TAT deputy governor dashes hopes of 2020 reopening for Thailand’s international borders

[Yinn]

9 minutes ago, Grumpy John said:

The warning sign for me was the trend for large companies to build new or relocate factories in other countries.  A couple of years back Toyota built their mini production line in Indosnesia, Panasonic recently move some production to Vietnam.  Not a lot of progress with the EEC!

Because Thai salary double Indonesia, Vietnam. 

Thailand still win because infrastructure better.

 

 

How the Toyota factorys in Australia? 

 

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/end-car-production-australia-what-went-wrong

 

Of all the Free Trade Agreements that Australia has with other countries, none was more brutal than the deal with Thailand introduced in 2005. Since Australia agreed to lift the import tariff on cars from Thailand, more than two million Thai-made vehicles have been imported; from familiar brands such as Ford, Holden and Toyota, as well as Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Mazda and others.

In return, Australia shipped to Thailand just 100 Ford Territory SUVs. That’s because Thailand maintained hidden, non-tariff barriers while Australia opened its borders completely. Ingeniously, Thailand continued to impose higher registration fees on cars with larger engines – such as those made by Ford and Holden. Toyota already had a Camry factory in Thailand so couldn’t export cars there. Thailand – regarded as the ‘Detroit of the AsiaPacific’ – is now the second-biggest source of motor vehicles in Australia after Japan and ahead of South Korea.

 

[tonray]

2 hours ago, rasmus5150 said:

If they're not letting tourists in, then I guess that the 26th Sept. deadline for stranded tourists has to be extended as well.

I'm waiting for immigration to say 2020 will be aborted, and see you again in 2021 ????

No....'stranded' tourists can go back to their home country....

[dougiemac52]

Looks like the guy that started this will be getting the sack ???????? Complete cretin along with the rest of the thai government. Why can they not stand up and be counted ? Well looks like I need to apply for that Non O Immigration visa ? Also my wife is due to go for Visa interview to come and join me in the USA, what happens in this respect ?

[JimHuaHin]

Some interesting comments here - some of which I agree with.

 

The world, and indeed countries, are not united in their approach to COVID-19.  Some are cautious - in lockdown, wear masks, socal distancing, etc. - others are almost acting as normal - possibly Brasil, USA, UK, etc.

 

What is clear is that most national economies and the global economy has taken a big hit, and it will get worse.  Globally hundreds of millions of people are now unemployed, personal savings are declining.  National economic stimulus packages cannot last for years, unless governments print money, which in turn will create massive inflation, which in turn will make economies worse.

 

Rioting in Thailand?  A real possibility, especially with the Bangkok power elite running the country, and 95% of the Thai population suffering while the elite carry one stattus quo.

 

So to an issue which no one in this thread has raised - where are the real tourists to Thailand going to come from?  Not the business people or neighbouring country traders who come to Thailand daily for a few days or so; not those with familes in Thailand who want to come back and remain in Thaialnd.  But real leisure tourists?

 

For example, how many people in Australia, or China, or India, or Russia, or the UK, or the USA, who often come to Thailand as tourists now have the savings to come to Thailand for a 2-4 weeks holiday?  How many would want to come if they had the money?

 

How long before the international airlines get back into operation?  How long before countries drop the manadatory 2-3 week quarantibe requirements for all people entering from overseas?

 

There may be some foreign tourists coming to Thailand later this year.  But it will be several years before international tourism returns to 'normal', as many many people do not have a job, others do not have any savings, etc.

[ChakaKhan]

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

Tourists stranded in Thailand, well no they are not, as they can go home on a flight that may be costly, or goes in a circuitous route, and they may end up in quarantine in there own home country, but none the less they can return whence they came.  It may be hard for them to understand that.  However, should they want to stay longer-term then they need to get an extension of stay unless they don't have the money, well then at that point it is time to go. Extensions can not go on forever.  

Preach TR!  everyday Im reminded about stepping on that first of many planes, and 6 airports in the middle of a pandemic in a plane full of people--6 airports....and reading this news....trapped in this disaster-USA

[malibukid]

bummer

[asiacurious]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

oh well ....  2021 it is. hope China pay dearly for this. 

You know, I could swear I've seen you say something about China paying for this at least one time before.

 

Yep...

 

On 7/22/2020 at 5:38 AM, steven100 said:

This can only get worse imo, China needs to pay for what it has done to the world economy and the hardship it has caused through COVID.

 

What is it with you and China paying for this?

 

Pay?  In what way?  Does pay mean punish?  Does it mean to discourage the circumstances that existed for like to happen from happening again?  Does it mean something else?  Retribution?

 

And who should pay exactly?  All 1.4 billion people in China?  The country's elite?  Who is actually responsible for what has happened?  Is there some way for those who are actually responsible to pay, without it blowing back on the rest of the country or world?  Are there ways to receive payment - whatever that really means - that won't escalate the social and economic hardship faced by most people around the world?

 

Does the blame stop at China's borders?  Are there people outside of China who also bare some blame for the economic hardships people are facing?  Is China also to blame for all of the inept and/or corrupt leadership outside of China?

 

Are there any people who have benefited from the crisis?  Have any particular people made significant economic gains as a result?  Any people anywhere in the world who have actually profited from the suffering of so many others during this pandemic?

 

Should not inept and corrupt leaders, and profiteers who gain from the misery of others not also pay for all of the added suffering they have caused by either their failures to act or taking actions taken to take advantage of the situation?

 

If we are to assign blame and seek payment - or what it seems some people really want, retribution - why stop so short?

 

Or.....

 

Did China make the pandemic spread around the entire world?  Did China make the leaders of other nations corrupt or incompetent?  Did China make corporations and profiteers put themselves before everyone else?

[2 is 1]

It's strange that just 300 Thai go whit private flight to work in Finland! Thai coverment haddle flight! Nothing in news here!

Workers go in Finland to collect wild berry's from forest! Many kind movement is happening, they just don't tell that to all!

Edited August 10, 2020 by 2 is 1

[RubbaJohnny]

2 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

I think joe public will shoot the governments and get on with it.

When you have lived here long enough I think you learn which way the power flows. Post 1997 crash the Saxena KT KK scandals endless coups yet the ordinary people scrape by albeit in awful conditions.

Many displaced will go back to their village where shelter and basic food is possible.

 

As in all recessions I foresee steady growth will be the pawnbrokers and moneylenders formal and informal as young entitled will still expect a motorcycle/car plus a smartphone and are under eager to work in the paddy like their grandparents did.Sadly farms are hocked for 4x4s and a landless peasantry results so poor they rent their kids to foreigners.

 

[soalbundy]

4 hours ago, Mung said:

If his prediction is correct, I wouldn't be surprised at all. It's a gross overreaction at this point, and Thailand needs to learn how to live with this virus just like most of the other countries have. Either they don't understand this or they don't have the capacity, resources and facilities to handle domestic infections 

Most other countries haven't learned how to live with the virus, using debt as a crutch isn't sustainable. Only the Euro area and china is seeing production rise again but there is still the second wave fear pulling at the markets. North and South America have done an alarmingly bad job at containing covid and the effects will spill over into even those countries who have done a good job.

 

How this will end is anybody's guess but I suspect it will be gung ho, go for it, open up but be cautious wear masks, wash hands etc. This can't go on as it is. Already a third of Americans renting their accomodation expect to be evicted, in fact evictions are happening now and Trump is using covid as an excuse to run down the social services, especially Medicare under the guise of helping Americans with his payroll tax action which will mean less money for the government departments.

 

This isn't going to end well, the economic effects will hit peoples pockets for decades and this was a mild pandemic compared to possible future pandemics. Recently scientists were able to revive bacteria from meters under the sea floor which had been dormant for 100 million years, this doesn't bode well for us considering the dormant bacteria in the frozen tundra which is being warmed up due to climate change, Hasta la vista mammals. 

[PatOngo]

27 minutes ago, Yinn said:

Thailand still win because infrastructure better.

 

Thailand number 1 in da wornd!................How's the infrastructure impacting the road toll, Yinn?

[PatOngo]

47 minutes ago, Yinn said:

More people die your country every 4 hour than TOTAL Thailand.

How do the road fatalities compare?

[steven100]

3 minutes ago, asiacurious said:

Did China make the pandemic spread around the entire world? 

Did China recklessly exhibit totally unhygienic slaughter practices at it's wet markets  ?  Did China ever attempt to control the spread of the virus at it's initial commencement  ?

Did China attempt to deceive and lie to the international community about it's knowledge of the Wuhan infected and it's dangerous practices at the wet markets ?

Was the virus that has cost millions upon millions of jobs first developed or initiated in China ?

You are correct in that not every Chinese person is responsible,  however the government must and will pay through a boycott of ' made in china '  by every other country.  The government must and will pay through US, Australia & UK initiatives that will cost China jobs.     imo

 

the defense rests your honor

[Dukeleto]

 What is the revenue lost to the government so far over this and people employed in the tourism sector and related businesses? Could the money lost have been spent on building or retro fitting already built structures and equipping them specifically to treat COVID-19. An additional levy placed on tourists of say $50 per head and simply open Thailand back up completely without quarantine and without a ridiculous medical insurance. With revenues from tourism and the additional levy they would still be making heaps of money, people back to work and The medical community become World experts at treating the virus. Make treatment of All those infected with the virus 100% free. Just a basic calculation for the levy alone of 20 million tourists @ $50 is a billion dollars, yes Folks that’s a one with nine zeros after it! That’s more than 31 billion baht! And just to get Anutin on board segregate the Covid-19 hospitals into Thai and Foreigner only hospitals????.

[PatOngo]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

oh well ....  2021 it is. hope China pay dearly for this. 

Maybe?

 

 

[2 is 1]

32 minutes ago, Yinn said:

Because Thai salary double Indonesia, Vietnam. 

Thailand still win because infrastructure better.

Soon all make factory in other coundry! And reason is not salary's, REASON IS THAI BTH! It's too strong! They artificialy keep bth strong and they shoot in own leg! Tourist money have less value and companys bist also. They buy parts whit dollar include ridicilous tax's and buid here. 

[steven100]

2 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

Maybe?

 

 

that'll stop them spreading any virus .... 

[asiacurious]

9 minutes ago, JimHuaHin said:

So to an issue which no one in this thread has raised - where are the real tourists to Thailand going to come from?  Not the business people or neighbouring country traders who come to Thailand daily for a few days or so; not those with familes in Thailand who want to come back and remain in Thaialnd.  But real leisure tourists?

 

For example, how many people in Australia, or China, or India, or Russia, or the UK, or the USA, who often come to Thailand as tourists now have the savings to come to Thailand for a 2-4 weeks holiday?  How many would want to come if they had the money?

 

Very good questions.

 

I think Thailand and SE Asia generally will see more activity from countries closer to home before they see it from places farther away like the North America and Europe.  So it makes a lot of sense that Thailand is promoting tourism with countries within the same general area.  And China naturally looks like it's the best market for attracting tourists.

 

But I think TAT might be wrong about that, at least in the way they are talking of organizing areas around Thailand where group tours from China can travel and be isolated from the rest of the country.  To me, that shows they may misunderstand the Chinese tourism market.

 

My understanding is that most of the group tours from China are targeted at first time lower to middle income travelers who have never before traveled outside of China - a socioeconomic group that has been hit pretty hard and may be slow to consider international travel in the months/years to come.  Wealthier Chinese tourists (the ones who may still have the ability to afford travel) aren't really "tour group" travelers, and the tour group destination plans are unlikely to appeal.  If Thailand opened up to this group of tourists (requiring 2 week quarantines) then as you asked, "How many would want to come if they had the money?"

 

Very tough situation.

 

 

[newatthis]

4 hours ago, pookondee said:

I didnt think any other country would ever match the sheer stupidity, manic paranoia and absolute dictatorial nanny state abuse of its "sheeple" than that of my own home country.

 

Amazing Thailand: quickly looking like the lost identical twin of Australia.

Are you an ex-Victorian by any chance?

[asiacurious]

  

15 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Did China recklessly exhibit totally unhygienic slaughter practices at it's wet markets  ? 

Yes.  As do many other countries around the world.

 

15 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Did China ever attempt to control the spread of the virus at it's initial commencement  ?

 

No.  Local officials, afraid to report bad news up, covered up early cases.  There's no doubt that there are serious systemic problems when it comes to handling crisis situations in China.

 

Quote

Did China attempt to deceive and lie to the international community about it's knowledge of the Wuhan infected and it's dangerous practices at the wet markets ?

 

At first, local officials did.  Then later at the national level there was more effort to downplay the situation.

 

But then China locked down Hubei Provence.  Then locked down most of the country.  They took very serious steps to control the spread, though they started too late.

 

The rest of the world saw it happening.  They had time not to repeat China's mistakes.  They had time to control the spread.

 

They didn't.  They put their heads in the sand.  And worse.  Much, much worse.

 

 

Quote

Was the virus that has cost millions upon millions of jobs first developed or initiated in China ?

 

Asked and answered.

 

Quote

You are correct in that not every Chinese person is responsible,  however the government must and will pay through a boycott of ' made in china '  by every other country.  The government must and will pay through US, Australia & UK initiatives that will cost China jobs.     imo

 

the defense rests your honor

 

How does one make a government pay, without hurting the billion or so people who have no blame in this?

 

Aside from China - you speak not a word of the failures in the rest of the world.  You speak not of the greed and corruption and failed leadership that has made this virus so much worse than it ever should have been.  You speak not of their guilt in the layers upon layers of additional suffering at their hands.

 

As the US is the exemplar for my preceding paragraph, I leave you with these....

 

July 1 - https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/columnists/tomlinson/article/texas-leaders-fail-covid-19-test-coronavirus-15378006.php

 

July 13 - https://fortune.com/2020/07/13/us-health-care-leadership-failure-covid-19-ceo-daily/

 

August 4 - https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02277-6

 

Quote

The scenarios foresaw leaky travel bans, a scramble for vaccines and disputes between state and federal leaders, but none could anticipate the current levels of dysfunction in the United States.

 

Edited August 10, 2020 by asiacurious

[ChouDoufu]

27 minutes ago, JimHuaHin said:

For example, how many people in Australia, or China, or India, or Russia, or the UK, or the USA, who often come to Thailand as tourists now have the savings to come to Thailand for a 2-4 weeks holiday?  How many would want to come if they had the money?

 

i can't speak for oz or india or russia, but china does have plenty of middle class that have the money and desire to travel.  it's wishful thinking to believe all the factories are closed, and the chinese are all unemployed and starving.

 

with border closures all tourism is currently in-country.  once borders are open and quarantine is dropped, they'll be back.

[Venom]

3 hours ago, madmen said:

Good move Thailand. I predict border opening mid 2021 and only for low risk countries and totally unrestricted travel mid 2022 or later if ever.. 

Yes but only after you have proof of injection. 

[NorthernRyland]

2 hours ago, rasmus5150 said:

If they're not letting tourists in, then I guess that the 26th Sept. deadline for stranded tourists has to be extended as well.

 

No it doesn't. They want us out all the same.

[realfunster]

3 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

How do the road fatalities compare?

 

Yes indeed, I was also going to bring this to Yinn's attention.

 

I actually think it's wonderful that Thailand is now so concerned about the preservation of human life.

 

Now we are getting the hang of it, let's move on to address the key issues causing thousands of untimely and unnecessary deaths on an annual and ongoing basis.

 

I am looking forward to the comprehensive health & safety initiatives on the following :

- Quality of driving education and license process

- Ensuring use of safety equipment when driving/riding

- Monitoring and punishment for reckless/drunk driving/riding

- Teaching all Thai kids to swim and water awareness as part of school curriculum (after RTA, a leading cause of premature deaths in under 15s, average of 1,000+ per year since 2000)

 

 

[kcpattaya]

Thailand has a racist attitude against foreigners anyway. 
So why bother?  

[ThailandRyan]

41 minutes ago, ChakaKhan said:

Preach TR!  everyday Im reminded about stepping on that first of many planes, and 6 airports in the middle of a pandemic in a plane full of people--6 airports....and reading this news....trapped in this disaster-USA

Yes, it does not make sense to fly back for many and risk exposure, but there are the options available for staying longterm. I myself have to pull the plug and jump onto an extension of stay based on my OA ME visa I entered on and normally use a border bounce or flight home to reset it for a year before re-applying again after 2 years. Had to transfer the 800,000 baht onto an account here, even though my monthly pension transfers would be enough, but in some IO offices they don't like the monthly income method.

 

However, traveling around Thailand is something I can do.

[PatOngo]

3 minutes ago, realfunster said:

Yes indeed, I was also going to bring this to Yinn's attention.

I have tried on numerous occasions but total denial and silence is her proffered answer!

[mr mr]

bull in a china shop.

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, Yinn said:

In return, Australia shipped to Thailand just 100 Ford Territory SUVs. That’s because Thailand maintained hidden, non-tariff barriers while Australia opened its borders completely. Ingeniously, Thailand continued to impose higher registration fees on cars with larger engines – such as those made by Ford and Holden

Free trade dogma is pathological in the Western nations and it's nearly destroyed us. As pointed our here, it's a tool our competitors (and enemies) use against us but we're too stupid to see that.

 

Any country still participating in so-called "Free Trade" agreements in 2020 is a chump.

[ThailandRyan]

41 minutes ago, 2 is 1 said:

It's strange that just 300 Thai go whit private flight to work in Finland! Thai coverment haddle flight! Nothing in news here!

Workers go in Finland to collect wild berry's from forest! Many kind movement is happening, they just don't tell that to all!

It was posted and there was an OP about the berry pickers leaving for Sweden and such.