PHUKET (NNT) - The quarantine-free Phuket Sandbox program for vaccinated travelers has generated 1.6 billion baht in revenue from some 28,000 international visitors since launching on July1st. The province is now proactively seeking new local cases of COVID-19, to ensure they receive treatment as quickly as possible.

 

In a video conference between the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration’s Operation Center and Phuket Sandbox Operation Center, the province today reported 88 cases of COVID-19 among international arrivals, 67 of whom have since recovered.

 

Notable financial contributions to the 1.63 billion baht revenue from tourists, was for accommodation - 565 million baht, followed by purchases of goods and tourism services - 376 million baht, food and beverages - 350 million baht, medical and health treatments amounting to 229 million baht, and 114 million baht spent in other categories.

 

So far, 346 international flights have arrived at Phuket International Airport from 1st July to 4th September, bringing in 3,721 visitors from the United States, 3,470 visitors from the United Kingdom, 3,153 visitors from Israel, 2,262 visitors from France, and 2,247 visitors from Germany.

 

10,492 of the tourists arriving in Phuket have now returned to their countries of origin, while 17,705 have travelled on to other provinces of Thailand after their required 14-day stay in Phuket. There are 4,963 international tourists currently staying on the island.

 

The Governor of Phuket Narong Woonciew, said today that the province is now conducting proactive case finding among high-risk communities for COVID-19 infections, including migrant workers, workers in the fishing industry, and local ethnic communities.

 

He said the province is now reporting a higher number of new cases of COVID-19 as a result of the operation, with daily new cases averaging 200-250 cases over the past week.

 

The Governor of Phuket said given the higher case numbers, the province is now working to ensure all newly indentified infected persons have immediate access to treatment.

 

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Notable financial contributions to the 1.63 billion baht revenue from tourists, was for accommodation - 565 million baht, followed by purchases of goods and tourism services - 376 million baht, food and beverages - 350 million baht, medical and health treatments amounting to 229 million baht, and 114 million baht spent in other categories.

 

That works out at about 57,150 baht per tourist per trip, or 4760 baht per day over 14 days. A fairly believable figure.

turnover and profit are different things

By my calculations - if accurate figures given above - after accommodation and potentially enforced medical bills, each tourist has only spent 28,000 on their entire 'holiday'. If they are in quarantine and staying a few weeks, then the revenue is about the same as them all shopping daily at 7/11's.

 

Clearly false promises have been given to the locals on expenditure about to flow into the country. This amount of income wont even cover the costs of covid protection measures imposed of restaurants and shops !

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

By my calculations - if accurate figures given above - after accommodation and potentially enforced medical bills, each tourist has only spent 28,000 on their entire 'holiday'. If they are in quarantine and staying a few weeks, then the revenue is about the same as them all shopping daily at 7/11's.

 

Clearly false promises have been given to the locals on expenditure about to flow into the country. This amount of income wont even cover the costs of covid protection measures imposed of restaurants and shops !

You need to stop buying those cheap chinese calculators that seem to pull numbers out of thing air.  Strangely, it always results in a number that suits your "thailand bad" narrative that permeants every single one of your posts.

3 hours ago, shdmn said:

You need to stop buying those cheap chinese calculators that seem to pull numbers out of thing air.  Strangely, it always results in a number that suits your "thailand bad" narrative that permeants every single one of your posts.

He will be telling us he is 'stuck' outside Thailand next.......

When will Thailand stop the 14 day  quarantine for international travelers? 28,000 with only 88 positive cases comes out to be 0.3%. Pretty low infection rate or will this continue since this seems to be the only way hotels are making money.

The Sandbox has killed the greater economy. There may be a small credit of the Sandbox side but more than half were returning expats who chose free and easy Phuket to ASQ Bangkok, so net that off revenue as that point has been ignore. The debits - Sandbox killed the greater economy, no domestic travel, we can't run our pan-Thailand businesses, airlines lost revenues, small businesses remain closed. So in what way, apart from major hotels, has this benefitted the broader economy? Stop the spin and open up the greater domestic economy so 90% of the business can survive and not few choice hotels.

 

I’m desperate for one of those calculators 

14 hours ago, billd766 said:

Notable financial contributions to the 1.63 billion baht revenue from tourists, was for accommodation - 565 million baht, followed by purchases of goods and tourism services - 376 million baht, food and beverages - 350 million baht, medical and health treatments amounting to 229 million baht, and 114 million baht spent in other categories.

 

That works out at about 57,150 baht per tourist per trip, or 4760 baht per day over 14 days. A fairly believable figure.

That's just taxi fares trying to find somewhere open.????

So tell the sunny boy at the health ministry to stop bragging and swearing around about all those "alien" and "dirty farang" - it might be, that some of the locals desperately need the latter ones spending money ........ 

2 hours ago, IamNoone88 said:

The Sandbox has killed the greater economy. There may be a small credit of the Sandbox side but more than half were returning expats who chose free and easy Phuket to ASQ Bangkok, so net that off revenue as that point has been ignore. The debits - Sandbox killed the greater economy, no domestic travel, we can't run our pan-Thailand businesses, airlines lost revenues, small businesses remain closed. So in what way, apart from major hotels, has this benefitted the broader economy? Stop the spin and open up the greater domestic economy so 90% of the business can survive and not few choice hotels.

 

So now you doom mongers are trying out a "the sandbox is too successful" narrative?

????

18 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

PHUKET (NNT) - The quarantine-free Phuket Sandbox program for vaccinated travelers has generated 1.6 billion baht in revenue from some 28,000 international visitors since launching on July1st. The province is now proactively seeking new local cases of COVID-19, to ensure they receive treatment as quickly as possible.

And how much is that costing the government?

In with one hand-out with the other.

Yep, the calculator strikes again.

 

28,000 arrivals.

10,492 gone home

17.705 gone to other provinces

4,963 still in Phuket

 

Well done team!

 

5 hours ago, club said:

When will Thailand stop the 14 day  quarantine for international travelers? 28,000 with only 88 positive cases comes out to be 0.3%. Pretty low infection rate or will this continue since this seems to be the only way hotels are making money.

IMHO its not an easy call to make wrt timing.  One can still find countries in the world that have a 3-week quarantine requirement for fully vaccinated foreign arrivals.

 

Still, I speculate it won't be relatively too long until one will see the quarantine requirement for fully vaccinated and recently tested travelers lifted, and such travelers allowed in without quarantine. Note though, there will be other aspects for Thailand to address (and come up with an appropriate approach), if something like what Phuket has implemented in its sandbox is followed. Phuket also requires they travelers install a tracking app, and undergo multiple 'relatively' expensive COVID tests ... Phuket also requires travelers stay in an SHA+ certified hotel for some days before leaving  which may be difficult to enforce if the the entire country is opened to travelers. 

 

I believe in the coming months we will learn how this is adopted.

5 hours ago, IamNoone88 said:

There may be a small credit of the Sandbox side but more than half were returning expats who chose free and easy Phuket to ASQ Bangkok, so net that off revenue as that point has been ignore.

 

Well ... according to some on this Forum, Bangkok quarantine (for 2 weeks) was cheaper and easier and better than being in 'prison/quarantined' in Phuket.  That's NOT my opinion but I did read a number of posts of forum members who claimed such.

 

There is so much axe grinding and varied opinions on this forum ...  if it wasn't so sad to see (in this pandemic) it would be funny.

2 hours ago, oldcpu said:

Well ... according to some on this Forum, Bangkok quarantine (for 2 weeks) was cheaper and easier and better than being in 'prison/quarantined' in Phuket.  That's NOT my opinion but I did read a number of posts of forum members who claimed such.

 

There is so much axe grinding and varied opinions on this forum ...  if it wasn't so sad to see (in this pandemic) it would be funny.

It is not funny. The domestic economy is in dire straits and as a commercial business owner, one unassociated with the Sandbox, sealing off Phuket at the expense of a sandbox has effectively strangled our operations and other businesses that depend on us as their customer. Its not funny for the 30+ staff we employ either, who depend us for a living.

56 minutes ago, IamNoone88 said:

It is not funny. The domestic economy is in dire straits and as a commercial business owner, one unassociated with the Sandbox, sealing off Phuket at the expense of a sandbox has effectively strangled our operations and other businesses that depend on us as their customer. Its not funny for the 30+ staff we employ either, who depend us for a living.

As I said ... if it were not so sad ... This global pandemic is hurting many.  ... And many countries are closed much more than Thailand.

 

Phuket is to be only briefly ( relatively) sealed to domestic ... and the >200 new infections per day at present in Phuket is entirely due to locals bringing the virus to Phuket ... and because of the double standard between allowing locals and allowing international travelers just prior to Phuket being sealed. There are consequences for such double standards, and sadly we are seeing those consequences now.

1 hour ago, oldcpu said:

As I said ... if it were not so sad ... This global pandemic is hurting many.  ... And many countries are closed much more than Thailand.

 

Phuket is to be only briefly ( relatively) sealed to domestic ... and the >200 new infections per day at present in Phuket is entirely due to locals bringing the virus to Phuket ... and because of the double standard between allowing locals and allowing international travelers just prior to Phuket being sealed. There are consequences for such double standards, and sadly we are seeing those consequences now.

deleted wrong response to a different post