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Thailand's largest island, Phuket, finally reopened to foreign tourists on July 1, 2021, thanks to a government initiative to gradually reintroduce foreign tourism on the tropical island.
The location is known to be one of the most idyllic spots in Southeast Asia to enjoy dazzling blue waters, impressive cliffs, and an abundance of good food. And of course, the island boasts a bustling night life.
But that was before COVID-19.
Up until the end of June 2021, Phuket was shut off to foreign tourists because of the pandemic. This has taken a toll on the tourism industry there, which heavily relies on international foot traffic. With the new initiative to allow the re-entry of foreign tourists, deemed the 'Phuket Sandbox Scheme', people are left wondering if it's even worth going there.
There's a whole laundry list of rules to follow if you're thinking about sinking your feet into the sands of Phuket.
IMAGE: The Associated Press
Like any and all precautions we take during the pandemic, these rules are designed to make the re-entry of foreign tourists as safe as possible, considering the ever-looming threat of COVID-19 infection.
If the Sandbox Scheme is successful, Thailand hopes to implement similar strategies to more destinations in the country in the future. But for now, all eyes are on Phuket as many potential tourists take a wait-and-see approach.
So, if you're planning on taking advantage of this new Sandbox Scheme, here are the rules you HAVE to follow, and there are plenty:
1. All visitors must have a vaccination certificate, with a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) or Thai health authorities, taken no later than 14 days before arrival.
If, for some reason, you don't have an 'approved' vaccine, well, too bad.
2. All visitors must produce a negative RT-PCR test, taken within 72 hours before departure.
Considering that most PCR tests take about three days to even produce results, good luck.
3. All visitors must have a medical insurance policy of at least US$100,000 that covers their stay.
Because money grows on trees.
4. All visitors must have approval, or a Certificate of Entry, in order to even enter the island.
Have fun filling this out.
5. All Visitors staying for 14 nights have to produce proof of payment for their stay, including COVID-19 tests. Those staying less than two weeks will also have to show confirmed departure flights out of Thailand.
I love paperwork!
6. All visitors must show proof that they spent the preceding 21 days (before arrival) in a low-risk or medium-risk country.
You can find a list of eligible countries on the official website of Thailand's Department of Disease Control. Malaysians, let me do you a favor and let you know that you're not on the list. Sorry? ?\_(ツ)_/?
But the work doesn't end after you've completed the above. Once you arrive in Phuket, you'll have to do some more things.
IMAGE: Arkady Lukshov / Unsplash
Travelers arriving in Phuket will have to undergo a mandatory COVID-19 screening, and you'll be asked to download ThailandPlus, a contact tracing app. Oh, and if it wasn't clear already, you'll have to pay for your own COVID-19 test and wait for your results in your hotel.
You'll have to do a second COVID-19 test on the sixth or seventh day of your stay. Noice. If you're staying even longer than that – surprise, surprise – another COVID-19 test on the twelfth or thirteenth day of your stay. Toit.
The good news is the fact that you can travel freely around Phuket if you produce a negative COVID-19 result. And after two weeks, you can even travel to other parts of Thailand.
IMAGE: AFP / Financial Times
Oh, and you'll only be allowed to stay at hotels approved by the Thai Safety and Health Administration, so, try not to be too choosy. Safety first, after all!
While the aforementioned rules and criteria aren't necessarily impossible to adhere to, they don't exactly make for a calm, relaxing vacation. Not in this writer's eyes, at least.
Considering all these rules, do you think it's worth going to Phuket during the pandemic?
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Cover image sourced from Tan Nguyen / Unsplash and AFP / South China Morning Post.
