107 people cross over as Thai-Malaysia border reopens in Songkhla
The Sadao border checkpoint in Songkhla province reopened on Friday for the first time in two years and let 107 people into the country.
Surin Suriyawong, Sadao district chief, said this was the first group to enter the country via the Sadao crossing since it was closed in early 2020 due to Covid-19.
The other border checkpoint to be opened in the South on Friday was Wang Prachan in Satun province. These checkpoints were opened as part of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) pilot project that allows foreigners to enter via land through the Thailand Pass system.
This checkpoint has been closed to foreigners for the past two years, allowing only a handful of Thais to cross over from Malaysia on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The arrival of the first group coincided with Malaysia’s announcement of Covid as endemic disease on April 1.
However, the Sadao district chief said tourists found the border-crossing process slow because the procedures in Thailand and Malaysia were different.
On the Thai side, tourists have to take an RT-PCR test upon arrival and wait four to six hours for results by checking into an SHA Plus hotel. The district has seven hotels that meet the SHA Plus standard, Surin added.
“This reopening is a tangible light at the end of the tunnel and gives hope to tourism operators again,” she said. “Though there aren’t many tourists yet, I believe when Malaysia opens its borders, more will come.”
