Thai group seeks easing of tourism rules for foreigners

The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) has planned to discuss with the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) its proposal to further relax screening of foreign tourists. FTI wants the government to abandon the mandatory Test & Go scheme, quarantine, and RT-PCR testing to attract more visitors and restore the pandemic-ravaged tourism industry. FTI chairman Supant Mongkolsuthree said that Thailand should allow foreign tourists who already received two doses of vaccines to enter the country without going through those screening measures. He said foreign tourists should only be required to show “vaccine passports” that prove they are fully vaccinated upon arrival. Thailand opened to vaccinated tourists in November 2021. The government set a target to welcome 5-6 million foreign tourists this year. Supant said spending from tourists can help boost economic activities during the high season.