Pattaya business leaders not convinced by tourism minister’s quarantine plan - Pattaya Mail

Pattaya business leaders not convinced by tourism minister's quarantine plan

Jetsada HomklinMarch 25, 2021

(l-r) Chonburi Gov. Pakarathorn Thienchai, Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn and Pattaya Mayor Sonthaya Kunplome co-chaired the meeting at city hall to reassure the Pattaya business community that all efforts are being made to open the country as soon as possible.

Thailand's tourism minister told Pattaya and Chonburi officials that citizens of 120 countries are eagerly awaiting to travel to Thailand in October.

Meeting with Chonburi Gov. Pakarathorn Thienchai and Pattaya Mayor Sonthaya Kunplome at city hall March 22, Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn reiterated already announced plans to reopen the country to tourism.
The current phase allows vaccinated tourists to endure only seven days of quarantine – a rule that has left business owners and local governmentofficials scratching their heads – while four days have been cut off the two-week quarantine for unvaccinated travelers arriving from countries where coronavirus variants haven't spread widely.

Thailand's tourism minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn met with members of the business community to outlinerelaxation of quarantine regulations for foreign visitors.

Business leaders across the country have scorned the plan, saying vaccinated tourists should not have to undergo any quarantine and that virtually no one will travel to the kingdom if they have to spend up to two weeks in isolation.

Pipat said plans call for all quarantines to be ended in October as vaccines will be widely available around the globe. One exception, ironically, may be Thailand, where not even half the population is expected to be inoculated this year.

Pipat said a million doses will be needed for the tourism sector by October.

Business leaders across the country are not convinced that the tourism minister's reopening and quarantine plan will work.

The government, he added, is prioritizing Chonburi, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi, and Surat Thani in its vaccination campaign with overseas Tourism Authority of Thailand offices reporting strong interest in traveling to Thailand this fall in 120 countries that have controlled their Covid-19 epidemics and have not been hit hard by variants.

Thailand's tourism minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn met with members of the business community to outline relaxation of quarantine regulations for foreign visitors.