Tourism minister: Phuket unlikely to be ready for "sandbox" opening - "sealed route" share with Samui proposed

[connda]

Hate to say it, but................"Told ya so."

Perhaps these people in high offices should hire some Westerners with the ability to 1) make realistic plans, and 2) schedule plans.  I.e., They need some farang project managers.

We'll all be here to laugh at you in August as well as you folks simply have neither a clue or a grip on reality.

[Kleepanna]

5 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Well done lads, get the hopes up of 100's of hotels, get them to sign up to SHA, employ and get their staff ready, get the tour operators geared up. Then pull the rug from under them again...............

 

Now do the right thing with no delusional targets, wait until Phuket is really ready, that will probably be a few months yet.

Just like the folks that booked flights into BKK having already been vaccinated and expecting a 7 day quarantine ASH hotel paid in advance then yank the rug out before they arrive and push it back to 14 days. and the massage and tattoo can open up that one lasted a few hours dont see that record getting broken anytime soon 

[BarraMarra]

6 hours ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

Switch to  Coke  it  numbs  the pain. not  "diet" though.

Plenty of YABBA knocking about cheap as well now lol.

[PEE TEE]

Don't want them Samui beaches never been so clean 

[herfiehandbag]

3 hours ago, Daithi85 said:

I really  don't  think  that you will  be forced to go ko samui  if u don't want.  ????

I wouldn't be so sure.

 

The "good people" running the favoured resorts on Koh Samui will have deployed considerable "influence" to be included in this scheme. They will expect their investment to be repaid.

 

And as somebody has mentioned, Bangkok Airways own the airport on Samui (?). I should imagine they will be staking a claim as well.

 

They aren't half going to be annoyed when there are no tourists!

Edited June 12, 2021 by herfiehandbag

[KhaoYai]

7 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

Anyone shocked?

Absolutely! I believed it would happen ????.

 

T.A.T................ there's a W missing from that.

[herfiehandbag]

2 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

Tourists are not their little minions to be ordered about and sent here, there and everywhere at their own expense, to satisfy some government officials whim.

Unfortunately that is their mindset, Remember where this government comes from!

[BarraMarra]

1 hour ago, Pib said:

The article didn't say "why" Phuket would not be ready. 

 

I expect that Phuket is indeed ready but there are so few bookings to arrive in July it would be a huge loss of face to have a grand opening but practically no one showed-up except maybe the CNN new crew to televise worldwide a failed grand opening.   

 

Therefore, better to just delay the grand opening to a future date (subject to constant change).

Or offer a few hundred locals to sit on the beach picture them then say look the first of the thousad's we told you were coming.

[ricardofel]

Hahahahahaha.......everyday it's a new scenario! They are so good at incompetence.

[geisha]

These fools are very good telling the tourists what to do aren’t they.And then cancel.

[herfiehandbag]

1 hour ago, taxin said:

Whatever decision will been made by the Thai government, whatever is eventually confirmed on the Royal Gazette, if the airlines don’t like what they see they will not be putting flights on for you. 

Well, Thai International will be able to take up the slack!

 

Ah, wait, yes, I'm sorry, silly old me...

[bluedoc]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Siam Rath quoted Thailand's tourism minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan as saying that the much vaunted opening of Phuket under the "sandbox" no quarantine scheme will not happen on July 1st.

 

The minister said that Phuket was unlikely to be ready. 

 

The start will be August 1st instead. 

 

The media reported a delegation led by Surat Thani deputy governor Sakdaporn Rattanasupha came to Bangkok to meet the minister.

 

There were reps from Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan wanting to discuss the Samui Sealed Route plan. 

 

They proposed that tourists could spend July 1st to 7th in Phuket then shift to Samui for days 8 through 14 before further Covid tests

Dream on, also the non Covid double death on Koh Tao will remain unexplained as have all the deaths on Koh Tao. Family mafia run the island and the police too.

[Kadilo]

Ready for what? Delay it a year and you may get a few. One month won’t make a jot of difference whilst Thailand is still on the dirty “no go” list for most clean countries. 
It’s all about the vaccine you see as far as tourism goes. 

“No jab..........No hab”

Edited June 12, 2021 by Kadilo

[Mavideol]

whoww, no kidding, that's a (NO) big surprise, did any of us ever thought it (really) would happen? nahhh,  I didn't think so ????????????????????????

[My POV]

I think as soon as the bars open a 1,000 baht will get you alot more than in the past few years when they had an abundance of customers.

[Raphael Hythlodaeus]

3 hours ago, CLW said:

Who will believe the government anything from now on?

I still can remember very good during last election time when Anutin promised every household to allow six cannabis plants and legalize grab taxi service.

Nothing has happened until now. Just lies.....

Airlines and hotel business should go to the barricades and showing them the middle finger.

"We have better plans in other countries where we can trust the words of government".

For how long the TAT has been touting this sandbox plan just to be dissected now and in fact becoming worthless.

Summer season now, whole EU is open for travel. These countries will make a big profit and bounce back after Covid tourism crisis.

Quite correct. Just go to EU countries or anywhere where they do not change their minds every day. Can't trust them here. The only solution is in the hands of the Thais, if they chose to use it.

[Mavideol]

4 minutes ago, My POV said:

I think as soon as the bars open a 1,000 baht will get you alot more than in the past few years when they had an abundance of customers.

I dare to disagree, 1,000 baht will get you much less then before, bars owners expect to have same profit with much less customers, the THAI Logic is, if before they made 1,000 baht profit selling 100 beers now they expect the same 1,000 baht profit but selling 10 beers  555

[MrJ2U]

I wonder what ridiculous price Bangkok Airways would propose?

 

Bangkok Airways is already an  overpriced monopoly in the first place.

[Charlie Halliday]

Wow Thailand is so fortunate to have such capable people in charge. The envy of the world no doubt  

[The retired guy]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

We are ready. No we are not ready. They were ready, but we were not. We were ready, but they were not. We are going to open July 1st. No August 1st. Maybe October 1st. Not sure. Maybe we will never open. Maybe we should just give up on tourism. After all, it is only 20% of our economy. We can always make up for it somewhere else. We are a giant, and one of the world's leading nations. 

 

Huh? You guys are the shame of the planet. Some of the most timid and cowardly people anywhere. Over 60 nations have fully opened for tourism already. Thailand as usual, is behind the curve. Shame on your guys. Livelihoods are a stake, and you act like it means nothing. How can one still be a rank amateur after how many years at the job? Your behavior has sabotaged a once lively industry. You goons are turning the nation from the tiger of SE Asia, into a tiny little, whiny, timid, traumatized, crying pussycat.

 

Let the islands decide, or the islands should act in total defiance of the administration and create their own plans. This is so far past ridiculous, it boggles the mind. 

 

Thailand is one of the countries open for tourism, but it has some of the strictest regulations. First, travelers must have a valid visa unless they qualify for the Visa Exemption Scheme. Once they have the approved visa, they must apply for a Certificate of Entry.

 

Additionally, tourists must present a medical certificate for a negative RT-PCR test result that was obtained within 72 hours of departure, proof of COVID-19 travel insurance coverage of over USD 100,000, as well as a reservation number for certified accommodation, such as an Alternative State Quarantine facility. This is where they’ll stay for the mandatory 14-day quarantine.

 

https://capturetheatlas.com/countries-open-for-tourism/#thailand

It is 16 days, or 15 nights if you want. First day is called day zero (0)

[worldview]

TAT is living in 'LaLa Land' - how can anyone plan to come to Phuket when they keep moving the goal posts? - and, coming on vacation to a place that does not serve alcohol, is like Texans going to a 'dry county' to vacation - it just doesn't happen.

[spidermike007]

2 hours ago, wensiensheng said:

The concept that tourists would want to stay 7 nights in Phuket, then catch a plane to spend 7 nights in Samui, is one that I really don’t understand. 
 

7 nights beach, followed by 7 nights city, or something along those lines is a well used and pretty popular formula, but 7 nights beach. followed by 7 nights beach, with all the hassle of transfers, sounds like it’s been devised for the benefit of the island resorts and airline, rather than the tourist. Particularly when entertainment and tourist attractions are pretty much closed in both places.

 

sorry, I could think of many reasons why tourists wouldn’t come to Phuket currently, I can think of many more why they wouldn’t do this two centre nonsense.

Especially when both locations are fairly devastated from the shutdown, thousands of local businesses have closed there, and there is no nightlife, nor even the ability to order a beer, or glass of wine in a restaurant. I don't know of any other countries, which have re-opened for tourism, that have those kinds of timid and draconian restrictions in place. 

 

Give up guys. You have done an amazing job of sabotaging a once vital industry. Way to go. 

[DBath]

Sh, sh, sh, sh, shocking development!

[newnative]

   No tourists will come until Thailand is vaccinated.  Once Thailand is vaccinated there will be no need for sandbox schemes, quarantine schemes, 1+2+3+Q schemes, bubble schemes, sealed route schemes, etc.    If Thailand had spent the same amount of time and money securing vaccines early as it has spent on all these ridiculous, unworkable schemes it would be well on its way to being vaccinated by now.

[stigar]

Folled foreigners to booking tickets...another nail in the coffin..They are digging themselfes deeper and deeper

[ChipButty]

13 minutes ago, newnative said:

   No tourists will come until Thailand is vaccinated.  Once Thailand is vaccinated there will be no need for sandbox schemes, quarantine schemes, 1+2+3+Q schemes, bubble schemes, sealed route schemes, etc.    If Thailand had spent the same amount of time and money securing vaccines early as it has spent on all these ridiculous, unworkable schemes it would be well on its way to being vaccinated by now.

You think so?

[Deli]

The clowns have been brought in

[terryofcrete]

Now reading elsewhere that this was NOT what the Minister said ? Does anyone know <deleted> is going on at all 

[habuspasha]

8 minutes ago, terryofcrete said:

Now reading elsewhere that this was NOT what the Minister said ? Does anyone know <deleted> is going on at all 

Please say where you read this.

[natway09]

Cancel all those flights to Phuket

Yes Boss, & rebook when ?

Ask God, because nobody in Thailand knows