Despite struggles, Phuket tourists are happy to be here

[Thaiger]

One thing many forget when they’re considering the condition of Phuket for the returning international tourists is that, while we are comparing it to the pre-Covid-19 glory days of Phuket, those travelling in the first days of the Sandbox are comparing it to their life at home now. While Covid-19 has wreaked havoc on the Thai economy and tourists are now returning to shuttered businesses, the beauty of Thailand is still visible and the lifestyle still may be better than many countries in the world. Sometimes a bad day in Thailand is better than a great day elsewhere. After jumping […]

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[SickBuffalo]

There may be some benefit, to the government and the overall tourist industry, in keeping the actual tourist numbers relatively low in Phuket over the next fortnight or so.

Fewer tourists reduces any chance of imported outbreaks at a time when the whole country is looking at Thailand. That will allow the government to say to the public, "Look, these fully vaccinated tourists are perfectly safe", and to use that as pretext to bring forward the opening of the 8 other planned tourist areas to August 1st, rather than September and October.

Depending on how much pressure the generals feel to get the economy going again, they might even jump straight to dumping all restrictions (tests, COE, special insurance, special hotels etc) apart from being fully vaccinated. They need to make it as easy as it was before the pandemic if they are to have any hope of attracting the level of visitors that the Thai tourism industry is geared towards. They really do need mass tourism, and they need it quick.

So, I think that is what is really happening in Phuket. They need to engage in just enough safety theater, and to be able to claim a big success in Phuket, to be able to move public opinion in the direct that the Sino-Thai elites who own the country need it to go.

[SickBuffalo]

22 minutes ago, SickBuffalo said:

Fewer tourists reduces any chance of imported outbreaks at a time when the whole country is looking at Thailand.

Sorry, the above line should say "when the whole country is looking at Phuket".

25 minutes ago, SickBuffalo said:

to be able to move public opinion in the direct that the Sino-Thai elites who own the country need it to go

Sorry, the above line should say "move public opinion in the direction"

To provide no edit feature is an astonishingly dumb choice for a forum.

[MHN]

In my opinion it is absolute naive to believe the Sandbox conditions are

attracting any tourists.

Furthermore it is not comprehensible

that Phuket residents have to ,,sleep,,

in a hotel even so they have their own home,condo or villa for years and decades here in Phuket.

Makes no sense and is not reasoned.

 

 

 

[HolyCowCm]

If you opened the article and saw the picture. Last thing I would do would be to take a selfie with those 2.

[ratzig]

Mr. Anutin (Health Minister) seen smiling beside Prayut. Mr. Anutin once scoffed the foreigners as "dirty faring" when the pandemic hit Bangkok last year. 

 

Guessed what? Mr. Anutin has the million dollar smile now while the "dirty farang" is having a selfie. What a sham!

[Jason]

I guess it's time for all the naysayers to come out of the woodwork. The PM had to be there for the photo op...ok. But the return to some kind of normal is a sign of hope. Is it perfect? No. Will it end the misery this pandemic has caused? No. Will it instantly restore the Thai economy and Tourism Industry overnight? No. But it is start and that is a positive thing. Small steps at first is prudent. A gradual and steady return of tourists to bolster the hopes of people who depend on the income to survive. To those who criticise this opening, what is the alternative? Shut up shop forever? I don't think the tourists coming expect things as they were. In fact, they are lucky to have the whole place to themselves :) Phuket beaches, more beautiful than they were when I was there. No large crowds to make you apprehensive about Covid. Wish I was there! Good Luck and fortune to the people of Phuket!! You've suffered enough! Oh and get vaccinated asap!!!

[DwizzleyMatthews]

2 hours ago, SickBuffalo said:

Sorry, the above line should say "when the whole country is looking at Phuket".

Sorry, the above line should say "move public opinion in the direction"

To provide no edit feature is an astonishingly dumb choice for a forum.

The edit feature will appear when you reach 10 posts in case you were not aware.

Why that should be is a strange decision IMO but there you go .

[HolyCowCm]

17 minutes ago, Jason said:

I guess it's time for all the naysayers to come out of the woodwork. The PM had to be there for the photo op...ok. But the return to some kind of normal is a sign of hope. Is it perfect? No. Will it end the misery this pandemic has caused? No. Will it instantly restore the Thai economy and Tourism Industry overnight? No. But it is start and that is a positive thing. Small steps at first is prudent. A gradual and steady return of tourists to bolster the hopes of people who depend on the income to survive. To those who criticise this opening, what is the alternative? Shut up shop forever? I don't think the tourists coming expect things as they were. In fact, they are lucky to have the whole place to themselves :) Phuket beaches, more beautiful than they were when I was there. No large crowds to make you apprehensive about Covid. Wish I was there! Good Luck and fortune to the people of Phuket!! You've suffered enough! Oh and get vaccinated asap!!!

I don't think anyone is criticizing the opening as Thailand needs to do something rather than smoldering in the ashes, but just for me the picture is extremely cringe worthy as those guys should not be anyway near something good from all the hardship they personally unleashed on this country. BTW. Where are you currently at?

Edited July 3, 2021 by HolyCowCm

[HolyCowCm]

20 minutes ago, Jason said:

Phuket beaches, more beautiful than they were when I was there. No large crowds to make you apprehensive about Covid. Wish I was there!

Yeah, me too as would love a little holiday time away from CM. But not in the cards for now. better to stay local and home and safe.

[HolyCowCm]

43 minutes ago, ratzig said:

Mr. Anutin (Health Minister) seen smiling beside Prayut. Mr. Anutin once scoffed the foreigners as "dirty faring" when the pandemic hit Bangkok last year. 

Guessed what? Mr. Anutin has the million dollar smile now while the "dirty farang" is having a selfie. What a sham!

Even more millions since his family just built the new parliament building. Ya knw the one that has claim to be the biggest in za world. Just think of how much pocket money that injected into everyone's brown envelopes. And he should not be allowed to wear a medical insignia shirt.

Edited July 3, 2021 by HolyCowCm

[vlad]

Not wanting to sound bitter but lets be honest the Arrivals are not tourists looking for a 2-3 week Holiday. They are tour company agents identifying potential holiday destinations mostly high End resorts and 5 star Hotels not your usual tourists looking for a holiday, or there Expats who are returning to there second country. Any bad publicity will not be allowed printed or photographs only what the Thai Governor wants to see. Is it possible for Tim and a film crew to get around filming the clean beaches Tourists milling around, i don't think so the clue was in the opening report local's have not seen any benefit from incoming tourist so far why ? because these tour reps will not be shown the litter on the beaches and trash on the Soi's specially in Patong. Instead The Governor or a TAT spokesman will pump out the old its terrific and we could not be happier with our numbers we forecast. I bet these top execs being shown around, don't get near the locals who are queuing for food bags. 

Edited July 3, 2021 by vlad

[Guevara]

41 minutes ago, vlad said:

Not wanting to sound bitter but lets be honest the Arrivals are not tourists looking for a 2-3 week Holiday. They are tour company agents identifying potential holiday destinations mostly high End resorts and 5 star Hotels not your usual tourists looking for a holiday, or there Expats who are returning to there second country. Any bad publicity will not be allowed printed or photographs only what the Thai Governor wants to see. Is it possible for Tim and a film crew to get around filming the clean beaches Tourists milling around, i don't think so the clue was in the opening report local's have not seen any benefit from incoming tourist so far why ? because these tour reps will not be shown the litter on the beaches and trash on the Soi's specially in Patong. Instead The Governor or a TAT spokesman will pump out the old its terrific and we could not be happier with our numbers we forecast. I bet these top execs being shown around, don't get near the locals who are queuing for food bags. 

Well said. There are lies, damned lies and Tour Agents.

[Soidog]

3 hours ago, SickBuffalo said:

Sorry, the above line should say "when the whole country is looking at Phuket".

Sorry, the above line should say "move public opinion in the direction"

To provide no edit feature is an astonishingly dumb choice for a forum.

You should be able to edit your comments. Hit the three small dots on the top right of your post and it should let you edit the comment? 
 

Ive just done it to check and it works. It seems the edit option may disappear after a certain time?  You should be able to see at the bottom of this post I did an edit. Hope that helps?  

Edited July 3, 2021 by Soidog

[vlad]

16 minutes ago, Guevara said:

Well said. There are lies, damned lies and Tour Agents.

The Tour agents will only be taken to approved areas well away from Tourist areas to 5 star resorts that only very wealthy Tourist visit with there private Beaches. I didn't notice any incoming flights from Heathrow or Manchester, or even Mumbai and China Airways. Wonder what would happen if one of these  " Tourists " complained about there hotel on a social media site like Thaiger. Not only would you be arrested but the site owner would be hauled away and shut down immediately. This is why you cannot post negative comments because you are not allowed free speech.

[David297]

Is the reason why there don't appear to be incoming flights from London or Manchester the rumour (or is it fact?) that the UK is now on Thailand's list of "high risk" countries?

I'm new here so sorry if I'm repeating a question I put in an earlier post; but I'm waiting to see anyone confirm this.  I asked on the Thai Embassy website yesterday but today they have taken my question off their website.

 

[Jason]

Here come the naysayers..... There ARE tourists among the first arrivals. And no matter how much you try to water it down, it's a beginning!! Did you honestly think the politicians wouldn't try to grab the glory? Of course they would! This is a beginning and there hope it will beginning of a return to normality...for all of us!

[vlad]

David the UK has placed Thailand in the Amber Light i think you can fly from the UK but on return you must quarentine for 14 days so unless you own a company or are well off you will have to explain to your employer why your off for 14 days. That's one of the reasons brits will not be returning on Mass.

[Bangkok_Gary]

"... with bars and nightlife closed ..." That about sums it up for me. I'll wait until they are open and stay open.

[Soidog]

1 hour ago, vlad said:

David the UK has placed Thailand in the Amber Light i think you can fly from the UK but on return you must quarentine for 14 days so unless you own a company or are well off you will have to explain to your employer why your off for 14 days. That's one of the reasons brits will not be returning on Mass.

That could change in July 19th when the U.K. government May drop quarantine (actually self isolation at home) for fully vaccinated people returning from Amber list countries. We shall have to see? 

[Soidog]

27 minutes ago, Bangkok_Gary said:

"... with bars and nightlife closed ..." That about sums it up for me. I'll wait until they are open and stay open.

If I was coming to Phuket and bars and nightlife were open, I would be keeping well away from them. There is a strong possibility that you could catch Covid and then test positive on one of the two PCR tests. This would then result in being hospitalised for the remainder (possibly longer) of your stay. 
 

The Phuket model should be seen as nothing more than a large hotel room for you to isolate in. Forget the nightlife until PCR testing for visitors while in country stops. 

[EdwardV]

7 hours ago, Jason said:

 I don't think the tourists coming expect things as they were. In fact, they are lucky to have the whole place to themselves :) Phuket beaches, more beautiful than they were when I was there. No large crowds to make you apprehensive about Covid. 

While I do agree with you, fact is travel is a very personal decision. For many a clean town and empty beaches might not be enough to overcome all the hoops to be jumped or extra costs. I traveled to Hawaii last November, just two weeks after they reopened. Plenty of clean and crowd free beaches. Yet the trip was still missing many of the other intangibles you take for granted. You miss the convenience of having everything open. Something you don’t notice until it’s not there. I’m happy Phuket is open and wish it is successful. I miss Thailand. Yet at the same time I won’t be visiting until late this year, when requirements hopefully are easier to take. I’m headed to Europe instead, where all I need is to show my vaccination certificate. Its summer, the need for a warm beach isn’t high on my list. 

[Jwd]

I appreciate your reporting on this topic.  I very much wish to return to Koh Lanta Dec 2021-Feb  2022 for the first time in 9 years, and I hope  that the government's approach in approving international travel will be "Safe and Simple."

I hope that that it will be simpler to travel while respecting Covid safety standards  (e.g.  proof of vaccination, negative  test).  The logic behind requiring tourists to purchase special local health insurance -- not being done now in Europe, North America, or in many other countries -- and arranging special travel documents that might require visiting in person an embassy or consulate located really far from where one lives seem both complicated, time consuming, and perhaps expensive.

Am looking forward to autumn in Portugal and Canada and hopefully winter in Thailand.  Fingers crossed travel becomes safe and simple.

I wish authorities all the best in their efforts to counter the pandemic.

[Norton]

14 hours ago, vlad said:

Not wanting to sound bitter but lets be honest the Arrivals are not tourists looking for a 2-3 week Holiday. They are tour company agents identifying potential holiday destinations mostly high End resorts and 5 star Hotels not your usual tourists looking for a holiday, or there Expats who are returning to there second country. Any bad publicity will not be allowed printed or photographs only what the Thai Governor wants to see. Is it possible for Tim and a film crew to get around filming the clean beaches Tourists milling around, i don't think so the clue was in the opening report local's have not seen any benefit from incoming tourist so far why ? because these tour reps will not be shown the litter on the beaches and trash on the Soi's specially in Patong. Instead The Governor or a TAT spokesman will pump out the old its terrific and we could not be happier with our numbers we forecast. I bet these top execs being shown around, don't get near the locals who are queuing for food bags. 

Out of curiosity, direct me to where the queing is taking place for the food bags.  Be specific, please. 

[Norton]

Here's my take on the reopening...  Let's hope one doesn't catch the Delta variant and test positive and require the hard quarantine.  Personally, I've caught the original and it was nothing - for me.  Been vaxed as well.  The way I see it, I put enough shit willingly into my body as a wee lad that this vaccination is nothing. 

The bars and clubs aren't open but there is something more to say about Thailand than just the girls and getting fucked up.  I like walking down the street knowing that I'm going for a good swim that's merely happens to be on a beach in the middle of beautiful scenery and not my mate's pool in his backyard and then getting a proper meal that doesn't consist of some chain/ fast food crap restaurant in the middle of a fast food asphalt jungle.