Phuket draws tourists despite rising Thailand virus cases

BANGKOK (AP) — A week into an ambitious but risky plan to open the Thai resort island of Phuket to vaccinated visitors, signs were encouraging that the gambit to resuscitate the decimated tourism industry was working, even as infections elsewhere in the country surged Thursday to record highs.

After seeing fewer than 5,000 foreign travelers over the first five months of the year, the island off Thailand's southwest coast, whose economy is 95% reliant on the tourist industry, welcomed 2,399 visitors during the first week of July.

The so-called Phuket sandbox plan relies on a strategy of vaccinations, testing and restrictions — measures that officials are hoping are strict enough to mitigate any COVID-19 threat, while still providing enough freedom for tourists to enjoy a beach vacation.

In the week before the sandbox started on July 1, Phuket saw 17 new cases of the coronavirus. The numbers climbed the first week, but remained low at 27 new cases.

At the same time, Thailand as a whole has seen a spike in infections, with a record 7,058 cases reported Thursday with 75 deaths, which has made many skeptical about pursuing the Phuket reopening at this time.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has come under personal fire for his handling of the surge, and political cartoons have depicted him sitting on the beach enjoying himself while Thais die from the virus.

Prayuth was also forced to self-isolate this week after a businessman he had contact with at the sandbox launch tested positive for COVID-19.

Last-minute issues with the program meant some cancelations before it even began, and the initial target of 30,000 visitors for July was reduced to 18,000. Bhummikitti Ruktaengam, president of Phuket Tourism Association, said now that the program is up and running he expects...