The popular tourist destination of Thailand has decided to scrap their recent decision to reinstate COVID-19 restrictions for all visitors.
Thailand changes its mind
Thailand has effectively withdrawn their decision to reinstate COVID-19 restrictions for all visitors entering the country, just days after imposing the vaccination requirement ahead of the arrival of Chinese tourists.
Public Health Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, Anutin Charnvirakul, has announced that the vaccine certificate requirement, which was announced last week, will now NOT be enforced as it is seen to deter tourists, reports Bloomberg.
The vaccine rule, which stated that tourists needed to prove that they have had two doses of most vaccines or one shot of Johnson & Johnson, was brought back as the country prepared for a wave of tourist arrivals from China following Beijing’s decision to reopen the country to the world.
This move drew protests from the local Thai tourism industry, however, with locals declaring that the sudden announcement of the entry rules would affect travellers.
The minister said that tourist arrivals to Thailand will only continue to rise.
“If Thai people warmly welcome travelers while being cautious about their own health and safety, the economy will recover quickly after being hit hard by Covid during the past three years,” Charnvirakul said.
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