Phuket Sandbox: 14,000 "foreign" tourists have spent 800 million baht - spending options limited

[shdmn]

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

thought they were predicting about 120,000 in 3rd qtr. At this rate they will be looking at about <40,000, and even less if they shut up shop on the sandbox due to covid rising

I thought you doom mongers were predicting it was never going to happen?

 

Let's be honest.  You are going to try find a reason to call it a failure no matter what.  If it's not the numbers of tourists it's the amount of money they are spending or any one of a dozen other lame reasons I have read some of you trying to spin around here.

Edited August 2, 2021 by shdmn

[Albert Zweistein]

13 hours ago, Snuller21 said:

8.000.000 divided bu 14.000 = 571,4285714285714. Did they buy a drink for that money, or just Streetfood?

 

Didn't you forget a few zero's ? No not the Japanese fghter planes in WW 2.

[RichardColeman]

1 hour ago, shdmn said:

I thought you doom mongers were predicting it was never going to happen?

 

Let's be honest.  You are going to try find a reason to call it a failure no matter what.  If it's not the numbers of tourists it's the amount of money they are spending or any one of a dozen other lame reasons I have read some of you trying to spin around here.

Think you may find that some of us doom mongers actually want it to work as we have been away from our families and children for 15 months with no end in sight ! But we are realistic in our thinking and not making fanciful predictions that seem to come right out of an episode of the twilight zone or sesame street.

[Pattaya Spotter]

4 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Think you may find that some of us doom mongers actually want it to work as we have been away from our families and children for 15 months with no end in sight ! But we are realistic in our thinking and not making fanciful predictions that seem to come right out of an episode of the twilight zone or sesame street.

I'm curious why some members seem to take endless joy in lampooning the tourist predictions and actual arrival numbers and spending figures of the TAT and it's associated spokespeople. It is the government's tourism promotion agency and it's in its nature to be optimistic and present Thailand in the best possible light. If the numbers are way off base, what is it to the members posting on them...the predictions of the TAT sure don't affect my life in Thailand.

[Henryford]

I am surprised the airlines are putting on the flights. @ 100 people per flight they must be losing a bundle.

[jomtienisgood]

20 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

Maths not our strong point? 800 million baht divided by 14,000 people equates to just over 57K baht per person. Entirely plausible given the higher rates that most SHA+ hotels are charging. Probably not much being spent out on the streets though.

Absolutely correct. Nowhere to spend money except in their overpriced private expanded confinement....When you add a mandatory stay of 14 days this brings you to 4071Thb / Person incl. hotel .... Have a look at the ASQ Hotel rates, how much is left?????

[jomtienisgood]

15 hours ago, PEE TEE said:

Yes i myself have a friend who rents a bungalow year by year he hopes to come to Samui via Samui plus he will get 45 days we are trying to work out how he can get a visa to stay permanent. big problem is he has not got a Thai bank account  . he has all the paperwork insurance two jabs etc. flight booked for 25 August .only can hope by then the Samui plus is still open . stay safe my friend 

The Th Bank account should not be a problem.....

[jomtienisgood]

16 hours ago, Caldera said:

Now that almost everything is closed and onward travel is restricted, it will be very difficult to spend any money.

Not according to TAT.. LOL

[berrec]

Most spent on taxi fare ripoffs and Jet Ski scams.

[Xonax]

19 hours ago, Brickbat said:

Morons ! it has to be ! Risking their lives to holiday and irresponsible to allow this to happen . Responsible governments have shut their borders. 

They are all fully vaccinated, so they are not risking their own lives, but other not so fortunate peoples lives!

[ChipButty]

17 minutes ago, berrec said:

Most spent on taxi fare ripoffs and Jet Ski scams.

I saw a post about the taxi's wanting 400 baht from Karon to Patong sits there all day outside the hotel doing nothing, A sandboxer said he would use him at least twice a day if he drops his price, but no!

[ArcticFox]

20 hours ago, ChipButty said:

I spoke to a woman yesterday who had done her sandbox, she was bored for 14 days not much to do around where she stayed 

As the women writes back home on social media.

"Vacation in Thailand days 1 - 14:  I am bored out of my mind.  There's nothing to do!"

Friends back home considering vacations.

"Thailand?  Sue said she was bored out of her mind. Nothing to do, no nightlife, can't drink.  Let's see.  How about Cancun?"

[biervoormij]

I was surprised to see Israel listed as 2nd in the number of visitors but I think this may be an error.  The following URL has Israel listed as 4th behind Thais and British. Not sure which is correct.

 

https://www.thainewsreports.com/2021/07/31/top-10-nationalities-in-the-phuket-sandbox/

 

[stevenl]

2 hours ago, ArcticFox said:

As the women writes back home on social media.

"Vacation in Thailand days 1 - 14:  I am bored out of my mind.  There's nothing to do!"

Friends back home considering vacations.

"Thailand?  Sue said she was bored out of her mind. Nothing to do, no nightlife, can't drink.  Let's see.  How about Cancun?"

And others are saying they're really enjoying it. So Sue's friends are not coming, Harry's are going to buy tickets straight away.

[Jiggo]

23 hours ago, PMinThailand said:

Counting the money, as usual!

 

Having a Happy Holiday in second place as usual...

[superal]

2 hours ago, ArcticFox said:

As the women writes back home on social media.

"Vacation in Thailand days 1 - 14:  I am bored out of my mind.  There's nothing to do!"

Friends back home considering vacations.

"Thailand?  Sue said she was bored out of her mind. Nothing to do, no nightlife, can't drink.  Let's see.  How about Cancun?"

I reckon 7-11 must be doing well on take away beer . Also could have a bar open for expats with proof of double jab 

[club]

3 hours ago, Xonax said:

They are all fully vaccinated, so they are not risking their own lives, but other not so fortunate peoples lives!

Fully Vaccinated is NOT 1 jab of AZ. This government seems to think it is. It was one of the requirements to enter the Sandbox and still is

[stevenl]

7 minutes ago, club said:

Fully Vaccinated is NOT 1 jab of AZ. This government seems to think it is. It was one of the requirements to enter the Sandbox and still is

Not true. Only fully vaccinated sandboxers from abroad allowed in.

[mancub]

22 hours ago, DefaultName said:

57k could be hotel costs alone.  Is there anything for them to spend money on when they leave the hotel?

4 star SHA hotel, decent room inc breakfast  @  14000 for 14 nts ( total price for 2 adults + 1 child ! )  

[mancub]

19 hours ago, stevenl said:

To my surprise there were many Americans on my flight yesterday. And they didn't seem to be returning expats.

And you know the nationality and status of these "many" how exactly ? Were they all wearing uniform golf-shirts and high -fiving ?

[stevenl]

35 minutes ago, mancub said:

And you know the nationality and status of these "many" how exactly ? Were they all wearing uniform golf-shirts and high -fiving ?

If one listens and looks possibilities are endless.

[joecoolfrog]

4 hours ago, ChipButty said:

I saw a post about the taxi's wanting 400 baht from Karon to Patong sits there all day outside the hotel doing nothing, A sandboxer said he would use him at least twice a day if he drops his price, but no!

Unless things have changed quite recently there is a cartel at work ( fixed minimum price) , individual drivers wont break rank for fear of violent reprisals.

In the past I have negotiated on occasion a lower price but the driver has used a car rather than his tuk tuk , crazy but true.

[ChipButty]

4 hours ago, ArcticFox said:

As the women writes back home on social media.

"Vacation in Thailand days 1 - 14:  I am bored out of my mind.  There's nothing to do!"

Friends back home considering vacations.

"Thailand?  Sue said she was bored out of her mind. Nothing to do, no nightlife, can't drink.  Let's see.  How about Cancun?"

I met a woman last Sunday she said the same thing

[club]

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

Not true. Only fully vaccinated sandboxes from abroad allowed in.

Your right, I stand corrected. When it first started could have sworn it said 2 jabs of approved vaccine and 1 jab of either J&J or AZ.  

[mancub]

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

If one listens and looks possibilities are endless.

Only limited by one's imagination.

[Ned Ludd]

23 hours ago, talahtnut said:

 

They are herding holidaymakers like farm animals.

My cat uses a sandbox as the last 'resort'.

 

I have often thought that it would be better called "A Kitty Litter" rather than sand box which is normaly a beach front hooker.

[Ned Ludd]

On 8/2/2021 at 7:29 AM, meauwnam said:

It's 800.000.000 for one month divided by 30 days = 26.666.666,66666667 a day, divided by 14.000 tourists = 1.904,761904761905 a day per tourist. So 1.900 baht. 

I think you will find that they use the Diane Abbott method of mathmatics. Total number of tourists equals number of tourists arriving X the number of days they are staying.

[superal]

3 hours ago, club said:

Fully Vaccinated is NOT 1 jab of AZ. This government seems to think it is. It was one of the requirements to enter the Sandbox and still is

Yeh , Thais only need 1 AZ jab or 2 sinovac, farang need 2 jabs of AZ, you would think they would get that right but no and here lies the open door to the virus transmissions

[stevenl]

18 minutes ago, superal said:

Yeh , Thais only need 1 AZ jab or 2 sinovac, farang need 2 jabs of AZ, you would think they would get that right but no and here lies the open door to the virus transmissions

Nonsense, domestic tourists can not enter, your open door has been closed. It was never about nationality anyway.

[rainham]

Why would they feel the need to say that, and how could they possibly even know that, 

Fake news.