First Thai Airways Sydney flight lands in Phuket

[webfact]

 

By Tanakorn Sangiam

    

PHUKET (NNT) - A new flight operated by Thai Airways today landed for the first time in Phuket from Sydney, bringing tourists directly from Australia to Thailand’s Phuket Sandbox holiday program.

 

193 passengers from Sydney today arrived in Phuket. It was the first direct flight from the Australian city to the Thai island since the start of the pandemic. Around 130 of the passengers are staying in Phuket and the rest are traveling to other provinces including Bangkok.

 

Passengers arriving at Phuket on this flight entered the country under the Test & Go quarantine-free scheme.

 

Travelers taking advantage of this scheme are required to book at least one night at a SHA Plus certified hotel or quarantine hotel, where they must remain inside their room and wait for their RT-PCR Covid test to come back negative, before they are free to roam.

 

Mr. Tanes Petsuwan, Deputy Governor for Marketing Communications, Asia and South Pacific, at the Tourism Authority of Thailand said Thai Airways now operates 4-weekly flights from Sydney to Phuket, while the number of international arrivals is expected to continue on an upward trend.

 

He said the government’s policy to reopen the country to international visitors is showing results, as seen from the growing number of international visitors.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-12-10

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[bluejets]

That's the way...take passengers from one of the highest infection areas in Australia and give them priority.

[Tropposurfer]

4 hours ago, bluejets said:

That's the way...take passengers from one of the highest infection areas in Australia and give them priority.

[ChrisY1]

PCR tests elsewhere can have a result in 1 hour...Singapore etc...even Sydney!

But here, pay Thb 1000+ and wait 12 hours.

[tomazbodner]

8 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

PCR tests elsewhere can have a result in 1 hour...Singapore etc...even Sydney!

But here, pay Thb 1000+ and wait 12 hours.

In one hour? Very unlikely.

 

 

[starky]

On 12/10/2021 at 12:31 PM, bluejets said:

That's the way...take passengers from one of the highest infection areas in Australia and give them priority.

With one of the world's highest vaccination rates. That was the point right? Everyone gets double vaxxed and we can start living again. Or you a forever lockdown advocate?

[starky]

19 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

PCR tests elsewhere can have a result in 1 hour...Singapore etc...even Sydney!

But here, pay Thb 1000+ and wait 12 hours.

Rubbish. Anywhere in Australia a pcr test for travel is a minimum 150 aud (3800 baht up). My one in Sydney I just did cost me 160 at a walk in clinic with results in 24 hours. Same day will cost you 300 up.

   Only free pcr tests are the ones in hotspots and they only sms you the results not suitable for airlines.

And the pcr test I got here at the Novotel Suvarnabhumi cost me less than my test in Australia with results in less than 6 hours.

 

Geez people on this site talk some bs.

[tlcwaterfall]

11 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

In one hour? Very unlikely

 

histopath.com.au Results in one hour. Cost is AUD $79.00

[starky]

6 minutes ago, tlcwaterfall said:

histopath.com.au Results in one hour. Cost is AUD $79.00

So 2000 baht then? ????????????????????????????

[huyuli]

52 minutes ago, tlcwaterfall said:

histopath.com.au Results in one hour. Cost is AUD $79.00

Yes, mine took fifty minutes.

[huyuli]

55 minutes ago, starky said:

Rubbish. Anywhere in Australia a pcr test for travel is a minimum 150 aud (3800 baht up). My one in Sydney I just did cost me 160 at a walk in clinic with results in 24 hours. Same day will cost you 300 up.

   Only free pcr tests are the ones in hotspots and they only sms you the results not suitable for airlines.

And the pcr test I got here at the Novotel Suvarnabhumi cost me less than my test in Australia with results in less than 6 hours.

 

Geez people on this site talk some bs.

Please refer to histopath.com.au

[huyuli]

1 hour ago, starky said:

So 2000 baht then? ????????????????????????????

Yes, that is what I paid a week ago.

 

[huyuli]

44 minutes ago, huyuli said:

Yes, that is what I paid a week ago.

 

It was a little wet that day. (Covid test at Sydney airport, 79 AUD).

[RafPinto]

And tattoo Jim was the only customer.

[starky]

30 minutes ago, huyuli said:

It was a little wet that day. (Covid test at Sydney airport, 79 AUD).

Wow ! Little late for me this time. I didn't even see that. Thanks for posting. At the international terminal? And was accepted at swampy obviously? 

[KhunBENQ]

On 12/10/2021 at 3:23 PM, ChrisY1 said:

PCR tests elsewhere can have a result in 1 hour...Singapore etc...even Sydney!

Bet you mix this up with the rapid antigen test (which is not accepted for the purpose).

A proper RT-PCR is hard to get under 12 hours for a hefty "express surcharge".

E.g. Switzerland:

Quote

Swiss Medical Center (SMC) provides an Express COVID-19 PCR test.  You will receive your results and certificate usually within 24h, including weekends and holiday periods. 

In urgent cases the result can be available within 12 hours. 

 

[huyuli]

On 12/11/2021 at 1:27 PM, starky said:

Wow ! Little late for me this time. I didn't even see that. Thanks for posting. At the international terminal? And was accepted at swampy obviously? 

Yes. Opposite Departure Gate D. Accepted on arrival at Suvarnabhumi. Carries the IATA QR code.