1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

Well, it certainly should be the back door first choice of those who want to return for long term, retirement visas, etc.

 

My first thought when it was anounced. I'm booked to return in November and if ASQ still required then will switch to the Phuket option for sure. I'm certain many others will do same. Easy choice; cooped up in ASQ room for 14 (or more) days or free to move around a resort island with beaches and open space.

 

2 hours ago, petermik said:

If you cannot go out and enjoy a drink in the evening what`s the point of opening up the place to tourists?

Although i agree , but you have to remember the other plan which is in place right now , which is not leaving room at all . The difference isn't big , but should it be ? Getting everything open will take a while , so step 1 instead of 14d in room , 14 days on island . The name "sandbox" is a fancy name for basically nothing more then a sandbox ( well and some coconut trees and palms ) . Next will be maybe bars open or change the time from 14 to 10 or 7 ... when will it be ? idk , lets see how it all goes , the numbers will say it all . The faster the vaccination goes , the lower the positives , the faster everything can go back to "normal" .

Such a shame that the only place on the entire island to buy and drink alcohol is a bar. 

 

If only you could buy some Duff at the local Kwik-E Mart and have some friends over to the room, or the hotel pool... 

 

But I think they cancelled Apu and the Kwik-E Mart...

 

 

The Monger God is punishing Thailand's heretics for trying to turn the "Worlds Biggest Brothel" into a family tourist destination.

The main purpose of the Phuket sandbox was always to act as a PR stunt, reassuring the Thai public that it was safe to re-open the entire country to fully vaccinated foreigners. The elites want to reboot mass tourism as quickly as possible, but they have to tread carefully because the public are scared witless.

If the guys at the top are telling the Phuket authorities to not open the bars, it means they are doing all they can to minimize any chance of transmission, which is still theoretically possible. They are ensuring that the PR works in the direction they want. In particular, they will be worried about ensuring that all bar workers are fully vaccinated, especially those coming in from Myanmar and Cambodia.

Being able to trumpet zero outbreaks after two weeks of the Phuket sandbox will give them the narrative they need to go ahead to open sandboxes in six other tourism destinations, including Chiang Mai and Pattaya, from the 1st of August. This may be when all the bars in sandbox areas will be allowed to re-open too, for the fully vaccinated only.

If they can avoid, or hide, or spin away any resulting outbreaks in August, they will re-open the whole country to fully vaccinated foreigners from the 1st of September, in preparation for the high season.

 

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