Domestic travel to Phuket all but banned starting August 2

[Thaiger]

The Phuket government has found itself in a precarious predicament, caught between domestic and international tourism. While walking a tightrope between local and international, authorities have just announced what essentially amounts to a domestic lockout with new travel restrictions into Phuket going into effect on August 2. The Sandbox scheme is a critical step for international tourism to finally return to Thailand after nearly a year and a half of the Covid-19 pandemic, while the numbers are still far too low and domestic movement in and out of Phuket is now of considerable importance to the island as well. But […]

The post Domestic travel to Phuket all but banned starting August 2 appeared first on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

[EdwardV]

“But the vast majority of Covid-19 infections that are increasing each day in Phuket are locally transmitted, not from international Sandbox travellers.” - unsurprisingly to say the least. 

[BookShe]

44 minutes ago, EdwardV said:

“But the vast majority of Covid-19 infections that are increasing each day in Phuket are locally transmitted, not from international Sandbox travellers.” - unsurprisingly to say the least. 

They don't ban international travel. It clearly says that "the show must go on" It's been pretty clear from day one that local transmissions are a bigger threat than sandboxers. Unfortunately, if a sendboxer leaves the island and wanna come back for flying back home, he/she become a local tourist and might be banned from entry. It's a minor detail and I'm sure it will be addressed accordingly. Or not :)

Edited July 29, 2021 by BookShe

[Martin]

This must be desperately disappointing for the ordinary Phuket locals, who had their hopes cruelly built up by officials over the last few months, and it's understandable that people from other parts of Thailand who have lost jobs and are in dire financial need would look to come to Phuket in the hope of earning some money. In their position i would likely do the same. 

But the situation is only heading one way. Until the spread of covid is brought under control nationwide, and most if not all of the entire country is vaccinated, it is completely pointless thinking you can start up international tourism. It may even do more harm than good at this stage.

Even now, Phuket officials don't seem to get it. More than one of the 12 exceptions are open to interpretation. And just what is no.12 all about? It just sounds like an exception for brown envelopes. 

And harsh though it may be, students should not be allowed in and should be kept to online classes for the time being. 

[ExpatPattaya]

17 minutes ago, Martin said:

Until the spread of covid is brought under control nationwide, and most if not all of the entire country is vaccinated,

Yes, the only control there is is being vaccinated.  Yet all tourists are vaccinated.  If locals were not vaccinated before the sandbox opened, that is a huge problem for them, but not the vaccinated tourists.

Flus/coronavirus symptoms can only be mitigated with a vaccine.  But like all other flus, swine and avian, there will still be high numbers of deaths each year as will be the case with covid from now on.

You never fully eradicate a virus, only mitigate/lessen the symptoms with a vaccine

[Lowseasonlover]

That was always my worry about locals travelling back to Phuket not having had their vaccines

[sputnik]

A mess in a way...sandbox traveller start coming.,..all healthy and strong reglemented...Thais stripped of tourism jobs see the opportunity and travel there for jobs of any kind ( that in a, but smaller way, also fires up local economy  ) ...and these thais ( or are they burmese mostly covid infected just arrived through thailand green borders, very welcome because cheap ) are beeing less regulated ( no ASQ quarantaine for them ...etc ) bring in covid that could collapse the whole interesting idea of that sandbox ...well well all hangs on the tourist dollars...in this context it is interesting that Thailand’s Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul called all farangs a stinking low class crowd...i guess in his heart he would like to round up and drive these  pigs into the sea  where theses low lifes  should wash themselves before they take step into his super clean country full of plastic trash and hazardously polluted air...such ideas may work as a real booster for thai tourism, i guess, or at least does not have any impact cause farangs dont know this important politician and never heard of his enlightened ideas and are unaware that thailand is one of the most enviromental destroyed and air polluted countrys in the world...except a few nice spots where all this million of visitors gather all at once to furthern their destruction...chok dee

[Leeshard]

By banning domestic tourists Phuket is now in a worse position than before the Sandbox scheme opened. This scheme alone with the exclusion of domestic tourists cannot keep Phuket going. I’m a domestic tourist and I’d happily be vaccinated tomorrow and be off to Phuket for a much needed holiday. Unfortunately I registered with my local hospital who wanted 4,500 baht up front and said they’d contact me some time between October and December. But then I’m wondering why should I bother when our trusted prime minister has assured us that this crisis will he over in 2 or 3 weeks, 4 weeks maximum? Seems like the governor of Phuket doesn’t share his views.

[ozvenision]

From August 3??? Just DO IT NOW... 

[Objectivance]

[Stonker]

Phuket's achieved the only thing that was achievable with the sandbox scheme - getting ten times as many of its population vaccinated as the rest of the country.

 

They're nowhere near herd immunity, though, at around 50% - not the 70% first planned or the 85% now needed.

 

International tourists obviously aren't coming, so if they want to pull up the drawbridge and prevent domestic tourists keeping them going despite their supposedly being vaccinated ... well ... up to them.

Edited July 30, 2021 by Stonker

[AussieBob]

4 minutes ago, Stonker said:

What difference will  it make if the sandbox is cancelled or not, apart from saving or losing face?

None - the square root of diddly-squat.

It won't affect the numbers arriving (or not arriving), and it won't affect the vast majority of people in Phuket.

It's been a dismal failure, which was inevitable, attracting a tenth of the predicted worst case numbers.  Why waste time and effort cancelling something which isn't happening?

You know very well why @Stonker       

 

[Stonker]

7 minutes ago, AussieBob said:

You know very well why @Stonker       

I do, @AussieBob, but that's why they won't!

 

Sorry, I realised I'd posted the comment you replied to in the wrong thread so I moved and replaced it which is why the comment you quoted has changed - still apt, though ☺

[PQBC]

6 hours ago, ExpatPattaya said:

Yes, the only control there is is being vaccinated.  Yet all tourists are vaccinated.  If locals were not vaccinated before the sandbox opened, that is a huge problem for them, but not the vaccinated tourists.

Flus/coronavirus symptoms can only be mitigated with a vaccine.  But like all other flus, swine and avian, there will still be high numbers of deaths each year as will be the case with covid from now on.

You never fully eradicate a virus, only mitigate/lessen the symptoms with a vaccine

Smallpox, caused by the variola virus, was eradicated by a collaborative global vaccination programme led by the World Health Organization. The last known natural case was in Somalia in 1977

[BookShe]

40 minutes ago, Stonker said:

Phuket's achieved the only thing that was achievable with the sandbox scheme - getting ten times as many of its population vaccinated as the rest of the country.

They're nowhere near herd immunity, though, at around 50% - not the 70% first planned or the 85% now needed.

International tourists obviously aren't coming, so if they want to pull up the drawbridge and prevent domestic tourists keeping them going despite their supposedly being vaccinated ... well ... up to them.

I don't know the real figures or percents, but! There are thousands of people who aren't classified as residents for example migrant workers. There are thousands of other people who refused to get the vaccines. Sinovac was used almost entirely for Phuket, and they moved the goalpost for AZ so Thailand is the only country where AZ is accepted in a single dose. So those vaccination numbers are questionable at best.

[AussieBob]

49 minutes ago, Stonker said:

I do, @AussieBob, but that's why they won't!

Sorry, I realised I'd posted the comment you replied to in the wrong thread so I moved and replaced it which is why the comment you quoted has changed - still apt, though ☺

Yep - all good - and we all understand too. As Expats it does make us frustrated to see what is going on, and we all know it will make no difference us talking about it, but it is still good to talk about it.  I wish more Thais would talk about it too - but that will take a while. 

[AussieBob]

1 hour ago, Stonker said:

Phuket's achieved the only thing that was achievable with the sandbox scheme - getting ten times as many of its population vaccinated as the rest of the country.

They're nowhere near herd immunity, though, at around 50% - not the 70% first planned or the 85% now needed.

International tourists obviously aren't coming, so if they want to pull up the drawbridge and prevent domestic tourists keeping them going despite their supposedly being vaccinated ... well ... up to them.

I remember seeing one Expat vlogger 'saying' to the Phuket Governor not to close off the tourist from inside Thailand - because there is no guarantee that the sandbox will attract lots of tourists.  So now Phuket is not going to get many tourists, and they have stopped the Thailand domestics - bad decision after bad decision. Crisis after crisis. 

I am going to start a online training course, in English and Thai:  How to Plan Ahead and the Value of Strategic Thinking.   Of course I will be available as a consultant as well.  I am going to be rich !!  

 

[BookShe]

17 minutes ago, AussieBob said:

I remember seeing one Expat vlogger 'saying' to the Phuket Governor not to close off the tourist from inside Thailand - because there is no guarantee that the sandbox will attract lots of tourists.  So now Phuket is not going to get many tourists, and they have stopped the Thailand domestics - bad decision after bad decision. Crisis after crisis. 

I am going to start a online training course, in English and Thai:  How to Plan Ahead and the Value of Strategic Thinking.   Of course I will be available as a consultant as well.  I am going to be rich !!  

I don't think you can outsmart them with your Strategic Thinking unless you can stuff it to an Amulette. There will always be a different angle or perspective to prove them right. :)

[AussieBob]

6 minutes ago, BookShe said:

I don't think you can outsmart them with your Strategic Thinking unless you can stuff it to an Amulette. There will always be a different angle or perspective to prove them right. :)

Good idea.   When participants pass the training course final exam (no problem - nudge nudge wink wink) they will be provided a participation award certificate, and an Amulet that has been 'soaked' with 1000 hours of Strategic Planning meditations.  I am going to be super rich !! 

[NCC1701A]

[Dragan]

A wise man said: "Domestic tourists from the Thai dark red zones entered sandbox with one test and international tourists from low risk countries must have 4 PCR tests in 14 days". Karma is a bitch.

[MrStretch]

11 hours ago, EdwardV said:

“But the vast majority of Covid-19 infections that are increasing each day in Phuket are locally transmitted, not from international Sandbox travellers.” - unsurprisingly to say the least. 

Guess it wasn't those dirty farang, after all.

[BIGGLES]

All these additional restrictions is not going to work for one glaring reason.

The authorities at the border/check points have the discretion to allow entry. Liecense to print money!

Domestic travellers  or local workforce should be : Doubley Vaccinated, (with good vaccine  not that muckey mouse stuff) or no entry simple!

Do not allow corrupt officials any discretion, obey the order or face the consequences. 

[Paco]

Why August 2? Why not right away??? waiting again so more people infected and die? Just close it all now 

[Lowseasonlover]

I hate to be the barer of bad news but here goes guys