News Forum - Phuket relaxes checkpoint requirements to help tourists and health officials

[Thaiger]

Phuket is looking to bring in more domestic tourists and reduce the workload for healthcare officials who have to screen visitors, by reworking their health surveillance measures, says the provincial office. The measures are focused on the Chatchai checkpoint. Yesterday, Provincial governor Narong Woonciew announced that over 30,000 people have visited Phuket via the Sandbox programme that was launched 2 months prior. The Bangkok Post notes that the approach of the high tourism season that goes from November to February means many domestic tourists should arrive in Phuket soon. This fast-approaching season has driven officials to modify public health measures […]

The post Phuket relaxes checkpoint requirements to help tourists and health officials appeared first on Thaiger News.

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[AdvocatusDiaboli]

14 minutes ago, Thaiger said:

The Bangkok Post notes that the approach of the high tourism season that goes from November to February means many domestic tourists should arrive in Phuket soon.

Any other news outlet would use the word COULD, TAT PR and spin doctor would use the word WILL.

[Graham]

Well gee whizz, there's a shock, the reason the numbers have not decreased is because of the continued mass testing, I would never have guessed that. 555

[HolyCowCm]

1 hour ago, Thaiger said:

Phuket is looking to bring in more domestic tourists and reduce the workload for healthcare officials who have to screen visitors,

And just how is this a better safe idea? The virus will hitch hike with anyone, even jabbed ones. So that does not assure the unvaccinated folk there for safety, but probably insures more infections will rise..

[Lowseasonlover]

1 hour ago, HolyCowCm said:

And just how is this a better safe idea? The virus will hitch hike with anyone, even jabbed ones. So that does not assure the unvaccinated folk there for safety, but probably insures more infections will rise..

That was always my biggest worry, the amount of un vaccinated locals running around right now is not looking to good 

[HolyCowCm]

5 minutes ago, Lowseasonlover said:

That was always my biggest worry, the amount of un vaccinated locals running around right now is not looking to good 

That is exactly the point one needs to look at, not the domestic vaccinated people who would be the virus spreaders.

[Jason]

I think we've come to the point of decision....do you want international tourists who bring wealth to the region...or don't you want it??? Phuket lives on the income brought by international tourists, not national tourists. It's hard enough for Phuket to encourage international tourists to come and visit. How much more difficult will that task be if Thais are entering Phuket. It will be seen by international tourists as an invitation to get Covid. Let's see the cancellations of bookings that were made (with some confidence by international tourists). If Thailand wants to rely on it's own citizens to boost the Phuket economy, take a look at the last 18 months........ and the same can be said in so many other holiday places in Thailand. The government should preserve the only sandbox they have, that has any chance of succeeding by keeping it quarantined. 

[Tea]

I'm almost speechless...if Narong actually said that, he needs serious help. What a stupid thing to say

[Dr.Sivada]

What the covid really did was opening my eyes to the shocking incompetence of these clowns in power. They have not ceased to astonish me with their low intelligence over the past year. 

[Poolie]

22 minutes ago, Dr.Sivada said:

What the covid really did was opening my eyes to the shocking incompetence of these clowns in power. They have not ceased to astonish me with their low intelligence over the past year. 

Quite. They'd be much better providing a blow-by-blow account of what they're doing on an internet forum. Eh?

That's where they'd meet the super intelligence of the westerner after all. I'm amazed they havent considered it.

Goodnight.

[Yinn]

7 hours ago, HolyCowCm said:

And just how is this a better safe idea? The virus will hitch hike with anyone, even jabbed ones. So that does not assure the unvaccinated folk there for safety, but probably insures more infections will rise..

For entry Phuket still need double jab already and the swap test. Before change this rule, must do the test at Chatchai. 

Only change is can now get test another place before get to Chatchai.
eg. Yinn go Phuket 3 week ago, (for medical) must drive Ranong to Phuket, then wait for test at Chatchai. Have a lot of people peak time. Monday 9am. Waste the time. 

Now change the rule I can get test, day before, and just show the paper, 1) double vax already 2) negaitive swap test 3) doctor appointment.

i happy they change it.

[HolyCowCm]

1 hour ago, Yinn said:

For entry Phuket still need double jab already and the swap test. Before change this rule, must do the test at Chatchai. 

Only change is can now get test another place before get to Chatchai.
eg. Yinn go Phuket 3 week ago, (for medical) must drive Ranong to Phuket, then wait for test at Chatchai. Have a lot of people peak time. Monday 9am. Waste the time. 

Now change the rule I can get test, day before, and just show the paper, 1) double vax already 2) negaitive swap test 3) doctor appointment.

i happy they change it.

My post did not say that. My post related to the safety of the many of still unvaccinated Phuket people, and then tourist travelers bringing in the virus. Point is even if you have 2 jabs, the virus can still be carried by you and spread by you to others very easy. Until Phuket is realistically 85-90% vaccinated, it is not a good idea to allow easier as will be more trouble. And Phuket apparently has trouble every day already. Same as CM, there should be no open promoted domestic or foreign tourists allowed until everyone in this Province is jabbed. And just not with the crap the government wants everyone to jab with being those 2 vaccines for their reasons. People need a choice, and realistically until they get what they choose to jab, they won’t get jabbed and will wait. So it is gonna to take more time. 

[JamesE]

3 minutes ago, HolyCowCm said:

Point is even if you have 2 jabs, the virus can still be carried by you and spread by you to others very easy.

So then it will never be safe to go anywhere ever again?

"Very easy" is not entirely true. What is true is that the virus load on initial infection is comparable between the vaxxed and unvaxxed. This is because the initial infection occurs in the upper respiratory tract where the vaccine isn't. Once the virus spreads, the virus loads decrease dramatically. https://healthsciences.arizona.edu/newsroom/news-releases/2021/covid-19-vaccine-reduces-severity-length-viral-load-those-who-still-get (that link was just the first return in a long list.)

So, yes, it is possible but statistically unlikely for a vaccinated individual to spread the virus. This is why, despite vaccination status, all the other mitigation measures are still important.

[Bob20]

17 minutes ago, JamesE said:

So then it will never be safe to go anywhere ever again?

"Very easy" is not entirely true. What is true is that the virus load on initial infection is comparable between the vaxxed and unvaxxed. This is because the initial infection occurs in the upper respiratory tract where the vaccine isn't. Once the virus spreads, the virus loads decrease dramatically. https://healthsciences.arizona.edu/newsroom/news-releases/2021/covid-19-vaccine-reduces-severity-length-viral-load-those-who-still-get (that link was just the first return in a long list.)

So, yes, it is possible but statistically unlikely for a vaccinated individual to spread the virus. This is why, despite vaccination status, all the other mitigation measures are still important.

Two things:

-yes, there is a long list of mostly pre-print publications, and you picked one that specifically excludes the Delta variant that we're currently dealing with, and 

-research on the Delta variant in vaccinated subjects generally shows at most 40% reduction in transmissibility and that's in the mRNA vaccinated, not applicable to most in Thailand.

[JamesE]

2 hours ago, Bob20 said:

Two things:

-yes, there is a long list of mostly pre-print publications, and you picked one that specifically excludes the Delta variant that we're currently dealing with, and 

-research on the Delta variant in vaccinated subjects generally shows at most 40% reduction in transmissibility and that's in the mRNA vaccinated, not applicable to most in Thailand.

So, then, we're right back at "flatten the curve". The same number of people will get it - eventually, a smaller number of people will die, the hospital load will be reduced - somewhat, and we'll have provided a perfect environment to evolve a strain of virus that will just ignore the vaccines entirely?

This is not what's being seen in the real world. Yes, fully vaccinated people are getting sick (or at least testing positive) but not anything close to 60% of the unvaxxed rate. Vaxxed people are ending up in the hospital and dying but at 3 or 4% of the unvaxxed rate. And, as far as I could find, there isn't any evidence of a vaxxed individual being the patient zero of a super-spreader event. (other than some bats#!t-crazy CT sites).

So, can vaxxed people catch and spread the disease? Yes. But the data out there (particularly tied back to the Cape Code July 4 incident) indicate that it happens at a much lower level. In the context of Thailand, movement of domestic tourists is largely constrained by similar requirements of vaccines and testing as for international tourists. Domestic "travel" is another issue but Thailand seems to have gotten its public health measures back under control. Now if we could only see the real numbers to be sure...

[TheDirtyDurian]

Let's open 'er up! 

[Yinn]

8 hours ago, HolyCowCm said:

My post did not say that. My post related to the safety of the many of still unvaccinated Phuket people, and then tourist travelers bringing in the virus. Point is even if you have 2 jabs, the virus can still be carried by you and spread by you to others very easy. Until Phuket is realistically 85-90% vaccinated, it is not a good idea to allow easier as will be more trouble. And Phuket apparently has trouble every day already. Same as CM, there should be no open promoted domestic or foreign tourists allowed until everyone in this Province is jabbed. And just not with the crap the government wants everyone to jab with being those 2 vaccines for their reasons. People need a choice, and realistically until they get what they choose to jab, they won’t get jabbed and will wait. So it is gonna to take more time. 

Ok, I understand. Sorry my English confused. 
I think nowhere have 90% vaccinated? But open already. 
Be better 100% vaccinated in the world. But the loons will refuse. 

[AlexPTY]

looks like they are getting more health officials (whatever this term means) than tourists

[Bob20]

7 hours ago, JamesE said:

So, then, we're right back at "flatten the curve".

We're not "back". We're still there. In fact, the current situation is much worse than last year.

And at most 40% reduction in transmissibility after mRNA vaccines isn't huge, plus that's not the majority of vaccines here.

And do you think that people really are going to be selective in who resumes normal life? And/or use and show proof of vaccination? 

The vaccination rate is still too low to warrant opening-up. Too many are unvaccinated at no fault of their own!

You've seen what happened in Phuket, on an islands, with everyone looking, with much higher vaccination rates than the countries' average and with all the precautions.

Don't think that I don't want normal life to resume. But the spreading of the virus, ineffective "lockdowns" and countless measures and contradictory announcements brought us here and we've seen from other countries that opening up (causing increased movement) is only responsible once a high level of vaccination is reached.

As we're led to believe we're now drowning in vaccines, let's jab them day and night and restrain ourselves until at least the ones who chose to take them had that chance.

[JamesE]

5 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

We're not "back". We're still there. In fact, the current situation is much worse than last year.

And at most 40% reduction in transmissibility after mRNA vaccines isn't huge, plus that's not the majority of vaccines here.

And do you think that people really are going to be selective in who resumes normal life? And/or use and show proof of vaccination? 

The vaccination rate is still too low to warrant opening-up. Too many are unvaccinated at no fault of their own!

You've seen what happened in Phuket, on an islands, with everyone looking, with much higher vaccination rates than the countries' average and with all the precautions.

Don't think that I don't want normal life to resume. But the spreading of the virus, ineffective "lockdowns" and countless measures and contradictory announcements brought us here and we've seen from other countries that opening up (causing increased movement) is only responsible once a high level of vaccination is reached.

As we're led to believe we're now drowning in vaccines, let's jab them day and night and restrain ourselves until at least the ones who chose to take them had that chance.

Yeah... but. The messaging became that vaccines were going to be a silver bullet and the whole flatten the curve thing got lost with all the unicorns farting rainbows and cotton candy.

I understand where you're coming from and agree with most of what you are saying but my lived experience through this has been in a relatively unvaccinated county which is in a majority vaccinated (63%) state that is only majority vaccinated because of a single concentration of people who got the shot. None of the percentages is sufficient to ensure "herd immunity" and most likely will never be. This is all wrapped up in a country that by most measures was the worst place in the world to be during the last 18 months.

But even here it was possible to stay safe. As it was in Thailand before the situation went pear-shaped in April. And as it is in Thailand now.

The "once a high level of vaccination" you mention is never going to happen, anywhere. The goal has to be as much vaccine as possible along with everything else we've been doing all along. At some point - for me it was May of 2020 when the previous administration in the US proved it didn't give a rat's patootie about what happened - it becomes living to maximize your personal safety because - as you correctly point out - the people in charge really don't have a clue what's going to happen next. They were blindsided by Delta when they already knew about all the other variants and the trends that the virus was showing in response to our efforts. They'll be blindsided by the next one and the one after that because - and I just heard this on TV - we're "heading back to normal". The focus all along was never to beat the disease but to get back to "normal".

So, in a population of 70% vaccinated would I go out to a bar packed with people I didn't know? No way. Would I have a group of six or eight friends over for drinks and dinner? Sure. But everybody makes those decisions based on their own tolerance for risk. I've thought it through without regard to what the FDA or CDC or State Dept of Health is saying because here in the US, as in Thailand, the messaging was, and still is, totally messed up.

 

[Bob20]

7 minutes ago, JamesE said:

Yeah... but. The messaging became that vaccines were going to be a silver bullet and the whole flatten the curve thing got lost with all the unicorns farting rainbows and cotton candy.

I understand where you're coming from and agree with most of what you are saying but my lived experience through this has been in a relatively unvaccinated county which is in a majority vaccinated (63%) state that is only majority vaccinated because of a single concentration of people who got the shot. None of the percentages is sufficient to ensure "herd immunity" and most likely will never be. This is all wrapped up in a country that by most measures was the worst place in the world to be during the last 18 months.

But even here it was possible to stay safe. As it was in Thailand before the situation went pear-shaped in April. And as it is in Thailand now.

The "once a high level of vaccination" you mention is never going to happen, anywhere. The goal has to be as much vaccine as possible along with everything else we've been doing all along. At some point - for me it was May of 2020 when the previous administration in the US proved it didn't give a rat's patootie about what happened - it becomes living to maximize your personal safety because - as you correctly point out - the people in charge really don't have a clue what's going to happen next. They were blindsided by Delta when they already knew about all the other variants and the trends that the virus was showing in response to our efforts. They'll be blindsided by the next one and the one after that because - and I just heard this on TV - we're "heading back to normal". The focus all along was never to beat the disease but to get back to "normal".

So, in a population of 70% vaccinated would I go out to a bar packed with people I didn't know? No way. Would I have a group of six or eight friends over for drinks and dinner? Sure. But everybody makes those decisions based on their own tolerance for risk. I've thought it through without regard to what the FDA or CDC or State Dept of Health is saying because here in the US, as in Thailand, the messaging was, and still is, totally messed up.

Herd immunity won't happen. And we don't need to discuss what went wrong. We have an actual situation to deal with, regardless of how we arrived at it.

Where we disagree is who decides to take the risk for whom.

And my clear opinion is that the vaccinated already have the advantage of protection. They (and that includes me) are not to take that as a liberty to free movement and resuming life to the max thereby undeniably spreading the virus around, while others haven't even been given the chance of a jab and are still at high risk.

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

1 minute ago, Bob20 said:

Herd immunity won't happen.

But consider if it did …. And we get back to normal …. With herd immunity we would have no more sick buffaloes, then what excuse will the bar girls use on us ATM’s?

[JamesE]

7 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

thereby undeniably spreading the virus around,

This is not as a big a problem as you suggest (a point of disagreement between us) and can be easily mitigated by personal behavior that has proven to be effective all by itself.

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

2 minutes ago, JamesE said:

This is not as a big a problem as you suggest (a point of disagreement between us) and can be easily mitigated by personal behavior that has proven to be effective all by itself.

But remember the selfish amongst us ….. seeing them quite frequently now …. Especially amongst the newly arrived tourists I see around the area I reside. 

[Bob20]

Just now, JamesE said:

This is not as a big a problem as you suggest (a point of disagreement between us) and can be easily mitigated by personal behavior that has proven to be effective all by itself.

In my opinion personal behaviour is the -only- problem.

Seeing the number of weekend travellers from Bangkok to Chiang Mai since it was allowed again, it is clear that people show very little responsibility or self-restraint. Grabbing a beer in a bar or satisfying your desire to get away for the weekend can wait until other people can feel as safe as you.

The ones that do this are privileged to have been jabbed. If the shoe were on the other foot and others were taking liberties while they still waited for a jab, they'd be saying the same!