Plans to open Thailand further to tourism - 40,000 foreign returnees have arrived since July. - Thai Visa

 Plans to open Thailand further to tourism - 40,000 foreign returnees have arrived since July

 

 

A foreign ministry spokesman has announced figures for the number of Thais and foreigners who have returned to Thailand since the pandemic broke out. 

 

And now the foreign minister himself is indicating that westerners may be allowed to charter planes and quarantine at resorts in tourist areas. Whether this marks a shift in current arrangements remains unclear as CCSA (Covid-19 committee) approval remains a hurdle.

 

But both Thai Rath and Daily News intimated that Thailand was about to open more widely to a broader spectrum of foreigners, not just mostly Chinese travellers on special tourist visas. 

 

FM spokesman Thanee Saengrat said that from July 9th to 24th November the ministry had issued Certificates of Entry (CoE)  to 40,401 foreigners. 

 

Of these the most were Chinese at 7,116 followed by 5472 Japanese, 3279 Americans, 2640 British and 2169 South Koreans.

 

He said that the three most prevalent categories for these were 1) Work permit holders or those with a right to work and those married or with children 2) spouses or children of Thais and 3) School or college students and their parents.

 

Regarding Thai returnees Thanee said that in the period June 4th to 25th November 128,103 Thais had been assisted by the FM in returning home. Of these 97,396 had returned by air, 28,700 by land and 2,007 by sea. This process was continuing as was the repatriation of foreigners. 

 

In December 6,951 Thais were due to return (data from November 16th).

 

The top ten countries from which Thais had returned were as follows: 1. Malaysia, US, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, UK, Sweden, Germany, Australia and India. 

 

Thai Rath reported that 711 foreigners had arrived on the STV, special tourist visa that permits long stay that can be extended up to 270 days.

 

Both media reported that Thai foreign minister Don Pramudwinai was in favor of opening the country further to all foreign tourists.

 

The suggestion was that westerners would be allowed to charter planes to fly in and quarantine in tourist areas.

This would be subject to CCSA approval, said the spokesman on behalf of the minister.

 

How this would differ from current arrangements was not clearly articulated, notes Thaivisa.

 

Sources: Thai Rath and Daily News