Thai authorities allowed individuals inoculated with the Russian Sputnik Light vaccine to enter the country without quarantine but only within the framework of the SandBox tourist program which involves a mandatory seven-day stay on a certain territory. On Wednesday, this information was confirmed to a TASS correspondent by Director of the News Division of Thailand’s Foreign Ministry Maratee Nalita Andamo, Trend reports.
According to the official, those inoculated with Sputnik Light can register through the Thailand Pass system but only to use the SandBox program. Earlier, information on the jab’s inclusion in the list of vaccines permitted for entry appeared on the website of Thailand’s Foreign Ministry’s consular department.
Since September 1, 2021, foreigners with a Sputnik V immunization certificate have been allowed to enter Thailand via the Phuket SandBox tourist program which later included other regions of the country. Since November 1, it is necessary to register in the Thailand Pass system in order to obtain a QR code and enter the country under one of three possible programs - Test and Go, SandBox or quarantine.
"The inclusion of Sputnik Light in the list of vaccines permitted for entry to Thailand under the SandBox program is a very important step for the development of tourism and the increase in passenger traffic from Russia," Tez Tour’s general representative in South East Asia Andrey Snetkov told TASS. "As of today, a large number of people have been inoculated precisely with Sputnik Light. In the short-term perspective this will help Thailand’s tourist industry to receive more tourists," he asserted.
In his opinion, the fact that Sputnik Light can only be used for the SandBox tourist program will not present a problem for visitors from Russia since the vast majority of them arrive for two-three weeks and use this program anyway.
In early February, Russian Ambassador to Thailand Evgeny Tomikhin told reporters that the Russian Embassy in Thailand had sent an inquiry to the local authorities to include the Sputnik Light jab among vaccines permitted for a quarantine-free entry.
Thailand, with the population of 69.6 mln, recorded its first coronavirus case on January 13, 2020. On Wednesday, the Health Ministry reported 16,400 infections and 27 deaths over the past 24 hours. To date, the total number of infections has surpassed 2.63 mln with over 2.47 mln recoveries and 22,500 fatalities. Some 49.2 mln residents have been fully vaccinated.
Source: TREND News Agency