BANGKOK (NNT) - Phuket province has strengthened COVID-19 control measures as the number of new infections has reached about a dozen each day, while the Phuket “sandbox” tourism reopening program continues.

 

Provincial governor Narong Woonsiew said a set of new COVID-19 control measures, aimed at stemming the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, were rolled out on 19 July and are due to take effect from today until 2 August. Violations of these COVID-19 control measures will lead to imprisonment of between one and two years and/or a fine of between 20,000 baht and 100,000 baht.

 

He said the curbs include a temporary shutdown of pubs, bars, karaoke shops and other similar types of entertainment venue. Among other measures, the closing time of shopping malls and restaurants serving alcohol will be 9pm, while partying and drinking alcohol on the beaches, in public parks and other public spaces is totally banned.

 

Meanwhile, Phuket authorities have announced that only people who have been vaccinated at least two weeks prior to arrival will be allowed to enter the province. The same rules apply to Phuket residents who want to return home.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-07-20

 

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Not exactly a warm welcome, but hey ho, somebody's got to do it.

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The same rules apply to Phuket residents who want to return home.

In other words don't leave Phuket if you're not vaccinated as you'll not be able to get back in.

Thai tourism is dead. It's too far away and unsafe for anybody to take the risk coming here.

5 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Thai tourism is dead. It's too far away and unsafe for anybody to take the risk coming here.

People with family or have their home here will probable disagree with you.

32 minutes ago, merijn said:

People with family or have their home here will probable disagree with you.

But those are not tourists: they are residents coming back home and trying to skip Bangkok ASQ hotels.

 

But few real tourists will risk going to a sandbox with no parties, no night life, no restaurants, no bars, no beach drinking and most attractions closed. 

Sandbox, too much too early and ill conceived. It was only there to push hotel rooms. No other economic benefits as the critical mass is just too low to warrant re-opening other businesses

How many people who arrived in Phuket, brought their unvaccinated, COVID carrying children with them?

   Why would any country ask for people to come to Thailand who have not even been given the first jab?

  I guess some greedy for money third world country.  The  Phuket sand box may just become the Phuket sand trap, where

travelers get to Phuket, then have to stay there as the rest of the country is too dangerous to travel to. They do their short tropical vacation

then back to their home countries.  It is too bad that the Military government has relied so much on China for vaccines, and now have to get

other vaccines that may help combat the delta variant of COVID.  I guess in a couple of years Thailand will have enough vaccines to get most of their

population vaccinated. I wonder what the children under 12 will be given for a vaccine, as they pretty much will be like little Typhoid Mary s,

if they stay unvaccinated, and continue to see other COVID carriers and keep the disease spreading. All adults should be made to 

either get vaccinated or not be allowed to leave where they live. Maybe when the delta and lambda variants make enough people sick

and or die. Some countries will see that freedom from this COVID pandemic may mean that governments have to make vaccinations

mandatory.

Geezer 

 

From the main post 

He said the curbs include a temporary shutdown of pubs, bars, karaoke shops and other similar types of entertainment venue. Among other measures, the closing time of shopping malls and restaurants serving alcohol will be 9pm, while partying and drinking alcohol on the beaches, in public parks and other public spaces is totally banned.

Do you think the alcohol ban includes your hotel and 7-11s ?

Changing the rules or making it up as you go along seems to be the sandbox plan and will discourage potential travellers from visiting Phuket . So whats next ? maybe stay in your room and 21 days instead of 14 ? ( not forget that the original concept was for a 7 day open quarantine in Phuket ) . Maybe Samui is becoming a better option ?

2 hours ago, superal said:

Changing the rules or making it up as you go along seems to be the sandbox plan and will discourage potential travellers from visiting Phuket . So whats next ? maybe stay in your room and 21 days instead of 14 ? ( not forget that the original concept was for a 7 day open quarantine in Phuket ) . Maybe Samui is becoming a better option ?

 

You are right, but Samui is even worse. Anyway, nobody is going to Samui, but some YouTubers invited by the government.

 

22 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Meanwhile, Phuket authorities have announced that only people who have been vaccinated at least two weeks prior to arrival will be allowed to enter the province. The same rules apply to Phuket residents who want to return home.

And yet another nail in the coffin that was Phuket.

 

It's hard to comprehend the level of incompetence necessary for the job. 

15 hours ago, merijn said:

People with family or have their home here will probable disagree with you.

People who have their home and family here are NOT TOURISTS.  Thus your comment makes no sense.

31 minutes ago, Venom said:

And yet another nail in the coffin that was Phuket.

 

It's hard to comprehend the level of incompetence necessary for the job. 

For Phuket substitute Thailand. 

1 hour ago, The Hammer2021 said:

16 hours ago, merijn said:

People with family or have their home here will probable disagree with you.

People who have their home and family here are NOT TOURISTS.  Thus your comment makes no sense.

People who live overseas that come to visit Grandma once a year are tourists.  The dead giveaway is "live overseas".

 

That was a cunning plan, lure all the tourists in, then beat them over the head with new restrictions.

 

33 minutes ago, impulse said:

People who live overseas that come to visit Grandma once a year are tourists.  The dead giveaway is "live overseas".

 

Ah..I think that the various attempts to kick start Thai tourism might not be focusing on your granny or other visiting relatives. I assume a different demographic is in focus. Anyway, have it your own way. Personally, I would not want my elderly relatives to come here with all the risk, danger and inconvenience it entails. I can not imagine anybody in their right mind coming here even if flights and hotels were free! We are in a toxic bio hazardous environment with no functioning medical system incorporating vaccine roll out whilst in the depths severe economic decline and police state roll out.

In the grand Phuket tradition they are still overcharging everywhere possible.

 

Even charging for a printout of their PCR tests results, for which they are being overcharged for the tests themselves, in addition to being overcharged for transport to and from the testing centers, etc., etc., etc.

2 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

In the grand Phuket tradition they are still overcharging everywhere possible.

 

Even charging for a printout of their PCR tests results, for which they are being overcharged for the tests themselves, in addition to being overcharged for transport to and from the testing centers, etc., etc., etc.

Do you mean that, even when you already paid 8000 bahts in advance to get 3 mandatory PCR tests, you now have to pay to get your test results?

 

18 hours ago, Espanol said:

Do you mean that, even when you already paid 8000 bahts in advance to get 3 mandatory PCR tests, you now have to pay to get your test results?

 

They notify the people of the results but yes, some want a copy of the negative finding and I think that's 700 THB.

 

To witness a train wreck in real time, read the Facebook Phuket Sandbox forums.

On 7/20/2021 at 10:29 PM, Espanol said:

But those are not tourists: they are residents coming back home and trying to skip Bangkok ASQ hotels.

 

But few real tourists will risk going to a sandbox with no parties, no night life, no restaurants, no bars, no beach drinking and most attractions closed. 

Strange as it may seem,but quite a number of tourists have taken that risk and can be seen around the island

49 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

They notify the people of the results but yes, some want a copy of the negative finding and I think that's 700 THB.

 

To witness a train wreck in real time, read the Facebook Phuket Sandbox forums.

Having been through the sandbox, you are given a clearance letter, at no additional cost, from the SHA+ hotel at check out, detailing your stay and all your results. Same procedure as for ASQ hotels in BBangkok

On 7/22/2021 at 12:49 PM, JimmyJ said:

They notify the people of the results but yes, some want a copy of the negative finding and I think that's 700 THB.

 

To witness a train wreck in real time, read the Facebook Phuket Sandbox forums.

You are mixing up two different things,

You get the test result from the hotel (together with the quarantine paper at check-out) and alternatively you can download it from the website.

If you need a official medical statement (if you fly out internationally from Phuket for example) you have to pay for it.

But this medical certificate is not required for staying in Phuket or traveling within Thailand.