Phuket Sandbox on two-week ‘watch’

[TigerandDog]

Just now, ThailandRyan said:

They will not allow the Sandbox to collapse, after all tourism for the good of the country is at stake, no matter the cost.  Like opening a bar with 3 million in your pocket and a year later calling yourself still a millionaire when all you have is 1 million left.  Sometimes the best made plans do not come to fruition and require one to take a step back and reassess before throwing in the towel.  Yes they will be reassessing this but my view is that they will never admit failure and just make a statement that because of the new waves sweeping over the rest of the world it would be best to shelve the plan for now, laying blame elsewhere.

you missed the point I was making. Domestic tourism to Phuket stopped but they still permit international tourism. If Domestic tourism to Phuket has been stopped International tourism should also be stopped.

[ThailandRyan]

5 minutes ago, TigerandDog said:

you missed the point I was making. Domestic tourism to Phuket stopped but they still permit international tourism. If Domestic tourism to Phuket has been stopped International tourism should also be stopped.

No I did not miss that fact as I posted the above graphic which shows what is and what is not allowed for the next two weeks.  You are correct with your view that it as well should be stopped, but they will not based upon what my view in the post reflects. My view obviously, but looking at past practices from this government and TAT they will never do the necessary thing.

[ttrd]

12 hours ago, Antifreeze said:

Ahhh.. under control for now. So let's watch for a couple of weeks when it's out of control and then we will... 

Control is one of several needed things that never have been even near LOS and the distance has never been greater with the current government ... 

[Magenta408]

"quicksand box". 

[Cunning Stunts]

15 hours ago, Neilly said:

In normal English that translates to "the wheels are about to come off" ????

....and in Thai: the wheels have come off, but we need to save face.........(sparks flying).

[zzzzz]

I'd NOT Be booking a trip for August 13th or after for awhille

Unless its 100% fully refundable

[Uroller]

4 hours ago, Scrotobike said:

Not sure how this works but double vaxed tourists who want to come to Thailand are not the real problem. So let them come. Their choice. The problem with the "sand boxes" is the diversion of scare vaccines away from the old etc who are now filling the hospitals and crematorium.

Maybe double vaxed tourists not main problem or maybe they are???? Vaccinated people can still carry and spread the virus, Phuket is full of Thai people with one or two Sinovac jabs, which apparently not very good against delta variant???? Also many Phuket residents not Evan vaxed with Sinovac so this was always going to be a melting pot????Greed overrides caution in Thailand and this is what happens total cluster*uck

[Caldera]

A watch that will increasingly feel like a wake.

[Somtamnication]

Let's just agree TODAY that the infections will increase and the sandbox is full of quicksand!

[BusyB]

3 hours ago, TigerandDog said:

Absolutely the patients are running the asylum. Announced last night that all domestic travel to Phuket has been stopped, BUT will continue to allow international tourists to arrive. What a complete bunch of idiots.

Vaccinated international tourists are definitely not the problem in LOS.

[stevenl]

3 hours ago, TigerandDog said:

Absolutely the patients are running the asylum. Announced last night that all domestic travel to Phuket has been stopped, BUT will continue to allow international tourists to arrive. What a complete bunch of idiots.

Why idiots? With the spread coming from locals it makes sense to allow people coming from abroad and stop domestic travel.

[robsamui]

The reasons for this sudden leap in infections is blisteringly simple:

 

1. the Thai people have been vaccinated with the cheapest bargain-basement vaccine that the government could lay its hands on. Sinovac has been proven to be only 3% effective (against the initial Alpha strain) with only one jab, rising to 50% effective with 2 jabs. The manufacturers are still refusing to publish their vaccine's effectiveness against the Delta strain;

 

2. In their desperation to reach the magic figure of 70%, the local administrators were not over-fussy about counting only those who had received two jabs;

 

3. Thai workers gong to Phuket from other provinces are not monitored carefully enough;

 

4. Thais have been escaping from the mainland (particularly Bangkok) - where there are limited jabs available - and trying to find jabs at regional hospitals by any means possible;

 

5. Migrant workers are still slipping through the net.

 

The despair is now transparent - a bold safety guarantee of "90 cases a week and it becomes dangerous for everyone and we'll close it all down" has been totally ignored when this happened very predictably and within a few weeks.

 

(Keep an eye on what's emerging from Koh Samui, too, now that it's also "open".)

 

The thousands standing in line every day and waiting for their first jab in Bang Sue station is a graphic symbol of what is happening all over Thailand . . . even if the politicians are trying to pretend it's not so, it's not their fault, and there's nothing they can do about it.

Edited July 30, 2021 by robsamui

[IamNoone88]

5 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Everyone generally books a hotel room for the length of their stay...compulsory or not.

Not they live here.

[kimamey]

17 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

With 50 new cases today and 1 death, with most cases being local residents one has to wonder if they can get a handle on it.  Looks like the new idea of it being just for 7 days has also been scrapped for now.

 

I think you need to be careful just comparing figures in this way. I would guess there are far more residents than foreign visitors so it might look very different if you look at it in terms of percentage. Having said that it never looked a good idea to have stricter requirements for international arrivals than domestic ones. I know there are affordability issues over testing for domestic arrivals or Phuket residents but that's something the government could easily deal with.

 

If this sandbox plan does have to be stopped it will be very bad news for Phuket residents who rely on visitors although tourists were never going to return in big numbers it was at least a start. From my own point of view it will take away the chance to avoid spending 2 weeks in a hotel room but there were always pros and cons between the Phuket sandbox and Bangkok options so it will make the decision easier if not the experience.

[Pattaya Spotter]

12 minutes ago, IamNoone88 said:

Not they live here.

The topic is the future of the "sandbox," i. e., tourists not locals.

[Espanol]

5 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Everyone generally books a hotel room for the length of their stay...compulsory or not.

Unless they live there and already own a house or condo.

Remenber that most "sandboxers" are expats and Thais returning home.

[kimamey]

7 hours ago, IamNoone88 said:

The hotel association stand to gain the most from compulsory room nights. The will fight vigorously for the sandbox to continue.  

If the sandbox programme is ended I would guess Phuket would be allowed to continue with AQ hotels in the same way as Bangkok and the other areas that are taking part. Since most arrivals were probably long term tourists or foreigners returning home it may not affect them too much.

[AMFWolfie]

15 hours ago, riclag said:

Originally I thought the sandbox was a good idea but the Govt screwed it up by not taking "enough precautions " ,construction workers testing positive and bad mitigation standards. Now with some vaccers being infected due to the Dvirus and being Quarantined ,I believe the experiment has run its course ! IMOP !

Not vaccinating the entire island, this was a forgone conclusion. How short-sighted or was it the overwhelming greed to open up Phuket for the business controlled/owned by government officials who pushed for this to happen... I wonder....

[Espanol]

14 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

The topic is the future of the "sandbox," i. e., tourists not locals.

Most "sandboxers" are not tourists, but residents coming back home and avoiding ASQ confinement in Bangkok. So, we are on topic.

[kimamey]

6 hours ago, 2long said:

So, now Phuket is sealed off (or is there another thread about that?).

Mr Farang gets 3 weeks' vacation per year. He's in a relationship with Miss Isaan.

They haven't seen each other in nearly two years.

The Sandbox was perfect because he can fly in to see her and spend a fortnight in Phuket together.

He books and pays for the COE, Visa, flights, SHA hotel, and her flight or bus south.

 

Oh, he can come but she can't! ????????????????

 

I'm expecting plenty of comments about him being able to get some action in Phuket... but let's presume for a moment that he's in love with Miss Isaan and wants to see only her!

That may not have worked anyway. My situation is slightly different in that I'm married and live in Thailand for several months at a time but we had a similar idea. The problem came with the restrictions that meant on arriving back in Mahasarakham we would have to quarantine at home for I think 10 days. Not a problem for me as I don't work but my wife would have had to take 10 days  holiday just for that. Even if I was staying in a Bangkok hotel it would be better if she were there but again it's not practical under the current rules.

 

The biggest problem at the moment is getting home. A rental car is an option but I wouldn't be surprised if that isn't stopped if things get worse.

[robsamui]

16 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

The topic is the future of the "sandbox," i. e., tourists not locals.

You cannot look at it in isolation, like you're trying to do. This is Thai-thinking and the reason it's all gone wrong. The "future of the sandbox" is connected to a dozen factors - most, if not all of them, originating from outside Phuket . . . and that includes the hundreds of local Thais that have been heading for Phuket for various reasons.

[Espanol]

24 minutes ago, kimamey said:

If the sandbox programme is ended I would guess Phuket would be allowed to continue with AQ hotels in the same way as Bangkok and the other areas that are taking part. Since most arrivals were probably long term tourists or foreigners returning home it may not affect them too much.

 

But flights to Bangkok are much cheaper and also are ASQ hotels in Bangkok, so, if talking only about ASQ, nobody will go to ASQ to Phuket, unless living there.

 

On the other hand, sandboxers go to local restaurants, buy in malls, have a drink outside, rent a bike, trip to local islands, buy trinkets and expend a lot of money. ASQ residents are confined into hotel rooms and that's no profit for locals.

 

 

Edited July 30, 2021 by Espanol

[robsamui]

8 minutes ago, Espanol said:

Most "sandboxers" are not tourists, but residents coming back home and avoiding ASQ confinement in Bangkok. So, we are on topic.

You are overlooking the very many Thais who are fleeing outwards from Bangkok in their search of a vaccine. Every day Koh Samui Hospital is turning away a dozen or more . . . Thais wanting jabs are made to show ID; any not from Surat Thani province are turned away.

 

They are all unvaccinated and the potential for increased infection, while they are they traveling, is considerable.

Edited July 30, 2021 by robsamui

[LivinginKata]

17 minutes ago, AMFWolfie said:

Not vaccinating the entire island, this was a forgone conclusion. How short-sighted or was it the overwhelming greed to open up Phuket for the business controlled/owned by government officials who pushed for this to happen... I wonder....

 

More like allowing the unvaccinated hoards coming into Phuket.

[kimamey]

8 minutes ago, Espanol said:

 

But flights to Bangkok are much cheaper and also are ASQ hotels in Bangkok, so, if talking only about ASQ, nobody will go to ASQ to Phuket, unless living there.

 

On the other hand, sandboxers go to local restaurants, buy in malls, have a drink outside, rent a bike, trip to local islands, buy trinkets and expend a lot of money. ASQ residents are confined into hotel rooms are that's no profit for residents.

 

 

Prices in Phuket were much higher than Bangkok when I looked a few weeks ago but they don't seem so bad now. I would expect them to adjust prices if the circumstances change. I don't know about flight prices but you may well be right. The one advantage to Phuket the moment is that you can fly to U-Tapao as an option to return home. For myself I could rent a car and drive from there. Right now I could do the same from Bangkok but if things get worse that may change.

 

The biggest problem for those planning to return isn't the restrictions we know we have now but the unknown ones we may have later by the time we get there. If I knew with any certainty (barring unforeseen circumstances) that I could fly in with minimal problems even with a few days in a hotel by say October then I might just wait.

[ArcticFox]

I can't think of anything more fitting then this scheme collapsing under the weight of the hubris that it was created from.  I wonder if Thai would actually learn anything.
Well, other then Greed is Good, and More Greed is Better.

[gejohesch]

19 hours ago, chalawaan said:

 

It's two-rules tourism, one for us, and one for them; that just does not fly in a pandemic that infects not just one race, but the HUMAN race.

Wake up and quit your unwarranted exceptionalist BS!

Quite right. But "the HUMAN race" does not include the Thais : they are a super-race, don't you know?

[ArcticFox]

Have Thai official started blaming the tourist yet?  If not it should be coming soon.  Stand by.

[Cunning Stunts]

3 hours ago, zzzzz said:

I'd NOT Be booking a trip for August 13th or after for awhille

Unless its 100% fully refundable

Even if it fully refundable why put yourself in that position?

[gejohesch]

13 minutes ago, ArcticFox said:

I can't think of anything more fitting then this scheme collapsing under the weight of the hubris that it was created from.  I wonder if Thai would actually learn anything.
Well, other then Greed is Good, and More Greed is Better.

"I wonder if Thai would actually learn anything." Having worked a few years in a Thai company, and that's one of the overall impressions indeed : the near impossibility to learn anything - or to take advise from "outside".