Local shop owners and entrepreneurs in Phuket mutually agreed that the Phuket Sandbox, a program to attract foreign vaccinated tourists, did not help domestic tourism and small business owners since it first launched in July.

 

Local reporters yesterday, September 16th, have interviewed multiple area shopkeepers in Old Phuket Town on Thalang Road regarding the tourism situation after the Phuket Sandbox has been applied to welcome vaccinated foreigners for more than two months.

 

All of them spoke in unison that the island is still very quiet with almost no tourists at all. Even if there are tourists, most of them will usually come to appreciate the neighborhood and rarely purchase things.

 

Full Story: https://thepattayanews.com/2021/09/17/the-phuket-sandbox-does-not-help-most-small-business-owners-says-local-entrepreneurs/

 

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While I agree with the general sentiment, the article does not justify the headline or the first lines; only some shopowners in a very small area have been asked for their opinion. But to make it even worse, that area has not been affected as much as the real tourists areas.

2 hours ago, Nyonya said:

All the farangs who open restaurants and shops would be begging in the streets of thailand and their sawadikap wife's be forced onto returning to become masseurs or work as prostitutes again. Its a reality I am afraid. 

So, does it mean farangs come here to mary prostitute brides? 

8 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Local shop owners and entrepreneurs in Phuket mutually agreed that the Phuket Sandbox, a program to attract foreign vaccinated tourists, did not help domestic tourism and small business owners since it first launched in July.

Course not, it was aimed at giving tourists expensive and needless quarantine in well connected hotels whilst trying to quieten the locals with false promises

The Phuket Sandbox

Designed by HiSo's for HiSo's benefit only

Misdirecting vaccines from the old and sick in larger Thailand to 18yos in Phuket

I do not know how the Sandbox supporting brigade here dare offer any support for this murderous stupid experiment.

 

 

They should have gone to Kata and Karon the real tourist areas 

Most locals I spoke to agree its better than nothing the only alternative ????

Locals I've spoke to say things are pretty much the same now as prior to July 1......

4 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

Locals I've spoke to say things are pretty much the same now as prior to July 1......

Which area?

Just now, ChipButty said:

Which area?

Kata/Karon

2 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

Kata/Karon

Things look pretty desperate over there

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Local shop owners and entrepreneurs in Phuket mutually agreed that the Phuket Sandbox, a program to attract foreign vaccinated tourists, did not help domestic tourism and small business owners since it first launched in July

Everyone gambled that international tourism was going to be the great saviour of Phuket, what they did was stop domestic tourism in favour of a handful of international travelers... 

Som nam na.

Just now, ChipButty said:

Things look pretty desperate over there

Yes, I've noticed since July 1, more small shops/restaurants have opened their doors but the 'customers' just aren't here. ( as stated on another post here false promises for locals )

Inflammatory, troll posts reported and removed.  

 

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Everyone gambled that international tourism was going to be the great saviour of Phuket, what they did was stop domestic tourism in favour of a handful of international travelers... 

Som nam na.

No, you should know better by now, that was not the point of the sandbox.

They stopped domestic tourism by the way after it brought in covid infections.

Did a half day boat cruise 2 weeks ago from Chalong.. there were 20 people on the boat of which 11 were from sandbox. 

it is scandalous that authorities have removed from SHIA hotel list about 70 low budget hotels already certified.

8 minutes ago, petermach said:

it is scandalous that authorities have removed from SHIA hotel list about 70 low budget hotels already certified.

As I understand the places that were removed didn't even have a hotel licence 

Quite simply this government does not want the small businesses to exist because it cannot control them like it does the big "Chinese" conglomerates. The sooner Thailand is cleared of independent creative thinkers and business people the happier the junta will be.

15 hours ago, stevenl said:

While I agree with the general sentiment, the article does not justify the headline or the first lines; only some shopowners in a very small area have been asked for their opinion. But to make it even worse, that area has not been affected as much as the real tourists areas.

If the still shuttered shophouses in kata and karon are anything to go by, you can add those areas to the small Phuket area. Kata beach area still only has one family mart open, and very few cafes, most of which are attached to large hotels.

 

I could post pictures of streets with shuttered businesses, but what’s the point, we all know there are a few tourists in the bigger hotels, but none walking the streets as they used to do. Why would they? Everything is closed.

 

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

No, you should know better by now, that was not the point of the sandbox.

They stopped domestic tourism by the way after it brought in covid infections.

What was the point of the sandbox then, if not to attract foreign tourists and their spending power?

 

and the reason they stopped domestic tourism was to drive down Covid cases in order to justify being able to launch the sandbox. I’m with the previous poster, they prioritized an attempt to attract foreign tourists, over domestic tourism.

Poor people will always remain poor. It's education and influence, they can't see what is happening, and that's okay. It's outside their brain capacity.

Every single person who arrives spends. They might spend in a Resort, but that resort has employees who spend their wages in the community.  Everyone gets paid, maybe not directly, but they get something. They get nothing if the borders are closed.

I know these people now want the country open, and I get it, but I also get that if they throw open the country's doors, the virus will spread, and Thailand will remain on the 'red lists.' That's the catch.

 

Opening with more controlled Sandbox programmes will most likely be the best way forward. Not what I want, and I say 'OPEN THE DOORS' and let the strong survive. A great way to cull the population.

Kata, Karon, Surin etc all pretty empty. However, if you travel around there are localised areas that are pretty busy such as Patong, Laguna..

 

For example, it was nice to see Bangla road in Patong pretty much full late evening yesterday with many outlets open. Quiet in the day and lights out at 10:30pm but I haven't seen it that busy since before Covid landed.

1 hour ago, FitnessHealthTravel said:

.

I know these people now want the country open, and I get it, but I also get that if they throw open the country's doors, the virus will spread, and Thailand will remain on the 'red lists.' That's the catch.

 

 

The virus is already in and it's the worst variant - delta spreads fast.

The visitors with covid likely caught it in Phuket.

There is still only one answer : Get the people vaccinated. Is that so difficult? No, but it does mean spending a bit of money.

All Thailand succeeds in doing with these silly scams is to further damage its reputation.

2 hours ago, FitnessHealthTravel said:

Poor people will always remain poor. It's education and influence, they can't see what is happening, and that's okay. It's outside their brain capacity.

Every single person who arrives spends. They might spend in a Resort, but that resort has employees who spend their wages in the community.  Everyone gets paid, maybe not directly, but they get something. They get nothing if the borders are closed.

I know these people now want the country open, and I get it, but I also get that if they throw open the country's doors, the virus will spread, and Thailand will remain on the 'red lists.' That's the catch.

 

Opening with more controlled Sandbox programmes will most likely be the best way forward. Not what I want, and I say 'OPEN THE DOORS' and let the strong survive. A great way to cull the population.

I understand what you are saying, but there is one flaw in your argument. The virus is not spreading because of incoming tourists in Phuket,  or would it necessarily spread because of incoming tourists in Bangkok were the borders to be opened.

 

it is statistical fact that virus spread in Phuket is primarily by way of community transmission amongst residents. And it should be noted that authorities claim an 80% fully vaxed rate. If Bangkok were to reach a similar level of vaccination and then let in visitors, there is nothing to say that the experience of the sandbox would not be repeated. In other words, rising cases from local community transmission.

 

thailand is on the UK red list, but not necessarily because of its absolute case numbers. Lack of genomic testing is probably more relevant coupled with a lack of transparency over Covid information.

Some nonsensical bickering posts and replies have been removed.