Malaysia looks ahead giving travelers warning that the country’s Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) that maintains strict travel restrictions will remain in place until 31 December 2020.

As long as the RMCO is in place foreigners who have a ‘social visit pass’ (tourist visa) that expired after 1 January 2020 will be permitted to leave Malaysia without incurring any fines or penalties. The concession does not apply to social visit passes that expired before 1 January 2020.

Neighboring Thailand gave foreigners a much shorter grace period that ends on 26 September. Foreigners will need to apply for a visa extension or leave Thailand to avoid penalties by the deadline.

Travel to Malaysia will continue to have strict controls with foreigners needing to obtain a Letter of Undertaking and Indemnity’ approved by the nearest Malaysian consulate or embassy in addition to an appropriate visa. However, leisure travelers will not be permitted to visit Malaysia as long as the RMCO is in place. Entry is limited to travelers who have families in Malaysia and for essential travel linked to business and investment activities.

All travelers who are permitted to enter Malaysia must undertake mandatory 14-day quarantine.

Langkawi: The Sky Bridge — a symbol of Langkawi. Located right by the border with Thailand, this stunning island is part of the Malaysian state of Kedah and one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations.

Thailand follows similar protocols, strictly applying the 14-quarantine rule but offering travelers arriving in Bangkok what it calls “alternative state quarantine” in certified hotels that are linked to hospitals. They charge around THB70,000 to 50,000 for the 14-day stay, including three meals a day and Covid-19 tests.

Thailand is currently confusing overseas tour operators with contradictory statements by leaders who in the space of a few days suggest they are opening the borders gradually to limited travel and then contradict themselves just days later by suggesting the opposite.

There are various programs bandied about by the media, but due to the 14-day quarantine rule, they would appeal only to long-stay visitors (six months or more) repeat travelers who are prepared to buy into expensive schemes to return to Thailand.

With Covid-19 still affecting many countries, Vietnam is not yet ready to open up to international tourists, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc said Wednesday.

The top priority for the government is protecting people’s health, he said at a government meeting in Hanoi.

Phuc ordered relevant agencies to not let a second wave of coronavirus break out in Vietnam and safeguard the outstanding performance of the country in the fight against the pandemic.

Related: Cambodia has re-opened its borders with Vietnam

Vietnam has gone over two months without community transmission.

The country is not yet ready to welcome back foreign tourists since some Asian countries like China and South Korea have been struggling with a second wave and the global situation has not improved.

The government would carefully assess the regional and international situations to decide when to resume international flights, the premier stated.

Earlier this month in a document the government said that Tokyo, Seoul, mainland China’s Guangzhou City, Taiwan and Laos could be among destinations being considered for resumption of flights.

Vietnam Airlines and Bamboo Airways have announced plans to resume international operations to destinations in South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and mainland China from July 1, and are awaiting official approval.

But many experts have warned these plans are impossible to achieve given the fresh outbreaks in Asia and that talks with other countries on lifting travel bans are still on.

At the meeting on Wednesday the PM said recruiters could send Vietnamese guest workers abroad if they are accepted by the recipient countries.

He ordered relevant agencies to make clear and facilitate procedures for foreign experts, investors and high-skilled workers to enter Vietnam with “suitable forms of quarantine”.

Vietnam has suspended all international flights since March 25 and banned entry of foreign nationals since March 22 except for special cases.

The country’s Covid-19 tally is 352 by Thursday morning, and the number of active cases is 23 as the rest have recovered after treatment. The latest cases are those repatriated and quarantined upon arrival.

The novel coronavirus has claimed 479,000 lives in 212 countries and territories.

China’s capital of Beijing with more than 20 million people reported its first case in the latest wave on June 11, with over 200 so far confirmed positive for the virus. Beijing is facing a second wave of Covid-19, linked to the Xinfadi wholesale market, a food distribution center in the city.

Reporting by Viet Tuan, Nguyen Quy @ VNExpress