Manager reported that fears about tourists disappearing from their hotels in Phuket came true yesterday. After the first five days of the Phuket Sandbox reopening of the country went without a hitch, there were some problems. One tourist who had not turned on tracking on his app was found not to have checked in at his hotel. Instead he went straight to find his wife and child at his house in Rawai. ASEAN NOW



Picture: Manger

 

Manager reported that fears about tourists disappearing from their hotels in Phuket came true yesterday.

 

After the first five days of the Phuket Sandbox reopening of the country went without a hitch, there were some problems. 

 

One tourist who had not turned on tracking on his app was found not to have checked in at his hotel.

 

Instead he went straight to find his wife and child at his house in Rawai.

 

He was soon brought back into the system and returned to his hotel that he had booked. 

 

Another man, aged 83, was staying at a hotel in Thalang and went out without his phone or passport, just with his wallet.

 

He was discovered at 4.30 am wandering near a department store in Wichit sub-district.

 

He couldn't remember where his hotel was and was tired and hungry. He appeared to have Alzheimer's.

 

Wichit police gave him food and drink before getting him back to his hotel safely.

 

A third person had a personal emergency abroad and was allowed to return home and not complete the 14 day required stay. 

 

Governor Narong Wunden gave details at City Hall yesterday. 

 

Picture: Manger

 

Provincial police chief Pol Maj-Gen Pornsak Nuannoo said that the hotels in each case informed 191 if there was a problem. He said there was liaison with all concerned including the Tha Chatchai provincial border crossing utilizing the Mor Chana app.

 

Pol Col Thanet Sukchai assured the public that these were the only three problem cases. He assured the nation that no one has left Phuket among the tourists.

 

The man in charge of the tracking from a firm called SIPA, Pracha Atsawatheera said the tourist who had gone to see his wife at his home had not turned on location finding on the app ever since he was in the airport. 

 

He only turned it on when he got home to Rawai.

 

Matters were explained to him and he was taken back to where he should be, his hotel.