Thailand-
Joining India, which was previously announced as being banned from seeking certificates of entry to Thailand as of the beginning of this month, May 2021, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh foreign nationals have been banned from entering the country as of today, May 10th, 2021.
Multiple Thai media sources confirmed that Thai embassies in those countries have issued notices and apologies for any inconvenience to residents who had applied to enter. Thai nationals in those countries are still allowed to travel with the proper paperwork, tests, and precautions.
This follows extreme concern from Thai Public Health Ministry officials over the Covid-19 variant B.1.617.1, which is currently widespread in India. Part of this concern arises over the variant reportedly being found in a member of a family from Pakistan currently in quarantine in Thailand for fourteen days as announced by the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration this morning at their daily press conference.
Thailand had previously stated Bangladesh and Pakistan would not be allowed to obtain certificates of entry, required to enter the country, in late April but ended up only restricting access to non-Thai residents in India. Now, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal have officially been added.
The announcement does not have an expiration date and is until further notice, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat who made the announcement earlier today. This also follows announcements from the Public Health Ministry around “beefing up” border security with Myanmar out of concern the new variant could come from Bangladesh to Myanmar, which is currently experiencing political unrest further complicating border security at already porous borders.
The Pattaya News notes that all foreigners, regardless of country or vaccination status, must do a fourteen-day quarantine currently upon arrival in Thailand among a variety of other rules and requirements through their local embassy or consulate.
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