Thailand Searching For Balance Between Health, Economy To Resume Tourism - Ambassador

Thailand Searching for Balance Between Health, Economy to Resume Tourism - Ambassador

Thailand is trying to strike a balance between health security and economy before reopening the country for tourists and will consider incorporating health care in the strategy for its tourism industry, Thai Ambassador to Russia Thanatip Upatising told Sputnik

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th September, 2020) Valentina Shvartsman - Thailand is trying to strike a balance between health security and economy before reopening the country for tourists and will consider incorporating health care in the strategy for its tourism industry, Thai Ambassador to Russia Thanatip Upatising told Sputnik.

"We have always appreciated Russian's interest in traveling and visiting our country (as the biggest European group of tourists to Thailand). As a country with 17.7 percent of GDP on tourism sector, we are currently carefully evaluating the balance between health security and economy in order to lift or lessen the travel restriction to welcome Russian tourists to our country as soon as possible," Upatising said.

The diplomat noted that following the coronavirus pandemic, Thailand would mull including health care and the well-being of its citizens in the tourism strategy.

"We believe that this pandemic has shown the importance of health security and its effect on tourism industry. Moving forward, Thailand will consider incorporating health care and well-being of our citizens and visitors for our tourism campaign," he added.

Earlier in September, the Thai government approved a plan for issuing long-stay visas for tourists starting in October, allowing them to stay in the country for up to 270 days. According to the government spokesperson, Thailand is expecting to accept at least 100 tourists per week and up to 1,200 tourists per month once the visa program comes into force.