Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai Rath's influential columnist "Lom Plian Thit" wrote about the impending opening of the country to foreign tourists as the much vaunted "Phuket Sandbox" kicks off in less than a week. 

 

He said that much rests on the opening of Phuket and then the three Surat Thani islands that will be a "test run" for the anticipated wider reopening of the country when the high season starts in October to December. 

 

He intimated that the government are keen that no mistakes will be made saying that he was broadly in favor of this cautious approach.

 

The stakes were high and the country could not afford to see the plan fail that would mean more economic misery.

 

He said that Thailand was still experiencing 3,000 daily cases of Covid-19 and questions remained as to whether foreign tourists would want to risk coming with that in mind. 

 

Latest numbers suggested 350,000 people out of 600,000 residents of Phuket had been vaccinated with 420,000 needed to be jabbed to make the 70% "herd immunity" target. He thought this would likely be met such is the need to get the Sandbox up and running. 

 

He pointed at figures for tourism pre-pandemic in Phuket when 14.5 million tourists arrived and spent 470 billion baht. There were 100,000 rooms from 5 and 6 star to backpacker lodging. 

 

Now that is but a distant memory. Even the infrastructure of migrant workers had mostly packed off and gone home. 

 

Phuket once a rich guy was now a pauper and the local people had gone from wealth to penury in the proverbial blink of an eye. 

 

Nathasiri Ronsiri, director of the local tourism office, estimated that 129,000 foreigners and 500,000 Thais would visit over the next three months. 

 

(Elsewhere on Thaivisa today the tourism minister toned down those assessments after a visit to the island yesterday). 

 

On the first day next Thursday 300 foreigners were expected on five airlines from Europe and Asia mostly, said Nanthasiri.

 

She was hopeful that 6,000 tourists from abroad would come in July a figure that the columnist said was a reasonable assessment and an acceptable "soft start". 

 

But where would the tourists be coming from? Back in 2019 the top nationalities were Chinese, Russian, Australians, Germans and British. 

 

No Chinese would be coming at all, he said, what with China's policy to restrict international travel and concentrate on their own domestic tourism revival.

 

He pointed out that many other countries still have severe problems with infection. 

 

Vaccination was the key, he said, asking whether the Thai government would be able to deliver on their promises and noting the slow rollout up till now.

 

He signed on with a veiled suggestion of the criminality of those who might profit from the vaccine rollout. That was left hanging with no explanation. 

 

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13 minutes ago, webfact said:

He intimated that the government are keen that no mistakes will be made

Such as telling tourists they must wearing tracking devices…

 

Is that stipulation still in place?

"She was hopeful that 6,000 tourists from abroad would come in July a figure that the columnist said was a reasonable assessment and an acceptable "soft start"."

 

200 people a day wont have any impact the economy or encourage businesses to reopen

 

but it is sure to generate stories of people not having a good time there

31 minutes ago, webfact said:

He signed on with a veiled suggestion of the criminality of those who might profit from the vaccine rollout. That was left hanging with no explanation. 

 

So that's Prayut and Anutin nailed then, lol.

I was just at a print/scan shop again this morning ( Karon - Kata area ), the owner had his 7 year old son there ( son not there yesterday ), I asked him "no school today"? he said school closed 3 days for spraying / disinfecting, apparently a parent of a student tested positive. July 1 around the corner, won't see that in headline news !! 

41 minutes ago, webfact said:

when the high season starts in October to December. 

 

Be ready to be disappointed, solly, but the truth does hurt ????

12 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

I was just at a print/scan shop again this morning ( Karon - Kata area ), the owner had his 7 year old son there ( son not there yesterday ), I asked him "no school today"? he said school closed 3 days for spraying / disinfecting, apparently a parent of a student tested positive. July 1 around the corner, won't see that in headline news !! 

this is going to blow up so badly they'll be pointing fingers at each other for years..

57 minutes ago, webfact said:

The stakes were high and the country could not afford to see the plan fail that would mean more economic misery

Once again a sad state of affairs to put all your eggs in one basket and hope they hatch.....really sad.

55 minutes ago, webfact said:

6 star

I thought only Dubai used that fantasy rating with golden toilets etc. But many of the 5 star hotels I stayed in here are more like 3-4, so I guess 6 stars could make sens..

1 hour ago, webfact said:

 

 

10 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

this is going to blow up so badly they'll be pointing fingers at each other for years..

A new venue will be needed to showcase all of the boxing government officials whose lives and careers depend on this being pulled off.  They have invested heavily but they themselves are to blame if it fails.....

20 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

A new venue will be needed to showcase all of the boxing government officials whose lives and careers depend on this being pulled off.  They have invested heavily but they themselves are to blame if it fails.....

they watched as the world became ill, and so accordingly the lack of proactivity in the procurement of meds defies logic..

Does anyone think people will come to the sandbox penitentiary?

1 hour ago, webfact said:

 

She was hopeful that 6,000 tourists from abroad would come in July a figure that the columnist said was a reasonable assessment and an acceptable "soft start". 

 

More like flaccid .. 

48 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

I thought only Dubai used that fantasy rating with golden toilets etc. But many of the 5 star hotels I stayed in here are more like 3-4, so I guess 6 stars could make sens..

Slightly of topic but i used to use Sheraton  In Sanaa supposely 5 star actual fact it was more like a 2 to 3 star on a "good" day

49 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

I thought only Dubai used that fantasy rating with golden toilets etc. But many of the 5 star hotels I stayed in here are more like 3-4, so I guess 6 stars could make sens..

The Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai is 7 star. I have stayed in many fabulous hotels in Thailand irrespective of star rating. It is a personal perception of course

1 hour ago, webfact said:

 

She was hopeful that 6,000 tourists from abroad would come in July a figure that the columnist said was a reasonable assessment and an acceptable "soft start".

Charging fully vaccinated tourists B2800 X 4 for Covid-19 testing during their 14 day "Sandbox" stay (as well as a myriad other hassles) should do wonders for these numbers.

Must have had 700 cancellations from the TAT figures arriving on day 1 now it's down to 300 on 5 planes from a 1000 2 days ago and still confused as to how any of the the 300 got a COE as no sandbox option on the embassy website ????

The sandbox cannot start on 1 July because they still haven't identified the countries that are eligible or announced the procedures in the Royal Gazette.  The Foreign Ministry has to receive the announcement and prepare orders for embassies and consulates in the selected countries that have to issue the COEs to travellers which they give themselves 14 working days to do. 

 

Presumably there will be a fudge where strings are pulled to fast track documentation from 4 or 5 consulates, so the VIPs can do photo calls with some arrivals at the airport to pretend this shambles is a success.  The usual government fake news! 

26 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Charging fully vaccinated tourists B2800 X 4 for Covid-19 testing during their 14 day "Sandbox" stay (as well as a myriad other hassles) should do wonders for these numbers.

 

It is of no interest to regular tourists.  Lucky they relented and allowed Thais and foreign residents to apply as they are the only ones interested in this scheme.

33 minutes ago, Dogmatix said:

The sandbox cannot start on 1 July because they still haven't identified the countries that are eligible or announced the procedures in the Royal Gazette.  The Foreign Ministry has to receive the announcement and prepare orders for embassies and consulates in the selected countries that have to issue the COEs to travellers which they give themselves 14 working days to do. 

 

Presumably there will be a fudge where strings are pulled to fast track documentation from 4 or 5 consulates, so the VIPs can do photo calls with some arrivals at the airport to pretend this shambles is a success.  The usual government fake news! 

You are correct about it not being published in the Royal Gazette yet, most probably tomorrow. Nevertheless, I need to get back to Thailand and was finally given the green light by the Thai consulate in Dubai yesterday that I can start the COE application.

 

The list of eligible countries is published, and is updated daily. It is low and medium risk countries which is the left and centre columns in the attachment below. Amusingly, you will see that Thailand has published a list with itself in the right hand column of high risk countries!

 

thailand-country-risk-categorisation.pdf

The English Local Media are asking people if they would like to visit the Phuket 'Sandbox Prison' for a completely ruined Holiday !

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Latest numbers suggested 350,000 people out of 600,000 residents of Phuket had been vaccinated with 420,000 needed to be jabbed to make the 70% "herd immunity" target. He thought this would likely be met such is the need to get the Sandbox up and running. 

So 420,000 jabs in 5 days is 84,000 per day to reach 70% and it takes 2-3 weeks for the vaccine to become effective!Seems like a fail in my books.It's going to be difficult to hide the positives of foreign tourists if they get infected, and if they get infected and return positive tests when fly home it won't look good.

Its not only Phuket, much of Thailand’s post-pandemic recovery hangs on ‘Sandbox’ project. 

 

Have they heard the sayings... 

 

Don't put all your balls in one basket? 

 

Quote: “Latest numbers suggested 350,000 people out of 600,000 residents of Phuket had been vaccinated with 420,000 needed to be jabbed to make the 70% "herd immunity" target. ”

 

    Okay, but what about those who contracted Covid and recovered? They also now have immunity. That brings the 70% “herd immunity” target closer.  
  Did they forget to count them? 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Latest numbers suggested 350,000 people out of 600,000 residents of Phuket had been vaccinated with 420,000 needed to be jabbed to make the 70% "herd immunity" target. He thought this would likely be met such is the need to get the Sandbox up and running.

July 1st this year right?

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Nathasiri Ronsiri, director of the local tourism office, estimated that 129,000 foreigners and 500,000 Thais would visit over the next three months. 

Incredulous.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

No Chinese would be coming at all, he said, what with China's policy to restrict international travel and concentrate on their own domestic tourism revival.

 

Hell, keep it like that for the next 30 years, please

3 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

July 1st this year right?

This week (coming) actually......

5 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Once again a sad state of affairs to put all your eggs in one basket and hope they hatch.....really sad.

It’s really putting all eggs in one basket that doesn’t have a bottom.

 

if they want tourism back, they have to take the necessary steps first. This scheme is rushed, it’s built on fantasy land projections and fraught with health risks.

 

it just makes no sense.