As the country's battle with the coronavirus outbreak has produced a satisfactory outcome, reopening the borders needs time and preparation.
To abandon compulsory quarantine seems premature at this stage, however.
It has been about a month since Thailand reported no local community infections.
Four weeks is considered to be the maximum period of time a person can have the SARS-CoV-2 virus before exhibiting symptoms, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).
Upon reaching the zero-community infection milestone, the CCSA started to discuss allowing foreigners into the country.
CCSA spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin said two groups of foreigners -- investors based in Thailand along with medical tourists and short-term businessmen and guests -- are likely to be the first to be allowed in once the country reopens its doors to outsiders.
The first group includes investors, businessmen, migrant workers and medical tourists.
The number is rather high. About 700 investors and businessmen have requested entry, CCSA said.
For skilled workers, about 22,000 are interested. The number of foreigners who wish to return to their Thai families stands at 2,000 while medical tourists are the highest at 30,000.
Restrictions are straightforward for this group though.
The investors and businessmen will be required to check into state quarantine on arrival in the country.
Medical tourists, meanwhile, would proceed directly to hospitals where they would be quarantined as well as receive their medical treatment.
Measures planned for the second group of priority visitors -- short-term businessmen and tourists from countries with travel bubbles pairing with Thailand -- appear dubious, however.
According to Dr Taweesilp, the CCSA would look for ways to allow visitors from this group to bypass the quarantine requirement.
It is understandable that the country must gradually open its doors to visitors and eventually resume all economic activities including international tourism which has been the main driver of the economy.
It is also clear that the 14-day quarantine could pose a major obstacle for short-term visitors who would not want to waste a fortnight on a single trip.
Without a vaccine or effective screening, ditching quarantine just to make money seems foolhardy.
Besides, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha earlier said the travel bubbles idea would not materialise soon.
The government is still working on the list of countries it will pair with and restrictions to be put into place to ensure safe implementation. Discussions could go well into next month, according to the government.
Why did the CCSA place the short-term visitors from travel bubbles on the priority list if precautionary measures are not yet ready to accommodate them?
A policy inconsistency is never a good idea. If state quarantine is required for Thais travelling back home and for businessmen, investors, professionals and migrant workers, why should some be exempted?
Globally, the Covid-19 pandemic has shown no sign of relenting. The number of infections has climbed to more than nine million people.
The CCSA's own daily update still shows a few new cases every day among returning Thais. This fact alone should caution policy makers not to drop their guard and discard quarantine just yet.