Updated June 30 Thailand bets on ‘Phuket sandbox’ program to save tourism The industry has been devastated by the pandemic, and nowhere has it been felt more than on the resort island off the country's southern coast. By TASSANEE VEJPONGSA and DAVID RISINGAssociated Press Read Article Waves break on the empty tourist beach of Patong on Phuket, southern Thailand, on Tuesday. Thailand’s government will begin the “Phuket Sandbox” scheme to bring the tourists back to Phuket starting Thursday. Even though coronavirus numbers are again rising around the rest of Thailand and prompting new lockdown measures, officials say there’s too much at stake not to forge ahead with the plan to reopen the island to fully vaccinated travelers.