Tourists in Thailand need to wear digital wristband

Published on : Tuesday, November 3, 2020

For tourists visiting Thailand, one might need to wear a digital wristband at all times, so that local authorities might be able to track them and monitor their health. In October, Thailand witnessed a Chinese tourist group of — which is its first such arrival since commercial flights were banned in April for tackling the corona pandemic.

While Thailand is a celebrated vacation spot for global tourists, it remained shut for a period — like many other countries — for controlling corona cases within the borders and stopping the influx of more cases from other countries. Thailand done quite well to deal with the corona virus outbreak, and was not keen to open its borders for tourism.

However, tourists from Shanghai flew into Bangkok last month, with plans to stay for at least one month. They will have to spend 14 days in quarantine, in a government-approved hospital or a hotel.

Thailand has rolled out, what is being known as a ‘Smart Band’, which is a mandatory tracking device for foreign tourists. This digital wristband will be able to gauge body temperature, with a certain reading triggering an alert to the nearby health authorities. It will also help tourists ask for directions if they find themselves lost in the country.

Additionally, a Special Tourist Visa would be available to travelers from low-risk countries at 2,000 baht.

Tourists allowed to enter Thailand must get hold of a ‘fit to fly certificate’ from a doctor, a separate PCR COVID-19 test certificate and a health insurance policy with coverage including COVID-19 treatment in Thailand for at least US$100,000.