The Thai Government has announced that fully vaccinated travellers from any country can now book holidays in Phuket with a few tweaks to a struggling quarantine-free travel scheme. The country’s tourism industry has been in hot water due to the Coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent restrictions that were imposed to curb the spread. The pre-covid revenue of $40 million has turned into a mere trickle over the last two years. Pre-virus, the sector made up a fifth of Thailand’s national income, and the travel curbs have fed into the country’s worst economic performance in more than two decades.
Under the sandbox scheme, tourists have to stay within a certain area for seven days after arrival and take covid tests. The scheme was first initiated in Phuket, but Indians were not allowed to travel at that time due to Delta variant of COVID-19. This however, will change with the Bangkok Sandbox as Thailand has allowed all travellers with double vaccination to enter the country.
The decision to open the capital city for tourists come as the kingdom seeks to salvage a tourism industry hammered by the pandemic. Before covid, tourism made up a fifth of Thailand’s national income but severe travel curbs imposed to fight the virus saw the usual flood of foreign visitors dwindle to almost nothing, contributing to the economy’s worst performance in over 20 years.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand said that from October 1, fully jabbed foreign travellers will be able to visit Bangkok and four other provinces without undergoing two weeks’ hotel quarantine. Instead, the five areas — also including Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan provinces — are expected to follow a “sandbox" model of the type piloted since July in the holiday island of Phuket.
Three more Thai islands also reopened — Samui, Tao and Phangan — with slightly more onerous restrictions. One cloud hanging over Thailand’s tourism revival plans is the travel advice of other countries discouraging would-be tourists from visiting.
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Later in October, 21 more destinations will be added to the list including Chiang Rai, Sukhothai and popular seaside getaway Rayong. More than 29,000 fully vaccinated international visitors hit the beach at Phuket under its sandbox scheme, generating nearly $50 million in revenue according to government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana.
Three more Thai islands also reopened — Samui, Tao and Phangan — with slightly more onerous restrictions. One cloud hanging over Thailand’s tourism revival plans is the travel advice of other countries discouraging would-be tourists from visiting.
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