Quarantine-free travel for fully vaccinated visitors from low risk countries; Major tourist attractions reopen by December and beyond.
Thailand: Quarantine-free travel for fully vaccinated visitors from low risk countries from November 1st
Thailand is slated to open to international visitors without quarantine from November 1 (Monday) when they are fully vaccinated and arrive by air from low risk countries.
In his national address on Monday (October 11, 2021), Prime Minister and Defense Minister General Prayuth Chan-o-cha called: “In the past year and a half, we have witnessed some of the greatest peacetime challenges our country has ever faced in its history, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has left no one untouched and no country in the world unscathed .
“It was also one of the most painful experiences of my life: making decisions that reconcile saving lives with saving livelihoods – a decision that is not always clearly separated and in which we can save lives, but which commit them . ”Lives with the excruciating pain of trying to survive with little or no income, or where we make a living but commit our family, friends and neighbors to the loss of life and the loss of their breadwinner.
“In the face of this terrible decision, it was my decision that we should not allow a slow, wait-and-see approach to tackle the pandemic and claim the lives of as many of our compatriots as we ultimately saw” happen in so many other countries. As a result, I have acted decisively, on the advice of many of our preeminent public health experts, to make our country one of the first in the world to move fast with lockdowns and strict regulations. “
He then stated that, with everyone’s efforts, “we are among the most successful countries in the world when it comes to saving lives”.
“But there are very big victims of lost livelihoods, lost savings and destroyed businesses – which we have all given up so that our mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children, friends and neighbors can live today.”
The Prime Minister also noted that the risk of a large-scale, fatal spread of the virus in Thailand is now decreasing “although the risk of resurgence is always there and although the capacities of our hospital and medical staff are still severely limited.”
Therefore, it is time that the country prepared for the coronavirus and had to live with it as with other endemic infections and diseases.
“It is time we prepared for the coronavirus and lived with it as we did with other endemic infections and diseases, just as we learned to live with other diseases with treatments and vaccinations.
With that, opening up to international travel will be an important step forward as some of Thailand’s “major tourist sources” have begun to ease their travel restrictions.
“With these developments we have to act quickly, but nevertheless cautiously, and we must not miss the opportunity to entice some of the end-of-year and New Year’s travelers in the next few months to support the many millions of people who live on our livelihood. and entertainment sectors as well as the many other related sectors, “said PM Prayuth.
From November 1st, Thailand visitors only need to prove that they are COVID-free at the time of their trip by taking an RT-PCR test before leaving their home country, and after that they must also take a test in Thailand that they can move freely across the country.
This step starts with at least 10 countries on Thailand’s low risk non-quarantine list, including the UK, Singapore, Germany, China and the United States, and will expand through December 1st. This list will be extensive through January 1, announced PM Prayuth. Visitors from countries not on the list are “still made very welcome,” but with quarantine and other requirements.
“I know there is some risk involved in making this decision. It is almost certain that if we loosen these restrictions we will experience a temporary increase in severe cases. We need to monitor the situation very carefully and see how we manage this situation contain and live with it. ” because I don’t think the many millions who depend on travel, leisure, and entertainment revenues can afford the devastating blow of a second lost New Year’s vacation.
“But if we unexpectedly see a highly dangerous new variant of the virus emerge in the coming months, then of course we have to act accordingly and proportionately when we see the threat. We know this virus has taken people by surprise. “World several times, and we must be ready to do it all over again.”
According to the Prime Minister, vaccine shipments have tripled since Thailand’s 120-day target was adopted, from about 4 million doses in May to nearly 12 million in July, then to nearly 14 million in August, and now exceeding 20 million At the end of the year with a total of more than 170 million cans, “way ahead” of the goals he had set.
Read PM Prayuth’s full speech here.
Vietnam: Reopening major tourist attractions to fully vaccinated visitors from low risk countries by December
One recently Reuters report noted that Vietnam plans to reopen its main tourist destinations from December and welcome fully vaccinated people from low risk countries before a full reopening by June 2022.
According to the report, this would include destinations such as Halong Bay and Hoi An, Dalat and Nha Trang. A government statement said: “We are only open when it is really safe. We proceed step by step, carefully but flexibly, in order to adapt to the real situations of the pandemic. “
In more updates, Ho Chi Minh City will further relax its social distancing measures starting October 15 (Friday) as part of reopening plans for the economy.
As in a. quoted Report from VNS, Phan Thị Thắng, vice chairman of the city’s People’s Committee, said, “We cannot completely eradicate the virus. We have to accept that we can live with it safely ”and urge people to be“ very careful ”and strictly adhere to preventive measures.
That move comes with nearly 70% of the city’s adults being fully vaccinated and nearly 100% receiving at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, she said.
In anticipation of the reopening, VNS reported that the government is planning a number of business support measures, including a 30% reduction in corporate tax for companies with sales up to VN 200 200 billion and a similar cut in VAT (between the October 1 and December 31) for certain sectors.
In addition, small business households will receive tax exemptions for the third and fourth quarters of 2021.
Aside from that, Ho Chi Minh City will also allow tourism and entry and exit to the city without quarantine from November, as long as travelers are fully vaccinated, VNS reported.
Other cited updates are:
- The city will provide job search conditions and support, such as free jobseeking assistance to job seekers.
- Priority for vaccination is given to workers in the provinces who want to return to work in the city.
- Non-essential services and business are prohibited.
Indonesia: Bali opens to international travelers in October
The tourist hotspot Bali will reopen this month for international arrivals and will open for the first time to travelers from selected countries from October 14th. CNN reported.
This was announced by the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Panjaitan last week, but the approved countries were not specified.
According to the report, the minister said that this reopening will move forward provided the airport can meet the quarantine, testing and COVID response requirements. He said, “Each international arriving passenger must provide proof of booking a hotel in quarantine for at least eight days at their own expense.”
The minister added that Indonesia remains “selective when it comes to allowing foreigners to enter Indonesia”. Currently, only visitors from South Korea, China, Japan, the United Arab Emirates such as Abu Dhabi and Dubai as well as New Zealand are allowed to enter under “very specific circumstances”.
India: #ICYMI tourist visas for foreigners who are from 15. enter with charter flights Oct
India’s Ministry of the Interior (MHA) will begin issuing tourist visas for foreigners coming to India on charter flights, from October 15, 2021.
In a statement made Thursday (October 7, 2021), the MHA said foreign tourists, airlines bringing them to India and anyone else involved at landing stations must adhere to all due protocols and standards regarding COVID-19, as mandated by the ministry communicated from time to time for health and family welfare.
Currently, foreigners are only allowed to enter and stay in India with an Indian visa other than the tourist visa.
In making this decision, the MHA has consulted all major stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Ministry of Tourism and various state governments where foreign tourists are expected.
While the above applies to tourists arriving on charter flights, MHA has determined that those entering India on flights other than chartered planes will be able to do so from November 15, 2021.
[Original update: India to grant Tourist Visas to foreigners entering through chartered flights effective 15 Oct 2021, published on HRO on 8 October 2021]
Photo / 123RF
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