Deputy chief of the Tourism Council of Thailand Wichit Prakopkosol said that he was absolutely thrilled with the Thai government's plans to reopen the country within 120 days.
He was particularly gushing about the government not delaying the Phuket sandbox that kicked off Thursday.
He fully anticipated that to proceed brilliantly without a hitch and then nine other provinces - Bangkok, Phangnga, Krabi, Chonburi, Surat Thani, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khirikhan, Buriram and Chiang Mai - to follow suit.
He then told Manager that he had come up with four scenarios about how the reopening of Thailand to foreign tourism in 2021 would pan out.
ASEAN Now advises members who are sitting in front of their computer screens to finish their mouthful of coffee before proceeding.
We'd hate to be responsible for unnecessary splutter and equipment damage.
Scenario #1: The Chinese allow their nationals to travel in October and Bangkok is fully opened and the vaccine rollout is proceeding well = 3 million tourists spending 212 billion baht.
Scenario #2: The ten provinces are open but the Chinese government says NO to foreign travel = 2 million foreign tourists spending 152 billion baht.
Scenario #3: China says YES to its nationals travelling abroad but Bangkok is not able to open up = 1.4 million tourists spending 107 million baht
"This one is the most likely" revealed Wichit saying that he expects the Chinese to allow their people to travel in October.
ASEAN Now notes that earlier this year we published the result of a huge online survey that revealed the vast majority of Chinese would only travel to Thailand SIX MONTHS AFTER the country has the virus under control.
By no stretch of the imagination could that be October though Manager did not say where Wichit got his information from.
Finally....
Scenario #4 (called the "choke rai" or bad luck one by Wichit): Bangkok can't accept foreign tourists and the Chinese say NO = Only 1 million foreign tourists spending a paltry 8.3 billion.
(Here we suspect that Manager might have meant 83 billion and put their decimal point in the wrong place - your guess is as good as ours).
Wichit was making his assessments on the eve of the opening of the Sandbox.
Now for some Sunday reality folks:
On the opening day PM Prayuth Chan-ocha welcomed 51 tourists from Singapore and in total there were a few hundred for the grand opening.
Yes, the authorities have said this is just a trial run and more are expected to follow later and you have to start somewhere etc etc.
But meanwhile in Bangkok and elsewhere the country was in the grip of the very worst stage of the pandemic with deaths and new cases smashing records almost daily.
Thirty four provinces reported infections stemming from Bangkok.
In the capital pubs were warned to stay shut and restaurants told not to allow in-house dining or face huge fines even jail.
In Pattaya drinking was banned from 8pm to 4 am.
Great swathes of tourist businesses in once thriving areas remain shuttered.
Feature-The next week in Thailand and Pattaya News-Chonburi gets tougher on alcohol, protests heat up in Bangkok, Covid-19 vaccine rollout continues in Pattaya
The following is our weekly feature in which we take a look at the top developing stories and things to follow over the next week. We are focusing on what is happening for the second week of July, ending July 10th, 2021.
PHOTO: BMA Health
Thailand-
As we publish dozens of stories a week, this allows our readers to get a quick glimpse of the most important stories taking place in Thailand and Pattaya and to monitor and follow for the week ahead, as chosen by our editorial team.
Let's get started:
1. Pattaya moves forward with Sinopharm vaccinations
Pattaya is set to move forward with their own privately purchased Sinopharm vaccines this week in the area, stating over 40,000 Thai residents had recently registered over the past week. The city ordered privately 100,000 doses from their own pockets, hoping to accelerate local vaccination efforts and restore the broken local economy while opening up to foreign tourists without quarantine who are vaccinated later this year.
Unfortunately, foreigners, in general, cannot get vaccinated in Chonburi yet as general foreigner enrollment has yet to take place, but is expected in the future according to the Pattaya Mayor. This differs from province to province, as foreigners in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Surat Thani have had better results and local vaccination campaigns. Chonburi, however, has not had the supply of vaccines they initially expected, thus a slower rollout of enrollment programs.
2. Harder restrictions hit Pattaya, some fear Chonburi province could become dark red/highest controls again
As hundreds of cases a day of Covid-19 are still being recorded in Chonburi, including in Banglamung where Pattaya is based, there has been a growing fear among many local residents that this could mean the province being changed to a "dark red" province by the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration or CCSA.
The Governor already put in some tougher measures over the weekend, banning the sale of alcohol entirely from 8:00 P.M. to 4:00 A.M., including at 7-11 and supermarkets, and banning any group gatherings based around drinking, even in the privacy of one's own home, with more than one person. This rule was also in place in Surat Thani recently and was enormously unpopular, although it remains to be seen what level of enforcement will be in place and the spirit of the rule is obviously to stop ANY parties vs. two members of the same household having a drink while watching television.
If Chonburi became dark red again, like Bangkok and surrounding provinces, it could mean in-person dining would have to close once again, along with other closures of "high-risk" places like gyms. This would of course be very unpopular and further decimate the local economy. For the time being, the province is not dark red and remains under lighter restrictions than Bangkok, with the governor focused on a regular strategy of closing and quarantining off problem locations, mostly markets and factories.
3. Protests heat up in Bangkok, driven by anger around Covid-19 related measures, vaccination programs, and more
Protests regularly took place over the weekend in Bangkok, despite record-high case numbers of Covid-19, from a mix of pro-democracy protesters and people upset about Covid-19 related restrictions, measures, or the speed of the vaccination rollout program.
There have been calls for more protests and more pressure with many protesters calling for the Prime Minister to resign. That is, however, extremely unlikely according to many analysts watching the situation.
This will be something to watch as there have even been calls for civil disobedience from closed business owners in the hospitality and entertainment sectors due to what they say is a near-total lack of financial support for the three-month closure of their venues. Many restaurant owners who had dine-in canceled in Bangkok have also been venting their anger and frustration over the measures and aid programs.
Academics stated that the Thai government does not give its citizens enough options for Corona vaccines, noting that the Thai government's decision that the Chinese Sinovac vaccine will be the primary vaccine for Thailand, and its insistence on buying more of the Sinovac vaccine, raises questions and doubts among many about Chinese companies paying money to the Thai government to accept Sinovac as the main choice for vaccines in Thailand, although many Thais prefer European and American vaccines after confirming the weak effectiveness of Sinovac compared to other vaccines.
Thai Airways on Saturday revealed that around 1,300 seats have been booked in advance for visiting Phuket in July under the sandbox scheme.
The airline said that until September there will be flights once a week, flying directly from five European cities to Phuket. The flights are from Copenhagen, Frankfurt and Paris every Friday, and from London and Zurich every Saturday.
This was a way to draw foreign tourists back to Thailand, in a bid to boost the economy hit hard by the Covid-19 crisis.
The Phuket Sandbox opened on July 1. Under the scheme, tourists who can verify they have been inoculated against Covid-19 and test negative can fly into Phuket and move around freely in the province without having to quarantine.
After spending 14 days in Phuket and if they still test negative, the tourists can then travel to other parts of Thailand.
According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand on Tuesday, a total of 13,000 rooms in Phuket hotels and resorts had been booked by foreign tourists.
Now that the Phuket Sandbox is up and running, international travellers are trickling back in to enjoy the Thai tropical island. More than 6,000 people have reportedly registered for the Phuket Sandbox so far, no arrivals have tested positive for Covid-19 yet, and officials are tightening up the land entry borders to the island.
The Director-General of the Department of Information and Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokesperson announced on his Twitter account that 6,020 people have signed up for the Phuket Sandbox program. At least 1,379 Certificates of Entry have been approved for the Sandbox and issued by July 1, and 3,034 Covid-19 vaccination certificates have been reviewed and accepted.
But 379 COE applications have been reportedly rejected for failing to meet the entry requirements and over 4,000 applications are yet to be processed. The approvals are being issued at around 300 per day, with 323 granted on July 1, 481 on the 2nd, and 279 on July 3 approved so far.
The spokesman says they are trying to get all certificates processed before their travelling dates, but some travellers did not submit all the valid and necessary documents, and they were limited by the late approval of the Sandbox just 2 days before the grand opening date of July 1.
For those who have made it to Phuket however, one statistic is cause for celebration. After about a dozen international flight arrivals by the end of today, not a single person has tested positive for Covid-19 on arrival. Not all results have been received yet, but about 400 negative test results have been returned so far.
But that doesn't mean the Phuket Sandbox has been Covid-19 free. 7 new infections were reported by the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office yesterday, and 52 patients are still under supervision and receiving medical care. Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew said that most new cases are being identified in quarantined people who entered Phuket overland.
As a result, the governor declared that the 14 day quarantine for people arriving in Phuket by land will no longer be an option. Going forward, people crossing the bridge onto Phuket are required to either show proof of their vaccination or the negative result of a Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival ( was 7 days before the change).
All people entering Phuket during the Sandbox are also required to install the Mor Chana app to track their movements during their stay. Anyone failing to meet these requirements will be denied entry into the island.
70 Per Cent Of Covid Patients In Thailand Infected With Delta Variant
An estimated 70 per cent of Covid-19 patients in Bangkok are infected with the Delta variant, virologist Dr Yong Poovorawan said on his Facebook page on Saturday morning.
His post was based on a study in June of over 700 samples. The virologist added that the Delta variant spread easily, and it is hard to trace the origin.
On Saturday, Thailand logged 6,230 new infections and 41 deaths, pushing the country's total caseload to 277,151 infections and 2,182 deaths.
Coronavirus vaccines are hard to get in Thailand, so the wealthy are heading on overseas jab tours
Rachpol Yamsaeng owns a Bangkok-based travel company called Unithai Trip, which is arranging trips aborad for Thais who want to be vaccinated. (YouTube )
Wealthy Thai people are flying overseas for their COVID-19 shots, saying they do not want to delay getting vaccinated and do not trust the vaccines on offer in Thailand.
Their choice to spend thousands of dollars getting the jab abroad comes as people across the rest of the country try to navigate what some have described as a "chaotic" vaccination program rollout.
After a slow start and a confusing registration process, thousands of appointments had to be postponed because doses had not arrived in time.
At the same time, Thailand is in the middle of its third and most severe wave of the virus, with more than 3,000 new infections reported every day, including the new Delta variant.
Popular Thai language tutor and TV host Jakkrit Yompayorm recently returned from a trip to the United States to get two doses of Pfizer.
"I know that [the] vaccine is good for me and for everyone, so I wanted to get vaccinated, and I don't know how long I [would have had] to wait if I stayed in Thailand," the 32-year-old told the ABC.
"I'm not confident in the quality of Sinovac, so I wanted to get the vaccine that could make me confident."
Jakkrit Yompayorm spent $4,200 to travel to the US from Thailand for two doses of Pfizer. (ABC News: Mazoe Ford)
Mr Yompayorm said he booked an appointment at a Walmart pharmacy before he left Thailand and already had a visa for the US.
The vaccine was free but he spent about $4,200 on airfares and other travel-related expenses, including two weeks in hotel quarantine on the way back into Thailand.
Jakkrit was willing to pay up for a trip to the US to get the Pfizer shot because he was unsure about the effectiveness of Sinovac. (YouTube)
Mr Yompayorm said he felt lucky that he could afford to go to the US for his vaccination.
"It is a choice that I can choose, I think if you have enough money you can go and get vaccinated in the US, but actually I think the [Thai] government should provide a good vaccine for everyone," Mr Yompayorm said.
"The main reason I made the decision to go to the US is that I want to be safe."
Travel agents offer 'vaccine vacations'
Some Thai travel agents whose businesses all but dried up when the pandemic shut down most overseas travel had been trying to cash in, offering so-called 'vaccine vacations' to the United States.
Packages include visits to tourist sites as well as a pharmacy to get vaccinated, with the length and cost of tours depending on how long a gap there is between the first and second shots.
Rachpol Yamsaeng, from Bangkok-based travel company Unithai Trip, said that when he and his business partner travelled to the US a couple of months ago they learned that "even tourists" could get a jab, so they decided to try.
"We didn't believe it … but we tried anyway, and we got in the queue in two days," Mr Yamsaeng, 32, told the ABC.
"I walked in and got the jab. I was shocked. I thought it was a fluke."
Rachpol Yamsaeng got the idea for jab tours when he was in the US and discovered foreigners could be vaccinated for free. (YouTube)
Mr Yamsaeng said when his company first started advertising the tours, it received "hundreds of thousands of calls".
As people then worked out the cost and practicalities, including getting a visa and spending two weeks in hotel quarantine in Thailand, demand eased.
"They do need to have money, but money is not enough. They need to have time as well because of quarantine on the way back," he said.
Even so, he said he had booked vaccine tour packages for several dozen people who did not want to wait for their turn in Thailand or had doubts about the vaccines on offer.
Thai tourism companies are offering 'vaccine vacations' to those who can afford it. (Supplied: Unithai Trip)
He said some people were spending as much as $8,300 to go on one of his tours.
"Whatever it takes, they want to get the jabs [in America] and at least they can feel more relaxed living in Bangkok [after being vaccinated]," Mr Yamsaeng said.
As well as America, well-heeled Thais are also heading to Russia and Serbia for vaccinations.
Some have flaunted their privileged travels online, much to the disgust of ordinary Thais — especially those who have lost loved ones or their livelihoods during the pandemic.
For those living below the poverty line in crowded slums and construction camps who have seen large outbreaks of COVID-19, the thought of travelling overseas for a vaccine is unfathomable.
Thailand is considered to be one of the most unequal societies in the world, with a 2021 report by Credit Suisse showing just 1 per cent of the population owned more than 40 per cent of the country's wealth.
Ordinary Thais try to navigate 'chaotic' system at home
The easy pharmacy jab with a fun-filled US holiday is a far cry from the shambolic vaccination program most Thai people have been trying to register for.
The government started with healthcare workers and vulnerable communities in March using the Chinese-made Sinovac product.
The widespread rollout began in early June, primarily using AstraZeneca doses produced locally by a company owned by Thailand's King.
Vaccination centres have been set up within train stations and shopping centres in Thailand.
Large, well-organised vaccination centres have been set up at train stations, shopping centres, sporting stadiums and airports to speed up the rollout, but booking an appointment has been confusing and complicated.
An early plan to allow walk-in vaccinations was overruled by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha after it was announced, while a mobile phone app to book appointments crashed on day one then cancelled appointments without notification.
Hospitals began taking bookings based on the number of vaccines they were allocated by the Ministry of Health, but more than 20 facilities in Bangkok had to postpone appointments when doses did not arrive in time.
One of the people affected by the delays in Bangkok was 85-year-old Sawad Kamwaboon.
It has been stressful for Sirima Kamwaboon (left) to arrange a vaccine for her 85-year-old dad, Sawad Kamwaboon. (ABC News: Mazoe Ford)
His daughter Sirima Kamwaboon, 46, said that after she registered her elderly father for an appointment through the app the first available date was not for another month.
Then the day before they were due to go to their local hospital for Mr Kamwaboon's first dose his appointment was cancelled with no explanation and no replacement date offered.
Ms Kamwaboon heard she could register her father again at a major vaccine hub at a train station on the other side of Bangkok to where they lived.
"I tried to call to register and it was so difficult to get through but I got an appointment in the end," Ms Kamwaboon said.
"But I had to come here, there was such heavy traffic, so many people, it was difficult to travel here, it is far from home. My dad is very old and he is tired from travelling."
Sawad Kamwaboon finally got his jab after weeks of trying to secure an appointment. (ABC News: Mazoe Ford)
Ms Kanwaboon said she did not know how elderly people without children or a carer to help them would be able to work out the "chaotic" system.
"It is frustrating," she said.
Thai Prime Minister apologises for delays
Thailand's Prime Minister has apologised for delays in vaccinations and said he had instructed the relevant government agencies to sort them out.
"I am the top executive in this war against COVID," Mr Prayuth said.
"I must apologise for the problems that have happened and I take all the responsibility."
Despite the hiccups, the government says its plan to inoculate about 70 per cent of the population by the end of the year remains on track.
Mr Yamsaeng said he was glad to see vaccines now rolling out across Thailand, even if the jab tours have provided his business with a much-needed shot in the arm.
"It is good. I am glad. Even though I am selling tour packages, I don't wish vaccines to come slowly," he said.
"If many Thais got the vaccine and the country reopened to both inbound and outbound [travellers] then my business can come back again." – abc.net.au
Chonburi annouces 294 new and confirmed cases of Covid -19, new cluster at Banglamung area ice factory
Chonburi-
The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 294 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 today, July 3rd.
This makes a total 9,203 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 3,415 still under medical care/supervision, and with a total of 47 recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections in early April.
Additionally, 5,741 people in total have now been released from medical care and fully recovered since this current wave began. 115 people were released yesterday.
The district-level new cases were as follows today:
Mueang Chonburi 46, Si Racha 40, Banglamung 108, Panat Nikhom 8, Sattahip 32, Ban Bueang 28, Pan Thong 21, Bor Thong 1, Ko Chan 1, Nongyai 1, and 8 new cases transferred from other provinces for medical care.
The details on the cases are as follows:
Huay Yai Jeen ice factory in Huayyai, Banglamung, 55 cases
Cluster New Market in Sattahip, 9 cases
Close contact from previous confirmed case at New Market in Mueang Chonburi, 3 cases
Medical staffers 4 cases
Back from risky areas in Bangkok, 3 cases
Risky occupation that meets many people, 2 cases
Close contact from a previously confirmed case from a party, 2 cases
Cluster New Market Naklua, 2 cases
Back from a high risk area in Nonthaburi, 1 case
Back from a high risk area in Rayong, 1 case
Close contact from a previously confirmed case from Rattanakorn Market in Si Racha, 1 case
Sahachai Market in Sattahip, 1 case
Close contact from previous confirmed case from New Market Naklua, 1 case
Marunic company in Rayong, 1 case
Close contacts of previously confirmed patients: 77 family members and 40 co-workers
Close contacts under investigation, 47 cases
Currently under investigation in general, 44 cases
A total of 785 close contact searches were received today with 883 initial proactive searches, and more proactive search reports are pending.
Maintaining herd immunity and cooperation under the Phuket sandbox remain key concerns after the scheme began on Thursday.
Tourism operators are hopeful that success in the scheme will lead to 280,000 arrivals in the fourth quarter.
"Even though the sandbox is underway, many challenges still remain, particularly preventing transmissions," said Bhummikitti Ruktaengam, president of the Phuket Tourist Association.
As a result, travel restrictions are needed for both international and domestic tourists who are vaccinated.
Mr Bhummikitti said they would like local travellers to understand the necessity of restrictions.
When mass vaccinations pick up in October, tourism operators hope more domestic travellers will follow.
The integration between the government and private sector to create sustainable growth is also another challenge because reopening cannot be achieved by only one party.
"Sometimes government sectors are rigid and cannot comply with a situation that requires flexibility," he said.
The reopening plan has to follow standard operating procedures and every party has to try to fix immediate problems using a consistent process, said Mr Bhummikitti.
For instance, the province hired an extra team of tour guides, allowing those who lost their jobs to help with limousine services to pick up tourists after they finish testing at the airport.
With the additional help, tourists do not have to wait and the flow is dispersed.
He said the first day of reopening caused mixed emotions, but the stress gave way once all the arrivals in the first group tested negative.
As of yesterday, 2,212 tourists have obtained a certificate of entry for Phuket, of which 528 arrived yesterday.
Another 425 are expected to land today and 385 tomorrow.
The international terminal at Phuket airport on Thursday as tourists began to arrive under the Phuket sandbox scheme. The scheme reopens the country to vaccinated foreign arrivals.
While Phuket celebrates reopening to tourists for the first time in more than a year, with international flights bringing more than 300 vaccinated arrivals to the island on Thursday, the scene elsewhere in Thailand is a struggle with the relentless pandemic.
More than 50 deaths from Covid-19 were recorded on Wednesday and Thursday, followed by a high yesterday for new infections at 6,087. Fatalities hit a peak of 61.
Some people were told no hospital beds were available and died alone in their homes.
As most analysts agree inoculation is the only way to reduce the suffering from the pandemic, a tug-of-war has begun over the vaccine stock. There is limited vaccine supply and the government amped up the pressure by setting an ambitious goal of mid-October to reopen the country.
Every province has been instructed if it wants to reopen, it must follow Phuket's lead. The first condition is to create herd immunity by inoculating at least 70% of the population.
The limited vaccine supply means hard choices have to be made when provinces that rely on tourism compete with the rest of the country just trying to survive the pandemic.
FAST TRACK BOGS DOWN
In addition to Phuket, nine other areas expressed their intention to reopen for tourism and were selected for a pilot phase: Krabi, Phangnga, Surat Thani, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Buri Ram and Bangkok.
Other provinces must wait patiently as the reopening rules require several steps before provinces receive the requested doses.
Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, acting president of the Chon Buri Tourism Council, said the "Pattaya Move On" scheme is scheduled for September.
Businesses in the eastern province are finished with most of the provincial standard operating procedures (SOP), including guidelines for inbound tourists, he said.
Though Chon Buri's SOP were approved by the local health administration and the Department of Disease Control, the province still requires a green light from the provincial governor and Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
Mr Thanet said tourism-related associations already discussed the vaccination plan with Gen Natthapon Nakpanich, operations director of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).
Gen Natthapon told tourism operators the vaccine allocation should be ready for Pattaya whenever it receives approval from related authorities.
"The vaccines we've requested didn't come as expected. We still need additional consensus from the TAT and provincial governor before securing those lots," said Mr Thanet.
"Pattaya tourism operators want to keep the initial timeline, but we are feeling the pressure as residents should have received their second jab two weeks before the reopening date. This means we have until mid-August if we want to keep that deadline."
The Pattaya plan calls for a soft opening in two districts: Bang Lamung and Sattahip.
Chon Buri requested either 450,000 doses of AstraZeneca to administer at least one jab for its population of 450,000, or 900,000 doses of Sinovac to complete two jabs for each resident.
He said the vaccination programme for the whole province is quite slow. Those first two districts of Bang Lamung and Sattahip have received only 60,000 doses.
Another 120,000 doses of vaccine are expected to be added to the province via the social security system, but these are mainly for workers in industrial estates, which does not affect the tourism industry.
"Government indecisiveness is piling the pressure on the province. When the CCSA announced a lockdown on construction camps but did not take any immediate action, many workers sneaked from Bangkok to other provinces, including Pattaya," said Mr Thanet.
While waiting for more vaccines to arrive, he said the government should act to identify construction workers who are infected to keep risks in check.
"Pattaya already learned from some mistakes made by the Phuket scheme and we hope we will not face the same difficult situations," said Mr Thanet.
"The problem we observed from Phuket concerns inconsistent regulations. Why couldn't the authorities formalise the rules and a direction from the beginning?"
He said the late publication of the Phuket sandbox in the Royal Gazette, which codifies the plan into law, caused 50% of guests who booked for the first day of the sandbox to postpone their trip.
The official approval came later than expected because of disputes about guaranteed payment for Covid-19 tests, which cost about 8,000 baht for a 14-day stay.
"This kind of issue needed to be addressed from the beginning, but they brought it up at the last minute," said Mr Thanet.
He said Thai tourism operators want the Phuket sandbox to succeed so other destinations can follow.
However, the scheme's success largely depends on factors that are uncontrollable for operators, such as the vaccination programme, said Mr Thanet.
Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao in Surat Thani province are slated for reopening on July 15, but they still have low vaccination rates.
As of July 2, Koh Samui has 42% of its residents having received two doses of vaccine, while 59.3% received at least one dose. Koh Phangan and Koh Tao posted lower rates of 6.1% and 11.8%, respectively.
NOT INCLUSIVE
Thaneth Tantipiriyakij, president of the Phuket Tourism Council, said reopening via a sandbox scheme is not a universal remedy for all stakeholders in the tourism supply chain.
He said the majority of the benefits will likely go to large operators, such as five-star hotels that have enough budget to gamble on the risk of reopening.
Instead of focusing solely on foreign tourists, Phuket still must rely on the domestic market as this segment can generate more income for mid-sized and small operators.
"We encouraged a TAT plan to stimulate 548,000 local trips to the island," said Mr Thaneth. "Not all of us can penetrate the foreign market during this difficult time. Local spending can help strengthen the liquidity of small operators and prepare them to welcome inbound guests once more arrive in the fourth quarter."
TAT estimated domestic travellers will inject 5.5 billion baht into the Phuket economy during the third quarter.
Phuket implements stringent screening measures for local travellers, allowing only vaccinated tourists to visit the island.
Woranate Laprabang, chief executive of Thai Vietjet, said only international airlines and Thai Airways can service the Phuket sandbox in the early months.
Low-cost carriers cannot earn any revenue from the initial stage of the sandbox because their jets are mostly narrow-body aircraft, which are unable to fly long-haul flights.
"Low-cost airlines usually focused on regional services before the pandemic, but most Asian countries have kept their borders closed. We must wait until more countries achieve herd immunity to reactivate international routes," said Mr Woranate.
However, he said there will be more opportunities for local carriers if the government can initiate city bubbles between Phuket and other cities in the region such as Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam. This island may want to welcome inoculated tourists using a similar model to Phuket, said Mr Woranate.
The entire tourism sector is cheering for Phuket to contain the virus and maintain Thailand's momentum with the international market over the long run, he said.
"If reopening attempts fail, more airlines will disappear. Last year many Thai airlines had to bid farewell or went into bankruptcy without any financial aid from the government. A successful reopening provides hope for us," said Mr Woranate.
He encouraged the government to take a more aggressive approach to mass vaccination because it is the most important condition to safely restart both domestic and international tourism activities.
"We're concerned about the surge in daily cases. Our load factor dropped from 78% to 72% this week. People who still travel do it for necessity, not for leisure. Vaccination is the key to help our industry recover faster," said Mr Woranate.
SELF-SURVIVAL MODE
In addition to a vaccine shortage, a growing concern over vaccine efficacy is fuelling doubt over virus containment.
The Tourism Council of Thailand conducted a survey in the second quarter and found half the local population want to receive alternative vaccines from what is available now. Pfizer was the top choice at 36%, while Sinovac came last at 7%.
Chotechuang Soorangura, managing director of NS Travel and Tours, said his company ordered an alternative vaccine, Sinopharm, procured by Chulabhorn Royal Academy, for 450 employees who had not been vaccinated.
"Most of them signed up for the Bangkok Metropolitan vaccination programme, but their queues are in August, which is a bit late for tourism operators like us. We need to prepare for the upcoming high season, particularly after the country reopens. The firm had to find alternative vaccines to fill the gap," said Mr Chotechuang.
He said with the prime minister announcing the whole country must achieve herd immunity by the end of the year, daily vaccine administration should reach 500,000 doses per day. The current figure is a far cry from that goal, said Mr Chotechuang.
"We had one worker who received two doses of Sinovac and was diagnosed with Covid-19. The government should procure more effective and reliable vaccines, and distribute them to those in need as soon as possible. Not that many of us can afford to survive by using our own budget for health and safety," he said.
