Foreign tourists caught out by domestic flight ban offered free buses from Phuket Sandbox

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

so what now? there are buses to bkk?

where do i find them?

[ozfarang]

Fly Nok Air HKT-UTP

 

 

[Espanol]

42 minutes ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

so what now? there are buses to bkk?

where do i find them?

 

You better fly to Bangkok via Koh Samui. 

 

[MrJ2U]

"Foreign tourists caught out by domestic flight ban offered free buses from Phuket Sandbox"

 

"The charge is only 1,500 baht, cost price said Thanet Tantiphiriyakij of the Phuket Tourist Business Association."

 

Safer to rent a car one way.  3200 baht.

 

minus 1,500 for the "Free" bus.   Only 1,700.

 

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

31 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

"Foreign tourists caught out by domestic flight ban offered free buses from Phuket Sandbox"

 

"The charge is only 1,500 baht, cost price said Thanet Tantiphiriyakij of the Phuket Tourist Business Association."

 

Safer to rent a car one way.  3200 baht.

 

minus 1,500 for the "Free" bus.   Only 1,700.

 

it is danderous to drive a car these days, you are not in europe.

the roads are empty and people arehungry

[NanLaew]

4 hours ago, ezzra said:

Reminding me the movie "Summer holiday" with Cliff Richard where he did the whole of Europe on double Decker bus...

Anyone here older than @ezzra? Anyone?

[khunjeff]

2 hours ago, realfunster said:

However, what I am more intrigued by is those poor sods arriving at Bangkok after long-haul flights and expecting a smooth 1 hour airplane transfer to the Phuket sandbox only to be informed that a “12 hour scenic bus tour” is now required.

Sandbox participants have never been permitted to transit Bangkok en route to Phuket, so that isn't actually an issue.

 

[MrJ2U]

47 minutes ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

it is danderous to drive a car these days, you are not in europe.

the roads are empty and people arehungry

I recently drove from Hua Hin to Phuket.

It was a beautiful drive.

I drive everwhere in Thailand.

 

"the roads are empty and people arehungry"

 

You make it sound like a zombie movie.

 

The roads are great.  I would recommend the drive than a stuffy bus any day!

 

However if you're frightened of driving then by all means get on a bus.

 

 

 

 

[zzzzz]

4 hours ago, Espanol said:

 

If seems that their only way out from Phuket is Samui's sandbox program.

 

They are forcing them to that only way of escape, so they can count them twice: 41,312 "tourists" in Phuket sandbox and 41,312 (same) "tourists" in Samui sandbox.

 

After that, they will open Hua Hin sandbox and Pattaya sandbox.

 

If they keep them moving from here to there, they can reach those estimated 100.000 tourists in sandbox program. ????????

 

 

Bangkok air is operating phuket-samui flights

[sammieuk1]

If the flights are not back on out of the quicksand box 19th Aug there would be no chance in hell of me bussing it to CM for sure ????

[scorecard]

4 hours ago, Espanol said:

 

 

Authentic adventure tourism  ????

 

 

No, it's a mystery tour, surprise at every corner. 

[kimamey]

Amazing isn't it? In the UK a replacement bus service for a bus service would be part of a joke. Here it's an innovative idea to solve a problem.

[recom273]

7 hours ago, Espanol said:

 

"Foreign tourists caught out by domestic flight ban offered free buses from Phuket Sandbox"

 

"The charge is only 1,500 baht"

 

Should anyone explain them the meaning of "free"?

 

Not only that - they will only get a credit note “refund” for the airasia flight they booked. If they are genuine tourists they will never return to claim the flight.
 

I bet there will be plenty of head scratching going on in Phuket. 

[Espanol]

1 hour ago, zzzzz said:

Bangkok air is operating phuket-samui flights

That's what I said

[Caldera]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

The charge is only 1,500 baht, cost price said Thanet Tantiphiriyakij of the Phuket Tourist Business Association. 

 

That's a steal. About the same as a flight and you get to waste an additional 10 hours or so. If they can fill those busses, they could fill a few special flights just as well.

[bangon04]

7 hours ago, GrandPapillon said:

jesus, what a sandbox deal, going from bad to worse,

 

I am sure they will be happy to spend 20 hours in some crappy bus after their "happy" lockdowns in Phuket ????

at least they are getting a genuine Thai experience.........

[GrandPapillon]

8 minutes ago, bangon04 said:

at least they are getting a genuine Thai experience.........

you mean being "f**ked" in Phuket?

 

you bet ????

[Albert Zweistein]

12 hours ago, Espanol said:

 

"Foreign tourists caught out by domestic flight ban offered free buses from Phuket Sandbox"

 

"The charge is only 1,500 baht"

 

Should anyone explain them the meaning of "free"?

 

The bus is free, not the trip.

[Albert Zweistein]

If I am not mistaken dear posters I've read somewhere on this forum that all domestic flights are banned except for Phuket and Samui because of the sandbox program ????????

[Espanol]

7 minutes ago, Albert Zweistein said:

If I am not mistaken dear posters I've read somewhere on this forum that all domestic flights are banned except for Phuket and Samui because of the sandbox program ????????

All domestic flights are banned because the virus.

 

But Phuket - Samui flights are still excheduled because they both are safe sandbox spots.

 

 

[ozfarang]

4 hours ago, Espanol said:

All domestic flights are banned because the virus.

 

No, Nok Air is operating domestic flights to and from UTP.

 

Flightradar24 shows two flights inbound to UTP now at 0025 UTC

[brewsterbudgen]

23 minutes ago, ozfarang said:

No, Nok Air is operating domestic flights to and from UTP.

 

Flightradar24 shows two flights inbound to UTP now at 0025 UTC

Correct.  It's only flights between "dark red" zones that have been stopped.  UTP is in Rayong province.

Edited July 24, 2021 by brewsterbudgen

[ChipButty]

Rent a car from one of the bigger companies in Phuket and drop off in BKK at least if you are driving yourself you can stop when you want and stop overnight somewhere if you want

[Ganesh108]

21 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

"Honey what adventure we are having! Only 11 hour and 38 minutes and 849 kilometers! This is a trip of a lifetime!"

And 'only 1500 Baht', more expensive than most flights. Earlier, V.I.P. buses were running for about 900 Baht.

[Ganesh108]

17 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

If the photo is correct these are the airport buses. Local buses not suited to long distance travel, uncomfortable seats, no toilet.  

It's the Smart Bus, which ran from the airport along the west coast down to Rawai. The Airport Bus went from the airport through Thalang to Phuket Town. Both uncomfortable and absolutely unsuited to long-distance travel. No toilet. So I reckon there will be toilet stops at restaurants where the driver gets a kick-back.

[kimamey]

9 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Rent a car from one of the bigger companies in Phuket and drop off in BKK at least if you are driving yourself you can stop when you want and stop overnight somewhere if you want

That's what I was thinking if this is extended beyond 2nd August. From Phuket is a long way to Khon Kaen which is the nearest to Mahasarakham for car rental. Bangkok is better and a route I've driven many times although always with my wife to share the driving. Even then on one occasion we stopped overnight in Nakhon Ratchasima as we had the time and it avoided driving at night. My wife did suggest she could drive there which is about half way from Bangkok to meet me which would solve some of the problem. Still a long way from Phuket but from Bangkok it's fine. I did have a quick look and Nakhon Ratchasima airport didn't come up as a drop off point so that's something I'll have to look more closely at.

 

What's the situation regarding stopping overnight? I suppose it depends on the status of the province. The other problems are firstly how the rules are interpreted by the police if you're stopped and secondly will the rules have changed by the time the trip is taken.

 

I'd put off returning for a few weeks in the hope the quarantine rules might have eased a bit by now but covid has got worse since then. I'm going to have to do something soon I think whatever happens. 

Edited July 24, 2021 by kimamey

[Albert Zweistein]

22 hours ago, Espanol said:

All domestic flights are banned because the virus.

 

But Phuket - Samui flights are still excheduled because they both are safe sandbox spots.

 

 

Isn't this what I said ?

[Pattaya Spotter]

A current Sandbox friend may have to use this bus and a taxi to get to his Pattaya condo next week.

[Pattaya Spotter]

On 7/23/2021 at 6:01 PM, MrJ2U said:

"Foreign tourists caught out by domestic flight ban offered free buses from Phuket Sandbox"

 

"The charge is only 1,500 baht, cost price said Thanet Tantiphiriyakij of the Phuket Tourist Business Association."

 

Safer to rent a car one way.  3200 baht.

 

minus 1,500 for the "Free" bus.   Only 1,700.

 

I doubt there are any one-way rentals...and the cost would likely be much higher. Private taxis and van shares to Bangkok are 10-20k.

[MrJ2U]

26 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

I doubt there are any one-way rentals...and the cost would likely be much higher. Private taxis and van shares to Bangkok are 10-20k.

Theres one way.  But your right and there definitely gauging.

 

I've included a few prices below Phuket airport to BKK airport.

For a family of four its about 2000.00 baht more than the "free" bus.

 

I know I would personally take an SUV to avoid a long bus in a bus with other people at this time during the pandemic.

 

I have an 20 month old baby and seven year old girl.  Its nice to stop when you want a Diaper change.

 

Prices below include insurance and taxes.