More Thai islands to welcome vaccinated tourists

Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan have joined Phuket in welcoming international arrivals

Thailand has announced the reopening of more destinations to help restart its tourism sector following the success of a pilot programme to welcome tourists back to Phuket.

Although Thailand remains largely closed to tourists, vaccinated holidaymakers are now able to travel to three islands in the Surat Thani province: Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan.The move follows the reopening of Phuket, Thailand’s largest island, on July 1. 

Thailand’s minister of tourism and sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said:“The reopening of Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao to tourism is another significant step towards achieving the Thai prime minister’s recently announced policy of reopening the whole country within 120 days, or by the end of October.” 

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Under the new regulations, the previously mandatory two-week quarantine for fully-inoculated visitors will no longer be required as long as tourists can meet certain requirements.

These include:

• A negative PCR test taken no less than 72 hours before travel
• Accommodation paid for in advance in a Samui Extra Plus hotel for the first seven days of any trip, and at an SHA Plus hotel for any remaining days. Information on which hotels are approved can be found on the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s website
• All tourists need to have travel insurance with Covid-19 treatment coverage of at least US$100,000
• An online application form must be completed and approved prior to travel
• Travellers need to have been in an approved country for 21 days or more. Click here for the full list of approved countries.

The Samui Plus programme will be in operation for travel to the province between July and December.