Tourists walk on the beach in Phuket, Thailand, on August 14. (Photo: AFP/VNA) Bangkok (VNA) - Fully vaccinated travellers from any country in the world can now book holidays in Phuket and other provinces taking part in the sandbox scheme, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced.
The announcement by the TAT this week is part of an expanded push to revive tourism, after authorities halved the mandatory quarantine period to seven days for vaccinated travellers from abroad.
The agency said authorities would no longer follow a list of eligible countries, estimated to be around 80, based on COVID-19 transmission risk.
The Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Tanee Sangrat said unvaccinated children would be able to travel with their vaccinated parents.
The sandbox programme that began on July 1 has attracted more than 38,000 visitors to Phuket and generated an estimated 2.3 billion baht (some 68 million USD) in revenue.
The reduction in the quarantine to seven days applies to those visiting Phuket, Surat Thani (Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao), Phangnga (Khao Lak and Koh Yao) and Krabi (Koh Phi Phi, Koh Ngai and Railay Beach).
As well, the TAT said, fully vaccinated tourists can now travel straight to the designated areas of Phangnga and Krabi upon landing in Phuket, and stay there for seven days.
The sandbox programme is the first step in a plan to open up more tourist destinations, starting with Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri (Pattaya), Phetchaburi (Cha-am), and Prachuap Khiri Khan (Hua Hin), to vaccinated foreign visitors from November 1. By then, authorities hope, no quarantine at all will be necessary./.
The announcement by the TAT this week is part of an expanded push to revive tourism, after authorities halved the mandatory quarantine period to seven days for vaccinated travellers from abroad.
The agency said authorities would no longer follow a list of eligible countries, estimated to be around 80, based on COVID-19 transmission risk.
The Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Tanee Sangrat said unvaccinated children would be able to travel with their vaccinated parents.
The sandbox programme that began on July 1 has attracted more than 38,000 visitors to Phuket and generated an estimated 2.3 billion baht (some 68 million USD) in revenue.
The reduction in the quarantine to seven days applies to those visiting Phuket, Surat Thani (Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao), Phangnga (Khao Lak and Koh Yao) and Krabi (Koh Phi Phi, Koh Ngai and Railay Beach).
As well, the TAT said, fully vaccinated tourists can now travel straight to the designated areas of Phangnga and Krabi upon landing in Phuket, and stay there for seven days.
The sandbox programme is the first step in a plan to open up more tourist destinations, starting with Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri (Pattaya), Phetchaburi (Cha-am), and Prachuap Khiri Khan (Hua Hin), to vaccinated foreign visitors from November 1. By then, authorities hope, no quarantine at all will be necessary./.
VNA
