Covid-19: Three quarters of Thais want to keep foreigners out, many cite fear of virus, says poll

[LazySlipper]

7 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

It will be a long time before foreigners are welcomed back here. 

Were they ever truly?

[Lacessit]

Somehow, the blame for coronavirus has been shifted from the Chinese to Westerners generally. That's a theme Thai TV seems to be pushing.

I don't think the Thais who were polled realize the reason they have no income now is mass Chinese tourism. That would not suit the narrative of getting those tourists back in.

Thailand is not the only country where  leaders lie to its citizens.

[phantomfiddler]

If the Thais could figure out a system whereby they got our money without allowing us into the country they would pay big money for the formula ????

[Spellforce]

Some thai people should remember begining of march when there was zero protection in Thailand and there were dozens of thousands contaminated chinese tourists in Thailand:

 

 

...and only a total of 59 deaths after the peak of the epidemic in Thailand ?

[Seeall]

7 hours ago, thequietman said:

And so it begins. ????

Depends who you ask....  ask Phuket vendors who apply to return to Phuket to work in the tourism industry as opposed to toil in their villages...

As for the others.. its a "you know who mentality"  .. just pop the funds in their account and so no need do anything...

if not, then go ways ye all....

[geoff65]

No Country wants foreigners back yet as simple as that.

[AndrewMciver]

How is sustainable to just stop tourism? 

 

Recent reports suggests that ofifically tourism contributes 25% to the Thai economy, and via long reaching connections to tourism (food, drink, clothing, plastics, metals, agricultural product) could be as high as 30%. 

 

How does any country wipe away 30% of it's GDP? 

 

Even if Thailand opened it's door for the world today - very few would travel, due to economics of many peoples finances and then the confidence to travel. 

 

I honestly believe they are sitting there, thinking as soon as they open the borders to China (because lets face it that's the sole country they care about here) that the Chinese will come flocking back. 

 

Unbelievable. 

 

Once the recession kicks in people will soon be angry. 

[whitfield]

I think they should allow anyone to come in provided they are prepared to quarantine in government nominated hotels for 14 days.  Government should select different levels of accommodation so that people can choose what level of comfort they require.  The customer will of course pay, but hopefully at an "at cost" rate.  Then those that really want to visit can do so.

[AndrewMciver]

7 minutes ago, geoff65 said:

No Country wants foreigners back yet as simple as that.

 

Fully agree. But there are countries that are heavily reliant on tourism. Be it the Caribbean nations, Italy, Maldives, Dubai, etc 

 

Thailand isn't a developed nation as of yet so to just wreck it's economy would destroy more people than the virus. 

 

The solution has to be more innovation in allowing tourists to arrive - be it testing on arrival, getting tourists to test at a facility, etc 

 

You simply can't close your borders indefinately be it tourism or business. 

[AndrewMciver]

4 minutes ago, whitfield said:

I think they should allow anyone to come in provided they are prepared to quarantine in government nominated hotels for 14 days.  Government should select different levels of accommodation so that people can choose what level of comfort they require.  The customer will of course pay, but hopefully at an "at cost" rate.  Then those that really want to visit can do so.

 

As a first step this would be welcome. 

 

But they need to work out a way to test tourists on mass (at the cost of the visitor). 

 

One way to do it, would be to get tourists into a quarantine an. If you can't take a test at the airport, then test them at the quarantine residence. Once they pass the test they are free to move around. This would be an attractive opposition to many. 

 

They need to be innovative. 

[finnishmen]

only totally big idiot can say keep foreigns out of thailand, if foreigns need go out thailand thailand have big big problem, 7 million thai not have job then.

foreigns money run manyu busines and many home and many million family. if idiots say go out then thailand go back pre-history junkle monkeys. western peoples has build all good and normal to thailand, if thai need build today new country, thailand stay center to junkle and not have anythink indrustial,money,anythink not. only junkle and animals. idiots not can say foreign keep out. thais ansd chinese made lot more ciruses than all foreign together. thai have wery stupid and dirty peoples.

[hotandsticky]

7 minutes ago, AndrewMciver said:

How is sustainable to just stop tourism? 

 

Recent reports suggests that ofifically tourism contributes 25% to the Thai economy, and via long reaching connections to tourism (food, drink, clothing, plastics, metals, agricultural product) could be as high as 30%. 

 

How does any country wipe away 30% of it's GDP? 

 

Even if Thailand opened it's door for the world today - very few would travel, due to economics of many peoples finances and then the confidence to travel. 

 

I honestly believe they are sitting there, thinking as soon as they open the borders to China (because lets face it that's the sole country they care about here) that the Chinese will come flocking back. 

 

Unbelievable. 

 

Once the recession kicks in people will soon be angry. 

 

Non-domestic tourism accounts for about 18% of GDP.................... significant but it dilutes your argument if you start quoted figures like 30%. 

 

It also gives the Thai authorities the opportunity to push up domestic tourism and re-focus on where they want international tourists to come from.

 

 

Would you REALLY want tourists from USA or Europe at the moment?

[DrTuner]

35 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Somehow, the blame for coronavirus has been shifted from the Chinese to Westerners generally.

That's not a coincidence. CCP & Xinhua & their troll army have been working hard to achieve it.

[Burma Bill]

8 hours ago, thequietman said:

And so it begins. ????

Yes indeed. Dirty farangs, keep foreigners out, the "new" normal, Future Forward, Amazing ?trusted Thailand!!! Welcome the Chinese (exempt farangs??)

[Burma Bill]

36 minutes ago, LazySlipper said:

Were they ever truly?

Only their money!!

[AndrewMciver]

Just now, hotandsticky said:

 

Non-domestic tourism accounts for about 18% of GDP.................... significant but it dilutes your argument if you start quoted figures like 30%. 

 

It also gives the Thai authorities the opportunity to push up domestic tourism and re-focus on where they want international tourists to come from.

 

 

Would you REALLY want tourists from USA or Europe at the moment?

 

I was watching a documentary on Thailand on tourism. They had a factory making delivery pallets. These pallets were usually for delivering foods, clothing, products, into trucks that went to heavily tourist areas. Then you had a family who made plastic labels, that were used on clothing, once again for products used in tourism. This is the sort of indirect link to tourism. 

 

Then of course you have the undercover economy, be it the nightlife, street food vendors, ladies of the night, counterfit products, etc

 

As i say, unofficially tourism could lead all the way up to 30%. You can always make counter arguments, but you can't deny it's high.

 

Even if you say a conservative figure of 20%. No country can cope with a loss in GDP of even half that. 

[Spellforce]

3 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

Would you REALLY want tourists from USA or Europe at the moment?

Take a look at my post above: even if Thailand would reopen his borders to US or Europe today, there will be less contaminated tourists than early in march when there were zero protection in Thailand.

The first wave is over in Thailand with 59 deaths, do we have to fear a 2nd wave with 5 or 6 deaths in a country of 66 millions people ?

[sawadee1947]

Not a country for foreigners anyway. 

Best to eradicate those who did not run away yet. 

The hunt is on! ????

[topt]

19 minutes ago, geoff65 said:

No Country wants foreigners back yet as simple as that.

you (and some others) obviously missed this then - 

 

[NightSky]

6 hours ago, franzs said:

  This is a typical comment of somebody missing the nightlife, wishing the country running out of cash and that everything can resume like before.

 

This will not happen.

 

Because Farangs still in down over the last months, have shown their true face, everywhere to be seen without face mask. Because they think they are SUPERIOR.

 

And that is why the Thais are not happy with the Farangs anymore, don't want to see us to have an early come back here.

 

We are still a risk for them health wise (they think)....

 

.....and it is the fault of a handful....

 

 

 

Im all for wearing masks but those guys are wearing masks.

 

Instead remind me to stay well away from social media shamers

 

 

[Ketyo]

My guess is that three quarters of foreigners in Thailand also want foreigners to be kept out.

 

Especially given the age profile of many of them. And weight profile of some.

[Deli]

And now take 1000 people whose income depends directly or even only indirectl on the tourism business. Outcome might be slightly different.

[Expat Tom]

Ithin that maybe 3/4 of the expats here might want to leave too. My name is on that list. Xenophobic as always...It would be fitting it the tourists didn't come back.

[AndrewMciver]

7 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

Would you REALLY want tourists from USA or Europe at the moment?

 

I would be apprehensive on any form of international visitors from high rate countries too. However, if my country was reliant on tourism i would hope the government would do everything they could to protect the health of the people, by implementing safety procedures. 

 

No one is advocating a free for all and anyone just arrive. 

 

If however, people are prepared to take a massive hit on the economy (i'm talking about a hit that would devastate the finances of a country for many a year, and no investment in education, health, social issues, increased taxes, etc) by keeping locked then it's up to them. 

 

Also i know expats on here, staying in Thailand, with decent finances don't really care, infact they'd probably enjoy a Thai recession and become kings again, but the average Thai will hurt if the economy is wrecked. 

 

Thailand has to approach this sensitively, and cleverly. They don't want to reintroduce the virus, but by the same token they can't destroy their economy. It's a balance. 

 

[amdy2206]

With only just over 1000 polled (most likely selected people) I would not think the result very accurate. What about all the businesses which rely on tourism? Expect these were conveniently misses off from the polling lost!!!

[newnative]

      Yesterday I was at the hospital while my partner saw a doctor.  I was in the waiting room for a couple hours and kept my mask on the whole time.  After the first hour I was thinking to myself I wouldn't want to be sitting on a plane for a 12 hour flight having to wear a mask most of the time.  Once flights do open up I think my partner and I will just be doing short ones at first.  

[ChrisBKK2020]

What a BS poll. How much do 1,116 people represent of the nation to put out such a statement ? If you would have conducted the same poll in the South like Phuket, 99% would be in favor or tourism returning ..

[Chassa]

I ain't no movie star so I don't feel Thai people are looking at me and whether I wear a mask or not.

[Tchooptip]

Three quarters of Thais want to keep foreigners out, many cite fear of virus

I will stick a label on my forehead with writing in Thai, rest assured I live here and I have never ever left Thailand for nine years now!

grrrrrr????

[geoff65]

23 minutes ago, topt said:

you (and some others) obviously missed this then - 

 

Is it the 21st yet?