18 minutes ago, sandyf said:

It's not them that need the "gofundme"

 

Dec 2019, Thai national debt to GDP was about 36% and is predicted to rise to 46% by the end of the year.

The UK national debt has for the first time just topped 100% of GDP, well above the IMF benchmark of 77% which is seen as leading to economic slowdown.

Thailand may have caught a cold but symptoms are quite mild compared to some other countries.

I live in Thailand. Is this UK an province near Laos? 555

T.A.T. - Touting Absolute Tosh... Trying to justify their inflated salaries and budgets...

The Five "R" of Thai Tourism (or why tourism is doomed for the foreseeable future)

1. Restrictive cross-border travel requirements
2. Restrictions on foreigner's ease of movement and ease of access domestically ("Solly.  Thai only. We no allow foreigner in our business [wat, park, shop, mall, restaurant, bar, bus, taxi, etc...])
3. Restrictive immigration policy becomes even more restrictive as they're tasked with tracking all foreigners with a microscope (and smartphone app)
4. Restrict all foreigners to quarantine hotels for 14 (21, 28+) days depending on which expert one asks
5. Require all foreigners to navigate a bureaucratic gauntlet of nightmarish proportions designed to discourage tourism (special visas, trips to Thai embassies in foreign countries prior to travel, documentation, health records, tests, vaccinations, insurance, quarantines, tracking apps, domestic reporting, etc...)

What could possibly go wrong?  The tourists should be flocking to Thailand anytime now!

 

 

9 minutes ago, Benmart said:

I live in Thailand. Is this UK an province near Laos? 555

Maybe it's been too long, many on this forum appear to have lost perspective.

At least shes been honest. The usual is to <deleted> with the figures.

2 hours ago, CGW said:

Job security? how long before "someone" realises that they are funding a defunct agency to the tune of billions of Baht a year!

That doesn't matter. The people who run TAT are exceptionally "well connected" - why else do you think that they are able to get away with their banal pronouncements and obviously invented statistical analysis and forecasts year in year out?

1 hour ago, robbioff said:

At death’s door/on it’s last legs/mortally wounded seem more appropriate 

It is dead.

It's passed on! This industry is no more! It has ceased to be! 'It has expired and gone to meet 'it's maker! 'Its a stiff! Bereft of life, it rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed it to the perch 'it would be pushing up the daisies!  It's metabolic processes are now 'istory!  It's off the twig!  It's kicked the bucket, It's shuffled off it's mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisible!! THIS IS AN EX-TOURIST INDUSTRY!

With acknowledgements to Monty Python's Flying Circus!

Thailand * seriously wounded* ?
Thailand has committed suicide.

3 minutes ago, geisha said:

Thailand * seriously wounded* ?
Thailand has committed suicide.

It's done the part of seppuku where you stab your gut and draw to the side, but nobody seems to be helping with the head cutting part, so it's a slow and painful death.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Under "rebound" she commented on plans for places like Phuket to introduce a new model called "Seal and Safe" in which tourists are restricted in where they can travel for their own safety.

"...in which tourist are restricted in where they can travel for their own safety?"  What a load of diaper goo.  Is Thailand planning to revert back to the travel restriction model used in North Korea? 
Reality:  Tourists will be restricted in their movements in order to make Thais feel safer - not for the safety of the tourist.  Next?  "You! Foreigner! You need wear GPS tracker for your safety." 

You can open all the borders up, if you wish - but will tourists really come? Anyone noticed how scared the population is with next wave coming, that might decimate income of those that still have jobs left?

 

Amidst all of this, and if Thailand's numbers start climbing, which they certainly will, who would want to come here? On the nearly non-existing flights? With no food and drinks. Mandatory masks.

 

Even if quarantine requirements were scrapped... and numbers go up, other countries would likely put up quarantine requirements for returnees from Thailand.

 

Let's face it. It's a year until this settles down and anywhere near normal travel returns. On a much smaller scale than before pandemic, mostly due to majority of people being out of funds by then.

Yes the Tourism Industry does need the 5 R,s

5 really good kicks up the R,s

Just a flesh wound !! ????????

Where do I sign up for this job? It clearly requires no brains or insight other than the ability to state the obvious.  I have all the qualifications.

2 minutes ago, chilli42 said:

Where do I sign up for this job? It clearly requires no brains or insight other than the ability to state the obvious.  I have all the qualifications.

You are Sino-Thai?

Glad to see one of the Five R's is not racism and so they may in deed do away with the double pricing for Frangs.

 

R for Really fast immigration checks at BKK would also be a good idea.

Kicking in open doors, as usual. 

She forgot the only important A - if they just issued every tourist with an Anti-Covid Amulet everything would be rosy, dandy and super.

Just like the driving ones......

5 hours ago, webfact said:

"Seal and Safe"

I was due to fly on the 1st Sept. Been calling Booking.com and British Airways to try to sort refunds but they are saying that Thailand is only offically closed to international Tourism until 31st August and it may reopen on the 1st September. I told them that the latest I had seen from T.A.T stated it may not reopen until at least 2021 but after I looked at official government sites there is no recent updates and currently the ban is only until the end of this month.

 

Any ideas? 

Completely inane. Again, a nimwit unwilling to address any of the root issues. 

 

There are so many unanswered questions about the future of Thai tourism, it boggles the mind. One thing is for sure. The process should be simplified. ANYONE, from ANY nation should be welcome starting tomorrow. If they are willing to support the economy by paying for quarantine, there is no risk, and only upside. 

 

This appears to be extreme timidity on the part of the small and weak men in charge. And it is grossly unfair to the people in tourism. Actually, it is closer to sadistic. 

 

Also, Thailand is taking alot for granted. They are assuming they will even be remembered once all the delays are over. That is alot to assume these days. Gone, and maybe forgotten?

 

I predict tourism will never return to it's previous levels, in our lifetime here. Caution and prudence are one thing. Inane stupidity and paralyzing fear is another. 

 

The five R's? 

Right thinking 

Reasonable minds

Rationality 

Robust creativity 

Ridiculously bold thinking, instead of extreme cowardice. 

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

But she expressed some optimism that June and July would see a rise in domestic tourism.

5 million subsidised packages on offer with an up-take of only 666,000 taken, the ministers agreed to increase the offers to 10 million in the hope that might increase travel?

The Thai logic is mind-blowing.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

These were the need to Rebuild, Rebalance, Refresh, Reboot and Rebound" in the tourism sector. 

Resign is another one I can think of !

5 hours ago, alyx said:

seriously wounded? Isn't it an understatement?

'Persistent vegetative state ' is the correct definition.

Just another day,another pointless statement from another pointless official desperately trying to remain relevant. 

4 hours ago, CGW said:

Job security? how long before "someone" realises that they are funding a defunct agency to the tune of billions of Baht a year!

Works for Thai Airways... 

And no-one mentioned the need for Rock-n-Roll. 

" Wounded " I believe it was Shot with holes then Amputated...the patient then became infected and died in Intensive care whilst quarantined....Sheesh...

5 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

If tourists are restricted in where they can travel, they quite simply won't come.

 

No rebound, not even a "dead cat bounce"!

 

"These were the need to Rebuild, Rebalance, Refresh, Reboot and Rebound" in the tourism sector. "

 

An exercise in clutching at straws.

For the tourists' safety? More for the safety of the local people.
 

5 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

If tourists are restricted in where they can travel, they quite simply won't come.

 

No rebound, not even a "dead cat bounce"!

 

"These were the need to Rebuild, Rebalance, Refresh, Reboot and Rebound" in the tourism sector. "

 

An exercise in clutching at straws.

Not true in all cases. Particularly in the Caribbean, tourists know it's best not to leave the resort. Same with seaside resort towns in Mexico.

I love these leaders there are so many of them with all types of titles attached to their endless names. So many they seem to stumble over themselves family friends given jobs titles Assistant to the Assistant to the Assistant.

 

They seem to rotate each day who is going to make a speech today they must stay up all night coming up with all the phrases " Bubble, 5 R's, "  which sounds great but ends up in the same pile of <deleted> suggested!

 

Every male seem to have their hair dyed when they run out now they throw in a women for good measure as least she looks better than the old guys!????

2 minutes ago, 0815 said:

For the tourists' safety? More for the safety of the local people.
 

Perhaps so. Either way, it will not encourage tourism.