Thailand tourist arrivals may fall by as much as 65% in 2020 due to virus outbreak

[Seeall]

1 hour ago, Sydebolle said:

The boys at TAT can work now already on some explanatory notes on why the year end will be crowned with a seven and not an eight digit number of tourists. 

What is in complete absence is the promotion of domestic travels. If you can get Thais moving within Thailand rather than Disneyland or Sentosa Island etc. ...... a Baht is a Baht and if you get the local yocals to diversify a little from what those folks see back home then you have a winner. 

Presently Phuket, Khon Kaen and Udon Thani have no specific individual character, the same shopping malls with the same overpriced luxury consumer goods items and the same range of rubbish junk food providers - go figure. The Chinese love it because back home the situation there is even worse but Thailand could do MUCH MUCH better. 

Another issue might be that Thais manage to ransack Bang Saen Beach over a weekend while in nearby Pattaya foreigners are prisoned and locked up for just sitting there. Smoking is punishable with THB 100K, no beach chairs in Phuket and Wednesday all beach operators are forced, by law, to be absent.

Maybe a less idiotic government with less idiotic bureaucrats might be a step in the right direction - me thinks! 

Take away THEIR salaries and see em complain!

[Seeall]

13 minutes ago, Traubert said:

Dont you think that might be quickly spotted?

Hes said that YES ...  spot it again...

[RichardColeman]

16 hours ago, BritManToo said:

So your OK with no stores stocking imported western food, no western restaurants, and no hookers selling to white folk?

Don't know about the rest of you but, my wife cooks better than most restaurants - so don't eat out at western restaurants unless malling it once a month in a KFC, Don't need a bar girl for anything that the wife cannot do after cooking and a hot shower and apart from stocking up on alpen or weetabix when on sale in Big C I rarely stock up on western foods.

 

Problem is just getting back to her from the UK !

[Ranshoko]

16 hours ago, Don Mega said:

I'd prefer to eat dirt than any of those.

Your most welcome to eat dirt then. 

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

If the death toll has been high, why haven't we read about it on social media? Locals would be crying out about the numbers they know who have been affected and/or died and be ridiculing the official figures.

 

Ask any Thai you or your family (if you have one in Thailand) knows if anyone personally knows of anyone who has had the virus. Then come back to us. Your 'survey' would be interesting. My own experience with my family and those they know is that the number is zero.

endless monologue and diatribe....just keep an open mind and maybe you will enjoy life without being frustrated by others daily who do not believe like you are led to believe by the government. You do not remember my earlier posts of loosing 3 relatives in the north at the end of February, and March then.  Not tested, but died of respiratory issues and cremated shortly after......They had been in Bangkok for the Chinese new year... My ex flew in from the USA against family wishes with our daughter to be there as family is thick.  I have also lost a police officer friend in the US and my childrens elementary teacher, posted about those as well.

 

Edited May 12, 2020 by ThailandRyan

[Ranshoko]

16 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Unfortunately very weak, only good for 1 or 2 mugs of tea from 1 bag and 200bht.

Tesco Original was strong enough for 3 or 4 mugs/bag and cost 115bht.

 

Heladiv works out at 3x-4x the cost.

Nothing wrong with Lipton Yellow Label Tea which is freely available. If you like a strong brew leave the tea bag in a bit longer

[ChipButty]

 

Carnival Cruise Line bookings rose 600 per cent after the company announced it intends to resume some of its cruises in August, which was 200 per cent higher than this same time last year.

[Peterphuket]

1 hour ago, shackleton said:

I think the Thai Tourist boss should contact Thai Visa 

And ask for someone to be on the tourist board  and  represent the views 

Of many on here  might get  some fresh ideas for the future 

They are the best, what can you expect from a farang?

[Chiang Mai Bill]

16 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

14 to 16 million.  Optimistic bunch, aren't they? lol

Yuthasak Supasorn:  "Forward bookings are showing a good trend''!

 

Who are these people making ''forward bookings'' at this point of time when most countries are suffering economically and we have no idea of the restrictions, availability, and future cost of air fares!

 

Who are these politicians aiming their statements at?  If they are making these statements up themselves they need to be kicked out of office -- if it's their advisers that write the scripts then they should be sacked!

 

And it was only last week that it was quoted by some Pattaya official that ''things will be back to normal in June/July''!

 

 

[deej]

2 minutes ago, Chiang Mai Bill said:

Yuthasak Supasorn:  "Forward bookings are showing a good trend''!

 

Who are these people making ''forward bookings'' at this point of time when most countries are suffering economically and we have no idea of the restrictions, availability, and future cost of air fares!

 

Who are these politicians aiming their statements at?  If they are making these statements up themselves they need to be kicked out of office -- if it's their advisers that write the scripts then they should be sacked!

 

And it was only last week that it was quoted by some Pattaya official that ''things will be back to normal in June/July''!

 

 

Land of the Shonk????

[Pattaya46]

4 minutes ago, Chiang Mai Bill said:

Who are these people making ''forward bookings'' at this point of time when most countries are suffering economically and we have no idea of the restrictions, availability, and future cost of air fares!

I think many of western tourists are retirees, and Covid-19 restrictions had no (or very small) impact on their revenues.

[ThailandRyan]

4 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

I think many of western tourists are retirees, and Covid-19 restrictions had no (or very small) impact on their revenues.

You mean "Wishful and Hopeful" they do not get their bookings canceled or they do not have to cancel the bookings because you still can not get here from there?

[Pattaya46]

2 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

You mean "Wishful and Hopeful" they do not get their bookings canceled or they do not have to cancel the bookings because you still can not get here from there?

I just answered the question I quoted.

Most retirees have no problem to do "forward booking" again and again

until it's possible for them to travel.

[ThailandRyan]

Sorry about that, I wanted both the quote you quoted and yours in there, but it only hooked yours into my post....

[Traubert]

38 minutes ago, Seeall said:

Hes said that YES ...  spot it again...

In a roundabout way yes.

 

Point being that everyone knows or seems to know that its taking place but the powers that be dont think it'll be detectable? Even if they are as naive as you all make out, its very short sighted.

[Yankeesvsredsox]

I'm waiting for those hotel and airfare big discounts especially after a couple of weeks of them opening ! I'll be checking those  customer reviews

[Bonobojt]

Not sure if he's saying numbers will be back to normal by October or the boarders will reopen for international tourists by October... But I really really hope they reopen the boarder in June, if not June at least July. The thought of not being in Thailand this low season is kind of depressing. I guess there will be other countries opening up in the summer but it ain't the same as Thailand 

[CNXexpat]

2 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

Presently Phuket, Khon Kaen and Udon Thani have no specific individual character, the same shopping malls with the same overpriced luxury consumer goods items and the same range of rubbish junk food providers - go figure. The Chinese love it because back home the situation there is even worse

Let me guess: you have never been in China. If a Chinese, especially from a Tier-1 city, 

comes to Thailand, he thinks he is back in time for 15 - 20 years. Also in Bangkok. 

[lkv]

1 hour ago, Muzzique said:

Problem is that going forwards overseas governments will place restrictions on people travelling to countries where they are not being honest about what is really happening

Thank you.

 

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3930316

======

He stated that opening the borders to foreign visitors will ultimately depend on the credibility of their countries' data.

 

Chen said that one of the biggest questions is whether the information provided by other countries is reliable.

 

Chen then elaborated:

 

"That is to say, for countries with clear information, we can make some clear regulations in accordance with the characteristics of the disease and infectiousness. Is the data of some countries reliable or not? Or is there any data at all. So in the future, of course, we will carry out a scientific analysis of data that is credible and definitive. As for data that is not credible, we may need to have further discussions."

======

[ThailandRyan]

12 minutes ago, lkv said:

Thank you.

 

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3930316

======

He stated that opening the borders to foreign visitors will ultimately depend on the credibility of their countries' data.

 

Chen said that one of the biggest questions is whether the information provided by other countries is reliable.

 

Chen then elaborated:

 

"That is to say, for countries with clear information, we can make some clear regulations in accordance with the characteristics of the disease and infectiousness. Is the data of some countries reliable or not? Or is there any data at all. So in the future, of course, we will carry out a scientific analysis of data that is credible and definitive. As for data that is not credible, we may need to have further discussions."

======

So what do they think of Thailand's numbers is the question, are they deemed credible....waiting to hear from another country on there view...

[Ireland32]

17 hours ago, JAG said:

Well I would agree that there will probably be few if any tourists for the remainder of this year.

 

I suspect that there may be a resurgence ( not necessarily a dramatic one) amongst package groups from South and East Asia next year. They are not noted for being free spending, certainly away from the "shopping attractions" to which they are bussed.

 

So the mother of one of my daughter's pals, who works in a Chiang Rai restaurant, Chinese owned, which solely caters for Chinese tour groups will probably get her job back, but anyone whose business or jobs depend on catering for independent or Western tourists, forget it.

Imagine working Chinese Tour  groups only , my god , where’s the balcony 

[sammieuk1]

In tatters then????

[Ranshoko]

2 hours ago, Muzzique said:

My wife's cousin works as a doctor in the hospital. She has been instructed not to test people for Covid 19 even if they show the symptoms and to put any cause of death down as a result of Pneumonia, heart failure or similar. Anything but Covid 19. The hospital is experiencing three time the number of deaths than they would normally expect at this time of year.

 

If she does not comply then she will lose her job and she could face prosecution. Staff are both fearful of catching it and fearful of speaking out for fear of the repercussions. 

 

Problem is that going forwards overseas governments will place restrictions on people travelling to countries where they are not being honest about what is really happening,

 

There is a big fear that a second wave will come with people returning from places like Thailand. We have seen what has happened in South Korea in a single nightclub. We are walking on thin ice here and an honest country where lockdowns have been eased will take tough measures to make sure it does not come back in from the outside.

 

All these lies will come back to haunt Thailand. Given the effect on peoples jobs and livelihoods, citizens from these place will most likely opt for a holiday in a country where the truth is being told and where the quarantine on return will not be required. 

At last! A sensible post giving an actual account as to why the Covid 19 numbers in Thailand are so low. Don't bury your heads in the sand! There is still a problem here.

[smudger1951]

19 hours ago, misterjames said:

This is a good thing in my opinion Thailand has been treating foreigners really badly for a while now. we have been forced to put up with increasing xenophobia in recent years along with an increase in crazy immigration rules that have made many feel unwelcome and quite frankly making Thailand not as attractive as it used to be as a hassle free tourist destination.

 

Lets hope that when less of tourists show up this year they will be humbled a bit and realise that they will need to be more fair in order to win the tourists back I'm hoping that in their absence they will begin to see the benefits that foreigners bring more clearly.

 

misterjames, quite correct very difficult to make visa applications or travel around the country. Will all that disappear ? I doubt it. And of course the teflon coated thai baht deters many people.

[puipuitom]

19 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Not much in the way of local substitutes for English breakfast tea, Marmite or Gravy granules.

English tea I can remember from my business trips to the UK, but the rest ? What is that ?

[orchidfan]

19 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

I managed to source out a person who can import what I need and want from Costco in the US, just a slight mark up.  I even have been able to get my Monster Energy Ultra Zero drinks by the case load.......just wish I could get the meds I have sitting at my residence, instead of having to buy them here....

Agreed. Meds I get free in HK are pricey here. B1000 + BUT at least I can buy them at the local pharmacy.  Great! Very thankful for that...or they might be one farang less.

[Paul DS]

20 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

14 to 16 million.  Optimistic bunch, aren't they? lol

The tragedy is that 15.5 million tourists will be Indian and Chinese

(with 50 baht Covid free certificates!)

[ThailandRyan]

I believe it was in 2010 or maybe 2011, the Thai tourist visa, at least coming from the USA, was no cost.  I am talking about an actual tourist Visa Non-Imm "O".  I fthey really wanted to try and lure tourists in then they could drop the cost to nothing, and also waive some of the BS fees and such that they have implemented over the years.  It would be a start.

 

Just found my old passport, and the Visa.  It was in 2010 and it was for a Tourist Type TR Visa, single entry, 0.00 USD, in 2011 the cost went to $40.00 USD on my next Tourist TR Visa, and then the next 2 in 2012 and at the beginning of 2013.  The Non Imm "O" was the next one I picked up in 2013 and it ran me $200 USD for a 1 year Multi entry.

Edited May 12, 2020 by ThailandRyan

[Schtrick]

Its not just the virus that will contribute to the low numbers, the reputation for being the "Land of Smiles" is in the toilet waiting to be flushed. The preferential treatment of Chinese fly by night tourists over long staying western expats has been deplorable, (one that might bite them in the rear end ironically) and the never ending hoops to jump though, costs of insurances etc. just to name a few. My 0.02c worth.

[Traubert]

12 minutes ago, Schtrick said:

Its not just the virus that will contribute to the low numbers, the reputation for being the "Land of Smiles" is in the toilet waiting to be flushed. The preferential treatment of Chinese fly by night tourists over long staying western expats has been deplorable, (one that might bite them in the rear end ironically) and the never ending hoops to jump though, costs of insurances etc. just to name a few. My 0.02c worth.

You were robbed.

 

It was never worth 0.02c.