Thailand marks 28 days without local transmission, aims to ease travel

Reuters
Posted at Jun 22 2020 03:44 PM
A woman wearing a face mask amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) observes a partial solar eclipse on the Mahanakhon Skywalk Glass Tray at the King Power Mahanakhon building in Bangkok, Thailand, June 21, 2020. Athit Perawongmetha, Reuters
BANGKOK — Thailand hopes to ease some coronavirus restrictions on foreigners entering the country after going for 28 days without recording any domestic transmissions, a senior official said on Monday.
Those who will benefit from the easing of restrictions will include business executives, skilled workers and foreigners who live in Thailand.
"The first 3 groups will be able to return to Thailand and stay in 14-day state quarantine," said the spokesman for the government's Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration, Taweesin Wisanuyothin.
Medical tourists will also be allowed back for treatment in hospital, he said.
Short-term business travelers and tourists from China, Japan and South Korea might be allowed back without having to spend 14 days in quarantine, he said, adding that the guidelines were still being worked out.
The proposed easing of restrictions will be put to the government's coronavirus task force on Friday.
Thailand, which has banned international commercial flights up to the end of June, has recorded 3,151 cases and 58 deaths related to COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
On Friday, Myanmar reported 23 coronavirus cases among Myanmar migrant workers deported from Thailand, raising questions about the possibility of transmission in Thailand.
Both Thailand and Myanmar are investigating. 

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