Thailand’s tourism reopening in murky waters

Published on : Thursday, April 29, 2021

In early April, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) announced its plan of reopening to vaccinated travelers in three phases.

Stage one comprises welcoming vaccinated travelers into the country but with quarantine for seven days upon arrival. The next two phases, set to begin in July, would come with more flexibility, slowly allowing travelers with freedom to travel about the country. The plan was expected to start with a pilot program in Phuket this summer, and then five other provinces in the fall.

Although the plan is still officially in place, a new surge of COVID-19 in Thailand has made the path somewhat less smooth.

Phuket’s opening in July is now appearing unsure due to the recent surges in virus cases. Lack of vaccine supply is also hindering the chances.

Hence, just a few weeks after announcing the plan, it is already facing uncertainty.

Nevertheless, Thailand is expected to combat the recent surge, with the country experiencing a soft lockdown. With more than two months to go until the July 1st Phuket reopening, there’s still plenty of time for things to develop and get better.