southern island has welcomed over 42,000 foreign visitors to its shores. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has got the calculator out again and according to TAT Phuket director, Nanthasiri Ronnasiri, over 2 billion baht has been generated for the economy. “We set the target at 100,000 visitors because…
