Phuket Launches 2-Week Travel Program With No Quarantine Necessary

Travelers heading to Phuket will be able to enjoy the whole island without a quarantine period starting Thursday.

Named the “Phuket Sandbox” program, the initiative is open to visitors from 63 countries and three territories, including the U.S., who are staying for two weeks. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, travelers must come prepared with a Certificate of Entry and proof of insurance up to $100,000 that would cover COVID-19 treatment. Travelers must also have been fully vaccinated at least 14 days before they arrive in Phuket and they must have a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours before departure.

Upon entry into Thailand, visitors must again take a COVID-19 test and will be required to take two more tests during their stay in Phuket. All stays must be at approved hotels where staff are vaccinated against COVID-19. Travelers must also install the Thailand Plus and Morchana apps onto their phones for health and location tracking.

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It’s worth noting that although many in Phuket are eager to reboot their tourism sector, not everything will immediately open when the program launches.

After the 14-day period, visitors are then permitted to travel throughout Thailand under the same restrictions that currently apply to Thai residents.

“For people who have been closeted up in their apartments for 16 months, the idea to fly to Thailand where there’s a beach and you’re a normal guest, yes you’re being quarantined here but this is more than 500 square kilometers of quarantine and you’ve got national parks, golf courses, you can go diving — it’s really not a quarantine,” Anthony Lark, president of the Phuket Hotels Association, told the Associated Press.

For the most up-to-date information on rules and required paperwork, visit the Tourism Authority of Thailand or Thai Embassy websites.

Cailey Rizzo is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure, currently based in Brooklyn. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or at caileyrizzo.com.

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