Phuket Fair will attract tourists back to Thailand

Thursday, February 17, 2022

The fair has done well in providing an event to entertain local residents and a place to go to enjoy a traditional Thai fair, but has done very little to help attract what Phuket needs most, tourists.

“It is expected that this year will continue to cause economic losses to the tourism industry, especially in Phuket.

Chalong Municipality recognises the importance of solving problems which affect the economy, especially in tourism,” said Chalong Municipality Deputy Mayor ChetthanasakLukchan at the event last night (Feb 14).

“Chalong Municipality coordinated with Phuket Provincial Government agencies and the private sector to hold this seafood and local food festival, which focuses on driving the community economy,” he added.

Deputy Mayor Chetthanasak noted, “Phuket is a world-class tourist city, but the COVID-19 situation has resulted in tourist attractions and related tourism services being affected, leaving us unable to provide normal services.”

Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew also attended formal activities at the fair yesterday, which featured a variety of traditional Thai dance performances before progressing to more modern entertainment, including Thai ‘plengcheewit’ (‘life songs’) folk music, a performance by a charming youngster and even a rock band to conclude the evening’s festivities.

Governor Narong noted that the lack of tourists over the past two years has allowed the sea and coastal areas to recover, “thus turning the crisis into an opportunity for nature to recuperate”.

“All agencies in Phuket must prepare to welcome both Thai and foreign tourists and provide measures to support the prevention and maintenance of service standards, especially restaurant establishments and various tourist attractions in Chalong,” he added.

“It will build confidence in the safety of tourists during COVID-19 situation and help the tourism industry to continue its activities under the New Normal model because Phuket is a province that depends mainly on the tourism industry,” he said.

“Organising this project will distribute income to business owners and people in Chalong as well,” he added.
However, the latest figures from tourism officials have yet to show any recovery in tourism arrivals since the Test & Go entry scheme resumed on Feb 1 under the revised requirements, including an extra compulsory PCR test on Day 5 of tourists’ stay.

The Phuket Reopening Daily Report issued by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) for yesterday (Feb 14) showed only 3,875 arrivals in total, presenting no increase since before the Test & Go scheme was suspended.

Of the arrivals yesterday, 1,200 were Test & Go tourists, 2,586 were Sandbox arrivals. A further 34 entered Thailand under Alternative Quarantine requirements while 55 were recorded as transit passengers.

The arrivals landed in Phuket on 21 flights, the report noted.

Meanwhile, the Phuket Immigration report marking international arrivals issued yesterday (Feb 14) confirmed that Russia was still Phuket’s top source market, with 45,925 arrivals landing in Phuket since Nov 1.

German nationals placed second with 23,581 arrivals followed by the UK (18,903), Sweden (13,196), France (12,745), Kazakhstan (10,353).

Of the 250,943 arrivals who entered Thailand through Phuket airport since Nov 1, only 9,891 were Thais, the report showed.

Of greater concern was the number of tourist arrivals testing positive on Day 6 of their stay on the island, as noted in a report by the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO).

The report, simply called the “Phuket Daily Report”, showed that 4,727 arrivals had been “screened” by swab tests yesterday (Feb 13). Of those, 92 tested positive.

Of the 2,803 people tested on “Day 0” of their stay (i.e. on landing at Phuket airport), 30 tested positive.

But of the 1,924 people tested on Day 6 of their stay, 62 tested positive, the report confirmed.

In total, of the arrivals tested for COVID-19 from Feb 1-13, of the 37,198 “Day 0” tests conducted, 806 tested positive (2.17%), but of the 34,333 tested on “Day 6” of their stay, 1,223 tested positive (3.56%).

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