Phuket paves the way to reopening Thailand without quarantine

Phuket will be the first destination in Thailand to fully reopen to overseas tourists. From July 2021, vaccinated tourists flying to Phuket will not be required to quarantine. The plan is part of Thailand’s Covid-19 roadmap to open up the whole country. Details were announced following a meeting on 26 March involving the Thai government and tourism officials.

The news follows another announcement the previous week where Thai authorities set out an inititial roadmap to reopen Thailand. That included a timeline to vaccinate local residents and ease quarantine requirements for overseas tourists. It’s now been agreed that Phuket will be the pilot destination to revive tourism in Thailand. Under the so-called ‘Phuket Tourism Sandbox’ arrangement, visitors will still need to follow a number of procedures. 

Reduced quarantine in Phuket from April

From 1 April 2021, overseas travellers who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 and travel to Phuket, the mandatory quarantine period will be cut to 7 days. The quarantine will take place at designated hotels in Phuket. Once quarantine is cleared, visitors can travel around Thailand.

Quarantine period reduced in other areas of Thailand
From 1 April 2021, the quarantine period will be reduced to:
7 days if have certificate showing fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
10 days if not fully vaccinated, but have Covid-free certificate.

14-day quarantine may still apply to arrivals from some African countries including: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Zambia, Kenya, Rwanda, Cameroon, Congo, Ghana and Tanzania.

No quarantine in Phuket from July

From 1 July 2021, overseas travellers who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 can travel to Phuket without the need to quarantine.

Requirements for travel to Phuket

For both of the above mentioned stages, these are the main requirements for travellers:

• Proof of Covid-19 vaccination is required (both jabs)
• Obtain a Certificate of Entry (CoE) before departure
• Travel insurance with Covid-19 cover
• Download the Thailand Plus tracking app before departure and upload the required information
• Present a negative PCR test result (issued no longer than 72 hours before departure)
• Must fly directly to Phuket International Airport*
  (*From the end of April 2021, passengers may be allowed to transit via Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport. Awaiting full details. Updates will be added here when confirmed.)
• Covid-19 test on arrival
• Must stay on Phuket for a minimum of 7 days before travelling onwards around Thailand

Arriving at Phuket International Airport

On arrival at Phuket International Airport, overseas tourists will be required to undergo Covid-19 screening (including PCR tests). Tourists will also be required to download a track and trace application.

Plan for opening other destinations in Thailand

Phuket is set to be the pilot for other regions of Thailand. A similar idea is planned for destinations including:

• Chiang Mai
• Ko Samui
• Krabi
• Pattaya 
• Phang Nga

Under this scheme, vaccinated overseas visitors arriving in these destinations from 1 April 2021 will only be required to undergo quarantine for 7 days. This will be at a hotel or designated facility. 

From 1 October 2021, vaccinated travellers can visit these destinations (and Phuket) without having to quarantine on arrival.

Travel requirements for these destinations:

• Proof of Covid-19 vaccination is required (both jabs)
• Obtain a Certificate of Entry (CoE) before departure
• Travel insurance with Covid-19 cover
• Download the Thailand Plus tracking app before departure and upload the required information
• Present a negative PCR test result (issued no longer than 72 hours before departure)
• Must arrive directly into one of the applicable destinations*. If travelling to Pattaya, arrival in Bangkok is permitted
  (*From the end of April 2021, passengers may be allowed to transit via Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport. Awaiting full details. Updates will be added here when confirmed.)
• Covid-19 test on arrival
• Minimum of 7 days stay at the destination of entry before travelling onwards around Thailand

Timetable to fully opening Thailand

The timetable for the roadmap will depend not just on overseas visitors being vaccinated, but a large percentage of the local population in Thailand being vaccinated too.

By the end of 2021*, Thai authorities expect that quarantine will be lifted entirely in all areas of Thailand.

*Proposed date is on or before 1 January, 2022

There could be some amendments to this timeline. We will add any updates here and on our travel advice page. If you are planning to travel from the UK or Ireland, please check our regularly updated travel advice page. Please also adhere to any local travel regulations issued in the UK or Ireland.

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