Coronavirus (COVID-19) Daily Updates

The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) a pandemic. The number of coronavirus cases continues to rise around the world. As a result, we’re witnessing its massive impact on tourism. Below is a full overview of the COVID-19 situation in our destinations, updated on a daily basis.

(Updated Aug 14, 2020)

Current snapshot of COVID-19 cases in our destinations:

Vietnam

Lastest Updates: 
- Da Nang has decided to continue social distancing for another two weeks (from 11.08.2020), limiting gatherings to two people and household shopping to once every three days.
- Hanoi has closed bars and banned crowded events like festivals and fairs since Wednesday night (29.08.2020). Hoi An imposes social distancing from 30.07.2020 which orders people to stay home except for buying food, medicines and other essential goods and services.
- Vietnam reported 4 new positive cases on 24.07.2020 in Danang and Quang Ngai after 99 days without any community transmission. Danang stopped receiving tourists for 14 days starting Sunday (25.07.2020), banned gatherings of 30 plus people and urged residents to maintain social distancing. Public transport vehicles, including flights, cannot enter or leave Da Nang for the next 15 days (from 28.08.2020).
- Commercial flights between Vietnam and Guangzhou, Seoul, Tokyo, Taiwan, Vientiane and Phnom Penh may resume as early as August. 
- Vietnam’s Prime Minister has allowed the reopening of night clubs and karaoke parlors, though the specific reopening date will be decided by each locality. 
- Phu Quoc Island could soon allow foreign tourists in on a trial basis as part of the country's roadmap to resuming international tourism.
- Vietnam considers opening up select islands for foreign tourists. 
- Vietnam Airlines said it has resumed full domestic operations.
- On April 23, Vietnam lifted its national lockdown. All businesses (supermarkets, banks, public transportation, government offices) have reopened.
- Hotels, restaurants, bars, tourist attractions are welcoming guests again with safety measures in place.
- Vietnam will grant e-visa to citizens of 80 countries from July 1, 2020. However, Vietnam’s borders remain closed to foreign visitors due to the pandemic.
- Vietnam still suspends all inbound international flights until further notice.
- Hoi An is rebooting all tourist activities.
- Vietnam is considering opening its borders to foreign visitors – if the country they are coming from has gone 30 days without any new cases of COVID-19.

Entry Conditions: 
- The Vietnamese Prime Minister reaffirmed June 24 that Vietnam will continue to suspend entry into Vietnam to all foreigners, including people with a Vietnamese visa exemption certificate.
- Only Vietnamese nationals, foreigners on diplomatic or official business, and highly skilled workers are allowed to enter the country at this time.  All persons entering Vietnam must undergo medical checks and 14-day quarantine upon arrival. This quarantine requirement has in some cases been prolonged to more than 14 days when deemed necessary by the authorities.

Health Check/Declarations:
- Health screening is performed at all airports, including temperature checks. 
- Health declaration is mandatory for all passengers entering Vietnam, which can be done by completing a paper form on arrival or a digital form online before the trip
- All travelers on domestic and international flights must wear face masks during the flight and while at the airport.

Thailand

Lastest Updates:
- Thailand is unlikely to reopen its borders to international tourists before the end of the year – the prediction from a deputy governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
- PM has signed off on a proposal by the National Security Council and the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration to extend the Emergency Decree until the end of August.
- Thai Airways is unlikely to resume flights in August
- Travel bubbles will have to be postponed indefinitely.
- Foreign patients are now allowed to enter the country since the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) allowed medical tourism to resume in September. 

• + Only foreign patients who have tested negative for Covid-19 can enter Thailand for treatment
• + Patients are required to take three Covid-19 tests and enter a 14-day quarantine at a medical institution
• + The visitors, arriving under a special visa, will receive massage and spa services, fitness programs, healthy meals and herbal products.
• + The first group will come from 17 countries, including Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, China, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
• + Patients must present all required documents to be allowed in, which include proof of health insurance which also covers Covid-19 treatment expenses, financial statements to guarantee their ability to pay their medical expenses and a certificate or appointment letter from a hospital in Thailand.

- 5 of Thailand’s major tourist islands (Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao) are getting ready to welcome foreign travellers if they are part of a travel bubble scheme. Thailand may limit the trip to a so-called ‘villa quarantine‘ where visitors would only be allowed to stay at their accommodations and not travel around.
- Thailand is lifting its ban on international flights on July 01 but under some conditions. General tourism is not permitted at the moment.
- Phuket’s Sirinat National Park to open again from 01 July.
- Medical and wellness tourists will be allowed when health institutions and hospitals are ready and have received the Amazing Thailand Safety & Health Administration certification, which is scheduled to start from July 1. Areas open for this group include Bangkok, Phuket, Hat Yai, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces. Tourists arriving under the travel bubble scheme could be allowed in on August 1 on condition they undergo “Villa Quarantine”, meaning they stay in their accommodation and not travel.
- Bars and clubs can re-open soon, but with a list of 22 requirements (such as: number of customers, body temperature, hand sanitiser...)
- Bangkok’s Khaosan Road will reopen in August
- The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) announced the extension of the ban on incoming international flights until September.
- Tourist attractions are in preparation for the fourth phase of lockdown relaxation: welcoming tourists but still maintaining social distancing.
- The government decided to lift from June 15 the night curfew
- Thailand is considering the idea of forming “travel bubbles” with low-risk Covid-19 countries such as China, South Korea, Vietnam and Taiwan.
- The Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha) is open, but not for foreign tourists.
- Thailand’s tourism and MICE business will first reboot with low-risk countries
- Thailand’s beaches are once again open for visitors under some restriction rules.
- Bars, massage parlours may be be allowed to reopen in Phase 4
- The government says they may still hold a Songkran festival in July instead IF the third phase of the easing of lockdown restrictions goes smoothly this month.
- Thailand will next week (June 01) shorten curfew hours and ease restrictions on more businesses. The curfew will be shortened by one hour to last from 11pm to 3am.
- Starting from Jun 1, cinemas and theatres can reopen, but with no more than 200 people at a time and with strict social distancing measures
- Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) in Bangkok will be reopened this Thursday, June 4.
- On May 26, the Royal Thai Government (RTG) decided to extend the national state of emergency until June 30, 2020. Most restaurants, stores, and entertainment venues are closed except for food delivery, supermarkets, restaurants’ delivery service providers and other stores selling necessary items. 
- On May 25, temples and historical sites in Ayutthaya have reopened to the public after restrictions to contain the spread of Covid-19 were eased.
- The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has announced the postponement of the reopening of Phuket International Airport. 
- Several provinces in Thailand have closed their borders, requested most hotels to close, and instituted additional restrictions on movement within the province
- Most beaches remain closed for tourists.

Entry Conditions: 
- Travellers wishing to travel to Thailand need to check first if they are among the 11 categories of travellers the CCSA has allowed to enter.
- Foreigners who are granted entry into Thailand will have to go through 14 days of mandatory quarantine at their own expense.
- Any entry/access points (land, sea, and air) to the country will be restricted until 31 May 2020.
- Foreigners, excluding those with work permits and diplomats, are not allowed to enter the country. The ban also extends to passengers in transit at international airports.

Health Check/Declarations:
- The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration on Friday (May 15) resolved to reduce the curfew hours from 11pm to 4am from the current 10pm to 4am.
- If you come to the attention of Thai health authorities with fever and flu-like symptoms, and have traveled internationally or had close contact with a known COVID-19 case within the past 14 days, you will be placed in isolation and required to undergo testing which can take up to 48 hours. If you are found to be positive, you will be hospitalized until symptoms resolve and you have two negative tests separated by 24 hours.

Cambodia

Lastest Updates:
- The government has decided to charge all foreign visitors for lab testing, medical treatment and accommodation under health measures to prevent a second wave of COVID-19 transmission in the country. Upon arrival, all foreign passengers are required to deposit $3,000 at the airport to pay for the virus prevention services
- Cambodia has required foreigners to pay for COVID-19 lab test, quarantine and treatment services
- Hotels and international flights are expected to reopen in June.
- By July, flights to Cambodia could be resuming from Bangkok, Malaysia, Singapore and Viet Nam. Qatar Airways is expecting to resume flights into Cambodia in October 2020.
- Some hotels are still closed for safety reason.
- Various events & festivals have been cancelled or postponed. Various spas, bars, restaurants and entertainment businesses have been closed until further notice.
- As of March 18, the Cambodian government has shuttered all museums, cinemas, concert halls, bars, and karaoke establishments (KTV parlors). Any large religious gatherings are prohibited until further notice.

Entry Conditions:
- Cambodia lifts the bans on foreigners from Iran, Italy, Germany, Spain, France and the United States.
- All travelers entering Cambodia must possess a COVID-19 medical certificate, indicating a negative status, issued no more than 72 hours prior to the date of travel and proof of medical insurance coverage of at least $50,000
- Visa On arrival (VOA) is still not available yet at all 3 Cambodian International Airports, PNH/Phnom Penh, REP/Siem Reap-Angkor, KOS/Sihanouk Ville. Presently, only Khmer citizens or foreigners who already have Entry-visa to Cambodia can flight in.

Health Check/Declarations:
- Upon arrival in Cambodia, all travelers must undergo a COVID-19 test and wait to receive laboratory results. In case one or more travelers test positive for COVID-19, all accompanying passengers will be subject to a 14-day quarantine at a location designated by Cambodian authorities. If all travelers test negative, health authorities will ask travelers to self-isolate for 14-days at their home under supervision of local authorities and health officials. Health authorities will then oversee another COVID-19 test on the 14th day of self-isolation.

Laos

Lastest Updates:
- On 24th July, Laos reports one new case, ending its 102 days without infection.
- The government of Laos has declared victory over Covid-19 following the discharge of all 19 confirmed cases from hospital, with no new cases for 59 days (as of 11.06.2020).
- Laos has announced it will resume domestic flights starting 18 May.
- Night markets, restaurants with permits, and theatres may re-open but must observe standard social distancing and hygiene measures, including provision of a handwashing station; Nightclubs, karaoke venues, casinos, and game cafés remain closed;
- Night markets and cinemas have reopened.
- On May 17, Laos has announced it will ease other lockdown restrictions starting 18 May.
- On May 16, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) announced the extension until June 30 of the ban on incoming international flights.
- Savannakhet International Airport is temporarily closed until further notice.
- Some hotels are closed for safety reason.
- Various events & festivals have been canceled or postponed.

Entry Conditions:
- Laos has suspended the issuance of visas for foreign tourists for 30 days to prevent Covid-19. All types of visas on arrival and electronic visas (E-visas) are suspended. Those already holding an entry visa need to get a health certificate from the concerned authorities and declare their movement history. Entry visas will not be issued to visitors who come from or pass through countries that have experienced a Covid-19 outbreak, except for special cases whereby prior authorization has been issued.
- Local, traditional, and international border checkpoints remain closed. People are forbidden from entering and exiting the country, except for drivers of cargo vehicles or those with prior authorization.
- All people entering Laos will have to undergo a health check, be tested for Covid-19 and be placed in quarantine for 14 days, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said. To enter Laos, travellers need to submit an application prior their entry, giving details of the precise date and port of entry and vehicles they are travelling in.

Health Check/Declarations: Health screening is performed at all airports, including temperature checks.

Indonesia

Lastest Updates:
- Bali will welcome international tourists again from Sep 11. However, it is yet to release details on whether travellers from all countries will be allowed and whether quarantine or testing will be mandatory.
- Domestic flights are operating subject to certain restrictions. Those seeking to board domestic flights must produce a test result indicating they are COVID-19 free, based either on a PCR test conducted within seven days or a “rapid” test conducted within three days.  In some cases, airlines are also requiring a travel endorsement letter from the Indonesian Foreign Ministry which allows foreigners to board domestic flights
- International commercial flight options remain available from Indonesia albeit at significantly reduced levels.
- The Indonesian government will gradually open shopping malls, restaurants and entertainment sites from June in an attempt to jump-start the pandemic-hit economy, even as coronavirus cases continue to climb.
- The authorities in Jakarta and other areas of the country have extended the partial lockdown - which includes a ban on gatherings of more than five people, limited public transport and mandatory work-from-home arrangements - until further notice.
- Indonesia has cancelled the Hajj for its citizens this year. 
- Some hotels are closed for safety reason. 
- Various events & festivals have been canceled or postponed.

Entry Conditions:
- Beginning March 8, 2020, all travellers who have been in the following locations in the 14 days prior to reaching Indonesia will be refused entry or transit:

• Mainland China
• Iran:  Tehran, Qom, and Gilan
• Italy:  Lombardi, Veneto, Emilia Romagna, Marche and Piedmont
• South Korea:  Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do

- Travellers who have been in other parts of Iran, Italy, or South Korea in the previous 14 days will be required to show a certification of good health from a health authority in these countries upon check-in at the airport
- The Indonesian government has suspended visa exemptions and visa on arrival for all foreign nationals but is granting emergency visa extensions to all foreign nationals who arrived in Indonesia and received a visa after February 5, 2020

Health Check/Declarations: Health screening is performed at all airports, including temperature checks.

Myanmar

Lastest Updates:
- International flight restrictions to and from Yangon International Airport have been further extended to the end of August..
- Myanmar’s airports are unlikely to re-open to international commercial flights until at least October this year
- Mandalay cancels annual Taungbyone festival in August
- Myanmar extend temporary measures to control the spread of the coronovirus in Myanmar to June 30 from June 15.
- Some domestic airlines in the country said that they will be resuming their operations starting at the end of May.
- The Ministry of Hotels and Tourism is also preparing for the reopening of domestic tourism.
- Sixty hotels and guest houses in Mandalay Region have applied to reopen and will be inspected starting from June 01.
- Standard social distancing and hygiene measures remain in place. These include keeping one meter distance from one another, hand washing/use of sanitizer, wearing masks, monitoring body temperature, and proper sanitization of areas.
- The government has announced that it will be reducing night curfews by two hours starting May 15. The current curfew is 10pm - 4am.
- Myanmar extended a ban on international commercial air traffic until the end of May to curb the spread of coronavirus.
- Some hotels are closed for safety reason
- Various events & festivals have been canceled or postponed.
- The Department of Aviation announced that it will be extending the suspension on all international airlines to and from Myanmar until June 15.

Entry Conditions:
- On March 19, the government announced the suspension of any entry and exit of foreigners through Myanmar’s land borders. Any incoming citizens will be required to undergo quarantine in a government facility for 14 days after arrival.

Health Check/Declarations:
- Health screening is performed at all airports, including temperature checks.
- Foreigners will have to fulfil a 21-day quarantine - one week home quarantine in their respective country before flying, another one week facilitity quarantine after arriving in Myanmar and finally one more week of home quarantine in Myanmar, before being cleared to work in the country.