A recent opinion poll shows that 60% of Thai people surveyed do not agree with the November 1st reopening of Thailand to vaccinated foreign travellers without quarantine, saying that the country is not yet ready because less than 70% of the population have been vaccinated.
On the other hand, the survey also shows that 39.9% of those surveyed agree that the November 1st target is timely.
The Suan Dusit Poll, by Suan Dusit University, gathered opinions of 1,392 people from various groups across the country between October 11th and 14th.
On the question of five necessary elements required for the opening of borders, which are the vaccination rate, the readiness of the health system, pro-active screening and confidence in the safety of tourist attractions, public transport and eateries and effectiveness in curbing the spread of the virus:
– 74.78% of respondents agree that 70% of the Thai population must be vaccinated before the opening of the borders to foreign arrivals
– 69.04% agree that the spread of COVID-19 must be under control
– 68.31% agree the health care system must be ready
– 66.03% stressed the importance of pro-active screening
– 65% say safety of tourist attractions and public venues must be ensured to build confidence
On the question of the benefits to reopening the country to foreign tourists:
– 77.29% say the opening of the borders will help the economy
– 74.74% believe more people will be employed
– 68.07% believe tourism revenue will increase
While the downsides to reopening the country to foreign tourists:
– 83.43% believe COVID infections will surge
– 74.60% expect lockdown restrictions to be re-imposed
– 59.55% believe the health system will be overwhelmed
Last Monday, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announced the decision by the CCSA, to open Thai borders to fully-inoculated foreign tourists who pass COVID tests before boarding their flights, initially from 10 low-risk countries, without the need to be quarantined.
