Under the new safe and sealed foreign travel campaign “Samui Wonder Island,” foreign visitors will be able to visit Koh Samui under disease control measures starting in July.
Travellers will undergo a rapid Covid-19 swab test on their second or third day at the alternative state quarantine hotel or resort. The results will come back within 3 hours. If the results are negative, the tourists will be allowed to travel to certain areas of the island.
Under the plan, Bangkok Airways would provide flights to take inoculated foreign tourists from Singapore as well as the United States, Europe and Australia to Koh Samui from July 1,
"Samui Wonder Island" was recently approved by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Ratchaporn Poolsawadee, president of the Tourism Association of Koh Samui, said efforts are being made to draw tourists back to the island, with a plan to vaccinate at least 70% of the population on Koh Samui to prepare for a safe reopening.
Here is Koh Samui’s quarantine-free reopening plan:
Foreign tourists must receive two doses of Covid-19 vaccine before they are allowed to visit the island, he said. Once there, they would be required to stay in alternative local state quarantine (ALSQ) facilities, although they would not be confined to their rooms.
Upon arriving, tourists would be escorted from the airport to their hotels.
On the second day of their visit, they would be tested for Covid-19.
If the results were negative, they would be allowed to engage in activities on "sealed routes'' between the 3rd-7th days of their stay.
Activities would include sunset viewing, dinner cruises and outdoor activities such as yoga and spa treatments on private beaches on the nearby Koh Tan and the Ang Thong archipelago, which are isolated from other tourists and local residents.
On the 8th-14th days, they would be allowed to travel around Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao.
On the 15th day, they would be tested for the virus again. If no virus is detected, they would be allowed to travel to other provinces, Mr Ratchaporn said.
See you soon, folks!
(Sources: Bloomberg, Bangkok Post, Thaiger)