Everything you need to know about Thailand as it reopens

BANGKOK: After months of coronavirus travel restrictions, Thailand's once-thriving tourism industry is a shell of its former self.

The monarchy, meanwhile, reopens its borders to vaccinated visitors from more than 40 nations on Monday.

Here's what you need to know:

Thailand had a record high of roughly 40 million visits in 2019, with tourists rushing to its island beaches and cultural hotspots before the pandemic struck.

After virus restrictions halted global travel in 2020, the number of tourists dropped to roughly seven million, and only around 73,000 international visitors have flown into Thailand so far in 202.

The tourism business in the country suffered some of the worst losses in the world, with sales falling from $63.75 billion in 2019 to $11 billion in 2020.

The Cashcow industry generates 18 percent of the country's economy, which dropped by 6.1 percent in 2020, the worst result in more than two decades.

The impact was seen in a variety of industries, including restaurants and transportation, resulting in the loss of more than 3 million jobs out of a total of 4.03 million.

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Who is allowed to return?

Beginning November 1 fully vaccinated visitors from 46 countries and territories deemed "low risk" by Thailand will be allowed to enter without having to go through quarantine.

China and its colony Hong Kong, as well as the United States, Britain, and France, are among the giants on the list, accounting for the lion's share of the kingdom's pre-pandemic tourist total.

Other European countries, such as Germany, Spain, and Italy, are also on the list, as are some Asian neighbors, such as Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, and Japan.

Before travelling into Thailand, all passengers must have a negative Covid test and be re-tested once they arrive.

In addition, they must reserve a single night.

Thailand has recorded over 1.8 million cases and 18,865 deaths so far, with the majority of them occurring after the highly virulent Delta form surfaced in April.

Every day, roughly 10,000 new cases are reported in the country.