Thailand is constantly bringing new types of schemes for tourists. Covid rules are also being relaxed so that more and more travelers come to Thailand and now Thailand has opened its borders to all countries. Earlier only a few countries were allowed under the sandbox tourism scheme but now fully vaccinated visitors from anywhere in the world can come to Thailand. The tourism authority has welcomed this move of the Thai government. Thailand’s tourism authority has welcomed the move, which means Indonesian and Malaysian tourists can now visit the state. Before COVID-19, Malaysia was Thailand’s second largest source of foreign arrivals, with over 4 million Malaysian tourists in 2019.
The quarantine period has also been reduced, which now also applies to participants in sandbox programs, with tourists now required to spend only 7 days in their original destination before traveling elsewhere. Sandbox tourists can now visit Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Phang Ngan, Koh Tao, Khao Lak, Koh Yao, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Ngai and Raleigh Beach.
The Phuket sandbox program was launched on 1 July and since then, has welcomed more than 38,000 foreign visitors, which is approximately 2.3 billion baht. Tourism operators on the South Island are pessimistic about the coming high season. With 90% of the island’s hotels closed, they are urging the government to simplify the admission process and reduce the cost of mandatory PCR tests.
Another significant obstacle for foreign tourists is that Thailand is on the “no-go” list in some countries. Due to high infection rates and low vaccination numbers, both the United States and the UK are cautioning their citizens against traveling to Thailand. Tourists returning to the UK from Thailand currently face mandatory hotel quarantine and 2 COVID tests.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand released a slew of press releases declaring a broad revision to Sandbox and entry programs and making it easier for international travellers to enter Thailand. The two biggest revisions that just went into effect are the abolishment of an approved country list for travellers to arrive from, and shortening arrival quarantine times from 14 days to just one week.