Opening Thailand to foreign tourists: Thai PM strikes cautious tone

 

Picture: Manager

 

Thailand's prime minister has struck a cautious tone regarding the country's return to accepting foreign tourists.

 

He said that the needs of public health and economic health were a balancing act that must go hand in hand.

 

Those who hoped that Thailand would throw its airports and borders open come October could be disappointed. 

 

Reports in the press in recent days indicated that the Thais hoped that two million tourists might visit before March. A fraction of previous years during the high season but at least a start. 

 

This now could be just a pipe dream as the country will possibly embark on a far more wary approach to opening up.

 

Prayuth Chan-Ocha was speaking after the mobile cabinet meeting in Rayong on Tuesday.

 

Rather than throwing his weight behind gung-ho plans mooted by the tourism ministry and other ministries to open Thailand up in October, he said that the Economic Stability Management Centre should analyze the benefits and weigh up the pros and cons and its effect on the economy. 

 

He indicated in a report by Manager that a few million tourists was hardly the same as welcoming 20 million. 

 

Referencing the strides made in coping with the pandemic he was keen that Thailand did not take backward steps.

 

The country has taken a big economic hit and caution was needed so that things did not get worse before they got better.

 

The health authorities were coping with the situation at the moment and naturally he wanted that to continue. 

 

While recognising the hardship of the unemployed he said that economic recovery and public health must go hand in hand. 

 

He said that Thailand was not alone in this pointing to other countries as examples of the balancing act between opening the economy and the needs of the public's health. 

 

Source: Manager

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-08-26

 

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Hardly Gung-ho!! 

Interested to find out the PMs personal economic hit!? 

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

The country has taken a big economic hit and caution was needed so that things did not get worse before they got better.

Submarines may just be the answer! 

2 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

Submarines may just be the answer! 

dive dive dive dive 

8 minutes ago, mr mr said:

dive dive dive dive 

Yeah, econony is diving and deep . To the Mariana Trench! And they not give "oxygen" to it! Start to think they affreid about they own health, nothing to do about people! They all old you see!

Edited August 26, 20205 yr by 2 is 1

1 minute ago, 2 is 1 said:

Yeah, economy is diving and deep . To the Mariana Trench!

 

 

Just waiting for the Baht to head in the same direction....

9 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

Just waiting for the Baht to head in the same direction....

1 € = 37,16 bth now! ???? GO,GO,GO,GO...... LOL

 

Edited August 26, 20205 yr by 2 is 1

£200 for a week in Greece, no quarantine, do what you want and the food and beer is actually cheaper than here now....No ones interested in coming here anymore

Well dang. What a joke. Up down up down up down. Make up your mind!

10 minutes ago, baansgr said:

£200 for a week in Greece, no quarantine, do what you want and the food and beer is actually cheaper than here now....No ones interested in coming here anymore

Beer is cheeper almost every place than here, but im sure you can't get mean 40 bth in Greece! Even long time when i was last in Greece. And i don't know any people who want go Greece! I know many who want come Thailand.

Edited August 26, 20205 yr by 2 is 1

An incredibly difficult situation for any leader to manage. Damned if you do, damned if you don't but his main duty is to the safety of the citizens of Thailand and he knows that if any experiment to allow foreign tourism goes pear shaped his head would be on the proverbial chopping block. 

 

I'm waiting to see how the virus reacts during the coming cold northern hemispheres winter.

Catch 22 .. damned-if-you-do damned-if-you-don't!!

They've painted themselves in to a corner. Will be interesting to see how the Thai people will react if they decide to keep the draconian rules during the whole "high season".. 

42 minutes ago, baansgr said:

£200 for a week in Greece, no quarantine, do what you want and the food and beer is actually cheaper than here now....No ones interested in coming here anymore

What about the girls though? Any evolved pay-for-play scenery in say, Athens or anywhere else in Greece?

1 hour ago, baansgr said:

£200 for a week in Greece, no quarantine, do what you want and the food and beer is actually cheaper than here now....No ones interested in coming here anymore

+1

This now could be just a pipe dream as the country will possibly embark on a far more wary approach to opening up. Rip????

It's really simple. Stay closed and maintain the low covid 19 numbers. 

Open up and learn to deal with rising numbers, just like a lot of the world is learning the hard way. 

 

Thailand is not going to magically stay uninfected when opening up. 

Yeah keep that head buried, I’m alright Prayuth. 

Edited August 26, 20205 yr by Kadilo

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Referencing the strides made in coping with the pandemic he was keen that Thailand did not take backward steps.

Can't agree. Thailand has been taking backward steps for 20+ years... but I still love the country and its common (non-hi-so / privileged) people!

Obviously don't bother listening to TAT and their ridiculous schemes to attract tourists to come to Thailand with 2 weeks quarantine in Thailand and a probable further 2 weeks quarantine on their return home. This of course ignores the paperwork hurdles of even getting permission to come to Thailand. It is far cheaper for Europeans to travel to nearer countries with "actual" travel bubbles and avoid quarantine and ridiculous paperwork. 

3 hours ago, baansgr said:

£200 for a week in Greece, no quarantine, do what you want and the food and beer is actually cheaper than here now....No ones interested in coming here anymore

Not for much longer...

 

Enjoy it while you are able...

4 hours ago, Sharp said:

Hardly Gung-ho!! 

Interested to find out the PMs personal economic hit!? 

Hmm, I doubt very much - Wiki has him listed as an obscene net worth of 2 billion baht in 2019 ! Just shows the benefits of creaming it in - love to see his tax returns for that lot

 

 

Requiring 2 negative tests should be the requirement for entry for tourists...

 

they will get zero tourist if they continue to hold onto a 14 day quarantine for tourists...their call

4 hours ago, baansgr said:

£200 for a week in Greece, no quarantine, do what you want and the food and beer is actually cheaper than here now

incl. hotel? where in greece?

Or his receipts for Casio watches 555 ????????

No point in comparing to other countries. Those other countries might have a proper social welfare system in place to ensure companies and their workers are taken care of. Other countries might not be reliant on tourism for 20%+ of their income. Other countries might not have so many living so close to the poverty line that an event like Covid pushed them well below that line into debt and despair. I suppose it's easy to be 'cautious' when you have an armed motorcade, live in a multi-million baht house, and never experienced a day of poverty in your life.

"that if any experiment to allow foreign tourism goes pear shaped his head would be on the proverbial chopping block. " 

 

And what would happen to him? He will rig the next election anyway, he is a dictator with an army behind him. He doesn't fear the consequences of anything he does

Edited August 26, 20205 yr by biggles45
Typo

5 hours ago, 2 is 1 said:

Yeah, econony is diving and deep . To the Mariana Trench! And they not give "oxygen" to it! Start to think they affreid about they own health, nothing to do about people! They all old you see!

Before making scathing replies it might be prudent to have a look into your own country's performance.

You will not find much difference.

2 minutes ago, Katipo said:

I suppose it's easy to be 'cautious' when you have an armed motorcade, live in a multi-million baht house, and never experienced a day of poverty in your life.

Indeed, that's why we have an "agenda" "they" want to maintain that lifestyle, chaps like the PM are in the position to facilitate the agenda and will be duly rewarded  

4 hours ago, GigsGigs said:

What about the girls though? Any evolved pay-for-play scenery in say, Athens or anywhere else in Greece?

It's everywhere in Europe, but hidden from public eye. However Thai women do win Greece 100-0 in the looks department.