BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand will reduce its mandatory quarantine from 14 to seven days from next month for foreigners arriving in the country vaccinated against the coronavirus, his health minister said on Monday.
Vaccinations should be given within three months of the travel period, and visitors will still have to show negative COVID-19 test results within three days of their departure, Anutin Charnvirankul told a news conference.
Those who have not yet been vaccinated but with coronavirus-free certificates will be quarantined for ten days, he said.
“Foreigners traveling to Thailand with vaccination certificates in accordance with the requirements of each brand will only need to be quarantined for seven days,” Anutin said, referring to the doses needed to be effective.
Thailand’s flight restrictions, its strict admission requirements and mandatory quarantine for all arrivals were key in the success of spreading the virus to just over 26,000 cases and 85 deaths.
These curbs have reduced its vital tourism sector, but it has resulted in widespread job losses and closure of businesses and contributed to the country’s deepest economic traction in more than two decades.
The country received nearly 40 million visitors in 2019.
The new measures do not apply to those traveling from Africa, who would be quarantined for another two weeks due to concerns about other variants of the virus.
Vaccinated Thai nationals without a certificate indicating that they are coronavirus-free must spend one week in quarantine after two negative tests in the country.
If Thailand vaccinates 70% of medical staff and risk groups after October, its restriction could be eased, Anutin said, adding that it is possible to waive quarantine altogether.
Thailand has so far vaccinated 27,497 people, mostly medical workers, using the Sinovac Biotech vaccine. 61 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine have been ordered with massive vaccinations starting in June
Anutin said the country may need to order 10 to 20 million doses that he can get from other producers.
(Reported by Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng; edited by Martin Petty)