stuarty

7 minutes ago, WhiteBuffaloATM said:

“ gearing up”.... good grief......right, with 300 tourists total now in Phuket......and STILL no final govt. approval of 1 July Vax / No Quarantine/ Phuket “Sandbox”...flight bookings (cancellable) no real indicator under the circumstances, only flight arrivals......arriving to .....  very little.....

 

March/ April 2021 domestic tourism artificially induced by govt. travel incentives,so hardly a “recovery” more of a “dead cat bounce”, after the “cat” plummeted March 2020.... RIP 

Right.  It's a crappy time of year to visit Phuket and the level of takeup remains to be seen. Many will wait and see and travel later.  But for anyone keen to return to anywhere in Thailand it's a good offer if it eventuates, and you can travel nationwide after a week in crappy or otherwise Phuket.  Why knock it.  Don't all posters here generally have an interest in travelling to or staying in Thailand, and in  the welfare of the local economies?

1 minute ago, impulse said:

So, as a normal 2-3 week tourist, I'm going to put in for vacation time, book a flight and hotel, run all the immigration traps and cross my fingers that the Thai gub'ment won't pull yet another U-Turn between now and wheels up?

 

What could possibly go wrong, even if everything was 100% refundable?

 

I think the Phuket sandbox is a great idea.  But it's going to take some history before the touring public has confidence that it will actually happen.

 

In your case, probably don't bother then

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I only have the same information at my finger tips as you... Namely these threads and the Facebook group (which was linked to on the first page of this thread) 

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/388875605677294/

 

 

Everything I have read leads me to the understanding that a vaccinated individual can fly into Phuket, stay at ‘any’ hotel *(which has SHA approval (>70% staff vaccinated) for 7 days and have free range over the island of Phuket. 

 

A covid-19 RT PCR test is carried out on day 5 (results the following day). 

 

On day 7 we are free to travel to the remainder of Thailand without restriction (if there are no local provincial restrictions on arrivals from other provinces). 

 

 

 

Correct as far as we know today.  Further announcement next week. Those who say the sandbox is not happening at all are fading, and I stand to eat my optimism, but anyway let's wait a week and see.

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I want to agree with you. 

 

But, a negative impression of these announcements and similar such announcements is borne of what can only be described as the previous total and utter contractory and inconsistent announcements.... 

 

We’ve had Covid visa amnesty, no more Covid visa amnesty, ok then, one more Covid visa amnesty, no more, ok, more visa amnesties.... no need to wear a mask in open air, have to wear a mask outdoors, no need to wear a mask while exercising, people arrested for wearing a mask while exercising, no more than 20 people gathering together, 6 people arrested for having dinner at a friends house.... then we’ve had Yatch Quarantine, SandBox quarantine, 14 day quarantine, 7 day quarantine, 10 day quarantine, back to 14 day quarantine, Foreigners will be vaccinated, won’t be vaccinated, will be vaccinated after Thai’s, an app is coming, xx million vaccines in country by may, ok, June then, ok, August... second vaccine must be taken within 10 weeks, not enough vaccines in country, second booster vaccine can be taken after 14 weeks...  and on and on and on....... 

 

Cynicism is completely understandable.....  That said, it does appear as this Phuket Sandbox initiative is gaining more and more official momentum. But, it takes a minor outbreak of a new variant and things can change in the blinking of an eye. 

 

 

 

 

 

Mostly correct. The policies were adapted to evolving circumstances over the last year or so.  Some people were caught between the changing rules, but all were generally still able to enter Thailand under prevailing rules, if qualified. I fully understand the cynicism, but the 1 July sandbox is being pushed hard.  Announcement next week. Foreigners vaccination programme somewhat is a separate issue, sadly.

1 minute ago, simon43 said:

But why buy extra travel insurance when other countries can be visited without these hassles?

Because it's the rule currently (subject to sandbox possible easing if vaccinated  yet to be announced).  Also I am not suggesting extra insurance, only just Thailand (e.g. Axa ) travel insurance including Covid protection.  No great hardship, and actually probably advisable given that there's a worldwide pandemic of Coronavirus on top of the usual risks of holidaying abroad.

3 minutes ago, stuandjulie said:

Another point missed. If Thailand stays on Amber (using UK as an example but similar restrictions are in most Countries) then if you go to Thailand you not only have to Quarantine when you return but your travel Insurance is invalid. This is obviously against Thai rules for entry. Phuket will stay on the same alert as the rest of Thailand no matter what the Thai Gov thinks. 

Then buy Thai travel insurance.  They won't care about these potential loopholes. Also, Amber, you can get out after 5 days at home on return to UK (nobody really checking) after a test. No great hardship, and likely to change for the better over the summer

1 minute ago, superal said:

Does that mean that after the 7 day quarantine you are free to travel further afield in Thailand ?

Yes

6 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Tell me again on July 2nd.

Why would a vaccinated tourist under the now widely announced scheme for Phuket not be able to rent a vehicle, or eat in a restaurant? Have you been living under rock?

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Tell me again on July 2nd.

I will I am not discounting a short delay of a week or so, but all signs are that this is a fully supported

goer.

2 hours ago, madmitch said:

Don't forget the ten day self-isolation in the UK. It might change by summer ( I hope it does) but that in itself is off-putting and similar inconveniences in other countries will still put off all but long term stayers from travelling 

It will change, and also it's only 5 days after a negative test on day 5

2 minutes ago, Deli said:

 

Won't work.

This is not a true representation of what's proposed.

6 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I think you will find tours, eating out, renting vehicles are no longer options for foreign tourists in Thailand.

You come and you stay in the hotel grounds.

I think you are completely wrong

9 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

It ain't happening. Sadly.

That's a sad, pathetic negative comment based on not much at all

1 hour ago, bolt said:

As of May 27^th not one embassy will confirm anything about this Sandbox project.

 

I’m sure many people are working round the clock to get it ready for 1^st July, but I’m guessing we will get the Royal Gazette June 28-29-30^Th , and the Sandbox will officially start Monday 5^th of July 00:01 hours

Anyone arriving in Phuket before that date will have to quarantine for 14 days in Room at ASQ hotels

 

so i'm going pre book the friday 9th July

Fair enough. An educated guess but I believe they will make an announcement next week so prolly wait till then Also no embassy will tell you anything until instructions to them. This is evident over the last 9 months 

Serious question-  are there any bars open at all (wink wink) on e.g. Kamala or Bangtao Beach?

5 hours ago, sallecc said:

Why quarantine if vaccinated?

Latest rule was "No quarantine if vaccinated OR 72h PCR test (not rapid).

Right. I misread that not coming from outside Thailand 

4 minutes ago, Maha Sarakham said:

Absolutely zero chance this takes off in a little over 2 months time.  Things change by the week in Thailand, don't book anything that isn't refundable.  

It’s a little over one months time. Refundable yes. Zero chance no

6 hours ago, xylophone said:

Having said that, I did enjoy the Chateauneuf du Papes given to me by the owner and winemaker of Domaine du Pegau, Mdme Laurence Feraud, on my visit, and much better than the one from Tesco!!!!!

Maybe it was acceptable in the 80's, but you wouldn't get away with that these days.  I mean both the groping and the dress sense.

10 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

Good question.  First your g/f with need a covid test valid for 72 hours on arrival Phuket. Regarding vaxed person. Not clear to me for June 2021 whether 7 or 14 days quarantine.  Sure you can enter Phuket with vax paper but seems to be some sort of self quarantine using a Thai app to track.  

 

But the Phuket rules change almost daily.

June? Vaxxed? Phuket? 14 days.

1 hour ago, WhiteBuffaloATM said:

govt position was clear upon original 1 July opening notice.

nobody should be “waiting” for further subject govt notices

most people comingwould have already made their plans by now

You're joking, right?

6 minutes ago, JetsetBkk said:

 

But, but, I like JJ McWilliams. I really like it. Oh, philistine, me.

No that wine is OK and unpretentious if that's your price range and your bag, except it's worth paying a little more if you can afford it, for a significantly better wine . It's the silver sticker Tesco stuff I am railing against (and 9 year old Rioja that everyone seems to be rushing out to buy?!).

4 minutes ago, JetsetBkk said:

 

But, but, I like JJ McWilliams. I really like it. Oh, philistine, me.

36 minutes ago, stuarty said:

So I thought long and hard about it and suddenly remembered that I had tried it before and I wasn't overly enamoured with it, so consoled myself with the fact that I could spend the money I would have spent on a nine year old bottle of wine

 

A 9 year old Rioja at that price in Thailand, that's already cooking wine. How can you suddenly remember that a wine you had before is rubbish. Also I think you mean JJ McWilliams, maybe. They apologised for adding other fruit to their wine?  Mate they were sending it to Asia.  It's wine with other fruit juice, it's not to round it off.  There's no such thing.

 

You are an amiable but rank amateur.

I was timed out of edit but here's my full tirade.  Pay a bit more and get a lit more.  Even in Thailand

So I thought long and hard about it and suddenly remembered that I had tried it before and I wasn't overly enamoured with it, so consoled myself with the fact that I could spend the money I would have spent on a nine year old bottle of wine

A 9 year old Rioja at that price in Thailand, that's already cooking wine. How can you suddenly remember that a wine you had before is rubbish. Also I think you mean JJ McWilliams, maybe. They apologised for adding other fruit to their wine?  Mate they were sending it to Asia.  It's wine with other fruit juice, it's not to "round it off".  You just made that up - There's no such thing.

Finally, as someone who worked in Tesco's marketing department, I'm almost sorry to say your naive view on the indication of a silver sticker declaring "Tesco's finest" as indicating an aspect of quality is just plain wrong.  It is a tool to push what they need to shift in larger volume  (at least in the wine section, if not in the food so much) and no indication of quality at all. But I get that you have very limited choice in Phuket  I would stick to Winepro and also take their advice ( I have no connection there but they know their stuff)

You are an amiable but rank amateur.

3 hours ago, xylophone said:

If you do find a good Primitivo, Schlog, reasonably priced, then please let me know as always on the lookout for a "good one".

So I thought long and hard about it and suddenly remembered that I had tried it before and I wasn't overly enamoured with it, so consoled myself with the fact that I could spend the money I would have spent on a nine year old bottle of wine

A 9 year old Rioja at that price in Thailand, that's already cooking wine. How can you suddenly remember that a wine you had before is rubbish. Also I think you mean JJ McWilliams, maybe. They apologised for adding other fruit to their wine?  Mate they were sending it to Asia.  It's wine with other fruit juice, it's not to round it off.  There's no such thing.

You are an amiable but rank amateur.