Thailand wants all land border crossing points between Thailand and Malaysia reopened by May 1.
Thailand is working closely with necessary authorities to restore all land border entry points with Malaysia by May 1 in order to enhance its tourism business, particularly in the southern provinces.
Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Minister of Tourism and Sports, said his ministry would recommend to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) that more entry points between the two nations be reopened.
To boost tourism in the Southern provinces, we want to gradually open further checkpoints in Narathiwat, Yala, and Satun that connect Malaysia. By May 1, we expect all Thai-Malaysian checkpoints to reopen.
The Tourism and Sports Ministry will work with the Foreign Ministry to examine steps to be implemented at border checkpoints to stop the spread of Covid-19 with Malaysian authorities.
Songkhla’s Sadao Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine (CIQ) is currently open to visitors entering the kingdom. On the Malaysian side, the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine, and Security point in Bukit Kayu Hitam is set to open on April 1.
In addition, from April 1, Hat Yai International Airport will be open to international visitors.
Prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, Malaysian tourists were the greatest group of visitors to the country. Thailand received over 40 million visitors in 2019, with 4.1 million Malaysians among them.
During Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s recent official visit to Thailand on February 25, the two countries agreed in principle to use the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) and Test & Go programmes to achieve quarantine-free travel by air, land, and sea.
According to Ismail Sabri, related ministries and agencies would examine measures for reopening the common borders.
Malaysia will reopen its borders on April 1 as it enters the “Transition to Endemic” phase after considering many aspects, doing essential risk assessments, receiving advice from the Ministry of Health, and scrutinising the Quartet Ministers’ recommendations.
