No confirmation on when international tourists can return to Thailand: PM

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, JCP108 said:

In the same boat. I must travel from Thailand to the U.S. in the near future for family matters. Right now, looks like I will not be able to return for some time, which will also bring up family matters here. In a bind. 

 

My elderly father passed away in the hospital in the U.S. earlier this month. It came on rather quickly, so not sure I could have made it back to the U.S. in time even under normal circumstances.

 

But now, under these circumstances, as a retiree with no work permit, I see no clear way of being able to travel back to the U.S. now for follow-up stuff regarding my father -- without the prospect of getting stuck in the CV-ravaged U.S. and being unable to return here to wife and "home" anytime soon.

 

Remind me to tell my father in heaven -- he sure picked a rather inconvenient time to die... 

 

Edited June 3, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Knocker33]

Flip flop Thailand. Its open ,then its not ,airport open then its not, bridge open then its not.domestic airlines flying then not.

Jesus does anyone know whats going on.

Pity they cant say the bars are staying closed and then they are not

[Swimfan]

They are scared. They know that the Thai health system would not even be able to cope with a moderate outbreak, let alone a large outbreak like in European Countries. Most western countries have used the lockdown to fortify their health systems for a potential second wave or large outbreak as we have been doing here. I haven't seen any news of that happening in Thailand and the Government has already stated i can not afford widespread testing. If Thailand was to get a large outbreak it would likely be a disaster.

Edited June 3, 2020 by Swimfan

[JCP108]

13 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

My elderly father passed away in the hospital in the U.S. earlier this month. It came on rather quickly, so not sure I could have made it back to the U.S. in time even under normal circumstances.

 

But now, under these circumstances, as a retiree with no work permit, I see no clear way of being able to travel back to the U.S. now for follow-up stuff regarding my father -- without the prospect of getting stuck in the CV-ravaged U.S. and being unable to return here to wife and "home" anytime soon.

 

Remind me to tell my father in heaven -- he sure picked a rather inconvenient time to die... 

 

I hear you. I'm here on a retirement extension, too, with no work permit. 

[madmen]

I wonder if they might extend visa amnesty. No good opening airports July 1st if tourists still not allowed so still be mostly cargo

Edited June 3, 2020 by madmen

[Chivas]

You have to wonder when the Covid Capital Brits will be allowed to return and breed. Not this decade.......

[Scouse123]

2 hours ago, connda said:

It's fascinating to watch the leadership of a country literally destroy that country's economy.  It is a testament to how financially insulated said leadership is from the woes of the general economy and the citizens that they laud control over. 

 

 

It's true as he and his cronies live in an insulated bubble from the rest of the people, iy does not affect them at all.

33 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Well, for those that have one or can get one, there's always the relatively recent work permit, special application to home country Thai Embassy, prepay for air travel, insurance, pre-flight medical check and post-arrival two-week quarantine package in order to get permission to re-enter now...

 

 

Yeah, there will be a big queue for that little lot of rules and regulations.

[DrTuner]

I suggested October before, but as it looks like the virus has a seasonal component, only from the Southern hemisphere then. Or wait until there's a treatment/vaccine.

[DrTuner]

40 minutes ago, PerkinsCuthbert said:

It is emphatically NOT a simple solution. The logistics of individual testing alone at an airport such as LHR, LAX or BKK would demand huge delays. Then there is the problem of anyone testing positive - is contact tracing performed, the flight cancelled, other passengers scheduled on the same flight quarantined, the airport evacuated?

Essential travel only. Will do wonders to the nature anyway, mass tourism was enabled by cheap, crowded flights. Refurbish the planes to have business class only, automatic distancing. If you must do tourism, take a boat or a train - with test upon arrival.

[elliss]

3 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

 

It's true as he and his cronies live in an insulated bubble from the rest of the people, iy does not affect them at all.

 

Yeah, there will be a big queue for that little lot of rules and regulations.

 

Red book , will be available soon .

  Thx China .

 

[yuyiinthesky]

26 minutes ago, Swimfan said:

They are scared. They know that the Thai health system would not even be able to cope with a moderate outbreak, let alone a large outbreak like in European Countries. Most western countries have used the lockdown to fortify their health systems for a potential second wave or large outbreak as we have been doing here. I haven't seen any news of that happening in Thailand and the Government has already stated i can not afford widespread testing. If Thailand was to get a large outbreak it would likely be a disaster.

Repeating this nonsense doesn't make it true.

[Traubert]

11 minutes ago, yuyiinthesky said:

Repeating this nonsense doesn't make it true.

True of all nonsense repeated on here.

[Scouse123]

Both the Thai PM and the other misfits he employs in government seem to be under the illusion that the world is awaiting him to open the gates to his wonderful Thailand and there is a massive queue waiting to get in akin to a US mad Friday sale!!

 

That ship sailed long ago. They need to drop the ridiculous dream of hi so tourists rushing here or the silly idea it is a world premier resort country, it isn't.

 

It's going to be a long time before people will wish to fly long haul with all the mask wearing and social distancing adding to the already stressful preparations of flying by air. I believe people in the USA and Europe will holiday at home or in nearby countries for the foreseeable future.

 

Nobody who is a normal tourist, (we are not talking about expats or people with Thai wives and kids) is going to accept the ridiculous requirements the Thais are asking for.

 

Thailand is no longer fun nor value for money and hasn't been for a long time. Americans can get far more for the Dollar in the US and Brits and Europeans can get far better deals, especially now, in their home countries or those in the Schengan visa regions of Europe.

 

I am unsure of the Chinese position, but the Chinese government, already facing massive criticism, may not allow their citizens even regional travel for fear of a second wave and their citizens being identified as the cause.

 

Also, if regional travel commences to say Vietnam or Cambodia or Laos, will they attempt to refuse us entry to these countries via land borders or aircraft from Thailand when we live here semi permanently just because we have US or British passports?

 

 

[EricTh]

Thailand should have a travel bubble starting this month and not next month.

 

The rate of new virus cases in some countries are so low that it is ridiculous not to let tourists from those countries in.

 

Just now I went to a tourist area to have my lunch and almost all the eateries there were empty of customers.

 

I talked to one of the bosses and he wished a more capable government would take over.

 

 

 

 

[Scouse123]

21 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

I suggested October before, but as it looks like the virus has a seasonal component, only from the Southern hemisphere then. Or wait until there's a treatment/vaccine.

 

No Asian country in this region has the financial means to support its people in waiting for a vaccine.

 

There were already large protests yesterday at the Poi pet / Aranyaprathet border. Both on the Cambodian and the Thai side.

 

These people live day by day and hand to mouth, not the same as foreigners here, even those on a meagre foreign pension, will get through a lot easier than local Thais in Isaarn ands even the islands at the moment.

[Ranshoko]

This is a good move. Tourists could likely start a second wave of Covid 19. especially from high risk countries. Thailand appears to have the virus under control why risk all the good work done? There should be special arrangements though for foreigners locked out who have family here and people on long stay visa's. However, for the bar crawling brigade looking for some sleazy entertainment for a couple of weeks it's unlikely to happen for a while.

Local tourism and certainly family tourism will be promoted in the future. A lot of the sleaze will be stamped out of Thailand it's plain to see and it's Government policy. 

[spiekerjozef]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

We have to look at the country of origin

The bat-cave....Gotham?

[DrTuner]

13 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

No Asian country in this region has the financial means to support its people in waiting for a vaccine.

 

There were already large protests yesterday at the Poi pet / Aranyaprathet border. Both on the Cambodian and the Thai side.

 

These people live day by day and hand to mouth, not the same as foreigners here, even those on a meagre foreign pension, will get through a lot easier than local Thais in Isaarn ands even the islands at the moment.

True, but the real solution is to diversify away from tourism. To where - no good options right away. Low skilled manual labor has only so much demand.

 

In long term education is the pathway to moving up the ladder. 

[JCP108]

56 minutes ago, Swimfan said:

They are scared. They know that the Thai health system would not even be able to cope with a moderate outbreak, let alone a large outbreak like in European Countries. Most western countries have used the lockdown to fortify their health systems for a potential second wave or large outbreak as we have been doing here. I haven't seen any news of that happening in Thailand and the Government has already stated i can not afford widespread testing. If Thailand was to get a large outbreak it would likely be a disaster.

The Thai health system probably could deal with a significant outbreak. If 10% more people were sick and dying than normal, that would mean 25k more this year, which is significant. However, unless the hospitals were already running at absolute capacity in January (no reason to believe they were), then like hospitals everywhere and businesses in general, they just took care of that extra business. An extra 10% of business would not result in bodies mounding up anywhere. As for news of extra deaths...well, that would be up to a very small number of people at the top who see the numbers. None of the rest of us (including medical staff at any one hospital) see those aggregate numbers. Not public data. 

 

So, in summary: Thai health system could cope. Might have already been having a moderate outbreak. We'll know the answer to that when the MOPH decides to let us know. 

 

As far as their being scared...it's possible that they see the real numbers, are scared, and that's why the continued measures. 

[Gotalaugh]

5 hours ago, ezzra said:

Meaning that the Thai tourism industry will continue to be in the crapper and millions who depends on it for their survival will continue to suffer and lose their life's works and investments witch will take years to recover from, way to go PM...

It's so easy to make statements like that but it sounds eminently sensible to ease back and avoid ending up back at square one.

[Boomer6969]

While some of the domestic restriction are currently preposterous, maintaining the borders of the country under strict control is a wise move. The should keep arrivals under quarantine at least until the end of this year as no one knows yet whether the northern winter will trigger a second upheaval or not.

[Kelsall]

Unfortunately there's no other way.  As I said in another topic, quarantineless tourist travel from many countries to Thailand is 2-3 years away, or when a vaccine is developed.

Edited June 3, 2020 by Kelsall

[Mr Meeseeks]

37 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

Both the Thai PM and the other misfits he employs in government seem to be under the illusion that the world is awaiting him to open the gates to his wonderful Thailand and there is a massive queue waiting to get in akin to a US mad Friday sale!!

 

That ship sailed long ago. They need to drop the ridiculous dream of hi so tourists rushing here or the silly idea it is a world premier resort country, it isn't.

 

It's going to be a long time before people will wish to fly long haul with all the mask wearing and social distancing adding to the already stressful preparations of flying by air. I believe people in the USA and Europe will holiday at home or in nearby countries for the foreseeable future.

 

Nobody who is a normal tourist, (we are not talking about expats or people with Thai wives and kids) is going to accept the ridiculous requirements the Thais are asking for.

 

Thailand is no longer fun nor value for money and hasn't been for a long time. Americans can get far more for the Dollar in the US and Brits and Europeans can get far better deals, especially now, in their home countries or those in the Schengan visa regions of Europe.

 

I am unsure of the Chinese position, but the Chinese government, already facing massive criticism, may not allow their citizens even regional travel for fear of a second wave and their citizens being identified as the cause.

 

Also, if regional travel commences to say Vietnam or Cambodia or Laos, will they attempt to refuse us entry to these countries via land borders or aircraft from Thailand when we live here semi permanently just because we have US or British passports?

IIRC US citizens were prevented from travelling to Cambodia very early on in the crisis.

 

Not sure if that travel ban is still in effect but I would imagine so.

 

As to Thailand not being fun anymore, well... that's subjective.

[transam]

14 minutes ago, Gotalaugh said:

It's so easy to make statements like that but it sounds eminently sensible to ease back and avoid ending up back at square one.

Was there ever a square one in LOS.....?

[Kelsall]

3 hours ago, sukhumvitneon said:

Whelp, looks like I'm locked out of Thailand forever I guess

2-3 years if you don't want quarantine.

[wagsthedog]

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  

[Kadilo]

4 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

2-3 years if you don't want quarantine.

Nice random number.  Let’s call it 5 and be more dramatic. 

[AndrewMciver]

1 hour ago, PerkinsCuthbert said:

It is emphatically NOT a simple solution. The logistics of individual testing alone at an airport such as LHR, LAX or BKK would demand huge delays. Then there is the problem of anyone testing positive - is contact tracing performed, the flight cancelled, other passengers scheduled on the same flight quarantined, the airport evacuated?

 

It's very SIMPLE when you think outside the norms. I left Hong Kong a few weeks back, and at the airport they were testing every single passenger that arrived into Hong Kong. Yes it was a long process (mainly due to the security, and admin involved) but it could also have been streamlined. 

 

There are now quick instant tests available, being carried out in America (even in the White House), Japan, Hong Kong. You aren't going to see 30 million tourists a year, so the numbers are going to be down. A flight arrives, and you test each passenger before letting them leave. Any costs associated could be passed onto the passengers. 

 

Back in the day, asking passengers to wait hours for immigration would have seemed insane too. But it happens.

 

Testing at airports is a simple solutions, and about to be adopted in many european countries who are so reliant on tourism. Thailand is massively reliant on tourism when you look at their GDP. 

[AndrewMciver]

1 minute ago, phkauf said:

Considering they let the filthy Chinese in the country until the middle of March, it's about time they made a semi-intelligent decision. But that's about as good as they get - semi-intelligent!

 

 

Don't get mistaken. The Chinese ordered their people not to travel. China will tell Thailand when they are going to arrive, not the other way round. 

[Modern Coding]

"He added that only tourists from certain countries may be allowed to visit Thailand - namely countries where the COVID-19 outbreak is deemed to be under control."

 

Greetings Everyone,

 

I have just arrived here on this forum, this is my first post.

 

Well, I am unfortunate and ashamed to hold a French passport, since France must have been the worst country in the world to deal with the virus. So Thailand is unlikely to have accords with France to allow French tourists to enter the Kingdom.

 

However, I do not live in France anymore since 5 years and have never left Asia since I live on this continent. Since last year, I have been living in neighbor country Cambodia and before all this madness started, I wanted to come to Thailand, not only for tourism purpose.

 

Hope the Thai authorities will not consider only the passport but also the visa history.

 

Cheers!