INNOVATIVE PHUKET SANDBOX INITIATIVE ALLOWS VACCINATED TOURISTS TO TRAVEL TO THE FAMED ISLAND DESTINATION … AND BEYOND
Missing Thailand? Well, here’s some good news… vaccinated tourists can visit Phuket from July 1 under an innovative ‘Sandbox’ model crafted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand in collaboration with travel industry stakeholders in the famed island destination.
While still subject to final confirmation by the Thai government, the proposed Sandbox model is ingenious in its simplicity and is effectively an island-wide ‘quarantine’ for fully-vaccinated tourists from approved countries. If you wish to proceed to other destinations in Thailand, the ‘quarantine’ period in Phuket is 14 days. If the subsequent destination is anywhere outside Thailand – for instance if you plan to head home after your holiday – then there is no minimum length of stay.
Pre-arrival, you have to apply online for a Certificate Of Entry (COE) and undergo an RT-PCR test not more than 72 hours before departure. Once the COE is obtained and the test result is negative, you will be allowed to travel to Phuket from July 1 … subject of course to your domiciled country’s regulations and restrictions. Medical insurance with a minimum coverage of US$100,000, including Covid-19 treatment, is also a prerequisite, and all visitors have to download the ThailandPlus contact-tracing application similar to Malaysia’s MySejahtera.
Following another negative RT-PCR test upon arrival, you can stay in any Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration (SHA) Plus certified hotel in Phuket. Children below 18 do not need to be vaccinated but those between six and 18 will need to undergo the arrival RT-PCR test. Adults will need to undergo another RT-PCR or Rapid Antigen test on day five of the stay.
And here’s the best part … during your stay, regardless if it’s only a few days or a month, you are free to move around anywhere within Phuket. And, of course, play golf!
For details and updates on the Phuket Sandbox model and other travel news, log on to www.tatnews.org.
Tourism Authority of Thailand – Malaysia and Brunei director Nongyao Jirundorn announced the initiative to Malaysian travel agents and the media during a virtual presentation titled ‘Golf Paradise in Amazing Thailand’ in late May. She voiced her hope that travel to Thailand from Malaysia, traditionally the Kingdom’s main market, will slowly but surely pick up momentum.
“Other Thai tourist destinations that have been selected to welcome tourists subsequently include Krabi, Koh Samui, Chiangmai and Pattaya,” Nongyao revealed.
Rachada Jivalai, the consul-general of the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Penang, noted the Covid-19 pandemic has been a big challenge to the tourism sector. “However, with the strong friendship between Malaysia and Thailand, I believe that the travels between the two countries will resume and flourish again once borders are open. In the meantime, the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Penang will provide services and visa application and Certificate Of Entry for Malaysians who would like to go to Thailand,” he said.
Key to the Phuket Sandbox model is an aggressive vaccination programme where at least 70% of the island’s population (roughly 466,000 people) will be fully-vaccinated by the end of June. This is enhanced by the SHA Plus programme, which assesses 10 types of travel-related businesses (including accommodation, restaurants, recreational/sports establishments and tourist attractions) and certifies them if 70% of the staff are fully inoculated. Apart from accommodation where SHA Plus certification is mandatory under the Sandbox model, it serves as a useful guide for travellers for their own peace of mind.
Phuket Tourist Association executive committee member Sassitt Thavornvongwongse noted: “What Phuket is currently pushing forward to is to receive international tourists in the safest way possible, for both the international traveller and for Phuket province itself. There are also a lot of other activities to enjoy in Phuket apart from the traditional sand, sea, sun or golf … for example a gondola ride along the Andaman Canal.”
Of course, for avid golfers the main attraction of Phuket is and always will be its impressive golfing inventory, with six golf clubs located on the island itself – Blue Canyon Country Club (36 holes), Laguna Golf Phuket (18 holes), Red Mountain Golf Club (18 holes), Loch Palm Golf Club (18 holes), Mission Hills Phuket Golf Resort (18 holes) and Phuket Country Club (27 holes). Each offers a unique experience, laced of course with the amazing hospitality and service that Thailand is famous for.
Even with family in tow, golfers can play with absolute peace of mind knowing that the rest of the brood will be enjoying the diverse sights, sounds and tastes that make Phuket one of the top holiday attractions south of the equator. And with travel scuttled for almost a year and a half now, the experience is enhanced and amplified by the fact that, when it comes to Amazing Thailand, absence has certainly made the heart grow fonder.
Useful Contacts:
Tourism Authority of Thailand, Malaysia
Suite 22.01, Level 22,
Menara Citibank,
165, Jalan Ampang
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603-2162 3480
Email: info@tourismthailand.my
Website: tourismthailand.my
Royal Thai Consulate-General, Penang
No. 1, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman
10350 Penang
Tel: +604-226 8029 / 226 9484 / 228 6784
Email: thaiconsulate.pen@gmail.com
Website: penang.thaiembassy.org
Story by Jonathan Ponniah
