Phuket sandbox scheme for Covid-19 not quite the resounding success as expected

Over the summer, on the first of July, Thailand opened the “Phuket sandbox:” a quarantine-requirement-free destination for tourists from lower risk countries designed to test the country’s resilience to the virus and revive part of its economy. To prepare for the re-opening, the island’s vaccination process was fast tracked. On July 1st, 70% of Phuket had at least one dose, compared to 7% of the country. Upon proof of vaccination, a negative test prior to departure, and another upon arrival, leisure-seekers from primarily the US, Britain, western Europe, and the UAE (and soon India) are allowed to jump right into the island instead of needing to wait to complete a 14-day quarantine period like those entering the rest of Thailand. However, they may find Phuket a bit more empty than expected. 

The Thai government originally forecasted that 129k tourists would visit in the third quarter before dropping the estimate to 100k. Now over two thirds of the way into the quarter, they are 75% under that target with only 26,400 visitors. The 14-day quarantine unsurprisingly also has few takers. The Thai government forecasts 500k visitors in 2021 compared to over 40 million in 2019.

This massive drop in tourism—at a low since the Asian financial crisis—has significant ramifications on Thailand and its people. In the country, tourism is responsible for ~⅕ of the economy—double the global average. The pandemic has nearly eviscerated the livelihoods for a significant portion of Thai. Strangely, Thai employment numbers have not decreased as much as other countries; however, they do not account for anyone who works “informally” (as many in Tourist regions do) and just one hour of work a week counts as employment. That said, their struggles and the devastating effects of the pandemic can instead be seen through their stories: Thewan Phromyang, a beach vendor of chairs in Phuket said that they now “barely have any income … We can only feed ourselves,” a T-shirt vendor in Bangkok remarked that she “could not earn a single pennie,” and a Taxi driver forced by the pandemic to stop driving has started working in construction. Over 1.6 million Thai from tourist areas have relocated back to rural areas from being unable to support themselves, and the average income on Phuket is forecasted to be below the poverty line.

Despite the economic and personal strain, Thailand has pushed back their fuller tourism reopening up to three times for many areas (including Chiang Mai) to November 1st. The Thai government is evidently prioritizing the safety of its people against the delta variant, but the question remains at what cost?

Remaining questions: I saw a quote from a vendor saying they fully supported the Phuket sandbox—is that the average sentiment or do others prioritize health over going back to work? What did workers think of tourists before the pandemic versus now?