Thailand to fully reopen on 1 May, hopes to attract more Malaysian, Indian & Chinese tourists

There will be no Test & Go entry scheme starting 1 May

Starting 1 May, fully vaccinated travellers will only need to take self-antigen tests during their stay as part of Thailand’s efforts to further ease COVID flight restrictions to boost tourism, according to the Bangkok Post.

The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin said that there will be no Test & Go entry scheme starting 1 May and that the government will develop other measures for vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers arriving in the country.

In another report by the Bangkok Post, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha expressed his support for a travel bubble that will boost post-pandemic tourism between Thailand and India.

Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana shared that this is a joint project endorsed by both public and private sectors in an effort to entice more Indians to visit the country, especially since travel restrictions have eased in Thailand.

Approximately two million Indian tourists visited Thailand before the pandemic, which generated THB86 billion (USD2.5 billion) in revenue.

Meanwhile, southern Thailand is expected to welcome a large number of Malaysian tourists once the Test & Go scheme ends on Sunday, 1 May. 

More: Arrivals double as Thailand eases COVID restrictions

According to The Nation Thailand, Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn visited the islands of Koh Nu and Koh Maew on Saturday, 23 April, to check on the preparations being made for the reopening of southern Thailand. These islands will be marketed as “hidden” tourist destinations in Songkhla, with attractions such as the Morakot Cave and Chomphu cliffs.

The National News Bureau of Thailand also reported that the tourism sector is hoping to see more visitors from Mainland China during Golden Week in October, which is from the first to the seventh of the month. 

Tourism Council of Thailand vice president Vichit Prakobgosol stated that once the country fully reopens in the second quarter, it is projected to attract approximately five million international visitors. He added that if international travel restrictions ease in Mainland China, the number of foreign tourists in Thailand could go up to eight million by the end of the year.

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