Jump in Thailand Pass registrations after Test&Go binned, says Anutin
The response to Thailand’s lifting of the Test & Go requirements has been very positive, the authorities said on Tuesday.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Tuesday that many people had registered under the Thailand Pass system to enter the country and there have been no problems so far.
He also said that the local Covid-19 situation has stabilised and the number of new infections, severe cases and deaths is dropping. His statement was based on the reduced demand for ventilators and antiviral drugs as well as fewer intensive care patients.
New Covid cases on Tuesday fell to below 10,000 for the first time since early February, according to government data.
Anutin also said that it was a good sign that the Songkran break did not spark a new wave of infections, though the ministry has medical personnel, hospital beds and medication on standby.
He added that though the date for declaring Covid-19 an endemic disease has not been set, his ministry will continue working on boosting public awareness of the issue.
The Public Health Ministry will also evaluate the situation to see if more restrictions can be relaxed so life can return to pre-Covid levels and people’s financial burdens can be eased.
With the Test & Go scheme lifted from May 1, fully vaccinated tourists can enter and travel around Thailand freely provided they can present their Covid-19 vaccination certificate and insurance. They will only need to take an ATK self-test and submit the test result on Thailand Pass.
Meanwhile, unvaccinated travellers must present a negative RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours or undergo a five-night quarantine.