Phuket vice governor says “Sandbox” tourists aren’t scared off by Covid situation

[Thaiger]

Thailand’s latest and most severe wave of Covid-19 isn’t scaring away potential “Phuket Sandbox” tourists… at least that’s what the island province’s vice governor says. The official recently shot back claims that around a third of tourists who entered under the new reopening scheme decided to return home because of the continuous rise of Covid-19 infections and deaths. Under the reopening model, travellers from overseas who are vaccinated against Covid-19 can enter the island province without undergoing quarantine. Travellers need to stay on the island for 14 days and undergo Covid-19 testing before travelling to other provinces in Thailand. Thai […]

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[Martin]

If it wasn't so serious a situation for the ordinary Thai, this would be laughable. 

Who is he kidding? 10,849 arrivals minus 4,692 still remaining means 6,157 have left. 

Oh, that an official could for once, just once, be honest and transparent with what they are saying. 

I think it's a pretty safe bet that those 10,849  'arrivals' are not tourists, you know, the bucket and spade, sightseeing, relaxing on the beach with a beer type of holidaymaker which most people think of as tourists. I wouldn't be suprised if Phuket counted the PM and his entourage who visited on sandbox opening day amongst the 10,849 'arrivals'. 

Your tourism industry is finished, at least for the next few years, quite possibly forever. Accept that reality and adapt and try to refocus the tourism infrastructure on something else. 

[DiJoDavO]

I've read somewhere that these tourists are soon going to Bangkok and Chiang Mai. 

So again.... Covid is afraid of money. We should start injecting liquid paper money, because really... Covid is afraid of it. 

How can they come here in a lockdown, but nobody else is able to move???? I'd like to go to the beach but I'm not able to.

[ozz1]

no they are scared off by all the regulations and flip flopping

[Dedinbed]

1 hour ago, Thaiger said:

at least that’s what the island province’s vice governor

Vice Gov' eh .! Is that someone in charge of vices .. 

[Bluesofa]

2 minutes ago, Dedinbed said:

Vice Gov' eh .! Is that someone in charge of vices .. 

It must be a record:
 

[EdwardV]

“lack of options available on the island at this time, the complexity of the rules, a shortage of options at the end of their 14 days and the high cost of transport to get around Phuket.” - exactly what was expected prior to opening. The Phuket plan is struggling at best and a failure at worse. Anything else is just spin. I’d love for it to succeed, but it was hamstrung from the get go by the government more worried about tourists bringing in the virus than the population giving it to the tourists. That and the situation on the ground just overtook it period. 

[Janneman]

I am not afraid of the covid situation on Phuket, or Thailand as a whole. But I am afraid that once I arrive on Phuket it will be impossible to visit other parts of Thailand after the 14 sandbox days. My fear is that soon the government will lock Phuket so nobody can enter or leave. 

[Poolie]

Congratulate yourselves on the perceived failure.

I'd say 10,800 is a huge achievement but then again, I dont hate Thailand.

[ratzig]

Just got my COE approved for Aug 2-16 after so much pain and online paperwork. The online application is also not so user-friendly either.

I was quoted THB1,000 PER PERSON from a hotel for airport pick-up to hotel one way. THB 1,000 PER PERSON!!!. Phuketians are still greedy and trying to rip off tourists. No appreciation for tourists who are trying to give Thailand the much needed revenue. Price gouging is still in the blood of Phuketians.

PCR test was THB 8000 for 3 tests. But I will need to pay THB700 extra if I needed a hardcopy for my onward flight. THB700 for a print-out of test results? OMG! I get it free in my country and the test is only THB900.

What a shame! I would not have made the trip if I didn't need to go to Bangkok after the 14 days. 

With not flights in and out of Bangkok, I will have to play by ear how to get to Bangkok after my quarantine in Phuket. 

 

 

 

 

[M.O.]

17 minutes ago, ratzig said:

Just got my COE approved for Aug 2-16 after so much pain and online paperwork. The online application is also not so user-friendly either.

I was quoted THB1,000 PER PERSON from a hotel for airport pick-up to hotel one way. THB 1,000 PER PERSON!!!. Phuketians are still greedy and trying to rip off tourists. No appreciation for tourists who are trying to give Thailand the much needed revenue. Price gouging is still in the blood of Phuketians.

PCR test was THB 8000 for 3 tests. But I will need to pay THB700 extra if I needed a hardcopy for my onward flight. THB700 for a print-out of test results? OMG! I get it free in my country and the test is only THB900.

What a shame! I would not have made the trip if I didn't need to go to Bangkok after the 14 days. 

With not flights in and out of Bangkok, I will have to play by ear how to get to Bangkok after my quarantine in Phuket. 

Nok Air is flying from Phuket to just outside Bangkok. For now. Things change and so GOK what the situation will be so far in the future (as in Aug 16)

[Martin]

17 minutes ago, ratzig said:

Just got my COE approved for Aug 2-16 after so much pain and online paperwork. The online application is also not so user-friendly either.

I was quoted THB1,000 PER PERSON from a hotel for airport pick-up to hotel one way. THB 1,000 PER PERSON!!!. Phuketians are still greedy and trying to rip off tourists. No appreciation for tourists who are trying to give Thailand the much needed revenue. Price gouging is still in the blood of Phuketians.

PCR test was THB 8000 for 3 tests. But I will need to pay THB700 extra if I needed a hardcopy for my onward flight. THB700 for a print-out of test results? OMG! I get it free in my country and the test is only THB900.

What a shame! I would not have made the trip if I didn't need to go to Bangkok after the 14 days. 

With not flights in and out of Bangkok, I will have to play by ear how to get to Bangkok after my quarantine in Phuket. 

Best of luck for your trip. If you have time, it would be good to hear your views on an actual sandbox experience if you can post some comments in the next few weeks. 

Out of interest, were you told how the PCR test results will be communicated to you (if you didn't want to pay the extra for the hard copy result). 

If it was by SMS to your phone for instance could you either not show that as proof or save and print it yourself. Or is that not considered 'official' enough meaning you have no choice but to pay extra for 3 hard copies, so an extra 2,100THB. 

[vlad]

Well what did you expect the truth ??? not a chance like we have read, all saving face because this Sandbox has failed and the chiefs will not admit it. Can we see any visitors ? Tourists videos, around the resorts and beaches if Thousands have arrived.

[EdwardV]

2 hours ago, Poolie said:

Congratulate yourselves on the perceived failure.

I'd say 10,800 is a huge achievement but then again, I dont hate Thailand.

That’s one way to look at it. That’s also about 40% of the lowest pre opening projection. If you had 3,000 who went back home after their 14 day requirement. Another 3,000 who left to other parts of Thailand after the 14 days (meaning they weren’t really tourists to begin with). Basically the balance is entirely made up of people who are still inside their 14 day window. Congratulations you have succeeded in getting they type of tourists Thailand claims to no longer want. 

[GuyIncognito]

Well that might be teh case, however I live on one of the islands that is open now, I have not been given a vaccine and will not be going out and spending anything while all these people are coming and I'm still at risk.

Money and face over lives and honour

[Cornelius]

10 hours ago, ratzig said:

Just got my COE approved for Aug 2-16 after so much pain and online paperwork. The online application is also not so user-friendly either.

I was quoted THB1,000 PER PERSON from a hotel for airport pick-up to hotel one way. THB 1,000 PER PERSON!!!. Phuketians are still greedy and trying to rip off tourists. No appreciation for tourists who are trying to give Thailand the much needed revenue. Price gouging is still in the blood of Phuketians.

PCR test was THB 8000 for 3 tests. But I will need to pay THB700 extra if I needed a hardcopy for my onward flight. THB700 for a print-out of test results? OMG! I get it free in my country and the test is only THB900.

What a shame! I would not have made the trip if I didn't need to go to Bangkok after the 14 days. 

With not flights in and out of Bangkok, I will have to play by ear how to get to Bangkok after my quarantine in Phuket. 

Jeez Ratzig, which hotel are you staying at??  We stayed at the Banyan Tree in Laguna, which I thought was as high-end as you get, and the minibus price was THB 900 per party (in our case 2 of us). I would mention this to the management, and clearly indicate that this will be detailed on tripadvisor.  The cost of 3 PCR tests was the same (8000 per person) but no print out charge.

Otherwise, what's it like here? Fantastic, at least in the Cherng-Talay/Laguna region, which has been less hard hit than most. People tell me others e.g. Patong are ghost towns.  Over the last 3 weeks there are increasing numbers in hotels and restaurants, which is good to see although this may tail off as potential visitors worry about case numbers here (still low but creeping up) and whether it will be cancelled. True, alcohol is only served until 9, but this just means you go out earlier. Plus I would still be here rather than in the genuinely virus-riddled UK.

[kmc]

not scared of covid.. but who wants to wear a mask on vacation

[Lowseasonlover]

They will be getting scared now they have closed Central down for 7 days 

[TSS]

11 hours ago, ratzig said:

Just got my COE approved for Aug 2-16 after so much pain and online paperwork. The online application is also not so user-friendly either.

I was quoted THB1,000 PER PERSON from a hotel for airport pick-up to hotel one way. THB 1,000 PER PERSON!!!. Phuketians are still greedy and trying to rip off tourists. No appreciation for tourists who are trying to give Thailand the much needed revenue. Price gouging is still in the blood of Phuketians.

PCR test was THB 8000 for 3 tests. But I will need to pay THB700 extra if I needed a hardcopy for my onward flight. THB700 for a print-out of test results? OMG! I get it free in my country and the test is only THB900.

What a shame! I would not have made the trip if I didn't need to go to Bangkok after the 14 days. 

With not flights in and out of Bangkok, I will have to play by ear how to get to Bangkok after my quarantine in Phuket. 

that's  just the breaking in RIP offs. It really kicks in high gear once you arrive.☹ 

[Stardust]

17 hours ago, Thaiger said:

Thailand’s latest and most severe wave of Covid-19 isn’t scaring away potential “Phuket Sandbox” tourists… at least that’s what the island province’s vice governor says. The official recently shot back claims that around a third of tourists who entered under the new reopening scheme decided to return home because of the continuous rise of Covid-19 infections and deaths. Under the reopening model, travellers from overseas who are vaccinated against Covid-19 can enter the island province without undergoing quarantine. Travellers need to stay on the island for 14 days and undergo Covid-19 testing before travelling to other provinces in Thailand. Thai […]

The post Phuket vice governor says “Sandbox” tourists aren’t scared off by Covid situation appeared first on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

Who believes anybody from the government anymore? Liars are liars thats what everybody could experienced the last 7 years on a daily basis. Pinoccio is Pinoccio thats it!

[Bluesofa]

7 minutes ago, Stardust said:

Who believes anybody from the government anymore? Liars are liars thats what everybody could experienced the last 7 years on a daily basis. Pinoccio is Pinoccio thats it!

'Who believes anybody from the government anymore?'   Anyone who's been here less than five minutes?

[Stardust]

10 minutes ago, Stardust said:

Who believes anybody from the government anymore? Liars are liars thats what everybody could experienced the last 7 years on a daily basis. Pinoccio is Pinoccio thats it!

Oh I forget they insist what is true is not true. Always the same behaviour like insisting for 10 million doses of vaccines monthly after everything is debunked and everybody could read the letters that it is e millions a month. Shameless at all. Ok some will tell methere is no translation for shame, moral and logic.

[Bluesofa]

3 minutes ago, Stardust said:

Oh I forget they insist what is true is not true. Always the same behaviour like insisting for 10 million doses of vaccines monthly after everything is debunked and everybody could read the letters that it is e millions a month. Shameless at all. Ok some will tell methere is no translation for shame, moral and logic.

'what is true is not true'
That reminds me of George Orwell's quote "War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength"
I wonder why our illustrious leader tried to stop people reading 1984.
In June 2014 we had the PM hating George Orwell's 1984, with those reading it charged with 'eating a sandwich with political intent'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTd_FJbiRq0

Yet more recently, he gave Animal Farm the thumbs up.

[vlad]

4 hours ago, Cornelius said:

Jeez Ratzig, which hotel are you staying at??  We stayed at the Banyan Tree in Laguna, which I thought was as high-end as you get, and the minibus price was THB 900 per party (in our case 2 of us). I would mention this to the management, and clearly indicate that this will be detailed on tripadvisor.  The cost of 3 PCR tests was the same (8000 per person) but no print out charge.

Otherwise, what's it like here? Fantastic, at least in the Cherng-Talay/Laguna region, which has been less hard hit than most. People tell me others e.g. Patong are ghost towns.  Over the last 3 weeks there are increasing numbers in hotels and restaurants, which is good to see although this may tail off as potential visitors worry about case numbers here (still low but creeping up) and whether it will be cancelled. True, alcohol is only served until 9, but this just means you go out earlier. Plus I would still be here rather than in the genuinely virus-riddled UK.

How much is it a night Cornelius ?

[JamesR]

I have been scared off by the situation in Thailand, I would have been in Phuket now for the next six months if it was not for the risk of arriving and being found positive and then locked away for two weeks in hospital even though I have had two vaccinations.

Plus what is there to do there? Most shops, bars, restaurants are closed and things will get even worse as the whole country is likely to become a no-go area as more districts become red zones.

Not worth the risk so I will wait to see what happens, plus everything is now open here in the UK and we are free to go anywhere so why would I want to put myself in jail in Phuket?