Thailand has surged ahead with its plans to restart tourism after deeming a pilot programme in Phuket to be a success.
One of the world’s most-visited countries pre-pandemic, Thailand remains largely closed to tourists, but vaccinated holidaymakers from overseas are now able to travel to three islands in the Surat Thani province, namely Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan.
The move follows the reopening of Phuket, Thailand’s largest island, on Thursday, July 1.
It also comes at a time when Thailand is battling a rising number of Covid-19 cases.
What’s the Covid-19 situation like in Thailand?
In short, not great. Cases have skyrocketed in Thailand recently, signalling trouble for the country’s reopening strategy.
Bangkok has gone into lockdown, with the capital's 10 million plus population now under a curfew.
Cases of Covid-19 are at an all-time high in Thailand, and a surge in both Alpha and Delta variants has been reported by local media.
To date, Thailand has recorded 391,989 cases and 3,240 deaths according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The majority of these numbers stem from the latest wave of infections, which started in April.
Despite this, the country moved ahead with plans to reopen more islands to tourists from July 15.
Which Thai islands are open to tourists?
In addition to the Sandbox programme in Phuket, three islands in the Surat Thani Province are now also open to travellers with the Tourism Authority of Thailand expecting about 1,000 foreign tourists to arrive in the region between its July 15 reopening date and Sunday, August 15.
Koh Samui
One of Thailand’s most famous islands, Koh Samui is known for its palm-tree lined beaches, pristine waters and bustling nightlife. In any other year, the island would be thronging with tourists at this time. Appealing to the masses with everything from luxury five-star resorts to budget backpacker hostels, a visit now might be one of the only times you can go to see the island without the crowds it has become known for.
Beaches on Koh Samui are aplenty, as are waterfalls and Buddha statues, the most famous being the island’s Big Buddha.
Koh Tao
Only accessible by boat, Koh Tao is the smallest and quietest of the newly reopened islands and has been a favourite with scuba divers for decades, thanks to cheap instruction and equipment hire, coupled with incredible marine life.
The island has plenty to offer above the water, too. Its volcanic rock surface is home to several climbing routes, providing hikes with abseiling, bouldering and amazing viewpoints, not to mention pristine beaches and lush green jungles.
Koh Phangan
Thailand’s fifth-largest island, Koh Phanghan, is only 12 kilometres from Koh Samui and is best-known for being home to the original Full Moon Party, an all-night beach shindig that has been running for nearly four decades.
It also boasts beautiful bays, mountainous jungle with waterfalls and mountain pools, as well as plenty of yoga and nature resorts for those seeking to get away from it all.
What are the new rules to visit the islands?
Under the Samui Plus rules, a mandatory two-week quarantine for inoculated visitors is now waived so long as tourists can meet certain requirements.
“The reopening of Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao to tourism is another significant step towards achieving the Thai prime minister’s recently announced policy of reopening the whole country within 120 days, or by the end of October," said Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Minister of Tourism and Sports.
If you’re planning a visit to one of the islands, here’s what you need to take note of:
· Tourists must have a passport with at least six months validity.
· Travellers need to have been in an approved country for 21 days or more – the UAE is on the approved list of destinations which can be seen here.
· All overseas visitors must be fully vaccinated with a jab approved by Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health or the World Health Organisation. This includes the Sinopharm vaccine.
· Proof of return air travel may be provided.
· Overseas visitors need to book to stay in a Samui Extra Plus hotel for the first seven days of any trip, and at an SHA Plus hotel for any remaining days. You can find information on which hotels are approved via the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s website.
· Accommodation must be booked and paid for in advance and all required PCR tests must also be prepaid.
· All tourists need to have travel insurance with Covid-19 treatment coverage of at least US$100,000
· Travellers need to apply to visit to Thailand and can do so online here. If applications are approved, travellers will be notified.
PCR testing in Thailand
All visitors from overseas must have tested negative for Covid-19 no longer than 72 hours before travel.
Once in the country, further testing is required, with tourists having to undergo a test on arrival at their own expense. They must then isolate in their hotel until the result is ready, typically for a period of one day.
Further PCR tests will be required. Those staying less than seven days must take a test on day six, and visitors staying 10 to 14 days must also take a test on day 12. If travellers are staying less than five days in the country, no additional PCR test is needed.
For the first three days of all trips, travellers must stay inside their initial hotel but can use the facilities such as pools and beaches so long a negative result has been received.
On day four, tourists can travel within designated routes and on tour programmes on Koh Samui island only.
From days eight to 14, tourists can travel within Koh Samui, Ko Phangan and Koh Tao. By day 15, if the final PCR test taken on day 12 is negative, tourists can travel anywhere in the country.
The Samui Plus programme is set be in operation for travel to the province between July and December.
How can I get to the islands?
Travellers can fly to Koh Samui on a direct international flight or an international flight via Bangkok, and connect on approved sealed flights to the islands, which are operated via Bangkok Airways.
Tickets must be issued on the same booking. Both Emirates and Etihad Airways operate from the UAE to Bangkok.
When will the rest of Thailand reopen to international tourists?
The next Thai destinations to reopen to visitors are set to be Krabi, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Buriram Phang Nga, with reopening scheduled for Wednesday, September 1.
Bangkok and Hua Hin are scheduled for a Friday, October 1 opening, with the rest of the country set to reopen gradually through the remainder of the month.
The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 540hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 2,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Kerb weight: 1580kg
Price: From Dh750k
On sale: via special order
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
IF YOU GO
The flights: FlyDubai offers direct flights to Catania Airport from Dubai International Terminal 2 daily with return fares starting from Dh1,895.
The details: Access to the 2,900-metre elevation point at Mount Etna by cable car and 4x4 transport vehicle cost around €57.50 (Dh248) per adult. Entry into Teatro Greco costs €10 (Dh43). For more go to www.visitsicily.info
Where to stay: Hilton Giardini Naxos offers beachfront access and accessible to Taormina and Mount Etna. Rooms start from around €130 (Dh561) per night, including taxes.
'Unrivaled: Why America Will Remain the World’s Sole Superpower'
Michael Beckley, Cornell Press
CREW
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Day 3, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Lahiru Gamage, the Sri Lanka pace bowler, has had to play a lot of cricket to earn a shot at the top level. The 29-year-old debutant first played a first-class game 11 years ago. His first Test wicket was one to savour, bowling Pakistan opener Shan Masood through the gate. It set the rot in motion for Pakistan’s batting.
Stat of the day – 73 Haris Sohail took 73 balls to hit a boundary. Which is a peculiar quirk, given the aggressive intent he showed from the off. Pakistan’s batsmen were implored to attack Rangana Herath after their implosion against his left-arm spin in Abu Dhabi. Haris did his best to oblige, smacking the second ball he faced for a huge straight six.
The verdict One year ago, when Pakistan played their first day-night Test at this ground, they held a 222-run lead over West Indies on first innings. The away side still pushed their hosts relatively close on the final night. With the opposite almost exactly the case this time around, Pakistan still have to hope they can salvage a win from somewhere.
Saturday's results
Brighton 1-1 Leicester City
Everton 1-0 Cardiff City
Manchester United 0-0 Crystal Palace
Watford 0-3 Liverpool
West Ham United 0-4 Manchester City
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Country-size land deals
US interest in purchasing territory is not as outlandish as it sounds. Here's a look at some big land transactions between nations:
Louisiana Purchase
If Donald Trump is one who aims to broker "a deal of the century", then this was the "deal of the 19th Century". In 1803, the US nearly doubled in size when it bought 2,140,000 square kilometres from France for $15 million.
Florida Purchase Treaty
The US courted Spain for Florida for years. Spain eventually realised its burden in holding on to the territory and in 1819 effectively ceded it to America in a wider border treaty.
Alaska purchase
America's spending spree continued in 1867 when it acquired 1,518,800 km2 of Alaskan land from Russia for $7.2m. Critics panned the government for buying "useless land".
The Philippines
At the end of the Spanish-American War, a provision in the 1898 Treaty of Paris saw Spain surrender the Philippines for a payment of $20 million.
US Virgin Islands
It's not like a US president has never reached a deal with Denmark before. In 1917 the US purchased the Danish West Indies for $25m and renamed them the US Virgin Islands.
Gwadar
The most recent sovereign land purchase was in 1958 when Pakistan bought the southwestern port of Gwadar from Oman for 5.5bn Pakistan rupees.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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HEADLINE HERE
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
