India is getting back on her feet after following alternative remedies like ivermectin etc instead of solely dependent on Dr Fauci and the big pharma cartels.
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India is getting back on her feet after following alternative remedies like ivermectin etc instead of solely dependent on Dr Fauci and the big pharma cartels.
to have a significant impact on the road toll in Thailand would require a complete overhaul in driver education and license testing, a complete overhaul of enforcement of road rules, and a complete overhaul of driver attitude to safety and road rule compliance
apart from the fact that these changes would take decades to have an impact, can you perhaps see some obvious reasons why policy ignores this issue, and indeed why the interventions would actually be significantly damaging, though perhaps not to the people you were thinking of?
and actually I would argue the economic side effects would be significant, but positive - the reduction in lost man-hours and work years would increase productivity and drive export growth, though I don't think it would do much rescue the tourism or entertainment and restaurant sectors
I am sure if you did a quick straw poll on people's attitude to what constitutes an acceptable "few people" in that sentence you would get a significantly different response in the UK and many European and South American countries compared to Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, and a few other countries
the balancing act between "acceptable" deaths and economic hardship is a difficult one that I would not like to be making, but rather than just rejecting lockdown I think it would be more productive to look at ways to reduce or better cope with the economic impact and make some short and medium-term adjustments to goals rather than just focusing on re-achieving pre-Covid goals on things like tourism
but if you seriously look at why Thailand is in the situation it is now you may possibly see that in many ways the confounding factors in managing COVID have similar roots to those for managing the road toll!
PHUKET BRACES FOR MORE COVID CASES - THE SANDBOX IS A DISASTER
6 Phuket Sandbox tourists infected with COVID including 2 young sisters
PPHO braces for infections; Delta, Beta variants confirmed in Phuket
Phuket officials: Prepare for new entry requirements, or go home.
All Bangkok-Phuket buses cancelled
All schools in Phuket ordered closed for two weeks
Phuket's reputation as a desirable tourist destination during this pandemic has been ruined.
TAT and the PM wanted the credit for Phuket reopening - now they have to shoulder the blame for it being a disaster.
https://www.thephuketnews.com/tv/phu...7-Segments.php
Hey...where's my Award?
The Phuket Sandbox scheme has now collapsed amid positive tests, quarantined tourists and many different variants.
As the boards most vociferous proponent of the scheme would steviewonders/mrgiggles like to make a statement explaining his thinking?
To be fair a blind man ( no not you this time Matt just in general figure of speech) could have seen this failure coming a mile away the way things were heading - well, you would have thought anyway.....
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand...d-by-fake-newsQuote:
Government: Phuket Sandbox going well, marred by fake news
The Phuket Sandbox scheme aimed at revitalising the economy and tourism and is going well, with tourists continuing to arrive, but its success has been marred by "fake news" on social media of its imminent collapse, a government spokesman said.
Thanakorn Wangboonkongchan, secretary to the Prime Minister's Office minister and spokesman for the Centre for Economic Situation Administration (CESA), said false reports were being disseminated on social media that Phuket had been ordered closed because Covid-19 had spread beyond control.
Mr Thanakorn said this was not true. The Phuket Sandbox programme was still being implemented, with tourists continuing to arrive.
He asked people not to share such misinformation as it could cause panic .... "The infections found among Phuket Sandbox arrivals will not cause the programme to collapse. In this situation, the chance of seeing zero infections is very slim," Dr Kusak said.
13 July at 13:25
Strange that this was published almost 18 hours after The Phuket News report. Which is the fake news, I wonder?
With empty beaches, chained doors, tourists being hospitalized and quarantined with covid, Delta variant on the loose, and tourists being told - "if they don't like it they can go home", one could assume it's not going very well...LOL
If I want any FACTS regarding what's going on in Thailand (on any topic) I usually ask Jai and he reports back from information he gets on-line from Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms. A large percentage of the Thai population do the same.
Thai newspapers constantly contradict each other and routinely provide false information which is the reason most of the Thai Educated Class avoid the newspapers. The major newspapers are controlled by the Ruling Class and sometimes used as a means of swaying public opinion. Kind of like Fox and CNN in the U.S.
Brad, I don't find the situation in Phuket amusing at all. What I do find amusing is the fact that some people actually thought it would be a success during a time when a tidal wave of covid (including the Delta variant) is sweeping across the Kingdom kicking ass and taking names. A nine year old could see the writing on the wall. That's what so amusing to me. I've only been saying this for 5 months!
The locals will stop sulferering when they get enough quality vaccine in Thailand to keep the population safe so they can flatten the curve on reported cases - open their businesses again safely - and get the economy moving again. We don't have to like the solution. We don't have to agree on the solution. But, it's the only solution and we'd better find a way to live with it.
I'm not sure what they expect here.
For a start, the initial requirement to vaccinate 70% of the population before starting the sandbox scheme clearly means they expect some tourists to have covid. Otherwise, they wouldn't need to have the vaccinations first.
So some incoming tourists have covid, which ought to be as expected. The requirement to test before arrival ought to reduce the incidence rate, but not eliminate the risk. Particularly if the tourists come from a country where it's easy to obtain a fraudulent covid test certificate, the testing might not help at all. There are ways to tighten that up, such as restrict the list of countries, or take a lateral flow test for every passenger at check in (only 30 minutes).
As for the 70% vaccinations, surely that's intended to stop the spread of covid ? Except it's very unlikeley to be enough. The R value for the original Alpha strain was reported to be between 3 and 4. With a vaccine that has 100% effectiveness at stopping spread, 70% might be borderline for herd immunity at R=3.33.
Except they now have the Delta strain which has a considerably higher R.
And no vaccine has 100% effectiveness at stopping spread.
We also don't know what vaccines were used on Phuket, but if it's Sinovac, it would be much less effective.
So they have some covid cases among tourists, which must be as expected ?
Are they finally realizing that vaccinating 70% of the population will not be enough ? (particularly if using Sinovac)
[Disclaimer: The above is based on common sense and I do not claim to be an expert]
Do we even know if they were able to vaccinate 70% of the Phuket residents?
They were struggling like all other provinces getting enough vaccine for even a small percentage of the population, and then came the claim (supported by TAT of course) that they hit their 70% goal. I really hate sounding so negative about this, but I personally don't buy it for a minute.
IMO...Once the third wave hit, accompanied by the Delta variant, and cases in Thailand starting skyrocketing, they should have postponed the Phuket Sandbox. By not postponing it they have put both Phuket residents and tourists at risk, and now, as unfortunate as it is, have ruined Phuket's reputation as a desirable vacation spot during and after this pandemic which could further damage the economy They were warned against this repeatedly, but decided not to heed that advice.
A reminder of the economic pressures to try to find a path forward.
Quote:
But the dependence of at least seven million workers on tourism, which contributes to about 20 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product, has left the government with little choice but to start taking calculated risks to ease open the borders. Other Southeast Asian nations are watching closely.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-h...iment-success/Quote:
By Thursday, 5,473 had flown into Phuket under the strict terms of the Sandbox. The largest number of arrivals have come from the United States, with the UK, United Arab Emirates, Israel and Germany all in the top five.
Quote:
While there isn’t any survey of arrivals to determine if they are returning expats or holiday-making tourists, they did cite the statistic that 858 of these arrivals were Thai nationals. That number, less than 17% of all arrivals, might surprise Sandbox sceptics that believed a large portion of those passengers were only Thai people stuck abroad during Covid-19 and finally returning home.
https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/m...ox-other-statsQuote:
Finally, the meeting reviewed the hospital and vaccine situation in Phuket, noting that 109 beds out of 640 beds total are currently occupied, with 76 people currently being treated for Covid-19. Vaccinations were also resuming tomorrow with the Ministry of Public Health reserving more vaccines for Phuket.
Some encouragement for Russian and UK Tourists.
Quote:
The Phuket Tourist Association believes that the results so far can be reassuring to the global travel community and a few upcoming changes could allow foreigners to come back in much higher numbers. Russian travellers were a huge demographic before Covid-19 and trade groups are urging the government to approve the Sputnik vaccine to open the Sandbox door to the Russian market to return in October. Another big game-changer is that British citizens currently have to quarantine upon returning to the United Kingdom as Thailand is on its amber list, but that restriction is lifting next Monday. No longer having to isolate after a Phuket holiday will likely see an increase in UK tourists arriving in Thailand.
Estimates by the PTA predict the Phuket Sandbox will see 18,000 travellers in July, 30,000 more in August, and 35,000 in September, bringing third-quarter totals to 83,000 travellers. 12,000 hotel rooms have been booked already, and even accounting for 20% who delayed their travels and 13% who cancelled their bookings that’s still between 8,000 and 9,000 new hotel rooms being filled this quarter. Luxury resorts that were seeing occupancy rates of under 10% are now booking out about 20% of their inventory.
https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/p...-uk-travellers
https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/n...phuket-sandboxQuote:
Yesterday saw 7 international flights arrive with 3 from Europe with Thai Airways, 2 on Singapore Airlines and one each from Emirates and Qatar Airways from the Middle East. Domestic flights have been added as well, including service to and from Pattaya and Koh Samui for the Samui Plus programme.
Covid-19 vaccination in Phuket has been relatively successful compared to other regions in Thailand. With a goal set to inoculate 466,000 people, 88% or 411,000 people have received their first vaccine, while 321,000 people, 69%, have been fully vaccinated with 2 doses. almost 451,000 people in total had registered already to get their vaccines.
I watch TheTiger News 5 days a week and the information is pretty good. They are certainly not "yes men" and are critical enough. However, Thailand had to start somewhere and they did. They allocated their vaccine inventory primarily to Phuket and I do believe that there is a high % of vaccinated people, Thai and foreign.
These are all building blocks to slowly get to the new normal, whatever that is. For example, first people came to stay 14 days in Phuket, but now you are allowed to visit a lot of other places after only 7 days. Each change will appeal to different - and eventually - more and more people. Some of us would only go when Thailand is fully open, and others are willing to deal with some restrictions.
Personally, I can't stand the mandatory Covid insurance. When I get COVID, my European health Insurance is going to pay 100% Which means, I'm paying for an insurance that I will never use. Well, I'm satisfying some bureaucrats. We are talking about Thailand and things don't always make sense. I think that we all have long lists of things that we don't agree with, or understand.
What they are doing now (IMO) is a very good way of slowly opening up the country where possible.
I believe Thailand is the ONLY country demanding insurance coverage, and at USD$100,000 in order to enter the country...CRAZY in my opinion....no wonder many will not go...
You are obsessed with this tiny detail, and despite repeatedly being pointed to where you can obtain this for a minute premium, compared to the cost of your trip, you keep moaning on and on about it like an elephant's delayed orgasm. Thailand is very far from the only country requiring this cover. There are over 30 countries listed here!
https://www.william-russell.com/blog...nce-for-entry/
I just did some shopping around for insurance, as I'm now planning to go hang out in Malta for about 6 months while I wait for Asia to open up again. It's $180 for 6 months of $100,000 coverage. That's hardly going to break the bank.
Even if they didn't mandate insurance for all visitors, why in the world would you ever travel internationally during a pandemic without health insurance? You'd have to be a total moron to do that.
And I'm glad I did! But the requirements when I entered Cambodia where on the cusp of "not viable, stay in Germany or go somewhere else (South America)". It was about 80 USD for Forte (Cambodian company) health insurance against Covid for a month (other health insurances in principle accepted, but Forte was straightforward and worked for everyone else, whereas with other health insurances you would need documentation that it fulfills all requirements).
This is a slight misrepresentation of procedures. To enter Thailand, you have to apply for a COE (not required for Cambodia), and you have to submit your ASQ booking. There is an initial outlay of money for the booking, at least a partial payment. Some hotels want full payment and don't allow cancellations or alterations!
I prefer the Cambodian way. The money is in my pocket until I am on Cambodian soil, and I don't have to book a hotel (compare hotels, inquire about vacancies, check their small print).
These two (no COE, no ASQ booking) contributed to the fact that I went to Cambodia instead of Thailand. While I had everything arranged for Cambodia, but was still in Germany, Thailand allowed entry for tourists. I could have changed my travel plans, the only loss would have been the visa for Cambodia. But I'm very uncomfortable with COE and ASQ booking, and I didn't want to be among the first to enter Thailand, neither did I want to wait a month for reports of others who entered on a tourist visa and passed ASQ.
Thailand trying to protect the first seeds of the new tourism industry in Phuket from the current local surge in infections. Well, new tourism industry because the sandbox only started four weeks ago. I would love to go, but sadly I am not convinced. Too many complications for me, others are more intrepid.
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-p...es-2021-07-29/
From what this says, the Phuket sandbox experiment might get suspended shortly. 125 cases in the past week, while the government set a weekly threshold of 90 to keep the program open. Schools and venues closed, I guess.
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/phuket-t...urge-1.1633243
After reading your constant stream of positive comments about the Sandbox for the past 5 months, I'm surprised you're not already there.
I guess there are too many complications and too much risk for YOU - but it's OK with you if other people stick there necks out.
Go figure!
My windows for a trip are in the next couple of months. Had I gone to Thailand, being able to travel outside Phuket, after the sandbox quarantine, to see friends and family would have been an important part of my trip. Sadly it’s the rapid covid spread in the rest of Thailand, and the restrictions that causes, that was the final element in the decision not to travel at this time.
Meanwhile over 13,000 tourists have made use of the Phuket sandbox in the first month, providing some benefit to the local hospitality businesses, and I am happy for them.
Why Phuket's Sandbox pilot project matters to other islands in Asia
"To be fair to Thailand, this is designed to be a longer-term project, building up towards the peak season from December to March," Gary Bowerman, the director of travel trends and research company Check-in Asia and co-host of the South East Asia Travel Show podcast, tells CNN Travel.
"And when you are the first to re-open in the region, it is inevitable that you are going to get some things wrong. But Thailand has been able to stress-test some of its airports, hotel systems and new-era protocols. At the moment, the whole travel ecosystem is trying to work out what happens next, and this is made more difficult by the rapid spread of the Delta variant in Southeast Asia."
Useful article from CNN that explains the significance of the Phuket Sandbox not only to Thailand but to other asian countries as well.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/artic...cmd/index.html
I very much see the sense in the Phuket sandbox as a pilot scheme. Test, optimise, expand. If the clowns in charge of the show are capable of doing that.
I've also taken the view that Thailand ought to resolve at least the current covid wave before the peak season, when I would like to take a holiday.
However, at the moment performance is not very impressive, with half hearted lockdown measures, resulting in cases continuing to rise every day and a very slow vaccine procurement programme. So my confidence is decreasing slightly at present.
Agree 100% with goji.
I’m hoping to return, to avoid the UK winter, in either mid November or mid December. That’s 3 or 4 months away and a lot can happen in that time.
If the entertainment areas are still closed I will look elsewhere.
I’m hoping that is not going to be the case.
Interesting Sandbox experience. First time I've seen a video from this channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3PDOhHP6oI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3PDOhHP6oI
That is a good and informative video. Thanks for posting.
At the beginning I thought this was just another whiny-voiced net-nerd vloging useless trash, but I stuck with it and I came to like his presentation style and enjoyed hearing his first-hand experience - from someone it seems who had no previous experience of Thailand. Recommended.
The rape and murder of a Swiss lady tourist in Phuket is likely to hurt the Sandbox nonsense rather badly I think. RIP poor lady.
Interesting that the BBC etc aren't (yet) referring to any possible rape allegation there yet though and indeed aren't even reporting that the lady was murdered (yet) but merely that she was found dead and are quoting that an autopsy report is due later.
I see though that they are reporting that "local officials" are taking about it being murder and that the Thai foreign ministry have already sent their condolences on the "murder" of a Swiss national to the Swiss Ambassador. So it seems that someone in Thailand isn't "on message" to "say nothing until we find out what happened here" quite yet perhaps.
Thanks for posting.
Very informative video, but no surprise for those of us who live in Thailand who knew how screwed up this Sandtrap would become.
Anyone considering visiting Phuket in 2021 should watch this video first - and then book their tickets for somewhere else.
As a side note: The guy who recorded this video has the patience of a saint.
Below is another video shot by a tourist caught in the Phuket Sandtrap.
He mentions the word "closed" about 30 times and then the video ends.
Come on Brad (the Dali Impala), I'm sure the tourists that made the mistake of going would love to hear your explanation as to how this Sandtrap was actually a huge success.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XhXyjnyjjg
Perhaps it was a quicksand trap and it swallowed steviewonders.
Here’s a much more upbeat report on a sandbox trip to Phuket.
https://www.turningleftforless.com/w...-sandbox-stay/