Suchart Khomkham, CEO of the Freedom Dolphin Co Ltd, explained that the tourism business is getting better with a higher number of customers from the Phuket Sandbox scheme.
“Before this we had about six or seven customers per day, but right now we have about 30 clientsper day,” he said.
“We check all tourists whether they have been vaccinated. Then they need to scan their faces and scan the code of Thai Chana location system. While tourists go into the water, staff on each boat cleans up everything by spraying alcohol solution every three hours,” he said.
“Before this, we took some 60 tourists on board of each boat, but now we reduced the number to 30 tourists per boat to have space for social distancing,” he said.
Songsak Charoenchai, a tour guide of Phuket Honeymoon Tour, explained that the number of their customers is also getting healthier.
“At Chalong pier, staff will check tourists’ body temperature and Mor Chana app to see whether they are sandbox tourists. Our company already received an SHA+ certificate, and we clean up our boats and diving equipment every day,” he said.
“Today our clients saw a group of 20 dolphins jumping and coming to welcome our tourists while they were on the way to Kon Maithon in Rawai,” he said.
A Thai tourist from Phuket Sandbox
Sirirat Moothongchun, a Thai arrival who just flew from England under the Phuket Sandbox scheme, explained that she did not want to quarantine in Bangkok, so she flew to Phuket.
“The testing process before coming and after arriving was easy and fast. When the test on arrivals came out, the hotel receptionist informed me the result was negative and allowed me out,” she said.
“I just had the second test yesterday (July 16) and will be tested again next week. All hotel employees keep social distance from sandbox tourists. Before going out of Phuket, I think I will be so safe and clean (sic.),” she added.