Thailand plans to reopen for travel in four phases from October 2021 to January 2022

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For a start, beach resorts like Phuket, Krabi, and Phang-Nga will stay open before moving to specific areas in Krabi such as Khlong Muang and Thap Khaek. 

Thailand will reopen for incoming travellers in a four-phase timeline from October 2021 to January 2022 onwards, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) had announced on 27 September (Monday). According to TAT, this timeline was approved by the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) "to revitalise the nation's tourism industry."

"The CCSA has asked all concerned government agencies to prepare for the Phase One to Three of reopening. Meanwhile, foreign tourists can continue to visit the four pilot beach resort destinations under the existing conditions," TAT adds.

The timeline for each phase is as follows:

• Pilot project - 1 to 31 October 2021;
• Phase One - 1 to 30 November 2021;
• Phase Two - 1 to 31 December 2021, and
• Phase Three - 1 January 2022 onwards.

Continue below for more information about each phase.

Pilot project

In this phase, from 1 to 31 October, Thailand will keep these beach resorts open for travel: Phuket, Surat Thani's Samui, Ko Pha-ngan, Ko Tao, and Krabi and Phang-Nga. For those who are unaware, Krabi and Phang-Nga were most recently opened in August 2021 as part of Phuket's 7+7 extension programme, which allows fully-vaccinated international travellers to spend seven days in Phuket, and another seven in Krabi, Phang-Nga, or Surat Thani). While the other four resorts have been open since July 2021.

Joining those resorts in this phase will be two new areas in Krabi: Khlong Muang and Thap Khaek.

Phase One

Between 1 to 30 November, reopening will be extended to 10 other tourist destinations.

These include all areas of Bangkok, Krabi, and Phang-Nga, but specific areas in Buri Ram, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Loei, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, and Ranong. Travellers can take note of the following areas:

• For Buri Ram: Mueang only;
• For Chiang Mai: Mueang, Mae Rim, Mae Taeng, and Doi Tao only;
• For Chon Buri: Pattaya, Bang Lamung, Na Jomtien, and Sattahip only;
• For Loei: Chiang Khan only;
• For Phetchaburi: Cha-Am only;
• For Prachuap Khiri Khan: Hua Hin only, and
• For Ranong: Ko Phayam only.

Phase Two

During the period of 1 to 31 December, the reopening will be extended to 20 more provinces.

The provinces are: Ayutthaya, Chiang Rai, Khon Kaen, Lamphun, Mae Hong Son, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat, Nong Khai, Pathum Thani, Phatthalung, Phetchabun, Phrae, Rayong, Samut Prakan, Songkhla, Sukhothai, Trang, Trat, and Yala.

Phase Three

Starting 2022, Thailand will reopen another 13 border provinces, which includes:

• Bueng Kan;
• Chanthaburi;
• Kanchanaburi;
• Mukdahan;
• Nakhon Phanom;
• Nan;
• Ratchaburi;
• Sa Kaeo;
• Satun;
• Surin;
• Tak;
• Ubon Ratchathani, and
• Udon Thani.

Other than providing information on the areas and provinces involved in this reopening project, TAT said that it will be providing more details of Thailand’s reopening plans as soon as official information becomes available.

ALSO READ: Bangkok, Phetchaburi, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin and Pattaya City may reopen through sealed routes by 1 November 2021

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