Phuket to open to fully vaccinated, COVID-19 free foreign tourists without quarantine in July

[CLW]

4 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

‘The Sandbox model’ was a great proposal for many of us who would be returning anyway - we can quarantine at a beach resort instead of being stuck in a hotel room.

 

If priced competitively these ideas are great for those wishing to enter Thailand. I doubt they will attract tourists. 

 

 

The Phuket Model is also a good idea and ‘may’ see an increase in tourism from those who live nearby, but that is also highly dependant on the need for quarantine on the tourists return to their home country.

 

The primary issue is flights. For those travelling from further afield, how many direct flights are there to Phuket (i.e. from Qatar or UAE etc) ??  The Phuket model doesn’t work if people have to ’transit’ in Bangkok and take regular domestic flights and no one wants to be in a van for 12 hours. 

 

 

 

 

I also don't understand why after 7 days in Phuket I have to take a flight out of there. I mean most people will do, including me, but the government message was that you are free to roam around Thailand after 7 days and a negative Covid 19 test. So what hinders me from let's say taking a train or bus?

[CLW]

9 hours ago, Henryford said:

Phuket is a joke. They change the rules every 5 minutes. No tourist is going to commit to a holiday there without knowing what to expect, a totally closed town ? Quarantine? Tests/Vaccinations? Masks?

You're absolutely right. Those clowns can change their rules any minute. I won't book anything until the last minute and then only with flexible flight dates or 100% refund. If the government is so certain about the Phuket opening, why don't they guarantee it and for example issue an insurance for tourist to refund them in case they can't enter Thailand. 

[madmen]

7 minutes ago, CLW said:

I also don't understand why after 7 days in Phuket I have to take a flight out of there. I mean most people will do, including me, but the government message was that you are free to roam around Thailand after 7 days and a negative Covid 19 test. So what hinders me from let's say taking a train or bus?

You dont

[CLW]

9 hours ago, madmen said:

What's your source? That other newspaper quoted 120 to 150 k travel packages for a week. 

 

The chances of tourists booking a 1k a night guest house for 7 days and then claiming the free 2k (TAT promotion) to <deleted> off to Bangkok is a big fat zero 

I've read that, too.

I don't understand why I have to book a tour package. 

Is the Phuket sandbox an ASQ in disguise?

Are they really thinking foreigners are that stupid?

[Kadilo]

1 minute ago, CLW said:

I've read that, too.

I don't understand why I have to book a tour package. 

Is the Phuket sandbox an ASQ in disguise?

Are they really thinking foreigners are that stupid?

They probably read this forum so draw your own conclusions. 

[madmen]

5 hours ago, WingFat said:

So is doom and gloom your mantra Guderian ??? A humble and sincere suggestion for you...in addition to getting fully vaccinated, take steps to strengthen your immune system, which includes a healthy lifestyle. And if you are obese; STOP being obese and lose the weight to benefit yourself as well as society Obesity is a main cause of a weakened immune system. So is smoking. We are not dealing with the black plague, ebola or some other truly hideous pathogen. Unless that's what you choose to believe.

Healthy? Unless you live in a jungle most of the country is choking on fumes and agent orange on fruit and veges, msg, sugar on everything ????

 

[the green light]

22 hours ago, Rhacsyn said:

The island in itself is most certainly alive and kicking and stunningly beautiful, albeit with a few current severe restrictions as you say ????

the article says:

1. need to be vaccinated

2. need to have a negative covid test

3. you are not allowed to travel out of phuket for 7 days with limited mobility.

 

So many questions left to answer:

1. do you need another covid test after the fake quarantine for 7 days.

2. How can they control being 7 days in Phuket?

3. how far are you suppose to move away from the hotel.?

4. what prevent anybody to take a bus  or drive out of bangkok?

 

Tourists will not be fooled. The 7 days will look like a quarantine. they will not come.

Poor plan.

 

 

[Kadilo]

14 minutes ago, the green light said:

 

 

Tourists will not be fooled. The 7 days will look like a quarantine. they will not come.

Poor plan.

 

 

If they are looking for UK tourists then they are currently discouraged from travelling to Thailand and is on the Amber group mainly due to the virtually non existent Vaccine programme. 
 

Of course that may change come July but personally i can’t see it if their vaccine rollout plan is to be believed and whatever they do in Phuket the UK Gov is not going to make an exception for one Island. 

Edited May 14, 2021 by Kadilo

[paulikens]

and right on cue.. its a 'we want tourism back' day, today in phuket. yesterday they was saying we will kick any falangs out not sticking to the rules, so that was a we dont want tourists day and today its we want tourists day. in out in out we shake it all about 

[Steve80]

From what I have read here: https://simpleflying.com/172427-thai-phuket-july-reopening2/

"Thai Adds Phuket Flights Ahead Of Planned July Reopening"

 

It says: "Thai Airways has added four non-stops routes from Europe to Phuket – including from Heathrow – along with two from within Asia. The reason: the opening up of Phuket from July, which is set to be a testbed for the wider country. They’ll also be non-stop because they must be, at least for now."

 

On another site I read that they were looking into allowing connections at Suvarnabhumi for Phuket domestic flights, so not sure where simply flying has got the information from that the flights into Phuket must be non-stop.

 

I also doubt many other airlines would be able to get slots at Phuket airport to fly directly there.

 

The price of these flights is £800+ (more than twice the price of most stop stopping/connecting flights) and only allows a return flight from Phuket (Rather than flying into Phuket and out of Suvarnabhumi).

[Gracas]

[Caldera]

They're repeating it like a mantra. I cannot help but think they will postpone it at the last moment possible, at a tremendous cost to those brave souls who have booked a trip for July.

[dkg224]

“The TAT aims to attract 129,000 visitors to Thailand in the third quarter of this year, through the “Phuket Sandbox” project”

so where will the other 19.1 million tourists be headed that the TAT said to expect this year?

[Showtime]

I as a person fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine have exactly no interest in going to Phuket and being around so many people with the virus or haven't been vaccinated.  Not to mention be in a place that is basically shut down....boring.

[DFPhuket]

Here are some facts:

 

The largest study on transmission by vaccinated people is from the Israeli Ministry of Health. The study shows a 94% reduction in asymptomatic infection. This article has links to that report along with other scientific studies. A May 14 update from the US CDC reports, “Early data show that vaccines help keep people with no symptoms from spreading COVID-19” (source).

 

You can already purchase a July 1 ticket to fly directly to Phuket (not transiting in BKK) on Malaysian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Emirates or Qatar websites. These are direct flights from their hubs. If Phuket does not actually allow vaccinated people to enter quarantine free, most flights will almost certainly be cancelled. 

 

There is no information about the Certificate of Entry (COE) requirements for a quarantine free stay in Phuket. If people are to arrive beginning July 1, a government decision would need to be announced and COE requirements updated by mid-June so people have time to apply for their COE and travel in early July.

[Sydneydave]

So the Thai government is intent on forcing foreigners to receive the covid "death jab" that has killed over 4,300 people. Hard to believe the FDA will ever approve any covid "vaccines", based on these frightening figures. Although it's only approved for emergency use, it's incredible so many people are clamouring to get it. Even those who are young and healthy and therefore have no chance of being adversely affected if they do catch covid.

[Bradmeister]

"Aims" seems to be one of the favorite words...

 

We aim to please. Our aim is to..... 

 

Is this agency, authority, or group, even capable of real observation, assessment and execution? 

 

If its not "sandbox", "sextour", "travel bubble", "electronic bracelets" its some other scheme or scam. 

 

It seems to be an entity that has outlived its usefulness and should be suspended until official inquiries deem it an effective revenue generator or cost prohibitive nusiance. 

[BadSpottedDog]

23 hours ago, kiwikeith said:

as catching covid whilst vaccinated is a factually happening, although they say you don't get very sick.

The problem with getting covid in Thailand, is if you do, you will be forcibly put in hospital for 2 weeks. Then all plans go to hell. 
 

[crazyk]

How high will the crime rate against tourists go up & bar price rip offs  also due to the locals (immigrants) having no money for so long

[xylophone]

2 hours ago, crazyk said:

How high will the crime rate against tourists go up & bar price rip offs  also due to the locals (immigrants) having no money for so long

 

That is always a possibility, but for me, travelling through Patong this morning, I had a different thought..........what is going to attract tourists back to this sh@thole of a place?

 

Now, Patong is the nightlife and entertainment centre of Phuket, and attracts the most tourists, but travelling along Beach Road today was almost the equivalent of travelling along the Gaza Strip, with derelict and demolished shops and buildings, not to mention the road which is still dreadful.

 

Then looking at Bangla Road, places like Soi Freedom with its many bars looks very unlikely to open in full, and there are many other bars in Bangla which the owners have given up/given away/walked away from and I really can't see that part of Patong fully recovering for a long, long time.

 

In Rat-U-Thid road there are also rows upon rows of demolished small buildings and businesses and it truly does look like a bomb site in some places.

 

I doubt very much whether between now and the supposed July 1 opening, these things can be put right to an extent which would attract tourists.

 

I really don't hold out much hope for a Phuket/Patong recovery, in full, for another year and more.
 

[pagallim]

The really sad thing is that I believe most Thais think that the only thing stopping tourists from coming at the moment is that their government is preventing them from doing so.   Whilst true in part, the critical factor is the willingness and economic ability of tourists to travel from their home country and quarantine requirements on their return home.     

 

Already airlines are burdened with huge debts which they are not going to compound by flying mostly empty aircraft on what are in the main long haul flights.   Sure, there may be a few (and it will be a few) who will take the risk, especially those wishing to re-live previous visits, and they will be shocked at the war zone like atmosphere.

 

Equally, those workers who have drifted back to their home villages over the past year, again in the main will need cast iron guarantees of employment before returning, and in these times, there are no guarantees.

[WingFat]

On 5/14/2021 at 2:51 AM, madmen said:

Healthy? Unless you live in a jungle most of the country is choking on fumes and agent orange on fruit and veges, msg, sugar on everything ????

 

Geez, I'm not sure how much more negative you can be. If one chooses to think negatively, that also affects their physical as well as mental/psychological well being. It is a fact sir, that those who practice healthy lifestyles, and to be specific: eat healthy with lots of fruit/veggies and lean proteins, exercise at least 4-5x a week for at least an hour or more with focus on cardio, get good rest, take various vitamin and mineral supplements to aid in strengthening one's immune system. And, avoid negative people and their doom and gloom outlook on life in general.

[Millcx]

On 5/14/2021 at 5:14 AM, Nanaplaza666 said:

The CDC quoted that there have died more people of the covid vaccines since the start then there have of all other vaccines since 2001 

Must be the Maple Syrup ... Canadian Gov Officials have not been told the correct statements to use when requiring to control the minions

[Jaggg88]

On 5/14/2021 at 12:55 AM, RJRS1301 said:

I wonder what they are going to do with the ones who are vaccinated, enter Covid negative, but later found to be Covid positive as has happened in UK, Aust and Canada when in quarantine. It deemed less likely to be severe infection, but possibly still able to transmit.

 

 Well I presume they wont be allowed to leave the island as that is the whole point of quarantine.

[paahlman]

On 5/14/2021 at 5:55 AM, Nanaplaza666 said:

In many parts of europe they are lifting restrictions and the nr's are going the right way with less IC beds filled and less hospitalizations so things are looking better there then here . Why would people come ? So it's not that Easy. If it would be 20 below celcius around there maybe , but summer is starting in most parts as well so . 

People would go to antartica if they had the chance.. the whole point is.. Most people are fed up with travel restrictions.. Its about time to move around.. This is why.

 

[polpott]

On 5/14/2021 at 11:17 AM, Kadilo said:

If they are looking for UK tourists then they are currently discouraged from travelling to Thailand and is on the Amber group mainly due to the virtually non existent Vaccine programme. 
 

Of course that may change come July but personally i can’t see it if their vaccine rollout plan is to be believed and whatever they do in Phuket the UK Gov is not going to make an exception for one Island. 

Its advisory only. Nothing to legally prevent you from travelling to Thailand, although it may invalidate your holiday insurance.

[Nanaplaza666]

21 minutes ago, paahlman said:

People would go to antartica if they had the chance.. the whole point is.. Most people are fed up with travel restrictions.. Its about time to move around.. This is why.

 

I get your point but when it was winter people where really hoping restrictions where lifted here so they could come over to spend the winter here but since summer is starting and the weather starts to get better they don't mind to stay home or closer to home . 

[balo]

You can book flights to Phuket from Sweden and Norway right now so I think this will actually happen. 
Look out for Scandis in July trying to get most out of their stay , they want bars, restaurants,  full nightlife to be open and ready.   
 

[xylophone]

10 minutes ago, balo said:

Look out for Scandis in July trying to get most out of their stay , they want bars, restaurants,  full nightlife to be open and ready

 

And pigs might fly!

[madmen]

1 hour ago, Nanaplaza666 said:

I get your point but when it was winter people where really hoping restrictions where lifted here so they could come over to spend the winter here but since summer is starting and the weather starts to get better they don't mind to stay home or closer to home . 

For single older men Sex and pretty female company is a bigger driver than sunshine ever was. There is no joy in spending northern summers alone. 

Edited May 20, 2021 by madmen