Thailand Hosts Yacht Quarantine Program To Boost Tourism

How does spending your COVID-19 quarantine on a yacht sound? Thailand is offering this tempting option.

After a year of the COVID-19 pandemic, Thailand is making plans to boost tourism. The country relies on tourism to get by and Phuket lost more than 320 billion baht ($10.407m) in revenue thanks to the pandemic in 2020. In an effort to boost tourism, Thailand is offering the option of a COVID-19 quarantine stay on a yacht. Does that sound tempting?

Quarantine On A Yacht In Thailand

For those finding spending a quarantine period on a yacht, Thailand is now offering this tempting option. However, those who wish to take up the option must provide proof of a negative PCR test and have their health and location monitored during their stay on the water.

The pilot scheme was originally announced in November 2020 and following on from that, approximately 100 yachts are now expected to take part in the program, run in Phuket. Travelers who choose the yacht quarantine option will be required to wear a smart wristband to monitor their location and vital signs, including blood pressure and temperature. The smartwatch can transmit information at sea within a 6-mile radius.

How Does It Work?

The program is being run by the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (Depa) in conjunction with mobile operator Advanced Info Service, along with a local tech startup and Phuket tourism operators. The boats will be monitored and tracked by members of the Royal Thai Navy.

Once the visitors have completed their 14-day quarantine out on the water, they will be permitted to moor at a dock in Phuket. The island is then theirs for touring.

Golf Quarantine In Thailand

It turns out Thailand already has a “golf quarantine.” This involves travelers staying at a golf resort for the period of their quarantine. For the first three days, they must stay in their rooms and then take a COVID-19 test. As long as the test result is negative, visitors are then free to play golf with their group and use the facilities at the resort.

It was recently reported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand that the first group of golfers has completed their quarantine period and are now able to travel around the country.

Tourism In Thailand

The country heavily relies on tourism and so far, Phuket has lost approximately 320 billion baht ($10,407m) in the pandemic in 2020. This is due to the fact that travelers were unable to enter the island, in an effort to stop the virus from spreading.

Thailand has been slowly reopening its borders since October 2020 and is hoping that their new initiative will help to bring around 1.8 billion baht ($58m) in revenue to the country. Find out more about the initiative here in the Thai language, with an option to translate to English.

More Quarantine Options Coming In Thailand

Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Thailand’s tourism minister is also proposing a plan for visitors to undergo their mandatory 14-day quarantine in popular tourist areas, including beach resorts. As with the golf quarantine, travelers will have to stay in their rooms for the first three days and then take a test. They must also stay at the resort for a further 11 days. It is hoped to launch this option in April or May in Phuket, Krabi, and Chiang Mai.

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