Thai prime minister plans to drop required virus quarantines

By CHALIDA EKVITTHAYAVECHNUKUL
Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s prime minister says the country plans to no longer require international visitors from at least 10 low-risk nations to quarantine beginning next month if they are fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said in a televised speech Monday the first group would include arrivals from the United Kingdom, Singapore, Germany, China and the United States. The list would be expanded on Dec. 1, and then made even more extensive on Jan. 1. All visitors will still need to show negative RT-PCR test results before embarking for Thailand and will require another test on arrival. Thailand’s economy has been badly hurt by the losses suffered by its huge tourism industry after most foreign visitors were barred in April last year.