When will Bangkok reopen?
Good news for all travelers who are already longing for the busy streets of Bangkok. This Thailand's capital is getting ready to open its door for international tourists again!
According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Thailand's reopening will continue with more destinations, starting from 1 October 2021. To enter Thailand under this term, the travelers must be fully vaccinated.
Cities that will reopen
Following the reopening of Phuket and Koh Samui, the destinations that will reopen on 1 October are Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Cha-Am, and Hua Hin. More destinations, such as Chiang Rai, Koh Chang, and Koh Kood are projected to be fully reopened for tourists in mid-October.
Thailand has gradually opened its international border since 1 July 2021. Within the past two months, over 27.000 international travelers have visited Thailand.
Furthermore, the authority is looking forward to reopening the country for vaccinated travelers without needing quarantine by January 2022.
Second destination
International travelers who enter Thailand will also be allowed to enter 25 other provinces under the county's sandbox program starting from 15 October. However, they must spend at least seven days in one of these cities: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phuket, Phetchaburi, or Samui, before proceeding to their second destination.
This initiative is one of the ways to bring back international tourists to the cities within Thailand for leisure. Tourism itself contributed around 20 percent of Thailand's gross domestic product before the pandemic.
Sandbox programs
Thailand is running some sandbox programs to bring back international tourists into the country. These programs started on 1 July, 15 July, and 16 August, respectively.
Phuket Sandbox is the first one to run from 1 July to 31 August, resulting in over 26.000 international visitors. These travelers who flew in with a direct flight are fully vaccinated and were not required to undergo any quarantine.
Following the success, Samui Plus started on 15 July, allowing travelers to visit Koh Samui, Koh Pha-ngan, and Koh Tao. In 90 days, over 900 tourists were welcomed under this program.
Meanwhile, the latest program is the Phuket Sandbox 7+7 Extension that gives travelers opportunities to visit multiple destinations within Thailand.
Vaccination in Thailand
From 28 February to 4 September 2021, Thailand has fully vaccinated nearly 10 million of its population nationwide. Meanwhile, over 25 million people have received their first dose and over 600.000 people have received their third dose.
Thailand continues to increase the country's vaccination rate to achieve the nation's herd immunity, which will lead to the full reopening of their international borders.
Find out more Thailand traveling inspiration in these articles below: