Samui and Phuket provinces are seeking to adjust their entry requirements in an effort to boost domestic tourism visitations to these areas. For domestic tourists these provinces will no longer require visitors to do an ATK Covid test. However you still need to be fully vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19 within 90 days. Exceptions are children under 6 accompanied by parents.
Surit Thani Governor Witchawut Jinto declared that from Oct 15, the entry requirement will no longer be necessary of a negative test result for Covid-19 taken no more than seven days prior to arrival. These test results are no longer needed for those who have been fully vaccinated.
The Bangkok post reported that Mr Witchawut said easier entry would complement the “Rao Tiew Duay Kan” (We Travel Together) tourism stimulus programme. Under the scheme, participants pay only 60% of normal room rates, with the government responsible for the rest.
The scheme has also been extended from 5 nights to 10 nights for the 3,000 baht a night subsidy. In an effort to further increase local expenditure, tourists will also receive an e-voucher for other expenses that are valued at 600 baht from Friday to Sunday and 900 baht from Monday to Thursday under the scheme.
Phuket has also broadly followed a similar effort with their own announcement and more details to follow. For Phuket the new entry requirements will be starting from 16 October, the determination will be that if you are fully vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19 within 90 days, you no longer need to do an ATK Covid test.
International tourism may also receive an uptick, as from Monday, 11 October onward, fully vaccinated travellers from Thailand will not be subjected to Covid-19 quarantine, according to the latest announcement of the UK government.
Earlier, Thailand was listed among countries with high infection levels that were put on a ‘red list’, requiring arrivals to spend 10 days in a government-provided quarantine hotel, and must periodically have a PCR test or other tests.
This process costs visitors from countries on the red list more than 2,000 pounds (92,000 baht) both for accommodations and tests. Some say the cost of the quarantine process is far more expensive than their airplane tickets.
On October 7, UK’s official travel advice website announced that from 4 am on Monday, 11 October, 47 countries, including Thailand, will no longer be on the red list for entering England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Author: Editorial Staff
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