If you have to quarantine it, you can also do it in style.
The government of Thailand is testing a program that would allow tourists to complete their mandatory quarantine periods on yachts off the coast of Phuket. The previous guideline stipulated that visitors stay on their yachts for 14 days before completing an additional 14-day quarantine on land – at their own expense – before exploring Phuket Island.
During that time, tourists will be allowed to get off their boats to swim, but they cannot visit the coast, reports Phuket News.
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The new guidelines are aimed at helping the country’s tourism industry to recover after a drastic drop in tourism and even a brief ban on all visitors amid the global pandemic. Phuket alone has lost about $ 10 billion in tourism revenue in the past 12 months, the Bangkok Post reported.
Thailand’s new testing program has already accepted 100 yachts for its test, which is expected to bring up to 500 tourists, according to the Bangkok Post.
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Test participants are also expected to wear smart wristbands to transmit data up to 10 kilometers from the coast, including information on temperature and blood pressure. The Royal Thai Navy will also monitor ships and visitors from a base at Cape Panwa, according to Business Insider.
Cruise yachts anchored off the Royal Meridien Phuket Yacht Club Nai Han Bay Phuket Thailand. (Andrew Woodley / Education Images / Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
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News of Thailand’s new yacht guidelines comes amid the country’s relaxed regulations for foreign visitors. Beginning in April, tourists to Thailand will only be required to be quarantined for 10 days after presenting proof of a negative COVID-19 test done three days before departure from their country of origin, according to Reuters.
Visitors with proof of vaccination, in turn, will only need to be quarantined for seven days after presenting the documentation of negative COVID-19 tests done within three days of departure.