In addition to quarantining at golf resorts, visitors to Thailand now have the option of quarantining on a private yacht for two weeks, a new initiative the Thai government hopes could bring in 1.8 billion baht ($58 million) for tourism.
Thailand is a country that relies heavily on tourism, so the lockdown last year to curb the spread of Covid-19 has taken a heavy toll on the country’s tourism industry. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a sharp drop in tourist arrivals, from 40,000 to 50,000 a day to a few hundred a day.
Passengers who test negative for Covid-19 (upon arrival at the airport) will be quarantined on the cruise ship.
Under the cruise quarantine program, passengers who test negative for Covid-19 (upon arrival at the airport) will be allowed to breathe fresh air on the deck of the cruise ship, about 10 km off the coast in Phuket. During the quarantine period on the cruise ship, passengers must always wear a health monitoring bracelet provided by the Thai health authorities to monitor their heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature. The device is also equipped with a GPS system. After the quarantine period ends, the health authorities will analyze the data and if qualified, the cruise ship will dock in Phuket.
The Thai Ministry of Tourism expects the program to attract more than 100 participating cruise ships and 300 to 500 tourists in 2021.
Thailand has been gradually welcoming back tourists since October 2020. Earlier this month, the tourism minister announced that he would propose a plan for tourists to quarantine at popular tourist destinations, including beach resorts. The resort quarantine plan is expected to be implemented in April or May in provinces with famous landmarks including Phuket, Krabi and Chiang Mai.
