Following Thailand’s tightened entry restrictions - the situation remains calm in the country

Following Thailand’s decision to suspend the ‘Test and go’ quarantine free travel scheme a few days before Christmas due to fears over Omicron, Swedes in the country say the situation is calm.

Expressen spoke to Lilian Lundgren who recently came to Thailand with her husband. They were lucky to have received their Thailand Pass before the announcement was made so they avoided extra stress before departure. The couple lives in Ban Phe just a couple of hours from Bangkok and after spending the first night in a SHAPlus hotel in Bangkok they were on their way.

The couple was tested for covid-19 upon arrival in Thailand. “You could say we were a little lucky. We were picked up at the airport and quarantined for one night in a hotel until our tests came back negative and the staff announced that we could leave,” Lilan Lundgren says.

Lilian says that they waited a little longer than usual to book their tickets to Thailand to avoid possibly losing money if they had to cancel their trip.

Once in Thailand however, the situation is calm, the couple says.

The small village where the couple lives have unusually few tourists and it is only in recent weeks that they have arrived.

“There are several restaurants that are closed, many have had a very tough time. They are incredibly grateful that tourists are starting to show up again,” Lilan Lundgren says.

“I think that those who live here will have a really tough time again if the number of tourists declines,” Lilian Lundgren adds.

Although the recent change in Thailand’s entry restrictions has caused questions in various groups across platforms like Facebook for people who have trips planned, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not experienced increased pressure on issues since the announcement came.

The advice to Swedes traveling to Thailand is the same as for traveling to other countries at present, the Ministry says.