Foreigners set to return as Thailand presses ahead with "Travel Bubble" plans

[webfact]

Foreigners set to return as Thailand presses ahead with "Travel Bubble" plans

 

 

The Thai government's assistant spokeswoman Traisulee Tratsoranakul said that the country is pressing ahead with plans to create a so-called "Travel Bubble".

 

The idea is that nations who have been similarly successful like Thailand in limiting the spread of Covid-19 would club together to permit travel where 14 day quarantine was waived. 

 

The countries that could be part of such a scheme were not mentioned in the PPTV 36 story and elsewhere in the media today an insider doubted it would get off the ground.

 

Pipat Ratchakitprakarn - the billionaire minister of Tourism and Sports is one of the leading figures putting their weight behind the "Travel Bubble". The spokeswoman said that he has praised Thailand's success in limiting the impact of coronavirus which had inspired confidence in the kingdom's health systems and preparedness both now and in the future. 

 

So much so that four ministries - tourism, interior, health and foreign - were now going to gather opinions and data ahead of presenting the travel bubble plans to the cabinet on Wednesday. 

 

Other such bubbles are being created elsewhere in the world. Denmark was one that announced last week that three countries' citizens would be allowed in without restrictions, notes Thaivisa.

 

But the optimistic plans have not been met with agreement in all quarters. Elsewhere on Thaivisa today in a story about promoting tourism in Pattaya a local tourism chief suggested that the travel bubble scheme was a non-starter.

 

The experiences of a second spike in South Korea - a country that is bound to be near the top of the list for ease of entry into Thailand -  showed that the scheme might not work, said Thanet Supharothatrangsee chief of the Chonburi tourism business association.

 

Source: PPTV

 

 

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[Misterwhisper]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Foreigners set to return

Three quarters of Thais won't be all too delighted to hear about that. Allegedly.

 

 

[sammieuk1]

There is sure to be a special limbo dancing bubble for exiled Brits one day far into the future ???? 

[Geoffggi]

Sounds like a load of balls to me - I suppose these balls will also be color coded .......LOL

 

[LomSak27]

Quote

 

Thai media 'exaggerating' Covid-19 situation in Beijing

By The Nation

 

 

Ah Ha so now we know the reason for this article in today NEWS. Bubble tourists from Beijing might not fly. 

[Andrew65]

49 minutes ago, Misterwhisper said:

Three quarters of Thais won't be all too delighted to hear about that. Allegedly.

 

 

I get the impression in the UK that when asked about the importance or degree of lock-down, people's responses will be coloured at least a bit by how financially or occupationally secure they are. Also, some would rather be off work/furloughed than doing jobs that they hate.

[Bluetongue]

Another nothing story to add to the many

 

[maxisrael]

Who wants to fly 10 -12 hours with face mask on hardly any sevice and possible pricey tickets? 

[miamiman123]

Chinese ??

[wombat]

welcome to 'the bubble'

[brucegoniners]

<deleted> is a “travel bubble”? I live in Pattaya. Will I be in the “bubble”? 
 

Keep the virus out. Nobody in without a 14 day quarantine. Period. Tests on departure for all passengers. Anyone testing positive goes back.

 

If they mean people have to stay in resorts that’s a fine idea. But what about the workers at the resort? 

[soalbundy]

Bubbles is the right word.....pop!!!

[Dogmatix]

"Bubble" is a code word for letting the Chinese back in, assuming they still want to come. The country can't remain indefinitely but I personally feel a lot safer without the foreign tourists.  It is also a lot easier to find a seat in hospital waiting rooms without the medical tourists, even though some seats are blanked out. 

 

I am sure that in the present environment opening the doors to any large groups of tourists will also open the doors to the virus.

 

[Cake Monster]

11 minutes ago, Dogmatix said:

"Bubble" is a code word for letting the Chinese back in, assuming they still want to come. The country can't remain indefinitely but I personally feel a lot safer without the foreign tourists.  It is also a lot easier to find a seat in hospital waiting rooms without the medical tourists, even though some seats are blanked out. 

 

I am sure that in the present environment opening the doors to any large groups of tourists will also open the doors to the virus.

 

Opening the doors the Covid19 virus is only a plane load of Tourists that have departed Wuhan, as they did before the virus was made public knowledge.

Wuhan was the central hub for departures by the Chinese Tourists, with some 6 Million departing from there for LOS last Year.

To allow such numbers ever again, is bordering on sheer lunacy, as China has new outbreaks happening on a regular basis now.

[Jimbo2014]

There is only one country Thailand really wants back.....  

[Jimbo53]

1 hour ago, maxisrael said:

Who wants to fly 10 -12 hours with face mask on hardly any sevice and possible pricey tickets? 

100% correct,i would rather stay at home until all this s*it has blown over,than go through all the hassle of airports and wearing a mask..

[Pattaya46]

1 hour ago, maxisrael said:

Who wants to fly 10 -12 hours with face mask on hardly any service and possible pricey tickets? 

Uh? That would probably be the least of my worries. Just sleep and it will go fast.

Far bigger worries with the quarantine and enter-requirements...

[vermin on arrival]

Let's hope it works out. Let people travel with sensible precautions between the countries who have dealt properly with the pandemic. Was only able to get on a flight to Taiwan that was leaving 2 hours after the country was closed due to the little notice and information that was given, and I am still stuck here. The travel bubbles will be mostly be regional short haul flights (except for NZ and Oz)

[natway09]

Thai Airways can fly to Auckland & bring a planeload of Kiwis back pretty well knowing that they will not spread any Covid.just as Singapore Airlines  is doing.

Problem: After their 10day holiday they have to go into 14 day isolation still on returning home

which makes it pretty much a non starter

[vermin on arrival]

7 minutes ago, natway09 said:

Thai Airways can fly to Auckland & bring a planeload of Kiwis back pretty well knowing that they will not spread any Covid.just as Singapore Airlines  is doing.

Problem: After their 10day holiday they have to go into 14 day isolation still on returning home

which makes it pretty much a non starter

Not if they have negotiated a travel bubble between the two nations, which means they have agreed to mutual safety protocols. Presumably all nations involved will have the same ones in place.

[barryofthailand]

In the past the Thai government said only 7% of the Thai economy was tourism 

[ukrules]

With a new outbreak reported over the weekend in Beijing China had better not be on that list.

 

Things will be very different if they're allowed back in and even one new case is found due to this dereliction of duty by whoever is in charge of this 'bubble' policy.

 

[nauseus]

One thousand foreign visitors per day won't make much difference to most.  

[joecoolfrog]

1 hour ago, Dogmatix said:

"Bubble" is a code word for letting the Chinese back in, assuming they still want to come. The country can't remain indefinitely but I personally feel a lot safer without the foreign tourists.  It is also a lot easier to find a seat in hospital waiting rooms without the medical tourists, even though some seats are blanked out. 

 

I am sure that in the present environment opening the doors to any large groups of tourists will also open the doors to the virus.

 

Were you the Thai government would you be more concerned about A) The drain on the economy which is hitting a great deal of working class Thais hard . Or B) The convenience of relatively far fewer elderly expats?

Its probably moot because this current mob probably care little for either group but you get my drift.

[Chiang Mai Bill]

2 hours ago, maxisrael said:

Who wants to fly 10 -12 hours with face mask on hardly any sevice and possible pricey tickets? 

Ahhhh! Perhaps the airlines will sell cheap tickets to encourage us to fly again??? ????????????

[Andrew65]

32 minutes ago, barryofthailand said:

In the past the Thai government said only 7% of the Thai economy was tourism 

A lot more of it's manufacturing now, unlike 20 years ago

[Ketyo]

Bubbling is better than shielding and everything is better than curfewing. Are they talking about soapy massages opening?

[Pattaya46]

26 minutes ago, ukrules said:

With a new outbreak reported over the weekend in Beijing China had better not be on that list.

And why not?

Medias today are talking on about 79 infected people,

on about 1'400'000'000 people in China !

About 0.000'005% of population

A 5 on 1 million risk. You want compare with your country? ????

[vermin on arrival]

48 minutes ago, barryofthailand said:

In the past the Thai government said only 7% of the Thai economy was tourism 

Yes, but a lot of current information says it is in the 14-20% range.

[AndrewMciver]

Would be sickening to allow the Chinese back in. 

 

China knew about the virus, yet allowed flights from Wuhan directly into Bangkok at the height of Chinese New Year. This was the most visited destination for Wuhan citizens in February at the peak of the virus.

 

How Thailand avoided a catastrophe no one knows. But it's sheer lunacy to trust China.