Koh Samui to allow quarantine-free travel from October
Southern Thailand tourist island Koh Samui plans to allow quarantine-free access to travellers if they have been vaccinated.
It will start quarantine-free access from 1 October, according to Ratchaporn Poolsawadee, president of the Tourism Association of Koh Samui.
The island has joined the tourism sandbox pilot scheme, which allows certain destinations to accept international visitors who have been vaccinated before the whole country reopens borders.
Phuket is also working on a similar ‘green zone’ scheme.
"The island’s economy and infrastructure were built around foreign tourism, and businesses here have been struggling without foreign visitors over the past year," Ratchaporn said.
"We need to reopen as soon as possible to be able to compete for visitors with other countries."
Koh Samui has its own international airport on the island which allows it to offer more safeguards against infections in the local community.
The start date of schemes in Koh Samui and Phuket will ultimately be determined by the number of local residents vaccinated by then, with a target set at 70% of the population.
It will also be conditional on the number of vaccinated front line tourism workers.
Thailand is hoping to reopen in full by the fourth quarter of 2021 possibly starting from April when the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration will start reducing the length of quarantine gradually in the coming months, subject to Covid-19 containment measures.
It also plans to start rolling out a ‘vaccine passport’ app for travellers which may happen by late summer.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025