Phuket reservations slow down for August

[Thaiger]

Reservation bookings in the Phuket/Phuket Sandbox are slowing down for August amidst speeding up Covid cases on the island. Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, an official from the Tourism Authority of Thailand says hotel reservations for August has gone down by 5% over the last couple of days. As of Thursday, a person shy of 13,000 people had visited Phuket. 30 travellers tested positive for Covid. The Sandbox scheme has slowly gained steam since the grand reopening on the first of this month. Hotels that had been certified by the SHA plus scheme report 298,858 bookings for “room nights” in the third quarter. […]

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[HolyCowCm]

Slowing down? Probably not even hitting the brakes and is being put into reverse.

[BookShe]

I obtained this video from the latest TAT meeting. Their "worst case scenario" estimate was 3 million tourist by year's end. 13,000 arrived so it's only 2,987,000 to go. According to science there is 152 days left from 2021 but TAT is questioning this aproach, insisting that their figures are accurate.

 

[Searat]

It’s not just the new cases in Phuket….transportation is certainly as issue with most domestic airline service shut down…and then what do you do in others areas which are largely shut down. 

[MrStretch]

The Thai approach to math mystifies me.

How will an increase in hotel openings increase the occupancy rate?  Unless I am wrong, if you have the same numbers of customers, but more availability, then the occupancy rate would decrease, not increase.

 

[Malc-Thai]

"Reportedly, there have not been any early checkouts from Phuket Sandbox visitors"

Hmm what about the 12 that were forced into quarantine and then asked and went home early because they were covid free.. only 1 was positive..  and open more hotels wil bring 20% more!

[triplebogey]

7 minutes ago, MrStretch said:

The Thai approach to math mystifies me.

How will an increase in hotel openings increase the occupancy rate?  Unless I am wrong, if you have the same numbers of customers, but more availability, then the occupancy rate would decrease, not increase.

wow using common sense and logic to explain a point really

[Graham]

Yeah, what was the number they came up with for the average daily spend per tourist, 40k baht. Either dreaming or smoking something they shouldn't be smoking. 555

[Dedinbed]

1 hour ago, Thaiger said:

Hotels that had been certified by the SHA plus scheme report 298,858 bookings for “room nights” in the third quarter

Yea yea whatever .. it's presented as such to create an impression not in keeping with reality .. if project sandbox had been anywhere near the success they were lusting after we'd be getting glowing , gushing reports of tourists piling in .. but apart from the first couple of days the silence is becoming deafening .. 

[Jason]

If there is one big upside to this sandbox scheme, it's that a big effort was put into vaccinating the people of Phuket. I hope that continues to ramp up, because the people of Phuket have both the most to gain and the most to lose. If the rate of vaccination (yes I mean both doses, not just one) continues to climb, the island's population will reach herd immunity. It is the unvaccinated citizens of Phuket who pose a risk to the hospital system. They have the greatest chance of contracting the virus and being hospitalised or dying from Covid.  So if the vaccine rollout continues (yes even the children), there's a good chance it will still succeed. Keeping other Thai's from other provinces out is also imperative (I know it seems unimaginable to suggest that Thais not have the freedom of their own country), but it shuttles the sandbox nature of the project. 

World media are showing footage and daily covid numbers in Thailand. Foreign tourists won't come if they get even the hint that Covid can spill into Phuket from mainland Thailand (especially the Delta Variant). I think everyone wants this to work, because if it does, everybody benefits. Foreign tourists who have had PCR tests and are vaccinated pose little risk to the people of Phuket. In fact, it's the unvaccinated, in Phuket, who pose the greatest risk to their own community. So to the people of Phuket, get vaccinated as soon as itis offered to you and get the second dose at the appointed time. I wish you the best possible outcome. Look to the Seychelles who have already done what you are doing now.

 

[Cg66]

I’m worried about the Covid measures, but not because I’m scared, because I wouldn’t want my holiday ruined by these measures such as wearing masks, which I have not done once, And will never do, and the senseless things being implemented like not drinking alcohol, closing restaurants early, and the Constant threat of movement restrictions

[Cg66]

1 hour ago, Jason said:

If there is one big upside to this sandbox scheme, it's that a big effort was put into vaccinating the people of Phuket. I hope that continues to ramp up, because the people of Phuket have both the most to gain and the most to lose. If the rate of vaccination (yes I mean both doses, not just one) continues to climb, the island's population will reach herd immunity. It is the unvaccinated citizens of Phuket who pose a risk to the hospital system. They have the greatest chance of contracting the virus and being hospitalised or dying from Covid.  So if the vaccine rollout continues (yes even the children), there's a good chance it will still succeed. Keeping other Thai's from other provinces out is also imperative (I know it seems unimaginable to suggest that Thais not have the freedom of their own country), but it shuttles the sandbox nature of the project. 

World media are showing footage and daily covid numbers in Thailand. Foreign tourists won't come if they get even the hint that Covid can spill into Phuket from mainland Thailand (especially the Delta Variant). I think everyone wants this to work, because if it does, everybody benefits. Foreign tourists who have had PCR tests and are vaccinated pose little risk to the people of Phuket. In fact, it's the unvaccinated, in Phuket, who pose the greatest risk to their own community. So to the people of Phuket, get vaccinated as soon as itis offered to you and get the second dose at the appointed time. I wish you the best possible outcome. Look to the Seychelles who have already done what you are doing now.

You are completely wrong about vaccinations. These vaccinations are causing the surge in cases. Look at the 15 most vaccinated countries in the world, and their rise in cases mirrors the vaccination roll out. Antibodies from vaccines are very short lived, often starting to disappear within two months. They also limit greatly the strain of Covid that you are supposedly protected from. Far better to go down the medication route and give the population a 12 mg tablet of ivermectin when they display symptoms, as has worked in numerous countries, despite The lack of publicity

[Elektronek]

6 minutes ago, Cg66 said:

You are completely wrong about vaccinations. These vaccinations are causing the surge in cases. Look at the 15 most vaccinated countries in the world, and their rise in cases mirrors the vaccination roll out. Antibodies from vaccines are very short lived, often starting to disappear within two months. They also limit greatly the strain of Covid that you are supposedly protected from. Far better to go down the medication route and give the population a 12 mg tablet of ivermectin when they display symptoms, as has worked in numerous countries, despite The lack of publicity

Since my country started vaccination, cases went down and are not going up although we have delta variant here. Clubs are open, people don't wear masks.

Also they're stopping using Ivermectin because it was deemed ineffective.

Edited July 31, 2021 by Elektronek

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

2 hours ago, MrStretch said:

How will an increase in hotel openings increase the occupancy rate? 

Because those hotels that are opening are for Hospotels? This may even make a decrease of available tourist hotel rooms if that’s the case. Soon there may be more daily Covid cases in Phuket than Sandbox arrivals. Though don’t quote me on that as I haven’t perfected my Thai math yet.

[Soidog]

7 minutes ago, Cg66 said:

You are completely wrong about vaccinations. These vaccinations are causing the surge in cases. Look at the 15 most vaccinated countries in the world, and their rise in cases mirrors the vaccination roll out

Total nonsense I’m afraid. Some of the words are correct but your conclusion of vaccines not working is wrong. Yes, countries with high vaccination rates are seeing increases in case numbers, but let me explain the reason why. As vaccination rates increase and serious illness and deaths fall, those countries can start to open up again. In the U.K. with high vaccination rates, it has opened up since July 19th. Consequently people are mixing more and so infection rates will naturally rise. However the illness and death rates remain significantly lower than before. 
 

Prior to the vaccine rollout with the same number of cases, the death rate was 10x higher. Vaccination works and the evidence is there to see. 

[Soidog]

The inference with this article is that bookings are falling due to an increase in Covid numbers in Phuket (Tourists being scared off). It’s more likely that the reason numbers in August are falling, is that those expats and Thais who wanted to get back to Thailand without being quarantined in a Bangkok hotel have already returned? Without a breakdown in the data it’s had to come to a proper conclusion of course. The one number which doesn’t support what I have said is the average stay of 11 days. With 13,000 recorded visitors, and having to stay a full 14 days before being allowed to other parts of Thailand, this implies a few thousand flew in and back out in under that 14 days. This would suggest they were genuine “tourists”. They could have been Thais working overseas who have family in Phuket and wanted to visit them of course? If they also counted the government officials who have visited for a few hours then that would also bring the average way down! Impossible to tell without the data, but I am still to be convinced mum and dad with the two kids turned up beach towel in hand. 

[Poolie]

2 hours ago, Jason said:

If there is one big upside to this sandbox scheme, it's that a big effort was put into vaccinating the people of Phuket. I hope that continues to ramp up, because the people of Phuket have both the most to gain and the most to lose. If the rate of vaccination (yes I mean both doses, not just one) continues to climb, the island's population will reach herd immunity. It is the unvaccinated citizens of Phuket who pose a risk to the hospital system. They have the greatest chance of contracting the virus and being hospitalised or dying from Covid.  So if the vaccine rollout continues (yes even the children), there's a good chance it will still succeed. Keeping other Thai's from other provinces out is also imperative (I know it seems unimaginable to suggest that Thais not have the freedom of their own country), but it shuttles the sandbox nature of the project. 

World media are showing footage and daily covid numbers in Thailand. Foreign tourists won't come if they get even the hint that Covid can spill into Phuket from mainland Thailand (especially the Delta Variant). I think everyone wants this to work, because if it does, everybody benefits. Foreign tourists who have had PCR tests and are vaccinated pose little risk to the people of Phuket. In fact, it's the unvaccinated, in Phuket, who pose the greatest risk to their own community. So to the people of Phuket, get vaccinated as soon as itis offered to you and get the second dose at the appointed time. I wish you the best possible outcome. Look to the Seychelles who have already done what you are doing now.

Hallelujah Jason.

Unfortunately there are those who need it to fail to prop up their  fading ego. That  way they get to point and laugh at all the efforts. I sincerely hope good luck prevails.

[DavidK]

I have cancelled my trip to Phuket and can confirm the cancellation of 19 days of hotel occupancy. Cancellation is not the result of COVID-19 surges but a much more interesting issue - COVID-19 testing. The agent through whom I booked the trip tell me I have to organise this directly with the hotel, the hotel tell me I cannot do this as the agent made the booking and they have approached the agent for information allowing them to proceed, the agent tells me it has nothing to do with them, the hotel tell me they can make the arrangements but only if I cancel the original booking and book directly with them. I found myself in the position of not being able to book and pay for the tests which I need to get the COE. I suspect the agent and hotel are both publicly very keen to encourage the restoration of international travel to Phuket. Provincial Governor's Office please note.

[Soidog]

7 minutes ago, Poolie said:

Unfortunately there are those who need it to fail to prop up their  fading ego. That  way they get to point and laugh at all the efforts.

I’m not so sure people want it to fail; I certainly don’t. The negative comments about the Sandbox on this forum are coming from the way it was implemented and controlled. Most people who comment on here come from educated and open societies who can see the nonsense that is going on. They can see the distortion of the facts, the propaganda and the mistakes being made. This is where I see most members being negative. I’d love it all to work smoothly and have hundreds of thousands visit Phuket and drive the economy for the local people forward. But being implemented in this way sadly means there is only one likely outcome.

[Zool]

46 minutes ago, Cg66 said:

You are completely wrong about vaccinations. These vaccinations are causing the surge in cases. Look at the 15 most vaccinated countries in the world, and their rise in cases mirrors the vaccination roll out. Antibodies from vaccines are very short lived, often starting to disappear within two months. They also limit greatly the strain of Covid that you are supposedly protected from. Far better to go down the medication route and give the population a 12 mg tablet of ivermectin when they display symptoms, as has worked in numerous countries, despite The lack of publicity

It's nice to see some sanity in this forum. I'm afraid most people won't comprehend you. They only believe the people they see on TV.

[Soidog]

11 minutes ago, DavidK said:

I have cancelled my trip to Phuket and can confirm the cancellation of 19 days of hotel occupancy

Sorry to hear that David. Over the past year I’ve helped a number of friends with the process of CoE including the preflight Covid, Insurance and until recently the Fit to Fly. Generally the local embassies (particularly in London) have been very quick to respond to the online process and answer emails. It seems as if you have been caught in the classic problem of agents and hotels or airlines claiming it’s the others problem. Over the last 10-15 years I have reduced the amount of bookings I do with agents and book it myself. Sometimes a little more expensive, but a whole lot less hassle when things go wrong. 
 

Thanks for posting this. The more people post their real experiences, the more people can be aware of the issues. I hope you can rebook and get your plans back on track soon. 

[Soidog]

3 minutes ago, Zool said:

It's nice to see some sanity in this forum. I'm afraid most people won't comprehend you. They only believe the people they see on TV.

And where do the people who believe vaccines don’t work get their information. From YouTube? Lots of checks a balances and quality reporting going on with YouTube. Not like anyone can post on YouTube now is it

[Poolie]

15 minutes ago, Soidog said:

And where do the people who believe vaccines don’t work get their information. From YouTube? Lots of checks a balances and quality reporting going on with YouTube. Not like anyone can post on YouTube now is it

That reminds me of the Wikipedia mafia on the other forum.

[Zool]

17 minutes ago, Soidog said:

And where do the people who believe vaccines don’t work get their information. From YouTube? Lots of checks a balances and quality reporting going on with YouTube. Not like anyone can post on YouTube now is it

Not sure where you've been hiding but YouTube doesn't allow any videos that go against the mainstream. Dr. Malone and Bret Weinstein had their videos deleted. 

[Soidog]

6 minutes ago, Zool said:

Not sure where you've been hiding but YouTube doesn't allow any videos that go against the mainstream. Dr. Malone and Bret Weinstein had their videos deleted. 

Well I’ve seen plenty and a few posted on this forum. You must be getting it from other sources. Have you ever heard of “Confirmation bias”