Numbers low in Thailand's Phuket tourism revival bid - official

[DjSilver]

18 hours ago, impulse said:

People from overseas aren't worried about that number.  We've been living with bigger, scarier numbers for over a year.  We're no more at risk of Covid in Phuket than we are at home in London, Houston, or Paris.  (Maybe not Sydney, but they're not allowed out to play anyway)

 

What fully vaccinated tourists worry about is the odds of being whisked off the plane and into involuntary quarantine, and the risk that EVERYTHING will be shut down when we arrive.

 

agree on the numbers, in Sweden we had more than 32k new cases per day amd to equal that in Thailand they need more than 220k new cases every day. Or more than 7 million infected and/or more than 99k dead.

 

Also the thing we foreigners and my Thai wife who neither wants to go back to Thailand is all the unnecessary restrictions. Look at Sweden, they dont great and no lockdown.

[sambum]

19 hours ago, Thailand said:

That's a surprise.

Bet you beat a lot of people to the punch with this post!

 

And TAT will be scratching their heads wondering why the hordes aren't flocking back, and refusing to contemplate the simplest of reasons - Thailand as it stands now is just not an attractive proposition for a holiday!

[geisha]

2 hours ago, VBF said:

That is it, in a nutshell. That applies to me and my friends who regularly (used to) "Snowbird" in Thailand.

Fully vaxxed here in UK, things are nearly back to full normality, meanwhile in Thailand........

Same applies to me, 4/5 months a year during our winter. What stops me is the chance of being in the same row on a plane as someone who tests positive, or getting a false positive ( as one lady in Phuket) and being transferred to a what ? Private hospital , does insurance cover it , government hospital overcrowded ??? Any answers to that ? 
I will wait  until better news, and go elsewhere in the meantime.

[BusyB]

18 hours ago, ChC1 said:

The currently CoE requirement will stop 99% of vaccinated tourists. If you want more tourists, make sure everyone is vaccinated, so no family with children, they can wait for the second stage of opening. Then make sure only a vaccine certificate is required to apply CoE. Then you may see more adventurous tourists. Be selective, yet be more open, I wonder if the Thai government agencies can do this?

 

This!

[superal]

Do you think that T.A.T. read the T.V. forum and especially this topic ? It would be great if they did because some excellent comments here especially the C.O.E requirements and the up front covid insurance fee at the pre approval stage which is non refundable . 

I can only quote the UK and at the moment Thailand is colour amber on the traffic light system which means that before a tourist returns to the UK they have to book and pay for 2 covid tests that will be taken at there UK home at a cost of around £200 . They also have to do a 10 day isolated quarantine in their home and this equates to a 4 week break from work if 2 weeks were spent in Phuket . All this on top of the Thai tests, flights and hotel costs make a Thailand holiday a no goer for most people/families .

As regards expats returning to their families , The Phuket idea is a much more attractive proposition than the Bangkok hotel lock in but why the alcohol ban ? nothing wrong with an evening beer and maybe daytime drink ban would be a good compromise .Finally the sandbox invention also took into consideration that expats would be able to access all areas of Thailand after the quarantine period  but that facility seems to be all but removed with the lack of interprovincial  transportation . So guys who live in say Chiang Mai will have a problem getting there . Maybe flights to coincide with the Phuket flight arrivals could help ? 

In summary , as regards the UK tourism to Phuket, T. A.T. could speak to the UK government and get Phuket separated from the amber coloured Thailand and become a colour green , as did the Balearics from mainland Spain . That would lead to many UK tourists as long as Phuket can control the virus to low numbers .  

[Chill27]

Just been through it all and flying back to Phuket on Monday with my Thai GF, providing we get negative tests before departure.

It wasn't easy, the amount of paperwork and the costs are unnecessary and ridiculous.

They could do away with half the paperwork and much of the expense, yet not increase risk by one iota.

It's a money generating exercise, yet by reducing the unnecessary requirements, they would generate far more money, as many more people would come.

[Espanol]

10 hours ago, gim12 said:

holiday inn refunded my reservation in full

Palmyra too

[RichardColeman]

3 hours ago, chilli42 said:

Right, they would all be fully vaccinated (with working vaccines), what could go wrong?

You cannot stay closed forever. Thailand's economy is decimated. Vaccinate all you can to the end of the year and open up fully. I'm stuck away from the family 16 months but still say wait a little longer , vaccinate what you can and open fully Jan 1.

[impulse]

4 hours ago, superal said:

They also have to do a 10 day isolated quarantine in their home and this equates to a 4 week break from work if 2 weeks were spent in Phuket .

So many of my friends and family here in Texas are working remotely that they wouldn't miss a day of work on their trip to Thailand, or a 14 day quarantine on their arrival back home.  They go anywhere they want, and carry a laptop with them to log into work.  Meetings by Zoom or MS, etc.  (Maybe miss a day of meetings on each end while they're in the air...but they can fly on weekends)   Driven by Covid restrictions, but a lot of the changes are taking hold permanently.

 

I agree with the gist of your points, but there's a new market out there for a different type of "tourist".

 

[DaveC]

"Open up fully to ALL vaccinated people showing an app at boarding or check in and run with it. Anything more and its a waste of time and a failure "

 

Thank you Richard. Over governance is not the answer. We will have to learn live with all the Covid19 variants just like other viruses. It is a tragic mistake to shut down Phuket's economy.

Edited August 5, 2021 by DaveC

[Deli]

13 hours ago, chang1 said:

This should be what TAT is for. Instead of pulling fanciful numbers out of nowhere they should go to Phuket and talk to us and put suggestions forward. Simple things like metered taxis would work wonders. Happy holidaymakers returning home with tales of good times are the best way to get arrivals up. Me going home saying I didn't bother going to the bars in Patong because it would cost 800 Baht in taxi vans for what a Bangkok taxi could do for around 200-300 Baht, will only build up resistance which was happening long before covid19. 

Won't happen in this lifetime, they are dump burocrats, farting in their chairs.

[ACB21]

14 hours ago, chang1 said:

The hotels are not refundable for the COE even if booked on sites that say they are like booking.com.

I think that really depends on hotel policy and how well informed the staff are, more so then there being a specific 'no refund' rule by the local authorities. Some hotels I've spoken to have confirmed full flexibility and refunds up to 24 hrs before checkin in (depending on your rate) even if prepaying the room as required by the COE. Holiday Inn Phuket and JW Marriott confirmed this specifically in emails. 

 

However an other hotel said no refunds for sandbox guests if the reservations is part of an application for a COE. But then another colleague, from the same hotel, did confirm that flexibility/refunds according to rate conditions still apply even if prepaying. And then there are the hotels that flat out don't offer flexible/refund rates at all right now.

 

I suspect guests and hotel staff are confusing prepay for a COE with the customary discounted prepay rate with no refunds possible.

 

14 hours ago, chang1 said:

Did you have a COE though? Ours wanted full payment for the room, tests and airport transfer before giving us the SHABA certificate. 

Tests are to be booked on https://www.thailandpsas.com from august 1st I think. Hotels aren't supposed to arrange for testing anymore.

 

As to transport I think the only requirement is that the transport needs to be SHA+ certified, not that it needs to be booked through the hotel. But not sure on that one though. I hope not, some of the Mai Khao hotels are charging THB1500 ( in a Mercedes/BMW, or a Camry for THB 1000) for a 15m ride.

 

 

[ChC1]

15 hours ago, chang1 said:

Why no children? They have much more natural immunity than adults so, as far as I  know, are no more riskier than vaccinated adults. 

The Delta variant last month swept UK is seen more prevalent among younger adults and among schools children. Children is more likely to be the super spreader (I am not saying they are, but more likely) as many of them are asymptomatic. Sure they will weather the infection well and no severe reactions after infection. However, it is also true that the virus can be passed on from them more easily as they mix in schools and then families. Hence if Thailand's priority is less cases, and tourists' priority is not to get infected then sent to ASQ hotels, it is better to admit vaccinated tourists only. Once the cases are down, then open for family tourists with children who is less likely to be vaccinated as of now. 

 

Let us not forget not long ago, there were a family from Switzerland confirmed as Covid positive as they have unvaccinated children with them. With only 26 confirmed Sandbox tourist cases, 3-4 members in a family get the virus is a big portion in the overall numbers.

 

Last week there are 6 positive cases onboard Adventure of the Seas in Bahamas. Two are unvaccinated children, four are vaccinated adults. Although there is no conclusion that the said children were the source of infection, other Caribbean islands now introduced travel ban for unvaccinated children above 12 years old, specifically US Virgin Islands and others after this incidence. This measure is likely to be introduced to other places too. 

 

Thus to me, the choice is simple. If you want tourists visiting and no severe Covid cases among them to deter future tourists, then you need to make sure everyone is vaccinated at the initial opening stage. If there is (I am saying IF, a big IF) a case of an unvaccinated children infects several vaccinated tourists on the plane landing in Phuket, then infects some poor hotel workers who got the Chinese vaccine in a one in million chance who then subsequently got severely ill, that would really destroy sandbox for good. It is a chance Thailand can not afford to take now with daily cases raising so steep and no end in sight. 

[chang1]

12 hours ago, the green light said:

if you are visiting your in-law.. that is not going on vacation. it is a family trip.

sure they are few tourists but most are reporter writing for their own paper like Alison Fox from Travel leisure  magazine..

 

So a "family trip" is different to a "vacation"? Do you not take your family on vacation with you? To me a trip is a short break like a day trip, eitherway you are still a tourist. Taking a long haul flight and staying away for 5 weeks is a bit more than just a trip. As I said, you have to define tourist I say I am combining a holiday with visiting family but you call it a family trip. 

We have been here a few days now and it is very enjoyable. Sorry if that spoils the narrative here but a quiet Phuket is lovely even in the rainy season. There are restaurants open and I have only had one refuse me a beer. Everyone is happy to see us, even the policeman at the local road checkpoint sounds happy as he waves us through. To us this is a holiday which, without the sandbox, would have been taken elsewhere. 

[chang1]

1 hour ago, ACB21 said:

I think that really depends on hotel policy and how well informed the staff are, more so then there being a specific 'no refund' rule by the local authorities. Some hotels I've spoken to have confirmed full flexibility and refunds up to 24 hrs before checkin in (depending on your rate) even if prepaying the room as required by the COE. Holiday Inn Phuket and JW Marriott confirmed this specifically in emails. 

 

However an other hotel said no refunds for sandbox guests if the reservations is part of an application for a COE. But then another colleague, from the same hotel, did confirm that flexibility/refunds according to rate conditions still apply even if prepaying. And then there are the hotels that flat out don't offer flexible/refund rates at all right now.

 

I suspect guests and hotel staff are confusing prepay for a COE with the customary discounted prepay rate with no refunds possible.

 

Tests are to be booked on https://www.thailandpsas.com from august 1st I think. Hotels aren't supposed to arrange for testing anymore.

 

As to transport I think the only requirement is that the transport needs to be SHA+ certified, not that it needs to be booked through the hotel. But not sure on that one though. I hope not, some of the Mai Khao hotels are charging THB1500 ( in a Mercedes/BMW, or a Camry for THB 1000) for a 15m ride.

 

 

That is why I asked if a COE had been issued. Our hotel was fully refundable but would not give us the SHABA certificate until everything was paid for. We did get our dates delayed one week but they said they couldn't change them much more than that. We than had to sort out the COE which required it to be "reset" by a helpful man at the London embassy over the phone. So there is some wiggle room but as you say, it depends on your hotel and at what stage you are at with the COE. If the hotel is not involved with testing or transport then changes should be much easier as they are not dealing with other parties. 

Our hotel charged 1200 baht to Karon in a van for the 3 of us or had a car for 1000 baht. I doubt you will get a COE without proof of prebooked transport. Doing it all through the hotel is simple with just the SHABA certificate proving it all in one document. Which, when applying, you will see is a good thing even if it is not the cheapest. 

[ACB21]

20 minutes ago, chang1 said:

That is why I asked if a COE had been issued. Our hotel was fully refundable but would not give us the SHABA certificate until everything was paid for. We did get our dates delayed one week but they said they couldn't change them much more than that. We than had to sort out the COE which required it to be "reset" by a helpful man at the London embassy over the phone. So there is some wiggle room but as you say, it depends on your hotel and at what stage you are at with the COE. If the hotel is not involved with testing or transport then changes should be much easier as they are not dealing with other parties. 

Our hotel charged 1200 baht to Karon in a van for the 3 of us or had a car for 1000 baht. I doubt you will get a COE without proof of prebooked transport. Doing it all through the hotel is simple with just the SHABA certificate proving it all in one document. Which, when applying, you will see is a good thing even if it is not the cheapest. 

Ah oke, I misunderstood. I thought you meant by prepaying you lost your right for a refund/cancellation. That last part is a concern for me. If the authorities impose even stricter rules then I want to be able to cancel the trip with full refunds even if prepaying (as per rate conditions).

 

Paying the hotel for transport to make sure the embassy accepts it as suitable proof for the COE makes a lot of sense. Im not sure if independent taxi's are even looped into the COE/SHABA/QR system. Thanks for the tip ????

[chilli42]

7 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

You cannot stay closed forever. Thailand's economy is decimated. Vaccinate all you can to the end of the year and open up fully. I'm stuck away from the family 16 months but still say wait a little longer , vaccinate what you can and open fully Jan 1.

I may have made my point poorly (though admit being a bit snide on vaccine efficacy) … completely agree with you.

[morrobay]

And the numbers are going to get alot lower: https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/body-found-in-phuket-of-swiss-woman-presumed-murdered

[chang1]

5 hours ago, ACB21 said:

Ah oke, I misunderstood. I thought you meant by prepaying you lost your right for a refund/cancellation. That last part is a concern for me. If the authorities impose even stricter rules then I want to be able to cancel the trip with full refunds even if prepaying (as per rate conditions).

 

Paying the hotel for transport to make sure the embassy accepts it as suitable proof for the COE makes a lot of sense. Im not sure if independent taxi's are even looped into the COE/SHABA/QR system. Thanks for the tip ????

Another tip for the COE - if you are using the 45 day visa on arrival, you need to upload actual flight tickets to prove your onward travel, during the first stage of the COE, even though they are not asked for. I had the first part rejected several times due to thinking they only needed what you intend to do when actually they need everything already paid for. This makes it feel very risky but if all is OK I doubt anyone will get refused. Then in the second stage you have to upload things again but that is straight forward. Allow a week for all this even though they do respond within 4 hours (UK) to each submission. If all is ready to go it can be done in a day but I had other people to do including someone going to Bangkok. 

Pre flight PCR tests are Another pain. The lass going to Bangkok used a kit from a local chemist which was dropped into a bin near the door for a courier to collect. The day before her flight she went back as she had not got a result. Her swab was still in the bin uncollected. After an hour of being told she would have to miss her flight (she had saved up 2 years to go home) I drove to their lab (had been told I  couldn't do that earlier) over 100 miles away and got it there with 10 mins to spare! I managed to get 3 free tests for us for my troubles. These cost £100 each but probably cheaper than my fuel to them. My wife and son got their results the morning after posting them (royal mail - not in the bin this time) but none for me. Rang them and found my test had to be repeated but it did come through later that day. So use the full 72 hours for the test as they can mess up - ours we're in the priority (don't use normal) post box 71 hours before the flight so had a full day spare. A stressful time as other things were going on at the same time hence flight changes. I needed a holiday after all that. Now we just need to find a way off the island. Our friend has a taxi booked to Udon Thani costing over 20000 baht but has no choice as she is finalising her house build and needs to be there for the handover. I may hire a car if flights are not available.