Phuket has been able to contain Covid-19 successfully. But this has bought the country huge losses as the country mainly operates on tourism. There are no foreign visitors thus the income of the citizens and the country has been slashed.
The government of Phuket has introduced an STV scheme i.e. special tourist visa to attract visitors to the country. The tourism industry is expecting a sort of boost since the scheme has been launched. A guideline has been made for the foreign tourists and crews of foreign super-yachts which are looking to dock in Thailand.
The country has been struggling to revive their now crippled tourism sector from sometime now but the corona virus scare is putting the morals down. The guidelines and the scheme is also for limited reopening. The country is still not ready to operate fully like other countries in the world. But the places can open for limited slots and if they are following the norms.
Phuket before reopening will need to submit the guideline to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) and if the guidelines are agreed upon, then the resort island can welcome around 60 foreign-flagged yachts and cruise boats including Phuket Private Boat Charter services, containing hundreds of tourists who are ready to spend.
The deputy governor of Phuket, Pichet Panapong, shared that the provincial committee on disease control has already drafted a step-by-step approach on how the luxury vessels can be utilized as an Alternative Yacht Quarantine (AYQ) venue. The yacht and cruise boat operators or owners will need to prepare the complete travel plans before any entry starts.
The identification documents and health insurance policies covering the Covid-19 treatment with a minimum coverage of US$100,000 (3 million baht) per person till their stay, and consent to a 14-day mandatory quarantine will have to be in place.
Plus the vessels will need to switch on their Automatic Identification System (AIS) around the clock, from the ports of origin even during the quarantine period so that the Thai authorities can track the movements. As per the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s guidelines, the crew and passengers will also require entry permits