Thailand's tourism industry is once again on the brink due to the impact of entry restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant, although the local COVID-19 situation is basically under control and vaccination progress is accelerated.
An empty scene at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand due to the COVID-19 epidemic. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Thailand's tourism industry isonce again on the brink due to the impact of entry restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant, although the local COVID-19 situation is basically under control and vaccination progress is accelerated.
Since November, over 350,000 vaccinated travellers have enteredThailand under its quarantine-free entry scheme or Test and Go, whichwas suspended last week after the detection of the first case of the Omicronvariant.
According to Pilomrat Isvarphornchai from the Association ofThai Travel Agents (ATTA), in fact, the number of tourists did not increasesignificantly after the November reopening. About 50 percent of travel agentsand tour operators under ATTA have closed.
Meanwhile, President of the Thai Hotel Association (THA)Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi said that the suspension of the quarantine-free entryprogramme has caused a sharp drop in flight and hotel bookings for the next fewmonths.
Thailand has so far logged 900 Omicron cases, of which 200located in a cluster in Kalasin province. This cluster originatedfrom a tourist couple from Belgium who came via the Test and Go./.
The Public Health Ministry of Thailand has drawn up three possible scenarios in case of the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant, Permanent Health Secretary Kiattiphum Wongrajit said.
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An empty scene at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand due to the COVID-19 epidemic. (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
