Bad news for British sandboxers on Phuket or elsewhere, as well as anyone else planning to travel from Thailand to the UK: the country is being added to the UK’s red list. The British Department of Transport says that from Monday, Thailand joins Montenegro as the 2 new additions to the UK government’s red list. This means UK residents arriving home from Thailand will be subject to 10 days of mandatory hotel quarantine, while non-residents will not be permitted to travel.
“Thailand and Montenegro will be added to the red list from 4am on Monday, August 30, 2021.”
Thailand is being added to the list as a result of a low rate of Covid-19 vaccination that the British government says leaves it at risk of new variants, which could then be imported into the UK. The move is another blow to Thailand’s tourism hopes, making it very unlikely that any British holidaymakers will arrive in the near future.
Meanwhile, Switzerland, Denmark, and Canada have been moved to the UK’s green list, meaning arrivals from those countries no longer need to quarantine, regardless of whether they are vaccinated or no
Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported 18,702 new Covid-19 cases and 273 coronavirus-related cases today. Since April 1, the CCSA has reported a total of 1,110,708 Covid-19 infections.
In the 24-hour period since the last count, 20,163 recoveries were reported. Thailand now has 185,200 active Covid-19 cases. With the latest and most severe wave on a downward trend, there is talk of loosening disease control restrictions.
Out of the new cases reported today, 342 were found in correctional facilities. More than 40,000 inmates have tested positive for the virus over the past several months.
The Public Health Ministry plans to make a proposal to the CCSA to allow some measures to be eased for those in “dark red” zones who are vaccinated against Covid-19.