Thai PM to check if Phuket is ready to reopen on July 1

An empty hotel and beach which have opened for visitors is seen in Karon, Phuket Island, Thailand in this file photo from March 31, 2021. - Reuters

BANGKOK (The Nation/ANN): Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha will fly to Phuket next Friday (June 25) to check if the province is ready to welcome tourists under the sandbox scheme from July 1, a news source said on Thursday (June 17).

Under the sandbox scheme, foreigners who can prove they are fully inoculated against Covid-19 and test negative can fly into Phuket and move around freely without having to quarantine. After staying on the island for 14 days and testing negative again, tourists will be able to travel to other places in Thailand.