Thailand’s Tourism Ministry proposes using five islands for “bubble” type travel for tourists

Bangkok-

The Thai Tourism Ministry has proposed to the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) and the Thai Department of Public Health to utilize five islands in the provinces of Phuket, Krabi and Surat Thani as early as August for controlled travelling of foreign tourists.

Currently, tourists remain prohibited from traveling to the country and only a select group of pre approved foreigners may enter the country.

Under the proposal, which The Pattaya News notes is not set in stone and is only one of multiple proposals being made, tourists from countries approved by the Ministry of Public Health would be allowed to visit the islands of Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao.  The first countries allowed to send foreign tourists under the proposal would be those who have controlled the virus successfully in the eyes of the Thai Government and have solid tracing, testing and disease control procedures.

The proposal would require strict agendas, likely package tours and selected resorts and foreign tourists would not be allowed to visit other parts of the country or alter their schedule. Strict Covid-19 screening measures would take place at both their host country and in Thailand upon arrival.

More details of the proposal, as well as which countries would be likely able to visit and what exact guidelines would need to be followed would be forthcoming later in the month of July, according to the Thai Tourism Ministry.