BANGKOK, 14 January 2021: A leading golf tour specialist, Golf Asian is busy promoting Golf Quarantine in Thailand on the same day as the country’s Minister of Tourism tells local reporters he is about to propose the idea.
While he was busy proposing golf quarantine, Golf Asian fired an email blast to travel trade and golf followers, worldwide, saying they could now book six golf resorts for “quarantine golf in Thailand
Obviously, the minister needs to keep up to speed with Thai Cabinet resolutions and the Tourism Authority of Thailand newsroom’s posts. The QT Golf programme had gained Thai Cabinet approval a month earlier on 7 December 2020.
Golf Asian managing director, Mark Siegal, showed the private sector keeps up to date by beating Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn to the punch on Tuesday. His January newsletter identified golf resorts in Kanchanaburi, Cha-am, Nakorn Nayok and Chiang Mai that had already been awarded certification from the Department of Health based on the early December green light from the Thai Cabinet.
Meanwhile, earlier this week Reuters was quoting the minister saying: “We are discussing with the Public Health Ministry and the country’s coronavirus taskforce to offer hotel and golf quarantine for tourists with medical certificates.”
Quarantine golf can now be booked with Golf Asian at the following golf resorts according to the golf specialist’s January newsletter.
Mida Golf Club ( Kanchanaburi)
Sawang Golf Club (Cha Am)
Blue Star Golf Course (Kanchanaburi)
Evergreen Hills Golf Club & Resort (Kanchanaburi)
Artitaya Chiang Mai Golf & Resort (Chiang Mai)
Artitaya Country Club (Nakorn Nayok)
Golfers will have to stay in their rooms at the golf resort for the duration of the 15-night quarantine. They leave their rooms only to play a round of golf. They undergo two PCR Covid-19 tests during their stay following the first test carried out at the airport on arrival. The six golf courses will be closed to the public and only open for quarantine guests.
Visa Exemption (effective since 22 December 2020)
The CCSA has issued a new list of 56 countries and territories whose citizens do not require a visa and can stay in the Kingdom for up to 30 days with a 15-day bonus to cover the quarantine period.
The countries are Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bahrain, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Principality of Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Republic of Slovenia, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Peru, Hong Kong, and Vietnam.
Travellers can also enter with a Special Tourist Visa valid for 90 days with the option to extend twice (90 days each) to give 270 days in the country at the cost of THB2,000 per 90-day stay.
Reuters quoted the minister of tourism saying just 1,000 foreigners have entered the country since the STV was introduced last November.
(Source: Golf Asian)
