Remember the Phuket sandbox? Where tourists are allowed to travel to Thailand with the 14-day quarantine, remember that? Here are some recent updates. These were recently published this past week.
So far, there have been more than 10,000 tourists travelling to Phuket under the sandbox program, according to TAT. Their average stay is 11 nights, and the average spending per trip is 70,000 baht. They have spent about 5,500 baht each day on accommodation, swabs, food and drink and transport.
In total, they have contributed 534.31 million baht to the economy.
On Monday, July 26th, WHO suggested tightened measures to control the spread of the virus. Similar to the first response last year.
Phuket Added More Travel Restrictions
On the following day, Phuket added more travel restrictions, while the Phuket Sandbox remains in operation.
The stricter restrictions will last at least 7-days starting on July 27th, to stop the spread of the infection on the island.
New Restrictions Include:
- All Central department stores to close for 7 days
- Schools will stay closed until 16 August
- All football arenas have to close
- No group activities with more than 100 people
- No more than 1 person per 4sqm in open markets
Phuket Sandbox Mandate Stay From 14 Days to 7 Days
The next day after that, on July 28th, Thailand’s Tourism Ministry reduced the mandate stay for tourists under the Phuket Sandbox from 14 days to 7 days.
This means tourists must stay in Phuket for 7 days and be able to travel anywhere on the island. After 7 days, they are allowed to travel to five other provinces. They include Krabi, Phang-nga and Samui, which they call the Samui Plus scheme and are supposed to open for tourists in August.
Hua Hin district and Cha-am in Phetchaburi province are expected to reopen foreign tourists from October 1st. Bangkok and Pattaya, which are still “dark red” zones, will remain closed until the fourth quarter. Buri Ram province will also remain closed, with the cancellation of the Thailand Motorcycle Grand Prix.
Reopening of Koh Samui
The next day, after that, on July 29th, Bangkokpost reported. The plan they spoke about yesterday could get cancel if the total covid cases at the hospital reach 40 within two weeks. Currently, there are about 22 cases. That seems very low to me.
But at the time of this recording, the plan is to reopen the Samui Plus scheme since most cases are not foreign.
Phuket To Halt Domestic Travellers
Still, on the same day, another travel restriction was announced. This time Phuket will seal off any domestic travellers from August 3rd to 16th; that’s for almost 2 weeks.
Also, on August 2nd, one day before domestic travel is blocked off to enter Phuket. The lockdown and curfew are supposed to end in the 13 dark red provinces. They include Bangkok and Pattaya, but by looking at the confirmed cases this week, I think they will extend the curfew to the 16th.
Phuket will have travel restrictions to domestic travellers from the land, sea, and air except for ambulances, rescue vehicles, transports of medicines and medical supplies, and other essential items or personnel.
I guess Phuket will be the safest place to be if they are going to seal everything off. But I think this will scare off even more tourists.
Also, there is no ban that I am aware of for people inside Phuket wanting to leave. If you came for the sandbox and stayed for 14-day, you graduated from the sandbox, tested negative. As far as I know, you are allowed to leave.
I also heard that if you are in Thailand and need to use the Phuket airport to go somewhere. You are allowed to enter but only to use the airport and leave the same day.
Phuket Sandbox Will Not Be Affected
It also said here,
Phuket’s daily infections rose from single digits to two last week, and stayed between 18-28 cases per day over the past week. It has logged a total of 1,016 cases in the current wave since April, compared to 145,223 in Bangkok which is seeing a few new thousand cases a day.
Source: thaipbsworld
If the Phuket Sandbox is still interesting to you, maybe you can’t do it in your home country than come to Phuket.
The locals need help; I wish things are better, but you can travel here if you have nothing better to do. I have the Phuket sandbox guidelines on the requirements on how you can travel here.
One great news here is, the Thai baht is currently the wost currency in Asia.
Look at xe.com
If you do end up coming here, the exchange great is very good as compared to the past several years.
I mean, it’s not great that the country closed down and people are out of work, people are sick, so foreigners now get a better exchange. Don’t get me wrong, that’s not what I meant. But what can you do? It is what it is.
