‘Phuket Sandbox’ welcomes 33,000+ arrivals during 1 July – 16 September

[snoop1130]

 

Bangkok, 17 September, 2021 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to report that the Phuket Sandbox programme has welcomed 33,059 international arrivals in the first two and a half months, from 1 July to 16 September, 2021.

 

Fully vaccinated and with no need to quarantine, international travellers have come to Phuket on direct international flights operated by major airlines from points around the world. This has included Thai Airways International from Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Paris, London, and Zurich; Etihad Airways from Abu Dhabi; Qatar Airways from Doha; EL AL Israel Airlines from Tel Aviv; Cathay Pacific from Hong Kong; Emirates from Dubai, and Singapore Airlines from Singapore.  

 

The USA, UK, Israel, Germany, and France are the biggest markets. Meanwhile, advance room bookings continue to surge.

 

Phuket Sandbox’s visitors are required to stay at SHA Plus hotels on Phuket for their added safety. SHA Plus certification indicates a hotel meets the safety measures to control COVID-19, and also that at least 70% of its workforce has been fully vaccinated.

 

With 161,384 room nights currently on the books for September, the three-month total for July to September is presently at 528,365 room nights. These included 190,843 room nights in July and 176,121 nights in August. Looking further ahead, the present total of room nights for the period of October 2021 to February 2022 is 74,362 room nights.

 

The Phuket Sandbox’s visitors survey showed 80% of respondents satisfied with the local people’s hospitality and 85% were happy with the SHA Plus certified hotels. They also rated the top five most satisfaction on: SHA Plus airport shuttle, booking service for SHA Plus airport shuttle, booking service for SHA Plus hotels, the overall quality of service at Phuket International Airport, and the health screening upon arrival in Phuket.

 

The survey was conducted by TAT between 11 July – 15 September, 2021. The 117 respondents were visitors from Israel (36), the USA (17), Germany (11), the UK (10), Switzerland (8), and others (i.e. Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Luxemburg, Qatar, Bahrain, and Singapore). About 80% of the respondents were 25-56 years of age.

 

Alongside the necessary health and safety measures in place for the visiting international travellers, Phuket’s vaccination programme as of 12 September has seen 92% of the local population had received their first vaccine dose, while 81% had completed the two-dose series. Phuket is also currently embarking on giving the third vaccine dose, or a booster dose.

 

Source: https://www.tatnews.org/2021/09/phuket-sandbox-welcomes-33000-arrivals-during-1-july-16-september/

[Mavideol]

12 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

(TAT) would like to report that the Phuket Sandbox programme has welcomed 33,059 international arrivals in the first two and a half months, from 1 July to 16 September, 2021.

who were they and from where or does it include the international "migrants" as well, the ones you blame d for bringing the virus

[fangless]

I would love to know how many were true tourists and how many used the system to return to Thailand for longer term stays.

[Espanol]

117 respondents out of 33.000 "tourists"?

 

They probably asked only one day to people coming in only one flight and that was all.

[smedly]

3 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Looking further ahead, the present total of room nights for the period of October 2021 to February 2022 is 74,362 room nights

so for 6 months from Sept to Feb that equates to roughly 3000 visitors or about 500 a month or just over 100 per week 

 

How on earth is that close to a success, lets further divide those numbers between the other 5 locations due to open 1st Oct - are they having a laugh

 

Don't they realise that nobody is willing to put up with their stupid rules and restrictions, either copy the UK's green category or forget about it

[Bkk Brian]

We all know T.A.T. massage their figures. Claiming 81% of people have been double jabbed and 92% had first shot. 

 

That would make Phuket one of the highest vaxxed populations in the world, yet bars are closed, no alcohol permitted (officially) and most schools closed.

 

 

Edited September 17, 2021 by Bkk Brian

[radjag]

I arrived via Singapore on SQ last Monday. The flight was quite full, maybe 40 or 50%. The document checking and Immigration process was very smooth. Commendable in fact.

 

The C19 swabbing facility at the terminal exit was very professional. Got my negative result at the hotel that evening and was then able to go out and about.

 

The airport transfer was very good. I am at the Resotel in Kamala. Modest, but newly decorated and very comfortable. Only THB800 per night. Excellent. 

 

Overall extremely happy with the Sandbox.

[Venom]

That's it, they destroyed domestic tourism for a mere 33,000 foreign tourists? Amazing. 

[CMBob]

Agree with Radjag's comments above.  I arrived at the Phuket "sandbox" last Saturday.

I too doubt that many true tourists are using the program.  I'm using it to return as an expat as were the few people I asked who were on my Singapore Air flight.  While quite the ordeal and expense, the sandbox program sure is better in my view than spending 14 days in a hotel room in Bangkok.

[Scrotobike]

12 hours ago, fangless said:

I would love to know how many were true tourists and how many used the system to return to Thailand for longer term stays.

I agree - at least they no longer say 33,000 tourists arrived "welcomed 33,059 international arrivals"

In earlier reports 50% were Thai. 

The sandbox was and continues to be a failure.

[Dukeleto]

12 hours ago, fangless said:

I would love to know how many were true tourists and how many used the system to return to Thailand for longer term stays.

Exactly.

[Scrotobike]

11 minutes ago, Venom said:

That's it, they destroyed domestic tourism for a mere 33,000 foreign tourists? Amazing. 

Not 33,000 tourists a lot were Thai returnees (one off arrival numbers). A good number were returning expats avoiding ASQ in Bangkok.

So destroyed local tourism for a handful of tourists.

[wensiensheng]

No figures on how the ASQ hotels in Bangkok have done in competition with the sandbox?

How many of the 33k are additional, and how many cannibalized from the pre existing Bangkok process of entering the country?

[Millcx]

13 hours ago, fangless said:

I would love to know how many were true tourists and how many used the system to return to Thailand for longer term stays.

7 were tourists that made a mistake .. Rest just passin through “;0)

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Bangkok, 17 September, 2021 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to report that the Phuket Sandbox programme has welcomed 33,059 international arrivals in the first two and a half months, from 1 July to 16 September, 2021.

I wonder what the drop-off rate was from July >August and now September?

[berrec]

Exactly, I have friends returning from the USA that live in Thailand using the Phuket Sandbox to avoid Bangkok ASQ hotels.

 

Also, playing lots of Phuket golf courses at cheap prices. 

[bkk6060]

It will go down as one of the greatest schemes in the history of SEA.

Congratulations.

[Farangdk]

Welcomed 33,059 international arrivals in the first two and a half months. Wow huge number. ????In my opinion then this so-called sandbox is a Laurel and Hardy show.

[sammieuk1]

Getting out of the UK was the hardest part with a kilo of extra paperwork the rest was a breeze???? 

[skytrooper70]

"Phuket Sandbox’s visitors are required to stay at SHA Plus hotels on Phuket for their added safety. SHA Plus certification indicates a hotel meets the safety measures to control COVID-19, and also that at least 70% of its workforce has been fully vaccinated."

 

How is a 14 day required SHA PLUS hotel stay safer for a returning expat homeowner, who will be exposed to possibly 30% of non-fully vaccinated hotel staff, as well as to other guests who may or may not become exposed/infected when they travel outside the hotel?

 

[ronster]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Phuket Sandbox’s visitors are required to stay at SHA Plus hotels on Phuket for their added safety. SHA Plus certification indicates a hotel meets the safety measures to control COVID-19, and also that at least 70% of its workforce has been fully vaccinated

Added safety ?? ????????????????????????

[DFPhuket]

Only 9 sandbox arrivals out of 33,000 were positive on the day 12 test. That's 0.02%. They obviously picked up Covid in Phuket since they were negative for the previous 3 test.

 

Domestic arrivals are tested only once.  

 

There is no medical or safety reason that double vaccinated and tested international arrivals need to remain in an SHA+ hotel beyond the day 6 test.  

[dallen52]

So around 10,000 a month.

But the powers that be are saying 100,000 Q4, and 1 billion spending.

 

Pity no one is held accountable for the rubbish they put out.

[grandpa]

So 0.35% of 33,059 were surveyed and they publish the results!  Another useless survey!

 

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

With 161,384 room nights currently on the books for September, the three-month total for July to September is presently at 528,365 room nights. These included 190,843 room nights in July and 176,121 nights in August. Looking further ahead, the present total of room nights for the period of October 2021 to February 2022 is 74,362 room nights.

More interesting is the number of room night bookings for the next 5 months, now that a large number of returning expats have already passed through.  Only 74,362 bookings for 5 months compared with 528,365 for the first 3 months!  Obviously the flood is becoming a trickle.

Edited September 18, 2021 by grandpa

[Espanol]

2 hours ago, Venom said:

That's it, they destroyed domestic tourism for a mere 33,000 foreign tourists? Amazing. 

Domestic tourism don't bring foreign money to Thailand. Only foreign tourists do it.

[Espanol]

2 hours ago, wensiensheng said:

No figures on how the ASQ hotels in Bangkok have done in competition with the sandbox?

How many of the 33k are additional, and how many cannibalized from the pre existing Bangkok process of entering the country?

If you have a look to updated Bangkok ASQ list, many hotels are no longer there.

[Espanol]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

I wonder what the drop-off rate was from July >August and now September?

Since most sandbox users are residents returning home or meeting families after 2 years abroad, they rushed to go in July as soon as sandbox opened. 

 

[wensiensheng]

11 minutes ago, Espanol said:

If you have a look to updated Bangkok ASQ list, many hotels are no longer there.

And I guess this also answers my question.

 

https://thethaiger.com/news/business/occupancy-at-alternative-quarantine-hotels-takes-a-nosedive?utm_source=Thaiger+Daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2021-09-18

[newnative]

     So, a tiny number of tourists, and even fewer if you deduct returnees.  Which leads me to believe all the more that Thailand just needs to once and for all settle on a firm date to reopen the whole country without quarantine to fully-vaccinated tourists.  Stick to that date and don't change it.  Maybe Oct. 1 or 15.   As with Phuket, few will likely come the first few months but that will give Thailand time to do more vaccinations.  The firm opening date will allow travelers to plan with more confidence their getaways for the winter season and into early 2022. 

[Sharp]

????