A foreignerv visits Phuket on July 1 (Photo: AFP/VNA) Chatchai Viriiyavejakul, director-general of the Department of Consular Affairs, said many foreign tourists are taking a keen interest in the pilot.
Since the “sandbox” began, 7,890 foreign tourists have registered for a COE, and so far 6,119 have been granted Vaccination Certification with 2,802 accepted for the certificate.
To expedite screening at the airport, Chatchai said his ministry has deployed extra staff to assist.
The Government forecasts about 100,000 foreign tourists will visit Phuket during the third quarter of this year from July to September, generating revenue of about 8.9 billion THB (277 million USD).
On the same day, government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri announced that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was sent to quarantine after contacting a businessperson who tested positive for the coronavirus.
Prayut, who has been already fully vaccinated, was found standing close to Veerasak Pisanuwong, chairman of the Surin Chamber of Commerce, for a selfie photo during his visit to the Phuket Sandbox reopening campaign in the southern Thailand's island province.
The PM, who has tested negative so far, is being quarantined at a private place and working from there, the government spokesman said.
The country reported 6,166 new COVID-19 cases and 50 deaths on July 5, taking the total to 289,223 infections and 2,276 deaths./.
VNA
