Thai resort welcomes 1st quarantine-free tourists in over a year

Country's experiment starts on Phuket with flight from Abu Dhabi

20210701 Phuket first flight

Phuket gives a water cannon salute to the first plane arriving with foreign tourists who do not have to be quarantined as the Thai tourist island on July 1 begins a crucial experiment to rescue its economy. © Reuters

MASAYUKI YUDA, Nikkei staff writer

BANGKOK -- Thailand's ambitious quarantine-free tourism experiment began on Thursday morning as an Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi carrying fully vaccinated passengers landed on the island of Phuket.

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