The Thai government on Friday released its proposal for relaxing COVID-19 measures and re-opening the country to foreign tourists.
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The most notable of Friday’s announcement is that quarantine will be reduced from 14 days to 10 days from 1 April. It will then be reduced to 7 days later for vaccinated foreigners, before quarantine will be scrapped completely by 1 October for those who have received the vaccine.
Much of the proposals were as first reported earlier this week, with Thailand set to reopen in three phases.
Phase 1 – which will take place between 1 April and 30 June will see Samut Sakhon no longer being listed as a ‘red zone’ or maximum controlled area, where it will join Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Samut Songkhram, Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Pathom Thani, Tak and Ratchaburi as an ‘orange zone’ or controlled area.
Fourteen other provinces, Kanchanaburi, Suphanburi, Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Nakhon Nayok, Chachoengsao, Phetchaburi, Rayong, Chonburi, Rayong, Chumphon, Songkhla, Yala and Narathiwat will remain ‘yellow zone’ or a high surveillance area.
The remaining provinces will be listed as a green zone.
Phase 2 – from 1 July to 30 September – there will no longer be any color coded zones or controlled areas in Thailand. All restrictions will be lift, expect for those under the new normal, such as social distancing, mask wearing and temperature checks when entering some premises.
Phase 3 – from 1 Oct – the government is aiming to allow vaccinated tourists from low risk countries to enter Thailand without the need to quarantine. However, this will depend on the COVID-19 situation in Thailand and whether or not sufficient numbers of medical workers in the country have received the vaccination.
Meanwhile, it was announced that quarantine will be reduced from 14 days to 10 days from 1 April.
CCSA spokesperson Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin said that both Thais and foreigners will need to need to quarantine for 10 days but this will be reduced to 7 days later in the year.
Ranong province is the unsung hero among Thailand’s southern destinations, and is poised to boom as a tourist attraction with one of the world’s best mangroves and hot spring sources as well as several unspoiled islands
Once voted Thailand’s third-nicest city to live in, Ranong is abundant with beautiful natural and cultural attractions ranging from beaches, islands, mountains, caves and waterfalls to temples.
Thailand’s first southern province on the coastline of the Andaman Sea is situated 568km from Bangkok and covering an area of 3,226km². It is the home of the famous Kra Isthmus, the country’s narrowest strip of land which is 44km wide in between the South’s west and east coasts. Its slogan is “Kra Isthmus, Grass Hill, Sweet Cashew Nuts, Hot Springs And Authentic Pearls”.
A must-do in Ranong is to soak yourself in the warm water of several hot springs. Anyone can enjoy the relaxing moments and therapeutic results free of charge at Raksa Warin Hot Spring in the heart of Muang district and Pornrang Hot Spring as part of Ngao Waterfall National Park. According to Ranong Governor Jatuporn Piyumpruta, water from Ranong’s hot springs is of premium quality and health tourism is being promoted in this province.
Other must-sees include the reproduction of Rattanarangsan Palace where the visiting King Rama V stayed during his royal visit in 1890; Ngao Mangrove Forest, which was declared a Unesco Biosphere Reserve in 1997; Ngao Waterfall where a rare species of fresh water Panda Crabs (Phricotelphusa Sirindhorn Naiyanetr) were discovered decades ago; and Phukhao Ya, a grassy hill, which is considered an Unseen Thailand attraction. From the Ranong Biosphere Reserve Viewpoint, visitors can see Koh Rai, Koh Takrut, Koh Lao, Koh Son, Koh Kam, Koh Song and Koh Kam Nui, Koh Khangkhao and Koh Yipun.
Koh Phayam is Ranong’s second largest island covering an area of around 35km². It is situated about 33km from the mouth of Ranong River and inhabited by about 160 families. Visitors can enjoy swimming, snorkelling and diving, sightsee the island by riding bicycles or taking a tractor tour or sit back and relax on numerous sandy beaches.
Jatuporn said the province will soon nominate the Ranong Biosphere Reserve as a Unesco World Heritage site while supporting mangrove reforestation and coral reef conservation through collaboration with the private sector.
The mangrove reforestation project was recently started with the planting of 8,500 mangrove saplings on 12 rai out of a 34-rai spoiled mangrove, which had been encroached and used as shrimp farms in Moo 5, Tambon Pak Nam. Meanwhile, the coral conservation project this year began with the installation of buoys for protecting corals against boats off Phayam Island by 250 divers and volunteers from the public and private sectors of Ranong and other parts of Thailand.
To get around in Ranong, it is convenient and inexpensive for locals and tourists to travel by wooden songthaew (modified pickup trucks) on at least three routes, including the City-Hot Spring-Ruangrat Road route (Blue Bus), the Tha Muang Market-Municipality Market-Tambon Bang Bon route, and the old tin smelting house-Myanmar Market-Municipality Market-Fishing Wharf to Kawthaung or Victoria Point route.
With readiness in terms of tourist attractions, accommodation, transportation, tasty food, attractive souvenirs and people’s hospitality, Ranong seems to have a bright future as one of the 55 “secondary towns” under the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)’s Amazing Thailand Go Local Campaign. This campaign promotes community tourism in less popular provinces.
Ken Diamond Tour & Travel in Hua Hin offer Package Tours to Ranong from Hua Hin and Cha Am with the Best English speaking knowledge Tour Guides.
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Ranong – 4 Days/3 Nights Private Tour from Hua Hin
The Air Asia flights from Hua Hin to Chiang Mai (and Udon Thani) commenced in August 2020 and were always only scheduled to operate until March 26th 2021. Air Asia have flown this route twice since it started. Air Asia cancelled the flights due to COVID-19 in early February 2021. They subsequently cancelled all flights until 31st March 2021. It is now possible to book flights on this route from Friday 2nd April 2021 – the flights operate on Friday and Sunday as before. You can booking on-line on Airasia website or book in our Office in Front of McDonalds Hua Hin.
Covering about 98 km², Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park is located on the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan Province right south of Hua Hin. It is the first marine national park of Thailand.
Khao Sam Roi Yot means “The mountain with three hundred peaks” and refers to a series of limestone hills along the Gulf of Thailand with the highest one at 605 meters asl. The northwest corner of the mountain range is called Thung Sam Roi Yot and is mainly freshwater marsh covering nearly 37% of the national park which makes it the largest wetlands area in Thailand.
The main attractions of the national park are Phraya Nakhon Cave with its iconic royal pavilion and huge chamber, Kaeo Cave and Thung Sam Roi Yot Freshwater Marsh. The park is also a nice destination for its rich wildlife in freshwater marsh and mangrove forests, beautiful beaches, limestone islands, trails and viewpoints. It is easily accessible, only 60 km south from Hua Hin and nearly 3 hours from Bangkok.
The map relies on IATA’s Timatic database which contains comprehensive information on documentation required for international travel. To keep pace with the dynamic situation with respect to COVID-19, Timatic is updated more than 200 times per day to provide accurate travel restrictions specific to the current pandemic, based on one’s citizenship and country of residence. IATA’s COVID-19 interactive world map, also available for mobile, can be viewed here.
Visitors to Bali will need to undergo a swab test before being permitted to fly to the holiday island.
From May 28, all travellers are required to take a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test with negative results and have a signed medical letter.
This will be verified at the departure airport, said Bali Airport Authority chief Elfi Amir.
“We urge everyone and all airlines to ensure this has been done before flying to Bali, all passengers must already have PCR test results declaring they are negative for Covid-19,” said Elfi.
Failure to ensure this could lead to sanctions of airlines.
It follows a request by Bali Governor Wayan Koster but only applies to air travellers.
Visitors arriving at seaports from Java or Lombok can enter only with a negative rapid test result and documentation.
Flight tickets will only be sold to travellers once they have got the health all-clear and have registered at a special website set up by Bali Provincial Health Authority.
Once registered they will be issued with a special Covid-19-free QR code which they must produce when booking a flight to Bali.
Bali Covid-19 Task Force chairman, Dewa Made Indra says these requirements will undoubtedly hamper Bali’s tourism revival but for now non-essential travel should still be avoided.
“Bali wants to tightly control who enters Bali, both Indonesians and foreigners, because all people are possible Covid-19 carriers,” Indra said.
Bali is hoping to be the first Indonesian province to be officially designated Covid-19 free, but says there is ‘still a long road ahead’ before that becomes a reality.
Hi There. This is our New Website. I hope you like it. You can book and get instant confirmation. Payment by Credit Card and PayPal is available. Most of our Tours now will be Private because of the restrictions by Thai Government. Our Cars will be cleaned after each Trip. Our Tour guides and drivers undergo daily Temperature check. We will check the Temperature of every person before the Trip. Please wear a Face Mask during the Trip. We hope to welcome you back in Hua Hin soon.
