On September 28, Thailand has extended its state of emergency till October 31 to control the spread of the coronavirus. This is the 6th extension since the decree was first introduced on March 25.

However, the new extension has eased restrictions on the entry of foreigners aimed at gradually reopening Thailand’s tourism industry, which has been strongly affected by the crisis. According to the president of the Phuket Tourist Association (PTA), Bhummikitti Ruktaengam, tourism businesses in Phuket suffered a loss of THB 180 billion (EUR 4.84 billion/ USD 5.72 billion) in the first half of 2020.

As of October 1, groups of foreign travelers and business people with special visas will be allowed to enter Thailand. A group of 150 tourists from Guangzhou, China, will visit the Thai resort island of Phuket via a charter flight on Oct. 8. Then, two more groups of foreign travelers from China and Europe will arrive on Oct. 26 and Nov. 1, respectively.