It’s like they’ve never been away! Video shows foreign tourists enjoying Phuket Sandbox

[ChipButty]

5 minutes ago, shackleton said:

Well its a start would like to hear from the owners of hotels and restaurants once the 12000 tourists arrive by the end of July 

On how their businesses are doing?

Come back at the end of July 

[cyril sneer]

that place is nothing without the bargirls

[Somtamnication]

They are enjoying it until they get the taxi price back to the hotel!

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, Somtamnication said:

They are enjoying it until they get the taxi price back to the hotel!

This one never made it back to the hotel.................

 

A policeman squeezes hand sanitizer for Egil Bruland at Wichit Police Station on Phuket. Bruland, a 83-year-old tourist from Norway, was traveling on the island as part of the Phuket Sandbox program when he was unable to find his way back to his hotel.

 

 

https://twitter.com/KhaosodEnglish/status/1412294744298770432

 

[wensiensheng]

That was the biggest crowd at any Phuket event….period!

[Surelynot]

1 minute ago, Bkk Brian said:

This one never made it back to the hotel.................

 

A policeman squeezes hand sanitizer for Egil Bruland at Wichit Police Station on Phuket. Bruland, a 83-year-old tourist from Norway, was traveling on the island as part of the Phuket Sandbox program when he was unable to find his way back to his hotel.

 

 

https://twitter.com/KhaosodEnglish/status/1412294744298770432

 

Now....squirty cream would have been funny

[ChipButty]

4 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

This one never made it back to the hotel.................

 

A policeman squeezes hand sanitizer for Egil Bruland at Wichit Police Station on Phuket. Bruland, a 83-year-old tourist from Norway, was traveling on the island as part of the Phuket Sandbox program when he was unable to find his way back to his hotel.

 

 

https://twitter.com/KhaosodEnglish/status/1412294744298770432

 

He managed to jump through all the hoops to get to Thailand, but couldn't find his way to his hotel 5555

[ChipButty]

14 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

This one never made it back to the hotel.................

 

A policeman squeezes hand sanitizer for Egil Bruland at Wichit Police Station on Phuket. Bruland, a 83-year-old tourist from Norway, was traveling on the island as part of the Phuket Sandbox program when he was unable to find his way back to his hotel.

 

 

https://twitter.com/KhaosodEnglish/status/1412294744298770432

 

What happened to the command and control center? he should have been showing up as a missing person having not checked in to his hotel

[DjSilver]

if one have to wear a mask it is not vacation but tyranny and dictatorship. 

[Uroller]

This is a joke and fake news, Friday market at Boat Avenue in Cherngtalay has been open with these crowds for 3 or 4 weeks now, Sandbox opening has made little or no difference to the crowd size! Propaganda comes to mind????

[pagallim]

40 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Nope, alcohol is widely available in Phuket as long as you order food

 

Actually, most bar restaurants, the food is an option.

[pagallim]

As mentioned, lots of posts and photos/videos on social media, otherwhelmingly positive.   A recurring theme though is people asking where on the island there is any life as where they are is 'dead' and though their hotels are OK, they want to move.   Sadly, these questions seem to originate from those staying in Patong.   Obviously there's been large problem with expectations.

[lightsidecat]

When I read the headline I thought OMG they've got camera's hidden in the hotel rooms!

[ChipButty]

1 minute ago, pagallim said:

As mentioned, lots of posts and photos/videos on social media, otherwhelmingly positive.   A recurring theme though is people asking where on the island there is any life as where they are is 'dead' and though their hotels are OK, they want to move.   Sadly, these questions seem to originate from those staying in Patong.   Obviously there's been large problem with expectations.

One complaint I did see on FB was some of these hotels are operating with limited facilities 

[pagallim]

Just now, ChipButty said:

One complaint I did see on FB was some of these hotels are operating with limited facilities 

 

Indeed, staffing will be a problem for the foreseeable future I guess.   Bit of chicken and egg, people are not going to return from their home provinces until there is some form of guarantee of long term employment which resorts can't offer until there is a definitive demand.

[ChipButty]

3 minutes ago, pagallim said:

 

Indeed, staffing will be a problem for the foreseeable future I guess.   Bit of chicken and egg, people are not going to return from their home provinces until there is some form of guarantee of long term employment which resorts can't offer until there is a definitive demand.

My friend owns a 50 bed hotel which she closed down now she tells me to get the staff back she has to pay them to come back because they have no money and I guess none of them have been vaccinated

[Pravda]

Did I see some breakdancing?

[pagallim]

10 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

My friend owns a 50 bed hotel which she closed down now she tells me to get the staff back she has to pay them to come back because they have no money and I guess none of them have been vaccinated

 

A myriad of problems for sure.   There will be many who expended quite a lot of money moving themselves, family and possessions to their home provinces and certainly won't want to go through that exercise again.

[rcuthbert]

Perhaps micro bikini clad  Russian babes playing volley ball would have been a more productive promotion strategy.

[johng]

3 minutes ago, Pravda said:

Did I see some breakdancing?

Yes you did    so did I       "eto Perestroika"   ????

[wensiensheng]

10 minutes ago, Pravda said:

Did I see some breakdancing?

Traditional thai break dancing is very popular with tourists…..apparently.

[johng]

6 minutes ago, rcuthbert said:

Russian babes playing volley ball would have been a more productive promotion

No they are trying to move away from  "sleazy"  to  "high class family" ( no alcohol) ????

 

[DavisH]

3 hours ago, Aussie999 said:

I would prefer to see some reports by expats, rather than what you, and TCT, want us to believe.

They are tourists having a good time....who cares what expats think? 

[DefaultName]

Did I see beer?  Naughty TAT.  ????

[pagallim]

2 minutes ago, DefaultName said:

Did I see beer?  Naughty TAT.  ????

 

No problem with alcohol in Phuket, other than actual bars are closed.   Bar/restaurants operating normally for the past few weeks, as I belive they are in all yellow/amber provinces (unless their Governor decrees otherwise).

[Nanaplaza666]

5 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

So how many people were put into small area? 100?

 

All the people staying at phuket at the moment where asked to join there . If you make an arial video with a drone , the while island will be dark and empty except that spot . 

[pagallim]

1 minute ago, Nanaplaza666 said:

All the people staying at phuket at the moment where asked to join there . If you make an arial video with a drone , the while island will be dark and empty except that spot . 

 

Wrong, only the core west coast resort towns.

[berrec]

And FB and other news sources reporting the Thai Taxi Mafia in Phuket wasted no time in ripping off the tourists like there was no tomorrow.

 

Old habits die hard for these scammers.

 

And the local governor is going to look into it......................5555555555555555555555 

 

And mentioned something about metered taxis like BKK in a fuzzy statement...................555555555555

 

You know these ill gotten gains flow uphill.

[Joinaman]

2 hours ago, ALLSEEINGEYE said:

Is anyone else totally sick of hearing this daily BS about the sandbox?

yup, just like daily bull about covid 

[clivebaxter]

2 hours ago, ALLSEEINGEYE said:

Is anyone else totally sick of hearing this daily BS about the sandbox?

The Thaiger talks of little else