PHUKET, 2 December 2020: APS Superyachts successfully cleared a foreign-flagged superyacht client into Phuket last week who is now undergoing onboard quarantine, reports APS co-founder, Gordon Fernandes.
“The tourist industry and the people employed in the wide range of support industries are excited to begin superyacht arrivals to the island”, explained Fernandes. “We are thrilled to see our clients begin their entry to Phuket as they plan their land visits and cruising voyages around Thailand’s western Andaman Sea and the eastern Gulf of Siam after (completing onboard) quarantine.”
The Phuket Marine Department acting chief, Nachapong Pranit, confirmed mid-November that the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) had granted permission for overseas yachts to check into Thailand.
APS Phuket co-owner Tanyuta Singhmanee (Jojo) was instrumental in obtaining permission from Bangkok so that foreign-flagged yachts can now check into Thailand. She confirmed that the Thai government has now extended the STV Long Stay Visa Programme for yachts which check-in for the next 30 days.
The APS co-owner says she is now lobbying to ensure yacht owners can arrive in Phuket by private jet and then go straight to their yacht for the 14-day quarantine.
An announcement from the Marine Department confirmed that yachts could be moored for quarantine in two areas in Thailand. They are the Ocean Marine Yacht Club, Pattaya in Chonburi province and Ao Por in Pa Khlok, Phuket. The bay in Phuket is normally used for yacht moorings and located about 6.2 km southeast from Ao Por pier and 2 km east of Koh Naka Noi. Around 100 yachts can be moored in the bay.
Yacht crews will have to quarantine onboard for 14 days with monitoring assigned to the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command, based on Cape Panwa. Yachts must remain in the allocated area and will be tracked by Automatic Identification System (AIS).
After the quarantine ends and Covid-19 tests are negative, the crew will be allowed to moor the yacht at the marina of their choice and travel within Phuket.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Phuket received approximately 1,300 to 1,500 yachts per year.
