Thailand to extend travel bubble with neighbouring countries
Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and Sports plans to continue travel bubble discussions with short-haul destinations following this week's resumption of the Test & Go scheme.
A tourist takes a photo at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Bangkok (VNA) - Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and Sports plans to continue travel bubble discussions withshort-haul destinations following this week's resumption of the Test & Goscheme.
Local media quoted Minister of Tourismand Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn as saying that the country wants to continue travel bubble initiatives,particularly with nearby countries that generate enormous cross-border traffic,such as Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia,
He said the matter could be up fordiscussion when Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha welcomes his Malaysiancounterpart to Thailand later this month.
Theministry plans to send staff to visit Beijing for the Winter Olympics this month and wants touse the opportunity to seek further updates from China's Ministry of Cultureand Tourism regarding a travel agreement.
Tourism Authority of Thailand(TAT) Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said 35,046 tourists registered for ThailandPass during its first day of reopening on February 1. Of which, 31,343 were forthe Test & Go scheme.
The "Test & Go"programme, which allows fully vaccinated visitors to spend only one night in acertified hotel while they wait for the result of their RT-PCR test - takenupon their arrival in the country - to come out, was suspended on January 7 inresponse to growing concerns about the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
The programme was resumed on February 1. However, travellersfaced stricter requirements. They will be required to take two RT-PCR tests,one on the first day and another on the fifth day. Visitors will now have toproduce proof of reservation at a Safety and Health Administration (SHA) Pluscertified hotel, and pre-pay for the two COVID-19 tests they have to take.
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports hoped th📖at the resumptionof the scheme will help the country attract 8 million touristℱs this year./.
The Thai government has pledged to continue promoting tourism activities to boost economic recovery, despite the surge of COVID-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant.
The Thai Cabinet on January 18 approved new regulations aiming at attracting wealthy long-stay foreigners in a bid to boost economic development and investment in the country.
The business sector in Thailand is urging the government to reinstate the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme to attract more tourists, as continued suspension of this program would spell significant economic loss.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
A tourist takes a photo at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand. (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
