CCSA to reconsider new version of ‘travel bubble’ scheme next week after rejecting initial proposal

[snoop1130]

CCSA to reconsider new version of ‘travel bubble’ scheme next week after rejecting initial proposal

By The Nation

 

 

Despite gaining Cabinet approval, the “travel bubble” proposal was rejected by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) because the scheme does not make any provisions for a 14-day quarantine.

 

The drafters of the scheme decided not to include the quarantine period for fear visitors will lose their appetite for travel, though CCSA believes this will open the door to a second wave of infections.

 

There has not been a single new case domestically for 24 days, while those who have imported infections are being kept under state-controlled quarantine.

 

CCSA said it will reconsider the travel bubble scheme if related agencies come up with interesting measures, like offering visitors quarantine in hotels or villas as proposed by the Tourism Council. The council has said that a public hearing is required before these measures can be applied.

 

Meanwhile, Anutin Charnvirakul, Public Health Minister said Dr Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoen, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, has been appointed to come up with ideas about implementing the travel bubble scheme.

 

Separately, the ambassadors of Japan and Switzerland are talking to the government on how best to apply the concept of matching countries in the travel bubble, as it is based on each country’s disease control and the economy.

 

Each country will sign a memorandum of understanding related to the travel bubble, and the pact will be terminated if an outbreak occurs in a partner country.

 

All suggestions will be proposed to the prime minister and the CCSA on June 26.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30389861?utm_source=category&utm_medium=internal_referral

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-06-18

 

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[Pib]

This travel bubble stuff isn't go to work to revive tourism if people must be quarantined.  It's like traveling to another country simply to be locked-up for 14 days in some govt or commercial facility....not enticing at all for a holiday.  

 

Now if a person is trying to get back to Thailand really bad say to return to work or family then a travel bubble should ease the current "getting back into country" obstacle course.   

[bodga]

11 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Meanwhile, Anutin Charnvirakul, Public Health Minister said Dr Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoen, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, has been appointed to come up with ideas about implementing the travel bubble scheme.

 

guaranteed  mind   numbingly cack  then.

[mr mr]

20 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

like offering visitors quarantine in hotels or villas

i told my buddies back home about this and they booked already on quarantine.com   

 

fantastic rates all things considering. 

[Berti]

What a helpless government. It's now 12 days to 1.July and they have absolutely no idea what to do.

Where is the light at the end of the tunnel?

 

They should at least let EVERYONE in who goes into quarantine and is willing to pay for it. This would make for some flights per month.

Edited June 18, 2020 by Berti

[Enoon]

 

Thai State thrashing around, trying to come up with "hardwired" schemes for a future reality that is even further from predictability that "normal".

 

Months yet before anyone, anywhere, can start to lay foundations.

 

You're not in control Thai government, you don't know what's going to happen.

 

Nobody does.

 

But you, especially, don't want your people to know it.

 

 

Edited June 18, 2020 by Enoon

[AndrewMciver]

Why do they need bubbles if they want everyone to go into quarantine anyways ? 

 

I'd be happy to quarantine, but coming form UK (and partner in France) i doubt they will open up. So a tad confused as to why me quarantining for 14 days is different to a Swiss guy quarantining for 14 days. Surely the point of the quarantine is to achieve the same outcome.

 

By the way Brits can go to Switzerland to holiday, which makes that suggested bubble even more bizarre. And US military and citizens will soon be allowed back into South Korea, which again makes it a bizarre bubble. 

 

 

[vermin on arrival]

If they quarantine people, it is not a travel bubble. The whole purpose of the bubbles is to allow relatively free travel between countries which have the epidemic under control. The people running this country are imbeciles.

[AndrewMciver]

We all know the one real bubble the want. It starts with C . . . . 

 

 

Edited June 18, 2020 by AndrewMciver

[Venom]

Should be just in time for the "second wave" that will soon be coming to a theater near you. Then the third wave and so forth.... 

[mrmicbkktxl]

Who in his right mind will pay a lot of money for flights and so on, just to stay 2 weeks in quarantine,and on top you have to pay for the quarantine?I think until there is a covid 19 antiserum people should forget about traveling.Since this week Germans are allowed to travel to Spain.Maybe everybody should wait and see how that is working out.People who have family here should be allowed to come if they go into quarantine

[dougiemac52]

13 hours ago, bodga said:

guaranteed  mind   numbingly cack  then.

I'm happy to go into quarantine provided I can travel to my wife's home 

[madmitch]

The problem here is that the CCSA seem to be purely concerned with the control of COVID-19, and quite rightly so, and theyve done a good job and continue to do so. But the difficult part of opening up the country and getting the economy moving again needs input from elsewhere and without compromise it just isnt going to happen. It's a difficult one but a travel bubble with quarantine is not a travel bubble.

[LEKPHUKET]

This is the result of a country leaded by.

 brainless puppets. Nobody is going on holiday to be in quarantine, when the new german is comming back why he not needs quarantine?

The basic of human rights is to be free to travel.

We are becomming the new North korea,our own kim is in europe at the moment.

[hobz]

7 hours ago, AndrewMciver said:

Why do they need bubbles if they want everyone to go into quarantine anyways ? 

 

I'd be happy to quarantine, but coming form UK (and partner in France) i doubt they will open up. So a tad confused as to why me quarantining for 14 days is different to a Swiss guy quarantining for 14 days. Surely the point of the quarantine is to achieve the same outcome.

 

By the way Brits can go to Switzerland to holiday, which makes that suggested bubble even more bizarre. And US military and citizens will soon be allowed back into South Korea, which again makes it a bizarre bubble. 

 

 

It's because you will come here with your dirty American version of covid19 and then you will take paracetamol to lower your fever when they check your temp in the quarantine and after the 14 days you will start spreading it here in the land of smiles! Did I mention you are dirty?

[Enzian]

They are playing it by ear, but so is everyone in the world. I'd really like to see a travel bubble to Vietnam where I have in-laws, but I probably won't know about it till the last moment. It's a pain in the ass, but let's count our blessings. I could have just as well have got stranded in California or Italy (where 400 new cases per day is on the low side at this time), but I got stuck here in Bangkok; I'm 80 and I'm grateful every day, I'm not in a hospital bed.

[hotchilli]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

CCSA said it will reconsider the travel bubble scheme if related agencies come up with interesting measures, like offering visitors quarantine in hotels or villas as proposed by the Tourism Council. The council has said that a public hearing is required before these measures can be applied.

I don't think many will find being confined to a hotel interesting.

[phkauf]

My take is that Thailand was rejected by some of the countries they want to partner with and this nonsense is just their way of saving face. Otherwise they can't really be that stupid to think a 14-day quarantine would be part of any sort of Bubble arrangement. 

[simtemple]

50 minutes ago, LEKPHUKET said:

This is the result of a country leaded by.

 brainless puppets. Nobody is going on holiday to be in quarantine, when the new german is comming back why he not needs quarantine?

The basic of human rights is to be free to travel.

We are becomming the new North korea,our own kim is in europe at the moment.

The Chinese won't be coming to Thailand. They're too busy fighting Coronavirus. 

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/17/beijing-coronavirus-outbreak-city-raises-emergency-level-and-grounds-hundreds-of-flights

[sam neuts]

Not much use saying they would offer quarantine in "villas". The Hotel Act made stays of less than 30 days illegal without a licence, which is virtually impossible to get.

[Fairynuff]

7 hours ago, vermin on arrival said:

If they quarantine people, it is not a travel bubble. The whole purpose of the bubbles is to allow relatively free travel between countries which have the epidemic under control. The people running this country are imbeciles.

Totally agree with you, but if you want imbeciles mismanaging virus control you need look no further than America, the UK and Brazil to start with 

[Gary Maneval]

this whole thing is ridiculous.  I think the Thai government has the right idea, just the wrong way.  Not a all-in-one fit.  To wit:  I am an American.  I am and have been married to the same Thai lady for 54 years now.  We do have a home built and paid for in Yasothon.  We have been here, this last trip, since November 6th, 2019 (2561), which is long before the COVID-19.  OK?  So now we got caught here.  We were supposed to leave on April 30th.  No flights!  We finally have a Asiana flight leaving Bangkok on 24 June.  OK?  So we go to bus station to buy bus ticket to take us to Mo Chit Bus Terminal in Bangkok.  OK?  Nope.  Wife can go, but because I am a foreigner I can not go on their DAMN bus.  What?  So, this is the ridiculous part.  There are  no provisions for a certain situation.  I am beyond mad at this.  I love Thailand, I love the people, I love my Thai Family, but this is totally stupid, beyond the point of comprehension.

[Derek B]

1 hour ago, dougiemac52 said:

I'm happy to go into quarantine provided I can travel to my wife's home 

Well that is not quarantine you might infect the whole house hold and beyond - you would be a local super spreader 

[brewsterbudgen]

They can start by opening up the border with Laos as there haven't been any Covid cases from there in weeks (and only 19 in total, with no deaths).  

[JUAinBKK]

15 hours ago, mr mr said:

i told my buddies back home about this and they booked already on quarantine.com   

 

fantastic rates all things considering. 

Please share with all what the intent, specifically, of those buddies are for coming?  Also, give us an idea of their personal status...ie. Single Professional.  We would like to know for the benifit of spreading the idea.  If you give no reply, I understand that to say they are single men looking for illegal activity.  I hope we get a good reply.  Thanks

[Fairynuff]

The UK government came up with the brilliant idea of quarantine for incoming people just about 4 months too late. 20 million arrivals just walked in from countries with the worst situations. Now the UK has the great accolade of being number one. Now they’re backtracking to save some face and talking about airbridges and bubbles. 

 

[bipper]

Superb if Anutin is on to it it's going to be perfect.

[Expat Tom]

The whole thing is completely bizarre. Here is a reality check for the brilliant minds in Bangkok:

 

1) Citizens from countries with open societies and freedom of information that declare their true Wuhan Virus numbers will not be allowed into Thailand while those from China where the virus originated (Along with the Asian Virus, the Hong Kong Virus, SARS, Avian Virus, Swine Virus and the Wuhan Coronavirus) will be welcomed guests. ANYONE who believe ANYTHING that the CCP says is an idiot. Example, the CCP is admitting to about 100 new cases in Beijing while the government has taken over 7 major hotels with a capacity of 4000 people for quarantine ? Those number do not add up. I speak to a highly placed Chinese gentleman about 4 times a week. He works for a major Chinese news organization and is well aware of the true state of affairs in China. The "minds"in Bangkok are not.

 

2) I talk to Chinese people in China 7 days a week in my job. I ask everyone one of them if they will travel for their summer holiday. NOT ONE plans to travel outside of China. Many will not travel outside of their city or provence. The Chinese government does not want money flowing out of China now as their true unemployment rate is near 20% and 600,000 Chinese live below the poverty line. If anyone expects the "low dollar" mass Chinese tourism will rescue Thailand's tourism industry then they are sadly mistaken.

 

3) The countries mentioned in previous travel bubble schemes do not have enough population to greatly affect tourism. Australia has less about 1/3 the population of Thailand. New Zealand has the population of about 1/3 of Bangkok. Get real people.

 

4) The key to successful tourism in not in masses of tour bus Chinese on package deals that they payed for in China. The key is attracting tourists who will actually spend money here. Further, the biomass of millions of low dollar Chinese will contribute to disease, infrastructure degradation, resource depletion and pollution far greater than their economic contribution.      

 

I could write a few thousand more words but it would all be in vain. The elite in Bangkok will do what is best for themselves personally and not what is best for Thailand.

[Bluetongue]

The tourism is not restarting in July or anytime soon. I don't get the nexus they are putting on this 1 July date. Any bubbling has to be negotiated, for a start the two countries leaders have to publicly say they're working on it as per Ardern/Morrison. There's been nothing like that, the leadership appear to think that once Thailand says it's OK the other countries will just line up. What planet are they on. They should just declare the airport open, which it basically is anyway, and incoming travellers have to do quarantine at own expense and worry about future bubbles later. I suspect that is in effect what is going to happen. Most of the countries Thailand wants to bubble with have nothing to gain from it, Australia for instance one way exodus of tourist's spending their $A in Thailand, virtually none would go the other way.

Edited June 19, 2020 by Bluetongue
new phrase

[steevjee]

For a bubble to be a bubble both countries must feel confident that the other has Covid under control.

Given that scenario then imposing a 14 day quarantine would be senseless and totally discouraging to all except perhaps partners wanting to return to their loved ones.

That still has barriers as the home country may not allow these partners to enter Thailand if they see it as too great a risk, in other words they dont believe the Covid stats that Thailand puts out