Some Southeast Asian countries including Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia allow entry without COVID testing
Myanmar human rights group: "Visa and entry fees fund the military"
[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Se-eun] Vietnam is lifting the mandatory COVID-19 testing requirement upon entry for foreigners.
On the 14th, Vietnamese media VN Express reported that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh instructed relevant ministries to stop requiring all incoming travelers to undergo COVID-19 testing before departure starting from the 15th.
Regarding this, Prime Minister Chinh asked the Ministry of Health to monitor the COVID-19 spread trends and prepare appropriate guidelines.
Additionally, he directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to work with its overseas agencies to provide new quarantine guidelines locally.
Under the previous regulations, both domestic and foreign nationals entering Vietnam had to take a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test within 72 hours before departure. They then had to carry a negative test certificate to avoid quarantine and freely move around locally.
This measure comes against the backdrop of a sharp decline in COVID-19 cases in Vietnam recently.
At the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in March, as many as 450,000 new cases were reported daily, but the number has since decreased, with 2,226 cases reported on the 13th.
Among Southeast Asian countries frequently visited by Koreans, Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia also allow entry without requiring COVID-19 tests.
In July last year, protesters opposing the military coup in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, are giving the three-finger salute as a sign of resistance. Photo by AFP, Yonhap News
Meanwhile, Myanmar, which had closed its borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a coup d'?tat, will start accepting tourists again after about two years. Online tourist visa issuance will resume from the 15th.
However, visitors with tourist visas must present proof of COVID-19 vaccination at least 14 days before entry, a negative PCR test result conducted within 72 hours before arrival, and a pre-purchased Myanmar insurance certificate. Quarantine is waived if the rapid antigen test result is negative.
Nonetheless, some human rights organizations are urging people not to visit Myanmar.
The Myanmar support human rights group 'Justice for Myanmar' criticized via social media (SNS), stating, "The military government's reopening to tourists is an attempt to legitimize the coup military regime while raising funds for terror against the people."
They further explained, "Even if visitors do not use military-owned tourism businesses, they still financially support the military through visa fees, insurance, and entry taxes."
The Myanmar military seized power in a coup in February last year and has continued violent crackdowns on its citizens since then.
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