Thailand brings back mandatory quarantine for travelers, but it won't ruin Christmas for all vacationers
All new visitors to Thailand will now have to quarantine for a minimum of seven days whether they've been vaccinated or not, Reuters reported.
The new rules come after Thai authorities confirmed its first case of the omicron variant on Dec. 20.
Previously, vacationers arriving in the Southeast Asian country simply had to take a negative test on arrival as part of the "Test and Go" waiver, a scheme introduced last month in a desperate bid to breathe life back into a tourism industry crippled by the pandemic.
But as the omicron variant continues to run rampant across the globe, the Thai government has decided to scrap the scheme just two months after its launch, instead, making anyone not already signed up for the scheme to quarantine for between seven and 10 days, from as soon as they step off their flight.
They will also have to take regular PCR tests during their stay.
However, there was good news for the 200,000 ticket holders who have already signed up for either of these schemes: they will still be eligible.
"This is not to shut off tourists but to temporarily suspend arrivals," officials added.
"As of Dec. 22, the Thailand Pass website will be closed for all new Test and Go and Sandbox applications, except for the Phuket Sandbox," reads the Foreign Office website. "If you have already received your Thailand Pass QR code, you can still enter Thailand under the scheme you registered for."
It is, however, another blow to many winter sun-seekers planning trips. Officials also paused the so-called "sandbox" scheme, which had allowed visitors to roam an area freely so long as they remained within the vicinity of their accommodation.
Now, the sandbox scheme remains only on the party island of Phuket, where it was originally piloted.
The news comes days after British Airways suspended all direct flights to Bangkok until October 2022 as part of a pandemic-inflicted "reduced and dynamic schedule."
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| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro Offer
Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
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Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month