Tourists Land In No-Quarantine Phuket Despite Thailand COVID-19 Surge

Tourism makes up almost a fifth of the Thai economy, and the Covid-19 pandemic has led to its worst performance since the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

The first international travellers touched down Thursday in the holiday hotspot of Phuket under a quarantine-free scheme, as Thailand tries to reboot its battered tourism industry while also enduring its worst coronavirus outbreak. Tourism makes up almost a fifth of the Thai economy, and the Covid-19 pandemic has led to its worst performance since the 1997 Asian financial crisis. The kingdom is pinning hopes for a much-needed revival on the so-called "Phuket sandbox" -- a model that will allow vaccinated travellers to visit without quarantine. On Thursday, about 200 passengers on flights from Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Singapore were expected to land on the island -- where the beaches have been almost deserted since the virus hit.