As coronavirus cases resurfaced, the Thai government opted on Friday to temporarily suspend quarantine-free visas for fully vaccinated visitors, the government’s Covid-19 task force informed, while also curtailing windows for consuming alcohol in eateries. The rulings will have a negative impact on the second economy, which is heavily dependent on tourism and related sectors.
The quarantine-free entry ban will remain in force until further notice. The administration will no longer accept applicants from December 22. However, existing participants will be allowed to visit Thailand until January 15 without being quarantined. same “sandbox” quarantine time. Thailand will also suspend an entry ban from January 11 for travelers flying from eight African countries deemed high-risk.
During the period prior to the suspension, fully vaccinated foreign visitors coming from countries not on the authorized “Test and Go” list qualified to gain access through a “sandbox” strategy. It required people to stay at a government-approved resort under one of 26 “blue zone” locations, including Phuket, Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Koh Samui, for seven days before being allowed to flexibly move around the state. Thailand had the majority of its “sandbox” schedules due to concerns about Omicron.
Thailand discovered 7,526 new cases of coronavirus on Friday. Cases reported daily have nearly tripled from a record 2,305 on Dec. 28. The country has registered 2,062 cases of omicron since Tuesday.
Thailand currently allows the drinking of alcohol in some tourist spots in restaurants that have received the highest sanitary accreditation from the government. However, they will be ordered by the government to stop serving alcohol after 9pm. Pubs, bars, clubs and other entertainment venues are allowed to reopen on January 16 if they have been converted to eateries. The Thai government had ordered these places to close since April 2021.
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