News Forum - Phuket officials look to vaccinated domestic visitors for tourism lifeline

[Thaiger]

Officials on the southern island of Phuket are pinning their hopes on vaccinated domestic tourists to revive the flagging economy. A proposal to attract vaccinated local tourists is being submitted for approval and if granted, would replace current restrictions, says deputy governor, Pichet Panapong. According to a Bangkok Post report, Pichet says the current measures on Phuket are damaging the economy. He says with 75% of local residents vaccinated, as well as sandbox tourists fully vaccinated, the island should not have such stringent entry requirements. The deputy governor’s solution is to allow local tourists who are fully vaccinated to visit […]

The post Phuket officials look to vaccinated domestic visitors for tourism lifeline appeared first on Thaiger News.

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[Malc-Thai]

There are so many rich Thais all queuing up to come holiday and party in phuket.. 

[Pompies]

More wishful thinking! The Thai population is in over it's head in debt, it sees no benefit in spending money to travel to an open prison that lacks any opportunities for entertainment. So it will stay at home.

[Graham]

So does this mean that International arrivals will have the same requirements to arrive in Phuket (fully vaccinated, pre flight PCR test) no more COE etc. etc. or does all the BS still apply but only for International arrivals. 

I doubt it very much. 555

TIT.

[Guest1]

51 minutes ago, Thaiger said:

[...] deputy governor, Pichet Panapong [...] says with 75% of local residents vaccinated, as well as sandbox tourists fully vaccinated, the island should not have such stringent entry requirements. [...]

Aside that "75% of phuket people are vaccinated" is counting in the "few" with only ONE jab, it has to be said: 2/3 of these are just sinovaced!

But they are asking for 470tsd  3. booster shots, now.

[Guest1]

15 minutes ago, Pompies said:

More wishful thinking! The Thai population is in over it's head in debt, it sees no benefit in spending money to travel to an open prison that lacks any opportunities for entertainment. So it will stay at home.

You might be wrong with that.

These days, you see a lot of red plated cars, or "not the usual vios/hillux" but with Bangkok / no phuket plates on the island. 

There are lots of 'vip', with enough money, to go to Phuket. And, of course, with connections, to jump the vaccination line. Or the test/check at the bridge!

[Malc-Thai]

The local government have just announced an hour ago the island will stay closed to domestic tourists ! 

[EdwardV]

Locals Thais didn’t travel to Phuket in numbers before the lockdown, why would now be any different? If Phuket really wants to improve the number of tourists visiting. Take those same proposed requirements for locals and apply them to incoming foreigners. 

[AlexPTY]

1 hour ago, Thaiger said:

He says with 75% of local residents vaccinated, as well as sandbox tourists fully vaccinated, the island should not have such stringent entry requirements.

don't see how this numbers could affect tourism in Phuket, simply, there is nothing in Phuket to attract tourists at this time. and rich Thai people... they go to Hua Hin :)

[gummy]

20 minutes ago, AlexPTY said:

don't see how this numbers could affect tourism in Phuket, simply, there is nothing in Phuket to attract tourists at this time. and rich Thai people... they go to Hua Hin :)

"and rich Thai people... they go to Hua Hin"

Really ?

[King Cotton]

1 hour ago, Malc-Thai said:

The local government have just announced an hour ago the island will stay closed to domestic tourists ! 

Yeah, that sounds pretty much like the normal bureaucratic chaos. Let's plug this 'lifeline' and give it some super-catchy name - Phuketing Wonderful Phuket, perhaps - and then decide to keep it closed . . . wonderful!

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

3 hours ago, Thaiger said:

Officials on the southern island of Phuket are pinning their hopes on vaccinated domestic tourists

Officials on the southern island of Phuket are pinning their hopes on vaccinated Sandbox tourists.

What are the TAT not telling us?

Where's Mr Roarke and Tattoo when they’re needed?

 

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

2 hours ago, Guest1 said:

There are lots of 'vip', with enough money, to go to Phuket. And, of course, with connections, to jump the vaccination line. Or the test/check at the bridge!

Or, have very large brown envelopes to bypass the bridge check.

[Bob20]

So, let me get this straight...

Here in Chiang Mai hardly anyone is vaccinated and they want to open up the region?

Simply the movement of the visitors (doesn't matter if their vaccinated or not, as both can be virus carriers) will bring the virus this way and cause disaster.

Meanwhile I am waiting nearly 5 weeks without appointment after registration on the expatvac website.

Maybe I'll get jabbed quicker if I express my intentions to visit Phuket and spend money there?

All I can see is more death and disease to come with these plans...

Edited September 1, 2021 by Bob20

[DiJoDavO]

Then let people get vaccinated without making groups. 

Literally today, I have been to Bang Sue to get my wife's second vaccine and it wasn't even that busy. 

It was a bit busy, but that was because people couldn't resist taking pictures of them being vaccinated, so the doctors told them to go away and come back when they finished taking their pics. 

But anyway, there was plenty of space for people to still enter and the waiting time for the vaccine was literally a minute. I don't get why they just won't let other groups in already. 

[DiJoDavO]

57 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

Meanwhile I am waiting nearly 5 weeks without appointment after registration on the expatvac website.

Try 4 months and seeing literally everyone around you being vaccinated.

[Bob20]

12 minutes ago, DiJoDavO said:

Try 4 months and seeing literally everyone around you being vaccinated.

I guess you used another registration method?

[Thommo]

Living in Bkk I had already cancelled one planned trip to Phuket, I am fully vaccinated but will not be paying for a covid test to enter Phuket just on principal. 

[Malc-Thai]

1 hour ago, Bob20 said:

So, let me get this straight...

Here in Chiang Mai hardly anyone is vaccinated and they want to open up the region?

Simply the movement of the visitors (doesn't matter if their vaccinated or not, as both can be virus carriers) will bring the virus this way and cause disaster.

Meanwhile I am waiting nearly 5 weeks without appointment after registration on the expatvac website.

Maybe I'll get jabbed quicker if I express my intentions to visit Phuket and spend money there?

All I can see is more death and disease to come with these plans...

Plenty of sinovac to go around down here Bob ! You May get an AstraZeneca booster too ! Seriously good luck up there fella

[Guest1]

2 hours ago, AdvocatusDiaboli said:

Or, have very large brown envelopes to bypass the bridge check.

That is a very powerful connection. But looking on some of the new cars, there might be even the no.1 rule apply: As more expensive a car is, as less it can be checked by normal police officers! And I saw a lot of  10(+) million cars, lately. With either red or non-Phuket plates on!

[Bob20]

8 minutes ago, Malc-Thai said:

Plenty of sinovac to go around down here Bob ! You May get an AstraZeneca booster too ! Seriously good luck up there fella

Well, I've had the acceptance email, but nothing else yet.

If they have lots of Sinovac and AZ, maybe I'll wash my hands with it, but that's as far as it goes

[Jason]

Many foreign tourists are watching the situation in Phuket hoping to plan holidays. To preserve the sandbox, I can certainly understand the restrictions. It's also true that there are few Thais who, having had there livelihoods threatened or destroyed, could afford a Holliday in Phuket. So it's back to the international tourists. Make it safe and they will come.

[Yinn]

40 minutes ago, Thommo said:

Living in Bkk I had already cancelled one planned trip to Phuket, I am fully vaccinated but will not be paying for a covid test to enter Phuket just on principal. 

Hmmmm 

Thai taxpayer should give for you right? We already vax you for free.
And Thai people work at the lab for free for you?  
only 500 baht. 
 

Fully vaccinated can get infected and spread. Better to test. Must work together na.

[Yinn]

2 hours ago, AdvocatusDiaboli said:

Or, have very large brown envelopes to bypass the bridge check.

Why pay with very large brown envelope when easy fast test at the bridge for 500 baht?????
You imagination.

[JackIsAGoodBoy]

That old chestnut again. The ever elusive well-to-do Thai middle class suddenly reappears and rescues everything! Only to disappear back to the mist like ghosts. 

Edited September 1, 2021 by JackIsAGoodBoy