Over the weekend, Thailand announced that they will be requiring international travellers to show proof of Covid-19 vaccinations or recovery from the virus since July.
Then, on Monday (9 Jan), health minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced the decision to rescind the policy.
According to Reuters, Mr Anutin said proof of vaccination was not necessary as there was sufficient immunisation globally.
Source: Akyra
Prior to going back on the policy, the Thai government said it is reviewing the situation after tourism operators complained that the abrupt change had led to tourists cancelling bookings.
On Monday (9 Jan), Thailand made a U-turn on their recently announced rule about requiring international visitors to have proof of their Covid-19 jabs.
Mr Anutin told reporters that this was no longer necessary, reported Channel NewsAsia (CNA).
Source: Reuters
There is sufficient immunisation around the globe, he explained. Those who aren’t vaccinated would still be granted entry without restriction.
However, visitors who are travelling from Thailand to another country requiring a negative pre-entry Covid-19 test will need to show that they have health insurance covering treatment for the virus.
The now-rescinded vaccination requirement was initially set to kick in on Monday (9 Jan) at 1am. It was reportedly set to last at least till the end of January.
Amongst the rules was that unvaccinated travellers will need a medical report justifying their lack of inoculations.
It was announced by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand ahead of the reopening of China’s borders on Sunday (8 Jan).
The initial requirement to show proof of vaccination had upset many tour operators.
According to The Bangkok Post, the Phuket Tourist Association said the requirement could affect ongoing attempts to restore the country’s tourism industry.
Source: The Bangkok Post
Following that, the association sent a letter to Prime Minister Gen Prayut urging him to fix the problem.
UK tour companies also complained that no warnings were given before the change was announced.
Many of their customers had already been travelling to airports and might not have their Covid-19 vaccination certificates.
This would mean they could be denied boarding, and companies would have to bear the cost of reimbursing them.
German tour companies shared that the sudden requirement also reduced confidence in Thai tourism.
Over 1,000 accommodation reservations had allegedly been cancelled. This is because around 20% of the population was not vaccinated.
The same issue was reported in Scandinavia, where companies had to cancel tickets and issue refunds. French and Russian tour companies also had similar concerns.
Phuket tourism operators themselves also suffered booking cancellations.
Thailand Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn later stepped in and asked Mr Anutin to adjust the rule for foreign visitors.
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Featured image adapted from Hanny Naibaho on Unsplash.
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