Thailand’s tourism reopening plans are gaining momentum as authorities roll out a national inoculation program and look into coronavirus vaccine passports and quarantine waivers.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha this week ordered officials to study vaccine certificates for international travel after signaling the tourism-reliant nation is open to scrapping the two-week quarantine for inoculated visitors. The local tourism industry wants mandatory quarantines to be lifted from as early as July 1 so the nation can open to potentially millions of vaccinated travelers.
Thailand managed to contain a flareup in COVID-19 infections at the start of the year, and its overall caseload is relatively low at about 26,000, with 84 deaths. A successful reopening by Thailand could spur other tourism-dependent nations to follow suit, though the World Health Organization this week warned about the risks of countries easing restrictions too fast.