Thailand launched a pilot project called “Sandbox” on July 1, making Phuket one of the few tourist destinations in the world that can be visited without quarantine provided visitors are fully vaccinated. According to the Bangkok Post, the model has recently been criticized by the Thai public after Phuket recorded an increasing number of new Covid-19 cases.
The "Phuket Sandbox" model continues to open to international tourists - Photo: Internet
However, Thailand will still welcome international tourists to Phuket and only restrict tourism to domestic residents. Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said the country will strengthen measures to control the spread of Covid-19 in Phuket, such as imposing restrictions on workers in the province. Mr. Anucha said that most of the cases in Phuket were contracted from other provinces, so the program will not be affected. To ensure the safety of tourists, on July 30, the Thai government requested to isolate Phuket from the rest of the country. Specifically, from August 3 to 16, tourists from other provinces will not be allowed to enter Phuket.
Accordingly, fully vaccinated international visitors do not need to quarantine when arriving on the island, but must stay in Phuket for at least 14 days before being allowed to travel to other areas of the country. Upon entry, visitors must provide immigration papers, vaccination certificates and negative test results.
International tourists wishing to go to Phuket must have a certificate of Covid-19 vaccination - Photo: Reuters
Since July 1, more than 12,300 tourists have visited Phuket under this program. The "Phuket Sandbox" model has also brought in about 749 million baht (nearly 520 billion VND) in revenue for the land of golden temples. If the model in Phuket is successful, the Government will expand similar projects to other tourist destinations.
