Cabinet okays reopening to tourists, yacht crews

The cabinet on Wednesday approved in principle a guideline to reopen the country for foreign tourists and crews of foreign yachts under a special tourist visa (STV) scheme, which was recently approved by the cabinet to restart the pandemic-battered tourism industry.

According to deputy government spokeswoman Traisulee Traisoranakul, the new guideline will become effective within 30 days after an announcement in the Royal Gazette.

It will come into force until Sept 30, next year.

Ms Traisulee said foreign tourists and crew members of foreign yachts who entered Thailand’s territorial waters before the declaration of the state emergency decree on March 25 are allowed to apply for the STV scheme at immigration checkpoints within 30 days after the announcement in the Royal Gazette.

They will be allowed to stay in the Kingdom for 90 days, with 2,000 baht worth of visa…