News Forum - Local businesses say they aren’t profiting from Phuket Sandbox

[Thaiger]

While large resorts and big businesses in Phuket might be seeing revenue from the Phuket Sandbox, interviews with small local businesses suggest they are seeing little to no benefit from the reopening with its strong restrictions. Most business owners agree there won’t be any real income for most until there is a full reopening with fewer rules and more nightlife returned. Reporters chatted with shopkeepers around Old Phuket Town and found a near-unanimous feeling that the two and a half months since the Phuket Sandbox launched has done little to help their ailing businesses. They all said the island is […]

The post Local businesses say they aren’t profiting from Phuket Sandbox appeared first on Thaiger News.

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[Graham]

Well gee, that's a surprise, not. Did they seriously believe all the BS the government said, this was never meant to help small local businesses, this was only for the big boys that have connections high up in government. The only way it's going to be of benefit to small businesses is for a open wide up to tourism, international and local, otherwise forget it, same select few will get something but not everyone. 

TIT.

[Griff1315]

Small businesses making little to nothing from the Shatbox plan but the authorities are making plenty on overpriced covid tests. 

[DiJoDavO]

Wow, is this news?

[Tea]

First survey/news that has made sense in a while

[Bob20]

I could find and re-posts my messages that said exactly this a month ago.

But I can't be bothered. 

The risks taken was big and the gained advantage was small.

It's made many more people very sick and caused many more deaths too.

Totally unnecessarily!

And still the voices that say "open up" do not understand.

[Lowseasonlover]

What a load of bollicks, why not go to places like Kata and Karon tumble weed blowing down the streets there

[PhayakPeter]

Said this 6 weeks ago, thaiger never mentioned my comment though, basic new world order. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer. 

[Bob20]

1 minute ago, PhayakPeter said:

Said this 6 weeks ago, thaiger never mentioned my comment though, basic new world order. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer. 

NWO doesn't exist. As long as countries can't agree on the ideal shape of a cucumber, they're not going to agree and successfully hide major agreements without some whistleblower providing evidence over the many years this has been claimed.

This is just people in power in one country making a deal with a few big hotels that they get the business and that they absolutely don't want any envelopes in return

[EdwardV]

“Nightlife and entertainment venues lift up the local economy as holiday-makers want to go out at night, eat food, drink beer and cocktails, dance to music, relax and party. Local vendors know this and wait for the restrictions to lift and the atmosphere to return.” - interesting no one knew this when setting up the sandbox … oh wait everyone knew this. Where is sunshine pumper Bob B on the topic? 

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

2 hours ago, Thaiger said:

interviews with small local businesses suggest they are seeing little to no benefit from the reopening with its strong restrictions.

Now we need the Good Morning Thailand team to bring back Bill B to give his take on this. Would be nice to have a man on the grounds perspective, though unsure if he is small or large business in Phuket.

[Lifeboat]

Maybe they should do like the other Thais are doing... less tourist, raise the price.  You may only get one customer but you can make a lot of profit off of one.  They just don't  understand  supply and demand.

Edited September 18, 2021 by Lifeboat

[Bob20]

8 minutes ago, Lifeboat said:

Maybe they should do like the other Thais are doing... less tourist, raise the price.  You may only get one customer but you can make a lot of profit off of one.  They just don't  understand  supply and demand.

Yes, but then they have to offer different or better service because people will not pay double for the same thing. Then they'll go somewhere else altogether...

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

2 minutes ago, Lifeboat said:

They just don't  understand  supply and demand.

Of course they don’t, that’s why the Tourism Authority of Thailand has struggled to fill the sandbox. 

[PhayakPeter]

Just now, Bob20 said:

Yes, but then they have to offer different or better service because people will not pay double for the same thing. Then they'll go elsewhere completely...

Some Thais have morals and don't want to resort to stealing or scamming to survive. Tourists only get scammed if they allow themselves to be. 

[Griff1315]

3 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

Yes, but then they have to offer different or better service because people will not pay double for the same thing. Then they'll go elsewhere completely...

Too be honest Bob it was heading that way before Covid even left China. 

[Bob20]

2 minutes ago, PhayakPeter said:

Some Thais have morals and don't want to resort to stealing or scamming to survive. Tourists only get scammed if they allow themselves to be. 

Exactly. If my favourite restaurant ups the price 10% tomorrow, no problem.

If they double the price for the same thing, I'll find a new favourite restaurant

[Bob20]

4 minutes ago, Griff1315 said:

Too be honest Bob it was heading that way before Covid even left China. 

I do read the scamming stories on the forum, but I don't really have that experience here up north. Or I'm just too thick to notice

[HolyCowCm]

This is just something they can BS about and pat themselves on the back saying they did something proactive when it was not. 

[PhayakPeter]

3 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

I do read the scamming stories on the forum, but I don't really have that experience here up north. Or I'm just too thick to notice

Mainly happens in the tourists places, I pay exactly the same as locals in the Northeast 

[Bob20]

6 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

I do read the scamming stories on the forum, but I don't really have that experience here up north. Or I'm just too thick to notice

I'm not too thick to see you laughing at me Griff1315 haha

[EdwardV]

15 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

Exactly. If my favourite restaurant ups the price 10% tomorrow, no problem.

If they double the price for the same thing, I'll find a new favourite restaurant

Exactly. No doubt many will try, but it’s going to be a buyers market for quite sometime and those that discount or offer value will get the business. Even in Thailand. 

[Manu]

A suggestion to the Thaiger next time you go out there is to interview the sandboxers themselves...although I believe to know already who they are and what they will say. I would bet a fortune that the vast majority of sandboxers are ex-pats and regular long time stayers that are just coming back to Thailand using the sandbox instead of a full quarantaine in BKK. Who on earth would want to spend their 3/4 weeks holidays in these conditions, with all the paperworks, money and time consumming to end in a empty place where you have to wear a mask at all time, all your movements being tracked... and you cannot even enjoy a beer with your meal? Sure there must an handful of real tourists enjoying the empty beaches, but surely not more than that. I know personally 8 people who have used the sandbox since July, 2 of them being there right now. I will also use it next month, I know at least one of my friends who will also be there around the same time.

[Griff1315]

11 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

I do read the scamming stories on the forum, but I don't really have that experience here up north. Or I'm just too thick to notice

 

7 minutes ago, PhayakPeter said:

Mainly happens in the tourists places, I pay exactly the same as locals in the Northeast 

Its defo better away from the tourist traps but you still have to watch out for a bit of skin tax I usually send the wife in if I want a price on something.

 

Edited September 18, 2021 by Griff1315

[Bob20]

1 minute ago, Griff1315 said:

Its defo better away from the tourist traps but you still have to watch out for a bit of skin tax I usually send the wife in if I want a price on something.

Okay, worth a try. I'll send your wife in first next time