Thailand’s Phuket aims to become ‘immunity island’ for tourists as it seeks post-coronavirus bounce-back

 

• With 80 per cent of tourism businesses on the island having gone bust, the island’s tourism authorities have hatched a plan to fully reopen by October 1

 

• But the plan depends on whether Phuket can bypass the national government’s vaccine roll-out schedule and obtain its own jabs earlier

 

Vijitra Duangdee

 

Anchored unused tour boats at Phuket’s Chalong pier. Photo: Vijitra Duangdee

 

At Phuket’s Chalong pier, boat driver Mang is in rare, high spirits: he has just had his first paying guests in two months. But for other tour boat operators in the area, surviving until the Thai borders fully reopen to tourists is another question.

 

“Some owners without savings have sold the boats, some have laid off workers,” Mang says as he surveys the lines of idling tour boats around the pier, where in pre-pandemic times they would quickly whisk off the waiting tourists to sea, zipping them through hidden coves among the many offshore islands.

 

“My boss is trying to ride it out for a little while longer, just to help his staff. But who knows for how long?” With foreign and domestic tourists staying home and Thailand imposing a two-week quarantine for those braving travel, Phuket is facing an economic wipeout, with the inventory of closed hotels, bars and tour businesses growing longer each week.

 

Full story: https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3123317/thailands-phuket-aims-become-immunity-island-tourists-it-seeks

 

 

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32 minutes ago, webfact said:

Phuket aims to become ‘immunity island’ for tourists as it seeks post-coronavirus bounce-back

Phuket was already failing pre covid due to stupid pricing, you want to resurrect your already failing tourism - stop the stupid rip off prices for pretty much everything and start again

Why it cost 6000 baht to fly to Phuket from BKK and only 1300 from BKK to Chiang Mai? i guess, it's a stupid question...

Fingers crossed.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

ith 80 per cent of tourism businesses on the island having gone bust, the island’s tourism authorities have hatched a plan to fully reopen by October 1

 

i predict 32 billion tourists a month for the upcoming high season. 

The figures don't add up.

 

Have 80% of tourism businesses gone bust? I doubt it. Many are closed, of course, but there are plenty of businesses that are mothballed that will reopen when the time is right.

 

Secondly, vaccinating 70% of the population by 1st October at a rate of 2500 per day. Assuming a June 1st start that woukd be around 300,000 by first October, which is under 50% of Phuket's official population, which bears no relation to the real population of Phuket. And what about all the workers who will return to the island when tourism reopens? They probably also need vaccinating before they are allowed to work here in the tourism industry.

 

So will there be enough people to look after Phuket's share of the 10 million Asians and 6,000,000 Brits?

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, smedly said:

Phuket was already failing pre covid due to stupid pricing, you want to resurrect your already failing tourism - stop the stupid rip off prices for pretty much everything and start again

The operators who were pocketing those “rip off” prices might disagree with you. Many are seriously rich. 
 

Phuket will bounce back quickly as it did after the tsunami. It is out of reach for some budgets, but plenty of others can. Phuket appeals to those who want the best, not so much the budget conscious who have plenty of other options in Thailand.

24 minutes ago, Natai Beach said:

Phuket appeals to those who want the best

????????????

I wouldn't have thought June would see too many tourists from the northern hemisphere perhaps more from the southern hemisphere. Also not all the tourists will be going to Phuket.

1 hour ago, MasterBaker said:

Why it cost 6000 baht to fly to Phuket from BKK and only 1300 from BKK to Chiang Mai? i guess, it's a stupid question...

Rubbish. There are some very good flight deals to be had from BKK to Phuket. I booked a return with Air Asia last month for a little over 300 baht, yes 300 baht. I have just booked Phuket - BKK return flying next Monday with Bangkok Airways for around 1700 baht each leg.

12 minutes ago, Phuketshrew said:

Rubbish. There are some very good flight deals to be had from BKK to Phuket. I booked a return with Air Asia last month for a little over 300 baht, yes 300 baht. I have just booked Phuket - BKK return flying next Monday with Bangkok Airways for around 1700 baht each leg.

 

Thai Smile has availability for 2,000 Baht for return flights between Bangkok and Phuket this month, and of course no extras for checked luggage, seat selection or booking fees with them. 

1 hour ago, Natai Beach said:

Phuket appeals to those who want the best, not so much the budget conscious who have plenty of other options in Thailand.

Seriously?  Where do you come up with this nonsense.  Phuket is also a hub for those seeking to train in Muay Thai, or MMA for either Athletics aspirations or for health and loosing weight, as well as tourism to the beaches.  There are 100's of gyms around the Island, with Chalong having an entire street designed around the sport.  You don't need big money to train and visit Phuket.  Maybe in Natai Beach you need to be rich to show off, but many friends as well as former co-workers like to continue working out while on vacation and enjoy what Phuket has to offer on an affordable billet, by getting their workouts in for a few hours training in Muay Thai, then hitting the beaches and visiting the sights.  Many fledgling UFC, MMA fighters as well as the other folks would fill the gyms in the pre-covid days.   

2 hours ago, MasterBaker said:

Why it cost 6000 baht to fly to Phuket from BKK and only 1300 from BKK to Chiang Mai? i guess, it's a stupid question...

 

I just paid: TB 1,307 2 ways, BKK - Phuket - BKK. Who pays 6000? Such nonsense! 

58 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Seriously?  Where do you come up with this nonsense.  Phuket is also a hub for those seeking to train in Muay Thai, or MMA for either Athletics aspirations or for health and loosing weight, as well as tourism to the beaches.  There are 100's of gyms around the Island, with Chalong having an entire street designed around the sport.  You don't need big money to train and visit Phuket.  Maybe in Natai Beach you need to be rich to show off, but many friends as well as former co-workers like to continue working out while on vacation and enjoy what Phuket has to offer on an affordable billet, by getting their workouts in for a few hours training in Muay Thai, then hitting the beaches and visiting the sights.  Many fledgling UFC, MMA fighters as well as the other folks would fill the gyms in the pre-covid days.   

phuket is not famous for being the destination of budget travelers to Thailand.

 

i agree with you it is still cheap, but many, including the post I responded to were moaning that it is too expensive. Plus there are a lot of top end places in Phuket that do cater for us rich people, more than anywhere else in Thailand.
 

I have no need to show off my considerable wealth in Natai Beach. You don’t have to act the part, when you are the part. Remember that.

27 minutes ago, Natai Beach said:

phuket is not famous for being the destination of budget travelers to Thailand.

 

i agree with you it is still cheap, but many, including the post I responded to were moaning that it is too expensive. Plus there are a lot of top end places in Phuket that do cater for us rich people, more than anywhere else in Thailand.
 

I have no need to show off my considerable wealth in Natai Beach. You don’t have to act the part, when you are the part. Remember that.

 

your chariot is waiting sir. 

Perhaos the flight prices MasterBaker was quoting were pre-covid? 

Phuket is still the most expansive province of LOS.

Already for more than 20 years.

 

I really can't imagine what could tempt me back to Phuket.

 

I can understand the expats who know the place and live there, but for tourists like me it's a rip-off nightmare and the only place in LOS I've been threatened with violence - and that in broad daylight at 2 in the afternoon. Tuktuk *******s of course.

 

Rip-off guest house prices at Karon. So even if there's great diving around (and I knew a great diving school there)  forget it, it's not worth the hassle.

With the new plan for TAT to help fund video production maybe they could make another Netflix special called the Bachelor Thailand, or Temptation Island Phuket.  That would draw in the tourists.

55 minutes ago, Peterphuket said:

Phuket is still the most expansive province of LOS.

Already for more than 20 years.

Phuket is probably the second most expensive province for tourism, after Bangkok, for good reason. It consistently rates in the top dozen most visited destinations in the world measured by the number of international visitors who are attracted there by the beaches and islands. 

Yearly more than 9 million visitors flocked there pre covid. Such industry naturally raises prices. By world standards it's cheap. For pensioners living on a meager pension in a remote corner of Thailand  it can, by comparison to their village, seem expensive.  

I'm just surprised that so many are so often surprised that costs in such a destination are higher than that of other lessor regions of the country.

 

5 hours ago, MasterBaker said:

Why it cost 6000 baht to fly to Phuket from BKK and only 1300 from BKK to Chiang Mai? i guess, it's a stupid question...

Yes it is.

688 -1200 baht depending on airline and time of day.

 

5 hours ago, MasterBaker said:

Why it cost 6000 baht to fly to Phuket from BKK and only 1300 from BKK to Chiang Mai? i guess, it's a stupid question...

I paid ฿330 CNX-Suvarnabhumi last week. 

6 hours ago, madmitch said:

The figures don't add up.

 

Have 80% of tourism businesses gone bust? I doubt it. Many are closed, of course, but there are plenty of businesses that are mothballed that will reopen when the time is right.

 

Secondly, vaccinating 70% of the population by 1st October at a rate of 2500 per day. Assuming a June 1st start that woukd be around 300,000 by first October, which is under 50% of Phuket's official population, which bears no relation to the real population of Phuket. And what about all the workers who will return to the island when tourism reopens? They probably also need vaccinating before they are allowed to work here in the tourism industry.

 

So will there be enough people to look after Phuket's share of the 10 million Asians and 6,000,000 Brits?

 

 

 

 

Too many challenging questions ????

As you still don't vaccinate pregnant women and childern under 16, a lot have to leeve Puchet if only vaccinated are to stay there. 

6 hours ago, Natai Beach said:

phuket is not famous for being the destination of budget travelers to Thailand.

 

i agree with you it is still cheap, but many, including the post I responded to were moaning that it is too expensive. Plus there are a lot of top end places in Phuket that do cater for us rich people, more than anywhere else in Thailand.
 

I have no need to show off my considerable wealth in Natai Beach. You don’t have to act the part, when you are the part. Remember that.

"Us rich people". 5555555. "My considerable wealth". Curious choice of words. We're all terribly impressed with you. So to paraphrase you, you don't have to act like an a$$ when you are one? Remember that. That's another cute phrase. You think your words are of any significance to us, that we should "remember"? Show off your wealth? You purposefully showed it off by telling us. Methinks you may not be as wealthy as you want people to believe. You just couldn't contain yourself from broadcasting your "privileged" status, then claiming not to brag. Hilarious. The obvious sole purpose of your post is to flaunt your claimed wealth. What's more important than wealth is how you are spending it. In between your bouts of bragging and flaunting, are you doing anything for the benefit others, to make the world a better place for anyone besides yourself and your peers? Are you putting your money to work where it really counts, or are you standing in your mirror of narcissism admiring yourself 24 hours a day?  One thing you don't have to brag about: Your intelligence and character, or lack thereof. You obviously want to be known and recognized for your wealth while you pretend not to. But guess what? In the scheme of things you're still insignificant. We see through people like you, and you mean nothing in your shallow pursuits which achieve nothing much. 

1 minute ago, Jonathan Swift said:

"Us rich people". 5555555. "My considerable wealth". Curious choice of words. We're all terribly impressed with you. So to paraphrase you, you don't have to act like an a$$ when you are one? "Remember that". Why? That's another cute phrase. You think your words are of any significance to us, that we should "remember"? Show off your wealth? You purposefully showed it off by telling us. Methinks you may not be as wealthy as you want people to believe. You just couldn't contain yourself from broadcasting your "privileged" status, then claiming not to brag. Hilarious. The obvious sole purpose of your post is to flaunt your claimed wealth. What's more important than wealth is how you are spending it. In between your bouts of bragging and flaunting, are you doing anything for the benefit others, to make the world a better place for anyone besides yourself and your peers? Are you putting your money to work where it really counts, or are you standing in your mirror of narcissism admiring yourself 24 hours a day?  One thing you don't have to brag about: Your intelligence and character, or lack thereof. You obviously want to be known and recognized for your wealth while you pretend not to. But guess what? In the scheme of things you're still insignificant. A big pile of money could just as easily belong to a thief or a dictator as a decent human being. I think you are confused in your values. Wealth does not determine a person's value  as a human being. They are not the same. Your value comes from the moral code in how you live your life and what you do for others with the advantages you have. How much do you give for charities or other public causes? That's your resume. We see through people like you, and you mean nothing in your shallow pursuits which achieve nothing much. 

 

Did any one see any context about immunity? How would they propose that, exactly?

 

They intend to just call it,: "Immunity Island", and poof, like magic...everyone becomes immune? 

 

I've heard of delusions of Grandure, but delusions of Immortality? Really Phuket?

 

If our PM won't take the innoculation, why should any one in Thailand wish to take it? 

 

.....or does the article from the Chinese government newspaper. Clearly state, how its  going to help with sterilization and inoculations procedures in Phuket? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

37 minutes ago, Bradmeister said:

They intend to just call it,: "Immunity Island", and poof, like magic...everyone becomes immune? 

 

More like Fantasy Island - but who will play Tatoo ...

 

Whatever, I doubt that long haul travel will be possible for most westerners this year, Phuket will likely get the Chinese , Malaysians , maybe Hong Kong and Japanese. What is a shame is that Phuket has had a very bad reputation for a good few years. Mass tourism took over , sea water was iffy, restaurants turned into glorified canteens, and the taxi problem was the worst point. They can rectify that of course if they stay away from mass tourism. Wealthy tourists are used to much higher standards . 

10 hours ago, LivinLOS said:

????????????

Must be talking about another Phuket I haven't heard about