Slow start for “Samui Plus” reopening, only 33 seats booked for this month

[Thaiger]

While the “Samui Plus” reopening plan is set to start tomorrow, it might be more of a “soft” reopening. Only 33 airline seats are booked for this month and tourism officials say it will be a few months before the islands see an influx of international arrivals. Similar to the “Phuket Sandbox,” the scheme allows the trio of islands in the Gulf of Thailand to reopen to foreign tourists who are vaccinated against Covid-19. But with an uptick in daily Covid-19 cases, as well as delays in issuing the required Certificate of Entry, or COE, for travellers, the reopening plan […]

The post Slow start for “Samui Plus” reopening, only 33 seats booked for this month appeared first on Thaiger News.

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[EdwardV]

So the majority of the 33 for July are media? Those numbers are not “soft”, they are abysmal. Calls into question why they are going forward at all. Clearly the risk isn’t worth the reward. 

[Graham]

So, if on the island right now you can drink alcohol and party (as has been posted) but if you arrive under this scheme you cannot drink alcohol during the first weeks stay, what is the reasoning behind this ?

Is there a list of available ASQ hotels being handed out to arriving tourists so they know what's available should anyone test positive for Covid (should be part of the welcome pack) ?

[KaptainRob]

This doesnt make sense, is ambiguous or mathematically incorrect:-

prices include 16,000 baht in medical fees and 3 swab Covid-19 tests, which are required. Those who stay less than 14 days will be refunded the swab test fees which cost 4,000 baht for the first, 6,000 baht for the second and 8,000 baht for the third.

[Tea]

14 minutes ago, KaptainRob said:

This doesnt make sense, is ambiguous or mathematically incorrect:-

prices include 16,000 baht in medical fees and 3 swab Covid-19 tests, which are required. Those who stay less than 14 days will be refunded the swab test fees which cost 4,000 baht for the first, 6,000 baht for the second and 8,000 baht for the third.

You can receive more in refunds than you paid apparently 

[Smithydog]

10 minutes ago, KaptainRob said:

This doesnt make sense, is ambiguous or mathematically incorrect:-

prices include 16,000 baht in medical fees and 3 swab Covid-19 tests, which are required. Those who stay less than 14 days will be refunded the swab test fees which cost 4,000 baht for the first, 6,000 baht for the second and 8,000 baht for the third.

Yeh, I read it the same. Confusing and justs provides more questions than answers!

But it sounds like you get a "bonus" for leaving early!

So, if they are all swab tests, why the price hike for each subsequent test? Also, they seem out of the price range of similar tests in Thailand and don't the ASQ prices already include tests? 

Too many questions......

[SickBuffalo]

Honestly, people should just hold off for a month or two.

This is the darkest moment of the pandemic for Thailand, there is a significant risk that the government will start to panic and cancel the sandboxes, the ASQ scheme, inbound flights etc.

In one month Thailand will have got a handle on this, or it will become apparent that there are far fewer deaths per thousand infections than expected, or they will get a large, unscheduled delivery of effective vaccines.

Anyone hoping to get into Thailand should hold off, don't waste your time and money jumping through all the hoops for something that may well be canceled anyway. Let them get through this nadir and let them regroup. Their eye has always been on ramping up towards a reasonably busy high season. If they get even ten million effective vaccines, they will be in a far different position psychologically and will still want that high season prize.

Most people in Europe now have an EU Digital Covid Certificate. Thailand is about to enviously watch European destinations enjoy a tourism boom. They will see that it is possible to drop all restrictions and have tens of millions of people moving around without any significant risk, as long as everyone is fully vaccinated with effective vaccines and credible certification.

If Thailand can just get that boost of ten million effective vaccines over the next month or so, they could well be raring to open up properly to EU DCC holders, with no restrictions at all, by the start of September. 

[KhunG]

54 minutes ago, KaptainRob said:

This doesnt make sense, is ambiguous or mathematically incorrect:-

prices include 16,000 baht in medical fees and 3 swab Covid-19 tests, which are required. Those who stay less than 14 days will be refunded the swab test fees which cost 4,000 baht for the first, 6,000 baht for the second and 8,000 baht for the third.

I think those are totals.  You pay 8K for three tests, if you only do two you get 2K back, if you only do one you get 4K back.

[PhayakPeter]

So the estimate of 2000 was typical Thai fantasy then

[Bluesofa]

7 minutes ago, KhunG said:

1 hour ago, KaptainRob said:

This doesnt make sense, is ambiguous or mathematically incorrect:-

prices include 16,000 baht in medical fees and 3 swab Covid-19 tests, which are required. Those who stay less than 14 days will be refunded the swab test fees which cost 4,000 baht for the first, 6,000 baht for the second and 8,000 baht for the third.

I think those are totals.  You pay 8K for three tests, if you only do two you get 2K back, if you only do one you get 4K back.

That sounds logical.
However, I assumed it was on the same level here as the electricity rates per KwHr - the more you use, the more you pay per unit.

[sanuk]

Samui Soft is a no go from the start. Overpriced ..I just do the Phuket sandbox, 26.000 for a 4 star Hotel on the beach for 14 days. Enjoying driving around the island from the second day, just been sleeping off the jet lag.

In Samui they want to charge 35.000 for 1 week and you are locked up in your hotel? Who's stupid enough to book that? And the medical costs are also double compared to Phuket. here it was 8000 p.person

The Phuket sandbox is a wonderful way to do the Quarantine; I done the luxury prison in Bangkok last October; Sandbox is like a real holiday. Even so I live in Samui, I would not consider to use the Samui scheme and rather go through Phuket again, if necessary.

[AlexPTY]

that's pretty much how many seats in Samui restaurants left

[BookShe]

33 bookings for the remaining 16 days of July. That's 2 person/ day on average. There will be 3 sealed route flight / day. Question is. How do you allocate 2 persons into 3 planes? 

[DWiener]

9 hours ago, KaptainRob said:

This doesnt make sense, is ambiguous or mathematically incorrect:-

prices include 16,000 baht in medical fees and 3 swab Covid-19 tests, which are required. Those who stay less than 14 days will be refunded the swab test fees which cost 4,000 baht for the first, 6,000 baht for the second and 8,000 baht for the third.

Why is it twice as much in Samui as it is in Phuket?

[PapayaBokBok]

If Samui was smart(not) they would use this oppty to show how to do it correctly and then gaining trust from folks to want to come, but they wont..Cant see the forest for the trees..get money today, spend it today...

And there just seems to be daily evidence of my suspicions this is merely a cash grab, is built into thai mindset, and to add in the fact they have not had that tourist income for quite some time..aka money #1

As they will hopefully see, WE, as tourists, hold the keys..WE decide when to come and WHY we arent.Take heed and notice Thailand, you can try to control and dictate certain things but cannot force us to travel

I was willing to suffer the 7 days but bailed when it went to 14, and Im willing to bet the cost of mass buying of PCR test kits is being heavily resold to US in order to profit, and now the ASQ scheme has come to light

Why cant a certified ASH+ hotel with "vaccinated" staff let a person ASQ in their originally booked room, as  it shows me they already paid so thais got what they want....then put you in another place to get even more $$

Like fish in a barrel...stuck on a rock for 14 days of being turned upside down to shake every baht from you

[Nowhereman]

The Samui SHA hotels are THREE time the prices of Phuket.

Covid tests are 5500 thb 

Covid insurers should provide discounts to the VACCINATED. 
 

 

[PapayaBokBok]

19 hours ago, Nowhereman said:

The Samui SHA hotels are THREE time the prices of Phuket.

Covid tests are 5500 thb 

Covid insurers should provide discounts to the VACCINATED. 
 

Fakes shocked emotion...Money always comes first in thai minds...always

[bushav8r]

On 7/14/2021 at 10:32 AM, DWiener said:

Why is it twice as much in Samui as it is in Phuket?

Some greedy people with sticky fingers got involved.  They probably lose sleep at night trying to come up with new ways to overcharge foreigners.