Thailand targets reopening within fourth months as economy stumbles

The tourism heaven will start with a pilot reopening from July 1 on its most popular island, Phuket, which has been vaccinating most of its local population.

Thailand moved at the pace of target in securing 105.5 million doses of COVID shots for 2021 and would seek more supplies next year, stated Prayuthin in a recorded televised speech.

He thought the risk was necessary and the country could not afford to wait to complete all of its vaccinations and for the spread of the virus to halt.

Strict entry requirements and quarantine measures helped keep Thailand's COVID eruptions under control until recent months, but the curbs saw arrival numbers plummet to a fraction of its nearly 40 million visitors in 2019.

Southeast Asian country lost about $50 billion in tourism revenue last year - an 82% fall.

Strict entry requirements and quarantine measures helped keep Thailand's coronavirus outbreaks under control until recent months, but the curbs saw arrival numbers plummet to a fraction of its nearly 40 million visitors in 2019.