Anutin backs resuming Test & Go

Tourists arrive at Phuket airport on Dec 22, 2021. (Photo: Achadthaya Chuenniran)
Tourists arrive at Phuket airport on Dec 22, 2021. (Photo: Achadthaya Chuenniran)

Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul will propose resuming the Test & Go programme to win back overseas visitors and accelerate the economic recovery.

The minister said on Monday he will ask the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to relax restrictions stepped up early this year against the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

His request follows a discussion with the Department of Disease Control which confirmed that the fast-spreading Omicron variant caused milder symptoms with far fewer hospitalisations and deaths.

Mr Anutin noted the public cooperated well in addressing Omicron, which is now the country's dominant coronavirus strain.

In the past few weeks, daily cases have surged although they now appear to be levelling off.

The public health minister said approval will be sought from the CCSA to resume the Test & Go programme under which overseas visitors spend only one night at a hotel. If their Covid-19 test turns out negative, they are free to leave that accommodation and enjoy their holidays.

Mr Anutin said it was unclear when the CCSA is expected to meet.

However, Mr Anutin did not confirm if reopening entertainment venues will be among measures he had in mind to ease restrictions. Clubs and bars were blamed for triggering infection clusters, especially during New Year celebrations.

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Vocabulary

  • address: to deal with a problem - จัดการปัญหา
  • back: to support - สนับสนุน
  • confirm (verb): to state or show that something is definitely true or correct, especially by providing evidence - ยืนยัน
  • cooperate: to work with other people to achieve a result that is good for everyone involved - ร่วมมือกัน
  • dominant: more powerful or important than all others - เหนือกว่า
  • hospitalisation: when a person must stay at a hospital for the treatment of a disease or injury -
  • leveled off: not increasing or growing anymore -
  • measures (noun): actions taken to solve a particular problem - มาตรการ
  • mild: not strong - เบา, ไม่หนัก, ไม่รุนแรง
  • restriction: a rule, action or situation that limits or controls someone or something - การจำกัด, การควบคุม
  • resume: to begin again after stopping for a period of time - เริ่มอีกครั้ง, กลับมาอีกครั้ง
  • surge: to increase very quickly - เพิ่มขึ้นอย่างรวดเร็ว
  • trigger: to cause - ก่อให้เกิด กระตุ้น
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