Open Thailand Phuket, Foreigners with Vaccination Allowed 'Quarantine-Free Entry' Starting Today

On the 1st (local time), foreign tourists arriving on a passenger plane from Abu Dhabi are entering through the international airport in Phuket, a famous resort area in Thailand. The Thai government launched the "Phuket Tourism Sandbox" on this day, allowing foreigners who have completed COVID-19 vaccination to enter here without quarantine. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Jo] Phuket, a famous tourist destination in Thailand, opened its doors to foreign tourists on the 1st (local time). Measures have been implemented to exempt vaccinated foreigners from quarantine and other quarantine obligations upon entry. The Thai government plans to use Phuket as a testing ground and expand the program to major tourist destinations such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Krabi.

According to CNN and other broadcasts, Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, Thailand's Minister of Tourism, said in an interview the day before, "The 'Phuket Tourism Sandbox' is necessary to restart the national economy, which has been severely affected by COVID-19," adding, "About 100,000 foreign tourists are expected to enter during the first three months of reopening."

The Phuket Tourism Sandbox, which began on this day, exempts vaccinated foreigners from quarantine measures. They can move freely around Phuket for 14 days, and if they test negative for COVID-19 three times during this period, they can then travel to other regions within Thailand.

As part of the Phuket Tourism Sandbox program, about 400 vaccinated travelers arrived at Phuket International Airport on four flights departing from Doha, Tel Aviv, Singapore, and Abu Dhabi. Among them, 25 passengers on the first direct flight from Abu Dhabi to Phuket became the first beneficiaries of the Phuket Tourism Sandbox.

The tourism industry accounts for up to 20% of Thailand's gross domestic product (GDP) but was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister Pipat mentioned, "In 2019, domestic and international tourism revenue was 3 trillion baht (9.37 billion USD), but it sharply dropped to 800 billion baht in 2020."

For the Thai government, reopening major tourist destinations was inevitable to revive the economy. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha personally inspected Phuket's reopening on this day and announced that Thailand would fully reopen nationwide by mid-October, starting with Phuket. On October 1st, nine major tourist destinations including Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Krabi are scheduled to follow Phuket. He emphasized, "It was necessary to restore the economy."

Minister Pipat also stressed that "Phuket is suitable for travel" despite the recent spread of COVID-19. Over 80% of Phuket Island's population has received at least one vaccine dose, and as of the 30th of last month, 65% have completed vaccination.

However, CNN reported that considering the recent trend of COVID-19 cases, the Phuket Tourism Sandbox is symbolic and is not expected to lead to a surge in tourism. The day before, Thailand recorded 5,533 new COVID-19 cases. The number of COVID-19 deaths reached a record high of 57. Since the pandemic began, the cumulative death toll stands at 2,080.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.