Tourists complain of delays as only two health staff on duty at Koh Samui airport for reopening day

[webfact]

Picture: Daily News

 

Daily News reported from Koh Samui airport yesterday saying there were a lot of tourists on reopening day for international tourism.

 

But those who came were complaining that there were only two staff in the whole airport doing checks.

 

There was, however, no shortage of dignitaries in the welcoming party with district chief Theerapong Chuaychu joined by airport directors, tourism officials and industry leaders to welcome the arrivals from 63 countries who no longer need to quarantine.

 

PG 5125 operated by Bangkok Airways had 51 foreigners on board, they claimed, in a direct flight from Suvarnabhumi.

 

It was the first flight since the reopening. Samui is doing a "Test and Go" program after its earlier opening along the lines of the Phuket Sandbox. 

 

They said the airport was busy. There would be 12 flights with 450 tourists aboard.

 

Three Singaporeans also flew in direct from the island nation.

 

The tourists needed swab tests followed by a six hour wait. But there were only two staff on duty meaning long waits causing grief to international arrivals.

 

Theerapong remarked that there needed to be some adjustments to facillitate the foreign arrivals.

 

Everything else was ready, he pointed out, saying that all the locals had been vaxxed and not a single one in the tourism industry had Covid. 

 

He spoke of Samui being one door to tourism reopening and improvements in the economy that will follow. 

 

Industry leaders told the media that they agreed that the health check situation needed to be ironed out with more staff but they were confident that their marketing strategies would yield results with more tourists in the fourth quarter. 

 

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[happy me]

Weren't they checked in Swampy airport before getting on the plane to Samui? Surely only the direct from foreign countries passengers should be checked.

[Tropicalevo]

47 minutes ago, webfact said:

PG 5125 operated by Bangkok Airways

That is a Samui Plus flight. Theoretically the passengers should be in a 'bubble' transfer to domestic from International arrivals but I thought that these flights were stopped as from 30/11.

 

Oh well. SNAFU

 

[tomazbodner]

10 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

That is a Samui Plus flight. Theoretically the passengers should be in a 'bubble' transfer to domestic from International arrivals but I thought that these flights were stopped as from 30/11.

 

Oh well. SNAFU

 

Someone was booking ticket with KLM/BKK Airways to Samui for his parents, and was told to do sealed route. I guess with this change, the test&go would happen in Bangkok? Would be great to know as that would affect when to book connecting flights...

[Thailand]

"But those who came were complaining that there were only two staff in the whole airport doing checks."

 

But in the picture I see only 2 tourists and 3 staff?

[Geoffggi]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Everything else was ready, he pointed out, saying that all the locals had been vaxxed and not a single one in the tourism industry had Covid. 

???????????? They really do not get it do they, tourists need to relax and enjoy themselves and do not want all this bureaucratic nonsense  

[smedly]

how many actually arrived from outside Thailand 

 

I was thinking of a trip to samui from pattaya, what exactky are the rules ?

[Tropicalevo]

12 minutes ago, smedly said:

how many actually arrived from outside Thailand 

 

I was thinking of a trip to samui from pattaya, what exactky are the rules ?

Domestic :-

 

[khunPer]

3 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

That is a Samui Plus flight. Theoretically the passengers should be in a 'bubble' transfer to domestic from International arrivals but I thought that these flights were stopped as from 30/11.

 

Oh well. SNAFU

 

Yes, that has been a huge question, if you need a stop over one night in Bangkok, or could continue in transit to Samui; so it seems like that's still a possibility, but no clear information has been given.

[khunPer]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

There was, however, no shortage of dignitaries in the welcoming party with district chief Theerapong Chuaychu joined by airport directors, tourism officials and industry leaders to welcome the arrivals from 63 countries who no longer need to quarantine.

In the always unbearable clear light of hindsight, they should have let Samui Hospital be in charge of the welcome committee...

[PoorSucker]

5 hours ago, Thailand said:

"But those who came were complaining that there were only two staff in the whole airport doing checks."

 

But in the picture I see only 2 tourists and 3 staff?

2 staff and one supervisor.

[Thailand]

27 minutes ago, PoorSucker said:

2 staff and one supervisor.

Thailand- two supervisors one staff.

[Burma Bill]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Three Singaporeans also flew in direct from the island nation.

Well I never - not a profitable direct flight from Singapore!!

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The tourists needed swab tests followed by a six hour wait. But there were only two staff on duty meaning long waits causing grief to international arrivals.

We're ready.

[Paul Henry]

And their talking about one night quarantine until your test results come back. Be ready for a number of nights before you get your results if anywhere near the forecast numbers do arrive.

[easydoor]

Tourists always complains.... it is in there nature .....

[crazykopite]

Tourists ! I bet most are either Thai or expats returning to the island having been caught out due to the Covid travel ban 

[ronster]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Everything else was ready, he pointed out, saying that all the locals had been vaxxed and not a single one in the tourism industry had Covid

I’m pretty sure just about every part of that is lies ! ????

[Deli]

More important: Are the bars in Lamai open and well staffed with girls again ?

Sure not.

[PoorSucker]

34 minutes ago, Deli said:

More important: Are the bars in Lamai open and well staffed with girls again ?

Sure not.

Live camera

 

[PoorSucker]

Looks like rainy season on Samui

[huberthammer]

I got back to Samui not long ago and my experience was completely the opposite. I had to wait for the luggage so all the QR code checking, Swab test and look at paperwork was very swift. The flight (one of the sealed route) was pretty full (ok, it was one of the smaller ATR planes) and I was far back in the queue so I can only say very positive things about the process. 

 

Not sure if some of the arriving tourists expect travel to be the same as it was prior to the pandemic.  Well, it isn't, even in western countries it is not all back to normal.