New Buzzword: Area Quarantine - Thailand set to open resorts and islands as three ministries tackle tourism crisis 
Pipat Ratchakitprakarn (File photo for reference only)
There is a new buzzword on the lips of every Thai in the tourism industry from the minister down through the ranks.
Area Quarantine.
This is now being hailed as the answer to Thailand's tourism crisis after the pandemic saw the 3 trillion dollar industry that is 17 % of GDP decimated.
Here's how it will work come next month then progress later from July.
In the first phase long stay tourists will be targeted for the main tourist areas.
Then "travel bubble" countries will be identified from the third quarter. That is as early as July.
These are countries that have been as successful as Thailand in controlling the pandemic and delivering vaccine.
The selection of areas where tourists have been well known to stay at least one month and possibly as long as three is seen as vital to success.
These will be Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi, Pattaya, and the three islands of Koh Tao, Koh Samui and Koh Phangan.
All these are ready and willing and able to cope with the anticipated numbers who will be beating a path to Thailand's door.
Importantly, THREE ministries are working on the plans, tourism and sports minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan told the Thai media yesterday.
This three pronged approach is crucial, he said. His own ministry will grinding down into the nitty gritty of the obstacles.
The transport ministry under Saksayam Chidchob - from a well known family in the north east not unfamiliar with getting things done - will handle the all important flights and travel arrangements.
While the ministry of public health under Anutin Charnvirakul - who has masterminded Thailand's Covid-19 response strategies - will handle health and vaccine matters making sure that each and every Thai and foreigner is as safe as can be.
Pipat said they were also looking into the possibility of even stopping two week quarantine at some stage this year for foreigners who have had two doses of vaccine.
Pipat has been busy this week on all his plans.
Thai media reported that he had a "video conference" with the Department of Health Promotion of the MoPH and 216 tourism operators to present his ideas and plans.
Nothing is set in stone just yet - that will come when PM Prayuth Chan-ocha and his cabinet rubber stamp the plans.
But it is hoped that as early as next month and certainly by May "Area Quarantine" will be in full swing in the tourist areas.
The media reported that tourism was 17% of Thai gross domestic product pre-pandemic raking in 2 trillion baht from foreign tourists annually and a further trillion from the domestic tourism market.
Critics of the minister's gung-ho stance suggest that few foreign visitors have much appetite for travel just yet and only this week a tourism Thai business leader said it was all pointless if 14 day quarantine stays in place.
Others point out that the tourism ministry and TAT(Tourism Authority of Thailand) plan to promote long stay tourists already flopped not even meeting unambitious targets.
The Thais seem to be pinning their hopes on vaccines creating confidence though many have criticized the slow rollout of vaccination in the country.
A process that has already been mired in allegations of smoke and mirrors and flip-flopping.
