Phuket Sandbox is failing foreign tourists: tourism official

[Golden Triangle]

2 minutes ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

I think there's millions of people who have no bad sentiments towards of bad more news but most will see it as just a short term thing.

I think there's millions  of people who just can't wait for an overseas beach holiday and Thailand is high on the list. Other options like Bali will be  popular too but they have fared a bit worse through this. 

By two years tourism will be back in a huge way. Australians. Russians. Indians. EC countries and the UK too. Lots of people want a beach holiday and Thailand hits the spot. 

I admire your optimism but don't share it I'm afraid, the UK traveler has much nicer options on their doorstep, Mediterranean islands, Greece, Italian Riviera, Southern France, the Dalmatian coast of the former Yugoslavia, etc etc, USA residents just have to hop on a plane or even drive to just about every type of climate you could need, all usually a lot cheaper and easier to get to & back home from, you don't really need a 3rd world backwater requiring far too many hoops to jump through. 

[KarenBravo]

14 minutes ago, expat_4_life said:

I agree, if you're fully vaxxed, you know the risks and take your chances.  

What more than get vaxxed can someone, including tourists,  do? 

Should tourists that are fully vaxxed be made to undergo testing and subject to other restrictions?

 

I'm also not a huge fan of even having to produce proof of vaccination or the testing.  We'll see where it all leads., but I'm not gonna put myself at risk by not getting vaxxed.

 

Foe now I'm not traveling if they require proof of vaccination, quarantines, etc, not going travel anywhere until all restrictions are lifted.   The same applies to local anything, restaurants, shopping malls, pubs etc.

 

I don't mind masking up though, reducing risk makes sense, vaxxed or not.

So.....you expect other people to just take your word for it that you are fully vaccinated?

Too easy to lie and maybe kick-start the disease again.

I wish they would just stamp it into your yellow vaccination book where all vacs are recorded (Yellow fever etc.)

[ChipButty]

And, we dont seem to hear about Samui these days 

[RafPinto]

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

Yes imagine digging into it and finding ........your ATM card

Or some knickers lol

[mickyr55]

3 hours ago, khunPer said:

Many, if not most, European tourists would earlier, befor Covid, take their two weeks holiday on Phuket and hardly commute out of the island, apart from some tours to for example Phi Phi and James Bond Island-area, and like. I'm not sure if the opening to move on was, and is, so important to real tourists - but it certainly is for expats that use the sandbox a more pleasant quarantine - I recall the panic when domestic travelling suddenltly became limited, and demand for special minibusses up north. I know lors of Phuket tourists, many coming back year after year, and they never been up to Bangkok, nor had the interest to head up there.

 

What's important to real tourists is however to enjoy the holiday, which for Europeans - and probably most Westerners - often is similar to a little better life-style than everyday at home; i.e. enjoy a nice dinner with a glass of wine or a beer, a drink in the afternoon and eventual in the evening after dinner - now they don't need to think about who is going to drive home, and therefore shall not enjoy a drink - and some level of excitement that can be tours in the area and entertainment at night, not necessary beer bars, but for example a cabaret show - that's not what you find in everyday's Europe - or "amazing" classic Thai dance and music, or anything else that is different from European culture and cannot be found at home...????

That describes most people's idea of a holiday perfectly, now take away the restaurant, bars, alcohol in general, tours and entertainment and what are you left with, nothing but a bloody expensive trip to the beach. 

[Kinok Powell]

4 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

Lies are Plural..Truth is Singular.....

 

Sooner or later the Truth is revealed.

 

Ive found this esp true chatting with thai females online....

 

Reason #9649749 why I would still choose BKK ASQ over the Sandox(quicksand)

Being locked up for 14 or 15 nights for top dollar against 1 night stuck in your hotel room then a further 13 days of freedom to tour Phuket for less than half the price?

You really must enjoy your own company.

[HappyExpat57]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Foreigners had said that they were misled into thinking that Phuket was really open when in reality it was not.

 

But he said that the Sandbox needs to remain or the island would have no tourists in October high season.

How long do they think they can they keep up this façade  before sources like Tripadvisor expose an obvious ripoff? Thai culture dictates one must never disagree with those up the food chain. The rest of the world won't tolerate it, especially where their money is concerned.

[HappyExpat57]

11 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

So.....you expect other people to just take your word for it that you are fully vaccinated?

Too easy to lie and maybe kick-start the disease again.

I wish they would just stamp it into your yellow vaccination book where all vacs are recorded (Yellow fever etc.)

I fully expect it will be associated with your cell phone. No tracking bracelet needed, phones do the same thing and no one goes anywhere without it. I receive a monthly email from Gmail that shows exactly everywhere I've been at what time. Really exposes what a bore I am.

[Cake Monster]

13 minutes ago, LivinLOS said:

News items like bloomberg listing Thailand as one of the worst places in the world to be at this stage of the pandemic.. UK red list.. USA, China, OZ etc all not coming.. 

Phuket sandbox merely allowed a system of bypassing ASQ for most part.. Which is why theres barely a handful who have gone to Samui Plus as it all come down to the easiest / cheapest route back in. 

2 years time ?? The tourist industry and the banks that are financing all these hotels, taxis, etc etc are not going to last 2 years.. Sure in 2 years some semblance of numbers will come back but the current players will be bankrupted without this years high season. Cest la vie.. They played the debt growth game expecting better years every year. Its a long time since 97 and it took well over a decade to clear out that malinvestment, this ones far worse. 

 

You are 100% correct in saying that without this Years high Season many will go Bankrupt.

The timeline has pushed the events ever closer to actually having to put Tourists into Hotels, 

With the lack of any serious Vaccination program, and the reality of what is happening in LOS, Tourists will just not commit.

Yes, the Hotels will be booked, as will 10 others around the Globe by the same person for their Holiday, but 9 Bookings will be terminated and any Deposits refunded.

Thailand with all its restrictions, additional costs, and not forgetting the Infection Rates, will be just one of the 9 Hotel bookings cancelled, in favour of a destination that has some space to breathe.

And the Debt is going to Balloon out of control 

[KarenBravo]

4 minutes ago, HappyExpat57 said:

I fully expect it will be associated with your cell phone. No tracking bracelet needed, phones do the same thing and no one goes anywhere without it. I receive a monthly email from Gmail that shows exactly everywhere I've been at what time. Really exposes what a bore I am.

How is that proof of vaccination?

You know that nothing is official in this country without a signature and a stamp.

The already existing vaccination book seems the best way to me. You get both signature and stamp.

[RafPinto]

40 minutes ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

I think most people have no bad sentiments or feelings about Thailand. The UK people have had some bad news but that is  just a short term thing.

I think there's millions  of people who just can't wait for an overseas beach holiday and Thailand is high on the list. Other options like Bali will be  popular too but they have fared a bit worse through this. 

By two years tourism will be back in a huge way. Australians. Russians. Indians. EC countries and the UK too. Lots of people want a beach holiday and Thailand hits the spot. 

Didn't know that TAT has now farangs on their pay list.

[HappyExpat57]

Just now, KarenBravo said:

How is that proof of vaccination?

You know that nothing is official in this country without a signature and a stamp.

The already existing vaccination book seems the best way to me. You get both signature and stamp.

Not everyone gets vaxxed in Thailand. They have to make a provision for incoming tourists.

[Fat is a type of crazy]

7 minutes ago, RafPinto said:

Didn't know that TAT has now farangs on their pay list.

Just think you guys in Thailand might forget how those outside Thailand see the country. The hoops will be gone, or no more onerous than other countries, in two years. Australia has nice beaches, and there are attractive alternatives in Europe, but I think that's always been the case. Sign me up TAT. 

Edited August 30, 2021 by Fat is a type of crazy

[Fat is a type of crazy]

8 minutes ago, RafPinto said:

Didn't know that TAT has now farangs on their pay list.

Just think you guys in Thailand might forget how those outside Thailand see the country. The hoops will be gone, or no more onerous than other countries, in two years. Australia has nice beaches, and there are attractive alternatives in Europe, but I think that's always been the case. Sign me up TAT. 

[LivinginKata]

32 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

And, we dont seem to hear about Samui these days 

 Failure. Few arrivals.

[thurien]

"Fellow tourist business spokeswoman Chernporn Kanchanasaya said that the health authorities need to reassess in September and get more people vaccinated including children"

 

any vaccination against Delta with the corrupt Chinese Sinos is useless coz the Sinos don't work on Delta - forget the brilliant local vax campaign - they all sick to the nose!

[sawadee1947]

How it comes that I'm not surprised? ????

[Molly Malone]

What was it that, Lord Buddha said, about the Sun, Moon and the TRUTH cannot be hidden for long!

Seems the truth about Phuket wasn't hidden for as long as some greedy liars in the Gov and tourisim business wanted it to be!

I have absolute sympathy for the Thais in Phuket and all over Thailand who are suffering from the disgraceful mismanagement of the vaccine rollouts, by really DUMB decisions which the Gov made, by NOT getting in quickly and PAYING for them over a year ago

I used to boast to people in other countries how wonderful the Thai covid low numbers were in 2020.

However, yesterday nearly a million jabs happened, supposedly, (I hope it was true), Mr Anutin/Prayut please do that every day, stop with the false HEADLINES, save your people, then the farrangs will come pouring in again. Thailand and your legendary SMILES are irresistible, go forth with the truth................  

 

Edited August 30, 2021 by blackcab
Bold font removed

[RocketDog]

4 hours ago, petermik said:

Holidays are limited item to many working people (30 days in the UK but usually only 14 days taken off at any one time) and need planning months beforehand booking suitable flights and hotels etc. to have the goalposts changed and restrictions put on what you can and cannot do once you arrive is suicidal....but do the authorities care?

Maybe they don't care now but as income drops concern will rise. Might be too late though. Negative ve press has a way of traveling quickly and staying forever.

[Nanaplaza666]

Has anybody seen mr Eibot on here lately ?? He lives on phuket and is saying that the litterbox is working for weeks already and i had a discusion with him that lasted about two weeks about this point ???????? 

[bkk6060]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

He said that he had received complaints from tourists that not only could they not move around as promised but it was ridiculous that they could not get a beer or a glass of wine. 

Does he have a link or audio verification?

I think it is him talking not tourists.  I know several people in Phuket they eat and drink in restaurants and even bars with booze served in coffee cups.  If people cannot think outside the box and figure out how things work here, that is their problem.

Edited August 30, 2021 by bkk6060

[Andycoops]

The salient pont is don't believe a word TAT say and that the virus crisis is a ever moving feast.

Anyone who wants to fly half way round the world and pay silly money to do so, is clearly ting tong at this time.

Edited August 30, 2021 by Andycoops

[jomtienisgood]

3 hours ago, RafPinto said:

Soon new sandboxes opening/ as mentioned by a friend.

Soi Cowboy feel good sandbox

Soi 6 happy time back sandbox

Nana forever sandbox

You forgot Patpong,......;Pattaya,;;;;

[RafPinto]

43 minutes ago, HappyExpat57 said:

I fully expect it will be associated with your cell phone. No tracking bracelet needed, phones do the same thing and no one goes anywhere without it. I receive a monthly email from Gmail that shows exactly everywhere I've been at what time. Really exposes what a bore I am.

de-activate tracking.

[mrfill]

2 hours ago, newnative said:

  Everything needs to be open with no restrictions and only proof of full vaccination required.  Either open that way or stay closed.  

A requirement for proof of full vaccination is a bit of a restriction for the 91.5% population of the country who haven't been fully jabbed.

[HappyExpat57]

Just now, RafPinto said:

de-activate tracking.

If I was concerned, I would. Like I said, I'm just a really boring expat. Ride my bicycle and go to Big C/Villa Market.

[Bangkok Barry]

3 hours ago, connda said:

The antigen testing alone will destroy the businesses operating on razor thin profit margins like restaurants.

I've long wondered about businesses that operate on razor thin margins. Restaurants, airlines too. Why would you want to invest in a restaurant business where profits are marginal at best for most? Why? And so many airlines go bust as they rely largely on mass economy travel (low cost airlines) or high-paying business and first class passengers (regular airlines) to make a profit. Trying to make those numbers isn't easy even in the best of times.

If there are razor thin margins involved then why not charge realistic prices so each day doesn't bring you out in a nervous sweat. But then, I'm not an economist so I don't understand why businesses don't charge a sustainable price but instead operate on a could-go-broke tomorrow basis.

[KarenBravo]

55 minutes ago, HappyExpat57 said:

Not everyone gets vaxxed in Thailand. They have to make a provision for incoming tourists.

That's why they should use the yellow book. It is universal around the world...................and it's got a stamp and signature.

[Aussieroaming]

What they should be doing is asking all Tourists that come to Thailand to bring in a spare vaccine shot, as a donation in order to bolster the governments pitiful effort.

[HappyExpat57]

Just now, KarenBravo said:

That's why they should use the yellow book. It is universal around the world...................and it's got a stamp and signature.

Books can get lost. Most people would lose a limb before losing their cell phone.