PM: Foreign Tourists Not Welcome Yet

[LukKrueng]

1 hour ago, Ganesh108 said:

 

I'm not sure how a tourist can possibly stay somewhere and 'contribute nothing to the tourist industry' - unless he living off cosmic energy and travels by levitation.

 

Smart countries know: Today's poor backpacker is tomorrow's well-off middle class tourist. Treat him nice and you have a friend for life. 

I'm not talking about backpackers. They come here to travel, take tours, stay at guest houses and although not big spenders, they do spend and use tourist services. I'm talking about people who actually live here on wrong type of visa. They don't really travel, don't take tours nor use tourism services. Their contribution to the tourism industry is 0, to society next to nothing (judging by posts here on tvf) and to the economy not that much as to justify what they take by means of using infrastructure

[Pedrogaz]

Sadly, I'm forced to agree with this odious fellow. To let foreigners in for the next year or so would be to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Someone suggested expanding ASQ, which would be a good idea in many countries but would be seen as an personal ATM for the hotel owner in Thailand.

The future looks bleak. The borrowing for COVID which I now understand has reached the legal limit has been frittered away on stupid marketing schemes, and vast corruption. It look like Thailand will look more like Laos and Burma in the next few years, rather than a Singapore or Indonesia. 

[Scot123]

13 hours ago, Gjk7777 said:

Just like any other Government in the World, at least in the UK we get a little cash help!

Sorry I dont call 80% of your pay packet plus £25k per business a little help, I find it very generous. 

[Letseng]

18 hours ago, aussienam said:

I wish that the Prime Minister would please allow retirees back.  We are not tourists.  Tourists come at their own leisure and convenience.  As expat retirees we are desperate.  6 months stranded abroad.  Still paying rent in Thailand and abroad.  Sleepless nights filled with anxiety and losing hope.  compassion is needed.  Please expand ASQ facilities and help us get back.  

May be we should write a letter like this German guy did.

Why does he dederve specisl treatment because he likes to spend winter in TH. Many of us do too. But we get kept out despite meeting all requirements. 

[mrwebb8825]

5 hours ago, crazykopite said:

So in your view a lot of retired expats are yobs or drunks or maybe both

I stopped reading here as you're either impaired or challenged and neither should be taken advantage of. PEACE

[NoshowJones]

6 hours ago, Xonax said:

As everyone knows, the first 35% of a budget are always used to line the pockets of the wealthy.

Is that all?

[2long]

Sorry, but how can track & trace work properly without total control over every citizen?

The Thai Chana system is so flawed it's a joke, but even a proper system can't work, can it? Unless it's on everyone's device and everyone carries the device all the time, then there are holes in the system. Unless we walk around with anklets we can't remove or microchips in our bodies, it just can't work. Plus so many people lead secretive lives (infidelity & crime for example) that they really don't want any system tracking everyone they meet.

 

Vaccines: Well, considering that every other successful vaccine takes years to mass produce safely, I worry about Covid 19 vaccines. No, I don't believe Bill Gates wants to sterilise all but his chosen few, but I do believe he wants to control the launch of the main vaccine in order to cash in.

 

I would just say open things up and let those who want to be careful be careful.. and let the rest of the people decide how to live their lives.

[LivinLOS]

The juxtraposition of the 2 headlines in this email from TV. 

 

PM: Foreign Tourists Not Welcome Yet

 

100 Days without Local COVID Infection in Thailand

Tells you they absolutely have no belief they can control the virus, and the fear level they used initially, to get population compliance now means they will face huge public criticism, in any attempt to transition to a virus control policy rather than a virus eradication policy. 

 

Around the world economies are recovering, i was in Holland last week and the bars, cafes, and nightlife were packed. The business were open, work was happening near normally, they are living with the problem. 

 

Herd immunity, either via levels of infection or vaccine is the only end game here. If Thailand expects to wait out the problem until vaccines are developed, tested, refined, mass produced and brought here, then the economy will be toast by then. Luckly this illness is not significantly life threatening for the young, and even the middle age and early stages of old age. However Thailand seems unwilling to function with any risk, which is strange considering how little concern they seem to have for risk in daily lives. 

[androokery]

45 minutes ago, JusticeGB said:

Uncle Tu thinks that by keeping the statistics for covid19 low Thailand will become a more attractive place for tourists to visit and in the same breath denies them the ability to come!

It’s a very interesting strategy. I heard Beijing now will allow direct flights from a few countries, among them Thailand and Sweden. Two countries that, at least on the surface, seem to have chosen very different paths through the crisis. 

[peter48]

1 hour ago, Patjqm said:

Bulgaria  Black Sea...been there 2x this year...prices same as Thailand..

Absolutely I focused on the choice we European Farangs including families, couples and singles  now have to pop over to warm western European countries & I forgot the whole of eastern Europe and Baltics etc just as cheap in most cases especially Bulgaria etc, Brits like it...

If Thailand are out of western holiday game for this  long period their western tourist market will gradually decline. Is Vietnam open to farangs it seems so possibly ??

[robert888d]

Foreign tourists are not welcome

They are often dirty,get drunk and into fights,bring in drugs,cause traffic accidents,write graffiti, wear inappropriate  clothing to Temples,don't understand our marvelous culture etc.

But the MONEY  they bring is welcome.

[mrwebb8825]

4 hours ago, FalangJaiDee said:

These are the boomer rants that keep me coming back to thaivisa. See you soon pal

Always glad to entertain-I'll be here all week ????

[malibukid]

when will the bus service start in CM again?

[mrwebb8825]

4 hours ago, CM Dad said:

However, although there have not been any domestic infections for the past 100 days, the vast majority of infected arrivals have been Thai.

This is entirely the point of my earlier post. Those Thais coming in are coming in from mostly western countries that the members on here are from and complaining that they can't get in. Well, the Thais at the present time, can NOT get into your countries either with very few exceptions.

[Mister Fixit]

7 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Your mistake is still thinking you are to be treated different in some way from a tourist because of the class of visa you are on. 

 

You are only a temporary visitor for purposes other than tourism, don't pay taxes and have absolutely no rights here. 

 

The sooner people waken up to their own predicament in Thailand the better. 

 

It was always a gamble 'retiring' here and it looks like it has been a losing bet for many. 

Another curmudgeonly one who's the life and soul at parties. 

 

Although with a miserable personality like that, I doubt he gets invited to too many ...  ????

[PumpkinEater]

Since I am in my home country with a Non O ME visa and cannot go back for my planned winter in LOS, I will take the appropriate action to bring my 800,000 baht back into my pocket.

 

Insanity unfortunately prevails,,,

Sad.

[paulikens]

funny how this 100 days without a local transmission wasnt even reported by the world media but when new zealand done the same it was, is it that the world doesnt believe thailand and their figures? also  what happened to them asking the locals in phuket if they wanted foreigners back?   so is the phuket model off the table now then?

[Cranky]

25 years in Thailand and never felt welcome unless the wallet was open. Great time though!!  Money might not be able to buy happiness but it sure as <deleted> let’s you rent it. 

[PumpkinEater]

You hit the nail on the head Cranky!!!!

5555

[DrTuner]

Remove the Yet and you'll need no crystal ball. Chinese obviously, being the owners of the country, are always welcome.

[NightSky]

19 hours ago, 2 is 1 said:

Im the law!I

 

 

 

 

I thought it was supposed to be 'I AM the law'..

 

 

 

 

 

[terryofcrete]

14 hours ago, samsensam said:

there seems little interest in having either of these.

They re afraid of the results ... 

[Felt 35]

Stop the show for a while, and spend a few dollars on testing and upgrading the health system instead of on glamor and empty political decisions will take them a long way to welcome tourists again.

Felt

[NightSky]

6 hours ago, steven100 said:

all two of them 

 

 

...an insensitive little twerper aren't you

[SpanishExpat]

Open up the country you moron! Stop with everyday more and more complex proposals and just reopen it! I still can’t get how a big percentage of Thai ppl is surviving. I am talking specifically about the islands where they depend 100% on tourism and just can’t go back to farming like in Isaan.

 

Don’t know what they are waiting for! The virus situation will be the same in 4-6months and even if they have a vaccine, it will take ages until everyone got it. 
 

My simple suggestion would be:

-Covid Test 14days before you travel 

-2nd test Max 72hrs before you fly

- people can just board showing both test results + Covid health insurance.

-3rd Test directly after landing and staying quarantined 24-48hr until they  got the result. 
 

YES..it would involve 3tests, but the risk would be extremely minimal. I am just bored of all those turnarounds of the PM and his government. They just should not waste their thoughts, as 99% of real, genuine tourists simply won’t visit TH, if they are required more than a test + insurance!

[Jumbo1968]

8 hours ago, mrwebb8825 said:

Yes it does, but mostly for people on here condemning the safest country to be in at the moment for not letting them come in freely and screw it up like the rest of the world. Don't get me wrong there "retirees", I feel for you but you all are out of this country of your own accord (retiree means don't have a job) traveled to worst infected areas in the world, again, of your own accord and are now complaining about your poor choice. Those of us who choose Thailand as the place we want to live are still here w/o issues and enjoying some peace and quiet in otherwise over crowded areas that we choose to move here to enjoy. Best Song Kran I've seen in a long time.  I personally didn't move here to see a bunch a raging, drunk, weekend rich idiots terrorizing and trashing the country. Been a really peaceful year so far. Suck it up cupcake. This won't last forever and it does no good to complain that your host isn't revamping their country to suit you.

You don’t test you don’t get cases, simple as, Thais can’t afford the 5000 baht test so don’t go to the hospital to maybe even be hospitalised if tested positive.

[Jumbo1968]

6 hours ago, PEE TEE said:

I shall head for dover sit in a little rubber boat get 40 quid a week and put in a 4 star hotel free and free food . if lucky get taken out on day trips . 

What if I did the same jump in a dinghy in the Bay of Thailand head for Hua Hin or Pattaya would the Thai government give me £40 a week put me in 4 star hotel free and free food with trips out ?

[Jumbo1968]

6 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Goodness.  Who forced you to leave Thailand? ????

What a selfish attitude, people have family outwith Thailand, me I brought my Thai partner and son to the U.K. so I am stranded.

i am nor prepared to jump through hoops pay extortionate air fares and 2 weeks in an ASQ hotel plus all the tests involved.

[Jumbo1968]

4 hours ago, djuiiy said:

I'm stickng with Novermber reopening. The Airlines know when reopening is happening. thru this crisis EVA air and Thai Airways have not been advertising tickets less than 2 months in advance. They have been selling November tickets the whole time, and continue to do so so far into September. As every day goes by and they continue to sell, it makes November reopen more likely.

B.A were selling flights for September in August then cancelled the flights, currently now selling flights for October which will also be cancelled I think. The airlines want to try and put cash in the bank hoping people will accept vouchers and not a refund.

[Jumbo1968]

1 hour ago, mrwebb8825 said:

This is entirely the point of my earlier post. Those Thais coming in are coming in from mostly western countries that the members on here are from and complaining that they can't get in. Well, the Thais at the present time, can NOT get into your countries either with very few exceptions.

Thais can come to the U.K. self isolate which basically is taken on trust that they actually do ?