More border checkpoints set to open

The Thai-Myanmar Township Border Committee (TBC) agreed to open the Mae Sai and other border checkpoints on June 1 to boost local economies and resume cross-border trade.

Checkpoints in Chiang Khong, Mae Sai and Chiang Saen districts will be opened to border pass holders.

The decision followed a meeting attended by Chiang Rai governor Passakorn Boonyaluck, various agencies, TBC coordinators and the governor of Myanmar’s Tachileik province U Myint Naing.

The committee also proposed opening the first and second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridges and another five temporary border crossing checkpoints in Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai.

The Tachileik governor had earlier agreed to a trial opening at the first Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge to evaluate Covid-19 risks before opening fully on June 1.

Mr Passakorn said the Covid-19 situation in Chiang Rai was under control. More than 80% of the population in the province were vaccinated.

He said Chiang Rai was ready to welcome visitors from neighbouring countries and opportunities to recover its post-pandemic economy.

However, he said border pass holders must show vaccine certification or ATK results, or they will have to enter fiveday quarantine. Anyone who would like to travel to another province in Thailand must carry a passport and vaccine certification.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said stateless travellers who are border pass holders must be able to show a vaccine certificate. For Thai travellers who use passports or border passes, they can show professional-use ATK results to cross the border.

The CCSA allowed 31 border checkpoints in 17 provinces to open on May 1. Many border crossing points are overwhelmed by visitors, especially those in Songkhla and Satun provinces.