Phuket’s plan to re-open to foreign tourists on 1 July could be delayed

[webfact]

Picture: Siangtai

 

Thailand may have to delay its plan to reopen Phuket to foreigners from 1 July, due to the latest wave of COVID-19 infections.

 

According to Tourism and Sports Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, a meeting will be held next week with all relevant agencies to discuss  if it is still realistic to implement the so-called ‘Phuket Sandbox’ model from July, while infections in the country continue to surge.

 

The latest wave of infections has resulted in the distribution of vaccines being delayed to people on the island.

 

It had been hoped that 930,000 doses of the vaccine would be administered by June in order to give 70 percent of Phuket’s population herd immunity. 

 

However, the part of the vaccine rollout on the island has been delayed.

 

If herd immunity can not be achieved by June, only certain areas of Phuket may be opened to foreign tourists, rather than the whole island, as originally planned.

 

The news comes as Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew on Friday urged the government to press ahead with the island’s vaccination programme in order to help revive the island’s economy, which is so dependent on foreign tourism.

 

Mr Narong said all relevant agencies should put measures in place to control the latest wave of infections on the island and continue to work towards the 1 July reopening as planned.

 

Meanwhile, Phuket’s Public Relations Department said that vaccinations will resume next week, with people who have already received the first vaccination due to receive their second vaccination from 22 April.

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-04-17

 

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[ikke1959]

only Phuket is important... The rest of Thailand not. Get the whole island vaccinated with all available jabs and in the meantime health workers, who are in close contact with possible patients have to wait....  

[bshw4kr]

I sure hope they pull this off. It would be good timing!

[allane]

If you want someone to use your sandbox, get a cat.

[connda]

The government nationally and regionally seriously needs to hire farang advisors to serve on planning boards which can inform Thai mayors, governors, and ministers when their short-sighted visions have a high probability of careening off the run-way and bursting into flames before becoming airborne. 

In the meanwhile from the "we told you so" department:
????????????????????

 

Edited April 17, 2021 by connda

[Sheryl]

"The latest wave of infections has resulted in the distribution of vaccines being delayed to people on the island. " - can't see why that would be so. there haven't even been all that many cases in Phuket.

 

i suspect the actual problem is lack of vaccine or vaccine being diverted elsewhere and they prefer not to say so.

[Dialemco]

Creating borders in your own country simply will not work. Vaccinate the whole country and then make plans to open up. 

[RichardColeman]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand may have to delay its plan to reopen Phuket to foreigners from 1 July, due to the latest wave of COVID-19 infections.

If this happens then they may as well write off Thailand GDP growth for this year now. 

 

I'll still go with 0 to -2% growth 

 

 

[SteveB2]

I laughed so much when I first heard the proposal that Phuket would open in July 2021, I choked on my beer ????

 

Then I laughed again after considering that they likely meant 2022, 2023, or maybe 2024 - Yea - thats more like it - Who knows...

 

intuitively, one would expect the powers that be will want to vaccinate the majoroty of the population on Phuket before they open ?

 

Now then, Phuket has a population of about 450,000.

 

But so far, the government has only just vacinated 450,000 people in the whole of Thailand out of a population of nearly 70 million.

 

So any statement suggesting that Phuket can open up for overseas tourism in July 2021 and the rest of Thailand to open in October 2021 is complete nonsense.

 

If a trend in government statement believability is to be deduced, it is that :-

• When the government comes out with news about immediate closures due to COVID-19 ... then that will definitely happen.
• But if any news comes out about impending opennings ... then that will not happen.

So based on precedent, I now only beleive the bad news. For good news is normally just 'pie-in-the-sky ????

 

 

 

[British Bulldog]

I can actually see what the Government is trying to do ... however, to make this work 100% they would have to stop ALL domestic flights in and out of Phuket, close the bridges, stop ferry's and stop local boats going across to the island, otherwise it ill be like a bucket with a dozen holes in it. And how are they going to stop other traders, vendors, and prostitutes from other provinces going down there to catch a piece of the action ?

[trainman34014]

Well i never; who would have believed it !!

[riverhigh]

"According to Tourism and Sports Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, a meeting will be held next week with all relevant agencies to discuss  if it is still realistic to implement the so-called ‘Phuket Sandbox’ model from July, while infections in the country continue to surge."

 

Why bother having a meeting when the answer Is "no it is not realistic". Then again I guess it's good for Public Relations. Got to show that our diligent Thai politicians and government workers are earning their pay. Another photo opportunity for the press.

[Fairynuff]

I still maintain that tourists will not return in meaningful numbers until there are no restrictions on movement and no quarantine.

[Burma Bill]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

to discuss  if it is still realistic to implement the so-called ‘Phuket Sandbox’

 

Abandoned sandbox with broken toys

 

https://www.dreamstime.com/abandoned-sandbox-broken-toys-abandoned-sandbox-broken-toys-close-up-image114923084

 

[Desire2016]

And how are they going to control people coming in from the mainland 

[Boedog]

SANDBOX MODEL

The only sandbox is the one they have there heads buried in, but if we don't let the tourist in now where can we get our brown envelopes from this silly Covid thing is not good for me

[barney42bb]

Blame Brexit... It's a proven and plausible excuse to use.

[nickmondo]

i wish they would stop talking about this ridiculous idea which is never going to happen

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

According to Tourism and Sports Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, a meeting will be held next week with all relevant agencies to discuss  if it is still realistic to implement the so-called ‘Phuket Sandbox’ model from July, while infections in the country continue to surge.

I think the plan is dead in the water considering the way Phuket handled the party brigade and sparked off infections... it showed they are not capable of being safe.

As for the "sandbox" idea... let the Soi dogs make use of it.

[hotchilli]

48 minutes ago, Fairynuff said:

I still maintain that tourists will not return in meaningful numbers until there are no restrictions on movement and no quarantine.

And the local population has had vaccinations

[cardinalblue]

Why is the vaccination rollout delayed by the spiking virus?

 

they have nothing to do with each other...

 

just more excuses on not knowing how to management this virus....

 

most important to get shot in arms ASAP....that’s your best defense vs virus - not delay shots...

 

 

[Cake Monster]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

If herd immunity can not be achieved by June, only certain areas of Phuket may be opened to foreign tourists, rather than the whole island, as originally planned.

In order to achieve Herd Immunity, Vaccines have to be injected into arms.

And that is just not happening.

The population of " residents ", in Phuket is 600,000, so at least 400,000 + need to be vaccinated 2 times for Immunity

[Chicken George]

The only country in the world that things of vaccinating a holiday island first rather that the sick and elderly. Money first. 

[Millcx]

4 hours ago, bshw4kr said:

I sure hope they pull this off. It would be good timing!

LOL

[chilly07]

14 minutes ago, Chicken George said:

The only country in the world that things of vaccinating a holiday island first rather that the sick and elderly. Money first. 

And before  vaccinating medical staff and health volunteers. Who owns Phuket? 

[PEE TEE]

Just another fad idea from the powers to be. is only done cos they like to be put on Thai visa to make out they are working . tomorrow will be another post 

 

[SupermarineS6B]

Desperation........ Give it another six months and you'll be able to buy Phuket for twenty quid.......    I would of thought they'd of figured out by now how much money you could make on testing everyone coming into Thailand, minimum quarantine just like Indonesia and Bobs your uncle, in to spend and enjoy...... This fiasco could go on for another two years easily, every time someone coughs then whole place is shut down.......   Glad i'm in Istanbul, all the bars and restaurants are open and the little flowers over here could match anything in Thailand.......      What a sad farcical situation that's been generated day by day.....       97 dead and willing to sacrifice the stability of the whole country, just shows you how contagious fear can be........  LMF........... 

[wensiensheng]

It doesn’t really matter whether they delay their plans or not. Very few people are going to come any way imho. So plan all you want, the people who make the decisions that matter are the tourists themselves.

 

as to getting to 70% for herd immunity, that’s just BS. I live in Phuket, I haven’t heard anything about vaccinations, neither has my wife or anyone we know, both thai and farang. Are we just unfortunate to only mix in circles of the 30%?

Edited April 17, 2021 by wensiensheng

[wensiensheng]

1 hour ago, cardinalblue said:

Why is the vaccination rollout delayed by the spiking virus?

 

they have nothing to do with each other...

 

just more excuses on not knowing how to management this virus....

 

most important to get shot in arms ASAP....that’s your best defense vs virus - not delay shots...

 

 

I heard, but have no proof, that people were catching Covid at the main vaccination site. Or so the rumor goes in Phuket.

 

sorry I can’t substantiate it, but there is some logic to it as an explanation. 

[Cake Monster]

4 hours ago, Sheryl said:

"The latest wave of infections has resulted in the distribution of vaccines being delayed to people on the island. " - can't see why that would be so. there haven't even been all that many cases in Phuket.

 

i suspect the actual problem is lack of vaccine or vaccine being diverted elsewhere and they prefer not to say so.

Back when the Thong Lor outbreak hit the news, Phuket had One main vaccination site and Four others .

After a couple of Days the Four satellite Vaccination sites were closed, presumably to divert Vaccines to center of the outbreak in Thong Lor

Seems a viable reason to me.