As Bangkok is in no hurry to open, these Thai islands may reopen borders for foreigners

With so many countries opening their borders in the recent past, following the reduction of positive COVID-19 cases, Thailand seems to be in no hurry, as they have decided to wait for a few more months.

Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), has revealed that she expects Thailand to open up to tourists only in the fourth quarter of the year, which will be after September.

“It is still dependent on the outbreak situation, but I think at the earliest, we may see the return of tourists could be the fourth quarter of this year,” Yuthasak Supasorn tells CNN Travel.

ALSO READ – COVID-19: Favourite holiday destinations for Indians that are set to welcome tourists again

Even if Thailand decide to open up to tourists, it is believed that they may not open the entire country up in one go, but instead, they will open just a few pockets of the south-east Asian nation.

“We have studied the possibility of offering special long-stay packages in isolated and closed areas where health monitoring can be easily controlled — for example, Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Samui. This will be beneficial for both tourists and local residents since this is almost a kind of quarantine,” feels Yuthasak Supasorn.

Thailand, till date, have recorded a total of 57 deaths, with their capital city of Bangkok recording the most causalities with 24. The country, known for its stunning beaches, has 3,065 confirmed cases (as on May 29, 2020) out of which 2,945 have managed to recover.

ALSO READ: How to spend one day in Bangkok: Top 6 things to do in Thailand’s capital city

Koh Samui island, located close to 500 KMs away from the Thai capital, is pretty popular among budget travellers, who look for cheap getaways for longer periods. Every year, the island welcomes thousands of travel bloggers and travellers staying at the island for a month or so in simple beachside bungalows.

Even the wealthiest of people head to Koh Samui to spend some away time and enjoy the luxury at one of the many resorts or villas that sit on the pristine white-sand beaches.

ALSO READ – Khao San Road, Soi Rambutteri: All you need to know about Bangkok’s party streets

Tourists while in Koh Samui like to hop over to Koh Pha Ngan, which is Thailand’s fifth biggest island and is located just 12 KMs apart from Samui. It purely relies on ferries as it has no airport, unlike Samui.

The Koh Pha Ngan island is regarded as the most popular destination for the full moon parties among tourists. A full moon party, which originated in the Hat Rin beach on the island of Koh Pha Ngan in 1985, is an all-night beach party that takes place on the night of, before or after every full moon.