travel ban

  • Thailand News

    Travel ban and restrictions lifted for those travelling from African countries

    Thailand is lifting its travel ban on the eight African countries that were considered to be at high risk of the Omicron variant when the mutated strain was first detected. Restrictions for those travelling from other African countries will also be lifted. The revised measures go into effect on January 11. The countries being removed from Thailand’s ban list include…

  • World News

    Malaysia bans travel from African nations amid Omicron fears

    Following suit with countries around Asia and around the world, Malaysia has announced a temporary ban on travellers entering from African countries in close proximity to the Omicron Covid-19 variant. Malaysia’s health minister announced the ban on 8 African countries including South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, though it hasn’t banned other countries that have reported cases of Omicron yet.…

  • Covid-19 News

    UPDATE: Israel bans ALL foreign entry over Omicron

    Israel is the first country to impose a blanket ban on all foreigners from entering the country for at least 14 days. In a statement to parliament, Israeli PM Naftali Bennett says the ban, pending government approval, would last for 14 days. Meanwhile, the South African doctor who was the first to sound an international alarm over the new Omicron…

  • World News

    Philippines extends travel ban from Thailand, 9 other countries

    The Philippines is planning to extend its ban on travellers from Thailand and 9 more countries. The extension will go the end of this month out of Delta/Covid concerns, the presidential spokesperson said today. Philippine officials are rushing to control a spike in Covid cases that have stayed constant at around 12,000 infections for the second day in a row…

  • Covid-19 News

    ‘Dark red’ curfews, interprovincial public transport ban possibly until Aug 31 – CCSA

    Tight disease control measures including nightly curfews and a ban on interprovincial public transportation from “dark red” provinces are set until August 16, but the measures could be extended until the end of the month, according to a spokesperson during yesterday’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration press briefing. The overall Covid-19 situation and disease control measures are reviewed every two…

  • Phuket News

    Domestic travel to Phuket all but banned starting August 2

    The Phuket government has found itself in a precarious predicament, caught between domestic and international tourism. While walking a tightrope between local and international, authorities have just announced what essentially amounts to a domestic lockout with new travel restrictions into Phuket going into effect on August 3. The Sandbox scheme is a critical step for international tourism to finally return…

  • Covid-19 News

    UPDATE: PM calls for urgent meeting, expected to discuss “lockdown” measures

    UPDATE: The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration meeting set for 10am tomorrow will address the “worsening situation” in Thailand, according to spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Natapanu Nopakun, who gives the daily CCSA meeting in English. Natapanu says the media has been “predicting the results” of the meeting, but he assures the public that there will not be…

  • World News

    Covid-19 Indonesia: Indian variant, reused swabs, holiday travel ban

    Indonesia is experiencing an average of 5,000 new Covid-19 cases each day over the past week, and the Indian variant has now arrived as well. The Health Ministry confirmed this week that 2 patients had been infected by what has been identified as the B.1.617 variant of the Coronavirus, commonly known as the more contagious Indian strain. Indonesia is often…

  • Thailand News

    Soi Cowboy bar owner says the business has survived the pandemic, but revenue has fallen by 70%

    Bangkok’s notorious red light district Soi Cowboy has survived the pandemic, but barely. An owner of a bar along the street said the business is only earning enough to cover operating costs. Bars and nightclubs were hit hard by disease control restrictions with the government banning alcohol, shutting down the venues and limiting operating hours during peaks in the pandemic.…

  • World News

    Malaysia PM imposes nationwide travel ban, lockdown measures due to Covid-19 spike

    As the number of Covid-19 cases continues to climb in Malaysia, PM Muhyiddin Yassin imposed a nationwide travel ban and ordered lockdown measures for Kuala Lumpur and 5 other states for the next 14 days. The country’s prime minister says “our healthcare system is at a breaking point.” Malaysia was able to keep the coronavirus at bay during the early…

  • Transport News

    Koh Samui tourism operators want cheaper flights to lure tourists

    Koh Samui needs more visitors, from anywhere. A number of hotels on the island, one of Thailand’s popular tourist destinations hit by the pandemic-induced travel bans, are certified for alternative local state quarantine, or ALSQ, and now tourism officials are looking to lure travellers in with cheaper flights. Getting the prices lower could be difficult. President of the Tourism Association…

  • Visa Information

    The first tourists to arrive next week on the Special Tourist Visa

    The first group of foreigners under the new Special Tourist Visa will be arriving to Thailand next week after a 6 month travel ban on international tourists. About 120 people are set to fly from Guangzhou, China and land in Phuket on October 8. As some would say, at least it’s a start! The new tourist visa scheme comes after…

  • Covid-19 News

    Thailand talking “travel bubbles” with low-risk Covid-19 countries

    Thailand is considering the idea of forming “travel bubbles” with countries that have demonstrated similar success in suppressing the Covid-19 virus. The announcement comes as a number of nations, including South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, China and New Zealand have expressed interest in forming a reciprocal travel pact with Thailand. This would involve governments agreeing their citizens could travel back and…

  • Covid-19 News

    Covid-era travel restrictions around Asia

    As most Asian countries dust themselves off and emerge from the ashes of the initial ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic, a report in the Chiang Rai Times looks at how flight restrictions may affect travel in the region. International flights are still off-limits for many countries, but the situation is expected to gradually improve, particularly with the introduction of “travel…

  • Covid-19 News

    Hope for overseas foreigners separated from families in Thailand

    “We appreciate the sacrifices and regret the inconvenience caused.” For weeks now, foreign nationals who normally reside in Thailand but find themselves stranded overseas due to the Covid-19 travel ban, have been pleading with the government to be allowed to return to their families. Now, there may finally be some hope on the horizon. At least their plight is now…

  • Covid-19 News

    Phuket migrant workers permitted to return home

    Some migrant workers were allowed to leave Phuket to return to their homes yesterday, as the provincial administration agreed to temporarily lift the travel ban so they could rejoin their families. One worker who hails from the nearby province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, told Thai PBS that he has been out of work for 2 months, and his family could…

  • Economy News

    With 33 coronavirus cases, Thailand still welcomes Chinese tourists

    Despite the confirmation of a new case of the 2019nCov coronavirus today, Thailand has neither restricted Chinese tourists from entering the kingdom nor dropped its visa-on-arrival fee waiver, implemented to attract Chinese. Thailand hasn’t imposed any bans on tourists or travellers since the outbreak of the virus, though officials are screening passengers on arrival on flights from China, and now…

  • Covid-19 News

    Study predicts Coronavirus will grow exponentially; Philippines, NZ enact travel bans

    While the list of countries banning entry to travellers from China is growing, Thailand continues to resist. The Philippines yesterday became the latest country to block entry to travellers, including those from Hong Kong and Macau, after a Chinese man died in Manila of the Novel Coronavirus, the first death outside of China from the pneumonia-like illness. Philippine President Duterte…

  • Tourism News

    Pattaya leaders meet to discuss effects of Coronavirus on tourism

    Pattaya luminaries, community leaders and business owners met yesterday at Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden to discuss the effect of the Wuhan Coronavirus on local tourism and ways to minimise the damage. The deputy Governor of Chonburi province, where Pattaya is located, travelled to Nong Nooch Gardens to meet with the director of U-Tapao Airport, the director of the Pattaya…