BANGKOK • Thailand hopes to ease some coronavirus curbs on foreigners entering the country, after going for 28 days without recording any domestic transmissions, a senior official said yesterday.

Those who will benefit from the easing of restrictions will include business executives, skilled workers and foreigners who live in Thailand.

"The first three groups will be able to return to Thailand and stay in 14-day state quarantine," said Dr Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for the government's Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration.

Medical tourists will also be allowed back for treatment in hospitals, he said.

Short-term business travellers and tourists from China, Japan and South Korea might be allowed back without having to spend 14 days in quarantine, he said, adding that the guidelines are still being worked out.

The proposed easing of restrictions will be put to the government's coronavirus task force on Friday.

Thailand, which has banned international commercial flights till the end of this month, has recorded more than 3,100 cases and 58 deaths related to Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

There were three new cases yesterday - all Thai nationals returning from India. They were detected in state quarantine, said Dr Taweesin.

Last Friday, Myanmar reported 23 coronavirus cases among the country's migrant workers who were deported from Thailand, raising questions about the possibility of transmission in Thailand.

Both Thailand and Myanmar are investigating.

REUTERS