Deputy PM urged to ease Phuket lockdown, virus expected to cost island B127bn in lost tourism

By Eakkapop Thongtub

 

Deputy Prime Minister Anutin speaks to the press after the meeting. Photo: PR Dept

 

PHUKET: Phuket business leaders have urged Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, as well as Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakan and Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Yuthasak Supasorn, to relax the lockdown restrictions in place in Phuket to relieve the economic suffering of residents and businesses on the island.

 

The trio were in Phuket yesterday (Apr 23) to lead a meeting on the economic impact of COVID-19 on tourism. At the meeting it was explained that the predicted impact for the six months February through July totalled a loss of some B127.159 billion in lost tourism revenues.

 

The meeting, held at Phuket Provincial Hall, saw Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana present, along with a host of high-ranking Phuket officials.

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/deputy-pm-urged-to-ease-phuket-lockdown-virus-expected-to-cost-island-b127bn-in-lost-tourism-75816.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2020-04-24

 

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money..money..money 

Yeah open it up and increase the cases and go into another lockdown , why not money is more important than peoples health and lives .

I thought it was up to the governors of each province?

Tourism income will not magically go up when you open Phuket up because THERE ARE NO TOURISTS.

 

No Thai will go on a holiday now, and there are no international flights.

From the main BP news article.

 

“We are confident that Chinese tourists will come from October 1 onwards, and we should start receiving bookings from June 1,” he said.

Brainwashing at its finest 

3 minutes ago, Bob12345 said:

Tourism income will not magically go up when you open Phuket up because THERE ARE NO TOURISTS.

 

No Thai will go on a holiday now, and there are no international flights.

Domestic flights will resume May 1st... Thousands of expatriates living in Bangkok, among them many would be happy to enjoy Chinese free Phuket, me the first!

1 hour ago, keith101 said:

Yeah open it up and increase the cases and go into another lockdown , why not money is more important than peoples health and lives .

And you don't think this lockdown is destroying lives? The lockdown will indirectly be more detrimental than the virus itself. It's not just the people you see out working in the bars and restaurants. Those people are usually supporting other people in their families. 

When the time comes the deputy PM may have to kiss an awful lot of dirty farang butts to get us back????

18 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

When the time comes the deputy PM may have to kiss an awful lot of dirty farang butts to get us back????

How many have left specifically because of anutin?

Where does all the money go?

 

Some bleeding hearts on here think Thais’ in Phuket are poor. Waiting in line for B100.00, queueing up for dodgy looking food hand outs. 
 

400,000 Phuketians, B250 billion baht a year revenue, do the math.

 

B625,000 each?

 

Don’t add up, does it.

I was here post tsunami and the beaches were fantastic.  Not many people on them, plenty of room, no hounding beach chair people, it was really nice.  I look forward to the same for a few months once we're allowed to go back.

19 minutes ago, scorecard said:

How many have left specifically because of anutin?

About the same number that won't be coming back????

1 hour ago, Kullstar said:

From the main BP news article.

 

“We are confident that Chinese tourists will come from October 1 onwards, and we should start receiving bookings from June 1,” he said.

Brainwashing at its finest 

How is that brainwashing? They want to get back to their normal livelihoods. Thailand isn't a rich country, how do you think the hundreds of thousands of Phuket residents are going to put food on the table if the province doesn't open back up relatively soon?

 

The longer businesses are closed for, the less likely they will be able to re-open in the future. That will be a delight for rich developers, large corporations and business owners, who will be able to buy up the assets of the entire island on the cheap and re-shape it into whatever they want, once the current restrictions are rescinded. These individuals and families will not give a <deleted> about all the workers that have lost their jobs.

5 hours ago, petermik said:

money..money..money 

Late to close and payed the penalty, the governor was removed.

Now they want open the doors prematurely

never a lesson learnt.

If they dont start taking steps to unlock the island the fallout is going to be horrendous.

But why are they only now closing many of the beach roads. Beaches been closes  awhile already. Makes no sense. 

Don't they mean DPM and Health Minister Anutin?......or have I missed something...?

 

I can’t see what the problem is, the Italians will have mostly left Phuket by now (it was the Italians who brought the virus to Phuket, not the Chinese). Just open up the island and start again, starting with domestic tourism.
 

As someone mentioned earlier, there are plenty of expats (and Thais) who would love to come and experience the new Phuket, clean beaches, no jet skis, little traffic.

 

5 hours ago, taxin said:

As someone mentioned earlier, there are plenty of expats (and Thais) who would love to come and experience the new Phuket, clean beaches, no jet skis, little traffic

That will last about a nano second, the sharks will return just as fast as the tourists.

6 hours ago, taxin said:

I can’t see what the problem is, the Italians will have mostly left Phuket by now (it was the Italians who brought the virus to Phuket, not the Chinese). Just open up the island and start again, starting with domestic tourism.
 

As someone mentioned earlier, there are plenty of expats (and Thais) who would love to come and experience the new Phuket, clean beaches, no jet skis, little traffic.

 

Link please to the Italians bringing the virus to Phuket.