Boasting the success of the ‘Phuket Sandbox’ scheme, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said 42,000 international travelers joined the campaign from 1 July to 5 October 2021, generating more than 2 billion baht for the economy.
 
According to TAT Phuket director Nanthasiri Ronnasiri, of the 42,000 visitors over the said period, most were long-haul visitors from the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, France and Germany. Together, they generated up to 2 billion baht for the city’s economy.
 
As of 1 October 2021, the quarantine time for fully vaccinated international travelers arriving in Thailand, including the pilot reopening destinations through the Alternative Quarantine (AQ) system, was reduced from 14 to just 7 days.
 
The reduced quarantine time applies to those visiting under the “Sandbox” program to Phuket, Surat Thani (Ko Samui, Ko Pha-ngan, and Ko Tao), Phang-Nga (Khao Lak and Ko Yao), and Krabi (Ko Phi Phi, Ko Ngai and Railay Beach).
 
It also means that fully vaccinated tourists can now travel straight to the designated areas of Phang-Nga and Krabi upon landing in Phuket, and stay there for seven days.
TAT is optimistic the number of tourists enrolled in the Phuket Sandbox will increase.