Thailand to drop mask rule, foreign tourist registration

Pallade Veneta - Thailand to drop mask rule, foreign tourist registration

HEALTH 17.06.2022

Thailand to drop mask rule, foreign tourist registration / Photo: Mladen ANTONOV - AFP/File

Thailand announced Friday it would drop rules requiring people to wear masks outdoors and no longer require foreign visitors to register before travel, as Covid-19 cases fall and the kingdom seeks to lure tourists back.

Change text size:

Facemasks have been compulsory in public in Thailand, including outdoors, since mid-2021 when the Delta variant was running rampant.

But as the pandemic has subsided, the tourism-dependent kingdom has gradually relaxed covid restrictions in a bid to boost visitor numbers.

Thailand's relaxation on facemasks comes after similar moves by regional peers including Cambodia and Singapore.

Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Thai Covid taskforce, said wearing masks outside would become voluntary, but was still recommended in crowded areas, entertainment venues and on public transport.

He said the health ministry would announce further details of the mask relaxation, including when it would come into force.

On July 1 the government will also end the "Thailand Pass" system, under which foreign tourists had to register and show proof of vaccination and health insurance before they could fly to the kingdom.

Visitors will have to carry vaccine certificates or take Covid tests on arrival.

The move is seen as an attempt to bolster the sputtering economy, which has seen growth hammered by the pandemic and living costs rising.

There were more than 1.6 million foreign tourist arrivals during the first six months of 2022, with foreign tourist receipts logged at 99.7 billion baht, according to government data.

This compares with around 40 million foreign tourists visiting Thailand in 2019, the last year before the pandemic.

Daily Covid-19 cases have hovered below 3,500 in recent weeks, with the number of deaths registering below 50 a day for a month.

More than three quarters of the population has been jabbed with two vaccine doses, with more than 40 percent also getting a booster dose.

F.Abruzzese--PV

Seacliff Healthcare Seeks Specialist GP in Thirroul

Seacliff Healthcare, located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, is seeking a Specialist General Practitioner to join its team. The practice, situated near Thirroul village station, currently supports five GPs and has capacity for additional medical staff with onsite pathology and allied health services.

India proposes more import entry points for drugs and medical devices

New Delhi The Union Health Ministry has proposed expanding the network of authorised import gateways for drugs, medical devices and cosmetics by adding several inland container depots, a special economic zone and an international airport to facilitate faster clearance and improve supply chain efficiency. The proposed amendment to Rule 43A of the Drugs Rules, 1945, seeks to include additional entry points in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Telangana and Karnataka, as reported by a gazette notification issued by the

Why Pregnancy Cost Estimates Fail: A Family’s $9,000 Surprise

Grace Griffin thought she had calculated her pregnancy expenses accurately until bills exceeded $9,000—more than triple her insurer’s estimate. Her experience highlights a systemic failure in healthcare transparency, as federal rules designed to provide accurate cost predictions remain unimplemented. With maternity billing codes set to change next year, experts urge parents to master insurance details and verify every bill.

Kuwait inspectors destroy 115 kilograms of unverified meat in Farwaniya

KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Food and Nutrition (PAFN) issued nine violation reports and destroyed 115 kilograms of meat of unknown origin during an inspection tour of food establishments in Farwaniya Governorate, the authority announced on Monday. The tour was carried out by the authority’s Farwaniya food inspection department.