The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said six tourist destinations including Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga, Koh Samui, Pattaya and Chiang Mai will officially open to international tourists from July 1. These provinces will apply a quarantine exemption policy for international visitors who have been fully vaccinated with two doses of Covid-19 vaccine, or visitors who have only received one dose of a vaccine licensed in Thailand.
Phuket is the first destination to lift quarantine requirements for international tourists under the "Phuket Sandbox" program, starting July 1. The government requires tourists to spend the first seven days on the island, before moving on to other destinations in Thailand.
TAT said authorities continue vaccination programs on the island, aiming to achieve herd immunity for 70% of Phuket's population. The government is working to procure more vaccines to reach the target of 100 million doses for 50 million people by the end of this year.
The country’s mass vaccination plan is expected to begin in June, when the first 6 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine are approved. The number will increase to 10 million doses a month from July to November, with a final batch of 5 million doses in December. The government is also ordering an additional 37 million doses of vaccine to achieve herd immunity.
