100 billion baht rescue package for Thai tourism mooted - foreign tourists wanted before year's end

[webfact]

100 billion baht rescue package for Thai tourism mooted - foreign tourists wanted before year's end

 

File photo

 

Thai media reported that the chief of the Thai Hoteliers' Association has called for the government to set up a 100 billion baht fund to rescue the tourism industry devastated by the coronavirus pandemic. 

 

Suphawan Thanomkiatphum was speaking after the Tourism Authority of Thailand met with the private sector yesterday, reported TPBS.

 

She said that 1.6 million workers in hotels, other accommodation, restaurants and tour companies had been laid off representing 30% of the workforce. 

 

A 10 billion cheap or "soft loan" arrangement should also be set up, she said.

 

The Association of Thai Travel Agents' (ATTA) chief Wichit Prakopkoson promoted the "Save (sic) and Sealed" travel plan.

 

(The correct term is believed to be "safe", notes Thaivisa).

 

Under this plan only those from countries deemed to have the virus under control would be allowed entry and they would then be subject to quarantine and severe restrictions on where they are allowed to go. 

 

Wichit said that this was better and safer than the previously mooted "travel bubble".

 

Countries that would be eligible were China, Taiwan, the US and those in Europe, reported TPBS. 

 

He wanted to see foreign tourists allowed in in the fourth quarter, well before the end of 2020.

 

The news comes as Reuters reported Thursday that the authorities in Thailand had shelved plans for a "travel bubble" agreement with select countries.

 

Source: ThaiPBS

 

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[darksidedog]

13 minutes ago, webfact said:

Under this plan only those from countries deemed to have the virus under control would be allowed entry and they would then be subject to quarantine and severe restrictions on where they are allowed to go. 

And they actually think that tourists in their droves are going to put up with that? Replace this idiot with an intellectually superior  packet of peanuts and lets all move forward with reality.

[colinneil]

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

Under this plan only those from countries deemed to have the virus under control would be allowed entry and they would then be subject to quarantine and severe restrictions on where they are allowed to go.

Dream on Suphawan, cloud cuckoo land is where your at, time to start being realistic, severe restrictions, you plonker, who in their right minds would come here and put up with that?

[ezzra]

1 minute ago, darksidedog said:

And they actually think that tourists in their droves are going to put up with that? Replace this idiot with a packet of peanuts and lets all move forward with reality.

this is sound like a PR stunt and for public consumption to show that the are still relevant and justify their positions and big salaries where many airlines are not predicting things to go back to normal anytime soon but that will not those talking heads from dreaming big...

[johng]

Dirty foreigners,  please come back all is forgiven !

[Pottinger]

Oh boy, here we go again, some intellectually-challenged official floats another sieve upon the ocean of Thai reality.

[NE1]

28 minutes ago, webfact said:

Under this plan only those from countries deemed to have the virus under control would be allowed entry and they would then be subject to quarantine and severe restrictions on where they are allowed to go

 

29 minutes ago, webfact said:

Countries that would be eligible were China, Taiwan, the US and those in Europe,

Have Europe and the countries mentioned got Covid under control now ?

Did i miss something ?

[ChipButty]

50% discount on all beers you might get a few takers

[Mavideol]

31 minutes ago, webfact said:

Under this plan only those from countries deemed to have the virus under control would be allowed entry and they would then be subject to quarantine and severe restrictions on where they are allowed to go. 

and the non sense BS keeps floating, if is not from that office it's from the one across or the one next to it, do they ever take a 2 minute recess and read what (non sense) they posted 555

[chrisinth]

They are living the dream. Until quarantine is removed from the equation nothing is going to happen in any sort of numbers.

 

If they do remove the quarantine restrictions, they will change the safety of the Thai population to an unacceptable level. They need to beliefs to the fore that Thailand is the centre of the world. But also understand that they are surrounded by the same world, and if they open their doors, all the bad in relation to covid has the potential to seep in.

 

Don't push your luck.

 

IMO, if they take shortcuts on this tourism mess, it will all end in tears. 

[Mavideol]

13 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Dream on Suphawan, cloud cuckoo land is where your at, time to start being realistic, severe restrictions, you plonker, who in their right minds would come here and put up with that?

not me, what about you 555

[Samui Bodoh]

This is the third time i have posted this, but it is still quite relevant.

 

I think it is time for Thailand to re-evaluate its Virus Response policy.

 

Thailand has been following a 'Zero-Tolerance' policy, but I think it is time to move to a 'Managed-Tolerance' policy. I make this suggestion based mainly on two factors; I think it is inevitable that the virus will return to Thailand and a calm, managed response is more effective than hysteria. Secondly, the economic damage being done to millions is more harmful than the virus itself and needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.

 

We recently saw new cases in Vietnam, and I think that we are going to see new cases in Thailand soon; like most people I take the government's claim of zero cases with a grain of salt, although it seems like they have done a very good job overall. However, I don't think it can last. A better policy is to prepare, both medically and in terms of public opinion/education, for the return of the virus. Is this a radical idea? No, not really. Members will recall the phrase "flatten the curve", but perhaps a reminder is needed that the idea is to manage the virus so that the health system isn't overwhelmed; a policy of Zero Tolerance is incompatible with an open society and/or open economy. It is time to re-enforce the precautions needed, but also to allow for an economic re-start which includes outsiders/foreigners. A final point; humanity's best minds and a boat-load of resources are being thrown at the problem. This global effort, propelled by the power of competition, is expected to produce a vaccine either this year or early next year while treatments are being developed and refined daily; we as a species are going to beat this scourge, and relatively soon.

 

The economic damage being done to Thailand is immense. Yes, I know that we don't hear about it too much, but there is a reason for that. The people talking in the (not quite free) Media are almost all in a 'Virus-Proof' economic situation; they aren't directly affected so they don't feel the urgency of fixing the problem. Firm numbers are difficult to come by, but it seems around 6-9 million Thais are very badly hurt by the economic fall-out of the virus, and those people need to be both helped and heard. The damage done to these people is egregious and growing worse; some government support is being withdrawn, the option of 'Go Back to the Farm' isn't really possible anymore (and not a great idea regardless), and they will soon need more food and rent support to survive. Further, many aren't well-educated and don't have transferable skills, so their options are limited. Finally, even before Covid-19, their economic situation was in decline; it is in free-fall now and they can't be ignored. Simply put, plans for their economic regeneration must to be formulated now and implemented soon.

 

When people are hungry, all bets are off.

 

How to proceed?

 

It is the beginning of August; continue/speed up the current repatriation policy 'as is', but ramp up the public education aspect of change. Announce that by October 1st (perhaps Nov. 1st?) that the airspace around Thailand will be open to commercial air travel, long-term tourists (Snow-Birds who 'winter' here), remaining residents and retirees will be allowed to return with a few restrictions (test before boarding or on arrival, reasonable insurance, self-isolation at home on arrival, etc. BUT no mandatory state quarantine), implement common sense visa issuance (sorry Floridians and Texans!) and most of all prepare the Thai people for the idea that although there will be cases of the virus, they will be managed, and the benefits of re-opening are a risk worth taking. Yes, the end of mandatory state quarantine is essential if this is going to work; I believe that the long-term visitors will respect the self-isolation policy and Thailand's million strong public health volunteers can monitor them, but they won't come if they are going to be locked up. Moreover, the selection of the residents/retirees and 'Snow-Birds' as an initial group isn't accidental; these people already know the Kingdom and understand life within it, are good 'testers' of a new system, have a lot of money to spend, and can be excellent examples of a working policy of re-opening. Finally, allowing these kinds of visitors would build confidence, test whether short-term tourists could actually visit (I think not yet, but...), and help protect the tourism infrastructure from further and/or irreparable damage.

 

There are those who will argue that it is better to keep the borders closed and wait this out, and I honestly have trouble arguing against that idea (I don't want to catch the <deleted> thing). However, those who make that point rarely take the next step; what do you do with the 6-9 million people damaged by the current policy? Will those that advocate for closed borders take in homeless people? If so, how many? One family? Two families? Three? Will those that advocate for closed borders give up a percentage of their salaries/pensions to help? If so, how much? 25%? 35%? 45%? Will those that advocate for closed borders pay school fees and related costs for all the children of unemployed/underemployed parents? How many kids? One? Five? Twenty? The question isn't merely an intellectual exercise, it has real-world implications and consequences. 

 

If you want those 6-9 million people to sacrifice for you, what are you going to sacrifice for them?

 

To sum up, I think that the question of whether or not to keep the border closed is incomplete. The question should be: if you keep the border closed, then what will you do for the 6-9 million people economically-eviscerated by the response to the virus? Opening the Kingdom to visitors in November for the high season would likely see a few cases of the virus, but the Thai medical system can handle that (it did before, right?) until a vaccine is widely available. It would begin the process of re-starting the tourism industry in Thailand (20% of GDP!!!), begin the process of building trust again, re-start the employment of huge numbers, give Thailand a 'leg up' on future tourism business in the region, and alleviate some of the damage done to the poorest in the Kingdom. The alternative is a policy of rot, idleness, atrophy and decline with an indefinite timeline. 

 

History is replete with examples of people hiding behind walls for protection, but it rarely ever works (especially against something the size of a virus); see the 'Maginot Line', the Great Wall of China, the Berlin Wall, and more. History shows that a combination of pro-active tactics coupled with reasonable, layered defenses provides a better outcome to almost any problem.

 

The question is; is anyone listening? Or are public officials just spewing nonsense to get their name in the paper?

 

I've given you an outline on what and how to do it; can you take it from here?

 

 

 

Edited August 7, 2020 by Samui Bodoh
Lack of coffee

[rvaviator]

i am sure they would get some uptake on a 14 day 'lock up' + 3 month tourist visa ...... Show travel insurance which would cover C-19. + return ticket.

[CGW]

11 minutes ago, Pottinger said:

Oh boy, here we go again, some intellectually-challenged official floats another sieve upon the ocean of Thai reality.

All these people that are making these ridiculous statements have jobs, they are doing the "best" they can to stay relevant and keep the paycheck! TAT employs a huge amount of people and has a huge budget, how are they going to be able to justify that if they stay silent, is it more prudent to make idiotic statements? they seem to believe so.

[GeorgeCross]

14 minutes ago, NE1 said:

 

Have Europe and the countries mentioned got Covid under control now ?

Did i miss something ?

US has it under control - vaccine by Nov 3rd.. Biggly xx

 

straight from the horse's mouth ????

[ChipButty]

10 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

This is the third time i have posted this,

Stop posting then

[Titan1962]

Send China the bill.since they started all this <deleted>.

Not a mention anywhere how this started and who was responsible. Oh sorry they are on the list.

[steven100]

100 billion .... hmmmm,   think I'll head to the bar for another

[86Tiger]

46 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

And they actually think that tourists in their droves are going to put up with that? Replace this idiot with an intellectually superior  packet of peanuts and lets all move forward with reality.

Quarantine and severe restrictions are definitely my dream holiday....

 

 

 

I have printed in these pages before:  easy to get to and relatively cheap is what drives Thailand tourism.  Until these 2 conditions return just say we are closed until further notice and wait it out.

[steven100]

24 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

This is the third time i have posted this, but it is still quite relevant.

 

I think it is time for Thailand to re-evaluate its Virus Response policy.

your post is too long so i stopped after the second sentence .... I have to be at the doctors at 1.30pm  

[Virt]

Until they drop quarantine, insurance and masks, The regular tourists are not coming back. 

Who want to spend 50 - 100 % of their holiday quarantined. 

 

Looks like I can ditch my plans in February and hope for summer 2021 instead. 

 

[LordSomchai]

Thailand's narrative of zero Covid, is as achievable as their previous drug free ASEAN 2013,2014,2015 announcements......it is just not possible. Until they get that into their thick skulls that no one will come here if they are doing a 14 day quarantine then we will continue to get brainless schemes like this , spouted by retarded officials.  

[simon43]

With Laos still not on the approved list (20 Covid cases, zero deaths), I'll keep postponing my shopping trip to BKK until the powers in BKK come to their senses and open the borders to neighbouring Asean countries who have successfully managed their response to this virus.

[Snow Leopard]

"Under this plan only those from countries deemed to have the virus under control would be allowed entry and they would then be subject to quarantine and severe restrictions on where they are allowed to go".

 

So i am assuming that all the Thais who will be brought back to work to service this influx of foreign tourists under this scheme will be allowed to go about their normal daily lives unrestricted and not quarantined and in the general population? or they will work quarantined and away from their families for a pittance trying to eek out a living and with the risk of getting sick with no decent health insurance provided. 

 

On another note what makes Thailand think they are so special? Are other countries not suffering economically as well? They are not special. The Thai government can bail out the rich people just as well as a Western government can.   

[puck2]

Sorry, Samui Bodoh, "lack of coffee" and a little bit lack of common sense. Your post is tooooo long with some parts being repeated here and there.

 

Otherwise your ideas how to restructure Thailand are very good. But i missed 2 points. Therefore it will not be so easy as you think.

1. The number of flights to Thailand will be reduced because missing demand in the foreign countries. The prices will go up.
2. Many, many people in Europe, in the USA and other parts of the world are not thinking about holiday (in Thailand), but first about how to earn money for the daily expenses.

Even if Thailand opens its borders without idiotic restrictions (! as 14-day-quarantaine, it will never be as before. That means reduced tourism.

Edited August 7, 2020 by puck2

[transam]

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

And they actually think that tourists in their droves are going to put up with that? Replace this idiot with an intellectually superior  packet of peanuts and lets all move forward with reality.

Well yeh..............????

[transam]

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

50% discount on all beers you might get a few takers

Yes me, ooop's, I'm already here....

 

[DirtyHarry55]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Under this plan only those from countries deemed to have the virus under control would be allowed entry and they would then be subject to quarantine and severe restrictions on where they are allowed to go.

Count the Brits out if that's the case and I think that sentiment would be shared by many Tourists.
Wearing masks indoors would acceptable by 40% of Brits though.
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/aug/05/uk-tourists-cancel-a-trip-than-enter-quarantine-wear-masks-covid-coronavirus

Edited August 7, 2020 by DirtyHarry55

[Orton Rd]

why not just put up a go fund me Thailand page and ask people to donate to the land of smiles while they stay at home ????

[dabhand]

5 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

why not just put up a go fund me Thailand page and ask people to donate to the land of smiles while they stay at home ????

Some of the bars are already doing that.......ring that bell.