Phuket welcomes first flight from Hong Kong under ‘Sandbox’ programme

[webfact]

 

TAT Newsroom

 

Bangkok, 11 August, 2021 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to report that Phuket has welcomed its first direct flight from Hong Kong under the ‘Phuket Sandbox’ programme that was launched on 1 July, 2021, and which has to date brought over 19,000 foreign tourists to the island.

 

Cathay Pacific flight CX771 with 134 passengers landed at Phuket International Airport at 10.40 Hrs. on 10 August, 2021, to a dramatic water cannon greeting and warm welcome from the Airports of Thailand (AoT) staff and TAT officials. Among the dignitaries on hand to greet passengers were TAT Phuket Office Director, Ms. Nanthasiri Ronnasiri; Phuket International Airport Director, Pilot Officer Thanee Chuangchoo, and Cathay Pacific Airways Phuket Office Chief, Mr. Amonsak Rungruangsri.

 

The new Cathay Pacific service – one flight per week every Tuesday – added Hong Kong to a number of points in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East from where major airlines have been flying direct to Phuket since the Phuket Sandbox programme began. This includes Thai Airways International (THAI) from Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Paris, London, and Zurich, Singapore Airlines from Singapore, Etihad Airways from Abu Dhabi, Emirates from Dubai, Qatar Airways from Doha, and EL AL Israel Airlines from Tel Aviv.

 

Under the Phuket Sandbox programme, which signalled the beginning of Thailand’s tourism revitalisation with Phuket as the pilot destination, fully vaccinated foreign tourists can visit without the need to quarantine.

 

However, tourists must stay at hotels certified with SHA Plus certification, which indicates that the hotel meets the safety measures to control COVID-19, and also that at least 70% of its workforce has been fully vaccinated.

From 1 July-10 August, 2021, the Phuket Sandbox has seen a total of 19,166 international arrivals. The first month of the programme recorded over 14,055 arrivals, who have generated over 829 million Baht in revenue for the local economy.

 

TAT expects 100,000 foreign tourists will visit Phuket in the Third Quarter 2021 (July-September) and inject some 8.9 billion Baht of revenue into the local economy.

 

In terms of accommodation, as of 10 August, 2021, there are 360,559 room nights booked at SHA Plus hotels for the July-September period. Of this, 190,843 nights were realised in July, while 148,116 are on the books for August and 21,600 for September.

 

On 15 July, 2021, Surat Thani’s Samui, Ko Phangan and Ko Tao followed Phuket in reopening to tourism with the launch of the ‘Samui Plus’ programme.

 

The next two destinations are set to follow within August; these being Krabi (Ko Phi Phi, Ko Ngai and Railay Beach) and Phang-Nga (Khao Lak and Ko Yao), where fully vaccinated foreign tourists under the existing Phuket Sandbox programme will be able to visit the selected areas under a 7+7 model.

 

The Phuket Sandbox 7+7 model will reduce the mandatory stay in Phuket under the Phuket Sandbox programme from 14 to 7 days. Thus, tourists will be able to spend 7 nights in Phuket and then 7 nights in Krabi, Phang-Nga, or Surat Thani (Samui Plus) – the idea being to allow visits to multiple destinations during a trip to Thailand.

 

Planning to visit Phuket? Book your Sandbox hotel here

 

Source: https://www.tatnews.org/2021/08/phuket-welcomes-first-flight-from-hong-kong-under-sandbox-programme/

 

[Chang_paarp]

I see they have got it wrong again, washing the outside of the plane will not stop the spread of covid.

[Scrotobike]

More sandbox news

I wonder how many of the 134 passengers were Thai, business related or just wanting to get back to see their family. The net are tourists under the sandbox scheme?

[ezzra]

I'm doing the sandbox thingy right now and on my third day in Phuket and i can say that s bit of a shamble going on once you have arrived at your hotel, where is no one who really monitor your moments and you can if you wish walk out the hotel even before you got the results of the first pcr test on arrival at the airport, so this system is not air tight at all and i see some foreigners walking about with either no masks or the mask puled down...

[stevenl]

49 minutes ago, ezzra said:

I'm doing the sandbox thingy right now and on my third day in Phuket and i can say that s bit of a shamble going on once you have arrived at your hotel, where is no one who really monitor your moments and you can if you wish walk out the hotel even before you got the results of the first pcr test on arrival at the airport, so this system is not air tight at all and i see some foreigners walking about with either no masks or the mask puled down...

You are told to stay in your room till test result is in, would you expect them to lock the door or put police outside?

I see no one without masks.

 

People have to take their own responsibility.

[sungod]

3 hours ago, Scrotobike said:

More sandbox news

I wonder how many of the 134 passengers were Thai, business related or just wanting to get back to see their family. The net are tourists under the sandbox scheme?

Does it really matter if they are spending money?

[metisdead]

A post with a trolling image has been removed. 

[Uroller]

Be interesting to get a break down of where these “sandbox” visitors are coming from, I see many “visitors” at Central festival and around Boat Avenue ( many massless), and they go not look like your stereo typical tourists???? Are they coming from “red” countries, but have been vaccinated? Vaccinated people can still carry and spread Covid and with only 6% of Thailand having completed two doses, the potential for disaster is relevant. I heard there was 30 Covid cases in Bang Tao 2 days ago????

[DaLa]

7 hours ago, Scrotobike said:

More sandbox news

I wonder how many of the 134 passengers were Thai, business related or just wanting to get back to see their family. The net are tourists under the sandbox scheme?

Good question, and if as I suspect you are correct, how many will be then flying back to HK.  Can't see CP wanting to run an operation where the return flights are empty.