The perfect motto for this.... Phuket Sandbox.... Snatching defeat from the Jaws of victory... 

 

The initial idea was a decent one...

- Vaccinated tourists

- 7 Days

- 2 test

- Free to roam island

 

Not ideal, not great for tourists but under the currently situation perfectly tolerable for many ‘would be tourists’... 

 

 

The idea gained moment then people with little idea have turned it into something unrecognisable. 

- Vaccinated tourists

- 14 days 

- 3 tests

- Can only stay in area

- Wear a tracking bracelet

- Bars not open

 

More to come with this I believe....  

 

I suspect there is a very hard line group who have more restrictions to add - I suspect that before this is finally rolled out the following restrictions will be added

- Tourists have to remain in their resort

- Tourists can’t leave their room until result of second day 5 Covid-19 test

 

Ultimately, this is just going to turn into ASQ in Phuket.

 

 

 

I really am wondering whether there is not a cabal of Thais in the TAT with a twisted sense of humor, who fly these kites just to see how much outrage they can stir up in the expat community.

Just now, Lacessit said:

I really am wondering whether there is not a cabal of Thais in the TAT with a twisted sense of humor, who fly these kites just to see how much outrage they can stir up in the expat community.

Err think internet Trolls is a more fitting description don't you ?

I can’t see any tourists coming to Thailand for this... 

 

Initially, the 7 day proposal would have attracted some tourists, but that would have been very dependant on return quarantine requirements in their home countries. 

 

Now the Phuket Sandbox is only a marginally better option than normal ASQ and will only attract a handful of those who are returning home to Thailand anyway. 

 

 

 'this is gunna get messy... and a scare for those who finger pick their teeth that have amalgam fillings ????   

 

Hopefully TM30 remains still mandatory for these 2x vaccinated, 3x corona tested, 3 days quarantined dodgy foreigners. 

Whats the requirements like for Afghanistan ????

5 hours ago, webfact said:

 

Thai news site Manager reported on some of the security protocols that will be put in place, which include security checkpoints on the main road leading to the island screening everyone arriving or trying to leave. 

 

The checkpoints will feature facial recognition cameras that will be able to detect any tourist who tries to leave Phuket before the 14 day mandatory quarantine period

 

It sounds more like a break out of prison ordeal than a holiday ..

I'm still waiting to hear any word on whether these intrepid foreigners will be required, as per national mandate, to wear a face diaper ALL THE TIME after leaving their

hotel room. 

 

 

not bad, at least they will not ask for ATM card PIN code. this might actually work

Actually, Google knows where you are ... or your phone, which is more or less "you," so who cares? 

5 hours ago, toolpush said:

I hope I can get one next time I arrive. Be great fun to put it through various torture tests like in the old Timex Watch commercials.

Non left I ordered 129000 because no one else will want them

<deleted> ….. my wife heard about this and is asking if she can buy one for me to wear.

1 minute ago, csmith said:

<deleted> ….. my wife heard about this and is asking if she can buy one for me to wear.

you do realise that they updated the description and they are now vibrating suppositories do you ?

Why don't they just use the yellow star of David?

 

Can't wait until this makes international news. And the standard reply, it's all a misunderstanding, we thought they were all Jewish? 

 

Omg! 

 

 

2 minutes ago, inThailand said:

Why don't they just use the yellow star of David?

 

Can't wait until this makes international news. And the standard reply, it's all a misunderstanding, we thought they were all Jewish? 

 

Omg! 

 

 

It is already news on international sites. You will need a VPN.

4 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Or a Lady boy

or a gay if you are getting your hair cut in a barbers shop perhaps

5 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

the actual models used are a suppository device.

 

not wristbands.  

I tried a sample. Turned out to be useless, I might as well have stuck it up my rs!

Before getting TOO twisted up about this story, I would make the observation that this Thai Visa News story is so far uncorroborated, with NO other news sources in Thailand reporting it as far as i can tell after doing my best internet searching... Not the Bangkok Post, not the Phuket News, not Thaiger, and not anybody else that I can find.

The news story notably cites ONLY unnamed "government officials". I think that's a little bit "thin" for a news story this incendiary.

 

A call to a friend who is a respected long time journalist for a significant Thai newspaper who stays pretty much up to the minute on these matters reveals that he has heard nothing about this from other journalists, government sources, or in editorial meetings.

 

Maybe Thai Visa News has scooped every other news group in Thailand.... maybe... But I'm going to wait until I see something a little more substantial before I get too worked up about it. If anybody reading has found any confirming reports, especially any with named sources, I would love to see it because if this story is in fact accurate... well... light the torches

 

Edit to add: FWIW, the only international stories I can find (yes I have a VPN) relating to a tracking bracelet are from Oct and Nov. of 2020 when such devices were approved. As far as I know the only use of them has been for tourists arriving yacht-borne which has been well documented.

 

Still waiting....

 

 

 

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

The expected visitors are supposed to come from mainly USA and Europe, as Chinese are more or less out of the question due to their 3-weeks quarantine upon return to their home-country

 

Well, a lot of Chinese will be moving here permanently, judging by the fact that they are one of the few groups still buying homes here throughout the pandemic.   So a wristband really is nothing more inconvenient than a hand stamp at a club.   

So, essentially, it is a 14-day quarantine. It's just done on an island, not in a hotel room. Can't think of many who'd want to spend 14 days in Phuket, and then somewhere else. Thailand, you're not the only one opening up and tourists have options, ya know. When are you morons going to realise that people are not straining against the gates to come to Thailand any more???

4 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

so just now ONLY foreign tourists allowed. 

 

no one from Thailand can enter. 

 

of course this had to be. so i am not allowed to go. or thai tourists. 

 

 

 

I did a google search and I would like to know how they have USA in medium yellow >500 can entry and Canada >1000(in the high risk) I just checked and right now the USA has over 12,753 cases on June 16th total cases of 33.5 million, and Canada with 1,049 on June 16th with a total of 1.41 million cases and 1.36 million recovered.

Can somebody explain why the USA has more cases but ranks lower as a risk country.

???????????? awesome , they can now forget about having any tourists at all

At least the scammers will have an easier time identifying their prey. 

Just what are the requirements for getting into Vietnam,  Cambodia or Laos right now. Bali? What are the alternatives, anyone know? Malaysia?

Are they even letting anyone in?

What’s the point of being fully vaccinated if you still need to be in quarantine? Where is the logic…

Quote

All tourists to wear location tracking wristbands

In related news

a committee was appointed to brainstorm ideas on making these wristbands more attractive to visitors, here are some of them:

wristbands with Hello Kitty adornments

Durian scented wristbands

 

4 hours ago, BobinBKK said:

This is a pretext to requiring "ALL FOREIGNERS" in Thailand to wear a tracking device. In that case you can color me gone!

Only for Non-OA foreigners.

Non-O will not be reqiured to wear these.

5 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

Can't get more Orwellian than that!

Big Uncle is watching you :D

Cost of to trip to Phuket

 

1. Covid test prior to travel

2. 3 x covid tests during stay

3. Cost of insurance

4. 14 days of hotel quarantine

 

They'll be arriving in their droves