List of ‘travel bubble’ countries finalised today ahead of Aug reopening

By THE NATION

 

Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn

 

Foreign tourists will be allowed back into the country in August under “travel bubble” arrangements, Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn confirmed on Thursday, (July 2).

 

The “travel bubbles” will cover countries at low-risk of Covid-19 contagion, while the tourists would be allowed to travel on specific Thai routes or itineraries booked through small agencies, he added.

 

After discussions with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and private operators on Wednesday (July 1), Phiphat will today meet with Public Health Ministry officials to finalise the list of “travel bubble” countries.

 

The countries will be proposed to the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) in the next two weeks, he added.

 

Phiphat said the countries in Thailand’s travel bubbles must be deemed at low risk for Covid-19 by the World Health Organisation (WTO).

 

The travel bubble scheme will open in three phases.

 

In the first phase, tourist numbers and the areas they can travel to will be limited. Areas open to tourists in this phase will be Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Krabi, Phuket and Pattaya, and would include Chiang Rai and Hat Yai if possible, said the minister.

 

These limits would be relaxed in the second phase if it was deemed safe to do so, he added.

 

The third phase would see a lifting of all restrictions on tourist arrivals and the areas they could visit, he said.

 

“Before opening each area for tourists, we have to ensure they have enough public health capacity to serve the foreign arrivals” he added. “If the tourism situation and virus containment goes smoothly, we expect to see around 6.7 million foreign visitors between August and December.”

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30390671

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-07-02

 

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Curious how this going to go. For Pattaya for example people first have to go through BKK in order to even get there.. Probably everybody would have to get into a tourist bus. Also what's weird is that they classify the countries eligable for this countries that are virus free for 30 days and still list China...

23 minutes ago, webfact said:

we expect to see around 6.7 million foreign visitors between August and December.”

Why not 6.8 million visitors?

 

Maybe it's not a lucky number...

25 minutes ago, webfact said:

tourists would be allowed to travel on specific Thai routes or itineraries booked through small agencies

Why "small" agencies?

 

Why would tourists accept travel restrictions similar to those imposed in countries such as North Korea or the former Soviet Union, rather than wait for things to go back to normal?

 

9 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

34 minutes ago, webfact said:

we expect to see around 6.7 million foreign visitors between August and December.”

Why not 6.8 million visitors?

Because that's the number based on their knowledge and current expectations of the industry.

20 minutes ago, reallyaffiliated said:

Curious how this going to go. For Pattaya for example people first have to go through BKK in order to even get there.. Probably everybody would have to get into a tourist bus. Also what's weird is that they classify the countries eligable for this countries that are virus free for 30 days and still list China...

They are going to list China no matter what the objective reality. Does. Not. Matter. 

23 minutes ago, reallyaffiliated said:

// Also what's weird is that they classify the countries eligible for this countries that are virus free for 30 days and still list China...

Where did you take these 30 days from? Nothing in the article.

They just talk about countries "deemed at low risk for Covid-19 by the World Health Organisation (WTO)."

Low risk doesn't mean virus free.

47 minutes ago, reallyaffiliated said:

Curious how this going to go. For Pattaya for example people first have to go through BKK in order to even get there.. Probably everybody would have to get into a tourist bus. Also what's weird is that they classify the countries eligable for this countries that are virus free for 30 days and still list China...

 

Where are you seeing that? I don't find the final list of countries anywhere.

How do you know whether or not your country is in or out?  They haven't specified the countries.

The infographic I saw said covid free for 60 days, where in the world is covid free for 60 days. The countries mentioned are not covid free for 30 days, China, Japan and South Korea are having outbreaks at present. It also said the trips would be for 6/7 days, not worth it even for tourists from those countries.

Edited July 2, 20206 yr by tribalfusion001

4 minutes ago, tribalfusion001 said:

The infographic I saw said covid free for 60 days, where in the world is covid free for 60 days. The countries mentioned are not covid free for 30 days, China, Japan and South Korea are having outbreaks at present. It also said the trips would be for 6/7 days, not worth it even for tourists from those countries.

Yeah exactly. Saw the same thing. Where did you see the 6/7 days? Probably because it's going to be exactly like a chinese tourist bus trip... lol

Edited July 2, 20206 yr by reallyaffiliated

26 minutes ago, Grumpy John said:

How do you know whether or not your country is in or out?  They haven't specified the countries.

I think I read it in either the Thaiger or the Bangkok post, earlier today.

13 minutes ago, reallyaffiliated said:

Yeah exactly. Saw the same thing. Where did you see the 6/7 days? Probably because it's going to be exactly like a chinese tourist bus trip... lol

It was on Facebook (British expats in Thailand) and the link went to the BP page, can't post the link on here. Yes, it's aimed at the PRC tourists, UK and EU will have Thailand on the safe countries list, but they are not going to allow us in lol.

 

Most countries are turning their backs on the Chinese apart from Thailand, says it all really.

Edited July 2, 20206 yr by tribalfusion001

I am desperate to get back in from japan, but i would not even think about it under these conditions. Completely absurd. Hopefully its a disaster come august 1st and everything is relaxed by mid august. 

4 minutes ago, at15 said:

I am desperate to get back in from japan, but i would not even think about it under these conditions. Completely absurd. Hopefully its a disaster come august 1st and everything is relaxed by mid august. 

Indonesia has posted 1624 new infections today, I'm pretty sure these restrictions will be here until at least Q4.

Seems like the travel bubbles are to serve certain friends in high places. What is the point in a travel bubble? If a tourist is allowed to visit these places and has covid then passes it to a Thai who then travels out of their province then it spreads.

Completely pointless and irrational!

12 minutes ago, tribalfusion001 said:

Indonesia has posted 1624 new infections today, I'm pretty sure these restrictions will be here until at least Q4.

I dont take those seriously. Thailand will let in countries they consider high value as long as the outbreak is not out of control in that country. 

Edited July 2, 20206 yr by at15

1 hour ago, reallyaffiliated said:

Curious how this going to go. For Pattaya for example people first have to go through BKK in order to even get there.. Probably everybody would have to get into a tourist bus. Also what's weird is that they classify the countries eligable for this countries that are virus free for 30 days and still list China...

 

they haven't come up with the list yet, this was an announcement about the the announcement of the list ????

"Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the tourism and sports minister, said the ministry already asked the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta) and the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) to design 6-7 day tour packages in five areas that are ready to join the pilot project, comprising Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Krabi, Phuket and Pattaya."

 

What I interpret is...... the tourism ministry is just asking the travel agents to only make tour packages in these areas. All tourists don't have to use this? 

 

Edited July 2, 20206 yr by at15

2 minutes ago, at15 said:

"Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the tourism and sports minister, said the ministry already asked the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta) and the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) to design 6-7 day tour packages in five areas that are ready to join the pilot project, comprising Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Krabi, Phuket and Pattaya."

 

What I interpret is...... the tourism ministry is just asking the travel agents to only make tour packages in these areas. All tourists don't have to use this? 

Yes, all tourists will have to use the pre-approved locations. You will be greeted at the airport and taken to your approved location, monitored and then taken back to the airport when your 6/7 day holiday ends.

1 hour ago, Sametboy2019 said:

Seems like the travel bubbles are to serve certain friends in high places. What is the point in a travel bubble? If a tourist is allowed to visit these places and has covid then passes it to a Thai who then travels out of their province then it spreads.

Completely pointless and irrational!

Will travel bubble arrivals still have to do 14 days quarantine? 

1 hour ago, tribalfusion001 said:

Yes, all tourists will have to use the pre-approved locations. You will be greeted at the airport and taken to your approved location, monitored and then taken back to the airport when your 6/7 day holiday ends.

Approved location?     6/7 days holiday ends.

 

Is quarantine somehow entwined in the 6/7 days or is quarantine for these arrivals totally cancelled?

7 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Approved location?     6/7 days holiday ends.

 

Is quarantine somehow entwined in the 6/7 days or is quarantine for these arrivals totally cancelled?

No quarantine, but approved trip lasting 6 or 7 days in one of the specified areas. Unless your Chinese, Korean or Japanese you can forget about it.

2 hours ago, tribalfusion001 said:

It was on Facebook (British expats in Thailand) and the link went to the BP page, can't post the link on here. Yes, it's aimed at the PRC tourists, UK and EU will have Thailand on the safe countries list, but they are not going to allow us in lol.

 

Most countries are turning their backs on the Chinese apart from Thailand, says it all really.

 

I usually return to Thailand in Oct/Nov, for 6months.

 

I'm working on the expectation that I will not be able to even start planning until December.

 

Hopefully they will have abandoned their ludicrous fantasies by then.

 

If earlier that'll be great.

 

But at the moment it's not really worth listening to anything they say.

 

Their "concept" is as ****** up as the one upon which the Rice Pledging scheme was constructed.

 

 

 

Edited July 2, 20206 yr by Enoon

".....tourists would be allowed to travel on specific Thai routes or itineraries......" 

 

 

Every one likes to have dictated where and how they travel after dropping big bucks on the dream vacation.

 

What could go wrong?

5 hours ago, webfact said:

the tourists would be allowed to travel on specific Thai routes or itineraries booked through small agencies

So the only tourists who go in group tours in any volume would be the Chinese, this is obviously the target market

Edited July 2, 20206 yr by Bkk Brian

1 hour ago, tribalfusion001 said:

No quarantine, but approved trip lasting 6 or 7 days in one of the specified areas. Unless your Chinese, Korean or Japanese you can forget about it.

Thanks. Meanwhile someone who has PR and has been in for example Australia or New Zealand for many months in a location where there hasn't been one infection let alone death, has to do 14 days quarantine. Balance not a high priority but money is.

4 hours ago, reallyaffiliated said:

Curious how this going to go. For Pattaya for example people first have to go through BKK in order to even get there.. Probably everybody would have to get into a tourist bus. Also what's weird is that they classify the countries eligable for this countries that are virus free for 30 days and still list China...

Its pretty obvious.

They will not pass up the big tourist $ from China.

 

Certain people have planned for that anyway..

with the subtle hints about farangs being the start and cause of the virus, many Thais already believe Farangs are to blame.

 

If there is an outbreak after the tourists are allowed back,

they can easily belt out a story about some white foreigner infecting a cab driver at Swampy....and bingo.

 

The Chinese wont be upset and the Thai cash registers will keep clicking over.

 

3 hours ago, tribalfusion001 said:

Yes, all tourists will have to use the pre-approved locations. You will be greeted at the airport and taken to your approved location, monitored and then taken back to the airport when your 6/7 day holiday ends.

If they plan to do that with 6.7 million tourists (their number), they gonna have to recruit thousands of "greeters/caretakers" to follow them individually... 

 

These are the sort of rule only a beaurocrat could come up with.  It might work ok with Chinese tourists who already sort of do this.  That's probably who this is designed for.  I sure as hell won't go back there if I have to do things the chinese way.

Edited July 2, 20206 yr by shdmn