Thailand Announces Plans to Boost Yacht Tourism

Thailand has announced plans to reboot tourism and is now welcoming foreign flagged yachts with a reduced quarantine, with further news to follow, report Gordon Fernandes and Tanyuta Singhmanee of Asia Pacific Superyachts. 

The Thai Customs Department has also extended a temporary entry exemption from one year to two years, with owners allowed to fly in and quarantine on yachts, according to Khun Jojo, of the Thai Yachting Business Association. 

Quarantine reductions began when the Thai cabinet approved a progress plan starting on 1 April 2021, with quarantine for visitors cut from 14 days to 10 days for all arrivals (with exception of visitors from some African countries).  

Next - Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Krabi, Pattaya, Phang Na, and Phuket, will reopen to fully vaccinated tourists with a reduced seven day quarantine requirement. 

As of 1 July 2021, it is hoped, pending approval by the cabinet, that vaccinated tourists and yachts will be able to travel to Phuket with no quarantine requirement. 

As of October 1, 2021, if the plan proves successful, the quarantine requirement will be scrapped for vaccinated tourists in Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Krabi, Pattaya, Phang Na, and Phuket, opening the western Andaman Sea (Phuket) and eastern Gulf of Thailand (Koh Samui) to visiting yachts. 

Thailand plans to lift all quarantine requirements for foreign visitors in 2022. Phuket will be the first Thai destination to open to vaccinated tourists and the government plans to make Phuket the first place to open to vaccinated travellers. 

Focusing vaccination efforts on Phuket, the government hopes to vaccinate 70% of the population before July, with as many as 50,000 people receiving their first dose within seven days of vaccines arriving on the island.

Images courtesy of Asia Pacific Superyachts