The July 1 plan is still on, it was confirmed yesterday (May 7). Photo: PR Phuket

 

By The Phuket News

 

PHUKET: Phuket is moving ahead with the plan to re-open the island receiving fully vaccinated international tourists from July 1, Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew has announced.

 

 

 

The news was confirmed during a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday (May 7) that was attended by Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Yuthasak Supasorn Governor and TAT Executive Committee members by Zoom.

 

Governor Narong explained the measures currently in effect in Phuket to control and prevent the spread of COVID 19, and briefed the TAT Governor on the current situation regarding infections in Phuket.

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/july-1-is-still-on-phuket-governor-79937.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2021-05-08

 

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Absolute desperation .

Very brave ! But then if you don't try to open up ,you don't know the results. Everybody are suffering. Good choice, Governor. 

And yet the tourism minister said they will need to have zero cases by then to go ahead. So I think the likelihood of a last-minute postponement is very high - exactly what has happened to all previous plans that also didn't materialize, including travel bubbles...

Highest level of delusion !! ????

“The implementation of the plan will make Phuket a ‘Better Phuket’, a ‘New Phuket’ and will allow for Mega Fam trips, all following our Phuket ‘GEMMSST’ strategies* to become a leader in enhancing Thailand’s tourism services that tourists are well versed in and trust the country’s SHA safe travel public health safety standards,” Governor Narong added.

 

More acronyms than Line Of Duty! And talking of acronyms, the term BS springs to mind!

5 hours ago, keith101 said:

Absolute desperation .

Absolute denial.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

PHUKET: Phuket is moving ahead with the plan to re-open the island receiving fully vaccinated international tourists from July 1, Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew has announced.

Phuket is moving ahead with the plan to re-open the island receiving fully vaccinated but potential Covid spreading international tourists from July 1, Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew has announced.

At this point in time, no vaccine has a 100% efficacy, so the potential for spreading global variants is there.  Meh!  If it goes pear-shape blame it on the foreigners.

Does anyone know if you arrive to Bangkok on an international flight, go through customs, pick up your luggage, can you then check in for a domestic flight to Phuket?  We have both had our Covid vaccine shots and have booked an ASQ hotel in Bangkok.  However, I would rather go to Phuket and avoid the ASQ hotel if possible.

 

Thanks for your feedback!

They are not expecting 6 million tourists but perhaps 10K IMO . It's exactly what sandbox means and that's a test for future opening in October. If it fails it fails and say bye bye to tourism. 

 

Still the best way back for expats so far. 

Inspiration from the Captian of the Titanic.

A Field of Dreams without the same ending I think. 

But good luck, another year maybe.

Only 5 new cases of Covid in Phuket yesterday. 

 

I have to leave Thailand in July, and will not go through hotel quarantine again. However, since I am fully vaccinated, I would spend a week in Phuket in lieu of quarantine. 

6 hours ago, Craigf said:

Does anyone know if you arrive to Bangkok on an international flight, go through customs, pick up your luggage, can you then check in for a domestic flight to Phuket?  We have both had our Covid vaccine shots and have booked an ASQ hotel in Bangkok.  However, I would rather go to Phuket and avoid the ASQ hotel if possible.

 

Thanks for your feedback!

To my understanding, this is not allowed.  You have to quarantine at the point of arrival into Thailand. You could change your airline to fly Singapore to Changi, transit only, and then connect/fly into Phuket from Singapore.  This is allowed. A friend did it from Hong Kong recently.

7 hours ago, Craigf said:

Does anyone know if you arrive to Bangkok on an international flight, go through customs, pick up your luggage, can you then check in for a domestic flight to Phuket?  We have both had our Covid vaccine shots and have booked an ASQ hotel in Bangkok.  However, I would rather go to Phuket and avoid the ASQ hotel if possible.

 

Thanks for your feedback!

If you can't change the route maybe cheaper to ditch the tickets 

This was in the official release.......so not exactly the holiday folks were expecting, I suspect.

 

“During the second quarter of 2021 (April-June), vaccinated foreign tourists will be quarantined for a period of seven days before they can explore the area. There must be appropriate routes set out and measures in place in order for them to travel throughout the area in the form of ‘sealed routes’,” he said.

2 hours ago, xylophone said:

This was in the official release.......so not exactly the holiday folks were expecting, I suspect.

 

“During the second quarter of 2021 (April-June), vaccinated foreign tourists will be quarantined for a period of seven days before they can explore the area. There must be appropriate routes set out and measures in place in order for them to travel throughout the area in the form of ‘sealed routes’,” he said.

@LivinginKata I see by your emoji that you are confused LiK..........add me to the list!

7 hours ago, stuarty said:

To my understanding, this is not allowed.  You have to quarantine at the point of arrival into Thailand. You could change your airline to fly Singapore to Changi, transit only, and then connect/fly into Phuket from Singapore.  This is allowed. A friend did it from Hong Kong recently.

assuming this is correct it's a bit odd isn't? When you arrive in Thailand you will have had to have passed through your departure airport and possibly one or more transit airports that the Thai government has no control over but that's ok. But if you transit through Suvarnabhumi airport that the Thai government can control then that's not.

 

I'm sure I can work round that but it does just add another hurdle that seems unnecessary. I'll will try to find out more in the hope that you're wrong but I doubt you are.

Delusional clowns.

1 hour ago, kimamey said:

assuming this is correct it's a bit odd isn't? When you arrive in Thailand you will have had to have passed through your departure airport and possibly one or more transit airports that the Thai government has no control over but that's ok. But if you transit through Suvarnabhumi airport that the Thai government can control then that's not.

 

I'm sure I can work round that but it does just add another hurdle that seems unnecessary. I'll will try to find out more in the hope that you're wrong but I doubt you are.

I stand to be corrected.  Their logic seems to be that where you land, that's where you need to quarantine, obviously to minimise movement, no matter how you got there.  Please check.  Yes it's odd. I am not sure you can "work around" that within Thailand, if landing at a different port from where you want to end up.

 

Having said that, I am told you can land in BKK and be sealed into a van for travel to Hua Hin for quarantine. So land transport up to a point, but not another transit flight within Thailand , but please check and let us know what you find out.

Thanks for all of the input.

7 hours ago, xylophone said:

This was in the official release.......so not exactly the holiday folks were expecting, I suspect.

 

“During the second quarter of 2021 (April-June), vaccinated foreign tourists will be quarantined for a period of seven days before they can explore the area. There must be appropriate routes set out and measures in place in order for them to travel throughout the area in the form of ‘sealed routes’,” he said.

This info is prior to Sandbox I think you'll find

2 minutes ago, steevjee said:

This info is prior to Sandbox I think you'll find

Well I'm not sure if it's prior to sandbox or the moon landing, because they don't know whether they are Arthur or Martha, and it changes on a regular basis, so confusion reigns supreme.

 

This was released on Friday.............

“In July, we will have 6,000 tourists from nearby countries which will generate about B284.40 million, while tourists from far away countries will be about 23,700, which will generate B2.59 billion. More tourists are coming in the following months,” Governor Narong said.
 

 

 

I noticed vax back in action at Karon Orchid today. Never saw that advised on English news services.

 

Edit - told it was for Rawai sea gipsies

On 5/9/2021 at 12:36 PM, stuarty said:

I stand to be corrected.  Their logic seems to be that where you land, that's where you need to quarantine, obviously to minimise movement, no matter how you got there.  Please check.  Yes it's odd. I am not sure you can "work around" that within Thailand, if landing at a different port from where you want to end up.

 

Having said that, I am told you can land in BKK and be sealed into a van for travel to Hua Hin for quarantine. So land transport up to a point, but not another transit flight within Thailand , but please check and let us know what you find out.

 

I thought that flying into BKK and then taking a flight to Phuket wasn't allowed even though it makes no sense but whilst looking for any more information I couldn't think where I got that idea in the first place. My guess is that I was just assuming things weren't going to be easy.

 

Having said that my wife said that she'd heard that when the Phuket sandbox idea was first mentioned the plan was that all flights would have to be direct but the airlines with domestic flights complained since it would benefit just some international airlines whilst preventing those providing domestic flights from selling flights so it was changed. What she didn't know was what the situation is now so I suppose we'll just have to wait and see.

On 5/9/2021 at 2:41 PM, xylophone said:

This was in the official release.......so not exactly the holiday folks were expecting, I suspect.

 

“During the second quarter of 2021 (April-June), vaccinated foreign tourists will be quarantined for a period of seven days before they can explore the area. There must be appropriate routes set out and measures in place in order for them to travel throughout the area in the form of ‘sealed routes’,” he said.

Can anyone here translate? 

7days where, in hotel grounds or in air bnb? 

Is hotel to beach a "sealed route"…? 

After 7 days can fly to Bangkok? 

2 hours ago, madmen said:

Can anyone here translate? 

7days where, in hotel grounds or in air bnb? 

Is hotel to beach a "sealed route"…? 

After 7 days can fly to Bangkok? 

This has been superseded. For now ASQ is 14 days in a hotel room again.

19 minutes ago, stuarty said:

This has been superseded. For now ASQ is 14 days in a hotel room again.

Incorrect . It's a sandbox for vaccinated tourists only 

14 days quarantine can go anywhere no need for a vaccine. 

 

5 minutes ago, madmen said:

Incorrect . It's a sandbox for vaccinated tourists only 

14 days quarantine can go anywhere no need for a vaccine. 

 

The quote referred to is not about the sandbox (from July in Phuket, with no quarantine for vaccinated tourists). It is about the arrangements proposed from Q2 i.e. from April to July.  Originally vaccinated tourists could do a reduced 7 days ASQ quarantine but this has now changed back to 14 days for all, from early May.