Next week, Thailand will see the first group of tourists from China, following the policy to revive the country's economy by slowly allowing international travelers into the country.
According to Bangkok Post, Yuthasak Supasorn, the Governor of Tourism Authority of Thailand, told that this horde of 120 Chinese travelers would come straight from Guangzhou to Phuket, and everyone of them would be staying at the government-approved resorts for 14-day quarantine.
The flight is the first since Thailand went on tourism halt in March due to the outbreak of COVID-19, which has caused 3,559 cases and 59 deaths so far, hence a prediction of 8.5% GDP contraction this year.
More on the tourism-boosting policy, the government is looking forward to gradually welcoming 1,200 foreign visitors per month, starting in October, with a goal to earn approximately one billion Baht. The condition is that these visitors must apply for a special tourist visa (STV) and plan for an at least 90-day stay in Thailand alongside 14-day quarantine and thorough COVID-19 screen tests.
With the pandemic situation in Thailand being below the level of severe concern, the government also announced a plan to reduce the quarantine period to only seven days if the first two batches of international travelers are free of the virus.