BANGKOK — More than a thousand foreign tourists arrived in Bangkok on Monday, the first wave of travelers to the Thai capital in 18 months, as part of a quarantine waiver for visitors vaccinated against COVID-19. There were 1,534 foreign arrivals and 890 Thais on 40 international flights on the opening day on Monday, senior health official Kiattiphum Wongraijit said. More than 3 million Thai tourism-dependent jobs and an estimated $50 billion a year in revenue have been lost. Before the pandemic, tourism accounted for about 12% of Thai GDP, with one survey ranking Bangkok as the world’s most visited city. Under the new national program, visitors must await a negative COVID-19 test on arrival then can travel freely the following day.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer November 02, 2021 01:16 UTC