Phuket Sandbox: Foreign tourists will find more than three quarters of businesses shut

[webfact]

Picture: Manager

 

The much heralded Phuket Sandbox looks set to become the dampest of damp squibs, especially if a Manager report from Patong beach is to be believed. 

 

Tourists arriving in Phuket next week will find the island mostly shut. 

 

Their analysis of what is opened on the main beach road and "Sai 2" road behind that indicated that only 20% of hotels and shops are bothering to open.

 

That means that over three quarters of the main tourist area will simply be closed down for the arrival of what government officials have been saying will be 100,000 tourists for a kind of soft opening of Thailand. 

 

Picture: Manager

 

Manager spoke to the locals who said they would just lose more money if they opened for the smattering of tourists that the Sandbox will represent. 

 

They are going to hang on until the fourth quarter - from October - or even up to the end of the year before opening up again. 

 

Opening now is just not worth their while, irrespective of all the TAT, tourism ministry, and Thai government rhetoric. 

 

To be fair to the government they were not expecting tourists in the proverbial "droves", notes Thaivisa.

 

But the reaction of businesses on the ground is hardly likely to give them much encouragement for a plan that is the cornerstone of their recovery strategy.

 

And with tourists abroad watching news from Thailand closely the fact that a huge resort like Patong is showing such a lukewarm response is unlikely to inspire bookings. 

 

It could end up as a vicious circle of "we'll come when you're open, we'll open when you come".

 

Picture: Manager

 

Manager said they investigated the  famed strip at Patong and found hotels, shops, restaurants, malls, with just a few days before the Sandbox start, and found it 80% shut.

 

There were "For Rent" signs everywhere. Some refurbishment was going on for July 1st opening but very little. 

 

And of course all bars in Soi Bangla were shuttered and gathering dust.They are not even allowed to open.

 

There's no entertainment at all to greet the tourists who are set to arrive from Thursday next week. 

 

They further reported that cables and wires on the beachfront road had been buried and the road itself had markings ready for the tourists - should they come.

 

There were a few deckchair operators getting ready but what with it being the monsoon season they weren't expecting a mad rush. 

 

Picture: Manager

 

Other reports suggested tar balls had been blown in, further making for a doom and gloom assessment. 

 

Chalermlak Kepsap, who runs two hotels, said she had been open since it was allowed despite the almost complete lack of visitors. 

 

She felt that opening up would at least give the appearance of something going on so it wouldn't be completely dead. 

 

But she said that the great majority of hotels, restaurants and shops simply wouldn't be bothering to open for the Sandbox as it was a waste of their time and money. 

 

They wouldn't be doing improvements yet or getting in stock just to lose more money.

 

That would have to wait until the end of the year. 

 

Overall Manager's report could be summed up with one word - resignation. 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-06-22

 

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[club]

This is crazy!!!!!    What is the point in going there with  up to 80%  shut down? Besides that with only 30% fully vaccinated its a suicide vacation. Who came up with this plan? Probably the same person that came up with the idea of registering people for vaccines when they dont have enough 

[stevenl]

As happens often, the article is mixing up patong and Phuket. 

[schlog]

All closed but we have chuckey here!

[LivinginKata]

13 minutes ago, stevenl said:

As happens often, the article is mixing up patong and Phuket. 

 

True, but you know more like 90% closed Patong, Karon, Kata. Chalong and Rawai are mostly open. But genuine tourists want the main beach resorts.

[connda]

Restrictions, expense, invasive tests, invasive monitoring, restriction on movement, ever-changing rules and regulations, closed business, tar-balls on the beaches.

Who in their right minds will subject themselves to this?

[Surelynot]

Just now, connda said:

Restrictions, expense, invasive tests, invasive monitoring, restriction on movement, ever-changing rules and regulations, closed business, tar-balls on the beaches.

Who in their right minds will subject themselves to this?

The mind boggles.....people on the run, Chinese mobsters, Russian mafia?........the last people considering this have to be real, live tourists.

[sammieuk1]

Quicksand box ????

[GeorgeCross]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Manager spoke to the locals who said they would just lose more money if they opened for the smattering of tourists that the Sandbox will represent. 

 

"i won't get out of bed for less than 10,000 tourists" one was quoted as saying

 

[Surelynot]

1 minute ago, GeorgeCross said:

 

"i won't get out of bed for less than 10,000 tourists" one was quoted as saying

 

...a bar girl?

[GeorgeCross]

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

As happens often, the article is mixing up patong and Phuket. 

 

tourists go to patong.. expats live in phuket ????

 

first 5 times i went there i didn't even know how to get to the next bay lol

 

Edited June 22, 2021 by GeorgeCross

[Ventenio]

I'm amazed this business I went to today isn't shut.   My Thai is intermediate, and my fingers work....

 

I POINT to this drink I want...... lady looks at me.  we have a little small talk.  She puts ice in a glass and grabs the wrong bottle.  

 

I say NO, I want this one......pointing.   touching the bottle.   Thai, fingers......lol

 

she immediately grabs another bottle and pours......

 

I act like I'm the most confused man on the planet for about 5-seconds, no words.......can't lose face, smile, make eyes looks like I just saw something impossible to explain.

 

i won't go back, but next time I'll pour it myself........ 

[smedly]

38 minutes ago, connda said:

Restrictions, expense, invasive tests, invasive monitoring, restriction on movement, ever-changing rules and regulations, closed business, tar-balls on the beaches.

Who in their right minds will subject themselves to this?

expats wanting to avoid ASQ not tourists

[bolt]

52 minutes ago, connda said:

Restrictions, expense, invasive tests, invasive monitoring, restriction on movement, ever-changing rules and regulations, closed business, tar-balls on the beaches.

Who in their right minds will subject themselves to this?

me

after completing 2 ASQ, This Sandbox sounds WONDERFUL

 

i'm trying to decide where to book, i can rent a car or bike.

 

is Kata good enough or totally dead

 

Edited June 22, 2021 by bolt

[LivinginKata]

49 minutes ago, bolt said:

me

after completing 2 ASQ, This Sandbox sounds WONDERFUL

 

i'm trying to decide where to book, i can rent a car or bike.

 

is Kata good enough or totally dead

 

 

Kata is very quiet.  Almost all 7s closed along beach side. Few open on main Patak road.  Need to search for restaurants on beach road.  More open on main Patak road.  Tumble weed blowing down road not exaggeration. Kata beach car parks north and south end have a good selection of food carts every day.

[Rhacsyn]

1 hour ago, bolt said:

me

after completing 2 ASQ, This Sandbox sounds WONDERFUL

 

i'm trying to decide where to book, i can rent a car or bike.

 

is Kata good enough or totally dead

 

I will subject myself to it for the same reason. Stayed near Ao Nang beach, Krabi, a couple of months back and will look around there. Home is just outside Patong.

 

Kata is quiet, but the beach is the same as before, of course, less some people! 

[madmitch]

37 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Kata is very quiet.  Almost all 7s closed along beach side. Few open on main Patak road.  Need to search for restaurants on beach road.  More open on main Patak road.  Tumble weed blowing down road not exaggeration. Kata beach car parks north and south end have a good selection of food carts every day.

Oddly enough, Kata has reinvented itself as a surfing and surf-skating centre during Covid-times. It's always had a few low-season surfers but I'd say at times the beach is as busy as any other low season.

 

But it's mainly locals, who disappear after sunset and leave the place just about deserted.

Edited June 22, 2021 by madmitch

[aussieinphuket]

3 hours ago, club said:

This is crazy!!!!!    What is the point in going there with  up to 80%  shut down? Besides that with only 30% fully vaccinated its a suicide vacation. Who came up with this plan? Probably the same person that came up with the idea of registering people for vaccines when they dont have enough 

i live in Phuket (surin beach) and its more then 80 pct of businesses closed. in surin everything is gone except for one 711 and one family mart... the whole place is like a ghost town not just at surin beach but everywhere in phuket i actually saw a facebook post from a family who arrived and are staying in patong and looking for somewhere else to move to as they said nothing is open, if you live here its actually ok as no mini-bus taxis on the roads and obviously less taxis also so much easier to get around. why on earth would a restaurant re-open start up again with obviously no guarantee of tourists coming and wasting more money.. friends of mine wont open their resorts until they can see definite numbers coming and they cannot operate on just 500/1,000 thb a nite for accommodation. i spoke with one very well known thai hotel golf course owner here today and he thinks its a joke.... i tend to believe him..

[club]

6 minutes ago, aussieinphuket said:

i live in Phuket (surin beach) and its more then 80 pct of businesses closed. in surin everything is gone except for one 711 and one family mart... the whole place is like a ghost town not just at surin beach but everywhere in phuket i actually saw a facebook post from a family who arrived and are staying in patong and looking for somewhere else to move to as they said nothing is open, if you live here its actually ok as no mini-bus taxis on the roads and obviously less taxis also so much easier to get around. why on earth would a restaurant re-open start up again with obviously no guarantee of tourists coming and wasting more money.. friends of mine wont open their resorts until they can see definite numbers coming and they cannot operate on just 500/1,000 thb a nite for accommodation. i spoke with one very well known thai hotel golf course owner here today and he thinks its a joke.... i tend to believe him..

Its nice to hear the truth, Thank you

[club]

2 hours ago, bolt said:

me

after completing 2 ASQ, This Sandbox sounds WONDERFUL

 

i'm trying to decide where to book, i can rent a car or bike.

 

is Kata good enough or totally dead

 

I wonder if all the tourists coming know what they are in for?

[pagallim]

2 hours ago, bolt said:

me

after completing 2 ASQ, This Sandbox sounds WONDERFUL

 

i'm trying to decide where to book, i can rent a car or bike.

 

is Kata good enough or totally dead

 

 

I would suggest Rawai/Nai Harn.   The larger the resident Expat community, the more businesses, restaurants in particular, have remained open.   I think there would also be the advantage that with regular Expat clientele, price gouging in restaurants will be much less likely.

[poskat]

Living in bkk, I went to phuket, kata beach, when it opened back up for domestic tourism last july. I went every month for 4-5 days.

Although the beach was great, after 3 months, I stopped going because it was just too boring with only a few small restaurants to choose from and no shops or tours.

 

The idea of jumping through all the hoops and extra expense to make a long trip here for that experience for 14 days seems crazy.

 

I can imagine the conversions going on in tourist household worldwide "honey lets go to phuket, just have to do all this restriction stuff, oh and BTW, most places are closed, including all nightlife."  "are you daft, phuket will still be there next year, lets just go when they have everything sorted"

 

 

[bojo]

So much negativity here on TV................................as a poster rightly mentioned on another thread.......................Sandbox is a pilot scheme and Phuket IMO is far better than staying in BKK..................................yes, it's gonna be quiet initially, but the locals will react extremely fast (they're just waiting in the wings, chomping at the bit) and incoming and 'understanding that it's dead anyway pioneering tourists' will set the trend and the locals will react accordingly in a heartbeat.....................Phuket is a 'hot' worldwide destination and it'll warm up fast and 20% initial businesses open is enough for the ballsy and Thailand addicted tourist that understands the situation to be cracking on with...............................

[Deli]

2 hours ago, bolt said:

is Kata good enough or totally dead

 

6 feet under, choose another beach for your sanity of mind

[Darksidedude]

If this sandbox does go ahead even though most places will be closed it beats the hell out of being in a room locked up for 2 weeks 

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

That means that over three quarters of the main tourist area will simply be closed down for the arrival of what government officials have been saying will be 100,000 tourists for a kind of soft opening of Thailand.

Phuket, soft opening... I'm not saying anything.

[bolt]

1 hour ago, Deli said:

 

6 feet under, choose another beach for your sanity of mind

thanks but where????, or do you think i should stay locked in an ASQ room for 14 days is better

[pagallim]

3 minutes ago, bolt said:

thanks but where????, or do you think i should stay locked in an ASQ room for 14 days is better

 

I'm sure that you're already aware, but here are some of the Nai Harn hotels.   Just look for those that are SHA Plus credited.   https://www.booking.com/city/th/nai-harn-beach.en-gb.html

[bolt]

14 minutes ago, pagallim said:

 

I'm sure that you're already aware, but here are some of the Nai Harn hotels.   Just look for those that are SHA Plus credited.   https://www.booking.com/city/th/nai-harn-beach.en-gb.html

thanks my 1st week will be patong, 2nd week Nai Harn(maybe) depends on the booking conditions 

[clivebaxter]

Looking at those photos it puzzles me why anyone would fly thousands of miles to visit, even if they were all open, not exactly attractive is it.