BANGKOK, June 15 (TNA) — The Tourism and Sports Ministry will propose its ‘travel bubble’ plan to the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on June 17.
Deputy government spokesperson Traisulee Traisoranakul said Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn was proposing ‘travel bubble’ meaning the pairing of the countries that well contained the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) for bilateral tourism.
The new bilateral tourism cooperation was drawing global attention as COVID-19 situations were improving in many countries, she said.
According to the deputy spokesperson, CCSA already approved the proposal in principle and the Tourism and Sports Ministry is discussing details with the Public Health Ministry, the Interior Ministry and the Foreign Affairs Ministry. They are considering negotiations with target countries, an action plan and disease surveillance. CCSA will discuss the details on June 17.
The Tourism and Sports Ministry hopes that the travel bubble would resume tourist arrivals in Thailand that was good at COVID-19 control.
Initially the ministry expects about 1,000 foreigners to arrive daily and they will be businesspeople and patients who plan to receive medical treatment in Thailand. If disease control remains effective, other types of visitors will be allowed in.
Ms Traisulee said that the travel bubble policy would not require 14-day quarantine. Instead, visitors from countries of controlled COVID-19 will be tested for the disease before leaving their country and retested upon their arrival in Thailand. They may be banned from visiting some areas in the country and their locations will be monitored throughout their stay. (TNA)
