Tourism Authority of Thailand on Wednesday launched its “Visit Thailand in 2022: Amazing New Chapters” campaign in Nepal in a bid to attract affluent Nepali tourists to the land of white elephants.

The authority launched their latest tourism initiative to create awareness amongst travel agents regarding new regulations and procedures to visit Thailand.

“We have reopened our tourism sector. From April 1, most of the travel restrictions have been removed,” said Vosita Vorasaph, Thai Ambassador to Nepal, speaking at the launch of the event in Kathmandu.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand said that fully vaccinated travellers from any country are allowed to enter Thailand without quarantine.

However, visitors will have to be fully vaccinated for more than 14 days before travelling, must book a hotel for one day while waiting for the result of the PCR test report and must possess a Covid-19 insurance, an insurance policy with coverage of no less than $20,000.

Travellers will also no longer need to take a pre-departure PCR Covid-19 test.

Those who have been vaccinated for at least 14 days before travel, with a vaccine approved by the government or World Health Organisation, can enter the country through the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme or Sandbox scheme.

For international travellers who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated, they will be required to undergo the mandatory alternative quarantine of 5 days in a designated quarantine hotel in Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Pattaya, Phuket, or Samui before they can travel to other parts of Thailand.

“We are moving forward with the goal to revitalise Thai tourism,” said Vorasaph.

Ramesh Thapa, president of Nepal Association of Tour and Travels Agents, urged Thailand to increase the flight frequency between the two countries to promote trade and tourism.

“We hope tourism will accelerate once again.”

Nepali travel trade entrepreneurs urged the Thai government to ease the visa processing for Nepali travellers, remove the requirement of the Covid-19 insurance policy and increase the flight frequency, which currently is not regular, for the mutual benefit to promote tourism in both countries.