Thailand is reopening to commercial flights tomorrow, but only medical and wellness tourists will be alllowed to visit. Unsplash
Thailand is reopening to commercial flights tomorrow, but only medical and wellness tourists will be alllowed to visit. Unsplash
Thailand is reopening to commercial flights tomorrow, but only medical and wellness tourists will be alllowed to visit. Unsplash
Thailand is reopening to commercial flights tomorrow, but only medical and wellness tourists will be alllowed to visit. Unsplash

Thailand reopens to international flights, but only some tourists can visit


Hayley Skirka
  • English
  • Arabic

Thailand is reopening to international passenger flights from Wednesday, July 1.

The commercial flight ban that has been in place across the kingdom since April 3 will be lifted from Wednesday, July 1.

Commercial passenger flights will be allowed to operate flights landing at international airports across the country, including Bangkok, Samutprakarn, Chiang Mai and Phuket.

Thailand's international airports are gearing up to welcome commercial passenger flights from July 1. Unsplash
Thailand's international airports are gearing up to welcome commercial passenger flights from July 1. Unsplash

Restrictions on who can fly into the country remain in place, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand.

Commercial flights carrying Thai nationals and their family members, residents, students, medical and wellness tourists and those with special permission to enter the country will be allowed to land in Thailand. All other passengers will not be allowed entry as authorities work to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Anyone entering the country must adhere to screening procedures in place at all airports and follow mandatory 14-day quarantine procedures at their own cost.

Medical visitors could restart crippled tourism industry

Medical and wellness visitors account for 10 per cent of Thailand's annual tourism numbers. Unsplash
Medical and wellness visitors account for 10 per cent of Thailand's annual tourism numbers. Unsplash

Medical tourists can enter the country on the basis that they go directly to quarantine at hospitals and health centres.

Thailand is ranked fourth in the world for its medical tourism industry, which is worth about $600 million (Dh2.2 billion) annually, according to the International Medical Travel Journal. Thai authorities are keen to revive this carefully regulated travel sector to help rejuvenate at least part of the country's crippled tourism industry.

Medical and wellness visitors typically account for nearly 10 per cent of Thailand’s 35 million annual tourists, and the UAE is a key market says the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The three most requested medical treatments in Thailand overall are medical check-ups, plastic surgery and orthopedic surgery.

Cargo, repatriation and humanitarian flights were never banned from entering Thailand and can continue to fly in and out of the kingdom.

Easing of restrictions

Movement restrictions in Thailand are easing as life sowly returns to normal. Unsplash
Movement restrictions in Thailand are easing as life sowly returns to normal. Unsplash

The opening of Thailand's borders to some commercial flights comes as the country further eases movement restrictions.

From Wednesday, July 1, bars, karaoke venues and pubs can reopen until midnight following safety guidelines that include social distancing between tables and operating at reduced capacity.

Thailand most recently confirmed two new coronavirus cases, both imported from abroad. At the time of writing, the country had gone five weeks without any recorded local transmission of the Covid-19 virus.

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
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Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”

Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”

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Major honours

ARSENAL

  • FA Cup - 2005

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CHELSEA

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SPAIN

  • World Cup - 2010
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The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo

Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000

Engine: 5.6-litre V8

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm

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Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

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Creator: Mike White

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Total eligible population

About 57.5 million people
51.1 million received a jab
6.4 million have not

Where are the unvaccinated?

England 11%
Scotland 9%
Wales 10%
Northern Ireland 14% 

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The biog

Family: He is the youngest of five brothers, of whom two are dentists. 

Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.

Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic 

Kathryn Hawkes of House of Hawkes on being a good guest (because we’ve all had bad ones)

  • Arrive with a thank you gift, or make sure you have one for your host by the time you leave. 
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Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
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Profile

Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari

Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.

Number of employees: Over 50

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Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital 

Sector of operation: Transport

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