Thailand to reduce quarantine for visitors to revive tourism

People walk along Khaosan Road in Bangkok, Thailand. One of the most tourism-dependent countries in the world, Thailand is eyeing plans for vaccine passports and quarantine waivers as the global Covid-19 inoculation drive gathers pace. - Bloomberg

BANGKOK (Bloomberg): Thailand will shorten the mandatory quarantine period for foreign travellers from next month but deferred a decision on recognising vaccine certificates for easier global mobility amid a spike in global virus cases.

A panel chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha on Friday (March 19) approved curtailing the quarantine to 10 days from two weeks starting April 1, Traisuree Taisaranakul, a government spokeswoman, told reporters in Bangkok. The country may stop enforcing quarantine altogether from Oct. 1 though the group delayed a decision on cutting isolation period to seven days for vaccinated tourists as recommended by an expert group last week, officials said.