Refinements to the Sandbox as the countdown continues to Thailand’s reopening

[King Cotton]

19 minutes ago, PhayakPeter said:

as big a dreamers as the Thai government.

Fair comment!

 

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King Cotton

[HRPuckinfutz]

That's it. I'm done. I am cancelling my month long vacation to Thailand.  My Thai wife can meet me in another country and she can stay in the 14 day quarantine when she returns to Thailand.  She doesn't mind.

The Thai government is absolutely retarded.

[TobyAndrews]

5 hours ago, Stephen said:

What does SHA stand for

Swindlers Hotel Association.

[King Cotton]

2 hours ago, HRPuckinfutz said:

The Thai government is absolutely retarded.

The verdict of thousands millions of others, too.

 

Hello, HRPuckinfutz and apologies for this belated welcome to Thaiger Talk

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[HRPuckinfutz]

So we have to take a SHA+ transport to our hotel and stay in our rooms until we get the test result. Do they really expect people who are traveling to Phuket for five or six days to waste time waiting in a hotel room for a test result? Isn't that a friggin quarantine? Also, that means we can't rent a car?  Do we have to travel back to the airport to rent a car after our test result?  What a waste of time and money.

Meanwhile, domestic travelers who are not vaccinated and are far more likely to transmit COVID only need a PCR test within seven days of travel and don't have any other restrictions.

Only fools will travel to Phuket.

[Johnmc17]

Is there one piece of new information in this post?? 

[Naja]

Oh, I just love to read all the comments.  It is a thrill a minute.  I don't believe the Phuket Sandbox will be as successful as they think it will be.  For one, many businesses won't spend the money to rehire people, get ready to open just on the hope that they will make enough money to stay open.  And so many of the people that worked in bars and restaurants have gone home during this pandemic since they are no longer employed.  Are they going to want to come back to Phuket just on the hope they will have a job again?

All the requirements that the Thai govt. put in place...all the testing that the visitor has to pay for, discourages most everyone except people that have family in Thailand and want to get back to see them and not be imprisoned in a room in BKK for 14 nights but have a little freedom to roam.  But what they are not saying much about i that you won't be able to just roam anywhere on the island, as I understand it.  There will be some areas off limits because the people have not all been vaccinated yet.  And what, you have to wear a mask while you are sitting on the beach relaxing in the open air or when you are out in the water swimming?  COVID DOES NOT FLY LIKE A BIRD!!  The idea you have to wear a mask outside is totally ridiculous......unless you go into a crowded area.  Then you might want to put one on. 

The required tests should be a minimum expense OR given free by the govt. to be an incentive to come to Phuket.  Having all these "precautions" in place just shows the Thai govt.  does not believe in the science behind the vaccinations.  Vaccinated people have the lowest chance of getting and spreading COVID.  I would worry more about Thais injected with the China vaccines.  I can't wait to see what China will want to extract from Thailand down the road for sending all those free useless vaccines.  Do you really think there will be no price to pay to China for being so generous with their crappy vaccine? You can't stop the virus with vaccines that are 50% or less effective.  And COVID is not going anywhere ever.  It's here to say, just like the flu.  So countries better get used to living with it and dealing with it.

Also, Phuket is an island.  There is only so much you can do there.  And how expensive is it going to be to travel around the island?  Is the governor going to force the mafia taxis to lower their prices so people will be more willing to travel around the island more?  Is he going to set decent rates so you can travel to the other side of the island and see different areas?  I doubt it.  It's bad enough you have to pay 300 baht just to ride around the one one-way street in Patong or 800 baht or more to go over the hill into Karon.  I think there will be tons of scams from the taxis to try to get as much out of people as they can starting July 1.  Someone really needs to sit down with the governor and discuss this with him.  But I doubt that will ever happen.

I need to come over for a business reason and yes, I'd rather spend my quarantine on Phuket than in BKK imprisoned in a hotel room with no cleaning except what you yourself has to do.  At least I can go out for walks in the morning or evening, spend some time on the beach.  I could care less about bars being open and I am sure there will be a few nice restaurants open and plenty of coffee shops.  But I will spend as little as possible in Phuket while I am there since the Thai govt. has loaded me up with expenses I should not have to endure.  There are many others that may do the same.  So I doubt this plan is going to be the big money maker they envision.

Hey, if the tar balls are still hitting the beaches I just might volunteer to help clean them up but they will have to provide the gloves and shoe covers for me.  At least I could contribute something positive besides my dollars!!

[King Cotton]

6 hours ago, Johnmc17 said:

Is there one piece of new information in this post?? 

Not sure . . . keep looking!

Hello, Johnmc17 and welcome to Thaiger Talk

Please feel free to tell us a bit about yourself in 'Introductions'. It's good to pick-up on those sometimes differing regional or geographical perspectives.

And check-out the Guidelines, too, when you get a free minute. They're there to help us all enjoy our time here.

Happy posting

King Cotton

[King Cotton]

4 hours ago, Naja said:

At least I could contribute something positive besides my dollars!!

Wow, that's one hell of a good debut post!

 

Hello, Naja and welcome to Thaiger Talk

Please feel free to tell us a bit about yourself in 'Introductions'. It's good to pick-up on those sometimes differing regional or geographical perspectives.

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Happy posting

King Cotton

[AlexPTY]

i think it should be very easy to know how many people booked flights, because nobody will book at the last moment, considering test requirements. Without disclosing a manifest, airlines have this figures for sure. What we can watch here is a cancellations of the flights, i think flightaware, kayak and phuketairportonline could be an interesting resource

[Loongtip]

This whole clusterfvck is so typical of everything this tin pot, junta run catastrophic kakistocracy is renowned for.  It has turned into a cat sand box because it is so full of shit!

Who would be stupid enough to fall for this absolute scam just so that they can spend their holiday stuck in some overpriced, flea pit of a hotel, waiting while the idiots run the useless PCR test (which is another added cost) and is not worth the packet it comes in, to maybe FINALLY released from their purgatory to be handcuffed to a tracking device, so that they can wander around the cemetery that was Phuket and not even be able to get any alchohol to relieve the boredom?! All this because a bunch of mentally deficient muppets in Bangkok have convinced themselves that all this crap will have tourists flocking to the bloody place!

And all this worldwide insanity because of a "pandemic" so terrible that it has to be advertised 24/7 on the TV, in the newspapers and on the internet!

[skytrooper70]

So, now, we need a hotel letter confirming our reservation. Can anyone explain why the usual standard confirmation email is no longer sufficient?

Next, we’ll need the airline to provide a confirmation letter, I suppose.

Finally, what transportation will be available, after arriving at our hotel? Are their approved transport options, such as rental cars? Or, do we have to walk around the island?

 

[skytrooper70]

6 hours ago, Naja said:

Oh, I just love to read all the comments.  It is a thrill a minute.  I don't believe the Phuket Sandbox will be as successful as they think it will be.  For one, many businesses won't spend the money to rehire people, get ready to open just on the hope that they will make enough money to stay open.  And so many of the people that worked in bars and restaurants have gone home during this pandemic since they are no longer employed.  Are they going to want to come back to Phuket just on the hope they will have a job again?

All the requirements that the Thai govt. put in place...all the testing that the visitor has to pay for, discourages most everyone except people that have family in Thailand and want to get back to see them and not be imprisoned in a room in BKK for 14 nights but have a little freedom to roam.  But what they are not saying much about i that you won't be able to just roam anywhere on the island, as I understand it.  There will be some areas off limits because the people have not all been vaccinated yet.  And what, you have to wear a mask while you are sitting on the beach relaxing in the open air or when you are out in the water swimming?  COVID DOES NOT FLY LIKE A BIRD!!  The idea you have to wear a mask outside is totally ridiculous......unless you go into a crowded area.  Then you might want to put one on. 

The required tests should be a minimum expense OR given free by the govt. to be an incentive to come to Phuket.  Having all these "precautions" in place just shows the Thai govt.  does not believe in the science behind the vaccinations.  Vaccinated people have the lowest chance of getting and spreading COVID.  I would worry more about Thais injected with the China vaccines.  I can't wait to see what China will want to extract from Thailand down the road for sending all those free useless vaccines.  Do you really think there will be no price to pay to China for being so generous with their crappy vaccine? You can't stop the virus with vaccines that are 50% or less effective.  And COVID is not going anywhere ever.  It's here to say, just like the flu.  So countries better get used to living with it and dealing with it.

Also, Phuket is an island.  There is only so much you can do there.  And how expensive is it going to be to travel around the island?  Is the governor going to force the mafia taxis to lower their prices so people will be more willing to travel around the island more?  Is he going to set decent rates so you can travel to the other side of the island and see different areas?  I doubt it.  It's bad enough you have to pay 300 baht just to ride around the one one-way street in Patong or 800 baht or more to go over the hill into Karon.  I think there will be tons of scams from the taxis to try to get as much out of people as they can starting July 1.  Someone really needs to sit down with the governor and discuss this with him.  But I doubt that will ever happen.

I need to come over for a business reason and yes, I'd rather spend my quarantine on Phuket than in BKK imprisoned in a hotel room with no cleaning except what you yourself has to do.  At least I can go out for walks in the morning or evening, spend some time on the beach.  I could care less about bars being open and I am sure there will be a few nice restaurants open and plenty of coffee shops.  But I will spend as little as possible in Phuket while I am there since the Thai govt. has loaded me up with expenses I should not have to endure.  There are many others that may do the same.  So I doubt this plan is going to be the big money maker they envision.

Hey, if the tar balls are still hitting the beaches I just might volunteer to help clean them up but they will have to provide the gloves and shoe covers for me.  At least I could contribute something positive besides my dollars!!

Good one, on the lack of any transportation information. Once we take an SHA Plus transport to our hotels, how do we get around Phuket, afterwards? Are there approved taxis/baht buses/tuk tuks or is it going to be a free-for-all price gouging experience? Are rental cars going to be available? So many unanswered questions just add to the confusion that is the Litter Box.

[King Cotton]

48 minutes ago, skytrooper70 said:

Or, do we have to walk around the island?

I wouldn't be surprised!

 

Hello, skytrooper70 and welcome to Thaiger Talk

Please feel free to tell us a bit about yourself in 'Introductions'. It's good to pick-up on those sometimes differing regional or geographical perspectives.

And check-out the Guidelines, too, when you get a free minute. They're there to help us all enjoy our time here.

Happy posting

King Cotton

[petermach]

SHA hotels for vaccinated people is a huge joke . I come back from my country , so, even if I live in Thailand with my Thai wife in her house , I am allowed  to stay with her in our home during the day and have to go back to an SHA hotel for sleeping during the night and that for 14 days. It is time to stop stupidities.

[petermach]

7 minutes ago, petermach said:

SHA hotels for vaccinated people is a huge joke . I come back from my country , so, even if I live in Thailand with my Thai wife in her house , I am allowed  to stay with her in our home during the day and have to go back to an SHA hotel for sleeping during the night and that for 14 days. It is time to stop stupidities.

By the way, my family already cancelled their trip

[King Cotton]

6 minutes ago, petermach said:

SHA hotels for vaccinated people is a huge joke .

A huge joke, sadly like so much regarding the sandbox.

 

Hello petermach and welcome to Thaiger Talk

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And check-out the Guidelines, too, when you get a free minute. They're there to help us all enjoy our time here.

Happy posting

King Cotton

[Bob]

On 6/20/2021 at 6:59 AM, Stephen said:

What does SHA stand for

Stupid. Hopeless. Arseholes. 

[Joe]

The "Phuket experiment" makes no sense on any level. While rest of Thailand has 14 day quaranteen for both vaccinated and non vaccinated tourists? Does the Thai government totally ignoring science?! What's wrong with them? Sounds to me that no one is at the wheel....

[JamesE]

17 hours ago, skytrooper70 said:

Next, we’ll need the airline to provide a confirmation letter, I suppose.

This is already a requirement for the COE. The sandbox just exchanged the term "letter" for "certificate" (which was required for ASQ entry). You basically get a PDF file from the hotel and print it out at home with only your word saying it wasn't edited from some readily available sample off the internet.

[King Cotton]

2 hours ago, Zool said:

I don't see tourists wanting to jump through these hoops to come to a desert island with no alcohol, to have an unpaid role in "The Prisoner". . . .

 . . . There are hot places where tourists can go that are cheap, with nice beaches, and no quarantine. It boggles the mind why the TAT think foreigners are going to flock to Phuket. They need to fully open up or it just isn't going to work.

Many good points, there, for sure. I especially like 'The Prisoner' one - good old Patrick McGoohan . . . what a star he was!

 

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Happy posting

King Cotton

[King Cotton]

On 6/20/2021 at 1:33 PM, Martin said:

I feel for those Thai people whose livelihoods have been broken by this pandemic, but there is no prospect of a recovery of the Thai tourism industry until potential holidaymakers are welcomed, and not treated like criminals and idiots – there are plenty of other countries with nice beaches and good food to go to and with sensible regulations that are making the best of a bad situation. Hopefully Thailand will realise this before it’s too late and it passes the point where a recovery becomes impossible. A tourist wants to relax and enjoy themselves for a few weeks, that’s the whole point of a holiday.

Excellent debut post and thanks for that.

 

Hello, Martin and welcome to Thaiger Talk

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And check-out the Guidelines, too, when you get a free minute. They're there to help us all enjoy our time here.

Happy posting

King Cotton

[TSS]

and coming in Oct.- dictator said entry to thailand, unrestricted to those vaccinated for at least 14 days. How many restrictions will there be for that?