Phuket Sandbox: Nearly 10,000 tourists so far - US/Brits top list spending 70,000 baht each

[Ddbanksy]

On 7/26/2021 at 10:24 AM, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

is today  a public holiday in thailand? and tomorrow too? and after tomorrow?

"Big Buddha day" week the good wife tell's me

[digibum]

For the past couple of weeks I’ve been hearing people on the Facebook expat groups talking about how nice it is to see tourism coming back, how vibrant Patong finally was, etc.

 

Someone even mentioned that there were “a lot of people” on Kata beach.   

 

So, I had an appointment in Patong and drove up from Rawai.  
 

Kata:   A few more businesses open than I’ve seen recently.  Almost no foreigners to be found.  Literally, after driving down the hill into Kata, I saw maybe a dozen foreigners.  
 

Nobody was on Kata Beach.  Even less people than before the sandbox.  There used to be a lot of surfers.  Guess the surf wasn’t great that day so there weren’t even the surfers.  
 

I did see some Thai food carts doing ok business selling to Thai customers.  
 

Karon:   Same as Kata.  
 

Patong?   Hmmm, yes, more stuff open and more people … but barely.  
 

It’s sort of like someone in a coma shows signs of life by flicking their fingers but they’re still completely unresponsive.  
 

An improvement?  Sure, I guess.   
 

A recovery?   Uhm, not really.   
 

Also, you can tell these numbers are BS because the daily spend per tourist number is right around where it was pre-Covid.  
 

But this number includes Covid tests and other expenses mandated by the sandbox like staying at SHA+ hotels and the fact that they have a captive audience.  
 

So how in the heck is spending on par with pre-Covid when all the bars are closed?   
 

Are they really trying to imply that either pre-Covid people didn’t spend much money in the bars (or with other entertainment) OR are they saying this group are some island day tripping aficionados spending their whoring money on trips to Phi Phi island?   
 

Sorry, either the previous numbers are wrong or these numbers are inflated.  

[Ddbanksy]

On 7/26/2021 at 10:24 AM, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

is today  a public holiday in thailand? and tomorrow too? and after tomorrow?

"Big Buddha Day" week,the good wife tell's me.

[digibum]

1 hour ago, Pracha Duang said:

and most Americans also have Bitcoin. 

What planet are you living on?  
 

At best, 20% of Americans have ever owned Bitcoin at any point since it’s existence.  
 

So, most Americans don’t own Bitcoin.  
 

And many that do own Bitcoin bought during the recent rally and have since watched it go from $60k to $32k. 
 

Also, you cannot spend from your 401k until you’re 59.5 years old.  
 

Any increase in value is a paper gain and does not increase the disposable income of anybody not yet old enough to access their 401k funds.  
 

You write like someone who has arrived at a conclusion and then are trying to backfill your justification by randomly assembling facts.  

[stevenl]

2 hours ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

My relative from Pattaya is here in Canada, and we seen some recent video

of walking street, which was worse than a ghost town look. It could be used

for a hollywood scene from  sci fi waste land movie. Some places in have

closed permanently, and will not be back in high season, if there is one

this Winter. The friend who took the videos talked with a few of these

recent travelers, and all were shocked by the state of Pattaya and were not

staying in Thailand and were getting out as they were worried that they may

be trapped if they stayed much longer. They had come to BKK for

quaranteen, and said that even parts of Bangkok looked pretty sad. So they

escaped the pollution to go to Pattaya and Jomtien beach, but were not

impressed. The travelers were headed back to the USA to enjoy Summer.

Geezer

How nice to get an update on Pattaya, is that part of the Phuket Sandbox as well?

[ThailandRyan]

3 hours ago, Pracha Duang said:

most Americans also have Bitcoin. 

Now that's BS

[chang1]

22 hours ago, Millcx said:

23 hours ago, chang1 said:

We are flying to Phuket this week. The transfer and testing will cost more than the hotel. 

WHY???

I presume you mean why are we going - my wife is Thai.

[chang1]

22 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Only 14 got quarantined not everybody on the plane

I read it was about 22 which was all that were on the plane but can't remember where I  saw that. Thanks for the correction

[chang1]

22 hours ago, Upnotover said:

You might want to research that reply a little.

Apparently it was 14 here is my reply to chipbutty who corrected me -

"I read it was about 22 which was all that were on the plane but can't remember where I  saw that. Thanks for the correction"

[Pattaya Spotter]

On 7/26/2021 at 9:11 AM, webfact said:

 

 

 

On 7/26/2021 at 9:11 AM, webfact said:

They have been spending about 5,500 baht each per day on accommodation, swabs, food and drink and transport.

Mandatory swab spending.

[Pattaya Spotter]

3 hours ago, digibum said:

At best, 20% of Americans have ever owned Bitcoin at any point since it’s existence.  

I'd say it's more like < 1 percent...maybe 20-25% own shares directly and the figure for something like Bitcoin would be much less.

[Espanol]

9 hours ago, ChipButty said:

You can fly Phuket to U-Tapoe and then on to various places in the north I think it's on Nok Air 

 

U-Tapao is also in dark red zone, same as BKK. I doubt that he can fly anywhere from there. But he can rent a car.

 

Actually, only Nok Air is flying from U-Tapao, and only to Phuket, once a day.

 

Best option from Phuket is flying to Samui and then flying anywhere (which is not red zone) from there.

 

 

 

Edited July 27, 2021 by Espanol

[ChipButty]

Lots of Germans walking about Central on Sunday

[Espanol]

4 hours ago, Ddbanksy said:

"Big Buddha Day" week,the good wife tell's me.

 

Actually, "Big Buddha Day" was last weekend, but, as it coincided with Sunday, public holiday was moved to Monday.

 

That's why Monday is a holiday, but drinking alcohol is allowed. Last weekend it wasn't.

 

By the way: next Wednesday also public holiday because King's birthday.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 27, 2021 by Espanol

[Rhacsyn]

1 hour ago, chang1 said:

Apparently it was 14 here is my reply to chipbutty who corrected me -

"I read it was about 22 which was all that were on the plane but can't remember where I  saw that. Thanks for the correction"

Just for info, reposting that there were 163 passengers on the plane but its some time agin now

[the green light]

FUNNY 

you read something different from US news. Bloomberg said "Phuket Tourism Experiment Risks Suspension as Covid Cases Surge"

"The resort island reported 125 new Covid-19 cases during the week ending July 27, higher than the government-set threshold of 90 weekly cases that could trigger a temporary suspension of the program. In response, local authorities closed public schools and shopping malls and banned gatherings of more than 100 people from Tuesday to stem the virus from spreading further"

 

Obviously is the case because not all Phuket got the 2 dosages of vaccination and the 2nd factor is that Phuket local were inoculated with sinovac. which has a lower efficiency and proven that it has very little protection over time.

 

what are these tourists doing in Phuket.???? what are they proving coming into an infected area of thailand.? 

[shdmn]

10 hours ago, Pracha Duang said:

It’s not BS. We’ve been surprised to see a lot of Americans in Phuket already. Also, a massive number of Saudis and Turkish, at least in the Laguna area. These are tourists, not people that live here. You can just tell by how they act and dress. 
 

That said, most of Phuket is not profiting from these tourists. My wife and I continue to be the only people on most beaches and the only people in most restaurants. 

 

It would be very wise for Thailand to target American tourists moving forward. The vast majority of Americans are swimming in money thanks to covid. Almost everyone’s 401k has gone up 100% and most Americans also have Bitcoin. Not to mention tourism in the US is booming because everyone is traveling there to get the vaccines. The US is just raking in the money right now. Like it’s raining cash in the US.  My parents said they’ve never seen this many tourists in the US, EVER. Everything is packed, massive lines everywhere, everyone in the US getting stupid rich right now. Thailand should do everything to bring in some of this cha Ching change $$$

The doom mongers will try call BS on anything that goes against their failure narrative.  They must be really horrible people to be around in meat space.

 

It's still early days and ultra low season in Phuket right now.  The numbers should gradually pickup as more flights are added and more people have time to make plans.  They will go up dramatically starting around November when high season kicks in.

[ThailandRyan]

12 minutes ago, shdmn said:

The doom mongers will try call BS on anything that goes against their failure narrative.  They must be really horrible people to be around in meat space.

 

It's still early days and ultra low season in Phuket right now.  The numbers should gradually pickup as more flights are added and more people have time to make plans.  They will go up dramatically starting around November when high season kicks in.

Just like the posters comment that most Americans have Bitcoin, farcical is what it is.  Read the link below and tell us more about the 100's of thousands of visitors and Billions in baht That will be coming by the 4th quarter that TAT has stated, and which is running in another OP. 

 

With Covid as a multiplier now dropping the Thai Baht lower, sure many will have more money to travel with on the exchange rate, but then maybe not here if they can not move around due to closures of transport.

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/26/asian-currencies-thailand-covid-lack-of-tourism-hit-thai-baht.html

 

So what now @shdmnsince Thailand has had only 34k visitors according to the article up until May of 2021. The 10k Sandbox visitors surely can not be helping to the extent that all businesses are open and so on. So under 100k visitors for the year is my best guess at this current rate, and with the Islands Covid cases climbing and now new restrictions put in place please explain your vision for this to be a successful venture.  How long will it take at this rate for the Government to recoup it's initial investment in vaccinating the people of Phuket and then the assistance given to get the infrastructure up and running after being shut for so long.  Not a doomsayer or Doom monger as you say but just being a pragmatic realist. 

Edited July 27, 2021 by ThailandRyan

[ThailandRyan]

Phuket Tourism Experiment Risks Suspension as Covid Cases Surge

 

A flareup in coronavirus cases in Phuket, Thailand’s first tourism hotspot to waive quarantine for vaccinated foreign visitors, is threatening to scuttle the experiment seen as a model for other tourism-reliant nations to reopen borders.

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-27/phuket-tourism-experiment-risks-suspension-as-covid-cases-surge

[elgenon]

Can you get a flight from America to Thailand? Jet fuel in short supply. Shortage of trucks to move it. Maybe difficult to reenter America even if managed to go.

[shdmn]

22 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Just like the posters comment that most Americans have Bitcoin, farcical is what it is.  Read the link below and tell us more about the 100's of thousands of visitors and Billions in baht That will be coming by the 4th quarter that TAT has stated, and which is running in another OP. 

 

With Covid as a multiplier now dropping the Thai Baht lower, sure many will have more money to travel with on the exchange rate, but then maybe not here if they can not move around due to closures of transport.

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/26/asian-currencies-thailand-covid-lack-of-tourism-hit-thai-baht.html

 

So what now @shdmnsince Thailand has had only 34k visitors according to the article up until May of 2021. The 10k Sandbox visitors surely can not be helping to the extent that all businesses are open and so on. So under 100k visitors for the year is my best guess at this current rate, and with the Islands Covid cases climbing and now new restrictions put in place please explain your vision for this to be a successful venture.  How long will it take at this rate for the Government to recoup it's initial investment in vaccinating the people of Phuket and then the assistance given to get the infrastructure up and running after being shut for so long.  Not a doomsayer or Doom monger as you say but just being a pragmatic realist. 

So now you're pointing at the declining baht for your failure narrative?  ????

 

You doom mongers really are getting desperate.  I guess it's totally lost on your doom math that a lower baht will increase tourism more.

[ThailandRyan]

43 minutes ago, shdmn said:

So now you're pointing at the declining baht for your failure narrative?  ????

 

You doom mongers really are getting desperate.  I guess it's totally lost on your doom math that a lower baht will increase tourism more.

Can't answer the questions I posed and so you deflect. Figured as much.

[bermondburi]

To all those knocking the PSB, I would absolutely love to do it as an alternative to ASQ in Bangkok. Been there done that. 

 

Money isn't an issue for me but I've seen some great deals for SHA+ hotels in Phuket that are around the same price as ASQ in Bangkok anyway. 

 

I don't care what's open either really. I'd be happy riding a bike around, swimming etc in the day, and drinking at the resort in the evening.

 

Unfortunately, my country isn't on the list of 66 eligible, so until that changes I won't be coming. 

 

I emailed the charge d'affaires about it and all he said was maybe in August or September things would change. I'm not holding my breath the way things are going. 

 

Just hoping that they make more countries eligible in the future. It's crazy. Where I am cases are stable around 1000-1500 a day. 70% are first jabbed at least, and many with 2nd too. Most of my colleagues are all double jabbed. 

 

I know it's Thailand so there's no logic to it, but it does seem strange.

[Mister MXYZPTLK]

The Big question remains…. WHY would anyone want to travel to Thailand with all of the restrictions and massive Covid Outbreaks when they can travel elsewhere without having to jump through all the hoops?

 

When I asked many friends are you coming to visit Thailand this year, the answer was a flat out NO!

They said they look at 2024 when things return to normal.

 

When I was in Bangkok at the Beginning of July, I witnessed clinics overflowing with ExPats, with their entire families, waiting to take their PCR Tests in order to get on a plane out of Thailand.  Most of them said, they’re not considering returning for at least a few years.  They’re safer in their own countries.

 

I guess that sums it all up.

[gim12]

i have withdrawn from my 401, penalty free,  starting  before your inaccurately stated age of 59.5

 

"If you are retired, most 401(k) plans allow for penalty-free withdrawals at age 55. To use this 401(k) retirement age 55 provision your employment must have ended no earlier than the year in which you turn age 55, and you must leave your funds in the 401(k) plan to access them penalty-free."

[ChipButty]

48 minutes ago, Mister MXYZPTLK said:

The Big question remains…. WHY would anyone want to travel to Thailand with all of the restrictions and massive Covid Outbreaks when they can travel elsewhere without having to jump through all the hoops?

 

When I asked many friends are you coming to visit Thailand this year, the answer was a flat out NO!

They said they look at 2024 when things return to normal.

 

When I was in Bangkok at the Beginning of July, I witnessed clinics overflowing with ExPats, with their entire families, waiting to take their PCR Tests in order to get on a plane out of Thailand.  Most of them said, they’re not considering returning for at least a few years.  They’re safer in their own countries.

 

I guess that sums it all up.

I told my daughter not to come too many risk I want to see my grand daughter growing up but it's no worth the risk, Thank God for whats app