Thailand

The Indonesian Tourism Minister has suggested creating a Phuket, Langkawi and Bali tourism “triangle”

Korat is ready to open to international tourists under the “Korat Green Box” model. Pak Chong district would be the first to reopen, as it is the gateway to Northeast Thailand

The Phuket Chamber of Commerce have confirmed that a proposal to fully reopen the island to tourism on 1 Dec under a new campaign, “Phuket Freedom Day”, has been submitted to the TAT. They are asking for booster shots to be able to open and treat COVID-19 as endemic, with entertainment venues open and the alcohol ban lifted. They are also urging the government to release detailed information on the numbers of mild, asymptomatic or severe patients, as well as their vaccination status. It is hoped that Phuket Freedom Day could generate 210 billion THB in 3 months for tourism revenue, with 200,000 visitors in Dec, and 250,000-300,000 in Q1 2022, whilst the domestic market could generate 400,000-500,000 visitors in Q4 2021 and 500,000-600,000 in Q1 2022. The Thai Hotels Association Southern chapter has said that “no hotels are managing to make a profit” under the Phuket Sandbox currently

The curfew in dark red zones will be maintained

SiteMinder’s Changing Traveller Report 2021 has shown that 51% of Thai travellers will definitely or likely work during their upcoming trips, with 52% choosing to book directly with the hotel, and 23.5% via OTAs. Big hotel chains are preferred at 27.5% because of their perceived safety. Their top destination choice factors included vaccination and health requirements, and then personal bucket lists. They have seen more advance bookings for destinations closer to Bangkok

The Eastern Chapter of the Thai Hotels Association has warned that if hotels in Pattaya do not receive any financial assistance, then many hotels could end up foreign-owned investors

The Education Ministry plans to reopen schools by Nov

The Thai-Asean Halal Tourism and Trade Association (TAHTA) has said that more than 90% of hotels in Songkhla have closed temporarily

The Thai Hotels Association Vice President has warned against opening the Hua Hin Recharge scheme from 1 Oct to international travellers, as it coincides with the domestic high season, which usually accounts for 75% of its travellers. Instead, they proposed a launch in December instead. It should also be done in parallel with the reopening of Cha-am, and when 80-100% of their population is fully vaccinated. Expected revenue for the Hua Hun Recharge scheme could be up to 1.2 billion THB in 3 months

The Phuket Boutique Accommodation Consortium has requested an extension on the amnesty allowing small hotels to continue operating without complying to the Hotel Act. The current amnesty has expired, so the hotels are unable to take part in the Phuket Sandbox program, nor qualify for additional relief funds

The PM’s spokesman has stated that from 1 Oct, Bangkok will reopen to fully vaccinated travellers, as will Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan provinces

The designation of dark red and orange zones will remain the same until 30 Sep, whilst the curfew in dark red zones will be maintained

Access to Phi Phi Island will be limited from 11-18 Sep, after it reported cases

Thailand’s national parks are seeing an uptick in visitors since their reopening on 1 Sep, with 24,000 visiting Khao Yai national park, the closest to Bangkok, since 1 Sep

The Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau will focus on 3 strategies in 2022: developing Thai cities to host events, upgrading workforce skills and targeting prominent international organisations to hold events in Thailand. As part of this, cities will be encouraged to develop a “Festival Economy” , creating a signature international festival to reflect the region’s uniqueness

Phuket residents in close contact with international tourists will receive a booster dose if they were fully vaccinated with Sinovac

Thai AirAsia has reported that its flight routes from Bangkok Don Mueang to Chiang Mao, Chiang Rai and Hat Yai are its top booked from 3-15 Sep, with an average of 80% of seats booked. The airline is also planning to add more flights to its Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani and Nakhon Panom routes

Samui Plus is planning to overhaul its entry requirements from 1 Oct, and will eliminate the quarantine requirements, following the Phuket Sandbox model instead. This will allow tourists to stay for one day in a SHA+ hotel whilst they await their test results, before being permitted to travel freely in Koh Samui, Phangan and Koh Tao. Medical expenses would also be reduced to 8,000 THB from 15,000 THB, to match Phuket. This would bring down the minimum spend to 20,000-25,000 THB per pax, including accommodation. The Tourism Association of Koh Samui admitted that the Samui Plus scheme needed a “makeover”. As of 7 Sep, the scheme has seen just 628 travellers. It will also propose a 7+7 scheme starting in Koh Samui, allowing travel to other provinces. They believe that the new model will allow for chartered flights from Russia and Israel, with Russian tour operators preparing to send 1,000 Russian tourists per month from Nov if regulations are solved

Domestic arrivals to Phuket are now permitted to bring their own antigen rapid test kits for testing at the checkpoint, but must use nasal swabs only, not saliva

The Kasikorn Research Centre has revised down its forecast for 2021 international arrivals to just 150,000 from its previous 250,000

A Digital Health Pass will be launched within the Mor Prom vaccine app, which can be used by domestic air passengers to provide vaccine and test information

Thai consumer confidence dropped to a record low in Aug to 39.6 from Jul’s 40.9 in the Thai Chamber of Commerce's consumer confidence index

Thai researchers are developing a COVID test which uses sweat

A survey conducted by the Bank of Thailand and the Thai Hotels Association has found that hotels are struggling. The number of active hotels in Aug increased to 48.4% from Jul’s 40.1%, mainly driven by Bangkok and Phuket. Other results included: • 52% of hotel operators are considering closing permanently, 9% want to shut permanently if the pandemic lasts longer than expected • 62% of hotel operators planned to cut their expenses • 38% of Phuket Sandbox hotels have said that international tourist arrivals were lower than expected, 35% expected, with occupancy of 15% • 52% of Samui Plus operators said they were receiving fewer international tourists than expected, with average occupancy of just 4% • 58% of hotels reported less than 10% of pre-pandemic revenue levels • 65% of hotels only have enough liquidity to survive for less than 3 months

The TAT Moscow office has noted that the key obstacle for Russians to travel to Thailand is the lack of commercial direct flights to Phuket. Russia is still not permitting flights to Thailand due to the latter’s emergency decree, which requires flights to be semi-commercial with limited seat capacity. The office forecasts that if air travel can resume, chartered flights could be ready within a month. In 2022, they are aiming to attract 500,000-700,000 Russian tourists

Pattaya hotels are ready to act on the Pattaya Move On program by 1 Oct, but have questioned the requirement that tourists only visit sealed routes, as they are difficult to track. The other hold-up is the lack of vaccines

The arrangements for Phuket’s vegetarian festival on 6-14 Oct is still being finalised

Phuket will add new measures for domestic travellers who want to enter the island – they must now present evidence of an accommodation booking paid in advance, as well as pre-registration on gophuget.com

The Surat Thani government have reported that the Samui Plus scheme has generated 37.6 million THB and 6,329 room nights since its launch, and welcomed 918 visitors, 347 of which came via the Phuket Sandbox. It has recorded 9,195 room nights booked until 9 Dec

Thailand is planning to set up its first cultural centre overseas in China

Agoda’s booking data has shown that Bangkok, Pattaya and Chiang Mai are the most popular domestic destinations in Thailand, but there has also been a change towards more off-the-beaten-track destinations in year ending 30 Jun 2021. Destinations such as Khao Lak jumped up 23 spots, whilst Nakhon Nayok moved up 15 places

The Songkhla professional guides association has said that 9 tour guides in Hat Yai have committed suicide since the pandemic hit, whilst others have turned to theft to survive. 600 local guides have had no work since 2020, and are reliant on handouts

Visitors for the Hua Hin Recharge scheme can arrived by travelling non-stop in a transfer from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, or via a transit flight to Hua Hin. It will also be permitted to be part of the 7+7 scheme extension scheme. The project leader of Hua Hin Recharge expects the hotel occupancy rate to increase to 60% in Q4 2021

From 1 Oct, only fully vaccinated residents in dark red provinces will be able to dine-in at restaurants, or use high-risk services such as spas and hair salons. Staff must also be fully vaccinated and be tested weekly

The Tourism Minister has said that the Bangkok reopening has been delayed to Nov, since many residents will not have received their second dose until the end of Oct. The TAT will also add 25 provinces as extension destinations for the 7+7 program from 15 Oct, which needs to be approved by the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA)

The Phuket Raceweek ran from 27-29 Aug after a one-year break

Domestic travellers to Phuket will no longer have to undergo an RT-PCR test during their stay on the island from 8 Sep

The Samui Plus scheme has now generated around 37.6 million THB since it launched in Jul, with 918 visitors and 6,329 room nights booked. 347 of those arrived from the Phuket Sandbox. The majority of the arrivals were from European countries and the US. The Surat Thani governor expects arrivals to increase in Q4, and has reported bookings of 9,195 until 9 Dec

The Pattaya Move On campaign has completed its SOPs for international tourists. These would require tourists to stay in an Alternative Local Quarantine hotel for 3 days on arrival, and then following a “sealed route programme” for another 3 days. After day 7, visitors can stay in SHA+ hotels and travel to more destinations around Pattaya. The Chonburi Tourism Council has said that tourist arrivals in Oct are expected to be 20-30% of pre-COVID times, and is expected to serve Russian and European travellers. Tourism areas will have allocated time slots, to keep international and local visitors separate

The Phuket Sandbox from 1 Jul-31 Aug has generated 1,634 million THB, with 565 million THB for accommodation, 376 million THB for goods and services, 350 million THB for F&B and 229 million THB for medical and health services

Phuket hospitals are now 80% occupied, with around 200 new infections being reported daily

Koh Lan reopened and has started to see some tourists return on 4 Sep

The Thai PM and 5 Cabinet members survived a no confidence vote after 4 days of questioning from the House of Representatives

Over 7,000 passengers flew from 14 reopened airports on 130 flights on 1 Sep, after flights were reopened. However, there were several cancellations to Phuket, after it delayed its reopening to domestic visitors

The Association of Domestic Travel (ADT) is aiming to achieve 75 million domestic trips in 2021, with the resumption of the government’s 2 domestic stimulus packages, We Travel Together, and Tour Teaw Thai, and assuming that lockdown ends from Oct. From Jan-Jul, the government has reported 25.2 million domestic trips, -31.1% YoY, generating 130 billion THB, -46.4% YoY

From 1 Jul-1 Sep, the Phuket Sandbox has received 26,695 international visitors, with cumulative hotel bookings in Jul and Aug 366,971 room nights. Sep forward bookings would make the number 471,471 nights. However, the TAT has said that it is unlikely that there will be 100,000 visitors in Q3 as previously targeted. Visitors from the US were the top arrival nationality, followed by the UK, Israel, Germany, France, the UAE, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Australia, and China. The infection rate remained at 0.3%

The government has said that more businesses may be allowed to resume in the next 2 weeks, if the situation continues its improvement

The TAT and the Phuket Tourist Association have held a Phuket Sandbox Travel Virtual Trade Meet 2021, with 700 appointments between 79 tourism businesses and 61 overseas buyers

Thai protestors have been gathering in their thousands to demand the resignation of the PM

Vaccinated domestic travellers will be permitted to enter Phuket from 8 Sep. They must be fully vaccinated if they are vaccinated with Sinovac, Sinopharm or Sputnik V, or with one dose of AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson. They will also need a rapid antigen or RT-PCR test within 72 hours of travel, and those who stay over 9 days will need to be tested again on the 5th day

Thailand’s Public Health Ministry is preparing guidelines for Bangkok, Pattaya, Hua Hin and Chiang Mai to reopen on 1 Oct. Other areas which may also open under the “bubble and seal” in Oct are Chiang Khan and Nong Khai province, Koh Kood, Koh Chang and Koh Samet

Ipsos has shown that 36% of Thai consumers rate their financial status as “bad”, with only 47% believing that their personal financial situation will improve. Up to 80% of consumers are cautious in their spending, and Thais have one of the lowest confidence in activities such as travelling domestically

The Tourism Minister stated that 5 provinces, including Bangkok, would be ready for reopening from 1 Oct, including Bangkok, Pattaya, Phetchaburi, Hua Him and Chiang Mai, whilst 21 provinces would be ready from 15 Oct. From 1 Jan 2021, travel bubbles between border provinces and neighbouring countries would be established: Surin, Sa Kaeo and Trat with Cambodia; Chiang Rai and Ranong with Myanmar; Nakhon Phanom, Nong Khai and Mukdahan with Laos; and Yala, Narathiwat, Songkhla and Satun with Malaysia. Provinces must still reach a 70% vaccination rate to be able to reopen

Phuket residents will no longer need a special permission letter to leave and re-enter Phuket

The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking have amended their GDP 2021 forecast up to -0.5% to +1% expansion, with the news that the COVID situation is improving, and more vaccine doses will be procured

Customers will not need to be fully vaccinated or undergo COVID tests to be able to dine out in dark red zones, unlike previous announcements. In Bangkok, public gatherings of up to 25 pax will be permitted, and schools can reopen with permission

The PM has said that the curfew in dark red zones may be lifted soon

The Chonburi Tourism Council have called for antigen testing to be permitted for its reopening scheme instead of the RT-PCR tests, to lower the cost for international tourists. It also called for landing fees and jet fuel costs to be reduced for chartered flights to attract more tour operators

Charming Chiang Mai should be launched on 1 Oct by the Tourism Council of Chiang Mai, with the plans now 90% ready and awaiting approval. They will be given options like spending 5 days only in Chiang Mai before returning home, splitting their 14 days between Chiang Mai and Phuket, or the whole 14 days in Chiang Mai

Hua Hin is confident that it will achieve herd immunity by its 1 Oct reopening target date for the Hua Hin Recharge campaign. It is targeting 100,000 international travellers with 1.2 billion THB in Q4. Operators are working with the Transport Ministry to receive private jets via Hua Hin airport, whilst hotels are applying for the SHA+ scheme. Vaccinated tourists would be able to travel independently or book packages, and would need to take an RT-PCR test on arrival and be transferred to a hotel. Once they test negative, they can travel freely around Hua Hin

Phuket has reported 257 cases on 31 Aug, a record high

Koh Larn will reopen on 1 Sep, but will not require visitors to be vaccinated or tested

Thailand will issue coloured cards to show vaccination status, as well as those who have recovered from COVID-19. They are still being finalised and may be issued in Oct

The Phuket Tourism Council has called for strict COVID measures on the island to be relaxed to help tourism recovery

The TAT have urged the government to approve Indian tourists permission to visit Phuket, with a potential 21,000 tourists generating 938 million THB in Q4 under a best-case scenario which would see them visiting Phuket and 6 other areas. A survey by the TAT has shown that 34% of Indian travel agents want to promote Thailand packages to mid-range customers, 27% luxury and 24% budget travellers. Indian travellers continue to make requests on holding weddings in Thailand from Nov-Jan

The Thai finance ministry has reported that Thailand’s economy in Jul slowed down MoM, but its stability remains good

Koh Samui has seen 650 rooms booked in 3 days after the 7+7 scheme was launched, a number that the Koh Samui Tourism Promotion Association have called “satisfactory”. Koh Samui’s Surat Thani airport is being proposed as a direct destination for Russian flights

The government will allow an easing of lockdown measures from 1 Sep., dependent on a “COVID-free setting”, where businesses must ensure good ventilation, hygiene, weekly tests for staff and full vacation for employees as soon as possible. Customers would need to provide proof of being fully vaccinated, have recovered from COVID in the last 3 months or have undergone an antigen test. Interprovincial travel is still not recommended unless necessary, and public transport will be limited to 75% capacity. Work from home and a 9pm-4am curfew will remain in place • Dark red zones: gatherings of more than 25 people are banned, dine in limited to 75% capacity in non-air conditioned venues, 50% in air-conditioned venues and can open until 8pm, shopping malls can open until 8pm, but MICE venues remain closed, outdoor sports permitted until 8pm. Educational institutes can reopen with a permit • Red zones: gatherings of more than 50 people are banned, dine in permitted until 11pm, shopping malls can open normally, all sports venues permitted until 9pm. Educational institutes can reopen with a permit • Orange zones: gatherings of more than 100 people are banned, dine in permitted with normal hours, shopping malls can open normally, all sports venues permitted to operate normally. Educational institutes can reopen

The PM has proposed that Thailand “learn to live safely with Covid-19”, and so the government will now look for a balance of control measures and economic activities

39 resorts operating off Koh Lan in Pattaya are being threatened with action, after being accused of encroaching on the sea and affecting traditional lives of people living there

The TAT is looking at adding Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Hua Hin to the Thailand reopening scheme in Sep. International tourism receipts from these 3 areas prior to the pandemic accounted for 50% of the country’s total. The TAT also believes that Thailand needs to implement a 7-day quarantine once more across the country, to boost tourism effectively, and that operators are relying on a better Q4 2021. They will propose the shortened quarantine once the fatality rate is below 100 per day, as well as a quarantine-free program for fully vaccinated tourists from low-risk areas “if public consensus is not against the idea”. The Thai Hotels Association doesn’t agree that a 7-day quarantine will stimulate demand, particularly for the short-haul market, and a better risk management strategy is needed, which relies on a robust vaccination and testing strategy

The Thai Hotels Association have reported a large number of cancellations from their UK customers for the Phuket Sandbox, whilst others have shortened their stay to return before Thailand is added to the UK’s red list

Domestic air travel in dark red zones will be permitted from 1 Sep, but restrictions will be in place from destination airports, including using tracking apps, vaccination certificates and test results. Airlines can increase their load factor to 70%, but in-flight drinks and food are not permitted

Thailand’s employment rate in Q2 increased by 2% YoY, with some increases recorded in hotels and restaurants. However, the overall rate of unemployment remained high, at 1.89%

A no-confidence debate has been set from 31 Aug-3 Sep, with voting on 4 Sep

The private sector in Sadao, Songkhla province, will propose a “Dan Nok Sandbox” concept, which would allow the towns on the border to reopen to Malaysian arrivals from Nov. More than 80% of the area’s businesses have closed down who depend on Malaysian arrivals. They would include restrictions such as all employees working in the Sadao district would need to be fully vaccinated, and all Malaysian arrivals would need to show a vaccination certificate and test negative

As of 24 Aug, Samui Plus has received 431 international travellers, with 34 continuing their journey to Koh Phangan, and 22 to Koh Tao. The Thai Hotels Association has put this low uptake down to the medical fees and swab test fees, which comes to 15,000 THB per person – operators are requesting that they be lower than 8,000 THB. Only 35% of the island’s tourism workers are still employed, and many hotels decided not to reopen, as they would incur maintenance costs

Thailand has now been classified as a “red list” country by the UK, which means that UK nationals returning from Thailand will need to undergo quarantine in a hotel for 10 days

A TAT study from the New York office has found that US tour operators are focusing on destinations which are fully open, without quarantine requirements, and many perceive Asian nations to be largely closed for tourism. The Canadian market also sees travel requirements as obstacles for booking

Phang Nga province is hoping in Q4 2021 to welcome 30,000 travellers and generate 2.5 billion THB under the 7+7 extension scheme. It forecasts 5,000 travellers in Sep with 800 million THB. 25% of its 75 hotels certified under the SHA Plus scheme will reopen in the first stage of the scheme, with 50-60 hotels reopening in Q4 2021

The Thai Chamber of Commerce is proposing a “Bangkok Sandbox” model, which would see businesses which have a 70% vaccination rate of staff to be able to reopen to fully vaccinated people

A study has reported that 800,000 people fell into poverty in 2020

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) is hopeful that from Sep the government will allow more activities to restart, as it believes that the outbreak has now reached its peak

3,578 Phuket Sandbox tourists have left Phuket for the 7+7 extension areas. 409,390 room nights have been booked for the Phuket Sandbox scheme from Jul-Sep

Thailand will keep its VAT rate unchanged at 7% for the next 2 years

A Suan Dusit poll has shown that 42.6% of respondents had to use some of their savings

New daily cases hit their lowest levels since 30 Jul, at 17,165 on 24 Aug

Koh Larn will remain closed to tourism until 31 Aug at least

The TAT has said that Pattaya needs to reach the 70% herd immunity level to be able to reopen. The private sector has submitted its SOPs for reopening to the Chon Buri Provincial Public Health Office, and is now waiting for approval

Chiang Mai’s Charming Chiang Mai reopening scheme will be the first inland project to be pushed by the TAT, scheduled initially from 1 Oct. It will target tourists solely, not returning expats or Thai nationals, as the Phuket Sandbox has done

Thailand’s Bangkok and Phuket have been named in TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best 2021 awards

The government is looking at more measures which could control the price of rapid antigen tests

194 business event venues will receive the Thailand MICE Venue Standard (TMVS) in 2021. The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) will also draft criteria for Muslim friendly events at MICE venues

Pattaya Business and Tourism Association has said that a reopening on 1 Sep is likely to be postponed, and that its plan to vaccinate 70% of Pattaya’s population before 1 Sep is also unlikely

Thailand’s home developed nasal vaccine for COVID-19 has applied for approval to start human tests by the year-end

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has said that new infections are levelling off, and based on simulations, could reach fewer than 10,000 new cases reported in early Sep

The Bank of Thailand is planning to test its retail digital currency payment options for the general public in Q2 2022

The reopening of Chiang Mai under “Charming Chiang Mai” may need to be postponed from its Sep planned reopening to Oct, as it has not reached a sufficient vaccination level. The plan will work differently to the Phuket Sandbox, requiring tour packages of 4D3N to be booked via tour companies, and to keep to strict itineraries

The rules for suspending the Phuket Sandbox scheme have been modified. The 90 infections in one week maximum has been removed, as has the 80% hospital bed occupancy limit. Instead, the criteria will include the readiness to accommodate new infected tourists, readiness to support new infected locals and the characteristics of the COVID-19 breakout in the island

The PM has said that restrictions on dark red zones are likely to be lifted by early Sep, as the infection rate is starting to slow down. He reminded the public to only leave the house when necessary

The TAT has launched its “Happy Paradise” activities for the Phuket Sandbox. This will include 1,000 welcome kits for travellers arriving at the airport with special souvenirs and badges to redeem certain perks during their stay. There will also be special performances at certain hotels to promote local culture

The TAT is launching a marketing campaign aimed at Asian countries such as China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, to promote the Phuket Sandbox. It is also in talks with South Korea to launch a travel bubble which would see no quarantine, and will ask Singapore to reduce the cost of its 14-day quarantine for returning citizens

The Bank of Thailand has reported that the unemployed and those working reduced hours reached 3 million in Q2 2021, up from 1 million prior to the pandemic

Thailand surpassed 1 million COVID-19 cumulative cases on 20 Aug

Samui Plus will continue to run, and Bangkok Airways will resume flights from Phuket to Koh Samui on 25 Aug. 257 Phuket Sandbox travellers have continued their trip in Koh Samui after spending 2 weeks in Phuket. Samui Plus has seen reservations for 2,149 room nights from 15 Aug- Nov, and 168 bookings, made by nationals from France, Germany, UK, Austria, the US and Thailand. 15 Jul-15 Aug saw 320 tourists visit, with 2,856 room nights booked, and income of 17.28 billion THB

Thailand is planning to submit the Sri Thep Historical Park in Phetchabun province as a UNESCO World Heritage site in Sep for listing in 2022

The Charming Chiang Mai reopening plan targets tourists from China's Qingdao, Chongqing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Xishuangbanna and Hainan; Japan's Hokkaido and Kyoto; and South Korea's Seongnam and Kangwonk. It anticipates seeing many Japanese and Korean golfers visiting. Chiang Mai estimates that one international flight could bring 90 visitors, generating 3.3 million THB of revenue per day. It could generate 51 million THB in one month from 1,440 tourists

The TAT hopes that 500,000 Russian visitors will visit Thailand, now that those tourists vaccinated with Sputnik V will also be permitted to enter the Phuket Sandbox. They forecast that Russian visitors could start to arrive for the Phuket Sandbox by Oct at the earliest, to allow time for charter flights to be arranged and booked. It will also urge airlines to start scheduled flights to Russia

60 of Thailand’s 155 national parks have reopened

The Saiyok Floatel, a popular floating hotel on the Kwae Noi River, has been ordered to be dismantled

The Phuket 7+7 extension scheme has been approved. It will allow travellers to spend 7 nights in Phuket, followed by 7 days in an extension area, including Krabi (Ko Phi Phi, Ko Ngai, or Railay), Phang-Nga (Khao Lak or Ko Yao), or Surat Thani (Ko Samui, Ko Pha-ngan, or Ko Tao). Passengers must obtain a transfer form from their hotel to prove that they have stayed in Phuket for 7 days, and transfer from one area to another is only permitted by certain routes. In the extension area, stays must be in a SHA+ property

The TAT has reassured the public that Phuket Sandbox travellers who want to use the 7+7 scheme and leave Phuket after 7 days will be tested on arrival to Phuket as well as on day 6/7. The travellers will need to apply for Certificates of Entry (COE) for each route they plan to take before arriving in Thailand

The TAT forecasts that total tourism revenue in 2021 will be 625.7 billion THB, with 540.7 billion THB coming from domestic tourism. They estimate that domestic tourists will take 100 million trips, whilst there will be 1.2 million international travellers. Inbound travel will account for 85 billion THB revenue. They estimate that in 2022, total tourism revenue could reach 2 trillion THB in a best-case scenario, so long as all groups are vaccinated by Q4 2021. They will continue to pursue the “5 Highs” strategy: attracting high quality tourists, providing high value tourism products and services, creating high impact communities surrounding tourism attractions, developing high skills of tourism workers and implementing high technology solutions

Thailand registered a seasonally adjusted 0.4% GDP growth in Q2, but the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) cut their forecast for 2021 GDP to 0.7-1.2%, from its previous 1.5-2.5%

The TAT have said that it plans to still roll out the 2 domestic tourism campaigns, We Travel Together and Tour Teaw Thai, in 2021 for those areas which are safe to travel

The TAT have said that they are continuing travel bubble discussions with Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea, as well as looking at more destinations to join the 7+7 scheme, including Koh Lan in Chon Buri and Koh Chang and Koh Kut in Trat, which could connect via U-Tapao airport

Thai police used water cannons to stop protestors at the national police HQ in Bangkok, after clashes where a protestor was left in a coma with a bullet in his head

A report by UK travel agents, DreamHols, asked travellers why they would not book the Phuket Sandbox, with respondents noting factors such as the costs, insurance and health test requirements, complexity of applications and preferring to visit non-Sandbox destinations. 75% said that the main out-off was the requirement to spend 14-days in a quasi-quarantine

The TAT hopes that a shorter quarantine in Q4 nationwide could increase inbound numbers. Once the latest wave subsides, it plans to propose easing quarantine rules for the whole country, not just sandbox areas

The Phuket Sandbox has seen 480,239 room nights booked at SHA Plus hotels for Jul-Sep, with 190,843 in Jul, 159,403 in Aug and 29,993 in Sep. From Oct-Feb, there have been advanced bookings of 12,248 room nights

A survey aimed at Indian travellers, Golfing in Thailand, has shown that 97% rated Thailand as one of the best golfing destinations

Phuket will extend its restrictions, including closing pubs, bars, entertainment venues and swimming pools until 31 Aug

The TAT is asking for approval of the 7+7 model, allowing tourists to stay in Phuket for just 7 days and then 7 days in other locations. 2,622 international tourists have continued their Phuket Sandbox stay so far in Bangkok, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai, Prachuap Khiri Khan and Chon Buri

Phuket has extended its restrictions, including sealing off the island to domestic tourists, until 31 Aug unless they are fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 within the last 90 days

Thousands of protestors in cars and bikes protested in Bangkok, calling for the resignation of the PM

Thailand is looking to set a standard price for rapid antigen tests, and has warned retailers who inflate prices could face prison or a fine

Experts have warned against imposing a vaccine export ban, as has been campaigned for by academics, saying that it could leave the government open to being sued for damages, as well as lose credibility amongst ASEAN countries and the international community

Thailand have said that cases could double to 45,000 per day from early Sep, even with its current lockdown measures. If the lockdown were 5% more effective and target groups were vaccinated quicker, it could be 20,000 dailuy cases in 2 months’ time

Phuket has received its first direct flight from Hong Kong under the Phuket Sandbox program

The Sandbox has now had 19,166 arrivals from 1 Jul-10 Aug

Demonstrators protested on 13 Aug despite a ban, with hundreds trying to march on the PM’s residence and demand his resignation. Police reacted with rubber bullets and tear gas

The Thai Hotels Association (THA) has asked the government to look at Plan B of promoting domestic tourism, including state agencies holding conferences and seminars in hotels. They have reported that 20% of hotels have closed permanently, and around half have temporarily suspended operations

The Tourism Minister has said that the Phuket Sandbox model will continue, and will still be expanded to other destinations such as Krabi and Phang Nga from 22 Aug. He hopes that by Oct, when 70% of the population could have been vaccinated, 10 more provinces can reopen

23,418 cases were reported on 13 Aug, a record high

Hua Hin is aiming to vaccinate at least 70% of its population and all tourism workers, as part of its Hua Hin Recharge opening strategy. If it can reopen in Oct, it forecasts receiving 100,000 visitors and 1.2 billion THB in revenue by year-end. The program would work the same way as the Phuket Sandbox, with its 14-day stay stipulation, before being able to visit other areas of Thailand

Samui Plus has received 264 tourists from 15 Jul-10 Aug, as well as 257 Phuket Sandbox tourists who travelled on after their stay

The Phuket Sandbox Express Bus to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport will be discontinued from 16 Aug

The TAT has said that the Phuket Sandbox has received 190,000 bookings per night in Jul, and has seen an average of 148,000 bookings per night since Aug. The TAT has started a marketing campaign positioning Phuket as a separate destination from the Thai mainland, and is open to receive visitors

The government has said that more than 90% of its COVID patients have been infected with the Delta variant

6 locations in Phuket have been identified as risky to tourists, due to a lack of CCTV and being isolated from communities

The US has now added Thailand to its highest Level 4 list of risk for visiting, urging fully vaccinated US citizens to avoid travel there

The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB)’s Winnovation project, aimed at using innovation and technology for business events in Thailand, has now received 35 applications to support events, and has brought together 152 MICE and tech entrepreneurs

The Thai Police have justified their use of force on protestors, saying that they are necessary to maintain public safety

Koh Lan will be closed to tourists from 11-24 Aug after an increase in local transmission

Phuket is seeing the number of cases increase, especially amongst migrant Myanmar workers

The plan to reopen Pattaya and Hua Hin in Sep has been postponed, with the “no firm future date set”, according to the Pattaya City Mayor. Pattaya continues to work on measures for tourists when it is able to reopen, and hopes to reopen to domestic tourists at least by Q4

The Pattaya-Hua Hin ferry has been suspended and the company will return its pier to Pattaya

The Thai government has been warned that the country could experience a shortage of the Favipiravir antiviral drug, with demand predicted to reach a high of 30-50 million pills per month

The Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) has forecast that the unemployed in Thailand could reach 1 million by the year-end if the pandemic is not controlled

The TAT New York office has launched a YouTube video series, “Thailicious America”, promoting Thailand for its cuisine

A Suan Dusit poll has shown that even if the COVID situation improves in Q4, 36% of respondents were not ready to travel, whilst 38% said they would make local trips, and 26% were uncertain. The top considerations included health and safety measures, financial incentives, free insurance and attractive tour packages

The Bangkok governor is confident that 70% of Bangkok’s population will have received at least one dose by end Aug

500 Thai protestors were subject to tear gas and rubber bullets from the police on 7 Aug

Thailand reported a record 21,838 cases and 212 deaths on 7 Aug

The PM has called for the tightening of security on Phuket, after a Swiss woman was found dead. She was reportedly visiting under the Phuket Sandbox scheme

A Thai court has overturned the implementation of the government’s ban on “false messages”, saying that it could not be enforced as it breached the rights from the constitution

60% of Thailand’s new cases are outside of the Bangkok region. 80% of new cases are caused by the Delta variant

A survey from the Bank of Thailand shows that 45% of respondents expect public confidence in daily life, including travel, to restart in Q1 2022, when they anticipate daily cases will fall below 50. Only 22.8% of businesses have enough liquidity to cover operations for the next 3-6 months, with 12.6% having less than 3 months’ worth of cash. In Jul, tourism had the lowest level of recovery at 46.8%

The Phuket Sandbox in Jul received 14,055 visitors, generating 829 million THB, with a multiplier effect of 1.9 billion THB for the economy and supporting 2,718 full-time jobs, the Tourism Ministry has announced. The Thai Hotels Association has said that 300-400 hotels will restart operations in Q3, and which could employ 12,000-15,000 workers. An additional 700-800 may open in Q4, with Phuket’s furloughed workers the first to come back. They see an increase in hotel occupancy from the current 5% to 20-30% in high season

The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) reported that its consumer confidence index fell to 40.9 in Jul from 43.1 in Jun, the lowest level since Oct 1998. The Thai Chamber of Commerce business confidence index also dropped, to 20.7 in Jul from Jun’s 22.5

The Thai Baht fell to its lowest since 2018, and has fallen more than 9.8% this year

The TAT expects that 100,000 international visitors will visit Phuket in Q3, generating 8.9 billion THB. The number of room nights booked in Jul was 190,843, with 109,694 booked in Aug and 9.812 booked for Sep, with 309,719 room nights booked in total so far for Q3

The Tourism Ministry has said that international arrivals may only hit 500,000-700,000 in 2021. It is working on creating “blue zones”, areas with low COVID incidence, which could be promoted to tourists, in places such as Nan, Phayao, Bueng Kan provinces and Chiang Khan in Loei province

Almost 100,000 people are self-isolating in Bangkok, and 20% of antigen test kits conducted have come back positive

Thailand’s unemployment rate in Q1 reached 1.96%, the highest in 5 years

The Bank of Thailand has cut its 2021 GDP forecast to 0.7%, from Jul’s forecast of 1.8%, due to the surge in cases. The baseline expectation is 150,000 international visitors in 2021, and 6 million next year if 14-day quarantines are cut in Q2 2022. A minus scenario could see just 100,000 international arrivals in 2021, and 2 million in 2022 with quarantine removed from Q3 2022

Centara Hotels and Resorts have launched a new startup competition and incubator program, in conjunction with Digital Park, Centara Startup Sandbox. It offers a 3-month incubator programme with co-working space, facilities, mentorship and funding

The government has extended its financial aid to the additional 16 provinces added to the dark red group. Under this, workers registered under Social Security Act can receive a maximum of 10,000 THB per person for one month, and employers receive 3,000 THB

Thailand has passed a law banning the use of sunscreen in national parks, to minimise the damage sunscreen wreaks on coral in marine parks

The Executive Chairman of Banyan Tree Group has called for international countries to see Phuket separately from Thailand from a safety point of view, and designate it green status

Mass gatherings have been banned, ahead of planned protests over the weekend

The authorities will help Phuket Sandbox tourists who have stayed the 14 days in Phuket and are now looking to travel onwards in Thailand. Some private tour operators have organised an express bus to take tourists to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport from 4-16 Aug

Bangkok has extended its lockdown restrictions until 31 Aug, which will include its nighttime curfew of 9pm-4am and the closure of non-essential businesses and services

Phang Nga will close itself off from the general public, with the exception of emergency vehicles or essential supplies

Pattaya’s plan to reopen under the “Move On Pattaya” scheme in Sep may need to be postponed, the Chon Buri Tourism Council have said, due to the surge in cases and vaccine shortages

The lockdown restrictions in Thailand will run from 3-31 Aug. These include 29 provinces designated “maximum and strict controlled areas”/ dark red, 37 “strict controlled”/ red provinces and 11 “controlled areas”/ orange provinces. Gatherings in dark red zones are limited to 5 pax, red zones to 20 and orange to 50. Under dark red zones, only essential services are permitted to be open, with restaurants open for delivery services only. Under red zones, dine-in is permitted until 11pm, shopping malls can open according to normal operation hours. Under orange zones, restaurants can open according to normal hours without serving alcohol, shopping malls are permitted to b open. Entertainment venues are closed nationwide

The management of Bangkok’s Train Market Ratchada have said that it has not closed permanently, and will reopen when possible

The Koh Samui district chief has said that the Samui Plus scheme is “going well”, and that although cases have been detected on the island which “may have rattled confidence”, it is not the sandbox’s fault. As of 30 Jul, 113 international arrivals have taken part in the scheme

The PM has said that the Phuket Sandbox will continue. So far, it has generated 749 million THB in revenue

Lockdown measures have been extended for dark red zones for 2 more weeks from Tue, with another 16 provinces classified as dark red zones. Dark red zones now cover 40% of the population, at 28 provinces plus Bangkok. The government has said that an extension until the end of Aug was “highly likely”. A curfew of 9pm-4am will be imposed, but restaurants will be permitted to prepare takeout deliveries

The reopening of Phang Nga province under “Phang Nga Prompt” has been postponed to 15 Aug, after community clusters

Bangkok’s Ratchada night market (the “train night market”) is set to close permanently, after being temporarily closed due to COVID-19

As of 30 Jun, 13,281 people have arrived on the Phuket Sandbox scheme since 1 Jul, with 621 arriving on 31 Jul. A total of 30 have tested positive so far

The top 10 nationalities who have arrived on the Phuket Sandbox so far are: 1) US (1,898), 2) Thai (1,853), 3) UK (1,654), 4) Israeli (1,580), 5) German (889), 6) France (888), 7) UAE (606), 8) Swiss (326), 9) Dutch (255) and 10) Australian (244)

The TAT has said that hotel reservations for Aug over the last few days had increased by 10%, down from more than 15% per day. A total of 298,858 room nights have been booked in Q3, with 192,403 in Jul, 98,735 in Aug and 7,720 in Sep. The average stay is 11 nights, and 200 travellers visited Bangkok after their 14-day stay in Phuket. More Phuket hotels are planning to reopen in Q4, which should increase the occupancy rate to 20%

The PM has vowed not to design nor dissolve the House, and has warned politicians not to exploit the current situation

Thailand reported a record 18,912 cases and 178 deaths on 31 Jul

Thailand held the 4th Amazing Thailand Virtual Marketplace, with hundreds of buyers and more than 40 suppliers attending

The Phuket governor has ordered that Phuket be closed to domestic travellers from 3 Aug. Only certain people will be permitted to enter Phuket, including those transporting essential goods and medical emergencies, The Phuket Sandbox will continue, as the health system is at 36% capacity

The Thai government has banned the distribution of false information which causes public fear or misunderstandings which could affect national stability, something which Thai media outlets allege impinges on their freedom of expression

The Thai Baht dropped to a 15-monht low vs the USD and a 10% drop since Dec 2020

The SHA certification has been certified by the WTTC as being on the same level as the WTTC Safe Travels stamp

The Samui Plus scheme received 31 international arrivals and 110 people from the Phuket Sandbox in the first 10 days of reopening

The Finance Ministry has cut its 2021 GDP forecast to 1.3% from 2.3%, and forecasts only 300,000 international travellers, with 200,000 of those arriving in Q4, based on the assumption that the outbreak is controlled by Q4

The Ministry of Health has warned that Bangkok does not have enough hospital beds, and in the large hospitals, all ICUs are “over-occupied”

The Samui Plus program faces cancellation or postponement if the number of cases on the island double to over 40 cases in the next 2 weeks. The 7+7 extension scheme from Phuket has already been postponed. However, the rise in cases is due to local transmission, not international travellers. The island has strengthened its domestic entry restrictions, and now requires a negative test within 72 hours from all travellers, including vaccinated ones, arriving from dark red and red zones

Thailand could face a double dip recession in 2021, with some economists raising the possibility after the Finance Ministry cut its 2021 GDP forecast

Despite Phuket reaching the maximum threshold of new cases reported on the island per week, officials have said that the Phuket Sandbox will continue, as other high-risk factors such as widespread transmission or a lack of hospital beds, have not been found. The TAT have said that the Phuket Sandbox should stay open as it is a “test run” for other provinces, and models such as Samui Plus are dependent on its status as a feeder source for international travellers, too. They admitted that they will have to “work two times harder to convince the international community Phuket is safe for travel” due to the increase in cases

The “Pattaya Move On” campaign planning will continue, the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association (PBTA) have stated, despite the TAT saying that the timing may need to be postponed from 1 Sep due to the increase in cases. They also requested that the vaccine supply for Pattaya tourism workers be boosted, as they have only received 70,000 doses instead of the asked-for 900,000

The State Railway of Thailand is providing trains for COVID-19 patients with mild or moderate symptoms to return to their home province for treatment

Panipak "Nong Tennis" Wongpattanakit who won a gold medal in the Olympics for taekwondo, has been made an ambassador for sports and tourism

Phuket has imposed new restrictions, which include closing schools from 3-16 Aug, closing the Central Festival shopping centre, closing sports venues and limiting gatherings to 100 people. Restaurants can stay open and serve alcohol, but must close at 9pm

The TAT has forecast that international arrivals may only hit 1 million in 2021, and domestic tourism just 50-60 million trips if a lockdown lasts for up to 3 months. They are maintaining a 3 million target, but say there is a chance it could hit just 1 million and a revenue of 85 billion THB. Total tourism revenue in 2021 could drop to 625 billion THB, 86% from the domestic market and 14% from the international market. 2022’s worst-case target is 10 million international visitors and 625 billion THB, and 122 domestic trips and 680 billion THB, whist best-case is 18 million international tourists with 1.05 trillion THB and 160 million domestic trips and 882 billion THB

The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) has said that so far, nearly all inbound travellers on the Phuket Sandbox scheme have been FIT, rather than tour groups

The Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List

Thailand and Russia are looking into mutual recognition of one another’s vaccination certificates

15 sleeper trains at Bang Sue Grand Station in Bangkok will be converted into an isolation facility for those waiting for hospital beds, creating an additional 240 beds

The Thai Hotels Association (THA) has said that domestic tourist stays on Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga has seen hotel occupancy drop due to tighter travel restrictions. They expect that if Europe places Thailand back on the safe travel list, Thailand could see an increase of 20-30% in demand from international tourists at year-end. THA southern chapter reported that occupancy was 6.64%, and the demand for Samui Plus is tepid due to the requirement to spend 7 days in a quarantine hotel

The Phuket governor has refuted claims that 3,000 visitors on the Phuket Sandbox returned home early, saying that they had completed their holidays as er their original plans, “not because of the higher number of infected cases”

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) forecasts Bangkok’s new cases to decrease in late Aug and early Sep

Domestic tourists to Koh Samui and Koh Phangan arriving to the island mist scan a QR code when they get their flight or ferry ticket. Those from orange zones will need to face isolation measures on arrival, whilst those from red zones will need to observe a 7-day quarantine if unvaccinated and untested, or self-isolation for those who are vaccinated and have a test. Those from dark red zones will need to quarantine for 14 days if they are not vaccinated and have no test. Travellers will also need to download the Mor Chana app

The government has said that cases are on a steep upward climb, although the infection rate in Bangkok is levelling off. Thailand reported a record 15,335 cases on 25 Jul

Travellers to the Phuket Sandbox will be able to spend just 7 days on the island before spending 7 days in another of the reopened destinations for at least 7 days from 1 Aug, including Surat Thani, Krabi and Phang Nga, after approval I principle was given by the Centre for Economic Situation Administration (CESA). The destinations are required to coordinate with one another on the regulations to ensure they are the same standard, and the Ministry of Tourism and TAT are to submit the full plan for how the destinations should be linked. From 1-21 Jul, 9.358 travellers have arrived on the Phuket Sandbox, with 19 testing positive. 244,703 room nights have been booked from Jul-Sep, bringing average hotel occupancy to 10.12% and generating 534.31 million THB revenue. There are 8 airlines operating direct flights to Phuket

The WHO has said that the Thai government had made poor decisions as to the handling of the virus when new variants were detected

The TAT Paris office are anticipating a surge in demand from the French market from year-end – Feb 2022, and they are planning to target it later in the year. The French market is 5th in terms of arrivals in the Phuket Sandbox

Thammasat University hospital in Bangkok is now applying a “withhold intubation rule” for severe COVID patients over 75 years old with terminal illnesses or in the last stage of clinical frailty, due to a shortage of ventilators

A Thai property portal FazWaz has reported that resort properties being sold in leisure destinations are being bought by domestic buyers, with a sharp uptick in Hua Hin

Bangkok has shut all public parks, hair salons and most public spaces from 23 Jul

Thailand reported a record 14,575 cases on 23 Jul

Bangkok is planning to open up 53 isolation centres by early Aug for cases waiting for hospital admission, with 23 to be opened immediately

Buri Ram’s priority to reopen and vaccinate its population must be revised now that the MotoGP event has been cancelled, the Tourism Minister has said. It was previously pushing to open in Sep, but this date can now be pushed back as it is unlikely to attract many international visitors in 2021

International arrivals in Jun fell to 5,694, -99.8% vs June 2019

Local dive operators are pushing for a “Phuket Diving Seabox” scheme, which would allow them to operate liveaway dive tours for the first week of their stay. The pax would have their quarantine and mandatory COVID tests on board. The tours would last 7-10 days, and would cover all marine national parks in the Andaman. They have said that liveaboard dive operators are facing financial disaster for the coming Oct 2021-May 2022 season

The Thai Hotels Association Eastern Chapter has said that if Pattaya can reopen on 1 Sep, then it should be seen as a “soft opening”, with no large number of tourists, who would not arrive until at least Nov. The Pattaya Business & Tourism Association has warned tourism businesses to be prepared for a postponement of the date, given the current COVID situation in Chonburi

Thailand’s Transport Company has suspended all bus services on northern, northeastern, eastern and southern routes until 2 Aug

The Bank of Thailand forecasts that the latest outbreak will cut GDP by 0.8-2% in 2021, causing economic activity to drop to levels close to the 2020 lockdown, and is expected to fall further

Krabi and Phang Nga are hoping to open under the Andaman Sandbox on 1 Aug. It is being considered by CESA. It could be combined with the Phuket Sandbox, allowing tourists to visit a specified route from Ban Nam Khem in Khao Lak to Koh Yao Noi-Yai and Koh Panyee in Ao Phang Nga National Park. Tourists’ movements would be monitored with a tracker, similar to the one used for the Phuket Sandbox

All interprovincial buses to and from Phuket will be suspended until 2 Aug

Thailand’s household debt increased to 90.5% of GDP and is increasing, the Bank of Thailand has reported

Chiang Mai has ordered the closure of bars and entertainment venues from 21 Jul

Outrigger Hospitality has bought the Manathai Hotels and Resorts brand, with 3 beach resorts in Thailand

The TAT have launched a new award, the “Best of SHA Awards 2021”, with 10 categories

The Ying Chai Ying Dai cashback scheme has been extended until the end of Nov, but the target has been reduced to 1.4 million people from 4 million, with a downsizing of budget

From 20 Jul in dark red zones, entertainment venues, massage parlours, theatres, zoos, MICE venues, exhibition centres, museums, historical parks and public parks will be closed

The government has received criticism after 3 people were found dead on Bangkok’s streets, one of them who collapsed of COVID and had to wait for hours for an ambulance to arrive

The Thailand MotoGP in Buri Ram scheduled for Oct has been cancelled

A Suan Dusit poll has shown that 60.93% of respondents believe that the COVID situation in Thailand will take at least 2 years to overcome

Thailand’s state of emergency has been extended for 2 months until 30 Sep

Checkpoints will be set up at the 13 dark red provinces to ensure the restriction of people from the provinces, and those who do travel must have a valid reason to do so

Chiang Mai’s hotels have seen occupancy of less than 10% in 2021, according to the Northern Chapter of the Thai Hotels Association, and more than 70% of tourism workers have lost their jobs since the start of the pandemic. 5* Melia Chiang Mai is planning to open in Q4 2021

Phuket has tightened its restrictions, including stopping selling alcohol after 9pm, the closing of shopping malls at 9pm, and public gatherings to be limited to 150 people. All bars and entertainment venues must remain closed

The CCSA has said that Thailand’s cases could reach 32,000 per day in Oct under a worst-case scenario, if people do not comply with measures

The Delta variant has overtaken the Alpha variant in being the dominant one in Thailand, and has been found in 71 of Thailand’s 77 provinces

From 21 Jul-2 Aug, domestic flights to and from dark red provinces will be suspended. Residents will be asked to only leave their homes for essential reasons, including buying food, seeing a doctor or being vaccinated. All other domestic flights nationwide will be permitted to operate at 50% only

11,397 cases were reported on 18 Jul, the highest yet

More than 1,000 people protested in Bangkok, calling for the PM to resign. The crowd was dispersed by tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets

The 9pm-4am curfew and other restrictions in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Narathiwat, Pattani, Songkhla and Yala will be extended until 2 Aug. From Tue 20 Jul, they will also be imposed on Chon Buri, Chachoengsao and Ayutthaya. All modes of public transport from 21 Jul must be limited to 50% pax capacity

Those in Dark Red zones are being told they should not leave their homes for non-essential purposes from 20 Jul

The government expects 1,000 international travellers to join the Samui Plus scheme between 15 Jul-15 Aug, generating around 180 million THB

Greater Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon have banned gatherings of more than 5 people, ahead of planned protests in Bangkok on 17 Jul

Koh Chang and Koh Kut in Trat have seen a drop in the number of tourists visiting this weekend due to the COVID-19 concerns. The Trat Tourism Industry Council has said that the tourism outlook is bleak, with some accommodation owners having to close businesses

Thailand has reported record cases of 10,082 and 141 deaths on 17 Jul. The government is considering more restrictions for the country

17 hotels are SHA+ certified on Koh Samui, with around 500 rooms available

C9 Hotelworks forecasts that the benefit of the Samui Plus scheme will be top-down, with international travellers taking advantage of competitive rates for luxury hotels

The Deputy PM will propose a long-stay 10-year visa aimed at the wealthy, retirees, rich professionals working in Thailand and highly skilled professionals

The Phuket Tourism Association believes that they have built up confidence from overseas travellers in the first 2 weeks of reopening. As of 14 Jul, 5,473 international arrivals had come. Top source markets include the US, UAE, Israel, the UK and Germany

The EU has removed Thailand from its green list of countries, from which travellers can freely arrive. However, it is still up to member countries to impose their own restrictions

The Bank of Thailand has agreed to 2-month debt holiday for SMEs and individuals

Over 100,000 patients are hospitalised for the first time with the virus

The Thai Chamber of Commerce has said the government’s 42 billion THB financial assistance for people and businesses is “insufficient”, as the latest outbreak is “serious and may take a long time to control”. They called for the government to reimplement co-pay schemes, as well as a 50% co-payment wage subsidy for SMEs

The Samui Plus scheme opened on 15 Jul, with its first group of international travellers, all journalists

The World Bank has cut its 2021 GDP forecast for Thailand to 2.2%, down from 3.4%

4,778 tourists have so far arrived on the Phuket Sandbox

A new type COVID test, “COVID-19 Scan”, has been developed in Thailand with a 98% accuracy using saliva samples

A total of 10 Sandbox tourists have now tested positive from 1-10 Jul

Travellers to Phuket domestically from dark red or red provinces will now need to be fully vaccinated or at least have one AstraZeneca dose to enter the island, as well as have an RT-PCR test within 7 days of travel

The Tourism Ministry has said that opening some of the 10 target destinations internationally needs to be adjusted, with the number of cases at an all-time high. Reopening must take place in areas which have controlled the virus and have 70% of their population vaccinated. It still plans to try to reopen Bangkok by the year-end, so long as these conditions are met, as it “is the heart and centre of tourism”

The Chon Buri Tourism Council has said that it is still committed to the Pattaya Move On reopening plan in Sep, and vaccines have been allocated for the populations of Bang Lamung and Sattahip. It aims to achieve 30% of 2019’s tourist numbers by the year-end, after 40% of hospitality SMEs have permanently closed

The Phuket Communicable Disease Committee have said that as of 14 Jul, 5,156 people had arrived on the Phuket Sandbox, with 858 of these Thai nationals

The Centara Reserve Samui will open in Aug 2021

Travellers on trains have been asked not to talk to one another or on phones, to reduce the chances of virus transmission

The Tourism Association of Koh Samui expects interest in Samui Plus to take 1-2 months to build up. There have been 33 seat bookings for Jul, 20 in Aug, 10 in Sep and 17 in Oct so far. 19 hotels are open as Area Quarantine hotels for the first 7 days of the stay. They expect occupancy to grow to 20-30% in Q3 after marketing campaigns

Hua Hin plans to reopen to international travellers on 1 Oct, under the campaign “Hua Hin Recharge” and expects to generate 1.2 billion THB revenue in Q4 and 89,000 jobs. It is aiming to vaccinate 100% of its tourism and service workers, and 70% of the general population by 30 Sep. It is outlining “sealed routes” for tourists

Chonburi will limit the number of those permitted to gather to 50 pax from 14 Jul

The Thai Cabinet approved a 42 billion THB financial aid scheme, which includes business and utilities subsidies

12% of the Phuket Sandbox travellers as of 11 Jul have come from the UK

The Phuket Sandbox has been used for an in-person signing of a 4 billion euros business deal between Allnext and Advent

The Emergency Decree has been extended until 30 Sep

Thailand has approved home isolation for mild symptoms patients, and home self-test kits, which should be sold for around 100 THB

The Thai Cabinet approved a 42 billion THB financial aid scheme, which includes business and utilities subsidies for those in 10 dark red zone provinces. It is limited to those in 9 sectors, including accommodation and recreational activities. Employees will receive half of their salaries to a maximum of 7,500 THB each, whilst Thai nationals will receive an additional 2,500 THB. Registered self-employed people will receive 5,000 THB

The registration for the Certificate of Entry for the Samui Sealed scheme started on 12 Jul

Tour van operators are struggling to make ends meet, and are asking for financial institutions to suspend debt payments for 3-6 months

Phuket has detected its first Delta variant case, and has decided to close all schools until 23 Jul

Over 600 Thai medical workers fully vaccinated with Sinovac have been infected with the virus

Pattaya is looking at setting up hospitels (hotels used for asymptomatic or mild symptom patients), to support hospital capacity

Thailand recorded 9,326 cases and 91 deaths on 10 Jul, the highest so far

The Thailand International Boat Show is scheduled from 6-9 Jan 2022 at the Royal Phuket Marina

A study from JPMorgan has shown that the Thai economy is one of the more vulnerable globally to the Delta variant, and it faces one of the longest journeys back to mobility pre-pandemic levels

Finnair will launch flights between Stockholm and Bangkok, and Stockholm and Phuket from Oct 2021

Thai Vietjet have announced plans to reduce domestic capacity by 30-50% after the news of stricter measures. The Thai Hotels Association (THA) has suggested that the government mandates hotel closures, which would allow hotel staff to be able to receive up to 7,500 THB of financial aid for up to 3 months from the Social Security Fund (SSF). They said: "It is like going back to zero over and over again the past 16 months. Some of us already gave up." The Association of Domestic Travel called for the vaccinations to be accelerated and testing to be ramped up

The Thai Chamber of Commerce expects the new measures imposed in dark red zones to cost the economy 50-100 million THB

The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) forecast that Thailand’s GDP will be 0-1.5%, down from its previous 0.5-2%

Phu Thap Boek will impose a lockdown, as local Hmong residents are concerned that tourists could transmit the virus

12 of the tourists who arrived on the Phuket Sandbox and have been asked to quarantine in an Alternative Local Hotel (ALQ) have asked to fly home

130,113 hotel rooms for the Phuket Sandbox have now been booked in Jul, and 11,623 in Aug, whilst Q3 has 143,025 room nights booked so far

Thailand will adjust its prevention measures from 12 Jul for dark red provinces. Dark red provinces are Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakan, Yala, Narathiwat, Pattani, Songkhla): • Stay at home from 9pm-4am • Avoid gatherings over 5 people • Avoid unnecessary trips • Additional rules for Bangkok: restaurants, convenience stores to close from 8pm-4am, spas to close, public parks to close at 8pm, work from home at maximum capacity, shopping centres to close

Interprovincial travel will be discouraged from 12 Jul, and schools are ordered to close in dark red zones

Avani Hotels & Resorts have launched hybrid MICE solutions with technical support

Agoda has launched a dedicated landing page to help travellers find Phuket Sandbox hotels. They have seen a 67% increase in searches to Phuket in Jun vs May, with strong demand from the United States, China, South Korea, France, Germany and Israel. Thailand was the 2nd most searched for international destination from the US in Jun

Pattaya is eyeing opening up internationally in Sep

33 airlines have filed requests to fly into Phuket between Jul-Oct, with 10 wanting to operate in Jul, and 17 more in Aug. 14,000 have booked to visit Phuket between Jul-Oct. So far, 4,068 Certificate of Entry applications have been granted

The Tourism Association of Koh Samui believes that Samui Plus scheme could attract 2,000 guests in the first 30 days if regulations can be relaxed. They are still confirming the cost for the Alternative Local Quarantine (ALQ) hotel for the first few days. They expect Q3 tourism revenue will be 1 billion THB, and 3 billion THB in Q4, and maybe 6 billion THB if rules can be eased

The SHA certification is also being expanded to transport providers in Phuket

Thai consumer confidence reached record lows in Jun, to 43.1, from May’s 44.7

The Center for Economic Situation Administration (CESA) confirmed that Samui Plus will open on 15 Jul, but that it needed to finalise a hotel booking system and cost for COVID-19 tests. 71.4% of the population of the islands are vaccinated. Bangkok Airways will operate 3 international flights via Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport to Koh Samui, and is waiting approval to start direct flights from Singapore. If reopening runs well, the TAT will propose that travellers can stay in Phuket for 7 days, and then transfer to Koh Samui

The first inbound tourist with COVID-19 for the Phuket Sandbox has been detected, arriving from the UAE in a tour group on 6 Jul. Other tourists from the same tour group have been placed in a 14-day quarantine in a dedicated hotel. From 1-7 Jul, 2,113 have arrived under the scheme

3 people were reported missing from the Phuket Sandbox scheme so far, but all located. These included one traveller who had to urgently return home, one man with a Thai wife who went to see his family and did not stay at his hotel, and another elderly man with mild dementia

Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport will set up a 5,000 bed field hospital in the Satellite 1 building, expected to be operational in Aug

The Federation of Thai SME has said that if the current situation lasts until the year-end, 80% of SMEs could go bankrupt. Less than 1% of the asset warehouse scheme has been used so far, and only 24% of the low-interest loans total has also been taken up

Samui Plus is set to open for Certificate of Entry (COE) later in the week, with its 15 Jul reopening date. The TAT has said that the approval process for the scheme would not be delayed, like for the Phuket Sandbox. They expect 1,000 arrivals in the first 30 days, generating 100 million THB for the economy. The scheme is more restrictive than the Phuket Sandbox, and involves: • First 3 days spent in Alternative Local Quarantine (alq) facility in any of Koh Samui’s 9 ALQ properties • Tourists can leave the hotel from days 4-7, accompanied by tour operators • Days 8-14 tourists can visit Koh Tao and Koh Phangan for tours • After a 2 week stay in designated areas, tourists will be permitted to travel to other provinces • 3 RT-PCR tests: on arrival, day 6 and day 6/7 and before departing for another province

The TAT has said that Phuket could waive its 14-day stay requirement, if there are no infected tourists detected in the first 14 days of the scheme

The TAT will run virtual fam trips to Phuket and Koh Samui for UK travel agents in Jul

There have been 7,347 hotel room bookings in Jul for the Phuket Sandbox, making 90,861 room nights. 20 international flights have arrived at Phuket Airport, with 1,416 international travellers and 477 Thai travellers

A June Bank of Thailand survey has shown that 68% of hotel operators only have sufficient liquidity to cover operational costs for less than 3 months, and 26% for less than one month. 58% have declining liquidity of more than 20% vs the previous month. 41% of hotels were open in Jun, 19.5% temporarily closed. Those temporarily closed have been closed for over one year, and 75% expect to open in Q4 2021. The average hotel occupancy rate in Jun was 10%, vs May’s 6%. 30% of hotels said that they faced additional conditions from banks for soft loans, making it hard to access funds

Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport’s cargo terminal will be converted into a field hospital to accommodate 2,000 asymptomatic and mild cases from 12 Jul

The Thai PM has had to self-isolate at home for a week after being in close contact with a person at the Phuket reopening who later tested positive for COVID-19

The Tourism Ministry will ask the Finance Ministry for 10 billion THB in soft loans to help tour operators to prepare for reopening. If approved, a cross-guarantee measure could be introduced, allowing businesses to act as guarantors to one another

The Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has reported that in Q1 2021, international MICE travellers dropped 99.9% YoY. They are producing e-learning courses for MICE, including an e-MICE marketplace, Thai MICE Connect, to help first tier and second tier cities showcase their MICE offerings

The Tourism Minister has said that low-risk provinces must focus on domestic tourism to keep the industry afloat. Local tourists from Jan-May made 23.6 million trips, -7.82% YoY. It contributed 125 billion THB, -35.1%. The We Travel Together and the Tour Tiew Thai domestic travel schemes will be extended until Dec, although the start date is dependent on the virus outbreak. If both schemes see low demand in the first couple of months, the Tourism Ministry will work to amend them

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has urged Thais not to travel interprovincially, to stop the spread of the Delta variant

A massive explosion at a chemical factory near Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport killed at least one person, injured many and damaged surrounding homes

Accor has seen a 92% increase in bookings since the confirmation of the Phuket Sandbox, with bookings coming from Germany, the UK and Israel. Airbnb have also shown that searches for Phuket grew by 80% in Jun vs Jan from markets such as the UAE, Netherlands and Japan

The Koh Tao tourism association has said that it is ready to be part of the Koh Samui reopening on 15 Jul, as it has vaccinated more than 70% of its residents so far

1,324 visitors have arrived for the Phuket Sandbox so far, with 326 on 1 Jul, 514 on 2 Jul and 484 on 3 Jul

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied the allegation that some Certificates of Entry (COEs) were not processed on time for travellers who wanted to arrive on 1 Jul, stating that those travellers had incomplete applications. As of 1 Jul, it had received COEs from 6,020 international travellers and 3,034 were approved. 323 applied to enter on 1 Jul, 471 on 2 Jul and 279 on 3 Jul

The TAT Trat has launched a new campaign, “Trat Term Suk” , which offers a stay one night, get one night free promotion from 15 Jul-15 Sep. It is aimed at Thai tourists

The TAT Phuket expect 2,435 international tourists to arrive into Phuket on 3 Jul, after 326 arrived on 1 Jul, and 500 were expected to arrive on 2 Jul

The Phuket Tourist Association hopes that the Phuket Sandbox will lead to 280,000 arrivals in Q4, but that challenges remain, including preventing virus transmission

None of the arrivals so far on the Phuket Sandbox scheme tested positive for COVID-19. 67% of Phuket’s population has been fully vaccinated, and 84% have received the first shot

Bangkok’s severe shortage of hospital beds will continue for 7-14 days

The Government Savings Bank has issued a debt moratorium for 6 months for tourism businesses, as well as restaurants impacted by restrictions

The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) reported that workers leaving construction sites in Bangkok have accounted for an increase of cases in 32 provinces, mainly in the Northeast

Some hospitals in Bangkok are running out of ICU beds

3 Jul should see the arrivals into Phuket from Copenhagen, Frankfurt and Paris with Thai Airways, with many travellers flying in business class

The TAT and Phuket provincial government are launching a “Colouful Phuket” festival from 3 Jul. The festival will include fireworks, a lights show, markets and art installations

The government has warned that it expects the COVID-19 situation to worsen over the next week, and that vaccinations must be accelerated. However, they believe that the situation is under control

Thailand’s household debt in Q1 2021 was the highest in 18 years, at 90.5% of GDP

Bangkok will open up more hospitels (hotels used as hospitals) for 4,424 mild and asymptomatic patients

King Power Group will launch a new campaign to focus on tourism, “Shop, Eat, Play, Stay Safe”, as well as supporting the Amazing Moments in Phuket video, featuring football players from Leicester City FC

The Airports of Thailand (AOT) have reported that air traffic at 6 of its airports dropped by more than 71% from Oct 2020-May 2021, with just 18.33 million pax and 206,000 flights

The Thai PM stated at the Phuket Sandbox opening that “We know there are risks involved. Some countries are seeing a new surge in new cases and fatalities and people from those countries are expected to visit Thailand. But we have to accept the risk. Most importantly, we have to follow up and assess the situation closely”, calling Phuket a “first step”

Thailand’s foreign direct investment is expected to recover in 2022 for hotels and tourism sectors, the International Institute for Trade and Development has stated

Thailand reported record deaths for the third consecutive day, with 61 on 2 Jul, after 57 on 1 Jul

The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) have asked the government to prepare booster doses for residents in sandbox areas, to ensure herd immunity

The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) in a survey have seen that: • 48% of locals will maintain the same frequency of domestic trips after being fully vaccinated • 19% plan to increase the number of trips they will take

One month financial aid for workers in the 6 dark red provinces has been approved, including for workers of hotels, who will receive 2,000 THB each as well as handouts equivalent to 50% of their previous wages

The TAT forecasts 426 flights to Phuket in Jul, with around 13 per day, with 8,281 inbound pax booked onto 6 airlines

A survey from Future Shopper 2021, saw that 94% of Thai consumers said online shopping had come to their rescue in 2020, well above the global average of 72%. 90% said they would use digital channels more in the future, and 45% are willing to spend 1,000-8,000 THB per purchase. 66% said that they shopped through social platforms, the highest rate in the world

The Phuket Sandbox regulations were further complicated at the last minute with a rule that travellers had to confirm their 3 RT-PCR test appointments as part of the documents required for the COE

The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) tourism confidence index dropped to 11 from 26 in Q1 2021, a new low, after polling 725 tour operators. 74% have sufficient liquidity to survive just 6 more months without financial aid, and 73% want soft loans of up to 3 million THB to support their businesses. Tourism worker unemployment in H1 peaked at 2 million, up from 1.45 million in Q1 2021

The Phuket Sandbox has been published in the Royal Gazette

The Thai Organic Consumer Association (TOCA) with the TAT will launch a platform to connect consumers (including tourists and tourism businesses) with a network of certified organic farmers in Thailand

The Phuket Tourism Entrepreneur Development Association has said that they do not expect much revenue to be generated from the Phuket Sandbox scheme, and that businesses need soft loans to be able to rebuild once more

The Tourism Ministry is considering stopping the Tour Tiew Thai domestic tourism stimulus program if the mechanism cannot benefit all equally. The Thai Transportation Operators Association has called for the ministry to help them, as the scheme does not benefit bus operators much

The Bank of Thailand and Visa International in a joint study have concluded that high spending FITs should be the focus of Thailand’s tourism strategy. A focus on revenue, rather than arrival numbers, should be looked at to be able to achieve the same level of income with 20% fewer international tourists. Niche markets should be looked at, including medical tourism, health tourism and outdoor activities. Tourism companies should also look at building up their digital infrastructure. The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) see the share of group tours vs FIT decreasing from 80-90% to 30% in the next 5 years. They forecast that in 2022 the number of international arrivals could grow to 20-25 million visitors with 1.55 trillion THB

For the first 2 weeks of reopening, 1,101 bookings have been made at SHA Plus Hotels, equivalent to 13,000 room nights

Thailand will allow asymptomatic COVID-19 patients to self-isolate at home, to allow hospital beds for those who need them

The government has cancelled the 27 Jul special holiday, which would have created a 5-day weekend, as people should not be encouraged to travel interprovincially

Phuket’s piers will be developed into “smart piers”, to support the Phuket Sandbox

Those travelling to Hua Hin from Thailand’s dark red zones will need to self-quarantine for 14 days, unless they are fully vaccinated with Sinovac or have received one dose of AstraZeneca

The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) believes that Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket will be of interest to Chinese MICE groups, and that MICE will be one of the first sectors to bounce back as part of the reopening. It is also looking at developing a support package for MICE groups by year-end, which could include sponsoring 2 nights of accommodation for groups of 30 or more Chinese delegates

The central bank has forecast that Thailand’s economy will reach pre-pandemic levels in Q1 2023. The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) forecast 2 million international arrivals in 2021, but say that this depends on China reopening to tourism and 9 other destinations in Thailand can be reopened to tourism – if this doesn’t happen, just 500,000 could arrive

Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan, Nakhon Pathom and Samut Sakhon are all rated dark red zones from 28 Jun

Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Praka, Samut Sakhon and Nakhon Pathom will impose new restrictions from 28 Jun for 30 days, including: shopping malls to be closed by 9pm and gatherings to be limited to 20 pax

A Nida Poll has shown that 73.46% disagreed with the government’s policy to reopen the country in 120 days, with 53.55% in total disagreement. 71.62% said they did not believe the government would be able to

Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala and Songkhla’s new restrictions include that dine-in is not permitted and no MICE or banquet activities are allowed

The TAT has presented more SHA Plus Certificates to Phuket tourism businesses, bringing the total to 1,389, with 822 of those accommodation providers

Buri Ram province has imposed new requirements that arrivals from dark red and red zones, including Bangkok, will be subject to a 14-day local quarantine

Bangkok is running out of hospital beds for COVID patients, and may start to allow patients with mild symptoms to self-isolate at home, as well as establish more ICU rooms in field hospitals

Phuket officials have signed an official order confirming all the requirements for the Phuket Sandbox from 1 Jul. These include: • Applicable for international or Thai travellers • Must arrive from low-medium risk countries • Need a Certificate of Entry into Thailand • Must be vaccinated with 2 doses at least 14 days prior to travel. Children under 6 can travel with their parents • Negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours of departure • Insurance policy of $100,000 USD and above which covers COVID-19 expenses • Undergo 3 RT-PCR tests: on arrival (tourist to stay in hotel room 1 night for results), day 6-7 at the hotel or an assigned lab, and ay 12-13 • Must stay at a SHA Plus hotel for 14 nights before being allowed to travel outside of Phuket • Travellers can visit Phuket and use services which have been SHA Plus certified • Install the Thailand Plus and MorChana apps • An operations centre has been established to monitor travel • If there are more than 90 new cases per week, outbreaks in more than 3 clusters or widespread unlinked cases, then either the activities will be reduced, quarantine will be imposed or the Sandbox scheme will be ended

Embassies have announced that Certificates of Entry to Thailand can be applied for from 28 Jun

7 COVID-19 test centres will be set up across Phuket by the Phuket Tourist Association, to make it easier for tourists to access the tests

Domestic tourists who want to visit Phuket will need to follow these restrictions: • Must have received at least 2 doses of vaccine, or 1 of AstraZeneca at leasr 14 days prior, or have suffered from COVID-19 90 days prior • Tested negative by RT-PCR or antigen 7 days before • Download the MorChana app

The Federation of Thai Industries is disappointed that Bangkok will not be locked down, and are doubtful if it will be enough to stop the virus spread. The Tourism Council of Thailand has also called for a strict lockdown, similar to last year’s, to stop the spread as tourism businesses are on hold indefinitely. Operators affected need to be able to access financial aid

Anti-government protestors rallied in Bangkok on 23 Jun

A command centre, “EOC Phuket Sandbox” will be established on Phuket to supervise the tourists

All construction worker camps in Bangkok and neighbouring provinces will be locked down for one month, as well as sites of clusters in the southernmost provinces. A full lockdown of Bangkok has been rejected due to the economic impact. The PM has also urged the public to limit travel

The reopening of Phuket is expected to generate 20,000 jobs and if successful, another 30,000-40,000 could find employment later on, the Phuket Tourism Association has said

The Public Health Minister reassured the public that the health system will not collapse, despite hospital beds being in shortages, after several doctors suggested that the situation was critical and a 7-day lockdown should be imposed

The Phuket Tourist Association have called for more clarity on how authorities will verify vaccination certificates, and for tourists to only have to install one app, instead of the Mor Chana and the Thailand Plus app

The Thai Chamber of Commerce is optimistic that reopening Thailand to international tourists will boost the economy

Phuket is expecting 1,500 international tourists to arrive daily from 1 Jul. The TAT is aiming to attract 100,000 by the end of Q3, generating 8.9 billion THB. They expect domestic tourists could generate 5.5 billion THB

Thai AirAsia X is making more progress with lessor negotiations as part of its restructuring

Phuket’s private sector has launched a new campaign, Welcome Back Home

Phuket will ease its restrictions from 21 Jun, including allowing schools, shopping malls to reopen, and allowing alcohol sales in restaurants. Bars remain closed

Agoda’s Travel in 2021 survey has shown of its Thai respondents: • The top ways for travel are taking short trips, choosing the accommodation as a destination in itself and looking for experiences such as added perks and themed travel stays • F&B benefits, experiences and early check-in/ check out are the top-rated benefits for accommodation packages

The Bank of Thailand lowered its 2021 GDP forecast to 1.8%, due to lower tourist arrivals and domestic demand

The DDC has declared which countries are classified as low, medium and high risk. Countries rated as high risk include the Philippines and Malaysia

The TAT and the Thai Chamber of Commerce have launched a new campaign, HUG THAIS, in conjunction with a program HUG THAIS HUG PHUKET. The HUG THAIS HUG PHUKET will include special offer for Thai travellers, with discounts of up to 10% when they spend over 1,000 THB in shops, and 100 THB coupons. HUG THAIS will be introduced in other destinations, encouraging domestic tourists to “Eat More”, “Travel More” and “Shop More”. They estimate that the campaign will generate 100 billion THB

The TAT will look at offering city bubbles in sandbox areas, to be able to minimise the quarantine that visitors may face on their return to their home countries after visiting Thailand. They could be based on activities, including a “wedding bubble” and a “baby bubble”

International arrivals to Thailand were 6,052 in May 2021, -99.8% YoY

Skyscanner has said that Bangkok is the 11th most searched for location from Jan-Apr, and that searches have come from China, Singapore, Taiwan, Australia, South Korea and Japan

PATA estimate that international arrivals for Thailand will stay at 6-7 million in 2021, and may recover to 2019 levels in 2023 under its best-case scenario

The Bank of Thailand lowered its 2021 GDP forecast to 1.8%. It also revised down its forecast for international tourists to 700,000 from its previous 3 million, and for 2022 to 10 million, from 21.5 million

The Thai Chamber of Commerce is optimistic that reopening Thailand to international tourists will boost the economy. It called for the government to encourage tourism to new areas in other provinces. It also urged the government to boost financial assistance to hotels, saying that around 38% of hotels are still operating, and 40% partially open

The Thai Cabinet approved the Phuket Sandbox and Samui Plus schemes, with Phuket opening on 1 Jul and Koh Samui on 15 Jul

Thailand recorded 51 deaths on 23 Jun, the highest number so far

The Thailand MotoGP has been rescheduled to 17 Oct

The TAT has signed an MoU with the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organisation (TGO) and the Thai Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Association (TEATA), which will see them promoting low carbon tourism

The Thai Hotels Association has said that a May survey showed that Jun’s occupancy rate is due to be just 6%. The occupancy of Alternative State Quarantine hotels in Jun is expected to drop to 10% vs May’s 13%, whilst ‘hospitels’ saw a rate of 30% in May. Their survey showed that 38% of hotels are open, 41% partly closed and 20% temporarily closed. They expect more hotels to reopen in Q4

Free state quarantine will no longer be provided for Thai nationals from 1 Jul for those arriving by air

The TAT has forecast that the Phuket Sandbox will attract 600,000 international and local tourists in the next 3 months, generating 15 billion THB

Koh Larn island has now reopened, but is struggling with few tourists visiting

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has in principle agreed to the Phuket Sandbox from 1 Jul, and the reopening of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao later to fully vaccinated tourists. Those tourists staying in Surat Thani would be permitted to stay at Alternative local quarantine hotels, and will be allowed to leave their rooms, but must stay in the hotel premises until day 3 of their quarantine, when they will be permitted to visit certain areas until day 7. From day 8-14, they will be able to travel freely on the island, and after 14 days can then visit other parts of Thailand. The CCSA has asked for contingency plans to be put in place in case outbreaks do arise, and the PM has urged caution

The CCSA has said that only provinces which have vaccinated 70% of their population and 100% of its service workers, will be permitted to reopen in October, and the Phuket Sandbox could be paused if cases increased to 90 per week. Thai travellers and those with permanent residency in Thailand who want to make use of the Phuket Sandbox will also be permitted, but must be vaccinated at least 14 days prior to arrival and be arriving from low-medium risk countries. The TAT has said that 18 airline are ready to fly to Phuket, around 200 flights. It has recorded 6,789 booked seats already

From 25 Jun, non-EU citizens from Singapore and Thailand will be permitted to enter Germany for any reason, but the travellers must be fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to their arrival

The Phuket Hotels Association are expecting the Phuket Sandbox to be a “slow process”, but have seen “strong interest” from the Middle East, UK, Europe and Scandinavia

Authorities have said that 63% of Phuket residents have received their first dose, and it is planning to have 70% of the population vaccinated with the first dose in Jun and the second dose in Aug

Avani Hotels will launch its new Avani+ Mai Khao Phuket Suites & Villas for 1 Jul

The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) and the Thai Hotels Association (THA) are concerned that the slow rollout of vaccinations might derail the reopening of Thailand in 120 days, with new variants being detected. THA have urged the government to remove inter-provincial travel restrictions, and promote MICE to stimulate domestic tourism, as well as implement financial measures

Over 300 tourism businesses have now been awarded the SHA+ certification

The PM will visit Phuket to inspect the safety measures in place ahead of the reopening

Thailand’s zoning measures will be adjusted from 21 Jun. Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan will stay dark red zones. 11 other provinces will be red zones, 9 orange zones and 53 yellow zones. Some easing of measures for dark red zones include allowing gatherings of up to 50 pax, restaurants can serve up to 50% capacity and stay open until 11pm, whilst shopping centres can open until 9pm. Schools remain closed. Red zones allow gatherings of up to 100 people, with no limits on capacity for dine-in, shopping centres can open with usual hours and schools can open. Orange zones are allowed up to 150 people, and yellow zones 200 people. Face mask wearing is a must in all zones

The Krabi Hotels Association has said that it will closely observe the Phuket sandbox to see whether to operate during the off-peak season. Only 10% of its 848 hotels are currently operating, with occupancy rates in single digits. Hotels have already seen forward bookings for Jan/ Feb 2022 from Scandinavian guests

The annual Lions Club International Thailand Convention was held with 2,000 attendees in a hybrid format in Nakhon Ratchasima, supported by the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau

The Phuket Sandbox will open on 1 Jul, followed by the Samui Plus (Surat Thani) from 15 Jul. From Aug, an ‘extension’ concept will be launched after a visit to Phuket, with “Krabi Even More Amazing” or “Phang Nga Prompt”. From Sep, the “Sealed Approach” will be launched for “Charming Chiang Mai”, Neo Pattaya and Buri Ram. From Oct, Bangkok, Cha-Am and Hua Hin, as well as other Thai destinations which are ready, will reopen to vaccinated tourists, the TAT has confirmed

The Bank of Thailand and Bank Negara have launched a cross-border QR payment linkage between the 2 countries which will allow consumers and merchants to make and receive instant payments

The TAT has launched a new marketing campaign, Amazing Thailand, Now even more Amazing, to promote the Phuket Sandbox, including a video with Leicester City FC

The Delta variant is most likely to become the dominant one in Thailand over the next 2-3 months, the Medical Sciences Department has forecast

Phuket Airport has been holding rehearsals ahead of international arrivals on 1 July. Phuket will also rehearse measures at the ports

Tourists on the Phuket Sandbox will have a location-tracking wristband, and Phuket is installing facial recognition security cameras to detect any tourists who try to leave Phuket before the end of the 14-day stay

The PM has said that Thailand must reopen in 120 days (14 Oct) without quarantine for both vaccinated international and Thai travellers, and that the country “must be ready to live with some risk and just try to keep it at a manageable level, and let people go back to being able to earn a living”. The PM said that provinces which were ready to open could open up even earlier than 120 days

Foreigners staying in Thailand under a retirement visa will need to prove they have insurance coverage of at least $100,000 USD against COVID-19

The Chonburi Tourism Council forecast that only 30,000-40,000 international travellers will arrive between Aug-Oct. The Eastern Chapter of the Thai Hotels Association has said that just 20% of 1,000 hotels are still open for business. The Association of Chonburi Attractions said that just 12-15 of the 53 attractions in Pattaya are still operating

Pattaya is pushing for its Move On reopening campaign to take place by Aug. This would allow vaccinated travellers to enter Chonburi, spend the first 3 days in their hotel, and they would then be permitted to travel to Bang Lamung and Sattahip districts. After 14 days, they could visit the rest of Thailand. The Chonburi Tourism Industry Council would expect 10,000-20,000 to take part in the scheme from Aug-Sep

The PM has said that he will stay in office until the end of his 4-year term

Bangkok will reopen its public parks, museums, archaeological sites and massage centres from 14 Jun

More than 300 Phuket-based businesses have been awarded the SHA Plus Certificate. The TAT, Phuket Tourist Association and Thai Hotels Association are developing a SHA Plus Booking Authentication System which hotels can use to input guests’ bookings and generate an official QR code

The TAT have insisted that the additional measures for Phuket, such as needing to stay for 14 days, are necessary, and that the Phuket Sandbox scheme is a “test run, which means it is a gradual process”. They do not expect an “influx of tourists in the third quarter”

The Golf Quarantine scheme has been postponed from 1 May, until the COVID-19 situation has improved

The Ministry of Tourism have launched “Safe Zone” seminars, which are aimed to making tourism attractions safe zones for when the country is reopened to international tourists

The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) reported that its consumer confidence index fell to 44.7 in May from 46 in Apr, a record low. They estimate that if the outbreak can be controlled by Jun, the economic impact will be 500-800 billion THB in 2021

Koh Samui tour operators have proposed that the “Samui sealed route” be opened on 1 Jul as well as the Phuket sandbox. Although the Tourism Minister has sent the proposal to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) for consideration, he thought it unlikely to be approved for a 1 Jul reopening

The Bank of Thailand has extended its debt moratorium for SMEs to Dec 2021

Samet Island in Rayong will reopen to tourists after reaching 100% vaccination

The Chon Buri Tourism Council has said that the Public Health Ministry is concerned about the idea to allow international tourists to visit Pattaya in Q4, as it is more of an open town, and difficult to regulate movement. The Chon Buri Tourism Council hope to have a soft reopening during Aug and Sep, where tourists would need to stay in their accommodation for 3-5 days, and then could travel to pre-approved places

The Tourism Minister will propose that fully vaccinated international travellers should be permitted to visit Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao after 7 days on Phuket from 1 Aug. They are in the process of negotiations with Bangkok Airways

Schools in dark red zones are not permitted to reopen on 14 Jun, and must provide online learning. 17 red zone provinces are permitted to reopen as a hybrid online-on-site learning

The Kasikorn Research Centre has forecast that the Phuket Sandbox will generate 550,000-1.2 million international travellers in H2 2021 in the best case scenario and just 250,000 in the worst-case scenario

The 3rd phase of the government’s co-payment scheme will open on 14 Jun

The Alpha variant is now responsible for almost 90% of the cases in Thailand from Apr-Jun , with just 8.32% Delta

The TCC Confidence Index which tracks business confidence has shown a drop to 24.7 in May from 27.6 in Apr, a record low since the survey began in 2019. They noted that “Tourism operators in provincial areas are in deep trouble. This directly affects employment in the sector”

State quarantine facilities for Thai travellers returning from overseas by air will be closed from 1 Jul. Travellers will need to pay for alternative facilities, but may see their medical costs covered

ForwardKeys data for Phuket as of 5 Jun showed that in Q3 it could expect 2% of 2019’s volume, 13% in Q4 and 25% in Q1 2022. One of the biggest source markets for Q3 is Israel, tying with the UK in #1 place, with Germany in #2. Europe accounts for 78% of the bookings for Q3, and Asia just 3%

South Korea has said that it is looking into travel bubble agreements with Thailand, allowing fully vaccinated travellers to enter South Korea without quarantine with flights once or twice a week with up to 200 pax per flight

The Tourism Ministry has said that with the extension of travellers having to stay in Phuket for 14 days before being permitted to travel to other parts of the country, arrivals will likely decrease by half, to 14,850, although it is still aiming for 129,000 in Q3. They have said that if there are no infections in Jul, then it could be cut back to 7 days once more. A 10 billion THB fund for Phuket businesses is being planned with the Finance Ministry

Chiang Mai is working to allow fully vaccinated travellers to visit from 1 Aug in Mae Rim, Mae Taeng, Doi Tao and Muang districts, and then the whole province from 15 Oct. The local government will only consider this if 70% of the population can be vaccinated in the 4 districts by end Jul

The Patong Mayor of Phuket has confirmed that bars and other entertainment venues will remain closed even during the 1 Jul reopening for the first period. The Mayor is also planning to improve the views of the beach and develop a botanic garden

Phuket is asking for financial help from the government to develop an app which can track international tourists visiting under the Phuket Sandbox plan

Koh Samet has now vaccinated 100% of its targeted group, with 1,800 receiving their first doses

The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is aiming to attract shorthaul markets to Phuket, and is discussing with airlines to increase seat capacity and launch support for groups of at least 30 who stay in Thailand for at least 2 nights. They will then look at China, as well as 5 key industries, including cosmetics, insurance, MLM, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing. From Oct 2020-Sep 2021, it has seen 14 international events cancelled, 39 postponed and 44 seem to be proceeding as planned, whilst domestically 14 have been cancelled, 44 postponed and 33 proceeding

The TAT expects 3 million international arrivals in 2021, lower than its Apr target of 4 million. It estimates spending to be between 240-300 billion THB. It expects 20 million international arrivals in 2022, spending 1.3 trillion THB

The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) has said that there is not much chance of the Chinese market visiting during October’s Golden Week if Thailand’s cases remain high and Chinese visitors face a lengthy quarantine on return. ATTA is proposing creating a specific fund of 10 billion THB for tourism businesses to provide loans to tour operators

The Chulabhorn Royal Academy has set the price for its Sinopharm doses at 888 THB per dose

C9 Hotelworks have published a report on Krabi, which noted that the island had successfully attracted the domestic market in pandemic times

Krabi managed to capitalise the most out of all domestic Thai markets in mid-April, peaking at 80% occupancy, according to STR

The cabinet has agreed in principle the Phuket Sandbox opening from 1 Jul. The proposal needs to be reviewed by CESA, and then resubmitted to cabinet for approval

More than 60% of Chiang Mai’s tourism related businesses have closed, and only 3% of the province’s 80,000 hotel rooms are still available. It hopes that the Chiang Mai Sandbox reopening from 1 Aug could see 10,000 arrivals per day, with 600,000 from Aug-Dec

Around 20,000 SMEs, mostly tourism-related ones, have closed in Q1

The TAT wants to target 4 more groups to enter the country, which they hope would attract 1 million people and generate 1 trillion THB. These include those with at least $1 million USD in assets who would qualify for a 10-year visa, digital nomads who are employees of companies trading at least $50 million USD per year and salaries of $40,000 USD/ year, retirees who have annual income of $40,000 USD and skilled workers who would also need a $40,000 salary

The government has allocated 2.8 billion THB for Thailand to become a regional vaccine hub and COVID-19 research development

The Tourism Ministry will sign an MoU with the Thai Chamber of Commerce in Jun to boost domestic tourism to Phuket, building up confidence. The association’s members could start to take trips from 1 Jul, to show that both international travellers and Thais can travel to Phuket safely. It is still in talks to create a tourism fund to help with the impact of the pandemic, and must wait to see how vaccinations rollout in Jun or Jul before relaunching subsidies in Aug

Phuket have launched an online registration program for the Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration (SHA) Plus Certificate, where businesses with at least 70% of staff are vaccinated are able to register. There are 1,389 businesses already registered under SHA in Phuket, who are being encouraged to register for the SHA Plus certificate

The ASQ-ALQ Club Thailand has said that its members want to transform into hybrid hotels under H2, as the demand for ASQ hotels has started to decrease since May, with occupancy dropping to 30-35% vs Apr’s 45-50%. They have hardly any bookings after 15 Jun. Hotels would split operations by buildings or floors between quarantined and regular guests

The Center for Economic Situation Administration (CESA) has approved a proposal to attract international wealthy pensioners, those who want to work from Thailand and highly skilled professionals to Thailand

The Center for Economic Situation Administration (CESA) approved the plan to reopen Phuket on 1 Jul to vaccinated travellers. It has not yet approved plans to reopen Koh Samui and Krabi to international travellers. It also approved the reopening of Bangkok, Phetchaburi (Cha-am district), Prachuap Khiri Khan (Hua Hin district), Chiang Mai, Chon Buri (Pattaya) and Buri Ram from 1 Oct. Tourists planning to visit include Israelis on 7 Jul and Americans on 9 Jul. Conditions for tourists include: • Must be fully vaccinated for at least 14 days, but no more than one year • Must come from low-moderate risk countries • Children aged under 6 with vaccinated parents will be allowed entry, those aged 6-18 will need to undergo a test on arrival • Must have vaccination certificates with vaccines either recognised by Thailand or the WHO • Must stay at SHA Plus hotels, and use contact tracing apps • Must stay in Phuket for 14 days before being able to move on to other destinations in Thailand (previously 7 days)

The Pattaya Marathon, scheduled from 17-18 Jul, has been cancelled

Bangkok Airways have extended the closure of its ticketing offices until 30 Jun

Schools are preparing to reopen nationwide on 14 Jun

Some small temples which have previously relied on foreign tourist donations are struggling to survive

51% fewer Thai travellers in an Agoda Sustainable Travel Trends Survey want to travel more sustainably

Certificates of Entry will not be issued to those who would enter Thailand from the Maldives, or from those with a history of travel to the Maldives within the last 21 days

The government is planning to launch a new co-pay scheme for SME wages, to prevent mass redundancies. It will be funded either by the 300 billion THB budget approved to help businesses and people impacted by the 3rd wave, or the 180 billion THB for domestic consumption. Those who would qualify would be those who could not obtain soft loans from the central bank, and it could last 3-9 months. However, it may not be suitable for the tourism industry

A survey has shown that Thai consumers’ willingness to spend has dropped 2 points to 54/100. It also showed that consumers are delaying purchases of larger items

The Ministry of Tourism has said that filming by international production companies has earned Thailand 1.2 billion THB in revenue in 2021, and they hope that this will increase to 3 billion by the year-end

Anyone flying into Phuket must show that they have at least one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, or are fully vaccinated with other brands, or have proof of recovery from COVID-19 within 90 days of their arrival. They will also need to have a negative test result from the past 7 days

Siam Commercial Bank has revised its 2021 GDP forecast for Thailand to 1.9% from 2%. It also revised down its forecast for international tourists to 400,000 from 1.5 million

The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is aiming to attract small-scale MICE groups under the Phuket sandbox scheme. From Oct 2020- March 2021, international MICE events dropped by 90% YoY, and domestic MICE events dropped 60% YoY, whilst revenue dropped 70% YoY. It expects the industry to recover to 80% of 2019 levels by 2025, and believes that exhibitions will recover first

The Professional Tour Guides Association of Thailand has requested that 1,000 vaccine doses be allocated to licensed tour guides in Bangkok

A survey has shown that 53% of Thais are “not quite satisfied” or “not satisfied at all” with the government’s response to COVID-19. 62% said they would be willing to get free vaccines, whist 18% said they did not plan to get the vaccine

The Thai PM has admitted that there have been “glitches” in the vaccine rollout, but said that everyone has the right to be vaccinated, and they are aiming for 50 million doses for the first phase

Bangkok’s plans to reopen 5 sectors were overrode by the National Security Council due to the overall situation

The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) have cautioned that unemployment rates could increase in 2021, as there has been a 9.1% contraction in GDP for MSMEs. They predict that physical jobs in tourism will continue to “slump” until mid-2022. The government is said to be preparing more aid to help tourism related businesses retain staff and create jobs for new graduates. The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) have said that unemployment for tourism workers depends on the Phuket Sandbox – if it and other areas open by Oct, unemployment should be less than 2.5 million, but if not, 3 million tourism workers could lose their jobs in H2. They called for a co-payment scheme

Bangkok has been instructed to extend its COVID-19 prevention measures until 14 Jun, including the closure of schools, entertainment venues, amusement parks, exhibition centres, museums and public parks

Chiang Mai residents returning from red zone provinces will need to self-quarantine for 14 days

The Bank of Thailand has said that it could take until Q1 2023 for the Thai economy to normalise. Their current 2021 GDP growth forecast is 3%

Thailand reported 5,485 cases, the highest number over a 24-hour period, with 1,953 of those from prisons

The TAT will start an official countdown to the reopening of Phuket next week, with the slogan “Amazing Thailand… now even more amazing”

A Suan Dusit poll has shown that 73% of respondents felt “hopeless”, whilst 75% said that they were “under stress and worried”. 75% of those surveyed said that the vaccination rollout should be accelerated

The Tourism Minister has reinforced that 70% of the population in each destination set to reopen to international tourists must be vaccinated, to ensure that tourists feel safe. Thailand may restart its visa on arrival for low-risk countries from Q4, and is still waiting to hear from China on its policy on outbound travellers

The founder of the Minor International hotel group has called for the government to offer nationwide quarantine-free entry, and not restrict it to certain destinations, as vaccinated travellers who are tracked are low-risk

UNESCO have written to the Thai government to warn them about the building of a new train station for the high speed rail in Ayutthaya, and ensure that it is built in a way which will reflect the design of the current one

The TAT has confirmed that the reopening of Phuket to international travellers will happen on 1 Jul. They announced that travellers will need to be fully vaccinated begore travelling, carry with them a negative RT-PCR test and take another test on the 5th day. They will need to stay in Phuket for 7 days before they can travel onwards in Thailand

Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) have said that their members have reported interest in the Phuket Sandbox scheme from countries such as China, Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan, but they believe that significant tourist volume will only take place in Q4

70% of Thailand’s GDP is generated by just 15 provinces, whilst the remaining 30% is made up from 62 provinces. Of the 15 provinces, tourism and manufacturing are the main sectors, and tourism revenue from them accounts for 88% of the country’s combined tourism revenue

Parliament has approved an emergency decree to reduce the interest rates charged for defaults on loans

Phuket will change its entry requirements for domestic tourists from 1 Jun that they either need to be fully vaccinated or have a negative test within 7 days of arriving to the island, which could be an RT-PCR or antigen test. From 1 Jun, it will also allow spas, tourism related businesses, walking street markets, gyms and parks to reopen, but bars will still need to remain closed, as will schools

Thai Airways has started to sell direct flights from Paris, Frankfurt, London and Copenhagen to Phuket ahead of the Phuket Sandbox opening on 1 Jul, and are planning to invite hundreds of tour agents on fam trips in Q3 to test the scheme with TAT, Thai Airways is also planning flights from Seoul and Taipei from Jul

A new campaign, One Night, One Dollar, has been proposed by the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) to attract international tourists to Phuket. This would offer rooms for 1 USD per night, with the costs subsidised by the government. They would aim to sell 1 million room nights, generating 40 billion THB into hotels and services in Jul

Rayong will close 5 tourism islands for 4 months, from 1 Jun-30 Sep, for natural restoration

The Phuket Tourist Association has said that all people directly involved in tourism in Phuket will be vaccinated before the island reopens

The TAT is preparing the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2021 from 15 Jul-15 Sep, which will firm up Thailand’s appeal as a shopping destination

The National Economic and Social Development Council forecast that tourism won’t return to pre-pandemic numbers until 2026, continuing to impact 7 million tourism workers

Thailand’s Apr arrivals were 8,529, -99.7% YoY

The TAT have said that Phuket and the 9 other areas tipped to open to international tourists in 2021 must have a plan to improve their services and infrastructure for a better tourist experience. The rules for the Sandbox will be submitted to Centre for Economic Situation Administration (CESA) on 4 Jun

Thailand’s unemployment rate jumped to its highest level since the pandemic started, 1.96% (758,000) in Q1 2021

The Bank of Thailand has said that the country’s GDP might reach 2% growth if it can reach 100 million vaccine doses in 2021. If it cannot reach this level of procurement, then growth may be just 1%

The Bank of Thailand has urged financial institutions to approve soft loans to SMEs faster, after approvals were lower than the original target. The total has reached 16 billion THB, out a fund of 250 billion THB

Siam Commercial Bank is planning to launch a hotel booking app which will not charge operators a gross profit fee, called Zero GP OTA, to help SMEs avoid OTA costs

The Deputy PM has called for Phuket and Phanh Nga to align their entry requirements, allowing tourists to travel freely between the 2, under a tourism plan “Travel Thailand Together”

The ASQ-ALQ Club Thailand have reported a drop of 30-40% in bookings from international visitors since the 14-day quarantine was reimposed, leading to ASQ-ALQ hotels offering themselves to patients with mild symptoms as quarantine facilities

Chiang Rai has now imposed a travel requirement that travellers who enter the province must either be fully vaccinated or have a negative test within 72 hours. Those who cannot fulfil either condition will need to undergo a 14-day quarantine. This applies to travellers from Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan

Thailand has reported its first locally transmitted cases of the Indian variant

The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) forecasts that Thailand will receive just 500,000 international arrivals in 2021, generating 150 billion THB

Thai protestors are planning to restart demonstrations once the outbreak weakens

Thailand has approved the extension of the state of emergency until the end of Jul

School closure will be extended for the 4 dark red zones: Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan. Schools in red zones must seek permission to reopen on 14 Jun, whilst schools in orange zones can reopen then

Social Security Fund (SSF) contributions from employers and employees will be cut to 2.5% of monthly salary, down from 5%, from 1 Jun-31 Aug

The government does not plan to impose a lockdown in Bangkok, despite the increase in cases in prisons and construction sites, as there can be contained

Travellers to Phuket without a negative test certificate or who are fully vaccinated will need to self-quarantine for 14 days

Around 50 hotels on Phuket are ready to open under to vaccinated international travellers under the Phuket Sandbox scheme. The TAT have started to bring in influencers to showcase how Phuket has changed, and will also invite foreign media

The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) has downgraded its 2021 GDP forecast for Thailand to 0.5-2% due to the severity of the latest outbreak

Bangkok has extended its closures until 31 May, including entertainment venues, recreation businesses, fitness businesses and museums

Koh Samet has reopened to visitors

Thailand registered 9,635 cases on 17 May, its highest number ever, with 6,853 cases originating from prisons

Thailand’s Q1 2021 GDP contracted by 2.6%, less than expected

TAT Tokyo Office with Japan Airlines and Narita International Airport offered a special ‘Amazing Thailand Virtual Flight”, where 162 passengers flew on a 3.5 hour flight to nowhere which included serving Thai food and drinks, showing TV commercials about Thailand and Thai souvenirs, as well as a grand prize

Thailand will allow dine-in services at restaurants in dark red zones at a limit of 25% capacity from 16 May. Restaurants will need to close by 9pm. Red zones can serve until 11pm, and orange areas there are no restrictions

Phuket has changed its plan for trams to an automated rapid transit bus system instead, due to earlier implementation and costs saved

Thailand has adjusted the colour coded zones in Thailand, reducing the number of dark red zones to 4 and the number of red zones to 16. Dark red zones include Bangkok, red zones Chonburi, Rayong and Surat Thani and orange zones include Chiang Mai, Krabi, Phang Nga and Phuket

The suicide rate in Thailand since the pandemic has increased by 11%

The Committee of National Tourism Policy has approved Hua Hin’s Recharge project, and will accelerate the procurement of 350,000 doses to vaccinate residents and tourism staff in Jun

Some areas of Bangkok have been found to have a 5% infectivity rate

The TAT has cut its forecasts for 2021, but has said that it needs to keep the momentum of 2020’s 90.5 million domestic trips, which it will do via the We Travel Together and Tour Tiew Thai programs. It hopes these can be started by end Jun/ early Jul, and will be extended an additional month to 31 Oct, subject to approval. It also plans to run tourism marketing campaigns including Unseen Thailand, and wants to increase the number of trips, rather than the spend

Thailand recorded a high of 4,887 cases on 13 May, with 2,835 detected in prisons

The Phuket Sandbox will launch on 1 Jul, with flight promotions as an incentive. The TAT expects 129,000 international visitors in Q3. It will subsidise 100,000 interprovincial air travel one-way tickets. The TAT will target countries such as the US, UK and the EU. It is proposing standardised entry procedures for tourists and once approved, tour operators can start to promote the packages. A 7-day package to Phuket is estimated to cost around 150,000-200,000 THB per pax, higher than the 50,000 THB pre-pandemic

Phuket plans to begin the next round of vaccinations on 18 May, hoping to finish in Jun

The TAT will take part in the 2021 ATM in Dubai, highlighting its safety to travellers

The Thailand Charter Week event in Phuket has been postponed to 12-15 Nov. It aims to promote Thailand as an international charter yacht destination

Event organisation business employees are able to claim compensation from the Social Security Fund (SSF). The Event Management Association has urged the government for co-pay subsidies for wages, and the deferment of social security contributions for 6 months

Tris Rating believes that Thai hotels will continue to see a severe impact from COVID-19 in 2021

Krabi tour operators are urging the government to ensure enough vaccine is procured to be able to reopen in Oct, as well as clarify the rules for national parks. Pilot areas in Oct which will reopen in Krabi include Koh Phi Phi, Ao Nang, Koh Lanta and Railay Bay

The Thai Chamber of Commerce Confidence Index, which tracks business confidence, dropped to 27.6 in Apr, compared to 30.7 in Mar

The governor of Phuket has warned that if the number of daily infections in Phuket does not drop, the 1 Jul reopening date may not happen. It had set a target of 15 May for single digit infections

National museums, historical parks and archaeological sites will be reopened from 10 May

The Pattaya Business and Tourism Association has said that the tourism industry is suffering the worst economic damage due to measures put in place, and urged the government to provide economic aid

The government has approved $1.45 billion USD worth of projects to boost the economy

The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) is calling for a financial package to help the tourism sector, with a further relaxation of soft loans as most operators do not have assets to use as collateral. They are also seeking a monthly salary co-payment scheme. They warned that “many operators won’t be able to make it through the next three months."

STR have said that the outlook for Q3 and Q4 for a recovery in Thailand’s hotel business is precarious, and that once the latest wave is under control, hotels within driving distance of Bangkok will benefit the most

Travellers from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal will not have Certificates of Entry issued to them, but Thai travellers may still return from these countries

The government have blamed the spike in health worker cases on patients who did not disclose their risk of having COVID-19

Kasikorn Research Centre has forecast Thailand’s 2021 GDP will grow 1.8%, a drop from its previous forecast of 2.6%

A Suan Dusit poll has shown that 82.47% of respondents said that they felt depressed about COVID-19

The Phuket government have said that from 15 May, rapid antigen tests will no longer be used to test domestic travellers arriving from red zones. Instead, they have set a goal of zero infections within 2 weeks, and will impose a 14-day quarantine for those passengers who are not fully vaccinated or do not have an RT-PCR test prior to departure

Thailand’s Tourism Ministry has delayed its 300 THB international tourist tax to Jan 2022

Fusion Hotels and Resorts, a Vietnamese company, has acquired Thailand’s chain of GLOW hotels and resorts

The Tourism Minister has confirmed that Phuket will reopen as planned on 1 Jul, but that it will be expanded to cover Krabi, Phangnga, Surat Thani, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Buri Ram, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan and Bangkok. These regions accounted for 80% of the country’s tourism revenue in 2019. The government believe this could attract 3.5 million tourists in 2021, generating 298 billion THB, but at least 70% of residents in those 10 provinces would need to be vaccinated

The Bank of Thailand expects hotel occupancy to decline to just 9% in May. A survey had shown occupancy rates of 18% in Apr. They have calculated that at this rate, 47% of hotels will go out of business in 3 months. 80% of hoteliers consider the 3rd wave to be the most damaging. Just 46% of the country’s hotels are open, with 13% closed temporarily

The Thai Hotels Association have stated that they would only be able to retain their employees for one more month, and that if the situation continues, more hotels will close and staff made unemployed. Since the start of Apr 2021, 10-15% of the remaining 15,000 Thai travel agents have closed, with the Association of Domestic Travel (ADT) forecasting more will do so and that 60,000-70,000 have lost their jobs. Tour bus operators are estimated to have lost 50 billion THB per month

The private sector will help create 372 vaccination points, with 82 in Bangkok, according to the Thai Chamber of Commerce

Ranong, Krabi, Trang and Phattalung have been added to Phuket’s “red zone” provinces, bringing the total to 25

The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce has reported that consumer confidence hit a record low in Apr at 46, from Mar’s 48.5. They estimate losses of 400-600 billion THB if the surge continues past May

Thailand will add Bangkok to the Phuket Sandbox scheme from Oct, allowing vaccinated travellers to visit the city from Oct. This will allow easier access to destinations such as Pattaya, Phang Nga, Koh Samui and Krabi. The government believe this could attract 3.5 million tourists in 2021, generating 298 billion THB, but at least 70% of residents in those 10 provinces would need to be vaccinated

Bangkok Metropolitan Authority have extended its closure order an additional week until 17 May for schools, entertainment venues and public parks. Shopping malls can open until 9pm

The government have launched a new general economy stimulus, “Ying Chai Ying Dai”. This will target middle-high income people who must spend between 46,000-70,000 THB to receive e-vouchers worth 7,000 THB. It is targeting 4 million people. The “Rao Chana” scheme will also be expanded, with additional amounts of 2,000 THB each. A 3rd phase of the co-payment scheme will roll out in Jul

The Bank of Thailand has warned that economic recovery will be slow and uneven, and it is clear that the crisis “won’t end quickly”. Its worst case scenarios, where herd immunity is only reached in Q4 2022, would see just 0.8 million international tourists arriving in Q4 2021, increasing to 8 million in Q4 2022

The Tourism Minister has said that Phuket must reach zero cases before it can open to international travellers on 1 Jul. He wants to see the number of daily cases in general declining to below 200 by the end of the month to encourage traveller confidence. Once this is under control, the government will proceed with travel bubble talks with Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Laos and Malaysia

Chao Phraya express boats have been suspended on weekends and public holidays, as the operators have seen a 90% drop in passengers

The government have announced that the We Travel Together and the Tour Tiew Thai schemes must be postponed indefinitely due to the 3rd wave. The Thai Hotels Association (THA) has called for more financial aid from the Social Security Fund (SSF) to help retain employees. They have also said that the 2 stimulus schemes were planned for the current fiscal year, which ends 30 Sep, but should be extended to the end of 2021 or even beyond due to this round of cases being “more challenging” as people are voluntarily staying home

Chiang Mai will open 2 of its districts, Mae Rim and Mae Taeng, as part of the Sandbox Scheme from 1 Oct, and plans to vaccinate local residents in those areas

A new campaign, “Migrate”, has been joined by over 800,000 members, including Thai students and young professionals who are unhappy with the government’s handling of the pandemic

The Bank of Thailand has forecast another drop in Thailand’s 2021 GDP to 1-2% growth only

Thailand will lower residential utility bills for 2 months in May-Jun, to help those who must stay at home

A study by Visa has shown that 45% of Thai consumers want to avoid using cash after the end of the pandemic. The top 3 activities which consumers want to spend on when recovery is underway is travel within Thailand (35%), travelling abroad to COVID-safe destinations (29%) and taking staycations (19%)

Phi Phi National Park has closed from 5 May for 13 days, to control the spread of the disease

Bangkok has seen a cluster of cases hutting its Klong Toei district, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the city, with overcrowded residences

A survey by JTB has shown that Thailand is still in the top 5 most desired travel destinations for Japanese travellers

28 provinces in Thailand have restrictions at night-time, urging everyone to avoid going out at night

Phuket has asked its residents not to go out between 10pm-4am

Koh Kot reopened on 2 May. Visitors must have certificates they are free of COVID-18 within 72 hours of departure

The Finance Ministry has downgraded its GDP 2021 forecast to 2.3% from 2.8% growth. It also only forecasts 2 million international travellers, down from 5 million, which will result in 100 billion THB revenue instead of 260 billion THB

Thailand’s online booking platform for vaccines crashed briefly on its first day of launch due to demand. Registration will continue in May ahead of large scale vaccinations in Jun. The 2nd phase is for those aged 60 years or more, or with pre-existing health conditions for vaccinations in Jun-Jul. The 3rd phase will start from Aug onwards for those aged 18-59

The Association of Domestic Travel (ADT) is calling for the government to speed up the vaccination rollout and to change the domestic stimulus program, allowing the Tour Teaw Thai program to be booked on the weekends as well as weekdays

The Tourism Ministry has reported that Q1 domestic trips were 17.2 million, -31.2% YoY, with tourism receipts dropping to 92.6 billion THB, -51.1% YoY

The Bank of Thailand is likely to cut its 2021 GDP forecast of 3%

From 16 May, Phuket has changed its entry policy so that anyone entering the province must have a negative test certificate, except those who are fully vaccinated

Phuket has extended its entry restrictions until 12 May, including the rapid antigen tests on arrival. Mass gatherings have been limited to 30 people, and all pubs and entertainment venues will close until 12 May

The Tourism Association of Koh Samui has said that they are committed to the schedule of opening up the Samui Sealed Route on 1 Jul, and vaccination has already reached 30% of the population, although it could be delayed due to the vaccines being re-deployed. They urged the government to stop interprovincial travel to flatten the curve. Potential source markets including Israel, Australia, Russia and SE Asian countries have told Koh Samui operators that once the island is open, they will visit

The government has said that deaths are being reported from COVID-19 at a faster rate, and cases with more severe symptoms due to the UK variant spreading in the country

The Thai PM has been granted sweeping powers to combat COVID-19, with fears that it could be used as a political tool

Chonburi is not imposing a quarantine on travellers

The government has warned that despite daily cases declining, the country is still facing difficulties as the number of severely ill patients is increasing

Phuket has asked for permission to buy their own vaccines, so that they can still proceed with the Phuket Sandbox

Phuket has noted that at least one airline has pencilled in plans for 2 charter flights per week from 10 Oct

Songkran brought 81% hotel occupancy in Krabi province on 11 Apr over the weekend pre-Songkran, whilst Hua Hin saw 61% peak occupancy, according to STR

Thailand Elite Card members have seen a reduction in the number applying to enter the country after Songkran, from 100 per week to 69, due to the increase in cases. From 1 Oct-31 Mar, it approved 2,552 new members +93% YoY. It is aiming to get 2,600 new members by Apr

Phuket will close its land borders from 11pm-5am every day to help stop the spread of COVID, until 12 May

All historical and ancient site will be closed from 26 Apr-9 May

Thailand has rezoned provinces according to their safety levels from May 1: • “Dark red” zones: Bangkok, Chonburi, Chiang Mai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, and Samut Prakan. Stricter measures including gatherings of more than 20 pax banned, dine in services at restaurants banned, sports facilities closed, shopping centres can stay open until 9pm, but entertainment activities must close • “Red zones”: 45 provinces. Regulations include: gatherings up to 50 people, restaurants can offer dine-in until 9pm, shopping malls can stay open until 11pm • “Orange zone”: 26 provinces. Regulations: restaurants can offer dine-in until 11pm, shopping malls can stay open until 11pm. Face masks must also be worn across all provinces

See You Again Co travel agency are selling a vaccine tour package for groups and FIT to Serbia, offering a 2-week package with airfare, accommodation, meals and visits to attractions. More than 5,000 people have expressed their interest so far

A survey by PwC has shown that 84% of Thai businesses are struggling

The domestic tour stimulus programmes will start on 17 May for We Travel Together, and 27 May for the Tour Teaw Thai, slightly later than planed due to the third wave. They are expected to run until 31 Aug

The reopening of the new school term has been delayed to 1 Jun from 17 May

Koh Samet has been ordered to close from 27 Apr-10 May

The government is preparing 300 billion THB of economic stimulus

The Thai Hotels Association (THA) has said that the situation has worsened with the 3rd wave, with limits on opening hours and alcohol sales in restaurants and MICE. Just 5-10% of hotels registered in Bangkok could remain open with revenue coming from restaurants and meetings. Impact Exhibition Management have also said that the 3rd wave has countered any growth that MICE was starting to gain after the 2nd wave, and recovery would take 2-3 months

Hua Hin is planning to launch a Recharge campaign, and has said that it has the potential to be included in the reopening plan due to its reputation as a long-stay destination. The Hua Hin Recharge plan would cover Hua Hin Municipality and Nong Kae district, and would allow travellers to arrive into Bangkok or take a private jet to Hua Hin for the scheme. They hope to welcome 100,000 international tourists, with 1.2 billion THB in receipts, but have warned that vaccination would need to start on 1 Jun-30 Sep. The Tourism Ministry has approved the concept, and it will be officially proposed on 6 May to the National Tourism Policy Committee

Thailand’s international arrivals in March were 6,737, -99.2% YoY

The Bangkok Metropolitan Authority have limited in person meetings and gatherings to 20 pax until 9 May. Several meeting venues will also be closed

The Thai PM was fined for not wearing a mask on 26 Apr after wearing masks in public places became compulsory in Bangkok

The Thai government insists that the Phuket Sandbox scheme will go ahead on 1 Jul, and that it has not been cancelled nor changed. Phuket operators are calling for more clarity from the government on how the plan will work, and say that it is unlikely that 70% of the island will be vaccinated by then. The TAT have said that they will submit a complete plan for the scheme by end of Apr, and expect in Q3 it to attract 120,000 international arrivals and generate 11 billion THB

85% of hotels in Phuket remain closed, with just 200-300 actively listed on travel websites, as hotel operators are uncertain about the situation

The PM is facing calls to impose a strict lockdown as cases continue to rise

Thailand is banning any Indian citizens or arrivals from India, with only Thai returnees from India permitted

The CCSA has warned that stricter measures may be imposed on targeted areas, after cases reached a record high of 2,839 on 24 Apr

The Thai Retailers Association have shortened operating hours of shopping malls from 11am-8pm and convenience stores must close between 10pm-5am in red zone provinces. Nonthaburi has also asked residents not to leave their homes from 9pm-4am unless they have good reason. Mask wearing in 42 provinces in indoor and outdoor spaces is now compulsory, with a fine of up to 20,000 THB for violators

Thai Airways’ state enterprise status will depend on creditors, the Finance Minister has said. Creditors will meet on 12 May to vote on the rehabilitation plan

The Tourism Minister has revised its goals of total tourism revenue from 1.218 trillion THB in 2021 to 850 billion THB, based on the new wave of cases. The number of international tourist arrivals is expected to be 3-4 million, with revenue of 300 billion THB. Domestic trips are forecast to be 100-120 million, down from 160 million forecast previously

Pattaya have announced that they will continue to organise small, outdoor events to attract tourism whilst obeying virus prevention measures

The Thai Hotels Association Eastern Chapter has said that occupancy in Pattaya is now less than 1% of what it was during Songkran

Provincial governors will be permitted to impose targeted curfews

Bangkok has announced fitness centres, amusement parks, zoos, museums, spas and public parks, amongst others, will be closed for 2 weeks from 26 Apr. Gatherings of more than 20 people will also be banned

Taiwan has confirmed that officials have met with Thailand to discuss establishing a travel corridor between the 2

Phuket officials who have faced complaints over implementing dual pricing for rapid tests on arrival to the island (Thais can undergo the test for free, foreigners need to pay 500 THB), have said that the policy may be withdrawn in May

Phuket has started to screen domestic travellers entering the island. Travellers from 18 red zones must either prove they have received 2 doses of the vaccination, or have a negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours of their arrival. Those who do not have these will need to take a rapid antigen test on arrival. During Songkran, 10,000 people visited Phuket daily, but this has dropped to around 3,000

The Kasikorn Research Centre has said that it forecasts domestic tourism revenue to drop by 130 billion THB in H1

Putin has agreed to make Sputnik V vaccines available in Thailand. Thailand has also signed an agreement for 10 million doses from Pfizer. The PM has vowed to purchase 35 million more doses of vaccines, to secure at least 100 million doses and achieve its vaccination program goals

The CEOs of 40 companies and the Thai Chamber of Commerce will launch a “Connect the Dots” campaign, where the private sector will help to procure vaccines and speed up the vaccination rollout

Koh Kood will close to tourists from 23 Apr-1 May

Thailand’s March international arrivals were just 6,737, -99.2% YoY. Q1 saw 20,172 arrivals, -99.7%

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) are calling for urgent mass vaccinations, saying that it needs to be “at least 10 times faster than the current rate”. They also urged the government to launch digital vaccination certificates

The TAT has admitted that it will need to set new tourism targets for 2021 following the outbreak, as the outbreak is not only in Thailand, but also in potential source markets too, such as Japan and India

The Tourism Ministry will continue with the Phuket sandbox model, and has requested at least 950,000 doses for 70-80% of Phuket’s population by Jun

The Thai Chamber of Commerce University have forecast that Thailand’s 2021 GDP will grow by 1.6%, as opposed to the previously forecast 2.8%

Nepal is hoping to attract more Thai pilgrim tourists now that Lumbini airport is scheduled to open, which will make Lumbini, a significant pilgrimage site, more accessible

The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) is now forecasting the country will reopen in Q4, saying that reopening in Jul cannot be accomplished unless cases drop back down to 2 digits in the next 2 months

Thailand will start to use a vaccination passport as an official travel document

The Thai Hotels Association (THA) have said that many hotels are considering temporarily closing down, particularly non-chain hotels without sufficient cashflow. They expect the Apr hotel occupancy rates to drop to single digits, and the last 2 weeks of Apr will be significant in their decisions whether to close over the low season. A survey showed that 50% of hotel chains had not even managed to obtain 10% of pre-pandemic profit levels, whilst 77% have implemented leave without pay for staff, 76% have compelled annual leave to be taken and 71% have implemented paycuts. Up to 40% of hotels had reduced staff levels. The THA called for more financial support from the government to aid recovery

The TAT have launched a new website, Entry Thailand, which will allow all arrangements for international visitors to be booked

Cross Hotels & Resorts will open Cross Pattaya Phratamnak in Aug

47 provinces now have orders for travellers arriving from another province to undergo 14-day quarantines

The Thai cabinet has approved 3.04 billion THB in handouts as part of the We Win program, extending the subsidy for 2.4 million more people

Schools are still scheduled to reopen on 17 May, but this could change if the virus situation is not under control

Schools are still scheduled to reopen on 17 May, but this could change if the virus situation is not under control

The government is appealing to all sectors to support work from home where possible

A Suan Dusit poll has shown that the majority of Thais (62.3%) are in favour of the government creating long weekends to stimulate the economy

The Bangkok governor is asking those who have returned from Songkran travels to enter their timelines online, and then either self-quarantine for 14 days or be swabbed if it seems that they are high risk

The Thai Hotels Association are proposing hotels be used as “hospitels”, turning them into temporary hotels and reduce crowds at hospitals. 23 hotels have already registered, and strict criteria are imposed, including one nurse per 20 patients, having at least 30 rooms, and standards must pass the Alternative State Quarantine facilities

All entertainment outlets in Bangkok will remain closed for the next 2 weeks

Pattaya has said that it will continue to hold tourism events where possible, with strict disease prevention measures in place

The Pattaya Music Festival from 30 Apr-2 May has been cancelled, but the Pattaya Kite Festival will continue

Many tourist attractions across the country have been temporarily closed, including Bangkok’s Grand Palace and the Doi Suthep-Pui National Park in Chiang Mai

The Thai Hotels Association Eastern Chapter has said that members were surprised that they lost less than 30% of their Songkran bookings due to the new spike in cases. They also had many same-day and walk-in bookings from domestic tourists. From 13-14 Apr, they had 70-80% occupancy levels in Pattaya

The TAT have said that tourism is expected to start improving from May at the soonest if measures are effective at controlling the virus. This would coincide with the launch of Phase 3 of the We Travel Together scheme, set to start registration on 7 May and the Tour Tiew Thai program

The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) forecast that the tourism industry’s unemployment rate in Q2 could affect 2-2.5 million workers, especially if reopening plans are delayed. In Q1, unemployment hit 1.45 million of 4.3 million tourism workers. The TCT called for the government to provide financial aid for tour operators, as well as a 2-year deb holiday until 2022. It should also support the Tourism Labour Bank project, which aims to upskill workers with expenses of 300 THB per person

The Tourism and Sports Ministry has said that the timeline for the Phuket sandbox July reopening scheme may need to be reset, as the province might not have enough vaccines ahead of its 70% vaccinated population target. A meeting will take place this coming week to decide, as well as hear from other countries with whom Thailand has started to negotiate travel bubbles

The government chose not to impose domestic travel bans over Songkran to avoid hurting the grassroots economy, the Thai PM said

1,582 new cases were reported on 16 Apr, the third consecutive day of record cases, with Bangkok and Chiang Mai reporting the highest numbers

Thai household debt is expected to keep rising, according to Kasikorn Research

The government has now designated provinces either orange or red zones, with new restrictions in force from 18 Apr. There are now 18 red zone provinces, including Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chonburi, Samut Sakhon and Phuket. The remaining 59 provinces are orange zones. All bars, pubs and massage parlours will be closed nationwide, whilst restaurants are not permitted to sell alcohol and must close by 9pm in red zones, 11pm in orange zones. All activities with more than 50 people are banned, as are private parties, unless all are family members. All in-person teaching is suspended, and amusement parks are closed. Working from home is encouraged. People are also being discouraged from travelling to red zones

ThaiHealth have said that 6 million Thais have been made unemployed since the start of the pandemic, and 1.3 million graduates are unlikely to find jobs

The Tourism Ministry believes that medical marijuana tourism could become popular in Thailand

ForwardKeys have shown a steady MoM increase in flight bookings to Thailand for the rest of 2021, with Dec at 24% of pre-COVID levels, compared to May at 2%. They also recorded a new trend for longer stays of 9-21 nights, a 13% increase compared to pre-COVID times. Solo travellers are also increasing their share of bookings. Arrivals from Asia are down to just 9% from 25% previously, whilst the share from the Americas has increased to 14% from 7%. Europe accounts for the majority of bookings, at 73%

More than 7.87 million vehicles travelled in and out of Bangkok during the Songkran period, 30.22% lower than its original forecast, but 34.67% higher than in 2020

Many Thai provinces continue to impose travel restrictions for domestic tourists entering the province, with measures ranging from 14-day voluntary quarantine to negative tests. Both Pattaya and Phuket do not have any restrictions

Pattaya hotels are concerned that the vaccination plan for Pattaya is too slow, and that the latest outbreak will impact the vaccine distribution. They also foresee a lack of domestic demand post Songkran, with no long weekend to boost the economy. Hua Hin also feels that the best case scenario may see travellers from Bangkok visiting on the weekend, reaching 30% occupancy on Saturday nights, and that in 2 months tourism could start to recover once more

The Tourism Business Association of Phuket revealed that hotel occupancy over Songkran dropped from 80% to 35%, whilst half the bookings for Chiang Mai and other Northern provinces were cancelled, according to the Thai Hotels Association Upper Northern Chapter

Montara Hospitality Group is developing a new wellness resort, Tri Vananda, in Phuket worth 6.6 billion THB. It is envisioned as an integrated wellness community and is set to open in early 2023

Kasikorn Research estimates that the latest wave will cost the tourism industry 10 billion THB in Q2. They have also cut their H1 forecast for tourism revenue by 130 billion THB to 137 billion THB

The Tourism Council of Chiang Mai (TCCM) is prioritising 3 tasks during the pandemic, including crisis management, preparing manpower, infrastructure and tackling tourism problems. TCCM calls for the government to provide more aid to tourism businesses

The TAT Ayutthaya cancelled its activities planned for Songkran at the last minute

The government may change its immigration rules, to make it easier for expats and long-stay tourists to stay in Thailand, removing the 90-day reports of their whereabouts. Thailand is looking to attract 1 million retirees over the next few years, which could generate 1.2 trillion THB

Two new decrees came into force from the 12 Apr, one to reduce default interest rates, and the other to provide business recovery loans of up to 250 billion THB for entrepreneurs with asset warehousing

A Suan Dusit poll has shown that 43.88% of respondents do not expect to take part in Songkran activities. Instead, they chose more traditional elements of the festival. The average spend was forecast to be 4,184 THB

Ayutthaya has cancelled its Songkran activities

Thailand registered its highest number of cases yet, 947 on 11 Apr

The TAT have lowered their expectations for the Songkran holidays by 50%, due to the growing number of cases. Last week, it forecast 3.2 million domestic trips with a revenue of 12 billion THB, but it has started to see mass cancellations being reported across the country, as well as quarantine periods being imposed on travellers from Bangkok and other areas with clusters

The latest wave of cases is linked to Thailand’s nightlife

The number of new cases in Thailand has increased sharply, with 789 detected on 10 Apr compared to 559 on 9 Apr. Bangkok has started to set up field hospitals which could accommodate up to 10,000 patients

29 provinces have so far imposed quarantine for external arrivals, including Kamphaeng Phet, Chiang Mai, Tak, Nan, Phayao, Lamphun, Uthai Thani, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Phanom, Bung Karn, Buri Ra, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Yasothon, Loei, Sakhon Nakhon, Nong Khai, Nong Bua Lamphu, Amnat Charoen, Chai Nat, Saraburi, Chumpon, Trang, Narathiwat, Pattani, Phang-nga and Songkhla

The government is offering special insurance policies to cover travellers against COVID-19 infection over the Songkran holiday for a 10 THB premium

The Bank of Thailand has said that the economy may grow less than previously forecast, with a worst-case sharp contraction in case of virus variants and vaccine efficacy

At least a dozen Bangkok hospitals suspended testing on Fri, due to a lack of kits or capacity

More than 3,500 cars were expected to board ferries to Koh Chang on 10 Apr, whilst car traffic to the North and Northeast was heavy, but bus operators said that passenger numbers were only half of what was previously expected

The PM has signed an order authorising Bangkok and 40 other provinces to temporarily close their entertainment businesses for at least 14 days

Hua Hin has seen almost 70% of its guests cancel their hotel rooms for Songkran, whilst Chiang Mai, which has imposed a 14-day quarantine period for certain travellers, has seen 20% cancellations. Pattaya has seen a decline and its occupancy is expected to drop from 90% to 60%. The Northeast, which has also imposed quarantine measures, has seen 20% cancellations. Southern hotels are reporting cancellations of around 15%, as Phuket is still permitting tourists to visit without quarantine. Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan have seen 20% cancellations, and Nakhon Si Thammarat 15%. 38 events have also been cancelled nationwide

Visitors to Thailand who want to qualify for the shorter quarantine will need to be vaccinated with vaccines from Sinovac, AstraZeneca, SK Bioscience, Pfizer, BioNTech, Serum Institute of India, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and Sinopharm Group

The government has said that there is no need for a nationwide lockdown

9 provinces, including Bangkok, Samut Sakhon, Nonthaburi, Ratchaburi and Tak are classified are controlled areas; 14 are classified as high surveillance areas, including Chonburi, Rayong and Ayutthaya; 54 provinces are surveillance areas, including Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Krabi, Phangnga, Phuket and Surat Thani

The TAT is partnering with Thai AirAsia to promote “Must Visit Second Tier Cities” in a new campaign. 15 provinces are being promoted: Chiang Rai, Nan, Phitsanulok, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang, Ranong, Chumphon, Narathiwat, Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, Roi Et, Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon, Buriram and Loei

A health official has warned that the latest wave of cases in Thailand could take more than 2 months to get back under control, but perhaps longer in Bangkok. Thailand confirmed that the UK variant is behind the fast spread of cases

The government has said that bus and rail passengers who want to cancel their trips over Songkran will be entitled t a full refund, so long as they cancel at least 24 hours in advance

Pattaya will close its entertainment places for 2 weeks

Phuket province will implement stricter screening for arrivals, but will not impose quarantine

The TAT are organising a golf tournament aimed at expats in the country as part of its domestic travel campaign

The Thai Hotels Association has criticised the government for its inefficient vaccination program, calling for a “pro-active strategy” and to accelerate the speed of the rollout. The Association of Domestic Travel has said that the latest wave of infections will be more disastrous for the tourism industry, as it has rapidly spread in Bangkok. The Thai Chamber of Commerce has said that if lockdown measures are imposed over Songkran, it could cost the economy 5 billion THB

Phuket has ordered the closure of all entertainment venues for 10 days, following Hua Hin’s similar decision

Bangkok has cancelled its Songkran celebrations to prevent crowd gatherings

The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce see consumer spending to be cut by 60 billion THB to 100 billion THB with the most recent outbreak, with a risk that the economy will contract in Q2

The Thai PM has said that the new outbreak was controllable still

Sony Pictures Entertainment and Amazon Falls will establish a new theme park based on films from its Columbia Pictures studio such as Jumaji and Ghostbusters. It plans to open in Oct

Multiple Australian government sources have said that Australia could be looking at setting up a travel bubble with Thailand

The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), 12 organisations and 10 MICE cities have signed an MoU to boost hygiene standards, called Unlock MICE Cities with High Standard of Safety

The Tourism Minister has said that Thailand and Singapore are discussing a travel bubble, and they are also looking at countries such as Vietnam and Laos. They hope to start travel bubbles in Oct

The level of household debt in Thailand is at its highest since 2003

Entertainment spots in some areas of Bangkok were ordered closed from 6-19 Apr, following 194 cases reported on Monday, 25% of which were linked to Bangkok with transmission from nightclubs

Thailand is in discussions with Hong Kong over a travel bubble scheme

Travellers from 28 countries are interested in visiting Phuket, although the Phuket Tourist Association has said that although interest is shown, it remains to be seen whether the travellers will be permitted to undergo outbound leisure travel by their own countries

A Suan Dusit poll has shown that before the outbreak, 39.37% travelled 2-3 times per month, 25.69% once a month. After the pandemic, 59.29% did not travel at all, whilst 24.74% travelled 2-3 times per month. Once the government’s incentives were launched, that changed to 37.94% 2-3 times per month, 31.46% did not travel at all and 16.36% once a month. 67.7% were satisfied with the We Travel Together program, whilst 67.58% were satisfied with the Tour Tiew Thai program

Quarantine will be reduced to 7 days for international arrivals who have been fully vaccinated for at least 14 days before the travel date, are coming from countries with no mutated strains, and are vaccinated with Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Covishield, Johnson & Johnson or Moderna. A 10 day quarantine will be in place for those who are not vaccinated

The Tourism Minister is considering offering free domestic flights for international travellers, once aviation workers are vaccinated. This would be a way to incentivise travellers to stay longer in the country after their initial period in Phuket was finished. One of the possible destinations includes Koh Samui, and the government has already discussed the idea with Bangkok Airways

The WTTC have certified the Amazing Thailand SHA certification program to be aligned with their own SafeTravels protocols. This means that Thai stakeholders who have qualified for SHA will be entitled to display the WTTC SafeTravels logo too

The TAT have launched a new TV advert, “Wait No More”, in international markets under the campaign “Amazing Moments, Amazing Thailand”. It promotes Thailand as a top travel destination

Songkran spending is expected to be 17% lower than 2019’s 113 billion THB, according to the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC). They conducted a survey which showed that the most popular activities anticipated for the festival will be merit-making, eating and celebrating at home, and the traditional water blessing ceremony. 34.9% said that they will cut their spending. For travel, 39% are planning to travel within their own province, 15.5% will travel to other provinces and 10% go back to their home province, whilst 26.5% said they would stay at home. Those who will travel to tourist destinations expect to do one-day trips (44.2%), spending 5,810 THB on average. Popular destinations included Chonburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan and Trat

Thailand’s monsoon season this year may be the heaviest in 30 years, and is expected to start in May

The government’s 2 co-pay schemes ended on 31 Mar and generated 102.065 billion THB in spend, 52.2 billion THB of which was generated by consumers

The Pattaya Business and Tourism Association will organise monthly tourist events to draw the crowds, including concerts, sports competitions and cultural shows

Italthai Group will recapitalise its hotel business in Thailand, as it sees that partial reopening will not provide an “instant remedy” and their best-case scenario for 2021 is breaking even with an occupancy level of 40%. They predict that 20% of hotels in Thailand will close, with tourism only returning in 3 years

Thailand’s Emergency Decree has been extended for 2 months, until 31 May

The Thai Baht is the worst performing currency in Southeast Asia in Q1

Centara Hotels have reported that bookings for the Songkran period have been outstanding for the month, with Bangkok, Pattaya, Hua Hin and beach destinations receiving more than 70% forward bookings, and may be fully booked for 11-14 Apr. Bangkok Airways have said that the load factor for flights over the period is difficult to predict, but will increase frequencies to 20 flights per day to Koh Samui. Thai Lion Air predict load factor to increase near 100% from current below 50% levels for the holiday week, with top destinations including Chiang Mai, Hat Yai and Phuket. Thai Lion Air aims to maintain a load factor of 70% in 2021

Centara Hotels and Resorts will reopen 3 properties in Thailand in April 2021, in Krabi, Hat Yai and Pattaya

The government is planning to attract 1 million high-income international tourists and foreign investors in S-Curve industries to Thailand. Proposals will include amending regulations on foreigners owning property to attract more high-income retirees

Agoda has seen no international searches from Thais in March 2021 or December 2020 make it to the top 30 list

SITE (Society of Incentive Travel Excellence) Thailand is establishing an APAC cluster to boost partnership with 3 other chapters, including China, India, and ANZAC

The ‘Dream Vacations & Travel Fair 2021’ fair organised at centralwOrld Bangkok generated sales of over 100 million THB

The Thai Cabinet approved the plan to reopen Thailand with a 7-day quarantine for travellers from 1 Apr into Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga, Pattaya and Chiang Mai, from 1 Jul with no quarantine into Phuket, and from 1 Oct, no quarantine either in Krabi, Phang Nga, Pattaya and Chiang Mai

The TAT have said that beaches in Phuket have been revitalised over the pandemic period

Chiang Mai is organising a Northern Thai Tourism Fair from 26-30 Mar

Pattaya has organised the Pattaya Bikini Surf Skate Day with over 100 skateboarders from across Thailand taking part

Bangkok should be included in tourism sandbox scheme from October, the Tourism Council of Thailand have said. They forecast that by including it, international tourist arrivals could increase by 3 million in 2021. The TCT also called for bilateral travel bubbles with low-risk countries such as China, Hong Kong, Singapore or South Korea

The TCT’s tourism index for Q1 fell to 36 from 62 in Q4 2020, the second lowest reading since March 2020

Border officers along the borders with Myanmar will be prioritised for vaccination

The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has launched a new campaign, “MICE Winnovation”, to promote technology use in MICE events. It is also promoting hybrid events in case in person events need to be cancelled. It has 4 pillars: a MICE Innovation Catalogue; Technomart Activities; Digital Literacy; and Inno-Voucher. The Inno-Voucher includes financial support for MICE entrepreneurs who want to use technology. They said that around 70% of MICE events in Thailand were cancelled last year

The Tourism Council of Thailand estimate that 1.45 million of Thailand’s tourism workers lost their jobs, with 400,000 in Q1. They estimate that pre-pandemic, there were 4.5 million tourism jobs

The Tourism Council of Thailand estimate that 2 million international tourists will visit Phuket in 2021, generating 105 billion THB in H2. It sees 700k of those coming from China, Hong Kong and Macau, 250,000 from ASEAN countries, 250k from Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, 200,000 from India, Israel and the UAE and 600,000 from Australia, Europe and the US. Within Europe, they see the UK, Germany, France and Sweden to be key, and may start arriving during the winter. Overall, it expects 3 million arrivals

The Tourism Association of Koh Samui has said that they hope to receive their first batch of 1,000 vaccinated international visitors by 1 Jul under the “Wonder Island” scheme. Bangkok Airways would provide flights for travellers from Singapore, the US, Europe and Australia, and Koh Samui has 10 alternative local state quarantine hotels for them to choose from. They would be tested on day 2, and if negative, would be allowed to undergo tourist activities between days 3-7 on “sealed routes”. From day 8-14, they could travel around Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, and after day 15, could undertake interprovincial travel

The TAT has launched a new domestic tourism campaign, Worship Activities Tradition (WAT) focusing on temples and other places of worship. It has created 15 routes across the country which will allow tourists to worship as well as experience local culture

The Tour Tiew Thai domestic stimulus is expected to generate 15.5 billion THB in revenue

The Phuket Chamber of Commerce has welcomed the government’s approval of the Phuket Sandbox scheme, but stressed that vaccinating the island’s population was key to reopening

11 countries will still need to undergo a 14-day quarantine on arrival to Thailand: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Zambia, Kenya, Rwanda, Cameroon, Congo, Ghana and Tanzania

The Ministry of Tourism and the Faculty of Engineering at Kasetsart University are partnering to create safety standards for land tourism, adventure sports and ziplining. They will be implemented in Chiang Mai, Phuket, Kanchanaburi, Udon Thani, Chon Buri and Bangkok

The Minister of Tourism revealed a 3-stage plan for reopening 6 tourism provinces (Phuket, Krabi, Phangnga, Surat Thani (Koh Samui), Chonburi (Pattaya) and Chiang Mai) to vaccinated travellers which has been approved: 1. Apr-Jun: vaccinated travellers arriving into these provinces will be able to quarantine for 7 days 2. Jul-Sep: vaccinated travellers can visit Phuket without quarantine under the “Phuket Tourism Sandbox” scheme. Tourists will be limited to “sealed routes” in Phuket for 7 days, before they can visit other locations 3. Oct-Dec: sandbox model expanded to 5 other tourist provinces 4. Jan 2022 onwards: full reopening expected The TAT expects that 100,000 international travellers will visit Phuket between Apr-Jun, and more from Jul onwards, with a total of 6.5 million international visitors in 2021. Herd immunity must be achieved by vaccinating 70% of Phuket’s population before reopening, with the first round of vaccinations on 15 Apr, the second from 15 May. Vaccinated travellers would need to show a vaccine certificate, passport or the IATA Travel pass

Pattaya will hold a Kite on the Beach event from 9-19 Apr

The State Railway of Thailand has restarted its train services to Samut Sakhon

Thailand’s Feb 2021 international tourist arrivals were just 5,471, -99.7% YoY

A new president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, has been elected

Pattaya’s Mayor will chair a commission to improve Pattaya’s MICE offering and marketing

Siam Commercial Bank has launched a Joint Venture with Traveloka to offer financial services to Thai customers

The Bank of Thailand has cut its 2021 economic forecast to 3% from 3.2%, and its forecast for international arrivals to 3 million from 5.5 million

The Finance Minister expects that Thailand will receive 40 million international arrivals in 5 years

ASQ Stay, a platform to book ASQ hotels in Thailand, is seeing more customer bookings everyday and may expand to other destinations

The “sandbox” proposal for Phuket has been approved. This means that from 1 Jul, foreign travellers can enter the island without quarantine. Phuket plans to acquire 930,000 doses of vaccine before opening, and foreign visitors will be tracked by an app

The Airlines Association of Thailand (AAT) have said that vaccinations for airlines must take place in the next 2 months, so that it can be aligned with the Phuket sandbox plan. The AAT are calling for the reopening plan to be implemented in Jul, not Oct

Hilton is targeting converting 2,000 of its rooms in Thailand over 2 years, focusing on Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn

The We Travel Together domestic tourism stimulus scheme is set to cover 2 million more people in a 3rd extension until 31 Aug with a budget of 5.7 billion THB. Hotel bookings would need to be done 7 days in advance, to allow checks for fraudulent bookings, and hotels will have to submit the number of rooms they have, as well as their room rates. The Tour Tiew Thai scheme has also been approved, which will subsidise up to 40% of payment for package tours, up to 5,000 THB per pax. Packages must be for a minimum of 3D2N, a minimum price of 12,500 THB and must travel from Sun-Thu. It is aiming to subsidise 1 million participants, and will run from 1 May-31 Aug, with a budget of 5 billion THB

Bangkok has announced 3 measures over Songkran from 10-15 Apr, including: activities with more than 300 people need to seek permission first, banquets of more than 100 must submit an event plan, and lengthy eating and drinking should be avoided

The State Railway of Thailand has added 16 train services from Bangkok to the North and Northeast over Songkran, which they expect to accommodate up to 100,000 passengers daily

Interprovincial travel to Samut Sakhon has been permitted

MICE stakeholders have said that they do not anticipate a boost to MICE arrivals numbers to Thailand, as quarantines will add to the cost, even if it is a reduced quarantine

It is hoped that the Phuket sandbox model will allow Phuket residents to rise above the poverty line once more, as the average income has fallen from 40,000 THB/ month to just 8,000 THB

Phuket bus operators are asking the government for help, including negotiating with banks for payment installations to avoid bankruptcy

Asset World Corp is looking to acquire distressed hotels, as they believe that the tourism industry “will come back very quickly” when it repens in Oct

66% of respondents in a Suan Dusit poll have said that the rise in unemployment has caused stress, whilst 47% said that their savings had decreased due to COVID-19

Thailand will propose tom yum gung to be included on the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list

The government has approved financial measures of 350 billion THB for businesses, with 250 billion THB of soft loans from the central bank and 100 billion THB for asset warehousing

The Thailand Tourism Forum 2021 took place on 22 Mar in a face to face format with over 400 attendees. At the event, STR revealed that Thailand’s hotel occupancy patterns will have returned by the end of Q1 to those of the end of 2020

Airbnb’s recent survey has shown: • Travel with immediate family was the top reason for domestic travel for Thais, with 68% saying they feel more connected with families, and 47% planning to travel with family for their first trip • Thais are willing to spend 5,000-15,000 THB on travel in 2021 • 74% want to travel between 1-3 nights • 73% consider sustainability when choosing destinations and accommodation

The Thai Hotels Association (THA) has urged the government to help workers who have lost their jobs, and believes that the tourism industry will suffer as older tourism workers are made redundant because older workers understand tourism behaviour and have relationships with regular guests

The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT) has expressed concern over journalists being injured by rubber bullets during the protests on 20 Mar

The CCSA has clarified that both Thais and international travellers will need to undergo quarantine for 10 days on arrival from 1 Apr, and will be tested twice, between day 3-4 or day 9-10. Those undergoing quarantine will be able to leave their hotel room during certain hours, to be able use the hotel gym or swimming pool, exercise outdoors or buy food/ products, but must stay in the quarantine facilities

The CCSA has in principle approved Koh Samui’s reopening plan, “Samui Wonder Island”. It would see foreign travellers transferred from the airport to the hotel in a private car with protective barriers, travellers would need to quarantine in their hotel rooms until day 2/3, when they would be tested. If negative, they would be allowed to travel to certain certified spots on the island, likely in a tour group. After 7 days, they will be tested again, and are then able to visit any destination in Koh Samui. After 14 days, with a final test, they can travel across Thailand. It would be implemented for low-risk countries, and the director of the Tourism Association of Koh Samui forecasts that they could expect their first group of Singaporeans by 1 Jul at the earliest

Thailand is planning a new cash handout scheme for low-income civil servants, under the We Bond Together campaign

Tourism operators are expecting Thais to take trips over Songkran to visit family, rather than for leisure purposes. The Association of Domestic Travel (ADT) has called for the government to implement new tourism policies, including a co-pay scheme for tour packages, to stimulate demand. In Jan, there were 4.51 domestic trips generating 23 billion THB, down -63.7% and -75.3%. 216 tour operators withdrew their licences in Jan, and an additional 180 did so in Feb

Police used water cannons and rubber bullets to disperse protesters at an anti-government rally in Bangkok

Centara Pattana has launched a summer marketing campaign, Central Summer Plays, to boost domestic tourism until 4 May, including cashback offers from credit cards and prizes of resort stays

Chiang Mai wants to open its borders to international travellers, including from India and SE Asia from 1 Apr. It will promote weddings, wellness, adventure and halal food. They would plan to welcome travellers with the IATA Travel Pass or the ASEAN Health Passport, and would be able to visit limited areas

Chiang Mai welcomed just 6 million tourists in 2020, down 46.6%, with 90.6% domestic travellers. Its average hotel occupancy in 2020 was 41.8%, a decrease from 32.4% in 2019. Around 50% of its hotels have reopened

Water fights for Songkran will be once more banned in 2021, although traditional water pouring on the hands of older people, religious activities and interprovincial travel will be allowed

The government has approved the easing of quarantine requirements. From 1 Apr, visitors will no longer need a fit-to-fly document. From 1 Apr-30 Sep, arrivals without a vaccination certificate (VC) or COVID-free certificate (CVC) will be quarantined for 10 days, and be tested twice, whilst those who have the VC and CVC will be quarantined for 7 days and tested once. Those who have a VC but not a CFC will be tested twice. During the quarantine period, they will be allowed to use hotel facilities, as well as go to controlled areas for cycling and outside shopping. From 1 Jul to 30 Sep, they will also be able to eat at hotel restaurants, and have health massages. Quarantine would remain at 14 days for arrivals from countries which have mutated versions of the virus

The Thai Chamber of Commerce confidence index fell to a 26-month low in Feb to 29.6 from Jan’s 29.8. Businesses are worried about the return of tourists to the country, as well as a possible decline in Songkran spend

The Eastern Economic Corridor has an opportunity to become an aviation hub

The TAT and Golf Asian are hosting the Amazing Thailand Expat Golf Tournament in Pattaya

Thailand is aiming for 4% growth in 2021, with recovery in Q4, under the expectation that tourism will grow

The Tourism Minister has proposed a 4-part strategy for reopening, which would include: • Stage 1- wellness leisure and area quarantine – allowing quarantined travellers to use hotel facilities after 3 days. Until May • Stage 2 – “sealed routes” for tourists, allowing them to visit restricted destinations and attractions. From Jun-Sep • Stage 3 – “Sandbox”. No quarantine for vaccinated travellers on arrival for those from countries which have vaccinated at least 70% of their population. Restricted to Chonburi, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui, Koh Tao, Kho Phangan and Krabi. From Oct – Dec • Stage 4 – “self-quarantine” for vaccinated travellers with vaccination passport

UNESCO World Heritage Centre have responded to the Bangkloi Karen people’s petition that it delay its consideration of the Kaeng Krachan national park be considered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site until the land dispute is settled

The TAT has welcomed the 63 contestants of the Miss Grand International 2020 beauty contest, after their 14-day quarantine

State Quarantine hotels are calling for the government to allow Thai returnees on semi-commercial flights. Currently, these hotels can only accept Thai returnees on repatriation flights which have long waiting lists and more expensive tickets

The TAT Tokyo office have been promoting golf quarantine packages at the Japan Golf Fair in Yokohama

Bangkok won a UN-Habitat award for the renovation of Klong Ong Ang canal

The State Railway of Thailand is opening 30 more train routes from 13 Mar in anticipation of people looking to travel for Songkran

The new cluster of cases at Bangok’s Bang Khae district will not become a new wave, the government has said

Dusit International have said that Thailand should focus on quality tourism, with products which encourage high spending

Thai people have seen more debt since the pandemic according to a Suan Dusit poll, with 75% of respondents saying that family and personal debt issues have grown during the pandemic. 63.77% said that they had done less travelling

Thailand has said that it is set to start signing vaccination passport agreements with other low-risk countries from Apr, and that the vaccination passport scheme will “take shape” over the next 3 months

Tour operators are hoping that Songkran will boost domestic tourism after it was declared to be a 6-day holiday from 10-15 Apr

Koh Samui is also planning to open to vaccinated visitors from 1 Oct, allowing them to miss quarantine. Vaccinated travellers would also be able to visit Koh Tao and Koh Phangan, and are aiming to vaccinate 70% of its population

The TAT has launched a new TV ad, Miss You, sending a message that Thailand can’t wait to welcome visitors back

Thailand’s Retail Sentiment index grew 43% in Feb vs Jan, showing that spend and frequency of shopping has risen

Koh Samui is holding a promotional event in Bangkok, "Wonder Islands Samui, Phangan, Tao", which it expects to boost tourism by more than 5,000 hotel bookings and increase average occupancy in Apr to 60-70% from 10% currently

The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) have forecast that Thailand could welcome 8 mil international arrivals in 2021, but only if the country was reopened without quarantine by Jun. They forecast that 200,000-300,000 could arrive in Jun, 500,000 in Jul, 1.5 mil by Oct and 2.5 mil by Dec. However, they estimate that these numbers could be reduced by 50% if the country does not remove quarantine. They also estimated that just 25% of the 4 million tourism workers in the country still had jobs, and have said that the government needs a 3-month roadmap to reopening

The Tourism Minister will propose that the shorter quarantine periods go into effect from 1 Apr, and that medium-risk countries such as Germany, the UK, the USA, China, Japan, South Korea and India, will be welcomed

Bangkok’s Wat Arun will be lit up in green to celebrate St Patrick’s Day on 17 Mar

Thailand is looking a “pawn shop” style rescue plan, asset warehousing, for tourism businesses, allowing them to park their assets with lenders in exchange with credit, and then reclaimed within a specified period

Thailand’s consumer confidence index grew to 49.4 in Feb, from 47.8 in Jan

The TAT Pattaya said that their Jan tourist numbers were just 1% of those in 2020, with just 26,000 hotel check-ins. Their goal is to increase Pattaya’s hotel occupancy to 30% from its 22% rate

The government has hinted that if all sectors, both private and public cooperate with the government’s COVID restrictions, the country could reopen by Oct. It will also discuss downgrading Samut Sakhon to an area on high alert, from maximum control

Phuket will be proposed as the pilot for the “Sandbox” model by the Tourism Minister to open up tourism. This model is similar to travel bubbles, and may be started with China in Jul. Around 70% of the island must be vaccinated, around 900,000 doses required. It will also be trialled in Krabi and Phang Nga. The 3 regions were chosen because combined they generated 600 billion THB in 2019 from tourism. The Tourism Minister is also looking at reopening the country in other ways, including vaccinated travellers who would be tested and then undergo a 7-day quarantine in an “Area Local Quarantine” hotel, with day 1 self-isolating, and then subsequently allowed to use the hotel facilities. On 1 Apr, the government will make a “timeline announcement” on how the government will reopen the country, with “step-down reductions” every 2 months. The Area Quarantine model will also be piloted in 7 provinces: Phuket, Krabi, Surat Thani (including Koh Samui, Koh Pha-ngan and Koh Tao), Chiang Mai, Chonburi (including Pattaya and Jomtien), Bangkok and Phang Nga (including Kao Lak). All will be brought for approval on 19 Mar

29 pharmaceutical companies have been brought together with marijuana growing businesses to develop new products for the health industry, which could lead to new revenue streams for tourism

Chinese tour operators have been in touch with Thai tour operators after China announced that it would be issuing a digital vaccination certificate to its citizens. ATTA have urged the government to hold discussions with China ASAP to see if they can arrange travel bubbles with China

The government will give a 5,000 THB handout for those using tour guide services, a move which has been welcomed by the Association of Domestic Travel. 40% of tour guide costs would be subsidised under the Tour Tiaw Thai scheme

The Pattaya Business & Tourism Association have claimed that more than a million international tourists had wanted to visit Thailand, but chose not to because of the 14-day quarantine

10-year passports will be reintroduced for Thai passport holders

The cabinet will not extend the We Travel Together scheme, scheduled to end on 30 Apr. Instead, the tourism ministry has been asked to redesign the program to avoid fraud

The Marriott Thailand Travel Show will run from 15-28 Mar at Siam Paragon in Bangkok

Maya Bay in Krabi will not yet reopen to the public. It will only reopen after the facilities have been upgraded and tourist management implemented to ensure its sustainability. Works on the jetty are slated to be completed in May, but a limit of 370 visitors per trip will be imposed

The TAT and Tinder continued their Single Journey tours, with a secret rooftop getaway in Pattaya Bay

Thailand will look at reducing quarantine periods for vaccinated non-Thai citizens to 7 days. Vaccinated travellers would need to have received the vaccine between 14 days to 3 months prior to entry. Non-vaccinated travellers would see their quarantine period shortened to 10 days. This could potentially take place in Apr. South African travellers would still need to undergo a 14-day quarantine

Chiang Mai hotels have dropped their rates by up to 90% to attract more domestic tourists in the off peak season. The Thai Hotels Association’s northern chapter have said that occupancy rates in Mar have dropped to less than 3%, whilst Songkran is expected to have just 3-5%

Thailand will launch the Digital Yacht Quarantine project. This will give smart watch health trackers to those quarantining aboard yachts, allowing authorities to monitor them offshore. It expects the project to attract more than 100 yachts and 300-500 visitors

The Mukda Suan Sua (Mukda Tiger Park & Farm) will have its operating licence withdrawn after it was discovered that 2 of its tiger cubs were thought to have been smuggled in. The closure may be indefinite

The Kasikorn Research Center see just 2 million international arrivals in 2021, and the development of vaccination in key source markets, as well as in Thailand itself, are key to recovery. They expect the country’s GDP to grow by 2.6% in 2021, but it could be less if fewer than 2 million arrivals are received

Water splashing at Songkran is likely to be permitted, the government has said

Luxury hotels are slashing their rates to attract the domestic market, causing smaller hotels to stay closed, according to the Thai Hotels Association (THA)

Chiang Mai recorded just 1 million tourists in 2020 compared to 11 million in 2019. This year, they forecast the number to increase to 25% of 2019’s level. The Tourism Council of Chiang Mai has said that tourism operators should focus on MICE and cultural festivals to avoid relying on seasonality

The area hotel quarantine proposal will be brought to the entre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) for approval

Thailand has banned protests, assemblies and mass gatherings in Bangkok and 5 other provinces, ahead of a scheduled protest on 6 Mar

The Thai Hotels Association has praised the decision to vaccinate tourism workers

The TAT Phuket is planning a new series of festivals and events until Nov 2021, including a Seafood festival, the Art Vasion, and the Roi Rim Phuket Festival

The Tourism Minister and TAT will visit Phuket next week to discuss their reopening plan, to understand the local community sentiment. If there is an agreement with the plan, the TAT has said that “we can speed up the policy implementation”

Hundreds of Thai protestors gathered in Bangkok to demand the release of their leaders from prison

Thailand has launched a vaccine passport and plans to rollout vaccination to staff of 58 alternative local quarantine hotels in Q3. The tourism industry is set to receive 50,000 of the 200,000 Sinovac vaccines which have already arrived into the country

The Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha have now been reopened in Bangkok, as well as certain other tourist attractions

Songkran will be permitted to go ahead in Apr, but there will be social distancing and venue capacity limits for activities

The government has pledged to revitalise tourism, boost domestic spending and exports and investment to allow it to reach a 4% growth target in 2021

The TAT is planning to add 2 million room nights to its We Travel Together program, as well as implement a new stimulus for tour operators from Mar-Jul. They will also propose a travel pass ticket scheme for airlines, where the purchase is subsidised once the user flies the first flight linked to a hotel booking in the same destination. The program for tour operators, called Tour Teaw Thai (Travel around Thailand) would see the age group restriction lifted and would aim for 1 mil travellers over 3 months. Each operator would be allowed to receive 3,000 pax

Bang Kachao in Bangkok is planning to be declared a special tourist area, which would allow sustainable tourism activities to be developed

Thailand will launch an “area quarantine” from Apr. It will be trialled in Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi, Surat Thani (Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan) and Chonburi (Pattaya). Tourists will need to self-isolate in their hotel rooms for the first 3 days, and then be tested. If they test negative, they will be able to access all the hotel/ resort facilities for the remainder of their 14-day quarantine. It will be operated via 29 travel agents and the TAT

The Tourism Ministry expects a travel bubble plan with countries who have a similar vaccine distribution in Q3/Q4

Thailand is planning to discuss a vaccination passport in accordance with WHO regulations, and will also discuss how the quarantine period could be shortened

A pilot of electric commuter boats on the Chao Phraya River will be run

The Health Ministry has said that those who are vaccinated will be given a book which can be used for travel

The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) has urged the government to speed up its decision on allowing vaccinated travellers into the country, as well as look at travel bubbles with those countries who have low-moderate levels of infection

The Chonburi Tourism Industry Council have forecast it will take 4 years and for Thailand to reach 65% vaccination levels before Pattaya tourism can return to 2019 levels

The PM has ordered a study into the use of vaccination passports for the new normal, but will proceed “in line with other countries”

The Thai Teaw Thai tourism fair will be held from 4-7 Mar, and it expects tour operators to offer low prices, as the hotel subsidy in We Travel Together have expired. They forecast transactions from the fair to generate 100-150 mil THB, and 20,000 visitors, far from the previous 300-400 mil THB and 250,000 visitors. There will be 550 booths

Chiang Mai was the world’s 3rd most polluted city on 3 Mar, with PM2.5 dust levels in excess of 200

The TAT Pattaya and Thailand Travel Agents Association (TTAA) invited people to visit Chonburi through a special networking dinner, as well as a tabletop sales with tourism businesses for Thai tourists who usually travel abroad

Phuket will continue with its plans to reopen to international tourists by Oct, and is looking into when their top source markets will have completed mass vaccinations to establish who to market to

The President of the Phuket Hotels Association estimates that current hotel occupancy in Phuket is just 8%, and that 80,000-100,000 staff have lost their jobs

Over 15 major companies launched the #OpenThailandSafely campaign on 2 Mar, calling for the government to reopen the country by 1 Jul. It argues that 1 Jul is the best date to reopen, as it many source markets will already have vaccinated their travellers, it gives time for Thailand to vaccinate healthworkers and frontline tourism staff, as well as gives time for international travellers and Thai companies to prepare for reopening

Russian tourists would be the most likely to use the area quarantine in Phuket once launched, with tour agents in Russia saying that demand is sufficient for regular flights of 300-400 Russian tourists

The TAT and 80 tourism operators on Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Ko Tao are offering special discounts until 30 Apr

16 protestors were injured at a rally after Bangkok police fired rubber bullets and water cannons. One police officer died from a sudden cardiac arrest

10,000 people visited Koh Larn on the first day of the long weekend, 26 Feb, returning to pre-COVID numbers

Khao Sok National Park has been declared an ASEAN Heritage Park

The State Railway of Thailand will restart 14 train services on 1 March, in response to rising demand

A joint TAT-YouGov survey has shown that 9% of people worldwide (up to 6 million) are hoping to travel to Thailand in 2021

90% of rooms on Koh Kut have been booked for the long weekend, with expected visitors of 3,500, generating 12 million THB for the island. 15,000 tourists are also expected to visit Koh Chang this weekend

The Association of Domestic Travel has cut its domestic 2021 trips goal to 150 million from 200 million

A TAT survey has shown that 68% of Finnish people would not take a trip to a country which still had a mandatory quarantine, whilst 62% would choose Thailand as their ideal winter destination

The Bank of Thailand have admitted that tourism and aviation sectors will take longer to return to pre-pandemic performance

Many provinces across Thailand are waiving their quarantine requirements for domestic travel

The TAT estimates there will be 1.09 million domestic trips, a decline of 44%, over the long weekend 26-28 Feb. They forecast spending to reach 3.9 billion THB, -38% YoY, and average hotel occupancy of 16%, due to the 2nd wave of cases. They expect trips to Bangkok to be day trips only, with an average occupancy rate of just 13%