PM orders changes to Phuket tourism scheme ahead of July 1 opening
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday ordered adjustments to the Phuket sandbox scheme but said the island was still scheduled to reopen for foreign tourists from next month.
The scheme will allow quarantine-free entry for foreign travellers to Phuket from July 1, before being rolled out at other tourist destinations in October.
Speaking after Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, Prayut said the proposed adjustments will be sent to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) before being returned to the Cabinet for approval.
The PM said tourists travelling to Phuket must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and have a certificate to prove it.
Phuket has so far vaccinated around 400,000 of its residents, or more than half the population, as it bids to achieve herd immunity with 70-per-cent vaccinated by July.
On June 4, the CCSA issued the following guidelines for entry of foreign tourists from low- and medium-risk countries from July 1:
1. Tourists must have been fully inoculated against Covid-19, with their final injection administered more than 14 days but not more than 1 year before travelling from the country of origin.
2. For unvaccinated children, those under 6 years of age can enter with vaccinated parents, while those aged 6-18 must be tested upon arrival at Phuket Airport.
3. All tourists must show a vaccination certificate from their country of origin. The vaccine used must be registered by Thailand or certified by the World Health Organisation.
4. Travellers must stay in a hotel that meets the SHA+ standard for 14 nights, after which they can travel to other areas in Thailand.
6. Tourists must report for Covid-19 testing.
