Phuket hotels look to close during lockdown

[webfact]

Phuket hotels look to close during lockdown

By The Phuket News

 

Bangla Rd in Patong remains closed. Photo; Patong Municipality

 

PHUKET: The number of hotels in Phuket intending to temporarily close in April to comply with the one-month lockdown has risen to some 87%, reports Kongsak Khoopongsakorn, President of Thai Hotels Association (THA) southern chapter.

 

Mr Kongsak said there are no tourists in the province at this point. It is possible the closure could extend beyond April if the outbreak remains uncontrollable, he told the Bangkok Post. 

 

Phuket Tourist Association Pre­sident Bhummikitti Ruktaengam said he agrees with the lockdown. The association has suggested the measure to Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana since Mar 15, and suggested to Governor Phakaphong yesterday (Mar 30) to issue an order for hotels on the island to close. Phuket has around 400 registered hotels.

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-hotels-look-to-close-during-lockdown-75513.php

 

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2020-04-01

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[bluemoonpattaya]

When will they be closing hotels in Pattaya ?   It seems the next logical step.

 

[LivinginKata]

8 minutes ago, bluemoonpattaya said:

When will they be closing hotels in Pattaya ?   It seems the next logical step.

 

 

You should ask that on the Pattaya Forum ....

[graemeaylward]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The number of hotels in Phuket intending to temporarily close in April to comply with the one-month lockdown has risen to some 87%,

Surely they should all be complying! By my reckoning, 13% are failing to comply!  That should be the story!

[stevenl]

1 minute ago, graemeaylward said:

Surely they should all be complying! By my reckoning, 13% are failing to comply!  That should be the story!

There is no requirement at all to close hotels.

[Felt 35]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

there are no tourists in the province at this point

So who could it be that check in every second day to the combination hotel/condominiums which under normal circumstances would have mostly longs stay Thai and foreigner residents at their premises when after my observations the arrive with cars! Wasn't the bridge closed? To stretch this a bit and as example: " Lets say I'm a local not felt well lately but no way go to a overprized and contagious hospital to get tested but to shield my colleges, wife and children I check in to a condo hotel" So much for stopping the virus spreading here???? Add the hysterical face mask thing instead of teach (drill) the public what WHO says about masks, gloves, distancing and the importance of handwashing. No instead we spraying roads in the famous night spot on the Island and tells people to wear a facemask even if you walk far from anyone or are alone in your car???? As always, show for the audience and I'm afraid this show will be long and ugly.

[LivinginKata]

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

There is no requirement at all to close hotels.

 

Just no guest demand ....

[Susco]

2 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

You should ask that on the Pattaya Forum ....

 

From reading those kind of posts I get the strange feeling that the people asking those questions are not so much concerned about the health aspect, but rather are pushing an agenda

[RichardColeman]

All very well planning this, but what about people staying there that have nowhere else to go. Will they suddenly turf out all the farang onto the streets ? How long before the condo block owners suddenly ban access to families for fear of spreading virus ? Be thankful if you have a repaid house of a decent landlord

[madmitch]

Some smaller owner-operated hotels and guesthouses would be glad of the business as its not always uneconomical for them to operate with one or two rooms.

 

There are a number of tourists left who don't want to return home and they need somewhere to stay, as the post above correctly states.

 

There are few enough tourists that maintaining social distancing won't be a problem

 

 

[marko kok prong]

What does it matter ,if the hotel is empty,it is effectivley closed anyway.

[ThePearl]

Hotels open everywhere in the world ... I am in one (Qatar).

Phuket/Patong are closing so they don't have to pay staff as the bottom figure was already red lining from the past 12 months..They could remain open and put staff to work overhauling/cleansing rooms but again profit is the bottom line and not the wellbeing of staff financially....an observation, not a rant.

Here the staff are cleaning room by room, with bathrooms scrubbed with toothbrushes, I kid you not.

[stevenl]

6 hours ago, ThePearl said:

Hotels open everywhere in the world ... I am in one (Qatar).

Phuket/Patong are closing so they don't have to pay staff as the bottom figure was already red lining from the past 12 months..They could remain open and put staff to work overhauling/cleansing rooms but again profit is the bottom line and not the wellbeing of staff financially....an observation, not a rant.

Here the staff are cleaning room by room, with bathrooms scrubbed with toothbrushes, I kid you not.

I think it is the financial well-being of staff to get paid.

[cornishcarlos]

6 hours ago, ThePearl said:

Here the staff are cleaning room by room, with bathrooms scrubbed with toothbrushes, I kid you not.

 

Hope you have a spare one !!!

[AdamTheFarang]

22 hours ago, stevenl said:

There is no requirement at all to close hotels.

So the 13% will raise prices due to the lack of tourists? I saw this a lot in Phuket. In addition to the standard greed and the question "How long you stay Thailand before" before deciding how to try and extract more money. I saw Phuket turn from paradise into a concrete island full of greed. Two tier system. Prices were some of the highest in Thailand and with the Baht so high not cheap anymore. Visas etc The world is a large place with the 787 and A350 taking you direct to more places then ever before. Crikey even SYD-LHR is coming.

[Somtamnication]

Announcement very shortly about Phang Nga forcing all hotels to close. I expect Phuket will follow.