Thailand's empty beach resorts hope vaccines will put them back in the sun

[webfact]

FILE PHOTO. Credit Alamy Stock photo for reference only

 

Caleb Quinley in Bangkok

 

Plans to reopen to vaccinated tourists include short quarantine in popular holiday spots like Phuket and Koh Samui

 

Thailand’s Phuket island used to vibrate with life. Before the pandemic, March was part of peak season and the resort’s long white beaches were packed with tourists from Europe, Australia, North America and China. At night, backpackers would flock to beach-front bars and on the hills stretching inland wealthy tourists would eat at five-star restaurants.

 

Today, Phuket is a ghost town. The shockwaves of Covid-19 have reduced daily visitor numbers from up to 50,000 down to just hundreds. But there is hope that plans to bring tourists back could change the fortunes of the beach town, and the country. 'This is what we feared': how a country that avoided the worst of Covid finally got hit

 

“If visitors come, we’ll all make more money,” says Tow Jaturaput, a 30-year-old taxi driver, whose main job is shuttling visitors to their hotels from the airport. “Tourists have a lot of money, and we benefit from it too,” he said, adding that today, there’s simply not enough business for the resort to thrive.

 

Full story: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/20/thailands-empty-beach-resorts-hope-vaccines-will-put-them-back-in-the-sun

 

 

-- © Copyright The Guardian 2021-03-22

 

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[ThailandRyan]

Everyone can dream of big things to come and the moneybit may or could bring.  It may happen or it may not this last qtr of tge year  Can't put all the eggs in one basket anymore.

[daveAustin]

Going forward, how's about money #2?

This is your chance to reflect and APPRECIATE your customers, Mr taxi driver!

[irishman25]

2 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Everyone can dream of big things to come and the moneybit may or could bring.  It may happen or it may not this last qtr of tge year  Can't put all the eggs in one basket anymore.

look at it this was all the beaches will be clean no trash and the water is much cleaner to swim in that is good for all returning

[RichardColeman]

 

29 minutes ago, webfact said:

'This is what we feared': how a country that avoided the worst of Covid finally got hit

...and shown for just how reliant we are on foreign tourists

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

“Tourists have a lot of money, and we benefit from it too,” he said, adding that today, there’s simply not enough business for the resort to thrive.

Part of the reason tourism was slipping long before the Covid excuse came along....

[bloodyholly]

“Today, Phuket is a ghost town.....”

 

And tomorrow?

 

Is Phuket asking tourists to come to LoS and drive away the ghosts? Or will Phuket drive away the ghosts themselves and make it a destination fully up and running in readiness for the arrival of tourists?

[MasterBaker]

have you seen those beaches? would you pay flight tickets to get on that dirty sand and dirty water. beer is more expensive than anywhere in the world... and girls... don't get me started on thai bar girls

[Burma Bill]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

“Tourists have a lot of money, and we benefit from it too,” he said (taxi driver)

 Yes, by ripping them off!!

[sammieuk1]

By the time the pussyfooting is over no vaccinated tourists will want to come to a dirty unvaccinated country and could be the next obstacle ???? 

[Kadilo]

Either fully open or stay closed. No ones coming on holiday to another set of rules and regs, at least not enough to get these resorts back on the map and the businesses to flourish again. 

Edited March 22, 2021 by Kadilo

[ramrod711]

6 hours ago, MasterBaker said:

have you seen those beaches? would you pay flight tickets to get on that dirty sand and dirty water. beer is more expensive than anywhere in the world... and girls... don't get me started on thai bar girls

Seems like you may have already started with Thai bar girls????

[ThailandRyan]

6 hours ago, MasterBaker said:

have you seen those beaches? would you pay flight tickets to get on that dirty sand and dirty water. beer is more expensive than anywhere in the world... and girls... don't get me started on thai bar girls

Beaches in Phuket, of course depending on where you are are wonderful.  Not dirty, the water is good, if your hanging out with bargirls well then you take your chances, much like you would in life anyway.  Just have to be smarter than the average bear Yogi.

[JAS21]

We were in Phuket last week. Mainly playing golf... prices have crashed and some courses very quite. We stayed in quite a nice 4star hotel next to the beach for 1400thb.  Pretty empty.

Now we are staying Eden Beach Khoa lak ... very nice 5star for the same price it is very quite. They told me the low price just to keep the place open and staff to have jobs.

 

They are offering a 5 night voucher for 6500thb and can use it until end of October. So we will stay an extra five days now. Go back home before the dreaded period and return in a month or two.

Many hotels still closed.

 

Snorkeling trips to Similans and Koh Surin popular due to government subsidy schemes ...

 

TBH normally we would not consider this area... just too expensive.

[Daithi85]

On 3/22/2021 at 10:56 AM, MasterBaker said:

have you seen those beaches? would you pay flight tickets to get on that dirty sand and dirty water. beer is more expensive than anywhere in the world... and girls... don't get me started on thai bar girls

Do u actually live here in Thailand  or just another hater commenting from a far off land?? 

[Fex Bluse]

On 3/22/2021 at 11:56 AM, MasterBaker said:

have you seen those beaches? would you pay flight tickets to get on that dirty sand and dirty water. beer is more expensive than anywhere in the world... and girls... don't get me started on thai bar girls

 

Girls will get better in the short term. Thai economy will be depressed for at least 5 years. More and younger Thai ladies will enter the trade for lack of alternative options. 

 

Probably the only positive of the pandemic 

 

[JAS21]

On 3/22/2021 at 10:56 AM, MasterBaker said:

have you seen those beaches? would you pay flight tickets to get on that dirty sand and dirty water. beer is more expensive than anywhere in the world... and girls... don't get me started on thai bar girls

I haven’t seen the beaches and water on the bay of Thailand side... but on the Andaman side the beaches are quite nice and clear water . on the islands beautiful white sand... don’t you have your own AAB...you have a white over weight...

[HashBrownHarry]

2 hours ago, JAS21 said:

We were in Phuket last week. Mainly playing golf... prices have crashed and some courses very quite. We stayed in quite a nice 4star hotel next to the beach for 1400thb.  Pretty empty.

Now we are staying Eden Beach Khoa lak ... very nice 5star for the same price it is very quite. They told me the low price just to keep the place open and staff to have jobs.

 

They are offering a 5 night voucher for 6500thb and can use it until end of October. So we will stay an extra five days now. Go back home before the dreaded period and return in a month or two.

Many hotels still closed.

 

Snorkeling trips to Similans and Koh Surin popular due to government subsidy schemes ...

 

TBH normally we would not consider this area... just too expensive.

I've travelled about a fair bit during the last 6 months in Thailand, Khoa Lak was one of the quietist places i visited, hardly anything open - quick shocking tbh.

 

The water was spotless and the beaches were clean - good times.