Phuket Sandbox: Officials say island ready to open, but fewer tourists expected

[DaveC]

There is a mockup of my proposed signage for the bridge at Phuket Expat Vaccinations (phuket-expat-vaccinations.com)

 

This is critically important now that BKK Covid is seemingly out of control. 

 

If they go into lockdown there may be a mass exodus to a low risk province such as Phuket
Please support the sign concept by posting your thoughts.

Edited June 26, 2021 by DaveC

[KarenBravo]

1 minute ago, DaveC said:

There is a mockup of my proposed signage for the bridge at https://phuket-expat-vaccinations.com.

 

This is critically important now that BKK Covid is seemingly out of control. 

 

If they go into lockdown there may be a mass exodus to a low risk province such as Phuket
Please support the sign concept by posting your thoughts.

 

The link isn't working for me. I get Misdirected Request. Have I done something wrong?

[Golden Triangle]

Ooooh, this is so exciting, I'm nearly wetting myself in anticipation, I really can't wait too see how they're gonna spin this when at most they have a plane load of journalists on a freebie gizzit trip and hardly any fare paying tourists ????????????

[DaveC]

2 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

 

The link isn't working for me. I get Misdirected Request. Have I done something wrong?

I edited the post

[KarenBravo]

2 minutes ago, DaveC said:

I edited the post

 

OK, working now. Thanks.

[chang1]

21 minutes ago, pentagara said:

Proof of COVID-19 test showing that COVID-19 was not detected during the 14-night stay in Phuket with the document issued by an agency of the Ministry of Public Health

That alone could be a deal breaker for us "tourists". If we can't leave there is no point going. At least the hotel can be cancelled easily. 

[madmitch]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

In July there will be 426 flights to Phuket and some of these are airlines that have never flown to Phuket before. 

One of these airlines is Jinair, a Korean budget carrier. 6 flights a week according to the publicity blurb.

 

Out of interest I chacked their website and surprise, surprise, ther are no flights for the whole of July and from August onwards the website claims all flights are sold out. aso can we expect planeloads of Koreans, or have they just not decided upon their schedules? I tend to think the latter!

 

Those 426 flights must include domestic flights as well.

[Cake Monster]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Meanwhile, Mr Yutthasak, that he expects the UK to scrap quarantine for people returning there from Phuket.

What is this Guy smoking ?

[madmitch]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

In July there will be 426 flights to Phuket and some of these are airlines that have never flown to Phuket before. 

One of these airlines is Jinair, a Korean budget carrier. 6 flights a week according to the publicity blurb.

 

Out of interest I chacked their website and surprise, surprise, ther are no flights for the whole of July and from August onwards the website claims all flights are sold out. aso can we expect planeloads of Koreans, or have they just not decided upon their schedules? I tend to think the latter!

 

Those 426 flights must include domestic flights as well.

[NanLaew]

19 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

31 minutes ago, pentagara said:

Ah, just learned that Phuket issued a new rule for the sandbox:  If you want to leave the island after quarantine for another province (e.g. Bangkok), you need the following document at checkin at the airport for the domestic flight:

"Proof of COVID-19 test showing that COVID-19 was not detected during the 14-night stay in Phuket with the document issued by an agency of the Ministry of Public Health"

 

In ASQ in Bangkok, this document was sent by mail (postal mail) roughly one week after quarantine was done. At checkout the hotel said that they were very sorry that they can't provide the document at checkout since they didn't get it yet0, they were only able to provide a confirmation by the contract hospital that the quarantine test results were negative. At the time, no one ever cared about this document, also not for travel to other provinces.

 

Now Phuket makes it mandatory if you want to leave the province by air. That of course would be on top to requirements eg. Bangkok sets for entering their province ????

 

If one really needs to go to Thailand now, it actually might be better to choose ASQ instead of the Phuket sandbox. Quite likely cheaper (considering what they charge for tests in Phuket for the sandbox), and also actually can be planned.

Expand  

The Thai people running this feces show have obviously graduated recently from a class in idiotic pathetic movements, also known as how to make things as complicated as possible without trying hard.

 

Here we go again. The assumption that the shortcomings of the early Bangkok ASQ that was handling a whole lot more visitors will automatically be repeated in the Phuket sandbox.

 

You guys are too funny. Predictable but funny.

[ThailandRyan]

4 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

 

Here we go again. The assumption that the shortcomings of the early Bangkok ASQ that was handling a whole lot more visitors will automatically be repeated in the Phuket sandbox.

 

You guys are too funny. Predictable but funny.

Well will you admit your wrong on the open forum like I am willing to do @NanLaew.  If I am wrong in my view I will as I said make a public apology, will you do the same, or are you just all hot air and like to bash others whose opinion differs with yours.  

[geisha]

How long are the conditions for the Phuket Sandbox valid for ? 
Also, what is the maximum amount of time you can stay, and what visa is needed for a longer stay ?
( not retirement!) Thanks. 

[Millcx]

4 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Mensa riddle of the day : Foot in yourself the shooting.

They originally had orders for 30,006 .. So the 6 coming will have run of island .. These are the remaining survivors of the plane carrying the Rich Indians TAT has had circling for past year

[Captain Monday]

50 minutes ago, pentagara said:

Ah, just learned that Phuket issued a new rule for the sandbox:  If you want to leave the island after quarantine for another province (e.g. Bangkok), you need the following document at checkin at the airport for the domestic flight:

"Proof of COVID-19 test showing that COVID-19 was not detected during the 14-night stay in Phuket with the document issued by an agency of the Ministry of Public Health"

 

In ASQ in Bangkok, this document was sent by mail (postal mail) roughly one week after quarantine was done. At checkout the hotel said that they were very sorry that they can't provide the document at checkout since they didn't get it yet0, they were only able to provide a confirmation by the contract hospital that the quarantine test results were negative. At the time, no one ever cared about this document, also not for travel to other provinces.

 

Now Phuket makes it mandatory if you want to leave the province by air. That of course would be on top to requirements eg. Bangkok sets for entering their province ????

 

If one really needs to go to Thailand now, it actually might be better to choose ASQ instead of the Phuket sandbox. Quite likely cheaper (considering what they charge for tests in Phuket for the sandbox), and also actually can be planned.

I got the document, 3 copies as requested prior to boarding my taxi from ASQ at 7AM. I never had to show it except to my condo committee, not to board a domestic flight. No body knows exact how bad the fleecing will be but sounds better than another 15 nights in a box.

 

How much are the tests? Where? How to get there?. Not interested in Phuket taxis. 

 

 

Edited June 26, 2021 by Captain Monday

[Nanaplaza666]

426 flights in july , are these UFO's ????? The people saying this might be getting high on their own suply . Same people that will do the Thai space program ?? 

[pentagara]

10 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

 

Here we go again. The assumption that the shortcomings of the early Bangkok ASQ that was handling a whole lot more visitors will automatically be repeated in the Phuket sandbox.

 

You guys are too funny. Predictable but funny.

Yes, true. For ASQ you're pretty much free to go to any province afterwards. For the Phuket sandbox that's not confirmed, so there's a chance that the province one goes to applies the standard rules for intra-Thai travel. Currently there are 10 provinces within Thailand that allow arrival of visitors from other Thai provinces without quarantine, a few more if you're vaccinated (with a Thai document to prove it?):

 

https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1408032115552256004?s=20

 

Those rules can change any day of course, especially considering the Covid infection situation in Thailand right now...

 

Of course, if the sandbox is not as successful as it is planned to be, then the sandbox rules might be improved at any point in time ????

https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1408032115552256004?s=20

[flyingfox1]

3 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

 

On what grounds does he base that .. 

the uk are scrapping all quarantine from orange zones provided incoming had had 2 vaccines, i would expect that to be implemented in the coming weeks

[Captain Monday]

3 minutes ago, Nanaplaza666 said:

426 flights in july , are these UFO's ????? The people saying this might be getting high on their own suply . Same people that will do the Thai space program ?? 

14 flights a day sounds like a fleet of UFOs?

[Nanaplaza666]

2 minutes ago, Captain Monday said:

14 flights a day sounds like a fleet of UFOs?

That's more likely then real plains ????????

[RocketDog]

4 hours ago, khunPer said:

I presume we are talking about international long distance flights coming from mainly Europe - other articles have again and again stated that European, and American, tourists are the main number expected - which in average will carry about 200 passengers each, if not more.

 

So here comes the simple math...

426 x 200 = 85,200 passenger in July out of about 100,000 during all three month, which total number seems to be scaled down from earlier more specific 129,000 guests  in third quarter's sandbox.

 

If however, only one third of 100,000 arrives in July, the math goes like (100,000 / 3 ) / 426 = 78 passengers in average on each flight...????

 

Oh, perhaps I forgot that a number of these flights are for so-called quality tourists, i.e. private jets only carrying a few people onboard, then the math fits much better...????????

There you go with that pesky math thing again Captain Buzzkill.

Ignorance is bliss..... at least for a while.

[Nanaplaza666]

Just now, Nanaplaza666 said:

That's more likely then real plains ????????

Planes sorry 5555

[flyingfox1]

3 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

They hope returning Brits won't need to do quarantine after staying in Phuket now reverse that idea you moron ????

uk soon to allow anyone with 2 vaccines quarantine free travel from all orange zones  countries- getting announced in the coming weeks

[ThailandRyan]

3 minutes ago, flyingfox1 said:

uk soon to allow anyone with 2 vaccines quarantine free travel from all orange zones  countries- getting announced in the coming weeks

But isn't Thailand, I mean didn't they post themselves as a red zone yesterday?

[Chelseafan]

2 hours ago, NanLaew said:

 

Yes, and when it these early farang returners report that it was all well managed and their experience was great, the more reluctant farangs will sign up. When they also report that it's working even better than they expected, the 'tourists' will start to sign up. Once the word spreads among tourists that it's a decent vacation experience, it will be high season.

 

BTW, I'm a glass-half-full kinda guy.

 

What tourists? Most have already made their plans for the year. People don't typically make a decision of taking a 'holiday of a lifetime' on a whim.  They may get some Phuket 'regulars' but I'd be amazed if they get 33,000 every month

 

I'm a glass-empty, barrel-empty and brewery-empty when it comes to Thai politics.

[NanLaew]

16 minutes ago, madmitch said:

Out of interest I chacked their website and surprise, surprise, ther are no flights for the whole of July and from August onwards the website claims all flights are sold out. aso can we expect planeloads of Koreans, or have they just not decided upon their schedules? I tend to think the latter!

 

Out of interest... yeah right.

 

If a foreign visitor was checking Thai AirAsia's website during the pandemic, they would show flights and a few days or even hours later, there wasn't. Right now their services and routes are subject to sudden change due to the passenger loads. That's the LCC model.

 

Some of KLM's services came and went at short notice, as did Garuda's. Didn't mean that there was anything particularly wrong with Thailand, Holland or Indonesia but such changes are far more likely on LCC's.

 

Forecasting the success or otherwise of Phuket's sandbox by looking at flight availability on the internet. Can't be too exciting but whatever floats your boat.

[Captain Monday]

4 hours ago, billd766 said:

Tell me in August how many foreign tourists actually turned up and how much they really spent.

 

Please be aware that I am the proud possessor of these two beauties.

 

 

 

 

 

BS detector v01

 

 

With my status breakfast buffet is free so is the evening drinks lounge, usually have enough food to avoid dinner.  200 or  baht a day at 7-11. No tourism, mafia taxis or shopping.

 

Not including PCR tests guaranteed I will spend at least 4500 baht in Phuket over two weeks.

[NanLaew]

31 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Well will you admit your wrong on the open forum like I am willing to do @NanLaew.  If I am wrong in my view I will as I said make a public apology, will you do the same, or are you just all hot air and like to bash others whose opinion differs with yours.  

 

I don't love Thailand. It is not my home. It doesn't owe me any favors as I don't owe it any either. It's their circus and it's their monkeys. Maybe a lot of the noise and discontent in this affirmation echo chamber of malcontents is from those that don't like what Thailand has become, struggle with being unable to change anything or have realized they have in some way or another, invested to much of their time and lives on staying in Thailand.

 

I don't need or expect any public apology from @ThailandRyan or anyone else who may have got it wrong. Accordingly, there's no point in me making such an equally valueless apology if the country stubs it's toe again. It's an anonymous forum and after all, it is still Thailand.

 

The 'hot air' here has very little to do with contrary opinions. You lot are just a faceless, shouty wall of negativity on the internet. I just like to bash the Thai bashers, that's all. But I get bored easily so if I suddenly stop contributing and pushing your buttons, you can congratulate yourselves with, 'That showed him, eh?"

 

I don't give a toss.

[Greenwich Boy]

35 minutes ago, Captain Monday said:

I got the document, 3 copies as requested prior to boarding my taxi from ASQ at 7AM. I never had to show it except to my condo committee, not to board a domestic flight. No body knows exact how bad the fleecing will be but sounds better than another 15 nights in a box.

 

How much are the tests? Where? How to get there?. Not interested in Phuket taxis. 

 

 

We may disagree on ASQ over Phuket but you are spot on regards paperwork. I had the results of 3x tests and a letter from the hospital confirming covid free status the morning of check out. All this went in my hand luggage up to Chiang Mai and was not looked at once.

[Dialemco]

What a load if nonsense. Do you really want tourists from UK where D strain raging. Airlines coming to Phuket for the first time have they undergone training and safety exercises to use Airport? How on earth can TAT calculate how much tourists will spend especially when most venues are closed. Dream on and get real.

[Mavideol]

4 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

 

On what grounds does he base that .. 

could it be "dream on, it's not going to happen grounds" 555

Edited June 26, 2021 by Mavideol