Thailand is famed for its warm welcome and that’s now more heartfelt than ever as, for many of us, those powder-soft beaches, glorious rainforests and luxurious spas have had to remain the stuff of dreams for over a year.
The destination has taken a careful approach to reopening to tourists, starting with a Sandbox system that made a few key resorts accessible at a time. Now, a four-phase plan to expand this has been given the green light, meaning as we return we can look forward to seeing those famous Thai smiles in many more places across the country.
WELCOME BACK
From 1 October 2021, fully vaccinated visitors who stayed a week in one of the Sandbox destinations of Phuket, Krabi, Surat Thani (home to Ko Samui) and Phang-Nga (which includes Khao Lak) have been able to then journey on to other parts of Thailand, perhaps for shopping and chic bars in Bangkok or hiking in the green north.
From November Thailand will scrap quarantine for fully vaccinated arrivals from low-risk countries and add 10 more destinations to the choice of arrival hotspots, including Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Cha-Am and Hua Hin.
The list will be extended further in December with Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son and the heritage sites of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai among another 20 places welcoming back international tourists. Finally, several border provinces will open up in January, including Kanchanaburi, home to the Bridge on the River Kwai.
There’s good news too for the country’s Covid-19 hygiene measures. The WTTC has given the thumbs up to the Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration (SHA) certification scheme. This means that more than 8,000 audited hotels, shops, restaurants, tourist attractions and transport providers who have so far been SHA approved for their safety and hygiene standards can now also display the WTTC’s Safe Travels stamp, so visitors can be double reassured these places are taking extra care. And if a business has SHA+ certification it means that, in addition, at least 70% of staff have been fully vaccinated.
RESTORING RESPONSIBLY
When it comes to being responsible, Thailand’s focus extends beyond its tourists to the planet itself. Green initiatives have included the banning of single-use plastics from more than 150 national parks and the closing of Maya Bay in the Phi Phi islands to allow marine life to recover from overtourism.
Many hotels are taking their environmental responsibilities seriously; look out for those registered with the Green Leaf Foundation. And visitors keen to meet elephants can explore one of the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s ethical sanctuaries like Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai or Elephant Hills in Khao Sak.
Thailand is also taking care to ensure local communities benefit from tourism and visitors return home with a greater understanding of Thai culture. Community-based projects include Local Alike, which offers volunteering opportunities; Andaman Discoveries, which specialises in eco-tours; or tasty Chiang Rai Food Adventures by Bike.
