BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s Tourism Minister said Monday that he had proposed a plan to allow quarantine foreigners at some of the country’s many golf centers to boost the sick tourism sector during a coronavirus pandemic.
“We are in talks with the Ministry of Public Health and the country’s coronavirus action group to offer hotel and golf quarantines to medically qualified tourists,” Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn told reporters.
Foreign tourists would be able to spend the quarantine period of two weeks at a special tourist resort and move around in the hotel area and also play golf, he said, instead of just parting in the rooms. aca.
The plan, which is subject to cabinet approval, comes as a Southeast Asian country is hit by a second wave of coronavirus diseases after partially controlling community outbreaks. big for months.
Thailand has reported relatively low 10,547 COVID-19 infections and 67 deaths, but since several groups appeared in December the country has been recording hundreds of new cases every day.
Thailand attracted 40 million tourists in 2019 spending 1.91 trillion baht ($ 63.4 billion), but the number of visitors dived through the pandemic after its borders were sealed, destroying hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions that relied on foreign visitors.
A special visa scheme launched last year for long-stay visitors has attracted about 1,000 visitors, Phiphat said.
($ 1 = 30.1300 baht)
Reciting with Satawasin Staporncharnchai; Written by Chayut Setboonsarng; Edited by Ed Davies