Special Tourist Visa a safe way of allowing foreigners to visit Thailand, says DDC

[webfact]

Special Tourist Visa a safe way of allowing foreigners to visit Thailand, says DDC

 

 

A Channel 7 news report spoke to a leading doctor in the fight against coronavirus and a tourism business leader in the wake of the cabinet agreeing a new 270 day visa. 

 

The doctor praised plans for the 90 day (extendable twice) Special Tourist Visa (STV) saying it was just what the country needed in several ways. 

 

While the business leader said that the pandemic's effect on tourism had not been as bad as first feared and people need to play their part in guarding against a second wave. 

 

The comments, while encouraging on the face of it, will do little to stop the groundswell of opinion especially in online forums that the Thai authorities have got it all wrong and few tourists will want to come to the country given the hoops they have to jump through, notes Thaivisa. 

 

Also, as Thaivisa reported  yesterday, the STV only plans to allow entry to about 1,200 tourists a month - a drop in the ocean compared to last year's arrivals that will result in only a small fraction of previous income being recovered.

 

Many see the STV as merely a test rather than a serious attempt to promote tourism with specific groups feeling that they have been left out at the expense of well-heeled visitors.

 

Channel 7 spoke to Dr Thanarak Phalipat, a deputy at the department of disease control, who described the STV as a safe way of doing things. 

 

The approach would be watertight, people would be traceable and it was a good way to control the spread of disease. 

 

 

The reason for this, he noted, was that foreigners would be subject to the same 14 day quarantine that Thais must go to on their return from the country before they are unleashed on the rest of the kingdom.

 

Chairat Trairatanajaratporn, chief of the Tourism Council of Thailand said that the tourism sector is slowly recovering from the pandemic. 

 

He claimed that a predicted 3.2 trillion baht hit to tourism had proven to be wide of the mark; it was only 1.4 trillion and this was because Thailand had closed its doors to foreign tourism for most of the year. 

 

He cautioned those in the industry to continue to follow the protocols to avoid Thailand facing a second spike in infections. 

 

Source: Channel 7

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-09-17

 

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[darksidedog]

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

Also, as Thaivisa reported  yesterday, the STV only plans to allow entry to about 1,200 tourists a month -

Aside from those desperate to return to businesses and family it is hard to see them needing more than 1,200 a month anyway, as not many will put up with the 14 day quarantine, when they don't have to put up with that in so many other places. Covid will come back at some point, it's inevitable. The economy is taking a serious beating and while they are trying to downplay the extent, millions are suffering hardship. A common sense approach is what is needed, but which is currently seriously lacking.

[Thaiwrath]

10 minutes ago, webfact said:

While the business leader said that the pandemic's effect on tourism had not been as bad as first feared

Another leading "expert" clown !

does he think all the "for sale" and "for rent" signs are for decoration ?

[spiekerjozef]

The only safe way is keep the borders closed.

[ThreeEyedRaven]

I recall some months back the government had been saying how they would be happy if they could keep Covid numbers to a manageable 100 or so a day. Now that they are so desperate to keep it at zero, the chances of serious tourism recovery are also around the same number. The current approach is not going to help the country in any meaningful way. Tough situation to be in for sure, but millions without work has to be worse for the country as a whole, than a few catching the virus along the way.

[RotBenz8888]

20 minutes ago, webfact said:

STV only plans to allow entry to about 1,200 tourists a month

If there is demand, it'll be expanded. Ultimately, cash is king. 

[Forza2002]

"Chairat Trairatanajaratporn, chief of the Tourism Council of Thailand said that the tourism sector is slowly recovering from the pandemic. He claimed that a predicted 3.2 trillion baht hit to tourism had proven to be wide of the mark; it was only 1.4 trillion and this was because Thailand had closed its doors to foreign tourism for most of the year."

 

What is this Tourism Chief smoking, some of Anutin's cannabis? These clowns are so out of touch from reality sitting in their ivory towers and pots of gold...

 

[yeahbutif]

Does a Thai person have to pay the same amount of money as a falang for quirentine? On return to thailand.and can she stay in same hotel Room together.for 14 days

[FarFlungFalang]

Safe,safe say safe a lot.If we say safe as many times we said unsafe maybe safe will cancel out unsafe!Safe safe stay safe be safe all's safe on the western front.

[JusticeGB]

"He claimed that a predicted 3.2 trillion baht hit to tourism had proven to be wide of the mark; it was only 1.4 trillion and this was because Thailand had closed its doors to foreign tourism for most of the year."

 

What an idiot if he believes that why bother with tourists at all? Why has Thai Air gone into bankruptcy like many other restaurants and other tourist related businesses? Why are cities like Pattaya, Phuket, Chiangmai and islands like Koh Chang, Koh Samui etc pleading for the restrictions on foreign tourists to be lifted? Have the statistics that around 20% of Thailand's economy rely on tourism always been a lie?

[FarFlungFalang]

4 hours ago, spiekerjozef said:

The only safe way is keep the borders closed.

The only safe way to make money is to open the borders as the virus came and went between Nov 2019 and March 2020 as predicted in the beginning by the WHO with about 3600 deaths from an unknown viral pneumonia.Testing came to late to detect Thailand's epidemic.

[pookondee]

22 minutes ago, JusticeGB said:

"He claimed that a predicted 3.2 trillion baht hit to tourism had proven to be wide of the mark; it was only 1.4 trillion and this was because Thailand had closed its doors to foreign tourism for most of the year."

 

What an idiot if he believes that why bother with tourists at all? Why has Thai Air gone into bankruptcy like many other restaurants and other tourist related businesses? Why are cities like Pattaya, Phuket, Chiangmai and islands like Koh Chang, Koh Samui etc pleading for the restrictions on foreign tourists to be lifted? Have the statistics that around 20% of Thailand's economy rely on tourism always been a lie?

Its nothing new.

Going back many years now, their claims are always downplaying tourism.

 

But of course, every country doesnt like admitting their economy needs a boost from outsiders.

 

At one stage they were claiming it was as low as 6-7% of the GDP.

I think 20% is spot on the mark, so im suprised they are admitting to that.

 

 

[Katipo]

5 hours ago, spiekerjozef said:

The only safe way is keep the borders closed.

When the number of suicides this year has jumped by the hundreds compared to last, and compared to the number who have died from Covid, simply keeping the borders closed looks like it could create a monster within that is much worse than the one they are trying to keep out.

I commend the Government for trying to find solutions, but their lack leadership, and mental aptitude and agility, is apparent when it comes to creating workable solutions that will have tangible benefits for those most affected by the impending economic collapse.

[Kaopad999]

5 hours ago, spiekerjozef said:

The only safe way is keep the borders closed.

Agree, if you ask most Thai's if they want their borders open right now, i can guarantee around 80% will say no.  

[Kaopad999]

1 hour ago, FarFlungFalang said:

The only safe way to make money is to open the borders as the virus came and went between Nov 2019 and March 2020 as predicted in the beginning by the WHO with about 3600 deaths from an unknown viral pneumonia.Testing came to late to detect Thailand's epidemic.

So, just open the borders like a flood gate and let the virus flood in? 

What a great Idea.. 

 

[Kaopad999]

28 minutes ago, Katipo said:

When the number of suicides this year has jumped by the hundreds compared to last, and compared to the number who have died from Covid, simply keeping the borders closed looks like it could create a monster within that is much worse than the one they are trying to keep out.

I commend the Government for trying to find solutions, but their lack leadership, and mental aptitude and agility, is apparent when it comes to creating workable solutions that will have tangible benefits for those most affected by the impending economic collapse.

Can we not just wait for a vaccine? or wait until this virus dies out? 

The problem now is that the Covid numbers have been rising across Europe over the past month. So i doubt that the Thai government are going to just open the flood gates

[kg1947]

5 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Another leading "expert" clown !

does he think all the "for sale" and "for rent" signs are for decoration ?

The "expert" is living in another dimension of Terra , where everybody is taken care of by the Almighty , no need to work & make a living . 

Gold is paving the street , just need to scrape off and sell to get cash .

The poor will die off and leave us with a " Paradise on Earth "  ....

[richard_smith237]

Just now, Kaopad999 said:

Can we not just wait for a vaccine?

When will there be a vaccine ? - It could be a couple of years. 

How effective will the vaccine be when it is available ? - Unknown, influenza is 40-60% ineffective. 

Will is be available in Thailand ? - Other nations have hedged their bets and paid up front. 

 

 

Just now, Kaopad999 said:

or wait until this virus dies out? 

The Virus won’t die out. Just like influenza and the common cold strains - SARS-CoV-2 is something we will have to live with as we evolve immunity alongside the antigenic drift of the virus.

 

 

Just now, Kaopad999 said:

The problem now is that the Covid numbers have been rising across Europe over the past month. So i doubt that the Thai government are going to just open the flood gates

 

Numbers increasing because testing is increasing, and of course there is probably an increase in transmission as Europe opens up more - The death rate and serious cases seems not to be tracking the increase for various reasons such as ‘increased positives of asymptomatic people from increased testing, increased immunity, herd immunity etc'

 

-----

 

The virus could have spread through Thailand already (in Nov / Dec / Jan / Feb) and Thailand didn’t recognise it at the time (although there were reports of massive increases in viral pneumonia at the time). 

Its possible Thailand now has immunity within the general population and thus opening up poses no risk.

This is not known without testing (PCR testing and also Antibody testing which is not wholly accurate). 

 

Thailand is currently airing on the side of extreme caution when caution may not be necessary at all. 

 

 

 

[miamiman123]

Sorry will never happen fir a long long time 

[vandeventer]

           I am not quite sure this doctor looks at us like we are Humans?

[vandeventer]

37 minutes ago, Kaopad999 said:

So, just open the borders like a flood gate and let the virus flood in? 

What a great Idea.. 

 

I fear the Chinese Army coming in more that the stupid virus.

[Guderian]

Given that a 777 holds close on 400 passengers, the monthly ration of 1,200 passengers only equates to around three flights a month. That sounds silly when people from so many different countries like to stay here, but if they're only going to allow people in from "safe" countries then three or four flights a month is probably adequate. Let's see now, that'll be China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan (China told Prayut no way), NZ, parts of Australia (not you, Melbourne!), maybe Singapore...possibly Sweden, and then I'm struggling for possibilities.

[Bender Rodriguez]

hopefully at one point in time, in many months

 

people might eventually start to think that this all does not add up

 

billions & trillions lost over 58 death

[Zikomat]

Finally, they are coming

[Megasin1]

If you put enough monkeys in a room with enough typewriters they will eventually type the full works of Shakespeare, it would be nice if the Thais could actually wait for the equivalent of some Shakespeare instead of just printing all the gobbly-gook that spouts out whilst we are all standing around, thumb up bum awaiting the good stuff ????

 

[Xonax]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

He claimed that a predicted 3.2 trillion baht hit to tourism had proven to be wide of the mark; it was only 1.4 trillion and this was because Thailand had closed its doors to foreign tourism for most of the year. 

Can anyone explain to me, how closing the country possibly could have decimated the loss by 1.8 trillion baht? If it is because all staffs have lost their jobs and no longer are on the payrole, the 1.8 trillion baht are just missing in their pockets instead!

And it is not only the tourism industry who are suffering. Every single place, where the foreign tourists used to go to spend money are suffering. Last weekend I went to Robinson and Terminal 21 in Sukhumvit Bangkok and it was truly a very sad sight to see the almost deserted shops.

[FarFlungFalang]

51 minutes ago, Kaopad999 said:

So, just open the borders like a flood gate and let the virus flood in? 

What a great Idea.. 

 

Did you read what I wrote?The virus has been and gone and nothing Thailand did stopped it or had any impact on it while it was here.Yes open up the flood gates and let her rip and be surprised by the lack of any devastating impact.Do you believe that Thailand controlled the virus when no western democratic nation with free media was able to?Are that gullible?Have you noticed the only nations that controlled the virus are ruled by military dictatorships with vice like grips on their media?

[Jimbo53]

As long as there ìs a quarantine requirement at a hotel upon entry,i wont be returning,i presume there will be many people of the same opinion.

If i could quarantine at my house or condo,then that wouĺd be a different scenario.

[DerekJ]

I think things might start to get easier for us now. I don’t know about extensions it would be nice if they could lighten up on the paperwork a little bit. 

[micmichd]

2 hours ago, FarFlungFalang said:

The only safe way to make money is to open the borders as the virus came and went between Nov 2019 and March 2020 as predicted in the beginning by the WHO with about 3600 deaths from an unknown viral pneumonia.Testing came to late to detect Thailand's epidemic.

Excuse, for money the borders ARE open.