Phuket Sandbox: First 12 days sees 4,568 tourists, six positive for Covid

[webfact]

Reuters file photo for reference only

 

Deputy governor of Phuket Piyapong Chuwong announced Monday that in the first 12 days of the Phuket Sandbox reopening the province had welcomed 4,568 foreign tourists. 

 

That's a daily average of about 380.

 

If that were to continue for the 92 days of July, August and September it would mean just under 35,000 tourists.

 

While well short of TAT and Tourism Ministry predictions of 100,000, they would point to hope that numbers will pick up before the beginning of October.

 

Chief medical officer for Phuket Koosak Kookiatkoon, said that of the 4,568 six had tested positive for Covid. 

 

All these were infections brought by the tourists from their home base. 

 

This is well within the parameters expected and Phuket can easily cope. It in no way compromises the future of the Sandbox scheme, he said. 

 

He continued to urge DMHTTA (hand washing, distancing, masks and the like) protocols to continue protecting people and not to let down one's guard. 

 

He reminded the public that vaccination cannot stop spread of the virus 100%. 

 

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[Pattaya Spotter]

Sounds good...carry on Sandboxers.

[CamaroZL1]

0.13% positive from the arrivals so far. Not even close to 1%.

Given the fact most of the good vaccines are 90 - 95% effective the numbers of positive cases is less than what was probably expected.

 

So how is this news?

 

Ever since covid appeared on the seen it seems a large percentage of people now want to live in a risk free world.

 

Madness

[smedly]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Deputy governor of Phuket Piyapong Chuwong announced Monday that in the first 12 days of the Phuket Sandbox reopening the province had welcomed 4,568 foreign tourists. 

and how many are actual tourist on vacation for 2 to 4 weeks

 

I would say not very many

[CamaroZL1]

42 minutes ago, smedly said:

and how many are actual tourist on vacation for 2 to 4 weeks

 

I would say not very many

totally.

 

What tourist on a holiday would go under those conditions.

And most things are still closed up anyway.

 

Im suspecting most have commitments in Thailand and 2 weeks in Phuket with some freedom was a better option than 2 weeks in ASQ in BKK.

 

 

[J Town]

Number of visitors will go down due to the horrible way Thailand has handled the sandbox.

[RichardColeman]

8 minutes ago, J Town said:

Number of visitors will go down due to the horrible way Thailand has handled the sandbox.

Or airlines finally realise you cannot make any money in shipping in 30 tourists at a time

[Dialemco]

Sandbox is not for genuine tourists coming to Thailand for a holiday. It is just too risky, inconvenient and very expensive.  

[beano2274]

how many flights per day, was 5 if I remember correctly so an average of 76 people per flight.

 

As many others have asked, what percentage are THAI or long term residents returning

[vandeventer]

4 minutes ago, Dialemco said:

Sandbox is not for genuine tourists coming to Thailand for a holiday. It is just too risky, inconvenient and very expensive.  

You got that right! If you don't believe me please name one person who don't want your money. Oh and have a goo time when your here.

[Neilly]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

He reminded the public that vaccination cannot stop spread of the virus 100%. 

As far as I was aware vaccination only stops you (in theory) from getting rather poorly...it certainly won't stop you catching it!

[crazykopite]

Are we talking about tourists coming from abroad or have they included those coming from other parts of the Kingdom i suspect its both added up to make the figures look acceptable

[thaipara]

Does anyone recall seeing what the numbers were for the nine (?) days in May when vaccinated travelers could get by with only 7 days of quarantine? How many were there and how many of them tested positive during those 7 days? I can't remember reading of any such.

[khunjeff]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

All these were infections brought by the tourists from their home base. 

How exactly does he know this? For the guy whose first test upon arrival was positive it's almost certainly true (unless he caught it on board the aircraft), but for the ones who were only positive on the second test, it seems entirely possible that they were infected on the island.

[khunjeff]

43 minutes ago, crazykopite said:

Are we talking about tourists coming from abroad or have they included those coming from other parts of the Kingdom i suspect its both added up to make the figures look acceptable

It's only Sandbox arrivals, which means arriving directly from abroad.

[10baht]

1 hour ago, beano2274 said:

how many flights per day, was 5 if I remember correctly so an average of 76 people per flight.

 

As many others have asked, what percentage are THAI or long term residents returning

Even if the really were tourist the airline will go broke at these low numbers.

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

That's a daily average of about 380.

That'll save the economy, wonder if they're bug spenders?

[hotchilli]

39 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

It's only Sandbox arrivals, which means arriving directly from abroad.

A mixture of spouses, business people and some tourists.

[Zack61]

10 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

That'll save the economy, wonder if they're bug spenders?

Only if they spend big bugs. 

Edited July 13, 2021 by Zack61

[Chosenfew]

Good news, I hope they open it up to Pattaya soon.

[Nanaplaza666]

1 hour ago, khunjeff said:

How exactly does he know this? For the guy whose first test upon arrival was positive it's almost certainly true (unless he caught it on board the aircraft), but for the ones who were only positive on the second test, it seems entirely possible that they were infected on the island.

Must be Anutin's handpuppet with his hamd up his A$$ , those dirty farang !!! How dare they bring this virus to our sandbox . Before they came we had zero cases and Prayut also wasn't in close proximety of a hi-so thai that was infected . Also must have gotten it from some of those TOURIST . 

[Ginner]

6 hours ago, CamaroZL1 said:

totally.

 

What tourist on a holiday would go under those conditions.

And most things are still closed up anyway.

 

Im suspecting most have commitments in Thailand and 2 weeks in Phuket with some freedom was a better option than 2 weeks in ASQ in BKK.

 

 

Wasn't only a few weeks ago it was reported, on Thai Visa. that 2 tourist had escaped from their hotel, but were hunted down, Thai Visa's words not mine, and retuned to their hotel. Is it a theme holiday? Playing the Great Escape.

[Bangkok Barry]

TAT: Come to beautiful Phuket where everyone (well, most anyway and at the expense of others more needy) have been vaccinated and are Covid-free.

 

Innocent/Gullible Tourist: Why are all the schools in Phuket closed?

[ChrisY1]

What isn't mentioned in this OP, is that if one person on a flight "tests" positive....it seems the entire plane load of tourists are removed from their resorts, (no refunds) to and alternate quarantine hotel, not of their choice, hit with ~Thb 50,000 bill for the full 14 days. It sounds very much like a design!

[VBF]

33 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

What isn't mentioned in this OP, is that if one person on a flight "tests" positive....it seems the entire plane load of tourists are removed from their resorts, (no refunds) to and alternate quarantine hotel, not of their choice, hit with ~Thb 50,000 bill for the full 14 days. It sounds very much like a design!

I think it's called "Thai Roulette" ????

[Boedog]

Nothing will compromise the Sandbox six positive cases from tourists REALLY and we are too believe that, there greed and corruption has no boundaries more sandbox,s to open soon, the PM,s 120 day re-opening appears to be on schedule let the brown envelopes flow

[dogfish180]

4,568 arrivals....not 4,568 Tourists. How many arrivals did BKK have since this Sandbox started? My guess would be very few!

[David T Pike]

10 hours ago, CamaroZL1 said:

0.13% positive from the arrivals so far. Not even close to 1%.

Given the fact most of the good vaccines are 90 - 95% effective the numbers of positive cases is less than what was probably expected.

 

So how is this news?

 

Ever since covid appeared on the seen it seems a large percentage of people now want to live in a risk free world.

 

Madness

I concur 100%! 

[Espanol]

13 hours ago, CamaroZL1 said:

totally.

 

What tourist on a holiday would go under those conditions.

And most things are still closed up anyway.

 

Im suspecting most have commitments in Thailand and 2 weeks in Phuket with some freedom was a better option than 2 weeks in ASQ in BKK.

 

 

That's me, for instance. 

I MUST travel to Thailand, so I prefer SHA+ hotel in Phuket than ASQ hotel room in Bangkok. 

 

But, if in holidays, I would better go to Mexico, Spain or Greece. 

[Salerno]

8 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

What isn't mentioned in this OP, is that if one person on a flight "tests" positive....it seems the entire plane load of tourists are removed from their resorts, (no refunds)

Where do you get that from? Not the reports I've seen e.g. 

 

 

SHA+ refunded, she was sitting next to the next to the guy that tested positive in a family of 12 on a fairly full flight and only 14 quarantined.