Thailand launches yacht quarantine scheme

The only snag — they’ll have to bring their own yacht.

The “Digital Yacht Quarantine” aims to attract yacht travelers to Phuket as the country reopens to visitors, according to a press release from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) published Wednesday.

To take advantage of the new scheme yacht travelers will be tested by Thai authorities and then be given a digital health tracker.

The tracker will allow medical officials to monitor their pulse, blood pressure and body temperature in real time.

Visitors have to wear the tracker at all times and remain within 10 kilometers of the shore, but are otherwise free to spend the 14-day quarantine period as they wish.

Once that period has elapsed officials will analyze the data and allow travelers to disembark in Phuket.

A version of the yacht quarantine scheme was launched in October 2020, but the “digital project could attract more than 100 yachts and 300 to 500 visitors during 2021,” according to the press release.

“The expanded project endeavors to build confidence in the Thai public health sector and create additional arrival and revenue streams for Phuket tourism operators as the destination gradually reopens to more international visitors,” it continues.

The Thai government has also implemented a “golf quarantine” program to boost its ailing tourism sector during the pandemic.

Visitors can fly into the country and spend their quarantine at one of five golf resorts certified by the government.

On March 7 the first group of 42 visitors successfully completed their golf quarantine and were free to travel around the country, according to a press release from TAT.