KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 — Putrajaya announced that Thailand will only allow tourists to cross the land border with Malaysia starting April 1.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said for the moment, travel for daily commuters is still under discussion between the Malaysian and Thailand governments.
“The Thai government is only willing to accept leisure travellers only. Discussions are still underway between Malaysia and Thailand over daily commuters and frequent travellers.
“As for travellers from Thailand, the general travel protocol that Malaysia currently has in place would apply,” he said during a press conference in Parliament today.
Khairy said that only two land border gates would be opened starting April 1, namely Bukit Kayu Hitam-Sadao and Wang Kelian-Wang Prachan.
Yesterday, Thailand Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said that the country was working closely with the relevant authorities to reopen all land border entry points with Malaysia by May 1.
He added that the ministry would propose to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to reopen more entry points between the two countries.
During Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s recent official visit to Thailand on February 25, Malaysia and Thailand had agreed in principle to implement quarantine-free travel by air, land and sea via the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) and Test & Go schemes.
Ismail Sabri said related ministries and agencies would be holding discussions on the procedures for the reopening of common borders.
Malaysia is set to reopen its borders starting April 1 as the country enters the “Transition to Endemic” phase after taking into account several factors, conducting the necessary risk assessments, seeking advice from the Ministry of Health, and scrutinising recommendations from the Quartet Ministers.
