All go for the Phuket Sandbox - 13,000 rooms booked, foreign airlines set for Samui later, TAT

[webfact]

File photo

 

The Tourism Authority of Thailand chief Yutthasak Suphasorn told the Thai media that just about everything was ready for the Phuket Sandbox reopening to foreign tourism on Thursday. 

 

With just three days to go Yutthasak said yesterday that an announcement was expected in the Government Gazette that will assist foreign embassies in issuing Certificates of Entry making it easier for foreigners to book. 

 

He notes that Standard Operating Procedures were all in place. 

 

He said that 70% of the population of the southern Thai island had been vaccinated and this would be 80% by Thursday.

 

Marketing executive at the TAT Siripakorn Cheosamut said that four flights would land in Phuket on Thursday - Ethihad at around 10 am, Qatar, 1.30 pm, El Al 1.45 pm and Singapore Airlines at 5 pm. 

 

Some 400-500 passengers are expected to be onboard. 

 

On Day 2 July 2nd Emirates will fly in.

 

On Days 3 and 4 THAI will fly in from Europe from Copenhagen, Frankfurt and Zurich. 

 

Siripakorn claimed also that Singapore Airlines and Qatar will fly into Koh Samui when they start their "sealed route" addition to the Sandbox plan on July 15th. 

 

As far as Phuket goes there had been 217 hotel bookings for the first day and 1,101 bookings for the first 15 days. 

 

This represented 13,116 rooms as each person will be staying an average of 12 days. 

 

Thaivisa notes that in the plan tourists are required to spend 14 days on Phuket before moving on. 

 

Planning to visit Phuket? Book your Sandbox hotel here

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-06-29

 

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[MadMac]

Quote

As far as Phuket goes there had been 217 hotel bookings for the first day and 1,101 bookings for the first 15 days. 

 

This represented 13,116 rooms as each person will be staying an average of 12 days. 

 

Great maths ????

[colinneil]

22 minutes ago, webfact said:

 that just about everything was ready for the Phuket Sandbox reopening to foreign tourism on Thursday. 

Do these clowns ever get fed up with spouting sh##e, because it is the same old nonsense every time, great things going to happen, then............ POOF it doesnt.????????

Edited June 29, 2021 by colinneil

[ThailandRyan]

13 minutes ago, webfact said:

He said that 70% of the population of the southern Thai island had been vaccinated and this would be 80% by Thursday.

Fully vaccinated or with one jab.  If they think one jab will do, well then why make the arriving tourists have two, and PCR test so many times with having to show a pre-paid receipt for those tests prior to a COE being given....Test all of those people in Phuket the same number of times and call it even....

[GeorgeCross]

13,000 rooms sure sounds a lot better than 1100 arrivals in FIFTEEN days 

 

total failure ????

 

 

 

 

Edited June 29, 2021 by GeorgeCross

[JCP108]

If you believe that the PCR tests carry a false positive rate of 0.5% (I do) and each sandboxer will have a 1.5% chance of getting a false positive, then out of every 1,000 travelers, 15 of them will get a 14-day stay in one of the two field hospitals they have set up on the island. One thing I wonder about: if an asymptomatic person gets a false positive test result and ends up in the field hospital (read hospitel or forced quarantine in a hotel), how much will they have to pay out of pocket? I can't imagine their insurance policy paying if they aren't symptomatic and aren't put in an actual hospital to get actual treatment. 

[Pottinger]

"1,101 bookings and 13,000 rooms booked"

 

Thailand - Hub of Flexible Statistics

[Caldera]

Those actual numbers are sobering.

[JCP108]

1 minute ago, Caldera said:

Those actual numbers are sobering.

Bookings in Phuket went up by 217 and probably down by the same number for ASQ in Bangkok for the same day so with zero net effect for the Thai economy. Probably 217 expats desparate to get back to their wives and wanting to avoid formal quarantine. Once the bulk of that group is back, I expect the flow of travelers will turn to a trickle. 

[ThailandRyan]

30 minutes ago, webfact said:

This represented 13,116 rooms as each person will be staying an average of 12 days. 

I thought it was a 14 day maximum, if not then those that booked short must be flying in and flying back out before completing the sandbox scheme and must just be media folks paid to come and PR for the Grand Opening....

[ThailandRyan]

4 minutes ago, Pottinger said:

"1,101 bookings and 13,000 rooms booked"

 

Thailand - Hub of Flexible Statistics

Each booked 12 rooms for their visiting family they can not share the room with.  Mormon John Smith is coming with his 6 wives and 14 children, ergo he needs 21 rooms, all booked under his name.

[MadMac]

8 minutes ago, JCP108 said:

...15 of them will get a 14-day stay in one of the two field hospitals they have set up on the island. ...

 

Nope, foreigners do not go to field hospitals but into hotel/hospital quarantine which will cost you an arm and a leg. False test is enough and your health insurance does not pay for this. Only for actual hospitalisation and treatment. Go figure. They have a gold mine there ????

[BestB]

I thought 100000 were confirmed ? Now 13000?

[keith101]

Come on guys we all know how the TAT are with numbers they always exaggerate and multiply to make them look good its always been the same so why would they change now .

[WineOh]

58 minutes ago, webfact said:

This represented 13,116 rooms as each person will be staying an average of 12 days.

I'd say more like 13 rooms, not 13,116.

Edited June 29, 2021 by WineOh

[ezzra]

Yeah right... what a load of poppycock, how far these people will go to perpetuate a lie i wonder?...

[Rampant Rabbit]

33 minutes ago, JCP108 said:

If you believe that the PCR tests carry a false positive rate of 0.5% (I do) and each sandboxer will have a 1.5% chance of getting a false positive, then out of every 1,000 travelers, 15 of them will get a 14-day stay in one of the two field hospitals they have set up on the island. One thing I wonder about: if an asymptomatic person gets a false positive test result and ends up in the field hospital (read hospitel or forced quarantine in a hotel), how much will they have to pay out of pocket? I can't imagine their insurance policy paying if they aren't symptomatic and aren't put in an actual hospital to get actual treatment. 

And  whilst in there then catch covid

[Rampant Rabbit]

3 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Yeah right... what a load of poppycock, how far these people will go to perpetuate a lie i wonder?...

C'mon , you  know  its  Thailand right, there is  no end they wont  go to????

[holy cow cm]

It seems that either their math is wrong or Thailand is a breeding grounds for people in any government position to be habitual liars. Land of forked tongue!

[Rampant Rabbit]

Just now, holy cow cm said:

It seems that either their math is wrong or Thailand is a breeding grounds for people in any government position to be habitual liars. Land of forked tongue!

????.......????

[Cake Monster]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

He said that 70% of the population of the southern Thai island had been vaccinated and this would be 80% by Thursday.

This is not the real picture at all.

The Authorities have tried ways to fudge the number of residents on Phuket downwards, including to count those registered in Phuket but living elsewhere in other Provinces.

The authorities have said 70 % are Inoculated.

Yes they may be, but with only one shot, of a Vaccine that has only a 3 % Efficacy after only one shot.

Who in their right mind believes this Tosh. 

[jvs]

42 minutes ago, MadMac said:

Nope, foreigners do not go to field hospitals but into hotel/hospital quarantine which will cost you an arm and a leg. False test is enough and your health insurance does not pay for this. Only for actual hospitalisation and treatment. Go figure. They have a gold mine there 

Tourists do need to have covid insurance as part of the deal?

If i remember right ,100 000 US dollars worth.

 

[aussiexpat]

So of the 1101 rooms booked 1-15 July, how many have since canceled because they couldn't get their COE.

 

29th June and not yet approved in Gazzette for 1 July start and then there's the last minute change that 3 PCR tests have to be booked and pre-paid through hotels to get the COE, which none of the hotels seem to know about

[vinci]

have to have $100k covid insurance to be allow in, i say good luck with that

[treetops]

6 minutes ago, jvs said:

Tourists do need to have covid insurance as part of the deal?

If i remember right ,100 000 US dollars worth.

 

That's right, but it appears many policies do not cover asymptomatic treatment/incarceration.

[Cake Monster]

50 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

I thought it was a 14 day maximum, if not then those that booked short must be flying in and flying back out before completing the sandbox scheme and must just be media folks paid to come and PR for the Grand Opening....

Of the 200 or so Rooms booked on the first Day, you could almost bet the House that these will be Dignitaries on a Junket.

Then from the 1100 or so other Rooms, there will be Reps of TAT from around the Globe, invited to witness the opening, various people to which a payback of a free Holiday has been offered Etc.

That will leave Bert wearing his Wife Beater shirt, and supping a Leo.

[Taboo2]

If that is true, then I wish them good luck.  I will keep an eye on this and may choose this option instead of ALQ.

[MadMac]

14 minutes ago, jvs said:

Tourists do need to have covid insurance as part of the deal?

If i remember right ,100 000 US dollars worth.

 

 

That's a healt insurance, not a quarantine insurance. I doubt it will pay if they put you in a detention hotel after false positive test.

[ChipButty]

It's squeaky bum time for the governor 

[vinci]

nobody in their right mind to go and get $100k covid insurance just to go on a vacation for a few days or week