Chiang Mai Bill

One assumes that all staff at these golf resorts: reception, caddies, professionals, greenkeepers, catering staff, housekeeping staff, delivery drivers, maintenance men will all be tested -- regularly?

And the wealthy 'quaranteers' will also be checked regularly of course -- and perhaps play in 'bubbles' of 2, 3, or 4 people only -- to ensure containment should any test positive?

One also assumes that all this will have been taken into . . . 'consideration'?

9 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

There is nothing wrong with restaurants selling alcohol providing it is managed correctly QED  

But anyone but an idiot would know that many would abuse it!

Most of the new infections were discovered in Rayong (56 cases), where  the province has been put under the strictest measures in a bid to contain the spread of the virus. 

Elsewhere, new cases were reported in Bangkok (19), Nakhon Pathom (18), Chonburi (6), Samut Prakan (5), Nonthaburi (3), Nakhon Nayok (2), Pathum Thani (2), Chiang Mai, Lopburi, Samut Sakhon and Sukhothai (1 each)

Figures of the number of 'Testings' are not exactly 'brandished' about by the Thai Authorities.

Were the above cases purely close contacts of known infected persons? Are the masses being randomly tested?  Will the testing in Rayong be widespread now due to the 54 cases whom, no doubt, would have spread themselves around a bit?

6 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

The expensive flight monopoly that Bangkok Airways has doesn't help. I just looked and the cheapest return flight BKK - USM is 4,460 baht. Add to that the still relatively expensive hotels and it is little wonder that holidaymakers are going elsewhere.

Also the excessive prices the 'better' restaurants charge -- and the cost of taxis!  Lots of other places to go!

17 hours ago, GeorgeCross said:

 

wait, what?!

 

do these guys even know what at-risk groups actually are?

 

 

Police, military, politicians, and the rich elite first -- followed by civil servants and local government -- then medical staff and some of the 'lucky' vulnerable -- followed by those in the cities that manage to get first in the queue before the 26 million doses run out!

Strange that they've only ordered 26 million doses!

How strange!  The logic of this decision is beyond belief when taking into account the annual death toll on Thai roads.  

I wonder at the education these fellas had.

No Bank guarantees. High Baht. 49% ownership. Lack of English-speakers. A written language only Thais can understand. Too much paperwork. Too much duplication. Poor education standards. Crime. Drugs. Corruption of police and many public employees . . .

Could go on forever!  But hey-ho, the Thai officials know best!

14 hours ago, AmySeeker said:

Out of the 40,000 that have returned - how many tested positive in quarantine ? The hospitals are making some big money. 

Perhaps that number contains returning Thais and Burmese workers?

20 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

It all begins with interest of the world outside, which is lacking. The incentive is 0.

I taught English in a rural Thai school. The vast majority of students from 8 to 14 years had absolutely no incentive to learn English. They saw few English-speakers and saw no need ever to converse with them. Their parents were farm or manual workers and gave no encouragement. The few children whose parents owned shops, restaurants, or were police or similar 'prestige' (!) jobs considered themselves superior to the others and swaggered through lessons basting they were too 'big' to learn.

A few -- just a few -- were willing. They suffered.

7 hours ago, MadMuhammad said:

It’s looking likely that airlines may demand proof of vaccination. Qantas has already stated such 

 

https://www.ft.com/content/8a59043d-df0d-45c1-b870-2780f06c5d1e

 

Official proof of having the vaccine seems a very logical approach. However, I wonder what the practicalities of issuing 'official' documentation would be when the millions of vaccinations take place?  The tremendous effort of just giving the vaccinations to the masses will be a very formidable task never mind the filling in of an official form for every person!

And an 'international' form in the same format for all languages seems unlikely -- which may cause a problem for Thai Immigration officials who would be required to scrutinise such a form -- especially seeing many are not . . . 'multi-lingual' in speech never mind the written word!

9 hours ago, canopus1969 said:

Just checked 0n IQ Air map  - the Gov's numbers do not seem to stack up

 

 

Ahhhh, but the Government's figures make the people feel better!  Your figures are a bit too scarey for the Government to release!

9 hours ago, Billpro785 said:

What hoops ? Applied via the Thai embassy website in my country, took 10 minutes and less than 24 hours got my COE . 

Obviously, in your country you can get covid tested and the results immediately to enable you to get to your plane within 72 hours!  Not possible in the UK -- many have to wait 5 days or more to get their result.  And virtually impossible to obtain a 'fit to fly' bit of paper from our doctors! 

And I'm not sure that pre-booking a flight with guaranteed covid-positive cancellation is offered by many airlines!

Yes, there are many good hospitals in Bangkok -- 'possibly' one in Chiang Mai.  There are also many good dentists in Thailand.

They offer good, quick solutions to many and much cheaper than paying for private medical services in their home country -- and without paying massive medicare bills each year.

But, should Thailand become the medical centre of the world then, with popularity and growing customers, the old Thai culture will creep in and prices will go up and they will eventually lose their initiative.

9 minutes ago, chilli42 said:

My advice to K Achiraya is to go back and (re)read her market research reports.  My instinct is that tourists come to Thailand for many reasons but I think this particular reason will be very low on the list.

It's pretty obvious that Thailand needs to introduce good ''foreign blood'' into it's political structure.  Thai nationals seem to have little knowledge of reality and economics! Probably down to poor education and/or appointments made to ''favoured'' -- or rich -- friends and relatives.

5 hours ago, Sametboy2019 said:

Achiraya Thammaparipatana of Hivesters thinks it is time to reconnect with what every tourist wants - to understand more about the real Thailand. 

She claimed that everyone wants to learn about things like weaving bags and baskets and mats, fishing and painting on handicrafts and the like.

 

How deluded! When Thais visit Holland do they want to know how windmills work, how to make cheese and grow tulips and wear wooden shoes?

People travel to see new things, enjoy architecture, mountains, beaches, good food and relax. Now Thailand can offer these things. What it needs to do is improve what they already have and implement changes to some of their stupid rules.

1.Not being able to buy alcohol between 2-5pm. 

2. Reduce import tax on alcohol. The decent beer or wine prices here are crazy.

3.Clean up the streets and sort out the dog and cat problems.

4. Improve service and English.

With the Baht being so high tourists will not accept the low standards like they did 10-15 years ago.

People will also mention the roads but i cant see that improving unless the roads are policed because Thais just do as they please in general and dont worry about the consequences of their actions.

 

1. I can 'just about' live with the ban on alcohol between 2-5pm.

2. Yep! Reduce the tax on alochol!  But wasn't the tax increased 2 years ago to deter the Thais from drinking so much -- especially wine which we all know they drink great quantities of!!!

3. Local authorities should educate and prosecute those that dump rubbish  -- especially in tourist areas!

4. But why improve spoken 'English' -- ''There has been little recovery in Thailand with the previous top three markets - the Chinese, Russians and Malaysians - all absent along with the money they used to bring.''  The English-speaking -- and many Europeans -- don't really count, obviously!

Seems very strange to introduce price increases to taxi fares when there is a dearth of tourists.  Seems like the old Thai idea of 'when profits dip, increase prices' still persists!

7 hours ago, realfunster said:

 

Sweet Jesus, and this guy is in a position of authority ? What a meaningless comment.

The Baht has strengthened consistently against USD for 6 months, this on the back of one of the worst performing stock markets in Asia, which is still 15% down on pre-COVID valuation. (1,350 vs 1,600)

I know, as I am feeling the pain with my LTF & RMF investments !

And also a Government whose officials make wild, contradictory, inane comments on a regular basis!  

NESDC's announcement that it expects the economy to grow by between 3.5 and 4.5% next year, driven by rising domestic demands, recovery of the world economy, trade, government spending and economic stimulus -- and public investment rising by 18.5% in the second quarter certainly wouldn't attract my big money -- if I had any!  The World Economy 'may' take a little longer than 2021 to recover due to unemployment and massive government debts that have to be repaid!  And I am sceptical that the mass of the Thai public will have much disposable income to spend next year!

On 11/16/2020 at 8:30 AM, RotBenz8888 said:

I read that tourism employ more than 10m people. So what will the other 8m do? 

I've read that a Government official claimed 4 million -- but certainly wouldn't dispute your figures taking into account those non-registered, family, and casual workers.

But it beggars belief that there are STILL 2 million workers working in the tourist industry -- without any tourists for the best part of this year!  

1 hour ago, HarrySeaman said:

The Pfizer vaccine is undergoing a small and limited first clinical trial.  Subjects are randomly and blindly assigned to ones who receive the vaccine and those that receive a dummy vaccine. 

 

If anyone in the study group becomes infected they are investigated, and part of that investigation is to find out if they are in the vaccinated group or the group that got a dummy vaccine.  So far the numbers infected are very small, but most of those infected are in the group that got the dummy vaccine.  A larger clinical test needs to be done to determine the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.  It is really fortune telling to clam that the vaccine is 90% effective at this point.

A small and limited trial?  30,000 volunteers in the USA, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, S. Africa!

15 minutes ago, Walter Travolta said:

Im not sure how many countries average temperatures run at -70C so wouldnt cold countries need to do the same as hot countries to keep the vaccine at that temp?

Distributing the vaccine in 'very hot' countries presents a far greater logistical problem -- especially when the population is spread as in Thailand. 

In the speech, Prayut said the country’s educational system was not bad, but it focused far too much on academics, when people should be educated about patriotism, history and loyalty.

Mmmmm. Perhaps if the people are not educated and submit to the ruling party and Buddhism -- to guide them through life -- then they will not be able/want to change the status quo and will do exactly what the government want. Sounds a good idea. Force the people into a submissive state.

Perhaps Thailand's current best friend, that benevolent country China, will be able to help in this?

A bit like: ''Children were taught to believe that anyone not conforming to the Khmer laws were corrupt enemies. Khmer Rouge ideology stated that the only acceptable lifestyle was that of poor agricultural workers.''