Following the initial optimism coming out of Phuket in southern Thailand the Thai media is now digging in its claws. The honeymoon is well and truly over and now the island needs to deliver. ASEAN NOW

REUTERS file photo for reference only

 

Following the initial optimism coming out of Phuket in southern Thailand the Thai media is now digging in its claws.

 

The honeymoon is well and truly over and now the island needs to deliver.

 

Manager quoted Thanet Tantiphiriyakij of the Phuket Tourism Business Association as saying that the rise in cases on the island was all internal and nothing to do with foreigners coming in who were all subject to being double vaxxed and having banks of tests.

 

He called for movement from outside to be relaxed so that the economy could continue to grow.

 

Fellow tourist business spokeswoman Chernporn Kanchanasaya said that the health authorities need to reassess in September and get more people vaccinated including children.

 

The "Smart Checkpoint" land border plan needs to be up and running by October to encourage people to travel.

 

Meanwhile elsewhere in the Thai media came a damning assessment from tourism advisor Sarayuth Mallam who said "farang" had told him that they had been conned into coming to Phuket. 

 

He spoke of visitors being unable to travel to places like Krabi and Koh Phi Phi because of onerous swab tests on return to Phuket. 

 

Consequently they were not making onward bookings.

 

He said that he had received complaints from tourists that not only could they not move around as promised but it was ridiculous that they could not get a beer or a glass of wine. 

 

Foreigners had said that they were misled into thinking that Phuket was really open when in reality it was not.

 

But he said that the Sandbox needs to remain or the island would have no tourists in October high season.

 

All along the Sandbox was designed to use Phuket  and visiting tourists like guinea pigs for a bigger reopening and more money come the fourth quarter, suggests ASEAN NOW.

 

Without this income the scheme will be looked on as a pilot that did okay for a while but ultimately failed. 

 

Sarayuth said that if the Sandbox ends that will be the death knell for Phuket. 

 

They need Bangkok tourists and the Chinese and Europeans in large numbers to survive.