wagsthedog

in the words of John McEnroe "you cant be serious". These people must be on a KPI and have to generate ideas every month. The serious part is; this has now been released to the press, therefore it must have been talked about in cabinet. 

yesterday 25 June 2020, in Australia the boss of Qantas said it would be probably next June before they start on tourist flights the prime minister concurred this. Today the chief medical officer in Australia said that he cannot see people being allowed to travel to SE Asia /Europe/America for another year unless an anti-virus becomes available. The only people drinking /eating in bars and restaurants will be Thai/Expats. Only manufacturing and Agriculture will remain.

the boss of Qantas in Australia has said today the airline is being wound back and does not see departure from Australia of tourists until at least June next year, this was concurred by the prime minister. Given the rate of the corona virus in Australia which is low compared to other countries I cant see Thailand surviving on the tourist dollar, I left in LOS in July 2018 and still (I did) return several times a year. Bars/restaurants will only be frequented by expats and Thais, so revenue/employment will vastly decline leaving the Thais to only manufacturing jobs and agriculture for the foreseeable future. I cant see Thailand going back to the way it was. Many people I know (before corona) were going to Vietnam and the Philippines. Thailand is getting too expensive in many parts, i.e. Phuket & Bangkok.

You can keep your money hidden and so not let on how you have, transferring in from overseas when you need it. A way around this is going to a visa office as I did, it cost me 25,000b, but I did not have to put up any cash the agent handled it.  A word of warning, only go to an agent who other farangs go to, as you have to hand over your bank book for a short time and allow them to create the documentation.

I reckon foreign tourists, i.e. the ones that spend money, e.g. Australia, British & European will not return til at least next Songkran/vaccination availability. I know the govt in Australia ( now only 490 active cases) are saying it will be 3-4 months before people can fly to 'safe' countries for a holiday. If flying to Asia, they suggest that on return to Australia you would have to self quarantine, with the police spot checking your where about's on the virus app. I cant see people spending money on flights etc for a two week holiday only to return for a two week lock up, meaning you would require four weeks leave for a two week holiday. That is why I say at least next Songkran, but, and this is the big but, I reckon the days of the gogo bar and the like will decline sharply and disappear? . Until next year all the Thai people employed in the bar/restaurant will need other employment and they will be competing with all the people who have been displaced by the farang tourist not being present. There has already been I rise in crime as people are desperate for money to survive. I personally know a couple of Thai guys who have made mistakes and ended up in Phuket jail.

by lifting the restriction to allow tourists from bubble countries will mean the Thai government is saying its totally safe here. With the amount of what you can and cannot do including not going to the beach (Phuket) why would you want to come here. On holiday you want a bit of adventure, go for a swim go out at night and have a drink. This is not possible.

1. the government are suppressing the masses by keeping the restrictions on, so when lifted the proletariat will be so grateful,  OR....

2. the amount if infections recorded are falsely played down, i.e. there are more infections and deaths than is recorded and the government have to keep the restrictions in place.

3. the ordinary Thai person is busting to back to work and earn some cash, if Thai people cannot earn money there will be more crime as people get desperate.

Its not the same as it was even 5 years ago ( bars entertainment) now there are many chinese who charge anything they buy back to china, have you seen them in 7-11 or Tesco or family mart, there are many indian tourists but they dont spend any money. When the indians book a hotel room at an agreed price they always ask for more discount on arrival!!, I'm glad I sold my hotel 3 years ago, I couldn't stand the BS anymore  

in the 60's we lived 4 in a block ( 4 x 3 bedroom houses) on Dickens Ave Clydebank, above us were the Bannantynes, one of them went on to become famous ( Duncan). While waiting for my highschool to be rebuilt we had to attend a catholic high school, across the road (douglass st) was the Douglas Hotel, this had a public bar, the bar was turned into the Port Sunshine and features in Trainspotting 1.