Before the health crisis,tourism accounted for nearly one-fifth of Thailand’s revenue when 40 million people traveled to Thailand during 2019.

Since July 1,vaccinated travelers can visit the island of Phuket without undergoing quarantine, and from this day they can also go to Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, in the Gulf of Thailand.

However, arrivals will have to stay at their hotel on Koh Samui for the first three days. They will then be able to explore the island and travel to the other two from the second week, if they test negative.

The first tourists, from Japan and Taiwan, are expected on Friday, according to local media.

It is a reopening at a time when 75 percent of the archipelago’s population is already vaccinated against SARS-CoV-22, according to Koh Samui Tourism Association president Ratchaporn Poolsawadee.

ef/abo/mgt/rfc