BANGKOK (The Nation/Asia News Network): The government is considering revoking the Thailand Pass for Thai nationals returning home, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Thursday.
The ministry will ask the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to allow Thais to re-enter the country freely, as those who later test positive will receive treatment under the UCEP Plus universal emergency treatment scheme.
“As for foreigners, we will consider lifting the Thailand Pass system in the next phase,” said Anutin, speaking after a monthly meeting with senior public health officials.
Anutin said last week that vaccine passports will likely replace the Thailand Pass as the means of screening foreign arrivals. The minimum requirement for vaccine passports would be three doses, as two jabs do not give prolonged immunity, he added.
Thailand has seen a surge of foreign arrivals since Test & Go was scrapped on May 1, ending the requirement for fully vaccinated travellers to book a test and one night in a hotel on arrival.
On Thursday, Anutin noted that the Covid-19 situation in Thailand is improving, with new infections and deaths declining in line with the ministry’s forecast.
“Currently, 20 per cent of respirator beds are occupied,” he said, adding that the Public Health Ministry is maintaining its “3 adequacies” policy of adequate drugs and medical supplies, adequate health professionals, and adequate hospital beds for Covid-19 patients.
On Friday, Thailand recorded 7,705 new Covid-19 infections and 62 deaths, while 11,252 patients recovered and were allowed to leave hospitals. Ten of the new cases were imported.
Since Jan 1, the country has logged just over 2 million (2,084,884) cases of Covid-19.
