International tourism for Thailand in 2020?

[TSF]

I got an email from a good friend in USA a couple days ago and he tells me he's booked his holiday to Thailand, arriving in Sept and has already booked his hotel in Pattaya, he'll be staying for approx 2 weeks, then his return flight to USA.

 

I was gobsmacked to read this. Last I heard Thailand was in lock-down, international flights cancelled, there's a curfew, very little is open, Pattaya beaches are closed. I've read that when international tourism resumes, travelers will be required to do 14 day self isolation in their hotel rooms. And there's always the possibility of a more serious 2nd wave hitting at any time.

 

So, what's the situation with tourism for the foreseeable future? Sept' is only 4 months away. Is Thailand on its way to opening up for tourism soon? Is everything expected to be back to normal by Sept?

[mark5335]

Announcement today by Thai Airways of a return to daily/weekly flight schedules for over 30 international destinations from 1st July indicates an improvement is anticipated in the next quarter (subject to loosening up of quarantine rules one would suspect).

https://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2020/05/thai-maps-out-return-to-the-skies/

[Thailand]

Good for him.

 

I will not be getting on a plane for sometime to come.

[TSF]

2 hours ago, mark5335 said:

Announcement today by Thai Airways of a return to daily/weekly flight schedules for over 30 international destinations from 1st July indicates an improvement is anticipated in the next quarter (subject to loosening up of quarantine rules one would suspect).

https://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2020/05/thai-maps-out-return-to-the-skies/

That's ridiculous: Services 1 July to 24 October Bangkok – Brisbane  2 weekly 777-200ER

I can't comment on the other countries but I'm from Australia and listen to ABC news and watch Aust' TV daily. The country is still in lock-down, You can't even travel between states without special permission. No way will Aust be open for international flights by July 1. The PM himself has indicated that we probably won't see international travel resume until 2021 at earliest.

[TSF]

2 hours ago, Thailand said:

Good for him.

 

I will not be getting on a plane for sometime to come.

Yes, that's how I feel too. He said he's looking forward to spending time with myself & my wife in Sept. I'm thinking not too sure about that, not sure I want to spend a week hanging out with someone who'd just arrived for the epicenter of a pandemic.

[JohnBZ]

Sounds great.  I can not wait for the international flights to resume and Thailand open to foreign tourists.  We are locked in Thailand too long.  Let us go out and have some fun!

[Rancid]

On 5/11/2020 at 5:33 PM, TSF said:

That's ridiculous: Services 1 July to 24 October Bangkok – Brisbane  2 weekly 777-200ER

I can't comment on the other countries but I'm from Australia and listen to ABC news and watch Aust' TV daily. The country is still in lock-down, You can't even travel between states without special permission. No way will Aust be open for international flights by July 1. The PM himself has indicated that we probably won't see international travel resume until 2021 at earliest.

Yes be nice if true, but most Aussies, especially progressives, are demanding to be locked away till all the jobs are gone. They just haven't figured out the government largess will end and a life of poverty on the dole awaits. Both countries have low rates, but Oz TV are doing boom ratings and will extend the fear campaign for all its worth.

[JohnBZ]

Yes, the media is behind the hype of the corona virus.  They are profiting from it due to lock down and people have nothing to do but surf internet and waste time on news and entertainments.

 

Rise up and stop the madness.  We need our freedom back.

[vivananahuahin]

Really i don't think this year, until they have a vaccin,or may be first 14 days in quarantine and after 14 days holidays, who will make this deal,happy holiday!!!if they do this the second wave will come very quickly and then.....

[JusticeGB]

He's bonkers to book a flight that soon. At the moment he couldn't even drink wine with his dinner yet alone walk on the Beach. My daughter normally visits me every Christmas she's missing this year and coming out in December 2021. He might have to self quarantine in Government Quarantine in Thailand and again when he returns home. 

[Huckenfell]

On 5/11/2020 at 2:54 PM, mark5335 said:

Announcement today by Thai Airways of a return to daily/weekly flight schedules for over 30 international destinations from 1st July indicates an improvement is anticipated in the next quarter (subject to loosening up of quarantine rules one would suspect).

https://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2020/05/thai-maps-out-return-to-the-skies/

Thai Air may be able to taken off, but will they be able to land in countries such as Australia. OK any man and his dog can land in the UK, but they are utterly stupid and get what they deserve.

 

[Huckenfell]

On 5/11/2020 at 5:33 PM, TSF said:

That's ridiculous: Services 1 July to 24 October Bangkok – Brisbane  2 weekly 777-200ER

I can't comment on the other countries but I'm from Australia and listen to ABC news and watch Aust' TV daily. The country is still in lock-down, You can't even travel between states without special permission. No way will Aust be open for international flights by July 1. The PM himself has indicated that we probably won't see international travel resume until 2021 at earliest.

I agree with you. My visa is current until October, but i am damned sure that i will have to see it out here in SE Qld. Goodness knows when we can get back to our homes in Thailand ?

 

[Huckenfell]

17 hours ago, JohnBZ said:

Yes, the media is behind the hype of the corona virus.  They are profiting from it due to lock down and people have nothing to do but surf internet and waste time on news and entertainments.

 

Rise up and stop the madness.  We need our freedom back.

Your attitude reminds me of the anology.  I jumped out at 12000 ft my parachute  opened and slowed me down nicely, now that i only have 1000 ft to go and am floating nicely, can i take my parachute off please ?

[PeteDaKat]

Gobsmacked is right! Overly optimistic by leaps and bounds. Why are they even trying to come here? If they can even enter, they'll see about 14-day quarantine upon entry.

Hell, I can't even go across the line to another Province and come back without a 14-day homestay.

The Americans have been so belligerent and brain-dead, opening up as the the daily dead are still counted in the thousands, I'd expect a ban on anybody coming in with a blue US passport. Canada extended their ban of the filthy Americanss just now! Hanging my head...

[tribalfusion001]

3 hours ago, Huckenfell said:

Thai Air may be able to taken off, but will they be able to land in countries such as Australia. OK any man and his dog can land in the UK, but they are utterly stupid and get what they deserve.

 

It's not too bad here in the UK, the sun is out, no booze bans, can sit on a beach, hardly any police anywhere and you are only likely to die in a care home!

 

No restrictions on leaving the country like the crazy Aussies and Kiwis. I'll be ok sitting on a plane back to Thailand, no problem.

Edited May 15, 2020 by tribalfusion001

[Max69xl]

On 5/11/2020 at 2:33 PM, TSF said:

That's ridiculous: Services 1 July to 24 October Bangkok – Brisbane  2 weekly 777-200ER

I can't comment on the other countries but I'm from Australia and listen to ABC news and watch Aust' TV daily. The country is still in lock-down, You can't even travel between states without special permission. No way will Aust be open for international flights by July 1. The PM himself has indicated that we probably won't see international travel resume until 2021 at earliest.

You mentioned US in your opening post,not Australia. Even if it's possible to fly from the US to Thailand in September, it won't be back to normal. That's another story. 

[Andycoops]

Well if the staus quo in Thailand remains he's stuffed with no flights and 2 weeks quarantine. 

He should wait for any lifting of the current restrictions as the goal posts are moving all the time.

[Thailand]

12 hours ago, tribalfusion001 said:

It's not too bad here in the UK, the sun is out, no booze bans, can sit on a beach, hardly any police anywhere and you are only likely to die in a care home!

 

No restrictions on leaving the country like the crazy Aussies and Kiwis. I'll be ok sitting on a plane back to Thailand, no problem.

Only 34,000 deaths I believe?

[AKJeff]

Since all we are doing is speculating at the moment there are different ways to look at it.  

 

Waiting to plan and book a trip till it is all over is a safe way to do it but preplanning a trip let's countries and airlines gauge interest.   As long as a person has the ability to loose the deposit and wants to take the risk where is the harm.  

 

You can look at four months as a long or short time dependent on you perspective. There is news from San Diego today of an antibody treatment that might be available soon.

 

https://www.foxnews.com/science/covid-cure-california-biopharmaceutical-coronavirus-antibody-breakthrough

 

There is word from the WHO that a vaccine may never come.  We may just have to live with the danger.  No one knows.  

 

As for "filthy Americans," I just laugh.  I know plenty of Canadians that feel the same way as those filthy Americans. How much support does Trudeau have in the middle of his country?

 

I am seeing people hungry here in Indonesia every day because of the lockdown.   I know people in the Philippines starving and can't afford medicine.   Thailand is fairing better, at least by government numbers, with the virus.  That is great, really, but if you don't use that news to open the economy what good is it.  People (most) need to work to buy essentials. 

 

Is it not time to have Thailand open internally as much as possible?  And international travel will take some more time but plan it, talk about it, come up with the ideas that make it work.  

 

If you think that shuttering 15 percent of a country's economy for more than six more months is a price worth paying given the current circumstances, I disagree. 

[ThailandRyan]

13 hours ago, tribalfusion001 said:

It's not too bad here in the UK, the sun is out, no booze bans, can sit on a beach, hardly any police anywhere and you are only likely to die in a care home!

 

No restrictions on leaving the country like the crazy Aussies and Kiwis. I'll be ok sitting on a plane back to Thailand, no problem.

But you can't get here from there anytime soon.  Overly optimistic Airlines that are hopeful it will happen before they become a distant memory.

[madmen]

On 5/11/2020 at 11:54 AM, mark5335 said:

Announcement today by Thai Airways of a return to daily/weekly flight schedules for over 30 international destinations from 1st July indicates an improvement is anticipated in the next quarter (subject to loosening up of quarantine rules one would suspect).

https://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2020/05/thai-maps-out-return-to-the-skies/

Means nothing if Prayuth slaps on another ban .

[drbeach]

On 5/11/2020 at 2:33 PM, TSF said:

That's ridiculous: Services 1 July to 24 October Bangkok – Brisbane  2 weekly 777-200ER

I can't comment on the other countries but I'm from Australia and listen to ABC news and watch Aust' TV daily. The country is still in lock-down, You can't even travel between states without special permission. No way will Aust be open for international flights by July 1. The PM himself has indicated that we probably won't see international travel resume until 2021 at earliest.

Why would you believe anything he says? It's mostly fearmongering and social conditioning anyway.

 

Australia will likely open up at the same time or at the latest, within a few short weeks of other countries. They have spoken of this "travel bubble" but if that does happen, it will last only for a few weeks, maybe a month, to "test the waters". If major airlines, including THAI, Emirates, Etihad, Singapore and others have slated July 1 as a return to regular international services (and all of these airlines are planning to include major Australian cities in their schedules), I believe it will happen. Sure, things could still change but I don't think airlines would be wasting their time constantly updating their schedules every few days - they have surely been briefed by high level authorities as to when they can foresee the resumption of scheduled services.

[drbeach]

8 hours ago, Andycoops said:

Well if the staus quo in Thailand remains he's stuffed with no flights and 2 weeks quarantine. 

He should wait for any lifting of the current restrictions as the goal posts are moving all the time.

What I've been advising people to do is stop long-range planning. What's wrong with waiting until you're sure travel restrictions have been removed and booking a flight 2 days before departure? It's always worked for me. I stopped making firm bookings well in advance a long time ago. If unexpected changes happen, you're stuck with inflexible bookings you can't change. Nowadays, I only book the first night or two about 2-3 days in advance, and the rest as i go along. There are always options.