April 1st still on the table for Thailand's opening to foreign tourists - Thai Visa

April 1st still on the table for Thailand's opening to foreign tourists

Picture: Daily News

Thai media Daily News continued to maintain that April 1st would be the date that Thailand begins its path to accepting foreign tourists again.

They published a story that reported the Thai minister for tourism and sports Pipat Ratchakitprakan as meeting a delegation of tourism operators and associations from Surat Thani led by the deputy governor of the province.

Representatives came from the holiday islands of Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan as well as the mainland to present their cases for the opening of the country.

Daily News said that Pipat will be proposing to a meeting of the CCSA (Covid steering) committee at the end of next week that visitors be allowed from countries such as the US, UK, Italy, Germany, China, Japan, South Korea and India. 

Without elaborating further the media harped back to previous reports from Anutin Charnvirakul, DPM and health minister, who favors 7 day area quarantine for  those foreigners who have received two doses of vaccine and ten days (not confined to hotel rooms) for those that haven't been jabbed. 

The media said that such a plan would inspire visitors to Thailand from many countries. 

Thaivisa notes that potential visitors to Thailand could be forgiven for being confused about contradictory messages coming from different ministries. 

Pipat and Anutin would say they have a common goal though it is plain they have their own proposals and agendas. 

Potential visitors to Thailand would be well advised to wait for firmer decisions at the CCSA main commitee on Friday March 19th before deciding their next move. 

Even then keeping a watchful brief would be advisable.

Reading between the lines April 1st seems to be a date for the next stage in "quarantine easing" for tourism while October 1st remains a more realistic date for a broader return to mass tourism with less restrictions.