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BANGKOK (BLOOMBERG) – Thailand will extend the state of emergency until October as the tourism-dependent nation prepares to reopen its borders to foreign visitors after a six-month gap, while maintaining its relative success in containing local transmission of the coronavirus.
The national Covid-19 task force chaired by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha approved on Monday (September 28) the extension of the emergency rules until October 31, according to Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-Ngam.
The panel also approved special tourist visas for foreign tourists starting next month, Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said in Bangkok.
The one-month extension, when approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday, would be the sixth since the initial order in March.
The emergency rules allow the government to enforce mandatory quarantines and optimize disease control plans without multiple approvals from various agencies. The measures were due to end on September 30.
Thailand has managed to control the coronavirus outbreak quickly and was able to gradually restart most of its economy since May.
So far it has reported just over 3,500 cases and 59 deaths, with most of its recent cases found in state quarantine. But its economy, which also relies on manufacturing, is on track for its worst contraction on record as the pandemic disrupted international trade and travel.
The first group of foreign tourists, 150 Chinese nationals, will arrive on a charter flight from Guangzhou to Phuket on October 8, Minister Phiphat said.
They will be followed by another Chinese group on October 25 and the first European visitors in early November, he said.
“A lot of people want to come to Thailand because we can control the outbreak well,” Prayuth said. “We have to reopen so the economy can keep going. If we don’t do anything, everything will be bad.”
The limited number of foreign visitor visas is intended to test the nation’s readiness for a broader tourism reopening in the coming months as part of its efforts to boost the struggling sector.
The government wants some foreign visitors to return because they made up two-thirds of the country’s tourism revenue before the pandemic, and many businesses are struggling to survive a long period without foreign visitors.
The Southeast Asian nation is trying to strike a balance between minimizing infection risks and reopening to foreign visitors who could help rescue its economy.
Foreigners wishing to visit the country will need to apply for a special visa, get tested for Covid-19 before departure, and accept more tests and a quarantine upon arrival.
Prayuth said authorities were fully prepared to carry out contact tracing in the event of a new outbreak and the country’s health system was prepared to handle new cases.
Thailand has reported only two local infections since the end of May, official data shows.
While the government said there is some interest from groups in wanting to stay in the country long-term, critics said the program could be too expensive for many visitors, who must pay for health insurance that can cover at least $ 100,000. (S $ 137,668). in Thailand, a quarantined hotel and charter or private flights.
Tourism is an important part of the Thai economy and contributes to about a fifth of its gross domestic product. The pandemic has devastated the industry, which generated more than $ 60 billion in revenue from some 40 million foreign visitors in 2019.
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