- Thailand’s Samui Plus Sandbox safe tourism program is launched effective October 1, 2021.
- Fully-vaccinated travelers from approved list of countries can now book a holiday to the island without quarantine.
- Travelers in the program must purchase their air tickets from their departure destination right through to Samui.
Just over two months since the launch of the ground-breaking tourism recovery scheme SAMUI+ [Plus]- one of the first in Asia – Thailand’s paradise holiday island, Koh Samui, is now well and truly open for business under the newly launched Samui Plus Sandbox program effective October 1, 2021.
More relaxed entry regulations mean that fully-vaccinated travelers from an approved list of countries can now book a holiday to the island without doing quarantine, rather than the 7-days still required for Bangkok.
Visitors arriving under the SAMUI Plus Sandbox scheme can choose to stay in an SHA+ category hotel [also referred to an AQ hotel] for the first 7-nights which is officially approved in terms of hygiene and safety.
Travelers in the program must purchase their air tickets from their departure destination right through to Samui. On arrival in Bangkok, they are transferred to the Bangkok Airways direct Samui flight via the ‘sealed route’ special transit facility.
During their first 7 days in Samui, visitors are free to enjoy all the facilities of their SHA+ resort before being free to travel around Samui and its neighboring islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Tao provided RT-PCR COVID-19 tests on Day 1 and Day 6 are negative.
Commenting on the latest SAMUI Plus Sandbox scheme, James McManaman, President of SKAL Koh Samui [the local chapter of the global tourism and hospitality association] said: “The SAMUI+ and the Phuket Sandbox tourism recovery schemes are a credit to the Thai Government and its main tourism body TAT [Tourism Authority of Thailand].
The schemes are the first of their kind in the Asia region and a blueprint for other countries whose tourism has also been devastated by the pandemic.
