Picture: Siam Rath

 

A Thai government spokesman has slammed as fake news reports on social media that the Phuket Sandbox reopening to foreign tourists was over. 

 

And he has insisted that despite less than 400 tourists arriving each day a 100,000 target for three months will be met with spending of 8.9 billion baht. 

 

This came from Thanakorn Wangbunkhongchana, a PM's office secretary and spokesman for the office that handles the economic fallout from Covid-19.

 

He said there was no truth to suggestions that the sandbox had been abandoned amid a rise in infections calling it fake news and pointing his finger at bad people who suggested that. He urged the public not to share this nonsense.

 

He said that everything was proceeding as planned, strict measures were in place, all infections were being recorded and handled properly with quarantine for those in contact with those who are infected. 

 

He told Siam Rath that with nearly two weeks of the sandbox completed there had already been 4,778 foreign tourists.

 

Based on that being 12 days it would mean that just under 400 tourists had entered Thailand for the sandbox each day. 

 

Extrapolated at the same rate it would mean around 36,600 visits before the end of September, notes ASEAN Now. 

 

Yet the spokesman insisted that TAT targets for 100,000 tourists would be met and they would be spending 8.9 billion baht. 

 

Phuket Sandbox hotels to suit all budgets

 

-- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-07-14

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

This came from Thanakorn Wangbunkhongchana, a PM's office secretary and spokesman for the office that handles the economic fallout from Covid-19.

You cannot be serious, actually been a success, dream on pal.

You claim 8.9 billion baht, making crazy statements like that just shows you have lost the plot, or are just spouting off what you have been ordered to do.

Nice maths!

 

I met some sandbox tourists yesterday who were very pleased with the process. They were genuine tourists, staying two months, and despite staying at two Ibis hotels for their 14 days have otherwise been spending their money in locally owned establishments. They even brought a dog with them!

 

Others I know are returnees or are visiting family. 

 

Definitely a few more people on Karon and Kata beaches. Not many but the increase is noticeable.

4 minutes ago, madmitch said:

Nice maths!

 

I met some sandbox tourists yesterday who were very pleased with the process. They were genuine tourists, staying two months, and despite staying at two Ibis hotels for their 14 days have otherwise been spending their money in locally owned establishments. They even brought a dog with them!

 

Others I know are returnees or are visiting family. 

 

Definitely a few more people on Karon and Kata beaches. Not many but the increase is noticeable.

Who would bring a dog to Thailand with so many unvaccinated soi dogs running around?

Success......lucky Ces.

Vast majority of the 8.9 billon baht will be spent on overpriced taxis.

22 minutes ago, webfact said:

He said there was no truth to suggestions that the sandbox had been abandoned amid a rise in infections calling it fake news and pointing his finger at bad people who suggested that. He urged the public not to share this nonsense.

how many tests have been done across Phuket since 1st July (excluding tourists)

 

how many positive tests assuming tests were actually done ? (excluding tourists)

 

how were the tourists that returned a positive test infected ? was it community spread in Phuket

 

don't expect any of that to be disclosed

18 minutes ago, madmitch said:

They even brought a dog with them

did they arrive in a private jet

 

 

Great, so can you explain to me why most of the incoming flights are canceled today?

 

 

 

https://www.phuket-airport.com/arrivals.php

Of course it is a success. They can hardly admit it was a failure can they. When was the last time anyone in Government admitted a plan was a failure, and that is not limited to just Thailand, ALL politicians never tell the truth.

They hold all the data so they hold the truth. Therefore they have no reason not to lie.

3 minutes ago, wasabi said:

Therefore they have no reason not to lie.

????????

24 minutes ago, Ohyesuare said:

Vast majority of the 8.9 billon baht will be spent on overpriced taxis.

And 14 days of COVID-Jail  for everyone when "someone else" on your flight tests positive...

Is it just me, or does the expression on this puppets face look like it has a hand up its "derriere"?

37 minutes ago, madmitch said:

Nice maths!

 

I met some sandbox tourists yesterday who were very pleased with the process. They were genuine tourists, staying two months, and despite staying at two Ibis hotels for their 14 days have otherwise been spending their money in locally owned establishments. They even brought a dog with them!

 

Others I know are returnees or are visiting family. 

 

Definitely a few more people on Karon and Kata beaches. Not many but the increase is noticeable.

Have basically met similar folk around Patong and will add that Patong beach has been busier the last two days than I have seen it in over a year.  I ignore TAT or government spokesmen numbers and realise that a target of 300 to 500 per day is more realistic. Having nearly completed my SHA+ stay it is clear that the system could not manage or monitor more than around 500 per day. It is not set up for more and that should, for now, remain the target.

10 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

????????

The people running the show have shown a propensity for wildly unrealistic and inaccurate estimates.  The less any trends can be verified the more likely they are to falsify them. Their pride is on the line so the truth is last on the priority list.

14 minutes ago, wasabi said:

The people running the show have shown a propensity for wildly unrealistic and inaccurate estimates.  The less any trends can be verified the more likely they are to falsify them. Their pride is on the line so the truth is last on the priority list.

Guess what?......I originally misread your post as "why would they lie".........realized and thought I had deleted the ???????...........

38 minutes ago, BE88 said:

 

 

Great, so can you explain to me why most of the incoming flights are canceled today?

 

 

 

https://www.phuket-airport.com/arrivals.php

4 arriving

4 cancelled

16 minutes ago, BobinBKK said:

Is it just me, or does the expression on this puppets face look like it has a hand up its "derriere"?

New butt plug?

I guess as a tourist if you are not bothered about the nightlife then it's a good time to be here,  Get around the island where some places are quite busy, Sorry about the weather  

44 minutes ago, BE88 said:

 

 

Great, so can you explain to me why most of the incoming flights are canceled today?

 

 

 

https://www.phuket-airport.com/arrivals.php

Even when Phuket airport was completely closed last year the website showed the same flights and listed all as canceled. 

 

This list is entirely inaccurate. The international flights (Eva, Philippines, Garuda, JAL, KLM, etc.) haven't been flying to Phuket for well over a year. Perhaps they still have their landing slots, but it's nuts that the airport continues to show these as cancelled since they were never scheduled to fly. Qatar flies four days a week. On the other three days the flights show as cancelled. Thai technology...

38 minutes ago, BobinBKK said:

And 14 days of COVID-Jail  for everyone when "someone else" on your flight tests positive...

Misquoted originally by Phuket News and been corrected many times on different threads on TV. For the one person positive on arrival to date, his travel group (12) and the poor lady sat next to him were asked to ALQ. They were sat in economy and only included his row and the two rows behind and in front. All other passengers continued as normal. There were 142 passengers on that Emirates flight (2f-30j-110y)

2 minutes ago, Rhacsyn said:

Misquoted originally by Phuket News and been corrected many times on different threads on TV. For the one person positive on arrival to date, his travel group (12) and the poor lady sat next to him were asked to ALQ. They were sat in economy and that made up his row and the two rows behind and in front. All other passengers continued as normal. There were 142 passengers on that Emirates flight (2f-30j-110y)

There are lots of places that corrected that statement as you say, if people were to look they can actually listen to the German lady who go dragged into that so straight from the horses mouth, I must say shes putting on a brave face and very calm about it,

1 hour ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

I guess the question is WHOM was it a success for?

Certainly not a success for the local school kids after the order for all schools to close to help stop the spread of the virus

2 hours ago, Dogmatix said:

Who would bring a dog to Thailand with so many unvaccinated soi dogs running around?

Probably be one more if they plan on taking it back with them.

1 hour ago, DFPhuket said:

Even when Phuket airport was completely closed last year the website showed the same flights and listed all as canceled. 

 

This list is entirely inaccurate. The international flights (Eva, Philippines, Garuda, JAL, KLM, etc.) haven't been flying to Phuket for well over a year. Perhaps they still have their landing slots, but it's nuts that the airport continues to show these as cancelled since they were never scheduled to fly. Qatar flies four days a week. On the other three days the flights show as cancelled. Thai technology...

So if you live in Phuket maybe you have the opportunity to go and see how many planes they pose on a daily basis if the indications are correct in the airport panels, it would be interesting to report the reality.

 

2 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Certainly not a success for the local school kids after the order for all schools to close to help stop the spread of the virus

Sadly but the kids always come last in this junta governments handling of the virus.

 

400 generally very low spenders arriving every day. Just look at them riding in the middle of the road on their scooters. So much for a new strategy of attracting the High Net Worths. Same same again and again.

Can we see photos of these 4778 tourists please? 

2 hours ago, Rhacsyn said:

Misquoted originally by Phuket News and been corrected many times on different threads on TV. For the one person positive on arrival to date, his travel group (12) and the poor lady sat next to him were asked to ALQ. They were sat in economy and only included his row and the two rows behind and in front. All other passengers continued as normal. There were 142 passengers on that Emirates flight (2f-30j-110y)

The guys next to him in the queue to plane, deplane, at the next urinal etc, were all in the clear also.

 

hope they didn’t get covid. Probably ok because I think he was from UAE and beta is the dominant strain there, so not the most transmissible.