The President of the Professional Tour Guides Association of Thailand, Wirote Sitaprasertnan, submitted a letter to Deputy Public Health Minister Sathit Pitutacha, today (Wednesday). The letter requests an allocation of 1,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine specifically for licensed tour guides in Bangkok, to prepare for the country’s reopening to foreign tourists.

Mr. Wirote explained that the association had been contacted by the Disease Control Department about vaccination of tour guides, but there has been no clarity on the issue, so a letter was needed to reiterate their request.

Many tour guides have been hit hard by the pandemic, with many having to take other jobs instead. So, Mr. Wirote also wants the Public Health Ministry to pay more attention to tour guides, who play an important role in the Thai tourism industry.

Under a government scheme, called “Phuket Sandbox”, Thailand will partially open to fully vaccinated foreign tourists, who have tested negative for COVID-19, without a quarantine requirement, from July 1^st. Visitors to Phuket are required to stay on the island for at least seven days before traveling elsewhere in the country.

Bangkok, Krabi, Phang Nga, Surat Thani, Chiang Mai, Chonburi, Buriram, Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan are expected to adopt the Phuket model in October.