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Speaking to the press, Yuthasak Supasorn, a representative of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said the country will ease entry regulations for vaccinated international tourists visiting the three islands of Koh Samui, Koh Tao, and Koh Pha following the promising results of the Phuket Sandbox program.
The Samui Plus program is expected to launch this week, allowing visitors to apply for entry permits from July 15 onwards. The program is currently under review by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CCSA).
Under this program, visitors will have to undergo three PCR tests: on the first day, the sixth or seventh day, and the 12th or 13th day of arrival at the island. The cost of these tests will be borne by the visitor.
Tourists must stay on Koh Samui island for seven days, starting from the date of arrival. During the first three days, guests are required to stay in resort accommodations but are permitted to use various resort or hotel facilities, instead of being confined to their rooms.
From Wednesday to Saturday, guests are allowed to leave the hotel and visit designated tourist destinations. During the second week of the holiday, they are free to travel around the island or visit the other two islands, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. On the 15th day, guests can travel anywhere throughout Thailand.
Ratchaporn Phoonsawas, president of the Koh Samui Tourism Promotion Association, said the island also plans to welcome domestic tourists. "Vaccinate recipients can come to Koh Samui as usual, after presenting their vaccination certificate. The planned reopening time coincides with the best season to visit the Gulf of Thailand. Therefore, we have to ensure everything proceeds according to plan."
Reportedly, over 70% of the population on the three islands has been vaccinated and is ready to serve tourists, ensuring immunity against the SARS-Cov-2 virus.
