Phuket

Chinese tourists expected to travel to Phuket in July, Europeans at the end of the year

Published

4 weeks ago

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Neill Fronde

Chinese tourists expected to travel to Phuket in July, Europeans at the end of the year | Thaiger

Stock photo via flickr

Phuket is reopening to foreign tourists starting July 1 with the quarantine period waived for vaccinated travellers, but it’s likely that most of the tourists will be from China. Chartered flights are scheduled to begin in July from China, while European visitors are expected to start returning in winter.

Phuket expects about 2 million visitors, mostly from China and Europe, estimated to bring in about 105 billion baht during the second half of 2021, according to the vice president of the Tourism Council of Thailand. Travellers, who are vaccinated against the coronavirus, will be able to arrive and stay in Phuket without quarantine under the new “sandbox” travel model.

Thailand’s mandatory 2-week quarantine has been driving away many tourists wishing to travel. The plan to reopen Phuket to Chinese tourists is a step in the slow reopening of all the borders in Thailand.

While tourism makes up about 20% of Thailand’s economy, foreign visitors brought in nearly 90% of tourism income in Phuket. Without foreign travellers, Phuket’s recovery prospects are dim.

Chinese tourists made up the biggest percent of tourists before Covid-19 shut down international tourism, and they are expected to lead the way to a post-pandemic tourism revival. Plans have been underway for a travel bubble for weeks now.

Russia, the UK, Germany, France, Sweden and the US are predicted to be the most popular origin countries for returning foreign travellers. Many of these countries are moving quickly with vaccinations.

Phuket has been injecting up to 12,000 people a day with a goal of a 70% vaccination rate for residents before reopening. 930,000 vaccines are scheduled to be administered by June, paving the way for Phuket to welcome China’s tourists in July.

SOURCE: Bloomberg

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News Categories: Phuket Tourism

Related Topics:China Chinese covid-19 Phuket Thailand tourism

18 Comments

J West

Tuesday, March 30, 2021 at 4:14 pm

Chinese zero baht bus tours will greatly benefit . Chinese owned airlines, hotels, restaurants, buses, Chinese tour guides and ‘ Made in China” gift shop businesses like Chinese owned soapy massage must be happy with this news. They’re likey stocking up on fake rhino Horn face whitening paste and soi-dog- tiger penis powder as we speak.

Reply
Patrick Nouvel

Tuesday, March 30, 2021 at 5:17 pm

No Way Chinese wont come, their goverment willing to keep them for their internal market, simple, if you are free to go, returnees must go for 4 weeks quarantine 😂👌

Reply
Gosport

Tuesday, March 30, 2021 at 5:44 pm

UK should come in July, it has higher rate of vaccination.

Reply
Dreqo

Tuesday, March 30, 2021 at 7:33 pm

Annnnnd there it is. *shocked*

Reply
Roger Bruce

Tuesday, March 30, 2021 at 8:07 pm

Why not Chinese they nearly own all of Thailand now

Sorry I despise the Chinese Gov with a passion communist bullies murderers and low lifes The Virus is theirs so they will bring it with them too
More the Chinese come less other countries will follow so soon Thailand will be Chailand
Good Luck Thailand

Reply
EdwardV

Tuesday, March 30, 2021 at 9:51 pm

Assuming China lets them leave, and they don’t have to quarantine upon return. It’s not a given the Chinese will visit in mass come July. How quick we forget the Chinese numbers were soft in 2019, and particularly in Phuket. They are the most risk adverse tourists in the world (that’s not a dig), and were the first to bail on Thailand once the outbreak started. The Chinese stopped coming in early February, while western tourists were still arriving the first week of March. Thailand expects them to show up in mass during a world wide pandemic and while there is civil unrest. Keeping in mind the Chinese have a very low rate of vaccination to boot. It just seem to be a stretch at best, and nothing more than blind hope at worse. What Thailand should be doing is trying to land tourists from heavily vaccinated countries instead of ignoring them in the chase for the all mighty Yuan. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Reply
Tim

Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 1:28 am

I think it is better to have Chinese family tourists or group tourists from the travel bubbles. By July most Westerners who have had vaccines are over 50s. Most people know would what that means.

Reply
Mr cynic

Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 2:49 am

A sensible move,most europeans are not allowed to travel at present and if they could very few flights are available anyway.think it would also be sensible for tat to try to get more indian nationals to visit aswell.lot of people here probably won’t like it but when you have several billion people living near by many with high disposable incomes chasing around after a few fat smelly ke neow falangs from thousands of miles away makes no economic sense.its about time local tourism related buissness started improving their mandarin and hindi if they want to survive and thrive.

Reply
Geoff

Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 4:34 am

I don’t buy into this anti China rhetoric. It shows how successful US badmouthing propaganda has been over the decades. China has NOTHING to thank the West for, particularly the US. Their culture is different. There is no right or wrong. Many Thai families have ancestral ties to China, which is only a 100 or so, miles away. Go to Phuket. Have fun. Spend money. Some Thais will benefit and that’s good.

Reply
Leo Z

Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 5:27 am

First of all, the particular type of Chinese tourists depicted in the photo here will NOT come. a) They most likely have not been vaccinated (in fact, China is lagging in its vaccination drive compared to both N. America and EU), b) On return to China they will have to do 2 weeks quarantine in a hotel, plus 1 week quarantine at home (Chinese 25-35 y.o. who can afford to take an extra 3 weeks off(!) simply do not exist).

Reply
EdwardV

Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 5:33 am

“July most Westerners who have had vaccines are over 50s” – depends on the country. By the end of June every American over the age of 16 who wants to be vaccinated will have had both doses. The end of July will see most Brits with both jabs. The rest of Europe and Canada is anyone’s guess, but I would think most by the end of the year.

I wouldn’t expect to see the Indians anytime soon. They are going through a brutal third wave right now (so much for herd immunity), and less than 4% of their population has the first dose. It’s so bad they have cut off vaccines to the rest of the world to concentrate on their own population.

Reply
Andrew Whyte

Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 7:18 am

Any news of Thai/Chinese government talks for setting up a travel bubble?

Reply
Andrew Whyte

Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 8:18 am

High level Thai/Chinese government talks on a travel bubble are vital to bring Chinese tourists in to Phuket. Are these talks even happening?

Reply
Dreqo

Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 9:32 am

@Geoff, nice try Wu Mao.

Reply
the man the myth the lengend

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 12:54 am

USA as well should be allowed to come! We too have had vaccine, and also covid antibodies from the weak Wuhan flu. So why not allow the USA into Thailand? Seems you want people who actually travel on their own and support local communities rather than Chinese owned businesses.

Reply
the man the myth the lengend

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 12:55 am

very good point. Americans should come as well. we are vaccinated and able to spend more money locally than to the big Chinese owned companies.

Reply
Bruno sørensen

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 1:48 am

Situation in Sweden Germany,US – France and Uk is a disaster ! what is that for bullshit news to tell its going fast there with vacciantion ? ? Sweden and Germany is locking down 100 % now for the third time. . what is that for crap article ! the british vaccine is shit to throw out. as expected. .

Reply
Robert Elliot

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 3:22 am

I have to agree with Geoff. The Chinese have more ethnic and cultural ties to Thailand than westerners, and I am sure they are not bitter about all us westerners coming to Thailand.

Reply

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Neill Fronde

Neill is a journalist from the United States with 10 years broadcasting experience and national news and magazine publications. He graduated with a degree in journalism and communications from the University of California and has been living in Thailand since 2014.

Tourism

Government insists Phuket re-opening will go ahead as planned

Published

11 hours ago

Monday, April 26, 2021

Maya Taylor

Government insists Phuket re-opening will go ahead as planned | Thaiger

PHOTO: Flickr / jeiline

The Thai government is adamant the planned re-opening of the southern island of Phuket to vaccinated foreign tourists will go ahead. However, with Covid-19 infections rising across the country, some tourism operators say they need more clarification on how. Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit insists the “Phuket sandbox” model is on track for July 1.

“We have neither cancelled nor changed it (the plan to reopen Phuket on July 1). Currently the province is on course to speed up its vaccination programme as its inhabitants prepare to reopen and receive foreign tourists. The Phuket vaccination programme has made much progress as around 100,000 doses have now been given to people. We can meet the target.”

According to a Bangkok Post report, tourism operators in Phuket are calling on the government to clarify how the plan will work, with only 2 months left to prepare. They say rules on entry requirements, travel bubbles, international flight arrangements, and vaccinations all need to be confirmed before then. Operators say it seems highly unlikely 70% of the island will be vaccinated on time, which remains a priority if the plan is to proceed.

However, the eternally optimist governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Yuthasak Supasorn, says officials are drawing up the standard operating procedures that will govern the sandbox model.

“We will submit a complete plan to the Centre for Economic Situation Administration to receive approval by the end of April, then start taking more concrete action. In the third quarter, this ‘Phuket Sandbox’ scheme should attract at least 120,000 international arrivals, generating 11 billion baht.”

Meanwhile, Phuket Tourist Association president, Bhummikitti Ruktaengam, says tourism officials in the province are still committed to re-opening, but need more clarification from Bangkok.

“Vaccines are just one of many components to make a reopening successful. We still require endorsement from other related authorities such as the Public Health and Foreign Affairs ministries, particularly about whom Thailand has initiated travel agreements with. This is a crucial factor as it’s hard to bring in visitors if they are required to enter quarantine upon their return home.”

SOURCE: Bangkok Post

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Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Phuket: even “problem foreigners” must mask up or 20k fine

Published

1 day ago

Sunday, April 25, 2021

Neill Fronde

Phuket: even “problem foreigners” must mask up or 20k fine | Thaiger

PHOTO: Really... its the law.

Phuket government officials have threatened to strictly enforce the 20,000 baht face mask fine and contact consular officials for foreigners that refuse to mask up. The vice governor of Phuket has issued a stern warning that all people are required to wear face masks in public at all times. As Covid-19’s third wave sweeps the country, and Phuket has begun to require Covid-19 tests on arrival as the local government struggles to try to contain infections.

After an emergency meeting of the Phuket Communicable Disease Committee at Phuket Provincial Hall, the vice governor reminded the public that the order to wear masks in public was issued in January. He requested that everyone, Thais and foreigners, wear a mask to fully cooperates with the mandate now. The vice governor pointed out that Section 51 of the Communicable Diseases Act stipulates a fine of up to 20,000 baht, and Section 18 of the same act states that mask violators are subject to jail sentences of up to 2 years plus up to 40,000 baht in fines.

He also specifically mentioned the troubling issue of what they labelled “problem foreigners” – those expats and travellers that refuse to wear a mask in public.

“Cooperation between Thais and foreigners is requested to wear a mask because wearing a mask will reduce the transmission of infection from person to person to a great extent. If everyone participates, wearing a mask will help prevent the spread of Covid-19, thus we are asking for special cooperation.”

The Phuket government made a 2-step plan to deal with “problem foreigners” who protest mask-wearing. The first step is a meeting with all councils in Phuket and province officials to make sure regulations are clear and understood and then have those rules clarified to foreigners in a public campaign to raise awareness. If that gentle approach proves unsuccessful the next step is to begin to prosecute anyone who breaks the mandate and refuses to wear a mask. That includes contacting foreign consulates for foreigners violating the mandate.

Phuket: even "problem foreigners" must mask up or 20k fine | News by Thaiger

DMHTT – The government’s Covid-19 safety campaign

The government has been publicising a campaign of DMHTT (though apparently only in Thai) to stress the safety measures needed to combat the spread of Covid-19. The M stands for Mask-wearing as the vice governor stressed. The 5-point campaign reminds people of the need for:

Distancing
Mask wearing
Hand washing
Testing (checking temperature and testing for Covid-19)
Thai Chana (the contract tracing app to check in everywhere you go)

SOURCE: The Phuket News

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Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Phuket finds 4 Covid infections from newly-mandated rapid antigen tests

Published

2 days ago

Saturday, April 24, 2021

Ann Carter

Phuket finds 4 Covid infections from newly-mandated rapid antigen tests | Thaiger

Stock photo via Pixabay

Phuket is reporting 4 new Covid-19 infections from those arriving from red zone provinces on the first day of the new requirement for such travellers to undergo rapid antigen tests. As of Thursday, all people arriving from the 17 red zoned provinces must undergo the test if they can’t prove that they have been fully vaccinated or have received a negative Covid test within 72 hours before arriving. Phuket itself is also a red zone province.

Thursday saw 1,051 arrivals at Phuket International Airport. 958 underwent rapid antigen testing, with 2 receiving positive Covid results. 9,338 people arrived by road that same day, with 2 more testing positive. Despite the expectation of the tests creating a traffic jam at the airport, the Phuket Vice Governor says the process actually only takes 15-20 minutes. But, in Thai time, that number could be doubled.

(Thaiger readers said it was taking some people up to 90 minutes to get their results back).

Phuket health officials reported 13 new Covid infections yesterday, bringing the total to 292 during the current outbreak. A second field hospital is also currently being set up at Phuket Rajabhat University, just north of Phuket Town. The first field hospital is already set up at the Prince of Songkhla University Phuket Campus in Kathu and has 170 beds. Currently, however, only 70 to 80 patients are being treated there. The new field hospital will only be used as a backup if the first one is full.

Yesterday, Thailand reported the highest amount of daily infections since the pandemic began, at 2,070 with 4 deaths. And, today, that number has risen even more as 2,839 new infections have been reported to the CCSA in the past 24 hours. 8 more deaths have also been reported. It’s also the highest number of deaths to be recorded in a single day as well.

The new sharp rise in infections since the last outbreak began is concerning many in the healthcare industry and in the general population in regards to having enough staff and facilities to handle the influx of Covid patients.

SOURCE: The Phuket News