Sandbox Express Bus to help tourists stranded in Phuket

[webfact]

 

By The Phuket News

 

PHUKET: A joint initiative by Phuket officials and the private sector has launched a ‘Sandbox Express Bus’ service so that Sandbox tourists stuck in Phuket under the current shutdown of flights and buses can travel to other provinces.

 

The project was explained this morning (Aug 4) by Nanthasiri Ronnasiri, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket office, and Jaturong Kaewsaki, who took up the position as the new chief of the Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) just two days ago.

 

The Sandbox Express Bus initially travels only from Phuket to Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok, Ms Nanthasiri said.

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/sandbox-express-bus-to-help-tourists-stranded-in-phuket-80925.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2021-08-05

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[ezzra]

Can someone remind me how many tourists and billions the TAT were expecting to reap this year?I wonder if TAT, in their "come visit Thailand" brochure, are going to put the facts that tourists will have to endure many hours in a provincial bus on a trip back home just to leave the country or visit other parts of Thailand that is if they will be allowed to...

[Espanol]

Why not setting chartered airplanes instead of a bus?

 

Faster, safer, cheaper and more comfortable than a 16 hours 1500 bahts travel to Bangkok.

 

[KarenBravo]

8 minutes ago, Espanol said:

Why not setting chartered airplanes instead of a bus?

 

Because it's too expensive to charter when you don't know how many passengers will be on it.

Be realistic.

[Espanol]

"Bangkok Airways has suspended its Phuket flights to Koh Samui, which Sandbox tourists are allowed to travel to under the ‘Samui Plus Sandbox’ scheme, but is maintaining its Bangkok-Samui flights"

Why flying from Samui to deep red Bangkok but not to much safer Phuket?

[Espanol]

2 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

Because it's too expensive to charter when you don't know how many passengers will be on it.

Be realistic.

 

Charter buses will only leave if the reservation is complete.  The same could be done with airplanes.  

 

Anyway, with 500 "tourists" entering the Phuket Sandbox each day, most of them residents returning home, it is certain that more than 100 places would be reserved daily to continue to the final destination.

 

[ronster]

Would rather walk than get on a bus here driven by some guy who hasn’t slept for a week !!

[Karma80]

The bus gets into Bangkok after curfew. So good luck with getting anywhere other than a plane out.

 

Why on earth would people come to Phuket for a short term visit. You must be nuts!

[bkk6060]

I wish I was there and getting on that bus sounds like fun.

[Greenwich Boy]

Two friends of mine in Phuket. Need to get back to Chiang Mai. Lets get a cab and split the fare. Thai economics at its best, the quote was 45k. Thanks very much we will hire a car and drive ourselves was the reply.

[KarenBravo]

3 hours ago, Espanol said:

 

Charter buses will only leave if the reservation is complete.  The same could be done with airplanes.  

 

Anyway, with 500 "tourists" entering the Phuket Sandbox each day, most of them residents returning home, it is certain that more than 100 places would be reserved daily to continue to the final destination.

 

And the added expense? Of course, that doesn't matter, right?

One chartered flight will pay for all the bus trips to Bangkok.

Your idea is pie-in-the sky and can't be taken seriously.

 

 

Edited August 5, 2021 by KarenBravo

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

A joint initiative by Phuket officials and the private sector has launched a ‘Sandbox Express Bus’ service so that Sandbox tourists stuck in Phuket under the current shutdown of flights and buses can travel to other provinces.

Leaving from platform 9-3/4 on a mystery tour.

[khunPer]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

A joint initiative by Phuket officials and the private sector has launched a ‘Sandbox Express Bus’ service so that Sandbox tourists stuck in Phuket under the current shutdown of flights and buses can travel to other provinces.

I'm surprised that such a relative high number of turists, compared to the total incoming number, wish to see other places in Thailand. Perhaps it has to do with the Covid-virus...????

 

Before the virus infected us, it was my impression most of the Phuket-tourists stayed on the island for their two weeks holiday, of course with excursion trips to some surrounding islands, and especially younger folks might spend some time on Phi Phi, and move on to Chiang May and Phangan...????

[DefaultName]

5 hours ago, Espanol said:

Why not setting chartered airplanes instead of a bus?

 

Faster, safer, cheaper and more comfortable than a 16 hours 1500 bahts travel to Bangkok.

 

Bus; get on, sit, go.

Plane; there's all that airport business, at both ends.  Far higher chance of catching or transmitting the virus.

[Espanol]

1 hour ago, DefaultName said:

Bus; get on, sit, go.

Plane; there's all that airport business, at both ends.  Far higher chance of catching or transmitting the virus.

 

Do you really think it's safer been 16 hours inside a closed bus with 20 random people?

 

And also it's not a VIP bus, so they must stop here and there for people going to rest room, having lunch, dinner, ...

 

[Espanol]

4 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

I wish I was there and getting on that bus sounds like fun.

You could film a road movie about that bus. ????

[Espanol]

2 hours ago, khunPer said:

I'm surprised that such a relative high number of turists, compared to the total incoming number, wish to see other places in Thailand.

They are not tourists, but Thai people and residents returning home after mandatory 14 days in phuket.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 5, 2021 by Espanol

[khunPer]

7 minutes ago, Espanol said:

They are not tourists, but Thai people and residents returning home.

Wow, you don't say...????

[kimamey]

13 hours ago, Espanol said:

Why not setting chartered airplanes instead of a bus?

 

Faster, safer, cheaper and more comfortable than a 16 hours 1500 bahts travel to Bangkok.

 

It would depend on the numbers but it's a possibility. I'm assuming there were sufficient numbers otherwise there would no flights anyway so no real reason to stop them. The same goes for the buses. I'm not sure I understand why the buses were stopped when they are now transporting people by bus anyway. Surely the people coming out of Phuket would be pretty safe due to the quarantine and tests?

[Deli]

There's a hell o lot of sand in the busses' gear box. But I am sure the commie brothers from the CCP can clean this up, as they caused the mess.