タイ、サムイなど３島でも観光客受け入れ再開　ワクチン接種済み条件

【バンコクＡＦＰ＝時事】新型コロナウイルスの感染が全国的に急拡大しているタイで１５日、新たに３島が、ワクチン接種済みの外国人観光客の受け入れを再開した。（写真はタイ・タオ島のビーチ）
　サムイ、タオ、パンガンの３島での受け入れ再開は、コロナの流行で打撃を受けた観光業の復興策の一環。
　タイは１日から、プーケット島でワクチン接種済み観光客の入国を認める「サンドボックス」制度を開始した。同制度では、ホテルでの隔離は必要ないが、２週間はプーケット県外に出ることができない。
　プーケットはサンドボックスの開始以降、５０００人の外国人観光客を受け入れており、うちコロナ検査で陽性が判明したのは１０人だった。
　今回サムイ島では、観光客は政府の承認を受けたホテルに１週間滞在しなければならず、４日目からホテルの外に出ることができる。１週間の滞在後は、コロナ検査で陰性ならば、タオ島かパンガン島に行くことができる。
　タイでは現在、感染力の強い変異株「デルタ株」による感染が広がっている。当局によると、デルタ株が感染者の８０％近くを占めている。
　感染拡大の中心となっている首都バンコクと９県には夜間外出禁止令の他、５人を超える集まりを禁止するなどの厳格な規制が導入されている。
　１５日には全国で新たに約９２００人の感染が確認され、１日当たりの死者数は過去最多の９８人に上った。
　タイでは観光業が国内総生産（ＧＤＰ）の約１８％を占めており、１９９７年のアジア通貨危機以来最悪の不景気に陥っている。
　サムイ島観光協会のラタポン・プーンサワット会長によると、同島のコロナ前の観光収入は９億１８００万ドル（約１０１０億円）だったが、昨年は８８００万ドル（約９７億円）に落ち込んだ。また同会長によると、３島の住民の７５％はワクチン接種が完了しているという。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2021/07/16-11:45）

Three more Thai islands opened to vaccinated foreign tourists on Thursday despite a nationwide surge in Covid-19 cases propelled by the Delta variant.
The islands -- Samui, Tao and Phangan -- welcomed visitors as part of the kingdom's push to revive its battered tourism industry.
Thailand launched its sandbox scheme on July 1, allowing vaccinated travellers to visit Phuket island. Tourists do not have to quarantine in a hotel but cannot leave Phuket for two weeks.
Under Thursday's expansion, tourists must stay at an approved hotel on Samui for a week and can leave their accommodation on day four.
They will have to produce a negative Covid-19 test before being allowed to venture to Tao or Phangan after their first week.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha said communication was important so tourists understood the conditions for the Phuket and Samui schemes differed.
We hope Thailand's tourism industry recovers as soon as possible so the happiness returns to Thais, Prayut said during an opening ceremony, speaking remotely.
The leader has been in self-isolation for almost two weeks after coming into contact with a positive case during the Phuket scheme launch.
The rest of the country is struggling to rein in infections from the Delta variant, which authorities say now makes up nearly 80 percent of its caseload.
Virus hotspot Bangkok and nine provinces are under tightened restrictions, including a night-time curfew and a ban on gatherings of more than five people.
Thailand recorded almost 9,200 new infections and a record daily high of 98 deaths on Thursday.
- 'Don't want to rush' -
Phuket has received 5,000 foreign tourists since its reopening, 10 of whom have tested positive for Covid-19.
Authorities are not expecting a big influx immediately to Samui and the other two islands.
Tourism Association of Koh Samui president Ratchaporn Poolsawadee described Thursday's start of the Samui Plus scheme as a soft opening.
He said 75 percent of residents on the three islands were vaccinated.
It is expected that arrivals will improve after tourists learn the rules and regulations. And then some rules and regulations could be tweaked, Ratchaporn told AFP.
We don't want to rush (Samui Plus).
Tourism makes up one fifth of Thailand's national income and the economy is suffering its worst performance since the 1997 Asian financial crisis.
Ratchaporn said tourism was worth $918 million to Samui before the pandemic but the virus had cut turnover to $88 million last year.