Open letter to the tourism authority and the Thai government

By The Phuket News

 

People queue near an information board promoting free COVID-19 tests for travellers arriving at Berlin-Schoenefeld airport in Schoenefeld, south of Berlin, on July 31, 2020. Germany made coronavirus tests mandatory for travellers returning from at-risk areas, as fears grow over rising case numbers blamed on summer holidays and local outbreaks. Photo: AFP

 

A German man staying in Phuket has made a plea to the Thai Government to understand how the ‘visa amnesty’ expiring on Sept 26 will force many foreigners currently staying in Thailand to return to countries where second waves of COVID-19 are rampantly spreading. Here is his open letter to the Thai authorities:

 

This open letter is a request and also a cry for help. My name is Bernhard Stoever. I am one of the many long-term tourists who have been lucky enough to be able to extend their stay in Thailand since the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus. I firmly believe that this saved many people’s lives!

 

Thanks to the prudent Thai policies, the first wave of global contagion was combated in an exemplary manner. For that, too, I and all “stranded” would like to thank you very much. And, of course, we would like to especially thank the Thai people who have received us with such indescribable hospitality.

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/open-letter-to-the-tourism-authority-and-the-thai-government-77078.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2020-08-23

 

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Thailand would benefit from issuing a long-term special 'Covid-19 Visa' (perhaps 6 months, renewable for a fee) in many ways.

 

It would keep the few visitors (and their money) that are already here, and thus virus-free, at a time when the Thai tourism industry is under deep, heavy strain.

 

it would be an international 'Goodwill' gesture that would allow Thailand to brag globally.

 

While not a huge element, it would keep some money flowing in tourist areas.

 

It would engender 'goodwill' among all visitors, and that goodwill would certainly be shown across social media platforms in the native countries.

 

It would demonstrate that Thailand can manage tourism at a time when it is trying to re-open its tourism business.

 

The only people that really want to expel the visitors already in-country are those that use form-filling as a mental image when they are... er... flying solo.

 

Will Thailand do it? I have my doubts, but it should.

 

 

 

Edited August 22, 20205 yr by Samui Bodoh
lack of Coffee

34 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

I and all “stranded” would like to thank you very much.

nobody is stranded in thailand. 

3 minutes ago, mr mr said:

nobody is stranded in thailand. 

please explain how north Americans, Australians as well as some other countries would go about returning 

17 minutes ago, steve187 said:

please explain how north Americans, Australians as well as some other countries would go about returning 

Flights to the US are available. Still have a booked flight with Korean Air, through Seoul to San Francisco for the end of October. I can cancel free of charge.  My earlier flights were never canceled, just the location of arrival changed and the route.  Up to me to accept or cancel them, which I did myself.

Edited August 22, 20205 yr by ThailandRyan

Nobody as I see it is stranded now there are repatriation flights available it just takes a little time a REAL effort to get on them BUT if you REALLY don't want to go it seems a default comment! 

Oh please, let me stay my country sucks.

Remember that when you complain about the cost of your beer and the cheating Thais.

Some seem to be not getting it.

They want you out the sooner the better.

Edited August 22, 20205 yr by bkk6060

The Thai authorities have a pickle on their hands, they didn't allow for this pandemic to still be around after two 3 months amnesty and i'm sure that a many night the light are burning trying to figure out what to do and still come out looking good and helpful, time will tell, i personally believe that there will some sort of further leniency on expiring visa and permits...

For those of you have been in Thailand all this time, have you been confined to your apartments or guesthouses? Where have you been staying, have you been allowed to walk around outside?

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

This open letter is a request and also a cry for help.

this thai government are far from friends of non thais, quite the opposite, they want us gone; less than zero empathy for logic such as in this letter

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

i personally believe that there will some sort of further leniency on expiring visa and permits...

well they should tell people now instead of waiting until the 11th hour after many would have already left or booked very expensive flights, I see a difference almost daily and know of quite a few that have left these last 10 days 

 

I don't quite understand the thinking, they are crying out for tourists and yet are forcing those already here and willing to stay to leave, hard to make any sense of that unless all they want are a stupid few that will come and pay bt10,000 a night in a quarantine hotel 

Thailand has a massive problem.

 

There will be no vaccine.   This virus will be around for years to come.

 

Rather than take the first wave, like many countries around the world have, Thailand has shut down.

Thailand can never open again, for it has to suffer the 1st wave.........avoiding the 1st wave is great if you have a vaccine, and if no vaccine it is utter stupidity.

 

 

FACT

 

The median age of death from Covid 19 worldwide is HIGHER than the average life expectancy of a human being.

 

Let that fact sink in !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

1 hour ago, Don Chance said:

For those of you have been in Thailand all this time, have you been confined to your apartments or guesthouses? Where have you been staying, have you been allowed to walk around outside?

With the exception of wearing a mask...everything is pretty much open....daily life as usual....learn how Thailand operates

The day this government listens to foreigners will be the day we see buffaloes fly!

19 minutes ago, RR2020 said:

Thailand has a massive problem.

 

There will be no vaccine.   This virus will be around for years to come.

 

Rather than take the first wave, like many countries around the world have, Thailand has shut down.

Thailand can never open again, for it has to suffer the 1st wave.........avoiding the 1st wave is great if you have a vaccine, and if no vaccine it is utter stupidity.

 

 

FACT

 

The median age of death from Covid 19 worldwide is HIGHER than the average life expectancy of a human being.

 

Let that fact sink in !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Now speaking of stupidity........... where are you getting that "fact" that the average death age is higher than life expectancy??????   that's not possible    let's see some proof of where you got that info.    Also explain the approx 400,000 People Under Investigation and why they have never been cleared or declared as having the virus. I guess if you dont test you don't have to count them????? So much for avoiding the first wave 

Median age of death is readily available, each country publishes this data.

 

It varies between 76 to 86 years old depending on the country.

 

Average life expectancy of a human being is 72.6 years old.

 

(The United Nations estimate a global average life expectancy of 72.6 years for 2019 – the global average today is higher than in any country back in 1950.)

 

 

So yes............ the median age of Covid-19 death is higher than the average life expectancy of humans.   THAT IS A FACT !!!

governments want to do only one thing - to govern.

that is why the thai government issued those visa emnesty and

extention - to keep it organised . to govern the farang...

however, as times goes by, they might realise, if they had not did it yet, that

there are no more farang and tourists left to govern...all

the governing systems and rules that has been in place to govern millions

of visitors are acctually useless now....so why not give automatic visa extention to any

foreigner still in thailand...???

at least they can walk around and remind some people some times the tourist

destination thailand used to be....

2 minutes ago, RR2020 said:

Median age of death is readily available, each country publishes this data.

 

It varies between 76 to 86 years old depending on the country.

 

Average life expectancy of a human being is 72.6 years old.

 

(The United Nations estimate a global average life expectancy of 72.6 years for 2019 – the global average today is higher than in any country back in 1950.)

 

 

So yes............ the median age of Covid-19 death is higher than the average life expectancy of humans.   THAT IS A FACT !!!

Not a fact, you're mixing data to make a comparison. Your using world wide average on one hand and country specific in the other  

More pleas maybe from the typical poorly educated Farangs that often end up in Thailand, often married to whores, skint and in poor physical and mental health. 

 

To believe the Thai government is telling them the truth or even capable of doing so is ridiculous. 

Edited August 23, 20205 yr by Fex Bluse

3 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

More pleas maybe from the typical poorly educated Farangs that often end up in Thailand, often married to whores and in poor physical and mental. 

 

To believe the Thai government is telling them the truth or even capable of doing so is ridiculous. 

Ouch, you went there and on a Sunday morning too.....well well well.  The sting of that comment will truly get a quick response for ......bye bye

14 minutes ago, Dan O said:

Not a fact, you're mixing data to make a comparison. Your using world wide average on one hand and country specific in the other  

You can check country by country, he is totally right.

If not higher it's just around the average age of death.

Many people don't want to see the truth because it's like admitting they have been brainwashed by the media thinking we are dealing with the Plague.

Edited August 23, 20205 yr by Anton9

2 hours ago, Don Chance said:

For those of you have been in Thailand all this time, have you been confined to your apartments or guesthouses? Where have you been staying, have you been allowed to walk around outside?

COVID changes inside Thailand.

Mask on when entering shopping mall/Tesco/7-11.

And you need to meet hookers online.

 

Everything else like it always was, short-time hotels doing a roaring trade.

2 hours ago, mr mr said:

nobody is stranded in thailand. 

I saw many people stranded on the news last night because of the flood so technically your statement is slightly flawed.????

24 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

More pleas maybe from the typical poorly educated Farangs that often end up in Thailand, often married to whores, skint and in poor physical and mental health. 

 

To believe the Thai government is telling them the truth or even capable of doing so is ridiculous. 

Degree and postgrad for me ........... hardly poorly educated, decent pension, still cycling 20Km/day (monsoon allowing).

You got the living with a hooker right though, any other sort of misses rations the sex a bit too much for me.

And another one on the side for when I feel like a change of scenery.

 

Don't think the Thai government really cares about long-term foreigners, one way or the other.

Their obsession has always been mass tourism, Chinese, Indian, they don't care as long as there's lots of them.

And immigration's only interest is squeezing as much cash from us as they can (fear is their friend).

Edited August 23, 20205 yr by BritManToo

2 hours ago, Don Chance said:

For those of you have been in Thailand all this time, have you been confined to your apartments or guesthouses? Where have you been staying, have you been allowed to walk around outside?

There was a curfew for about 1 month , when we had to stay at home at certain hours from dusk till dawn , thats about it really 

Why doesnt the letter writer get himself a retirement visa ?

This letter was nice, but it's like toilet paper to Thai government even they dont use any! So they not even sweep on it so useless it is!

3 hours ago, steve187 said:

please explain how north Americans, Australians as well as some other countries would go about returning 

6 months in a leaky boat ????

what about an amnesty till 26 march 2021 ????

This is a very well written letter. I feel for the plight of the writer and hope that his efforts will not be in vain, at least for himself and hopefully the others who are 'stranded', as he puts it.

Edited August 23, 20205 yr by Antonymous