Visas extended to boost tourism

Foreigners to get forty five days from Oct 1

The Centre intended for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has authorized longer visas meant for foreign visitors to the country from Oct 1 until March thirty-one as part of efforts to revitalise the economic climate as the pandemic helps reduce, the agency stated yesterday.

Those with regular visas will be able to stay meant for 45 days, upward from 30 currently, while the visa upon arrival scheme is going to be extended from 15 to 30 days, mentioned CCSA spokesman Tawee­silp Visanuyothin.

“We are looking to extend their stay that will help boost tourist spending, revive the particular economy and reduce the particular impact of the pandemic, ” Dr Taweesilp said.

The Tourism and Sports Ministry has projected the number of international travellers will hit 10 million this year. From Jan one to Aug 16, over 4 mil foreign tourists visited Thailand, he stated.

Doctor Taweesilp said the government will declare Covid-19 endemic in Oct, and the CCSA will no longer be the main agency dealing with the disease.

He said that from October the disease will be under the crisis operations centre from the Public Health Ministry as well as provincial communicable disease committees.

From November, the national plus provincial committees will be the sole agencies dealing with it. Infected people will be isolated as per the guidelines of the Department of Medical Solutions, he said.

Infected people would be isolated good guidelines of the Department of Medical Providers, Dr Taweesilp mentioned.

Your decision to declare the disease endemic was based on the relatively limited number of severe cases and related fatalities.

“The objective is for people to be able to coexist safely along with Covid-19 and reside normal lives, inch Dr Taweesilp stated.

The current Covid-19 situation is at the green degree, with 2, 000-3, 999 inpatients plus 11-39 deaths each day and 201-399 inpatients dependent on ventilators, whilst clusters of disease are limited, this individual said.

The numbers aren’t high but brand new cases are increasing due to the spread from the BA. 5 sub-variant of the Omicron stress. “The disease provides toned itself down, ” Dr Taweesilp said.

Surveys in Apr and May showed that will more than 90% of people had antibodies against the virus while some other studies have found that three shots associated with any Covid-19 shot reduces the possibility of severe illness and dying by over 90%, he added.

The occurrence of Covid-19 will be similar to influenza, plus there will be new situations all year long, he mentioned.

He said the CCSA yesterday did not think about whether the state of emergency would be raised along with the downgrading of Covid-19.

Speaking after chairing the CCSA’s conference yesterday, Prime Ressortchef (umgangssprachlich) Prayut Chan-o-cha stated the agency has not yet considered scrapping the emergency decree imposed to suppress the pandemic.

“It [the decree] is still necessary to integrate the particular operations of various agencies. The decree is not really intended for other reasons. It is only designed to ensure the public is secure from Covid-19, ” Gen Prayut said.

International Affairs Minister Don Pramudwinai said the CCSA did not discuss lifting it. Requested whether it would be retained until the Apec conference in Bangkok in November, Mr Wear said even if it is, there should be no problem because several foreign organizations have held conferences in Thailand by it in place.

Asked if the decree would affect the country’s image ahead of the Apec meeting, he stated no protests would create the best weather.