Thailand Opens Three Islands Despite Delta Threat, Deadliest COVID Surge Hits Nation
It said tourists must stay at an approved hotel on Samui for a week and can leave their accommodation on day four. They will have to produce a negative Covid-19 test before being allowed to venture to Tao or Phangan after their first week.
Thailand's effort to rescue its ailing tourism industry took another step forward as it reopened the island of Samui and three nearby islands starting Thursday for vaccinated foreign visitors, despite an outbreak of the COVID-19 delta variant in the country.
Rules for tourists
The islands -- Samui, Tao and Phangan -- welcomed visitors under its "sandbox" scheme, launched on July 1. The scheme allows vaccinated travellers to visit Phuket island. It also states that tourists do not have to quarantine in a hotel but can not leave Phuket for two weeks.
AP
It said tourists must stay at an approved hotel on Samui for a week and can leave their accommodation on day four. They will have to produce a negative Covid-19 test before being allowed to venture to Tao or Phangan after their first week.
Tourism boost
The reopening of Samui and its neighbors is slow compared to the island of Phuket, which began welcoming vaccinated tourists two weeks ago.
Phuket has received 5,000 foreign tourists since its reopening, 10 of whom have tested positive for Covid-19. Authorities are not expecting a big influx of tourists immediately to Samui and the other two islands.
Reuters
Tourism Association of Koh Samui president Ratchaporn Poolsawadee described Thursday's start of the "Samui Plus" scheme as a soft opening. He said 75 percent of residents on the three islands were vaccinated.
"It is expected that arrivals will improve after tourists learn the rules and regulations. And then some rules and regulations could be tweaked," Ratchaporn told AFP.
AP
Struggle with Delta variant
The rest of the country is struggling to rein in infections from the Delta variant, which authorities say now makes up nearly 80 percent of its caseload. Virus hotspot Bangkok and nine provinces are under tightened restrictions, including a night-time curfew and a ban on gatherings of more than five people.
Bangkok is keen to see the country's vital tourism industry fully back on its feet by mid-October. Before COVID, tourism and related sectors accounted for 20% of the country's gross domestic product.
Reuters
Thailand recorded almost 9,200 new infections and a record daily high of 98 deaths on Thursday.
Senior Writer at Indiatimes. She writes on Lifestyle, fashion, beauty, astrology and health.