I am in Phuket now and have been here for a month. I came as part of the Phuket Sandbox and will probably stay until the UK government recognizes it is colour blind. Under the Sandbox(as was - now there is a 7+7 option) you have to pre-book 14 days in an SHA plus hotel, pay for 3 PCR tests and transport from the airport to your hotel. You also need to get a COE from the Thai Embassy. Despite some horror stories I found that process easy as long as you followed the rules. I have no doubt that going in August meant the process was a bit smoother, For the first 14 nights you have to spend every night at the hotel but you can bring overnight "guests". The hotel I stayed in had a bar that was open from lunchtime through to 9pm every day and you could drink as much as you wanted. After the 14 days you get a "release letter" which lets you go anywhere in Thailand.
There has been a lot written about the ban on alcohol. Well, its bollocks. In a month I have only been refused a beer on two occasions and one of them was a Muslim run restaurant. Sometimes you get the beer in coffee mugs, sometimes in bottles but you can always get beer and wine and cocktails. I was in a bar tonight where I ordered a Chang which came in beer glass and the waitress put an empty bottle of Heineken 0,0 next to the beer and said "in case the police come". However I don't think the police give a toss. I was drinking in a bar two nights ago where there were three police drinking beer and still in uniform!
Just about all the massage shops are open everywhere in Phuket, some are legit but many offer extras. Massage with extras is usually 1300 baht but the extras vary. For 1300 I have had a two handed massage plus happy ending but bbbj and pussy licking with MiMi in Kamala for the same amount. A very enthusiastic FS in Nai Yang for only 1500 complete with screaming orgasms. Some of the masseuses used to work in the bars and are available for ST and LT.
£1 = 45Baht (£1 = 37 baht last time I was here)
I stayed in Patong for my 14 days but this was a mistake. Patong is very quiet. There were a couple of girlie bars open in Bangla Road and there was a pop up bar there I used many times. However Bangla Road is dead compared with what it used to be. Even the McDonalds are shut!
If I was doing the Sandbox now I would definitely stay in Rawai/Sai Yuan. I am currently staying in Sai Yuan in a £12 a night deluxe double room in a 4* hotel with pool and which has no joiners fee. Within a 5 minute walk there are 4 girlie bars, 7 massage shops and a couple of decent restaurants. The girlie bars have now got restaurant licenses and some will warm up some food for you in a microwave - but they don't actually have any other cooking facilities. Others do do some decent food. Most of the massage shops stay open until 11pm. All the "restaurants" are supposed to close at 9pm and the legit ones do but I have been in two of the girlie bars until after midnight. Prices for short time vary from 1000 to 2000 baht. Long time 2000 to 3000 baht. I have, paid 3000 twice but wouldn't pay that much again. The bar fine can be 300 baht but it's not always been charged. Quality of the girls is not always great but there is choice and not much competition. Usually 6-12 girls in a bar. Beer prices vary a lot, 55 Baht to 100 baht. Chang generally a bit cheaper than Leo or Singha. San Mig often most expensive. Lady drinks - I have been quoted 100 - 250. I won't pay more than 150. Times are hard.
Of the other tourist areas, Karon and Kata are dead and mostly derelict. I can't see how these two places will ever recover. When I think what Karon used to be like... Bangla road is a dead but the buildings are being maintained and will be easy to re-open when the law allows. Of the northern beaches Nai Thon is dead. Nothing is open not even 7/11 or Family Mart. Mai Khao beach is dead and derelict. Nai Yang is open and I have had some good times there. It's a lovely little beach as well. I will be spending more time at Nai Yang as well as Rawai/Sai Yuan. Kamala beach was lively with 4-5 genuine restaurants but no girlie bars, Kamala generally is opening up though. I first went there soon after I first arrived and it was dead but now there are several bars open and punters in evidence, I expect to spend a couple of days there next week so I will report back. I haven't been to Phuket old town yet so no idea what that's like.
Aside from enjoying the punting I have loved my time here. I was last in Phuket just under two years ago and didn't like it that much, It was heaving with tourists, traffic was awful, everything was expensive and I felt I was being ripped off at every opportunity. On this trip I had originally planned to go on to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin and Pattaya but the virus is pretty shit in mainland Thailand and there are lots of lockdowns, Now I will just stay in Phuket. If Phuket was like it is now all the time I could live here even if driving is more like playing Asteroids than real driving!