Southeast Asia’s calibrated tourism reopening had been widely disrupted by Omicron outbreaks, but countries are now reopening after the Covid variant has been found to cause less severe disease.

Indonesia approved a plan to allow people from Singapore to its Riau Islands, including Batam and Bintan, without any quarantine requirements.

The Philippines is reopening its borders to fully vaccinated visitors from 157 countries from Feb 10 after postponing a December reopening.

Thailand’s resumption of quarantine-free entry goes even bolder, opening up to anyone who is vaccinated.

When Thailand first started the entry scheme in November, only visitors from 63 countries and territories were eligible.

The country was forced to suspend that scheme on Dec 22, so that it could assess the Omicron situation.

The Thai government’s latest move shows how desperate it is to restore the economy.

In pre-Covid times, 20% of the kingdom’s gross domestic product came from tourism and related businesses.

As tourism fell apart due to the pandemic, the Thai economy shrank 6.1% in 2020.

According to finance minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, growth in 2021 is estimated to come in at only 1%.

The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council is scheduled to report the official GDP figures on Feb 21.

The country recorded 91,255 tourist arrivals in November, 4.5 times more than October, and 29.8 times more than the same month in 2020.

The government hopes that quarantine-free travel will help it to achieve its 2022 economic growth projection of 3.5% to 4.5%.

The tourism industry has also lobbied the government hard for a reopening, particularly as studies emerged of lower hospitalisation and mortality rates from the Omicron variant.

The reopening may have come just in time for some tourists.

It is less hot and humid in Thailand from October to February.

The dry season, which coincides with Christmas and New Year holidays in the west and the Lunar New Year in parts of Asia, is typically high season.

Even so, tourism numbers are unlikely to return to pre-Covid levels until China relaxes its zero-Covid policy.

Thailand welcomed 39.8 million visitors in 2019, of whom roughly 28% came from China.

Since August last year, China has imposed strict border controls to keep out Covid.

It is believed that it will keep those measures in place at least until the end of the Beijing Winter Olympics which begins on Feb 4.

Whether they will be eased afterward remains to be seen.

Visitors can now apply to come to Thailand under its “Test & Go” programme.

Travellers must take PCR tests upon arrival and on the fifth day in the country.

They will have to stay in a Thai government-approved hotel until they test negative on the fifth day.

At least 14 days before arriving, all visitors aged 18 and above must have received at least two doses of approved vaccines.

Travellers between the ages of 12 and 17 must have received at least one vaccine shot if they are traveling by themselves.

If they are accompanied by parents, they are exempt from this requirement.

All travellers above 6 years old must carry a negative PCR test result issued no more than 72 hours before they set off.

They must also be insured for at least US$50,000 each.

Thailand reported 8,008 new coronavirus cases yesterday with 16 fatalities.

A total of 84,319 people are receiving treatment.