Opening up Thailand: More than half of Thais don't want foreigners back - despite 14 day quarantine, poll

 

Picture: Sanook

 

The latest Thai public opinion poll has suggested that more than half of all Thais do not want foreigners allowed back in the country just yet even if they have to undergo a 14 day quarantine. 

 

They fear a second wave of the virus coming in from abroad. 

 

A small majority broadly agreed with the travel bubble plan to allow foreigners in from countries deemed to have coronavirus under control but the largest set of respondents still said "no way" to the idea.

 

A clear majority of people don't have confidence in the government's ability to handle having foreigners back.

 

The NIDA poll was conducted from 6th to 8th July and asked 1,251 members of the Thai public four questions under the umbrella: Should we let foreigners into Thailand or not?

 

Respondents were asked four questions to say if they strongly agreed, somewhat agreed, didn't agree or strongly opposed. 

 

Asked about whether foreigners should be allowed back as part of the Medical and Wellness Program (medical tourists) 55% rejected the idea - this despite the fact that the tourists would have certificates saying they didn't have coronavirus, would undergo 14 day quarantine at a medical facility and then would be shipped straight back out of the country.

 

For this question 23.1% strongly agreed with letting them in, 21.58% quite agreed, 13.91% said they were not sure if it was safe to do that and 41.41% said "no" to the idea fearing a second wave of infections. 

 

The response was similar to the question of allowing foreigners in for medical tourism and then after treatment allowing them to engage in tourism in the country.

 

Some 24.14% strongly agreed with letting them back as it would be good for the economy and 23.26% pretty much agreed.

 

But 14.55% said no thanks and 37.89% said absolutely not. Not until the pandemic is 100% over. They feared that second spike. 

 

Asked about the travel bubble plan 25.9% strongly agreed, 28.46 quite agreed, 14.95% said no and 29.65% said definitely not.

 

Questioned about their confidence in the Thai government to handle the situation of having foreigners back in only 15.43% expressed great confidence. 

 

Some 23.9% were quite confident, 30.53% were not confident and 29.1% had no confidence at all.

 

Many commented on the fine medical facilities and doctors in Thailand and the need to get the tourism economy back up and running as soon as possible. They placed getting foreigners' money over coronavirus fears.

 

But more expressed caution fearing that foreigners would bring a second wave with them. 

 

Source: Sanook

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-07-13

 

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Another poll inciting xenophobia !

More than half didn’t want foreigners here in the first place 

2 minutes ago, RandolphGB said:

More than half didn’t want foreigners here in the first place 

But they need the jobs/income....

I must say that they are quite clever. Of course they do not want arrogant "I have money and own the world foreigners", and the virus have given them the tool to say that in another way. Not saying that all foreigners that comes to Thailand are this way, but unfortunately a great amount behaves with a very bad attitude. I do believe that´s a big part of many Thais way of looking at foreigners coming back to Thailand or not.

3 minutes ago, transam said:

But they need the jobs/income....

If tourism is only 15% of the GDP then the other 85% dont need us .

Unlike many other countries around the world who were infected with the pandemic and their economy is about to implode on itself and ruien 100' of millions of lives, Thai people, who has deep seated dislike and disdain towards all foreigners anyway, can survive on a very little money and are happy to eat rice and som tam and sleep on the floor and consume very little in a way of necessities and comfort, so no new news there... 

12 minutes ago, webfact said:

A clear majority of people don't have confidence in the government's ability to handle having foreigners back.

Now this is what it is really saying. Have a competent real elected government and then maybe.

Just now, ezzra said:

Unlike many other countries around the world who who were infected with the pandemic and their economy is about to implode on itself and ruien 100' of millions of lives, Thai people, who has deep seated dislike and disdain towards all foreigners anyway can survive on a very little money and are happy to eat rice and som tam and sleep on the floor and consume very little in a way of necessities and comfort, so no new news there... 

The ones who have som tam on the floor are not the people hoping for a permanent ban of tourists.

It is the middle class and elites 

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

They placed getting foreigners' money over coronavirus fears.

How can they get those tourist dollars if they won't/don't want to let 'em back in again? 

Maybe just transfer to a bank account here but stay at home in Faranistang? 

It's looking more and more likely that it'll take a few years before people start travelling again. What with the loss of jobs, travel restrictions, spending 2 weeks of your holidays holed up in quarantine, etc., not many people can afford or want to travel. 

 

13 minutes ago, RandolphGB said:

More than half didn’t want foreigners here in the first place 

I don't know about that. Those Issan gals with many foreigner boyfriends and husband support a lot of family members that probably is more than half of the country.

Thailand slowly returning to the land of its forefathers, and the old ways. Closing itself off from the rest of the world and putting a bubble around it to insulate itself from what it perceives as a sick world, all the while still looking to the west for money and companies to come and prop it up.

6 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Unlike many other countries around the world who were infected with the pandemic and their economy is about to implode on itself and ruien 100' of millions of lives, Thai people, who has deep seated dislike and disdain towards all foreigners anyway, can survive on a very little money and are happy to eat rice and som tam and sleep on the floor and consume very little in a way of necessities and comfort, so no new news there... 

Like it or not, but they've gotten a taste of living in nice air-conditioned condos, having a car/pickup, mobile phone(s), an occasional trip to the beach, daily cups of coffee from Starbucks/Amazon, food delivered to their doorsteps, etc. I don't believe that too many of them, especially those in their 20's and 30's, are happy to going back to sleeping on the floor again. 

I bet some Thais think

Why not just train the farang to climb the trees and pick coconuts......No more monkey cruelty and the farang can finally be useful...

If it's not a poll, it's a survey.

 

Unbelievable.

13 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Thailand slowly returning to the land of its forefathers, and the old ways. Closing itself off from the rest of the world and putting a bubble around it to insulate itself from what it perceives as a sick world, all the while still looking to the west for money and companies to come and prop it up.

And with a continuation of that trend, the Thai baht could return to the last decade's exchange rate...which would make my life financially easier.

2 minutes ago, anchadian said:

If it's not a poll, it's a survey.

 

Unbelievable.

Exactly.

 

What is the difference between a poll and a survey? A poll is used to ask one simple question while a survey is generally used to ask a wide range of multiple questions. A poll allows you to ask one multiple choice question.  Participants can choose from among answers that you predefine.  Looks like the survey was a loaded pre-planned survey with prior popular views known or expected as results.

28 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

I must say that they are quite clever. Of course they do not want arrogant "I have money and own the world foreigners", and the virus have given them the tool to say that in another way. Not saying that all foreigners that comes to Thailand are this way, but unfortunately a great amount behaves with a very bad attitude. I do believe that´s a big part of many Thais way of looking at foreigners coming back to Thailand or not.

Hope its not that way.  My company had sone ok thru the virus.  And because of that I still employ 6 Thais without any salary cut throughout.  

We Bumpkins up North dont want anyone from BKK, Chaing Mai, Pats ore Phuket near us.

30 minutes ago, keith101 said:

If tourism is only 15% of the GDP then the other 85% dont need us .

What's 15% of 65,000,000 Thais....? ????

Can't say I blame them.

Teelak, I miss u velly mutt..solly thailan close..dont forget to send money for buffalo...take care''joop joop...

 

 

Up to you. khon Thai!

22 minutes ago, djayz said:

don't believe that too many of them, especially those in their 20's and 30's, are happy to going back to sleeping on the floor again. 

My step-daughter (age 22) says she never wants to live anywhere without a hot shower again.

Why would anyone want tourists unless you are in the tourist business and your living depended on it,I mean lets face it ,even as an expat here in Pattaya ,its better without loads of Chinese etc blocking the roads , I was born in a tourist town  and to be honest even then the average local didnt look forward to tourist season ,that is except us lads , and we only looked forward to the girls that would come .

Message received, Thailand. 

58 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

I must say that they are quite clever. Of course they do not want arrogant "I have money and own the world foreigners", and the virus have given them the tool to say that in another way. Not saying that all foreigners that comes to Thailand are this way, but unfortunately a great amount behaves with a very bad attitude. I do believe that´s a big part of many Thais way of looking at foreigners coming back to Thailand or not.

This survey was in regards to the Corvid virus , not about foreigners as a stand alone point .

This is not Thais "being clever" , its Thais saying its too early to allow foreigners back into Thailand because many other Countries do not have the virus under control .

39 minutes ago, keith101 said:

If tourism is only 15% of the GDP then the other 85% dont need us .

That's the official statistic. Where do sex workers fit into that?

 

If Thais don't want foeigners bck there should be no more news about complaints of people in the tourism industry being out of work. They need to suck it up and get back to growing rice or selling noodles on the street. I guess that's one way to reduce the scams and ripoffs - have no tourists to scam!

Or more like the Generals don't want Foreigners back they're a bunch of old Dinosaurs and prime candidates for contracting COVID19.
P.s Who sponsors Nida Poll?
 

The headline is misleading. More than 55% of respondents said yes to tourists in travel bubbles question for a start.