Thailand will begin to remove quarantine requirements and open its borders to fully vaccinated travellers from this summer. From 1st July 2021, the popular tourist island of Phuket will be the first destination in Thailand to welcome international travellers and from October, five further tourist areas will ease restrictions.
The news comes as the Centre for Economic Situation Administration (CESA), chaired by the Thai Prime Minister, Prayuth Chan-Ocha, approved the stages of reopening for the Kingdom.
From the 1st of July the quarantine period will be removed entirely for Phuket. In the meantime, residents of Phuket are being prioritized to receive the vaccine aiming for 70% of the island’s population to be vaccinated before tourism resumes. Travellers must arrive at Phuket International airport. Phuket offers so much to see and do and with a wide-ranging choice of attractions and activities and beach resorts. From lively Patong to secluded Sai Keaw and Pansea Beach’s luxury resorts, we look forward to welcoming families, groups of friends, couples, wedding & honeymooners and long-stay travellers, enjoying retirement, from July.
Airlines that serve Phuket ex-UK include Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Etihad and Qatar but due to current travel restrictions, on transit via their hub countries, are not available at this time. Travel restrictions are of course subject to change and travellers, and travel operators and agents should monitor the FCDO travel advice for the latest information.
From October, Phuket, Krabi, Phangnga, Koh Samui, Chonburi (Pattaya) and Chiang Mai will all be accessible, quarantine free, for vaccinated travellers. Travellers are required to stay for at least seven days at the point of entry so should plan their itinerary accordingly i.e. Seven days in one of the named destinations above before exploring elsewhere in Thailand.
For all stages of the reopening, travellers are required to:
- obtain a Certificate of Entry (CoE) before departure
- present official proof of vaccination (both jabs)
- present a negative PCR test result (within 72 hours of departure from the UK)
- download the Thailand Plus track and trace application before departure and upload the required information
- obtain travel insurance with Covid-19 cover
All travellers will have to take a Covid-19 test on arrival (at their hotel) and stay for at least seven days at the point of entry (i.e. Phuket) before travelling onwards around Thailand.
All other destinations in Thailand, not listed above, are still subject to a 7-day mandatory area quarantine on arrival until further notice.
“Thailand’s priority is to make tourism safe for both tourists and locals alike,” said Ms. Chiravadee Khunsub, Director of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) London. “From 1st July quarantine will not be required for UK travellers visiting Phuket on the basis they’ve been fully vaccinated and test negative for Covid-19. Phuket has been Covid-19 free for 90 days so it is a safe choice for UK travellers looking to get away this summer. From October, five further popular destinations will reopen ahead of our peak season, ready to welcome winter sun travellers. Today’s announcement is very positive news as Thailand makes careful and considered steps to reopening tourism to international markets.”
Adding further comment, Ms Khunsub said: “We know there is huge pent up demand for travel to Thailand from the UK; our tour operator partners have reported an increase in enquiries already this year but they haven’t converted to sales whilst the borders have been closed. We are working closely with our airline partners to reinstate airlift from London as soon as possible. As airlines resume service to Thailand, itineraries will be shaped by route availability.”
Thailand’s re-opening plans coincide well with the UK’s vaccination program. “Our core market is 50+ years old and this age group, according to UK government goals, is set to be fully vaccinated by the summer so we look forward to welcoming them in the first wave of arrivals,” added Khunsub.
