PM not happy with proposed freeze of VOA for Chinese tourists

By The Nation

 

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the Council of Economic Ministers should consider the proposal to suspend Visa On Arrival (VOA) for Chinese tourists carefully, said government spokeswoman Narumon Pinyosinwat on Friday (January 31).

 

The prime minister made the remark at the meeting of the council, citing its impact on Thai tourism.

 

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health, Anutin Charnvirakul planned to propose the suspension of Visa On Arrival for Chinese tourists at the immigration checkpoint to the council of the economic ministers on Friday.

 

“The prime minister emphasised that the committee should consider this matter carefully because China had prohibited its nationals from traveling abroad which has already affected the Thai tourism sector ,” she said.

 

“The prime minister said they have to foster confidence among Thai people and foreign tourists by creating awareness that the quality of our public health system is up to the standards of World Health Organisation (WHO),” she added.

 

“In the meeting, the minister of Tourism and Sports also disagreed with the proposal, because it might hurt the feeling of Chinese tourists and the country’s tourism in the long term”.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30381381

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-01-31

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Logistics of withholding visas for Chinese under discussion

By The Nation

 

Wissanu Krea-ngam, Deputy Prime Minister

 

The Minister of Public Health will next week present details of a proposal to withhold visas on arrival from Chinese tourists while the virus outbreak continues, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said on Friday (January 31).

 

He said the Cabinet had discussed Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s proposal on Tuesday, but noted that there would be three different accessways to close. 

 

“The Foreign Affairs Ministry warned that Chinese can apply for the visa at an embassy, at the point of immigration or online, and we would have to suspend all three ways,” Wissanu said.

 

“The Cabinet has assigned the Tourism and Sports and Interior ministries to present their ideas next week.”

 

The proposal is not intended to discourage tourists, he stressed, but rather to control the spread of the virus.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30381378

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-01-31

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Prayut is now just a pawn for China. What a charlatan. 

Thought he was in bed....?

2 minutes ago, faraday said:

Thought he was in bed....?

We would all be safer if he was!

Would China care? They don’t want it to spread. It ain’t personal it’s business, as they say. 
 

If this gets out of hand, you’ll see just how out of depth this silly little man really is. I’m actually astonished he’s said this. 

12 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

PM not happy with proposed freeze of VOA for Chinese tourists

Sounds like he would be happy to change Visa On Arrival to Virus On Arrival?

12 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

The proposal is not intended to discourage tourists, he stressed, but rather to control the spread of the virus.

It won't discourage them it will cut them off, effectively banning Chinese from entering Thailand.

 

This will not please the governments Chinese masters.

18 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

“In the meeting, the minister of Tourism and Sports also disagreed with the proposal, because it might hurt the feeling of Chinese tourists and the country’s tourism in the long term”.

 

And if you do nothing it will hurt the feelings of all westerners who will never go to Thailand since they don't care for safety..

1 minute ago, Youlike said:

And if you do nothing it will hurt the feelings of all westerners who will never go to Thailand since they don't care for safety..

If only Thailand hadn't spent the last two to three years discouraging multiple visits per year from Europeans then they could have relied on Euro tourism but that's definitely in terminal decline these days.

 

They've dug their own grave here and this is the 'perfect storm' type of situation which will be their undoing.

I can't imagine any real, independent sovereign nation saying something like this.

3 minutes ago, ukrules said:

If only Thailand hadn't spent the last two to three years discouraging multiple visits per year from Europeans then they could have relied on Euro tourism but that's definitely in terminal decline these days.

 

They've dug their own grave here and this is the 'perfect storm' type of situation which will be their undoing.

I read in the European newspaper that after China now Thailand is the most dangerous place for this virus....so the Europeans will find a better place for their holidays, for now and for coming years .

“In the meeting, the minister of Tourism and Sports also disagreed with the proposal, because it might hurt the feeling of Chinese tourists and the country’s tourism in the long term”.

 

"Best quote ever", said The Grim Reaper.

 

4 minutes ago, zydeco said:

I can't imagine any real, independent sovereign nation saying something like this.

 

  Which is why it was said by someone in Thailand's government.

18 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Would China care? They don’t want it to spread. It ain’t personal it’s business, as they say. 
 

If this gets out of hand, you’ll see just how out of depth this silly little man really is. I’m actually astonished he’s said this. 

Scores on here cheerled him into office.

 

Hilarious.

I think he must be delirious with fever still....  

This story needs to get out to the world where anybody except China can read it. The world needs to know that literally everyone else's safety doesn't count for squat to Thailand. And that includes Thailand's own people.

1 minute ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I think he must be delirious with fever still....  

He is the number one candidate for permanent quarantine! 

29 minutes ago, faraday said:

Thought he was in bed....?

She left after short time .

2 minutes ago, zydeco said:

This story needs to get out to the world where anybody except China can read it. The world needs to know that literally everyone else's safety doesn't count for squat to Thailand. And that includes Thailand's own people.

   good luck with that one ...

I suppose freezing those on VOA's might help but wouldn't that come under human rights abuse? Does freezing actually kill the virus as well as the host?

2 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

I suppose freezing those on VOA's might help but wouldn't that come under human rights abuse? Does freezing actually kill the virus as well as the host?

and where are they going to get the huge freezers from  ?

Countries have started banning Chinese tourists. Thailand should do the right thing too and soon.

16 minutes ago, Youlike said:

I read in the European newspaper that after China now Thailand is the most dangerous place for this virus....so the Europeans will find a better place for their holidays, for now and for coming years .

There's also no reason to think that this virus will disappear for years, it's got a foothold now, it's here to stay.

 

Due to the peculiar Chinese markets we now have a new flu in the mix and it's festering all over Asia. It's been reported that half of the initial cases in the first weeks were people who worked in the market and they did nothing in response to this at first.

make em take out really poor value for money Thai health insurance policy before allowing them entry so that they are not a burden on the public health system.

44 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

by creating awareness that the quality of our public health system is up to the standards of World Health Organisation (WHO),” she added.

but it isnt ! pm 2.5 thai standard twice that of WHO; doesnt she even know that ? or is that a 'thai truth' ?

7 minutes ago, steven100 said:

   good luck with that one ...

Agree, Steven. The outside world seemingly couldn’t give two s**** about the contempt this junta government has for its own citizens. We finally agree! 

6 minutes ago, steven100 said:

and where are they going to get the huge freezers from  ?

The morgue obviously!

Stupidity seems to run in ill controlled feelings of absurdity. 

They have not cared much about hurting the feelings of western expat retirees and tourist who visit here to much for many years now....