SURAT THANI, July 15 (TNA) – Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao islands of Surat Thani province reopened to foreign visitors under the Samui Plus Model project.
The first group of foreigners landed at Samui airport on Koh Samui under the Samui Plus Model project.
Welcoming the visitors, Thanet Phetsuwan, deputy governor for marketing communications at the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said the first group of foreign visitors included about 10 tourism-related YouTubers and bloggers from Asian and European nations that TAT invited. They underwent the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) which covered their transport and health factors, he said.
According to Mr Thanet, the visitors will stay at Area Quarantine (AQ) hotels for three days. Nineteen hotels with about 400 rooms altogether provide the service.
From day 4 to day 7, they can travel on “Sealed Routes” with tour firms certified for the Samui Plus standard.
The Samui Plus Model might not be able to expect as many visitors as those in the Phuket Sandbox project but it informed the international community that Koh Samui and nearby islands were ready to welcome international tourists and guarantee their safety, Mr Thanet said.
Health measures of the Samui Plus Model were stricter than those of Phuket, he said. (TNA)
