Life & Leisure

Thailand ends mandatory quarantine for vaccinated travelers

Bangkok, May 1 (EFE).- Vaccinated foreigners will no longer have to serve mandatory quarantine in Thailand, the authorities said, in a move that began on Sunday to boost the tourism sector hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak.

However, travelers will have to undergo Covid-10 rapid tests upon their arrival.

It marks an important step to reviving tourism, one of the critical engines of the Thai economy.

Thailand began opening its borders for tourists last year, but that was affected by the surge of the omicron variant towards the end of 2021.

Covid-19 has wreaked havoc on the tourism sector.

Before the pandemic, officially declared in March 2020, it accounted for between 12 and 20 percent of Thai GDP.

The Thai authorities will also reduce the minimum health insurance coverage from $20,000 to $10,000.

Travelers who have not received Covid vaccinations will still have to isolate for at least three days in authorized quarantine centers.

Thailand has registered 4.26 million cases and 28,617 deaths. Some 73.2 percent of its population are fully vaccinated, and 80.3 percent have received at least one dose.

Myanmar, which shares a border with Thailand, announced new Covid-19 regulations on Friday, exempting fully vaccinated travelers on commercial flights from quarantine.

The crisis-ridden country, battling social and political unrest due to the Feb.1, 2021, military coup, reopened its borders to foreigners from Apr.17.

The opposition to the military regime believes that coup leaders seek to feign calm and stability in the country with this move.

Myanmar has accumulated 613,000 Covid-19 infections and 19,434 deaths.

However, experts have questioned the official data. Some 42.5 percent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated, while 55.4 percent have got at least one dose. EFE

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