Tourists land as Phuket reopens despite Covid surge - Asia Times
https://asiatimes.com/2021/07/tourists-land-as-phuket-reopens-despite-covid-surge
Tourists land as Phuket reopens despite Covid surge
On Thursday, 249 passengers on four flights from Israel, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Singapore were expected to land. The first international travelers for a quarantine-free scheme will touch down in the holiday hotspot of Phuket this week, as Thailand tries to reboot its depleted tourism industry despite enduring its worst virus outbreak.Tourism makes up almost a fifth of the economy. But pandemic-spurred restrictions saw Thailand registering its worst performance since the 1997 Asian financial crisis. The kingdom is pinning high hopes for a much-needed revival on the so-called “Phuket sandbox” – a model that will allow vaccinated travelers to visit without a quarantine period.
On Thursday, 249 passengers aboard four flights from Israel, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Singapore were expected to land on the island – where its sandy beaches have been relatively deserted since the pandemic. The arrivals come as Thailand weathers its worst Covid-19 wave since an April discovery of fresh clusters – and the worrying emergence of the Alpha and Delta variants. Nationwide, the present case tally is at 259,301. But Phuket remains relatively unscathed as Thai authorities have rolled out a mass vaccination campaign in preparation, with a claimed 70% of residents inoculated with at least one dose. A command center tracking foreign visitors’ movements via mobile app, which tourists are required to install upon arrival, will also monitor for potential outbreaks.
Besides being fully vaccinated, tourists must remain in Phuket for a fortnight if they wish to travel to the rest of Thailand, and take three Covid-19 tests during this period – a substantial expenditure for a family.
Kongsak added that authorities had downgraded its sandbox entry forecast of 129,000 visitors in the third quarter to 100,000.Delays in government approval for the scheme have caused headaches for scores of prospective travelers – who flocked online to air their grievances.“It is disappointing the communication has been so poor and new requirements without any detail are being created after the fact,” said an American traveler.She added she had spent hours phoning consulates across the US to get her paperwork processed – to no avail.But even a trickle of visitors will be a lifeline for desperate vendors like Thewan Phromyang, who rents out deck chairs at Phuket’s Patong Beach.Pre-pandemic, Thailand had expected 40 million visitors to arrive in 2020 – a far cry from the 6.7 million who made it through strict border restrictions.
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