Phuket Sandbox: 300 tourists mostly from the Middle East to arrive today, 82% island now vaccinated

[AhFarangJa]

I wonder how many of these 'tourists' are actually expats working in the middle east who gave families here.

I actually know one Thai lady who has been visiting her Daughter in Canada who is arriving today via Doha, will she be counted as a tourist?

[natway09]

Don't worry about the International arrivals,

How long before the domestic flights from Bangkok take the new strain of viruses  down to Phuket

[KhunBENQ]

 

10 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

 

I actually know one Thai lady who has been visiting her Daughter in Canada who is arriving today via Doha, will she be counted as a tourist?

Just seen a short video from channel 31.

Many appeal to be Asian/Thai, Thai children, mixed couples.

No flip-flops, singlets/wife-beaters, elephant trousers.

Edited July 1, 2021 by KhunBENQ

[thailand49]

MiddleEast?  better check those docs again I hear they come dime a dozen?

[KhunBENQ]

Welcome to Thailand ????

[pagallim]

16 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

I wonder how many of these 'tourists' are actually expats working in the middle east who gave families here.

I actually know one Thai lady who has been visiting her Daughter in Canada who is arriving today via Doha, will she be counted as a tourist?

 

Maybe not, however she'll be required to undergo the same testing/SHA+ accommodation routine as any other arrival, who would otherwise be required to carry out two weeks ASQ in Bangkok at her own expense.

[Chosenfew]

Most are probably Yanks working in the oil fields that have been couped up for more than a year. They will spend…

[dsj]

1 hour ago, IamNoone88 said:

Interestingly, by it's own definition, the Thailand Dept of Disease Control, classifies itself - Thailand - as a Red High Risk Country together with a bunch of other high risk countries that are not welcome to visit just yet ... including South Africa, Netherlands, India etc etc. 

According to Reuters Hong Kong:

 

HONG KONG, June 28 (Reuters) - Hong Kong will ban all passenger flights from the United Kingdom from Thursday to curb the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19, the government said on Monday.

Britain will be specified as extremely high-risk, and people who have stayed in the country for more than two hours will be unable to board passenger flights bound for Hong Kong, it said.

It is the second time Hong Kong has barred arrivals from Britain after a ban that was in force from December 2020 until May.

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/hong-kong-bans-passenger-flights-uk-curb-delta-variant-infections-2021-06-28/

[bkk6060]

Congratulations to the Arab and Russian "pioneers". Way to go, looking forward to giving them a high five.

[sambum]

5 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Maybe holding them in the air until Prayut and entourage arrive to smile and resent them with the keys to the country as the first arriving true tourists......maybe.....

 

"to smile and resent them"  Sounds just about right! ????

[Cake Monster]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

In total 300 people are expected aboard the four flights. 

Average of 75 per Flight.

I cant see the Airlines making too many of those kind of loss making Flights.

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

As of yesterday 82% of the people on the southern Thai island had received a first dose of vaccine or 383,158 people out of a total of 466,587

1st jab of Sinovac... useless against the newer variants.

Yet safe to allow tourists to mingle with the locals... 

talk about double standards, tourist are the ones that should be worried.

[Goldpanner]

300 Hotels will open one room for the tourist, close the others and say they are full HOORAY

[LongTimeLurker]

1 hour ago, wensiensheng said:

The issue is not risk from all the tourists, it’s the boatload of resources the authorities have diverted to Phuket to help it look after a few of said tourists.

 

Vaccines used to vaccinate young healthy people in Phuket could have been used for at risk people elsewhere.

 

 

And not all at risk people in Phuket have been vaccinated, elderly farangs for example.

[terryofcrete]

2 hours ago, IamNoone88 said:

Interestingly, by it's own definition, the Thailand Dept of Disease Control, classifies itself - Thailand - as a Red High Risk Country together with a bunch of other high risk countries that are not welcome to visit just yet ... including South Africa, Netherlands, India etc etc. 

26000 new cases in the UK yesterday and they are on medium risk list. Excellent !

[KhunMorris]

80% have had half a dose of some Chinese nonsense. That doesn't include under 18s. 

 

They Island probably had about 15% of the population with the required antibodies to begin to think about Herd Immunity, that's before we talk about the ineffectiveness of ChinaVac and the Delta Variant.

 

The biggest spreaders now in the UK are the under 18s. Kids. However we all know that they cannot be vaccinated. That's another problem. In short, this is destined for complete and total disaster.

 

Grand opening, grand closing.

 

Sincerely 

 

MORRIS 

Double Vaccinated, February, 2021. 

[AquaThai]

Middle East,  does that mean India or from wealthy  countries?

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

i could be on those flights if the COE was so hard to allmost imposible to complete within 3 days (from the day they announced on 28 july ).

i have been spending allmost 4 days busy with this COE document, and everytime there is another issue. now, after booking my flight , hotel, and paid insurance, i got this message from the thai embassy (which does not answer the phone nor emails):

 

Royal Thai Embassy, has rejected your registration/application.

Due to 1. You must select your hotel under "SHA" category. 2. You must upload a SHABA reservation certificate from the hotel in the designated section. Please consult the hotel to obtain the certificate.

[pagallim]

10 minutes ago, terryofcrete said:

26000 new cases in the UK yesterday and they are on medium risk list. Excellent !

 

Yes, but only a further 186 hospitalised and 14 further deaths (5 less than one week ago).   This demonstrates the effectiveness of vaccination against severe symptoms that require hospitalisation.

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

7 hours ago, stratocaster said:

Russians coming to reclaim their property

russians coming to sell their condos to whomever they can find

[Dirk Z]

This says it all. Enjoy!

[southcoast]

7 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

So 50 people on a plane that can hold 600 plus.  Sounds like a winning combination for all around with fat profits being made.  Sure its a drop in the bucket, but how many of those 300 are media and travel people who are coming first to check it out and report back on the conditions.  Sure they will do their best to satiate the "Tourists" and put on that famous Thai smile.  Just looked on flight Radar and did see just these 4 flights scheduled as well as those flying in from BKK on Thai Smile and a few other small airlines.  Wonder whose on those flights.

Did see that there were 3 flights from India on the FR24 arrivals but a no show!!!. Thought Bangkok was on a sort of lockdown but they still manage to send around 10 flights daily to HKT, wonder if they all quarantined on arrival.  I am sure there not going to quarantine for 14 days flying from BKK, LOL, Makes a mockery of all this quarantine on arrival. Why not spread it around, you know it makes sense !!!

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

6 hours ago, madmitch said:

Airlines won't be able to sustain flights with 70-odd people onboard

the blame is all on the rigid thai authorities, who created this stupid COE requiremements.

no tourist i his sane mind will go threw all this paper work, and pay all the expenses - insurance flight hotel and PCR tests - while waiting for the approval of thai embassy who is not even answering phone calls.

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

6 hours ago, Taboo2 said:

Remember, this is only the beginning ...this variant and the other 3 that are in Thailand are just getting started.  

 

Get some Oxygen....you may need it.

this is not the beginning of anything and stop scaring people. the hard part of the pandemic is behind. variants will allways come and ...well, with whom am i talking too? people like you

allways enjoyed all this scare....

[Nanaplaza666]

3 hours ago, crazykopite said:

One dose of vaccine does not protect you you need both doses so I estimate you can cut the 80+ % by 50% these clowns think we are all fools 

MISLEADING AND FAKE NEWS,  i thought fake news was illegal . 80% is a big lie and as you said maybe they not even reach 30% . 

[Xonax]

7 hours ago, zzzzz said:

i walk along the deserted Kamala beach daily ( and have been for nearly 18 months) ...... an its lovely  ????

 

why are people still harping on "tourists" arriving for the phuket sandbox?
the Sandbox is to simulate the economy, so it doesn't really matter the reason people are travelling to phuket for

But how much will it stimulate the economy, that hotels and resorts and thousands of restaurants and shops opens up to serve only 300 tourists?

[connda]

8 hours ago, WineOh said:

How long until the island locks down and these 300 poor souls are forced to stay in their rooms for the duration of their holiday?

 

Saying that, it's probably better than walking down a deserted patong beach during the rainy season....

 

How depressing can you get! ????

Well given the demographic they probably won't be put off by a beach littered with tar balls.
That aside, I truly wonder what a bunch of guys from the Gulf States expect to do in Phuket? 
Visit temples?  ????
Drink at the bars?  ????
Covort with bar girls?  ????
Get a special massage? ????

[wensiensheng]

50 minutes ago, LongTimeLurker said:

 

And not all at risk people in Phuket have been vaccinated, elderly farangs for example.

If elderly means over 60, I am one of them. And yet so many young people here have had a jab. ????‍♂️

[wensiensheng]

2 minutes ago, connda said:

Well given the demographic they probably won't be put off by a beach littered with tar balls.
That aside, I truly wonder what a bunch of guys from the Gulf States expect to do in Phuket? 
Visit temples?  ????
Drink at the bars?  ????
Covort with bar girls?  ????
Get a special massage? ????

I suspect the cooler weather might be attractive to some people from the Middle East, but a lot of the other stuff, tests and so on, will put them off.

[tandor]

...from sand dunes into a sand box.