Thailand’s extended flight ban draws mixed trade reactions

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Thailand’s extended flight ban draws mixed trade reactions

By Anne Somanas

 

Thailand has reopened 14 airports, including Suvarnabhumi Airport

 

While Thailand has scaled back its evening curfew by an hour, reopened malls and allowed 10 types of businesses and activities to resume, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has chosen to extend its ban on international flights until June 30.

 

Travel and tourism industry stakeholders are divided on the announcement, with some feeling that the extension is unnecessarily harsh given the country’s low numbers of daily new coronavirus cases which have hovered close to zero for several weeks on end.

 

“I feel it’s the suitable thing to do for now while hygiene measures and protocols are (in the process of) being applied towards the entire business events sector,” opined Max Boontawee Jantasuwan, president of the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) Thailand chapter and founding CEO of Events Travel Asia Group, referencing the joint effort between the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau and other business events associations to launch MICE Venue Hygiene Guidelines to prepare the sector for the new normal.

 

Full story: https://www.ttgasia.com/2020/05/18/thailands-extended-flight-ban-draws-mixed-trade-reactions/

 

-- © Copyright TTG ASIA 2020-05-19

 

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[prism]

At least allow foreigners holding visas and work permits to enter Thailand with a quarantine requirement.  

[Thailand]

You would hardly expect persons associated with travel companies to be in favor of the ban on inbound international flights now would you?

Thailand's amazing Covid "figures" may well have assisted all the the precautions put in place and may make it a safer place in the future by holding out on some relaxations a little longer, 30 something days in the scheme of things is not exactly a long time.

That said. many of those persons/companies associated with the golden goose travel industry may well exert sufficient pressure to see another u turn from the PTB,would not be a surprise to see flights resumed before the end of June.

[cornishcarlos]

1 minute ago, prism said:

At least allow foreigners holding visas and work permits to enter Thailand with a quarantine requirement.  

 

How about spouses and parents of Thais ?? 

[Mak25]

"CAAT’s decision to extend the ban on international arrivals until July 1, six weeks from now, seems an unnecessary overreach,” Niemeijer added"

 

Of course does he say that. He and his company are making money from international tourists.

[petermik]

3 minutes ago, Mak25 said:

 

 

Of course does he say that. He and his company are making money from international tourists.

As are millions of ordinary Thai,s...????

[prism]

15 minutes ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

How about spouses and parents of Thais ?? 

Those too!

[Canuck1966]

36 minutes ago, prism said:

At least allow foreigners holding visas and work permits to enter Thailand with a quarantine requirement.  

They don't care, remember that when the dust settles

All foreigners are superfluous to the current mob

[Geoffggi]

They should open the country fully before allowing external travellers into the country, if they feel it is unsafe to open the country fully internally, then why invite possible outside travellers bringing further problems into the country, keep the lockdown in place or show some degree of sense and open the country fully first.

[twocatsmac]

58 minutes ago, prism said:

Those too!

How about honest mongers?

[CharlieH]

What about the International mail system thats ground to halt and probably thousands of items held in waiting since March !

 

A whole mail order economy ground to a halt.

[JohnBZ]

I can see why Thailand want to extend the foreign ban for another month as it wants to have a super clean image to the entire world.

 

But this comes at a terrible cost to the tourism industry and the entire Thai economy.

 

Foreign people will think twice about investing in Thailand or call it home:  who want to do that when you can not even go in when you need to?

 

All considered: I think risk is low.  Thailand can and should open NOW!

Edited May 19, 2020 by JohnBZ

[Ketyo]

Just put a 14 day quarantine in place. Has the same effect on health but is better for the economy and essential travel. Total travel ban when cases are close to zero is moronic from an uneducated prime minister.

[Stargeezr]

Who wants to go to a tropical country where the beaches and bars are all

closed. I will go to Vietnam this year, bye stupid Thailand.  Good Luck next year.

Geezer

[fulhamster]

1 hour ago, JohnBZ said:

I can see why Thailand want to extend the foreign ban for another month as it wants to have a super clean image to the entire world.

 

But this comes at a terrible cost to the tourism industry and the entire Thai economy.

 

Agreed, yet despite all the borrowing the baht gets stronger daily.

How ???

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

They should open the country fully before allowing external travellers into the country, if they feel it is unsafe to open the country fully internally, then why invite possible outside travellers bringing further problems into the country, keep the lockdown in place or show some degree of sense and open the country fully first.

This government is not noted for common sense, third world country run by third world mentality.

[Deli]

International travel ? They don't even open the ^^^^ bridge between Phuket an Phang Nga !

[tomauasia]

4 hours ago, prism said:

At least allow foreigners holding visas and work permits to enter Thailand with a quarantine requirement.  

You can get test before flying and just self quarantine. They want to starve bar owners out. No bars get it

Edited May 19, 2020 by tomauasia

[Guderian]

If they're not going to allow hotels to reopen until July then there's hardly any point in allowing inbound passenger flights. They could add non-Thai long-stay visa holders to the list of exceptions currently allowed in, like diplomats. 

[unblocktheplanet]

4 hours ago, prism said:

At least allow foreigners holding visas and work permits to enter Thailand with a quarantine requirement.  

Yes, AND QUARANTINE!

[Jeff Simoneaux]

I can understand not allowing the tourist back just yet. But this ban prevents many foreigners from returning to our homes in Thailand. Many of us have been stranded abroad for over 2 months or longer. We have family, homes, cars, motorbikes and businesses that we miss and need to get home to. We're willing to get all the test, insurance and 2 week quarantine that we will pay for. 

[geriatrickid]

There are international flights coming in to Thailand. FinAir, Air france , KLM, EVA, China Airlines etc. The country is barely managing the  pax arriving on these flights due to the  self isolation requirements. A few weeks longer until the   methodology is  worked through and the tracking to ensure compliance with self isolation will be followed is reasonable.

Thailand will open again, give them the opportunity to  protect people first.

 

[Mavideol]

3 hours ago, Ketyo said:

Just put a 14 day quarantine in place. Has the same effect on health but is better for the economy and essential travel. Total travel ban when cases are close to zero is moronic from an uneducated prime minister.

sure, why not. Somebody intends to take one (1) week vacation in Thailand but in order to do that he/she has to quarantine for 14 days, be so kind to explain how is done

[eyup]

5 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

There are international flights coming in to Thailand. FinAir, Air france , KLM, EVA, China Airlines etc. The country is barely managing the  pax arriving on these flights due to the  self isolation requirements. A few weeks longer until the   methodology is  worked through and the tracking to ensure compliance with self isolation will be followed is reasonable.

Thailand will open again, give them the opportunity to  protect people first.

 

No flights inbound have passengers apart from repatriation flights for Thai Nationals.  No foreigners allowed in currently

[Pedrogaz]

The ban has kept us safe while other nations have had a rough time...why would I want to see someone from the UK, US, EU here where coronavirus is rampant and they are imprudently opening up businesses for profit and to hell with people's lives. STAY home please until Wave 2 comes roaring back.

[LukKrueng]

5 hours ago, Thailand said:

30 something days in the scheme of things is not exactly a long time

Tell that to people who have family members stranded out of Thailand and can't return

[bodga]

5 hours ago, prism said:

At least allow foreigners holding visas and work permits to enter Thailand with a quarantine requirement.  

or married to Thais

[holy cow cm]

1 hour ago, tomauasia said:

You can get test before flying and just self quarantine. They want to starve bar owners out. No bars get it

You may be right. Trying to turn it into a Bhutan / China.

[anto]

5 hours ago, twocatsmac said:

How about honest mongers?

Those too .They are keeping Issarn afloat.In fact give them a free Thai elite card on arrival along with a True Sim card .

[SooKee]

Not particularly relevant I suppose, save for being within the same region, but Malaysia has done just this from 17th.  Foreigners holding long term stay passes etc, who were previously subject of a total ban along with all other foreigners, are now allowed to enter Malaysia subject to being certified as Covid free AND going into quarantine for 14 days.  Hopefully a similar move here will allow those stranded overseas to get back here before too long.

Edited May 19, 2020 by SooKee