A LoyaltyLobby reader sent us a question regarding visiting other parts of Thailand after July 1, when Phuket is scheduled to reopen for international arrivals without a quarantine.
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Here’s the question from the reader:
I’d like to know if Phuket and Bangkok for international tourism are going to open in July 1st 2021. I mean…
⭐ Could I be able to do 15-20 days in Phuket and then go to Bangkok for 5 days if I am vaccinated?
⭐ Also I would like to know if second option could be possible as well… could I go first 5 days to Bangkok and then go to Phuket for 15-20 days?
Thailand issued a roadmap of opening the country for international arrivals:
Thailand Potentially Opens Up For Quarantine Free Travel From October 1, 2021
And Phuket plans to open from July 1st without a quarantine:
And I am sure that many have the same question in mind as the reader.
Can you first arrive in Phuket and later (or perhaps immediately) continue to other parts of Thailand?
The answer to this question is – unclear. I would also assume that you need to arrive on one of the direct flights to Phuket instead of coming through Bangkok and then continuing on a domestic flight to the destination.
Suppose other parts of the country still require quarantine for those arriving outside of Thailand while Phuket doesn’t. In that case, this could open an unintentional backdoor of arriving at the country without first spending some time in the quarantine.
I am not sure how the Thai and Phuket governments plan to implement this, but surely they plan to keep these arriving tourists on the “island” until the mainland quarantine period is over?
Conclusion
Thailand’s hospitality sector doesn’t want to lose another season. In contrast, simultaneously, the government doesn’t want to bring imported Covid-19 cases that, to a certain extent, are inevitable if they open the flood gates (tourism).
I would not buy travel into Thailand as these plans may change on short notice depending on possible outbreaks within or outside Thailand.
