Thailand pressing ahead with plan to open Phuket up to foreign tourists on July 1st despite Covid surge

[Guderian]

Are they all growing cannabis legally in their gardens now and smoking half a plant's worth every evening? Something is seriously addling their brains, anyway, they seem incapable of understanding what's happening, living in some crazy dream world.

[multatuli]

3 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

Clearly these folks are out of touch with reality .....

they have always lived in ivory towers, and their job is only meant for the improvement of other ivory tower dwellers

[trainman34014]

Phuket is already a Corpse but they still insist on kicking the Corpse in the Nuts !

[natway09]

If the local lab here that has been charged with supplying vaccines would pull their finger out (even India is producing millions) instead of hiding their progress from the people until all have sorted out who gets what ,,we might see some progress

[Chicken George]

The only country in the world that is trying to vaccinate a holiday island before the old ,sick and vulnerable. Only about money ????

Children won't be able to or can't get a vaccine as yet so no families welcome in phuket. 

Workers for the Islands hotels have mostly left do when will they get vaccines so as able to go back.. 

Edited April 26, 2021 by Chicken George

[Jimbo2014]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Jurin said that when infection goes down tourism will go up.

 

A simple statement from a simple man.

[zzzzz]

1 hour ago, jaiyen said:

And how are the long awaited tourists supposed to get to Phuket ?  No planes are flying from most of the countries, definitely none from Australia.  Thai Airways won't be flying for years, if ever again !

there have been flights from Singapore for months

50 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

These rich Indian millionaires all travel with their own private airplanes and or yachts..????

Indians are currently banned form entering Thailand
 

Quote

Thailand is barring all Indians and other foreigners arriving from India from entering the country due to the severe coronavirus crisis there.

Taweesilp Visanuyothin, the Covid-19 Situation Administration spokesman, said on Sunday Thailand has postponed the process of issuing certificates of entry for Indian citizens and foreigners arriving from India. The document is compulsory for all people who plan to come to Thailand.

 

Quote

 ......Tourism is about 20% of the GDP and cannot be ignored. 

yep 20% for Thailand but more like 70% for Phuket

Edited April 26, 2021 by zzzzz

[AlfHuy]

45 minutes ago, malibukid said:

Americans who are vaccinated will be able to travel to the EU, why would they want to go to Thailand.

Bum bum or building houses or both.

[digibum]

23 minutes ago, OKF said:

And yes Thailand has to find a way to open up for tourismn and to have clusters like Phuket or Samui ist not a bad idea. Tourism is about 20% of the GDP and cannot be ignored. 

 

Also my I remind of the colateral damage done in the world...suicide, child abuse, depression....just to mention a few plus the businesses that went down the drain. In my opinion the colateral damage is already bigger then what the virus did do. Just when you say things like this you being called strange names. But it is the truth. This one at least is.

Tourism used to be 20% of the Thai economy.  Over the last year, tourism, specifically international tourism, has been close to 0% of the Thai economy.  
 

That means that the country is protecting the other 80% of the economy by being cautious.  
 

The worst period for the country, as a whole, was during the lockdown last year.  People had to set up food pantries and businesses served meals just so people could get by.  
 

I helped out lots of people I knew from my neighborhood and most people that I know (expat and Thai) that I know had similar stories in their neighborhoods.  
 

This happened across large parts of the country.  This is what led to a good number of the suicides and other fallout.  
 

I remember the first taxi ride I took in Bangkok after the lockdown lifted, the driver told me he knew two people that committed suicide because they didn’t have money.  
 

Currently, the pain is being felt the most in places like Phuket but it doesn’t seem to make sense to take unnecessary risks which could put the entire country back into lockdown just so Phuket can get some relief.  
 

And, honestly, given that *part* of the current wave traces back to Phuket openly allowing huge gatherings with people not wearing masks, I’m not sure Phuket has gained any confidence from the rest of the country that they would take all preventative measures to protect the rest of the country.   
 

Tourism will eventually rebound.  It may take several years, but the tourists will come back.  They always do.  
 

Phuket business owners pushing to line their pockets isn’t helping anybody except the business owners.  
 

Many of the staff that work at the hotels and restaurants and bars are from Issan and other parts of the country and they’ve long gone back home and found new jobs or are taking care of their families.  
 

Many of the locals that depend on tourism have also figured out that even when tourism comes back, the heyday is over and it’s not going to be like it used to be.  Many of them have found new sources of income too.  
 

And let’s be realistic, the Phuket authorities don’t care about the little people.  Their frantic push to reopen is because cops have no tourists or businesses to shake down.  The taxi mafias have no idea how to make an honest living.  The landlords and resort owners can’t make money.  

I would have a lot more hope if authorities said they were going to get everyone on the island vaccinated and then lay out a reopening plan.  
 

The fact that they’re sticking to a reopening plan despite a new outbreak and despite falling behind their vaccination goals tells me they’re willing to sink the rest of the country just so a few people can stuff some baht into their pockets.  
 

This shouldn't be a decision that is driven by business interests.  It should be a decision based on public health interests.  

 

[taxin]

4 hours ago, WineOh said:

the golden goose is dead and buried, am I the only one that can see it? ????

Yes you are the only one who has a time machine who has just done a trip to Phuket in the future. 
 

I’m very keen to know, what was the weather like ? I heard it rains a lot in July ? 

Edited April 26, 2021 by taxin

[tomazbodner]

Other than Thai Government being bankrupt, can anyone think of any other reason for this wise decision?

[digibum]

14 minutes ago, Chicken George said:

Workers for the Islands hotels have mostly left do when will they get vaccines so as able to go back.. 

The vaccination drive is all a show.  They’ll vaccinate all of the locals, declare victory, invite people to come back, and then quietly begin importing unvaccinated people to the island to staff the businesses.  

[AMFWolfie]

4 hours ago, WineOh said:

or in other words, not a single tourist from any country has expressed any interest whatsoever in goin to Phuket for a holiday.

 

the golden goose is dead and buried, am I the only one that can see it? ????

Not strictly true. Many people from the UK desperate to get back to Thailand without quarantining in a hotel, had expressed a keen interest  to "Quarantine" in Phuket for 2 weeks PROVIDING its very clear  they can use the island facilities unencumbered rather than being restricted to a hotel or resort.. This is on the understanding they have had 2 vaccinations and a negative test before flying and they are then free to travel around anywhere in Thailand. The big problem at the moment is most of Thailand is in lockdown of one sorts or another and rules are changed almost daily making everyone very nervous of actually booking. As of 17th May UK can travel which is the start of it but with no clear cut, definitive rules on visiting Phuket, coupled with Thailand suddenly "changing" the rules to suit themselves, most I have spoken to are now back peddling and not booking or at least no yet. To be fair, after just returning to the UK and currently in the middle of 10 days home quarantine, one of the options to return to Thailand before October when Quarantine cease altogether, was Phuket. 2 weeks holiday in Phuket enjoying the island before returning to Pattaya was on the cards and still is, PROVIDING everything is set in stone and not subject to change.

 

[Jiggo]

Please stop this can't take much more. 

[taxin]

3 hours ago, madmen said:

Every idiotic plan that has been floated has flipp flopped or died. 

And this one is different? 

Who in their right mind is going to add yet another non refundable air fare to their credit card? 

Aside from the low cost carriers just about every airline now is offering refunds on new bookings, or flexible tickets allowing changes with no fees, some are offering both.
 

Just don’t book Thai Airways and you will be fine.

[Sheryl]

The other issue is possible entry of infected Thais from elsewhere in Thailand. immunizing only the people of Phuket, even if it can be done by July, is not going to work unless they control entry from other parts of Thailand.

That said, if quarantine is still in place come the fall I will be facing it and if there is nto a huge cost difference, would certainly prefer vacation in Phuket to being locked in ASQ in Bangkok,.

[Badboldie]

1 hour ago, IamNoone88 said:

The lunatics have taken over the asylum.

One flew over the cuckoos nest. 

[spidermike007]

End the quarantine now. No program requiring even a week of quarantine will succeed. A vaccination letter, a covid free letter, and a test upon arrival. Boom. Done. Enjoy your vacation, we are eternally grateful that you chose to come back, and spend money here. We need you. And we acknowledge that Thailand needs you 20X more than you need Thailand. We humbly accept your patronage. You will be treated like guests of honor. 

 

No program requiring quarantine will succeed in getting more than 10 or 20 thousand tourists. Period. That will not do the people of Phuket any good.

 

Get done courage Prayuth. You are supposed to be this big officer. Come on. 

 

[superal]

1 hour ago, IamNoone88 said:

Or expats that have been ignored or are too well informed to want to take the ineffective Sinovac jab.

Thailand has imported a large amount of the Sinovac . If you Google Chile vaccinates all its population with the Sinovac , you will find that the Sinovac has proved almost worthless as there is now a massive surge of covid 19 in the Chile population . Stats say 1st Sinovac gives 3% protection , so what's the point of using an ineffective vaccine ? cheap to buy and false credibility on injection rate .  Sinovac usage ,was it fully tested/ trialed ? 

[taxin]

2 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

The other issue is possible entry of infected Thais from elsewhere in Thailand. immunizing only the people of Phuket, even if it can be done by July, is not going to work unless they control entry from other parts of Thailand.

Currently anyone entering Phuket is required to do a Covid test on arrival, both land crossing and air, what we are seeing now is simply a rehearsal of what they plan to do in July.

 

Upto now this has been a successful rehearsal and will surely be used in July to snare any arriving job seekers.

[madmitch]

Even in normal times, the number of Europeans (Chinese are a different matter) arriving in Phuket between July and September is very low.

 

Unless they are looking at the Chinese market then they won't be losing much business if they do have to change the date, despite the apparent belief that opening the island will be opening the floodgates!

[IamNoone88]

9 minutes ago, superal said:

Thailand has imported a large amount of the Sinovac . If you Google Chile vaccinates all its population with the Sinovac , you will find that the Sinovac has proved almost worthless as there is now a massive surge of covid 19 in the Chile population . Stats say 1st Sinovac gives 3% protection , so what's the point of using an ineffective vaccine ? cheap to buy and false credibility on injection rate .  Sinovac usage ,was it fully tested/ trialed ? 

Turkey, Philippines and Brazil the same - all countries showed a huge increase in cases when large Sinovac programs were delivered.

[WineOh]

38 minutes ago, AMFWolfie said:

Not strictly true. Many people from the UK desperate to get back to Thailand without quarantining in a hotel, had expressed a keen interest  to "Quarantine" in Phuket for 2 weeks PROVIDING its very clear  they can use the island facilities unencumbered rather than being restricted to a hotel or resort.. This is on the understanding they have had 2 vaccinations and a negative test before flying and they are then free to travel around anywhere in Thailand. The big problem at the moment is most of Thailand is in lockdown of one sorts or another and rules are changed almost daily making everyone very nervous of actually booking. As of 17th May UK can travel which is the start of it but with no clear cut, definitive rules on visiting Phuket, coupled with Thailand suddenly "changing" the rules to suit themselves, most I have spoken to are now back peddling and not booking or at least no yet. To be fair, after just returning to the UK and currently in the middle of 10 days home quarantine, one of the options to return to Thailand before October when Quarantine cease altogether, was Phuket. 2 weeks holiday in Phuket enjoying the island before returning to Pattaya was on the cards and still is, PROVIDING everything is set in stone and not subject to change.

 

You have pretty much proved my point right there.

 

Who in their right mind would want to go though all that just to get to Phuket??

Is Phuket the be all and end all?

 

Holidaying in Phuket is not a right, it is a luxury. 

A luxury that many just can't be bothered to have any more and one that many westerners can no longer afford. 

Edited April 26, 2021 by WineOh

[AlfHuy]

22 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

End the quarantine now. No program requiring even a week of quarantine will succeed. A vaccination letter, a covid free letter, and a test upon arrival. Boom. Done. Enjoy your vacation, we are eternally grateful that you chose to come back, and spend money here. We need you. And we acknowledge that Thailand needs you 20X more than you need Thailand. We humbly accept your patronage. You will be treated like guests of honor. 

 

No program requiring quarantine will succeed in getting more than 10 or 20 thousand tourists. Period. That will not do the people of Phuket any good.

 

Get done courage Prayuth. You are supposed to be this big officer. Come on. 

 

keep dreaming

[Kaopad999]

Lost the plot... 

[OKF]

1 hour ago, Chicken George said:

The only country in the world that is trying to vaccinate a holiday island before the old ,sick and vulnerable.

 

no, that is not rue, several countries also in Asia did start with the young people as they need them for a workforce. Also remembet that in average ppl above 80 die naturally, so I cannot see it as a completely wrong policy

[Cake Monster]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Jurin said that when infection goes down tourism will go up.

 

He'd been to Phuket and expressed optimism in the vaccine rollout there that has seen 100,000 doses delivered. 

And this pathetic number of Vaccine doses is enough for only 50,000 people to be fully inoculated.

The " Resident " population of Phuket is 660.000, so therefore over 1.4 Million Doses are needed to fully Vaccinate everybody.

If 70 % only are to be inoculated then at least 1,000,000 Doses of Vaccine will be needed.

That is 10 Times the amount they currently have to use.

Tourists will not be going to Phuket, or any other Thai resort, because Thailand will be on many Government Red Flag over Vaccination numbers, and misleading Covid reporting, and if they are not, restrictions will be placed on them if they vacation in Thailand such as a 2 week Quarantine upon their return making Thailand a no-go Country.

[Forza2002]

Govt should rename Phuket to Fantasy Island. Given all their pie in the sky predictions it would be a very appropriate name...

Edited April 26, 2021 by Forza2002

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai DPM and commerce minister Jurin Laksanawisit told Daily News that despite the surge in Covid-19 cases there were no plans to U-turn on opening Phuket to foreign tourists in just over two months time.

Complete insanity.

As it stands 0.82% of Thais inoculated, 2,000+ each day getting infected.

Who in their right mind would come here for a holiday.

 

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Clown! When the entire population has been vaccinated, maybe then tourists will return, maybe!

Even the Chinese said they'd wait 6-9 months after vaccines & quarantines had been dropped.

So that's next year !