Dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic in Phuket was extremely challenging as there were a large number of tourists from all over the world during the peak time of infection. Nevertheless, with integrative, seamless and participation of public organizations, the private sector, and communities, along with the experiences in dealing with the past emerging infectious diseases such as SARS and MERS, Phuket was able to control the outbreak of COVID-19 within a couple of months. The strategies that lead to this success include a super lockdown measure, lockdown at a district level and village level in some areas, collaboration of all sectors for screening, local quarantine supported by the hotel industry, and establishment of a field hospital which had the highest number of beds in the country for COVID-19 patients. However, there were many damages. The hotel and tourism industry, the main business of Phuket, had to close down and laid off their staff. This has had impact on the household income chain.

It is a big challenge to revitalize and recover Phuket’s economy. With the synergy of all sectors, Phuket has been able to efficiently manage for controlling the outbreak as well as high coverage of COVID-19 vaccination. Tourism was reopened since 1 July 2021 under the “Phuket Sandbox program” that allows vaccinated foreign tourists with a special tourist visa (STV) to enter Phuket and do not need to quarantine, but they must stay with freely travelling in Phuket and make all tourists believe that Phuket is a safe haven.

The field trip will cover the issue of this program management which needs integrative, seamless and participation management and what is a “new normal” were agile and adaptable towards sustainable medical and wellness tourism.