BANGKOK Jan 7 (BNA): Thailand announced Friday that it has tightened some entry restrictions as it expands its “sandbox” quarantine programme, urging people to follow social distancing and masking rules to control the omicron-fueled spread of COVID-19. , Ap . reports
The government has not announced any lockdown but has called on people to avoid public gatherings, public transportation and travel around the country.
The decision came after daily reported coronavirus cases doubled to 7,526 in a matter of days after the New Year’s holiday, mostly due to the omicron variant. The government said 19 new deaths were recorded.
The Center for COVID-19 Case Management, or CCSA, said it has indefinitely suspended the country’s “test and go” program, under which foreign tourists can only self-quarantine for one night while waiting for test results, and that people who have already been approved under can The plan is to enter the Kingdom only until January 15.
CCSA spokesperson Taweesin Witsanuyothin said all other people arriving in Thailand must either go to hotel quarantine or use the ‘sandbox’ programme.
Next Tuesday, he said, the program will extend from the island of Phuket to the provinces of Phang Nga and Krabi and three islands in the Thai province of Surat – Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan.
He said travel restrictions on eight African countries will also be lifted on that day.
Under the “sandbox” programme, fully vaccinated people are allowed to enter specific locations such as Phuket. They must spend a week in an approved hotel, and take one test on arrival and another a week later.
Although their movements are tracked, they can move around freely.
The “test and go” system allowed fully vaccinated people to enter Thailand, but they underwent a coronavirus test on arrival and a second test seven days later.
If the first test is negative, they can travel freely. They had to spend their first night in a government approved hotel while awaiting test results.
Thailand has had by far the most ambitious program in the region to allow travelers to enter and move around the country.
Restrictions were eased after a successful vaccination program in which 100 million doses were given to its population of about 60 million people.
Reinforcement programs are underway across the country.
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