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I was told by the minibus drivers yesterday that those interested in visiting Samui and returning to Phuket again , its now again possible- as long as you are a resident of Phuket , have had 1 x AZ vax or 2 x Sinovac , and have a recent clean test ( possible at Pang Nga Hospital on the return leg ) .

I dont know ... I went looking for it here in Phuket and only managed to catch some minor stuff once or twice - some canoeing , some volleyball. I think the Olympics , that once you couldnt miss and hurried home to catch whole events because highlights was something you could watch over and over on any Free To Air TV news , is now something different , something not for all the citizens of the world , something elitist and 'special'. I mean , why cant news bulletins show winning post video ? Its not really broadcast widely and freely enough to be considered the property of all the worlds sports lovers any more , is it ?

"I would love to know the breakdown of genuine tourists vs folk with serious ties to Thailand (married etc) returning via Sandbox." What does it matter ? Why does this concern you ? What negative are you looking for ? Much of the Sandbox arrivals in my villiage are the latter , and were made to pay for a Hotel for 2 weeks like any 'normal' tourist. Their health Status had to be way better than any locals, just to be here. Now they are spending up , renting a villa or condo for the next 6 months/ year or the rest of their Retirement. Often they have leased a car or rented scooters , got a happy Thai lady in tow , and sometimes some Thai kids that they will clothe and educate and feed. Unlike a 'real' tourist , they are buying appliances , furniture , health care and a myriad of products/services that result in expenditures much larger and penetrating to the local economy than tourism. And that was the intention ! To get work and income happening now . It seems a bit 'dog in the manger' to me that people sitting on their bums in the West and receiving fat allowances under Job Seeker ( $750 a week !) or 'Hardship' cheques for doing nothing , think that people with NO welfare or incomes at all , should quietly accept their lot and wait and wait... Darn selfish . I know my observations will annoy many sad sack 'criticize everything ' pundits on here , but this is a good program and it is working. A figure of 0.2 % of tourists have tested positive to Covid and hospitalised/removed from interaction ( whether really sick or not ) , and over 13,000 arrivals are now spending money . Tourist are facebooking positively and reporting the process getting easier , and better organised. Certainly those Sandboxers Ive met with were enjoying the natural beauty and sense of space , but , admittedly , none were party animals either. You can now ride up and down the West Coast and see small Thai restaurants , Coffee Clubs , and Family Marts re-opening , bums on deckchairs , beach massage tents manned again ( so old ladies making some money ) , and a general big tidy up happening at last. It has to start somewhere . If you like Thailand and the Thai , I think you should be happy for them...