Bangkok, 10 March, 2021 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is pleased to announce that Thailand’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA) together with Thai yachting organisations in Phuket, as well as key public and private sector technology providers, are partnering to launch Thailand’s first ‘Digital Yacht Quarantine’ project.
The initiative is meant to stimulate yacht tourism to Phuket and allow visitors to conveniently complete their 14-day quarantine requirement in the comfort on their own yacht.
Digital Yacht Quarantine is based around smart watch health trackers using NB-IoT technology that will allow Thai medical officials to monitor the health of visitors up to 10 kilometres offshore. After arrival, visitors are to liaise with a representative from the Thai Yacht Business Association (TYBA), which will act as the coordinating agent between the Thai health authorities to arrange COVID-19 RT-PCR testing.
After testing, visitors will then be fitted with one of two smart watch health trackers, either the Activ 10+ or the Smartwatch Active 30+ models, developed by PMH Holding Company Limited (POMO House).
The smart watch health tracker must be worn by visitors at all the times to measure the pulse, blood pressure, and body temperature. The information will be monitored in real time by relevant Thai health authorities via a dashboard at the Ao Po Pier. Both devises can also send out an emergency SOS signal if visitors need urgent medical assistance.
After the 14-day quarantine period is complete, all data will be analysed again before allowing visitors to embark and go ashore in Phuket.
Thailand first launched the yacht quarantine in October 2020, with no COVID-19 infections detected since then and expects the expanded digital project could attract more than 100 yachts and 300 to 500 visitors during 2021.
The Digital Yacht Quarantine project is led by Thailand’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA), together with Advanced Info Service (AIS), PMH Holding Company Limited (POMO House), PMH-service providers, and the Thai Yacht Business Association (TYBA). The expanded project endeavours to build confidence in the Thai public health sector and create additional arrival and revenue streams for Phuket tourism operators as the destination gradually reopens to more international visitors.
