Thailand Requires COVID-19 Quarantine

ILLUSTRATION/Bangkok Thailand/PIXABAY

BANGKOK - The Thai government began Tuesday to re-mandatory COVID-19 quarantine for foreign nationals and canceled the easing of quarantine due to concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant.

The decision to stop the "Test and Go" easing program means that visitors will have to undergo quarantine at the hotel for 7-10 days.

The "sandbox" program, which requires visitors to remain in certain areas but allows them to freely leave outside of their accommodation, will also be suspended in all places except the tourist resort island of Phuket.

"After December 21 there will be no more new 'Test and Go' registrations, only the quarantine or the Phuket sandbox", said deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhanadirek, quoted by Antara via Reuters, Tuesday, December 21.

The policy was announced a day after Thailand reported its first case of local transmission of Omicron and weeks after Thailand returned to welcoming foreign tourists in November.

The arrival of foreigners ended nearly 18 months of strict entry policies, which contributed to the paralysis of tourism, a key industrial sector as well as an economic driver that brought in 40 million visitors throughout 2019.

About 200,000 visitors who previously signed up for the quarantine relaxation and sandbox program are still allowed, said government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana.

"This is not to shut down tourism but only to temporarily delay arrivals", he said.

According to Wangboonkongchana, the decision will be reviewed on January 4.