is the Sandbox scheme still available? and a few other questions...

[bluebird729]

How many days is the sandbox scheme currently?

once its finished, can I then stay in Phuket for as long as my visa allows?

 

What if I drive to another province? is that ok ?

 

Will a flight allow me to go to Bangkok if I have been in Phuket for more than 2 weeks ?

 

  Thank you  ;)

[KhunBENQ]

37 minutes ago, bluebird729 said:

How many days is the sandbox scheme currently?

The minimum stay is unchanged, 14 days.

37 minutes ago, bluebird729 said:

once its finished, can I then stay in Phuket for as long as my visa allows?

Yes.

37 minutes ago, bluebird729 said:

What if I drive to another province? is that ok ?

Yes OK (see below).

37 minutes ago, bluebird729 said:

Will a flight allow me to go to Bangkok if I have been in Phuket for more than 2 weeks ?

By theory yes.

But now and for the near future no domestic flights allowed/available.

Domestic air travel has come to a almost complete stop.

Big part of the country is in a semi lockdown.

Lot of trouble for people to leave Phuket on any other means than private car. Public buses also shut down (regarding your question about driving to other provinces).

There is some talk about a bus to Suvarnabhumi. Don't know much about it.

 

You are aware about the ever increasing measures limiting any leisure activities in Phuket? The scheme is on the edge of cancellation to my opinion.

By their own set rules regarding Covid cases it should have been cancelled already, but ...

And the gruesome murder of a female Swiss tourist will not do good to attract more travellers.

Edited August 6, 2021 by KhunBENQ

[LivinginKata]

And I might add if you leave phuket you will only be allowed back in if you have international flight ticket leaving Phuket that day and you must go straight to airport.

 

That's the current rule. All might change in 2 weeks. Who knows.

[statman78]

13 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

The minimum stay is unchanged, 14 days.

Yes.

Yes OK (see below).

By theory yes.

But now and for the near future no domestic flights allowed/available.

Domestic air travel has come to a almost complete stop.

Big part of the country is in a semi lockdown.

Lot of trouble for people to leave Phuket on any other means than private car. Public buses also shut down (regarding your question about driving to other provinces).

There is some talk about a bus to Suvarnabhumi. Don't know much about it.

 

You are aware about the ever increasing measures limiting any leisure activities in Phuket? The scheme is on the edge of cancellation to my opinion.

By their own set rules regarding Covid cases it should have been cancelled already, but ...

And the gruesome murder of a female Swiss tourist will not do good to attract more travellers.

Just to add to the above.  Cases are still increasing.  I believe earlier this week there was a review of the Covid situation in Phuket.  Nothing was changed but there is another review planned in 2 weeks.

 

I agree with Kuhn BENQ, I think it is just a matter of time before the sandbox is cancelled.

[Agusts]

I don't think Sandbox will be cancelled, it's a face saving situation, it will go on.

 

Number of Covid infections in Phuket has not gone up last few days, not in the same trajectory as the rest of the country. Sandbox tourists are not contributing to Covid infections in Phuket and/or Thailand in general, they got bigger problems with local transmission right now...., amazingly they had like 755 hospital beds for Covid here in Phuket and only under 300 left empty but they still bringing patients from other provinces here..!!!! 

 

The murder news is bad, but it's a rare one off event, RIP, very tragic, single lady unfortunately going off on a quiet track alone, not many Sandbox tourists or returnees are in that category...

 

Add all the above not much will change regarding Sandbox for now..., but who knows in a few weeks or a month things might change...

 

[KhunBENQ]

On 8/7/2021 at 10:33 AM, Agusts said:

it's a face saving situation

That might beat all rules

[superal]

On 8/7/2021 at 4:33 AM, Agusts said:

I don't think Sandbox will be cancelled, it's a face saving situation, it will go on.

 

Number of Covid infections in Phuket has not gone up last few days, not in the same trajectory as the rest of the country. Sandbox tourists are not contributing to Covid infections in Phuket and/or Thailand in general, they got bigger problems with local transmission right now...., amazingly they had like 755 hospital beds for Covid here in Phuket and only under 300 left empty but they still bringing patients from other provinces here..!!!! 

 

The murder news is bad, but it's a rare one off event, RIP, very tragic, single lady unfortunately going off on a quiet track alone, not many Sandbox tourists or returnees are in that category...

 

Add all the above not much will change regarding Sandbox for now..., but who knows in a few weeks or a month things might change...

 

If they intend to cancel the "sandbox " it would be good if they can give say 1 months notice , soas to stop the complicated booking process, to qualify for the C.O.E. , especially for people who book at short notice . So I guess as things stand the best bet would be a Bangkok hotel as there is not a threat of the ASQ hotels being dropped .

[DBath]

The sandbox has sadly become the litter box we all knew it would become. 

[eezergood]

On 8/9/2021 at 7:58 AM, DBath said:

The sandbox has sadly become the litter box we all knew it would become. 

How so? 

Its paying the salary of many locals, yet more doomsayer negativity from the ThaiVisa (or whatever it is now) peanut gallery 

[Tony125]

CDC adds seven destinations to ‘very high’ Covid-19 travel risk list

 

https://whdh.com/news/cdc-adds-seven-destinations-to-very-high-covid-19-travel-risk-list/?fbclid=IwAR1S9WPKHYBt1pKRjQ5H2g1ikBLzTku8pybf2GNtd9gmQ4n3arOPmyYA6Jw

[DBath]

3 hours ago, eezergood said:

How so? 

Its paying the salary of many locals, yet more doomsayer negativity from the ThaiVisa (or whatever it is now) peanut gallery 

I'm sorry if the truth hurts. Are you one of those, "the glass is 3/4 full kind of guys"? One who believes anything the Thai gov't is willing to shove down your throat?

Edited August 10, 2021 by DBath

[Espanol]

 

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/covid-4/coronavirus-thailand

 

COVID-19 in Thailand

 

 

Level 4: Very High Level of COVID-19 in Thailand

 

• Avoid travel to Thailand.
• If you must travel to Thailand, make sure you are fully vaccinated before travel.
• Because of the current situation in Thailand, even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 10, 2021 by Espanol

[eezergood]

20 hours ago, DBath said:

I'm sorry if the truth hurts. Are you one of those, "the glass is 3/4 full kind of guys"? One who believes anything the Thai gov't is willing to shove down your throat?

What truth ? I am on the ground in Phuket, working in the tourism industry. I can physically see more people daily and I have more guest in the hotel I manage then any time in the last 18 months.

 

Is it perfect? No, but it is certainly a great first step. Now back to your doom saying,  Im sure there must be an end of world event coming soon from which you can generate some pleasure. 

[DBath]

1 hour ago, eezergood said:

What truth ? I am on the ground in Phuket, working in the tourism industry. I can physically see more people daily and I have more guest in the hotel I manage then any time in the last 18 months.

 

Is it perfect? No, but it is certainly a great first step. Now back to your doom saying,  Im sure there must be an end of world event coming soon from which you can generate some pleasure. 

It’s not that I get pleasure from other people’s pain. It’s just that people like you remind me of Nero, playing his fiddle as Rome burns around him. You, I and everybody with any common sense knows the sandbox was another ridiculous scheme dreamed up by a bunch of clowns that was doomed to failure from the beginning - no matter how much you want to try and pretend otherwise, it won’t change that. 
 

Personally, I never had any intention of staying in Thailand for the long term and I feel fortunate I was able to ride out covid while I was there, so I don’t blame anyone from wanting things to be better there. IMO, it is just a very poorly run country that could be so much better than it is, were it not for the current government’s way of doing things. That’s just my observation and my two cents from the year-and-a-half I lived there. And I have no intention of ever going back, even though I did enjoy my time there. 

[stevenl]

8 minutes ago, DBath said:

It’s not that I get pleasure from other people’s pain. It’s just that people like you remind me of Nero, playing his fiddle as Rome burns around him. You, I and everybody with any common sense knows the sandbox was another ridiculous scheme dreamed up by a bunch of clowns that was doomed to failure from the beginning - no matter how much you want to try and pretend otherwise, it won’t change that. 
 

Personally, I never had any intention of staying in Thailand for the long term and I feel fortunate I was able to ride out covid while I was there, so I don’t blame anyone from wanting things to be better there. IMO, it is just a very poorly run country that could be so much better than it is, were it not for the current government’s way of doing things. That’s just my observation and my two cents from the year-and-a-half I lived there. And I have no intention of ever going back, even though I did enjoy my time there. 

Please explain why the sandbox is a failure.

[DBath]

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

Please explain why the sandbox is a failure.

Seriously?????

 

I’m going to answer your question with three questions:

1. How many people were projected to arrive in Phuket the first month with the scam, I mean scheme? (I recall the projections starting at 130,000 and quickly dwindling thereafter)

2. How many people actually arrived in the first month? 

3. How many tourists has it drawn in total to date compared to what was projected?
 

(Expats returning from ‘exile’ don’t count)?

[stevenl]

2 minutes ago, DBath said:

Seriously?????

 

I’m going to answer your question with three questions:

1. How many people were projected to arrive in Phuket the first month with the scam, I mean scheme? (I recall the projections starting at 130,000 and quickly dwindling thereafter)

2. How many people actually arrived in the first month? 

3. How many tourists has it drawn in total to date compared to what was projected?
 

(Expats returning from ‘exile’ don’t count)?

Even if the numbers are far off that doesn't mean it is a failure. It is a slow start for Thailand to return to tourism, and with very low infection numbers it seems to be working. Now we'll have to see if it sustains itself.

[KarenBravo]

7 minutes ago, DBath said:

Seriously?????

 

I’m going to answer your question with three questions:

1. How many people were projected to arrive in Phuket the first month with the scam, I mean scheme? (I recall the projections starting at 130,000 and quickly dwindling thereafter)

2. How many people actually arrived in the first month? 

3. How many tourists has it drawn in total to date compared to what was projected?
 

(Expats returning from ‘exile’ don’t count)?

So......your issue isn't with the actual sandbox idea, it's with government officials spouting nonsensical numbers.

[KarenBravo]

The sandbox idea has gone better than I thought, but I still think it's a failure.

There were two parts. Bring in foreign tourists and open up businesses to cater for them.

Far fewer tourists actually came and very, very few businesses that opened specifically due to the sandbox.

Seems to me the only business that are really benefiting is some hotels.

Other business in the retail sector may need ten customers per day to break even, but there are still too few tourists to ensure that happens.

Businesses will not open until they see with their own eyes that there are enough tourists walking around that opening up will not be a gamble.

It costs money to close down and even more to open up. Add to that the distrust Thais feel about this government and the stupid statements they hear from officials, it'll be quite a while before things change.

You can kiss the 2021-2022 high season goodbye.

[DBath]

59 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Even if the numbers are far off that doesn't mean it is a failure. It is a slow start for Thailand to return to tourism, and with very low infection numbers it seems to be working. Now we'll have to see if it sustains itself.

I don't see how you can make a claim that numbers so dismal relate to success. I agree that something has to be done, but I think you're grasping at straws - and let's face it, the current administration could do so much better than they are doing or have done. And unfortunately, I don't see much change on the horizon re: the rampant corruption and greed that is mostly to blame for all of the problems besetting the country.

Edited August 11, 2021 by DBath

[DBath]

1 hour ago, KarenBravo said:

So......your issue isn't with the actual sandbox idea, it's with government officials spouting nonsensical numbers.

Oh no. And if you read all my posts on this thread you will see it’s both. 

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, DBath said:

I don't see how you can make a claim that numbers so dismal relate to success. I agree that something has to be done, but I think you're grasping at straws - and let's face it, the current administration could do so much better than they are doing or have done. And unfortunately, I don't see much change on the horizon re: the rampant corruption and greed that is mostly to blame for all of the problems besetting the country.

I am asking you to show why it is a failure, nowhere am I saying it is a success. Please don't twist what I'm saying.

[DBath]

4 hours ago, stevenl said:

I am asking you to show why it is a failure, nowhere am I saying it is a success. Please don't twist what I'm saying.

You're saying, "I'm not saying it's a success..." and I'm saying, "It's a failure...", so let's not be coy shall we? And stop playing dumb, please. 

 

I've already told you why and I've not 'twisted' anything you've said.

Edited August 11, 2021 by DBath

[stevenl]

3 hours ago, DBath said:

You're saying, "I'm not saying it's a success..." and I'm saying, "It's a failure...", so let's not be coy shall we? And stop playing dumb, please. 

 

I've already told you why and I've not 'twisted' anything you've said.

I think as a start of returning tourism to Thailand it is far from a failure, but will need improvements.

[EVENKEEL]

On 8/10/2021 at 10:44 PM, DBath said:

It’s not that I get pleasure from other people’s pain. It’s just that people like you remind me of Nero, playing his fiddle as Rome burns around him. You, I and everybody with any common sense knows the sandbox was another ridiculous scheme dreamed up by a bunch of clowns that was doomed to failure from the beginning - no matter how much you want to try and pretend otherwise, it won’t change that. 
 

Personally, I never had any intention of staying in Thailand for the long term and I feel fortunate I was able to ride out covid while I was there, so I don’t blame anyone from wanting things to be better there. IMO, it is just a very poorly run country that could be so much better than it is, were it not for the current government’s way of doing things. That’s just my observation and my two cents from the year-and-a-half I lived there. And I have no intention of ever going back, even though I did enjoy my time there. 

 

On 8/11/2021 at 12:10 AM, DBath said:

Seriously?????

 

I’m going to answer your question with three questions:

1. How many people were projected to arrive in Phuket the first month with the scam, I mean scheme? (I recall the projections starting at 130,000 and quickly dwindling thereafter)

2. How many people actually arrived in the first month? 

3. How many tourists has it drawn in total to date compared to what was projected?
 

(Expats returning from ‘exile’ don’t count)?

Failure or not, it's probably the lesser of 2 evils for returning expats.

[DBath]

2 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

 

Failure or not, it's probably the lesser of 2 evils for returning expats.

True, it does provide an option for those with ties in Phuket, no argument there. 

[eezergood]

On 8/11/2021 at 12:44 PM, DBath said:

It’s not that I get pleasure from other people’s pain. It’s just that people like you remind me of Nero, playing his fiddle as Rome burns around him. You, I and everybody with any common sense knows the sandbox was another ridiculous scheme dreamed up by a bunch of clowns that was doomed to failure from the beginning - no matter how much you want to try and pretend otherwise, it won’t change that. 
 

Personally, I never had any intention of staying in Thailand for the long term and I feel fortunate I was able to ride out covid while I was there, so I don’t blame anyone from wanting things to be better there. IMO, it is just a very poorly run country that could be so much better than it is, were it not for the current government’s way of doing things. That’s just my observation and my two cents from the year-and-a-half I lived there. And I have no intention of ever going back, even though I did enjoy my time there. 

As highlighted by others you (and many more would certainly agree) seem to have issue with the governance/leaders, this is not an radical stance I must say. That said, any step forward is still a step forwards. The reason such inflated figures where floated out, is simply marketing...... and we (Nero et al) can accept that. What is not marketing are the 100's of people I am getting through the doors spending money and keeping peoples jobs. So from that point alone, I call this a win. Perhaps a small one, but a win non the less

 

 

[DBath]

4 hours ago, eezergood said:

As highlighted by others you (and many more would certainly agree) seem to have issue with the governance/leaders, this is not an radical stance I must say. That said, any step forward is still a step forwards. The reason such inflated figures where floated out, is simply marketing...... and we (Nero et al) can accept that. What is not marketing are the 100's of people I am getting through the doors spending money and keeping peoples jobs. So from that point alone, I call this a win. Perhaps a small one, but a win non the less

 

 

I get what you're saying as far as a step forward and I certainly don't begrudge you or any other business owner that, but I find your argument regarding the "marketing" aspect of this debatable at best. You're as much as saying it's okay to lie and provide false advertising and mislead people to get them to come when their experience most likely will not be as advertised and I just think that's a little crooked.

 

That said, I hope you are able to find a way out of this and your business can get back to normal, sans the questionable marketing/sales tactics. Customers who have a bad experience will not be likely to return and that's not good for anybody.

[bluebird729]

On 8/11/2021 at 6:44 AM, DBath said:

It’s not that I get pleasure from other people’s pain. It’s just that people like you remind me of Nero, playing his fiddle as Rome burns around him. You, I and everybody with any common sense knows the sandbox was another ridiculous scheme dreamed up by a bunch of clowns that was doomed to failure from the beginning - no matter how much you want to try and pretend otherwise, it won’t change that. 
 

Personally, I never had any intention of staying in Thailand for the long term and I feel fortunate I was able to ride out covid while I was there, so I don’t blame anyone from wanting things to be better there. IMO, it is just a very poorly run country that could be so much better than it is, were it not for the current government’s way of doing things. That’s just my observation and my two cents from the year-and-a-half I lived there. And I have no intention of ever going back, even though I did enjoy my time there. 

Are you saying that you enjoyed Thailand; but you wont go back to a place you enjoyed because of bad leadership?

I personally dont agree with the British government, nor the American Government and the Australian Government... and many many more, but will it stop me from visiting?    Of course it wont!

Would you stop meeting up with a friend because you dont like their parents?

 

There is ulterior motives, corruption, stupidity in almost every country in the world.

Seems silly to deny yourself an enjoyable experience because you disagree with people who you will never meet.

 

 

[DBath]

Well, perhaps I was a little harsh on the old gal, sorry Thailand! Truth be told, my wife and I kind of got stuck there and the immigration laws and the environment were not suitable for the business plan we had hoped to implement.

 

For me really, a year-and-a-half was enough time to see what I needed to see and while I didn't see everything, I saw enough. I enjoyed our time there, but I don't feel the need to ever go back.

 

That said, I totally get what others see in the country it has a lot to offer - with or without some of the over-charging, the brown envelopes and blatant racism I felt at times from some Thais, but that's just my opinion.

Edited August 23, 2021 by DBath