Prognosis

Thailand Eases Testing Rules for Visitors to Boost Tourism

  • Covid panel agrees to scrap RT-PCR tests on arrival from May
  • Tourists may no longer need to book Covid tests, hotel rooms
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Thailand plans to scrap a mandatory polymerase chain reaction test on arrival for foreign visitors from next month as the Southeast Asian nation steps up efforts to attract more tourists amid a rebound in global travel.

The RT-PCR tests will be replaced with antigen tests at the airports, Deputy Health Minister Satit Pitutecha told reporters in Bangkok on Friday after a meeting of the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Vaccinated travelers will also no longer need to reserve a one-night hotel accommodation to secure visas, he said.