Normally I go out to the overseas trip during year end holiday season but this year, as you know, due to the Corona virus, I had no choice but to stay at Thailand to spend holidays.
Although there was a cluster case found in Samut Sakhon province next to Bangkok and spotted cases reported in all over Thailand, the Government didn’t prohibit domestic trip so I dare went out to trip to Phuket 4 days at the end of 2020.
Government has been trying to boost domestic trip since it is almost impossible to lure tourists from overseas due to compulsory 14 days quarantine after entering to Thailand. Despite this effort, tourism industries in Phuket are significantly been suffered, this is because main target is in this-world famous resort is for foreigners not Thai people who seems not choosing Phuket as holiday escape.
During my trip, I walked around main commercial areas in Phuket, Patong beach. The pictures tells how it is like in Phuket.
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| Jungceylon shopping center, main mall in Patong beach |
Below is the pictures inside the Jungceylon mall, many stores and restaurants remain close since no foreign visitors come.
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| Products removed from Top Charoen grass shop |
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| Second floor is closed
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| Food street is closed. |
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| Not only KFC but Haagen dazs, Starbucks also closed. |
Shops in Robinson mall are almost all open but very few customers I saw during lunch time.
There is Central department store in front of Jungceylon mall. It operates only underground supermarket and cosmetic shops at ground floor. The escalator to 2nd floor was blocked as in the picture.
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| Opens 11am |
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| Escalator to 2nd floor is blocked. |
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| Supermarket and some shops are open. |
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| Food court is closed. |
At 9 pm, I came back to roam in the Bangla street which is main night spot in Phuket. The situation is terrible as you might imagine. There seems less customers than bar workers.
As picture attached above, Phuket tourism is devastating I would say since foreign tourist is not yet coming back. The government is now trying to attract the tourist to Phuket and other areas with 14 days quarantine package in beach area but I am doubting if it can turn around the situation. Anyway, Corona virus is still wide-spreading in the world and now it’s coming back to be prevailed in Thailand too, so I am sure that it will take more time to see the tourists in Phuket as before.
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