"Sandbox"

The number of foreign tourists preparing to visit Thailand in July shrank by more than 50 per cent after the Centre for Economic Situation Administration (CESA) decided to hike the minimum stay requirements for the "Phuket Sandbox" starting July 1.

The Phuket sandbox campaign, which kicks off on July 1, could bring in up to 1.2 million foreign tourists until the year-end, according to a recent prediction by Kasikorn Research Centre.

Many foreigners took to the Facebook group “Phuket Sandbox – Better Phuket By I Asia Thailand” to express discontent and opposition to the latest regulation that requires international tourists to stay in the province for 14 days under the sandbox scheme before they can travel to other provinces.

Thai Airways International (THAI) will fly foreign tourists from European cities to Phuket from July 2, when the island reopens to international travellers.

The Centre for Economic Situation Administration (CESA) on Friday approved the launch of the tourism sandbox programme in Phuket starting July 1, Minister of Tourism and Sports Pipat Ratchakitprakarn said.

Deputy Phuket governor Phichet Panaphong on Thursday held a meeting with the communicable disease committee, provincial public health office and representatives from the private sector at the city hall to discuss preparations and progress of the “Phuket Tourism Sandbox” campaign to be launched on July 1.

Phuket will reopen to foreign tourists as scheduled in July, Deputy Prime Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow confirmed via Facebook on Tuesday.

The government plans to reopen the country to foreign tourists in three phases, Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said on Monday.

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) has applied to participate in the Energy Regulatory Commission of Thailand’s (ERC) sandbox campaign to test run new technology and innovations in energy, Egat Research and Innovation director Somchai Chokmawiroj said.

The Office of the Energy Regulatory Commission of Thailand (ERC) announced 34 projects will be implemented under their regulatory sandbox campaign that includes major energy players from both the private and public sectors, such as PTT Group and BCPG .

The Ministry of Energy aims to lower the electricity cost to less than Bt3.60 per unit, apart from carrying out several other initiatives, according to Energy Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong .

Thai Fintech Association (TFTA) president Jessada Sookdhis presided at the signing this week of an agreement to launch the “F13 Fintech sandbox”.