Phuket sandbox
- Phuket News
Police find Covid-19 infected missing Russian tourist… In his own hotel room
After frenzied reporting on Thai news yesterday, the police manhunt for a Covid-19 positive Russian tourist thought to have escaped his Phuket Sandbox hotel is over and considered a false alarm. The police 191 hotline received notification from the Patong Parak Hotel in Phuket that the man had disappeared from his room after testing positive for Covid-19. The man was…
- Phuket News
Phuket seeing healthy tourism demand, with 4,000 Thailand Pass applications a day
The president of the Phuket Tourism Association says the island is proving popular with foreign tourists, receiving 4,000 applications a day through the Thailand Pass system. Bhummikitti Ruktaengam says most of those visitors are from Germany, Russia, Kazakhstan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and France. Bhummikitti credits the success of the island’s Covid-19 measures for inspiring confidence among foreign…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Covid-19 infections could reach 20,000 per day
In today’s news, CCSA says new Covid-19 infections in Thailand could reach 20,000 per day, the ghost ship reported yesterday is now believed to be a smuggler’s vessel, and a hospital denies its 39 million person database was hacked – well how did it get the internet then? All this is coming up in today’s program. You’re watching Thailand News…
- Phuket News
Health officials in Phuket warn of bed shortages amid rise in Covid infections
Health officials in Phuket say hospital beds are running out as the infection rate begins to climb once more on the southern island. Kooksak Kookiatkul says that, as of Sunday, Phuket has reported 742 new cases. According to a Bangkok Post report, 513 of those are in local residents, with 2 in foreign residents. 133 have been imported by the…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Update | Test & Go, Sandboxes and Blue Zones?
Last Friday’s announced new Covid-19 restrictions and regulations were passed into law yesterday and enacted in the Royal Gazette. The Test & Go program, that allowed people to enter without quarantine, requiring only a short wait while their PCR test results came back, has been suspended indefinitely since December 22. So new applications for Test & Go into Thailand are not…
- Thailand video news
Thailand Pass, Punishing the government, Firing Jay | Thaiger Bites
Jay and Tim go through your messages, comments and feedback from Youtube, Facebook, Instagram and the Thaiger Talk forum on the website. Thaiger Bites, Ep.81
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Test & Go closed Indefinitely & Sandbox destinations added
In today’s news, the government has finally announced the office deadline for arriving under the Test & Go program. Meanwhile, more destinations are added to the Sandbox scheme. That’s all coming up in today’s program.You’re watching Thailand News Today, bringing you the latest headlines in Thailand and beyond. Let’s start with the bad news first, Registration for Thailand’s Test &…
- Thailand News
Surat Thani islands, Krabi, Phang Nga approved for Sandbox scheme starting January 11
With the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme suspended indefinitely, more areas have been approved to welcome travellers under the Sandbox programme, which allows those who are fully vaccinated to enter and stay in a designated area or province rather than undergoing quarantine at a hotel or facility. Starting January 11, travellers can register to enter Thailand through the Sandbox…
- Phuket News
Phuket governor vows to iron out issues with sandbox requirements
The governor of Phuket has pledged to sort out a number of issues with the island’s sandbox scheme as infection rates continue to rise. According to a Bangkok Post report, Narong Woosiew says the matters identified will lead to improvements, adding that he will soon introduce “Phuket Sandbox Version 2“. “Currently, the local economy is doing well due to the…
- Thailand video news
More restrictions in Thailand imminent from today | GMT
The health ministry of Thailand and government officials have proposed stricter restrictions for incoming tourists and people living in Thailand. Phuket is changing and tweaking the sandbox scheme to better fit and add ease to incoming travellers. Big meeting up ahead today where the CCSA will decide on a lot of topics that will have huge impact on Thai Tourism.…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Is the tourist high season over already?
In today’s news, Thailand’s public Health Ministry gives its proposed cut off date for travellers that were approved for the Thailand pass, although no official decision has been announced yet. And with the suspension of Test & Go are we bidding an early farewell to the high season? All this coming up in today’s program. You’re watching Thailand News Today,…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News update | Travellers rushing to get into Thailand & mass tourist cancellations
Cancellations are now starting to mount up for many tourism operators and hotels around the country as the extended suspension of the Test & Go program is starting to frame the situation for the remainder of what’s left for the high season.Pongsakorn Ketprapakorn, the president of the Tourism Council of Phangnga, told the Bangkok Post that around 60% of bookings…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | No plans to resume the Test & Go scheme
The government currently has no plans to resume the Test & Go scheme. Thailand’s Health Minister says the re-opening of nightlife venues should be postponed given the number of businesses that failed to implement disease prevention measures. Phuket hotel operators have come up with a solution for asymptomatic guests who test positive for the Omicron variant but refuse to be…
- Covid-19 News
Suspension of Test & Go entry scheme will “definitely” continue, spokesperson says
Suspension of the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme will “definitely” continue, a spokesperson said during today’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration press briefing. More details and a possible cutoff date for approved travellers will be discussed and finalised on Friday at the general CCSA meeting, which is usually chaired by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. Registration closed for both the Test…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News update | Hotel isolation for asymptomatic guests & Re-opening bars
Thailand’s bars were being told that they would have to wait until after January 15 to reopen. But the business owners and staff’s patience is going to be tested again after the health minister is trying to postpone that date as well. The hotel industry in Phuket is preparing to offer a hotel isolation for asymptomatic guests in a major…
- Phuket News
Phuket hotels to offer isolation rooms for asymptomatic guests who refuse hospital
Phuket hoteliers have come up with a solution for asymptomatic guests who test positive for the Omicron variant but refuse to be transferred to hospital. Kongsak Khoopongsakorn from the Thai Hotels Association says in order to keep Phuket’s re-opening going, tourists who test positive but have no symptoms should be offered isolation facilities at their hotel instead of having to…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Update | Proposal to extend T&G postponement & New Chon Buri rules
Public health minister says… in the interests of health and safety, we have decided to delay the Test & Go scheme further. Proposal to go to CCSA. In Phuket, the local Public Health Office is urging tourism and business operators to strictly comply with all disease control measures, in particularly the regular use of rapid antigen test kits. The situation…
- Tourism News
Government to discuss delaying resumption of Test & Go until end of January
Following an inevitable rise in cases of the Omicron variant in Thailand, the government will discuss postponing the resumption of the Test & Go entry scheme. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says that the scheme was originally suspended due to concern over mounting Omicron infections globally. However, imported Omicron cases have now been detected in people arriving through Test &…
- Phuket News
92 Phuket Sandbox, Test & Go travellers positive for Covid, tests to determine variant
Phuket’s Public Health doctor, Kusak Kukieatsak, says the Covid-19 test results for 92 travellers who recently entered the country from overseas are being examined to determine if they are infected with the Omicron variant. The doctor added that he believes most of the results will come back positive for the mutated strain. The travellers tested positive for Covid-19 after entering…
- Tourism News
Form must be completed before exiting plane in Phuket now
In case the Thailand Pass and entry process wasn’t complicated enough with enough forms for you, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has added a public health form required for all international passengers to Phuket to fill out before being allowed to get off the plane. The new rule, a Notice to Pilots, was published in Thai only yesterday afternoon…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Today | Phuket hotels punished for Covid oversights
Oxford University releases a study on AstraZeneca versus the Omicron variant. Meanwhile, Thailand pushes for Thai cannabis to be registered with UNESCO, and will Bangkok go ahead with its New Year countdown events?
- Phuket News
Phuket officials crack down on hotels that let tourists leave before Covid test results
Officials in Phuket are to get tough on SHA Plus hotels that allow foreign tourists to leave before they’ve received their Covid-19 test results. Deputy governor Phichet Panapong says many properties are openly breaking the rules and officials plan to make an example of 2 hotels known to have broken the law. According to an ASEAN NOW report, this has…
- Thailand video news
Thailand News Update | Omicron Update & Impacts on Thai tourism
Thailand has suspended its Test & Go program that allowed vaccinated travellers to enter the country with only one night of quarantine, Singapore is also putting their quarantine-free travel plans on hold for now. Phuket seems to have emerged as a slight winner in the mess, with the Phuket Sandbox remaining open. A 29 year old Israeli tourist who escaped…
- Phuket News
Tourism officials say Test & Go suspension could have knock-on affect for Phuket
The head of the Phuket Tourist Association says the potential knock-on effect of the Test & Go suspension is not yet known. Bhummikitti Raktaengam says the number of foreign tourists arriving on the island via the sandbox scheme could be affected. According to a Bangkok Post report, he says it remains to be seen if overall visitor numbers to Thailand…
- Thailand video news
Thailand suspends ‘Test & Go’ program | GMT
GMT Ep.158 Thailand has suspended the Test and Go entry program for tourists into Thailand. Thailand has also suspended the sandbox program except ‘Phuket sandbox’. Bangkok vaccination center in Thailand will be on a 7 day break for the new year holidays and sex workers in Thailand are protesting against the government. All these topics and more coming up on…
- Covid-19 News
OPINION: Test and Go, up and gone, where to from here Thailand?
OPINION A crazy day in The Thaiger office as we pushed out all the latest Test & Go Thailand Pass info as fast as we could, translated and checked. I forgot a number of important meetings as we knew people wanted to know what was happening with the Thailand Pass. We wanted to know too as we are also directly…
- Phuket News
More and more digital nomads choose Phuket for a “workation”
Many digital nomads call Thailand home, and more and more people are choosing Phuket for their so-called “workation,” using coffee shops on the island as an office. The BBC’s Thai reporters spoke to several people on the island who work remotely for companies in other countries. For 34 year old American Andy Lee, he runs his business from a cafe…
- Phuket News
Thai Airways offering round trip Sydney-Phuket flights
To boost tourism and promote Phuket’s island quarantine “sandbox” scheme, Thai Airways will run round trip flights between Phuket and Australia with three flights a week starting on today. The flights will be offered until January 25. The flight from Phuket to Sydney is available on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Flights depart from Phuket at 6:50pm and arrive at 7:30am.…
- Tourism News
Phuket post-Sandbox arrivals double, surge in domestic tourism
Thailand has only been reopened for 2 weeks, but the Phuket Sandbox was the tourism experiment that started it all. And though Phuket has been welcoming international travellers since way back in July, the November 1 reopening saw a noticeable boost in arriving visitors, both foreign and domestic. The Sandbox scheme that required a soft quarantine where travellers could roam…
- Phuket News
AirAsia flights from Kuala Lumpur to Phuket return for Sandbox scheme
AirAsia has announced that it will resume its flight from Kuala Lumpur to Phuket. This comes in the wake of Thailand’s reopening to international travelers on November 1. This flight will allow visitors to enter the country through the Phuket sandbox programme. The first flight was an Airbus A320 that took off from Kuala Lumpur at 11:15am. The route is currently…
