Thailand has reinstated mandatory hotel quarantine for foreign tourists amid concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID 19.

It has suspended its Test and Go waiver scheme, which means visitors will have to spend seven to 10 days in hotel quarantine.

Its ‘sand box’ programme, which requires visitors to remain in a resort but allows them to venture outside their hotel will also be suspended in all places except Phuket.

Some 200,000 foreigners who have already been given permission to visit under the Test and Go or sandbox schemes will still be allowed to go ahead with their trips, but no new applications will be considered from 22 December.

A spokesman for the Thai Government, Thankorn Wangbookongchana said: “This is not to shut off tourists but to temporarily suspend arrivals.”

He said the decision will be reviewed on 4 January.

In an update to its travel advice for Thailand, the UK Foreign Office said: “As of 22 December, the Thailand Pass website will be closed for all new Test and Go and Sandbox applications, except for the Phuket Sandbox.

“If you have already received your Thailand Pass QR code, you can still enter Thailand under the scheme you registered for.

“If you have registered to enter Thailand but have not yet received your QR code, you must wait for your application to be processed. Once approved, you can enter Thailand under the scheme you registered for.

“You can still apply to enter Thailand under the Alternative Quarantine or Phuket Sandbox schemes.

“If you are already in Thailand or are due to arrive in Thailand under the Test and Go and Sandbox scheme, you must undergo your second RT-PCR test at a government-designated facility (ATK self-testing not accepted). The test will be free of charge.”

Thailand has only allowed quarantine-free travel for fully vaccinated arrivals since 1 November.