COVID-19: Thailand records five new cases, marks 40 days of no local transmission

By Linda Khoo Hui Li

BANGKOK, July 4 -- Thailand has reported five new COVID-19 cases - all Thai nationals returning from overseas - and zero fatalities, marking 40 consecutive days without local transmission. 

Since the outbreak in January, Thailand has recorded 3,185 cases with 58 fatalities. 

In a statement today, the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said the five new patients were three male students who returned from Sudan, a male massage therapist who returned from Kuwait, and a female teacher who returned from United Kingdom. 

Meanwhile, a poll by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and  the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) showed that the majority of locals agreed with government’s travel bubble plan for re-opening the kingdom to foreign tourists.

The poll of 3,000 locals and tour operators in eight tourism provinces showed 82.9 per cent of the locals agreed with the travel bubble plan that limits the number of tourists per day. 

About 74 per cent of the locals wanted the government to impose strict regulations for foreign tourists traveling to the kingdom, including obtaining a health certificate to establish that they are free of COVID-19 for 72-hours before arrival.

The locals have asked tourist numbers to be increased from the initial 1,000 to 2,000 per day to help boost the country’s economy, said TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn, as quoted by Bangkok Post. 

The local media has reported that Thailand is expected to reopen its borders  to foreign tourists in August at the earliest. 

The TCT has projected Thailand to see about  eight million foreign tourists this year, an 80-per cent drop compared to 39.8 million tourist arrivals last year. 

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, international flights remain banned in the kingdom. However, 11 groups of passengers including  permanent residents, spouses and children  of work permit holders, foreigners married to Thais, and foreigners who seek medical treatment in the kingdom, have been allowed in from July 1. 

-- BERNAMA