News Forum - Phuket post-Sandbox arrivals double, surge in domestic tourism

[Thaiger]

Thailand has only been reopened for 2 weeks, but the Phuket Sandbox was the tourism experiment that started it all. And though Phuket has been welcoming international travellers since way back in July, the November 1 reopening saw a noticeable boost in arriving visitors, both foreign and domestic. The Sandbox scheme that required a soft quarantine where travellers could roam the island but not leave it for 14 days and later reduced to 7 days and attracted an average of about 500 to 600 travellers per day. The new relaxed Test & Go scheme that only requires a few hours […]

The story Phuket post-Sandbox arrivals double, surge in domestic tourism as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Prosaap]

So the sandbox generated 11 biljoen make me laugh they just spin the weel and when the number not high enough the spin it again i think the kids that not go school now wil be smarter then the ont that learnt all this dumb shit 

[Griff1315]

22 minutes ago, Prosaap said:

So the sandbox generated 11 biljoen make me laugh they just spin the weel and when the number not high enough the spin it again i think the kids that not go school now wil be smarter then the ont that learnt all this dumb shit 

They are fooling nobody but themselves, just wish they were working out my pay packet man just think of all them zeroes they like adding....

[Jason]

Clearly, no one is fooled here. The sandbox is a start. I really hope it goes from strength to strength!!! I only hope that all levels of government don't "stuff it up". Make it easier for international tourists in places like Phuket. It will pay good dividends. If you are make it harder, it will be a flop...and everyone will know it was the Thai Government that made it a flop. 

[Jason]

This could have happened very differently if the vaccination effort that began months ago, was continued to a good end. As a world we have understood that certain levels of vaccination are needed to protect locals and make tourism possible. With all the power of social media, we still haven't got the message of what is an appropriate level of vaccination to open? it just shows that social media isn't the world changer it proports to be.  

[Jason]

I hope to come to Phuket, early next year. I will be fully vaccinated, I will have a PCR test 72 hours prior, I will have insurance to make sure I am no burden to Thailand if I get Covid in transit or while I am there. That is enough.....

[Soidog]

We all wish to see an end to this dreadful situation and for all countries to get up and running. The negativity and frustration people express is aimed at the pointless and mindless optimism peddled each and every day. Wishful thinking won’t sort this. Targeted actions which are measured accurately and inform tomorrows decisions are what’s required. Today I read yet again in the Bangkok Post, comments from the President of the Thai Hotels Association, still blaming low numbers on fears of quarantine rules in the home countries of potential tourists. THIS IS NOT THE PROBLEM!  Remove the Thailand pass fiasco. Replace PCR on arrival with either no test or an ATK and many many more people will be arriving. And while you are at it, open up your local consulates, align the e-visa requirements to what they were and are still listed as on Embassy websites, and even more will come.  

[TV7]

I just came back from Patong for the weekend with my wife. One big ghost town, except a few streets open. Kamala we drove trough, like NOTHING open, like scary to walk in the dark at night basically. Phuket is far from open. Then lets talk about one of the richest people in Thailand with his 7-11's. He doesn't even open them in Phuket. A few maximum. What is that for signal towards the local shops and hotels. Talking about hotels, they are empty. The buildings look old. If no one stays in a house or building it gets old pretty quickly. The staff of the hotels are new, have often not an idea what they are doing. It's far and I mean far from normal. It's one big s**t show. Can you imagine you fly in from abroad to have a nice holiday, and everything is different then the last time. Everything looks different then the photo's in the beautiful magazines. RIP Thailand

[Poolie]

44 minutes ago, TV7 said:

I just came back from Patong for the weekend with my wife. One big ghost town, except a few streets open. Kamala we drove trough, like NOTHING open, like scary to walk in the dark at night basically. Phuket is far from open. Then lets talk about one of the richest people in Thailand with his 7-11's. He doesn't even open them in Phuket. A few maximum. What is that for signal towards the local shops and hotels. Talking about hotels, they are empty. The buildings look old. If no one stays in a house or building it gets old pretty quickly. The staff of the hotels are new, have often not an idea what they are doing. It's far and I mean far from normal. It's one big s**t show. Can you imagine you fly in from abroad to have a nice holiday, and everything is different then the last time. Everything looks different then the photo's in the beautiful magazines. RIP Thailand

Its funny that 'cos everybody else who knows anything says its bouncing down there.

 

 

[Lowseasonlover]

8 hours ago, Poolie said:

Its funny that 'cos everybody else who knows anything says its bouncing down there.

I live in Rawai and it's busy hardly a ghost town I drove along the beach road around 5 pm yesterday there was lots of cars parked up, we own a condo and I would say judging by the amount of cars and bikes parked it's almost full.

One of the 7/11's that got closed down has reopened so there must be sign of life,

As for late at night I dont know but from what I see on FB Patong has been busy, Phuket town is busy

[PapayaBokBok]

3 hours ago, Lowseasonlover said:

One of the 7/11's that got closed down has reopened so there must be sign of life

The one true test to gauge and see the truth about how thailand is doing...the lifeblood of LOS

[JohninDublin]

8 hours ago, Lowseasonlover said:

I live in Rawai and it's busy hardly a ghost town I drove along the beach road around 5 pm yesterday there was lots of cars parked up, we own a condo and I would say judging by the amount of cars and bikes parked it's almost full.

One of the 7/11's that got closed down has reopened so there must be sign of life,

As for late at night I dont know but from what I see on FB Patong has been busy, Phuket town is busy

The are definite signs that Phuket is slowly heading back to normal. This was  posted today.

 

[lowprofile]

I would like to come back but am finding the procedure to be less than clear. I'm fine with visa requirements but the Thailand Pass is not clear. I can book a hotel on an online service, but there are no indications anywhere as to how to book the Covid test and get a receipt for it. Some SHA+ hotels don't  have websites for contacting them....... Agoda says I need to book a PCR test and an antigen self test kit, too. Having the Pass issued is stated as anywhere between 3 to 15 days....

[CNX]

On 11/14/2021 at 6:25 PM, Jason said:

I hope to come to Phuket, early next year. I will be fully vaccinated, I will have a PCR test 72 hours prior, I will have insurance to make sure I am no burden to Thailand if I get Covid in transit or while I am there. That is enough.....

Try booking 3 seats on the plane just to be safe 

[Thommo]

27 minutes ago, lowprofile said:

I would like to come back but am finding the procedure to be less than clear. I'm fine with visa requirements but the Thailand Pass is not clear. I can book a hotel on an online service, but there are no indications anywhere as to how to book the Covid test and get a receipt for it. Some SHA+ hotels don't  have websites for contacting them....... Agoda says I need to book a PCR test and an antigen self test kit, too. Having the Pass issued is stated as anywhere between 3 to 15 days....

i had no problem booking the sha+ hotel on agoda, it icludes the airport pick up and pcr test

hotel sent me an email directly after booking requesting flt info etc

[Stardust]

23 hours ago, TV7 said:

I just came back from Patong for the weekend with my wife. One big ghost town, except a few streets open. Kamala we drove trough, like NOTHING open, like scary to walk in the dark at night basically. Phuket is far from open. Then lets talk about one of the richest people in Thailand with his 7-11's. He doesn't even open them in Phuket. A few maximum. What is that for signal towards the local shops and hotels. Talking about hotels, they are empty. The buildings look old. If no one stays in a house or building it gets old pretty quickly. The staff of the hotels are new, have often not an idea what they are doing. It's far and I mean far from normal. It's one big s**t show. Can you imagine you fly in from abroad to have a nice holiday, and everything is different then the last time. Everything looks different then the photo's in the beautiful magazines. RIP Thailand

They expect no quality and no maintanance will bring the high end quality tourists because the clowns ordered it that Thailand will filled up with them. If it not work it must be the wrong amulet or blame the farangs for it.

[Alavan]

2 hours ago, lowprofile said:

I would like to come back but am finding the procedure to be less than clear. I'm fine with visa requirements but the Thailand Pass is not clear. I can book a hotel on an online service, but there are no indications anywhere as to how to book the Covid test and get a receipt for it. Some SHA+ hotels don't  have websites for contacting them....... Agoda says I need to book a PCR test and an antigen self test kit, too. Having the Pass issued is stated as anywhere between 3 to 15 days....

I can only speak for Phuket.
Some hotels will book test and SHA transport for you.
For others, you will have to book the test yourself through http://thailandpsas.com/. It will cost you 2400 Baht.