Lashay

You do realise those spend figures are provided by TAT and are pure politically motivated fiction? Just look at Lao spend for example 5502b per day/$870 per trip? from a country where average GDP per capita is just under $3000 per year?!?

 Or if you compare chinese spend  (6118b per day or $1536 per trip) to what it's regional competitors ( Vietnam, Malaysia,  Indonesia/bali) say Chinese spend ($800 to $1000) Thai figures range from 50 to 100% higher for no real reason (and really we all know the tour group Chinese, which untill covid were the majority of chinese visitors, were spending no where close to that).

Even the western figures are wacky, like average spend of Swiss vs Spain being nearly the same? Highly unlikely

2 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

In a today's article on Thaivisa it is stated, that there was not a single taker in China for yet another visa type. Seems to be much closer to reality and truth ......... 

Post is carrying same news though they are burying it halfway down an article with a headline title of "Chinese are coming".  

BP are really into pushing the STV and playing down the screwups, they did not even mention the failure to arrive on the 8th until the 9th even though was confirmed not happening days before and that they also buried as a 'btw' in the middle of another article.

Definatly trying to save someone from international embarrassment as they are most sourced paper internationally

2 hours ago, zzzzz said:

But you CANT enter all these countries.

so........where is the potential to enjoy winter sunshine?

I'm confused

UK no quarantine list makes no sense really. But to answer the question as asked.

Africa: Kenya, Egypt, Seychelles (actually about 1/4 of africa is open to some degree but these are only popular tourist spots)

Oceania: French Polynesia

Central America: Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras

Caribbean: Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos

Asia: Maldives

Europe: all the Euro Mediterranean countries

While there is some variation in rules, and some limitations on country's that can go, generally advoided any that is closed to tourists or has 14 day quarantine across the board.

1 hour ago, Agusts said:

San Miguel Light in Illuzion is 120b now, was 200, some other bars 70b, when it was 100 before (-40 or -30%). So when the borders open again we might get some bargain hunters coming in if they keep low prices that way.

There is no way they can keep prices that low especially if they plan to still be here a year from now (make it past next low season).

SML is on average 40b 'wholesale', 70 is only 30b 'profit', from that 30b has to come rent (high on Bangla), salarys, cooling, utilities, licences, cops and so on.

You would have to sell an unbelievable amount of beer, day in day out, to make a profit.

Only reason doing it now is most bars open have either rent suspended or reduced big time, that will stop when borders open (some owners are already getting pressured by landlords with announcement of Oct 1 'safe and sealed' plan)

Hell with bar owners costs on Bangla even 100 is too cheap, 120 is probably more appropriate price for Bangla

On 8/9/2020 at 10:41 AM, Agusts said:

No idea when they will allow some foreign tourists in, they don't even want to talk about it right now, having zero covid19 cases become a curse !!!? They don't want to spoil it...????

 

Well after TAT saying maybe not this year, last week, now CCSA are saying maybe starting trials next month.

Good news is TAT have been wrong every-time for last 5 months and CCSA and CAAT are the ones really in charge...

5 hours ago, DrDave said:

The announcement earlier today that normal inbound international flights will not be permitted until September doesn't bode well. 

Where is this 'announcement'? See nothing anywhere about it.

Are you referring to what CAAT said 3 days ago after the meeting with airlines?

'Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand director Chula Sukmanop said none of the airlines he met had expressed interest in resuming their international flights by next month, when the order shutting down the country’s airspace is set to expire. He attributed the reluctance to uncertainty over the government’s policies on international travels.'

Thats basically airlines saying not going to start until government's clarify what the hell the plan is, and probably a complete rejection of Thai Govs 1000 buisness people per day and no more that they came up with day before. That would never be worth it to the airlines...plus how the hell would they manage it? Sorry you cannot get on your plane today, other airlines used up all the quota?

It was non news really, only interesting thing that came out of that meeting was international flights would be allowed seating at near full capacity (just have to keep few rows at back empty in case someone starts to show symptoms)

As said thai gov is currently coming up with many overly complicated unworkable 'plans', is rather unfortunate they have had no one to copy in Asia yet because smart innovators they are not, and guy in charge of it, Anutin, is worse than most

Though that might change soon, Malaysia announced yesterday expanding types of visa holders allowed in, nice and simple too, no quarantine, just covid test before getting on plane or after arrival and they also start talks with other countries in the region tomorrow

7 hours ago, madmitch said:

Thailand opening its borders is only part of the story; other countries must also do the same, airlines will need to start flying between the countries and tourists need confidence to travel without fear of either contracting coronavirus or having borders closed or quarantine imposed at either end. Thats asking a lot.

If you have been following the european news you would see they already are. Most internal borders in the EU should be open by end of the month. 

From July 1 EU commission has told schengen members to start opening external borders and issuing visas (Western Balkan states is already approved for July 1) , some are already doing so, yesterday Sweden told embassys to start issuing visas to Thais and about 6 other non EU countries. Greece has already opened to multiple non EU countries. France is allowing foreign students from anywhere in from July 1. Iceland is already open. All these with minimal restrictions, either deemed safe enough or just not allowed. They are not trying to over complicate things like in Thailand and asia in general. On the Asian side Japan and Taiwan have already announced their side of the travel bubbles with Thailand. Thailand dropped Switzerland into the mix yesterday

Probably many more changes not seen and all this has  happened in last week or so.

Just as everyone rushed to close borders now it goes the other way. And only thing stopping Thailand being in any early waves of opening is the Thai government it's self

July the main news to track will be who is opening to who and under what conditions

After that airlines will quickly follow and then passengers. There might be many afraid to travel but there is also 3 months of pent up demand to mitigate that

7 hours ago, xylophone said:

and when I said that there were hardly any farangs left here and probably wouldn't be many coming for a couple of years, she seemed bemused!!

Well honestly would have looked at you bemused myself, 'years'?

While rest of low season is pretty much a goner if country opens up borders under reasonable terms by Aug, high season should see decent amount of Euros then.

Aus and NZ are still going to be iffy though, missing the Aus market in particular is going to hurt, especially bars in places like OTOP 

Be good chance of no Russian, Chinese or Indians by then but many Euros will view that as more incentive to come (everyone been complaining about all 3 groups for years) and those missing wont' be a loss for most small businesses here (mainly hurt BigC, 711 and chinese tours)

Also with so many businesses unlikely to reopen/survive next couple of months be also less overall competition, for example have also heard all/most of the bars in san sabai car park were given eviction orders to be out by July 1 as land was sold by bank, the already mentioned Soi Kepsap and many other small businesses around have already been stripped or knocked down (developers seem to be taking advantage of current situation to redevelop all over the place)

How well Patong/pattaya/islands particularly and Thailand generally is going to do over next 6 months is really going to be up to how the gov reopens the borders, if they keep faffing around with quarantines, travel bubbles, business people only, 1000 arrivals per day, "quality tourists" into Aug then rest of the year is screwed, if they come up with something reasonable before then high season should be OK, if they don't then not only are tourist areas screwed but the rot will also spread to non tourist areas

14 minutes ago, xylophone said:

On that point I don't know quite what they were looking for or who they would stop and why?

It became requirement today for all drivers entering patong to be wearing a face mask, more useless <deleted> from the useless mayor who knows she is facing an election soon that she is likely to lose

16 hours ago, Unify said:

A report I read this morning (I don't remember where), said 3 Danish, and two Chinese from Wuhan. No timetable, but it's obvious they were not telling the truth.

 

One of chinese is most likely from early Feb, people have been noticing a discrepancy from that period in regards to the infected lists provided by BKK for about two weeks now

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

No. See your link, in English is legal. I agree that an IDP prevents problems, and yes, for a motorbike or even scooter a full motorbike license is required.

From the link

"Foreigners wanting to drive in Thailand – but do not yet have a Thai driver’s license – must hold an “International Driving Permit” (IDP) issued in their home country."

..

"That means any person wanting to drive in Thailand by using a driver’s license not issued in Thailand – and especially those not issued in English -- must have BOTH a valid license issued in their home country AND an IDP in order to legally drive in Thailand."

Chutinan Jindachuea, Chief, License Division, Phuket Provincial Transport Office.

"In short, if you don’t want to be fined for driving illegally while on holiday here, get an IDP from your home country before getting on the plane."

– Lt Surapong Phuhgrom, Inspector, Kathu Traffic Police.

You can deny it all you want but your opinion does really not matter, the law does. These are the rules/laws you will be fined under (and clauses to have your insurance payout denied in case of accident). Good luck arguing with cops or insurance 

2 minutes ago, stevenl said:

"Foreign drivers licence with no IDP was never actually legal anyway."

Provided in English and with photo they are valid.

Not by law, just for years most cops would accept licences in English without IDP, now in Patong they don't anymore.

Another thing that burns people, many country's have an "allowance" on car licence for bikes up to certain CC. Thailand does not that such an allowance, which is why both your home licence and IDP have to be specifically endorsed for bikes.

Also if here long term, after 60 days on tourist visa and 90 days on Non Imm visas, you are meant to get a Thai drivers licence.

On 2/9/2020 at 1:11 PM, xylophone said:

Was told by a friend, so cannot confirm it first hand, that now if farangs are stopped, they have to show either a Thai driving licence or an international driving licence, whereas a licence issued in their own country is now not accepted.

 

 

Foreign drivers licence with no IDP was never actually legal anyway.

As to the stops themselves. Ones near Bangla always target foreigners, but ones away from Bangla (have one regularly near my house) ignore farang and target either Thais and/or Burmese

1 hour ago, thesetat2013 said:

This British man may not have the infection. But the BBC is reporting their are already cases of this Corona virus in Thailand. So be careful 

There have been two cases reported by Thai gov afaik, both Chinese, both from Wuhan, detected by airport screening.

And USA got it first case today, again someone who had been in Wuhan

4 hours ago, ukrules said:

 

Every news article published from Thailand says he doesn't have this coronavirus, then there's this :

 

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1230876/Coronavirus-latest-china-virus-british-tourist-ashley-shorley-thailand

 

and this among others

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/china-virus-coronavirus-sars-deaths-british-tourist-case-thailand-a9292026.html

 

Influenza doesn't generally do this to younger people

 

If there is ever an outbreak of something very nasty they will 100% lie about it happening until it later becomes obvious that it's actually happening.

 

I'm not saying that it is but that's what they would do.....

The two links provided are just regurgitating The Sun's article with no independent verification, and if you know anything about the UK press you know The Sun cannot be trusted to tell you what day of the week it is.

Even if you did not know that, the timeline was all off, this guy got sick at Christmas, when the virus outbreak was just starting in China, he would not have been just first in Thailand (nearly 3 weeks before first official case) but also one of first in the world to contract it, all without going near the "hot zone"

Always be careful when you see many articles about something from different sources but all the articles are near identical, it generally means there is just one source and rest are copies without verification