Air travel in Thailand is coming back once again. The airports around the country including Suvarnabhumi Airport and Don Mueang International Airport have been following the safety and hygiene measures with the adjustment to the new normal and containing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to ground management, airlines in Thailand have tightened their safety measures onboard to enhance passengers’ confidence when it comes to flying.

Source: TATnews Official Vimeo Page (https://vimeo.com/441259763)

According to Thailand’s Tourism Authority governor, the island of Phuket will allow long-staying tourists from overseas from the beginning of October.

Under a program named “Safe and Sealed” travelers will be required to pass a 14-day hotel quarantine and successfully pass Covid-19 tests two times. They will be allowed to travel within 1 kilometer of their host hotels.

Once the 14 days are completed, they will be allowed to move about Phuket province and after 7 more days and a test, they can travel throughout Thailand.

This effectively makes Phuket the ‘test case gateway’ for international travel into the country.  The program is timely given a large number of winter season long-stay ‘snowbirds’ who stay on the island each winter.

In nearby Singapore, on Friday the government announced plans to relax entry from ‘low risk’ countries that include Malaysia, China and Taiwan.

Additionally, travelers from Australia (except those from Victoria) and Vietnam will see a 14-day period reduced to 7 days.

For those from New Zealand and Brunei, upon passing a test at the airport no quarantine is required. One caveat is that landing pre-approval is required and an advance notice program only starts at the beginning of September.

Source: https://www.c9hotelworks.com/news/phuket-gateway-to-allow-overseas-arrivals-in-october

Thai Airways International has announced plans to commence non-scheduled charter flights between Phuket and six international destinations in the latter part of November.

The six are Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, UK, Germany and Denmark.

Two flights a month is the initial plan, with more if there is demand. The airline is also looking at Mainland China non-scheduled service.

TG is also working with Phuket hotels under the Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) program to accommodate overseas visitors.

For Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus members, mileage redemption is allowed.

Source: https://www.c9hotelworks.com/news/thai-airways-to-launch-november-phuket-overseas-flights

Ms Traisulee Traisoranakul who is Deputy government spokesperson of Thailand said that Thailand will not be “fully reopened to foreign tourists” except SAS (Safe and Sealed) model of Phuket. Phuket is the largest island of Thailand, which is going to be a pilot program for the reopening to the tourist who wants to visit our country Thailand but with many terms & conditions conditions and few restrictions.

She also mentioned that the Thailand government must consider many factors to prevent the spread of Covid-19, these factors are including guidelines to prevent the spread of Covid-19, screening processes and measures for the same.

She also added that Thai tourists and residents of Phuket can rest assured that as of now no steps has been taken to reopen the country and we’ll be taken the utmost precaution when the borders will be reopened.

Phuket pilot program (PPP): Minimum stay of 30 days including 14 days of quarantine for tourists from risk-free countries. Once tourists will arrive at the Phuket International Airport, and then first they will be quarantine for 14 days in a hotel that has been approved by Thai government. Tourist will be restricted to a 1 kilometre radius of the hotel. After passing the 14 days of quarantine in their 1 kilometre radius, the tourist will be free to roam around Phuket, and then beyond if they choose after another 7 days.

There is no official announcement of PPP to start although it was meant to start on 1st October 2020.

There is an announcement from Thai Airways that they’ll reintroduce flights in November. They also added that non-scheduled charter flights between Phuket and six international destinations. The six destinations are Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, England, Germany and Denmark. Thai Airways is set to start the Thai flights by the end of November.

As of now, no other airlines except Thai Airlines have made general announcements about the reintroduction of flights back into Phuket.