AS Thailand gears up to reopen Phuket to foreign tourists in July, Thai Airways has started selling direct flights from four cities in Europe to the tourist haven.
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is working with Thai Airways in preparation for the July reopening, by launching ticket sales to test the market, with one returning flight for each route per week.
Thai Airways offers direct flights from Paris, Frankfurt, London and Copenhagen to Phuket via a triangular pattern.
Inbound flights from Europe will fly direct to Phuket airport before stopping over at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok for departure.
According to the Bangkok Post, the flag carrier also plans two routes from Asian cities -- Seoul and Taipei -- to Phuket from July, while Tokyo is still pending.
Hundreds of tour agents have also been invited for experimental trips during the third quarter to test the scheme.
However, since the country will remain under a state of emergency until July 31, all air services to the island have to be semi-commercial flights that will require passengers to obtain a certificate of entry prior to arrival as part of Covid-19 containment measures.
TAT deputy governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas, Siripakorn Cheawsamoot said demand during the initial stage of the Phuket sandbox is expected to be low due to the travel restrictions in Thailand and other countries.
He said that even though vaccinated tourists were exempted from quarantine in Phuket, they may need to be in isolation for many days when they return to their own countries.
Siripakorn said they also plan to bring hundreds of overseas tour agents to Phuket in small groups at different times.
"Our travel surveys in several countries found tourists still want to come to Thailand, but seek unique, quality experiences," he said.
For the Phuket sandbox, TAT plans to scale down its marketing to a city level instead of designated areas around the country, as several parts of Thailand still report high daily infections.
Siripakorn said islands such as Phuket and Koh Samui have limited entry points, allowing them to better control the flow of tourists and administer health screening measures more efficiently.
Meanwhile, Pattaya also plans to welcome back foreign tourists without quarantine requirements in the fourth quarter of this year.
Local authorities are now seeking more Covid-19 vaccine doses to cover at least 70 per cent of local residents to achieve herd immunity.
Pattaya mayor Sontaya Kunplome said that under the plan, foreign tourists who have received two vaccine doses will be allowed to enter Pattaya without the need to quarantine for 14 days.
However, they must stay in Bang Lamung and Sattahip districts for seven days before being allowed to travel elsewhere.
He said tourists must come from countries considered low risk by the Public Health Ministry, and they must receive vaccines -- endorsed by their countries -- no more than one year before travelling to Pattaya.
They will also be required to report to health authorities via a tracking application every seven days during their stay.
The plan, called "Pattaya, Move on", will be implemented under standard operating procedures for international arrivals, such as Covid-19 testing and guidelines.
Sontaya said the proposals will be presented to the Public Health Ministry before being forwarded to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration for approval next month.
He said tourists from Germany and Russia will be among those targeted under the plan.