To make the return of tourism more attractive, quarantine for visitors entering the kingdom may be reduced to seven days as soon as November, one month after entries are allowed again.
Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said that the change would come around mid November so long as no more than four of the first 300 tourists arriving on Special Tourist Visas in October test positive for COVID-19.
Even for the reduced isolation period, during which guests will be sequestered to government-approved hotels and other facilities, will need to complete two swab tests, a strip test and a more reliable method called a polymerase chain reaction test.
Pipat said, if five or more of the first batch of inbound tourists tests positive for the coronavirus, the plan would be postponed to after November.
The new, cabinet-approved Special Tourist Visa allows visitors into Thailand for 90 days. It can be extended twice equal periods of time, making the stay valid up to nine months. The initial plan limits arrivals to 300 per week.
The first group of visitors is already booked to enter the country Thursday and will complete their 14-day quarantines on Oct. 15. A second batch of 300 has also been confirmed for the following week.
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