Thailand to slowly restart tourism with flight from China

By Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng

 

FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: A few Western tourists are seen on a beach which is usually full of Chinese tourists, amid fear of coronavirus in Phuket, Thailand March 10, 2020. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun/File Photo/File Photo

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand will receive its first foreign vacationers when a flight from China arrives next week, marking the gradual restart of a vital tourism sector battered by coronavirus travel curbs, a senior official said on Tuesday.

 

The first flight will have about 120 tourists from Guangzhou, flying directly to the resort island of Phuket, Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Yuthasak Supasorn told Reuters.

 

Thailand has kept coronavirus infections low with just 3,559 cases and 59 deaths, but its economy has taken a hit from a ban on foreign visitors since April and is expected to contract 8.5% this year.

 

Government spokeswoman Traisulee Traisoranakul expects 1,200 tourists in the first month, generating about 1 billion baht ($31.55 million) in revenue and 12.4 billion baht over one year, drawing in 14,400 tourists.

 

Nationalities permitted to enter will be from countries deemed low risk by the government, which will keep tabs on them.

 

"We are not opening the country, we are limiting the number of entries and will manage with wrist bands, apps to follow them," Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters.

 

The government predicts just 6.7 million foreign visitors this year after a record 39.8 million in 2019, whose spending made up about 11.4% of GDP, or 1.93 trillion baht.

 

Thailand in January was the first country outside of China to detect the coronavirus, in a visitor from Wuhan.

 

"Tourists will be on a long stay visa, starting Oct. 8 and will stay in alternative state quarantine for 14 days," Yuthasak said.

 

Visitors need health insurance and a negative coronavirus test 72 hours before travelling and will be tested twice in quarantine.

 

"Thailand's protection system can prevent a second wave," government spokeswoman Traisulee said.

 

"We have prevented local transmission for 100 days before," she said, adding that had made Thailand attractive for visitors wanting to avoid infections.

($1 = 31.7000 baht)

 

(Writing by Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Martin Petty)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-09-29

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

'slowly'

 

They will have to do something soon, Phuket is in a Coma

8 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thailand attractive for visitors wanting to avoid infections.

The Thai's and Farangs would also like protection ,i just hope these

visitors are checked very carefully, before been let free in the wild.

regards worgeordie

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thailand in January was the first country outside of China to detect the coronavirus, in a visitor from Wuhan.

Slow learners!

Two days. Two headlines.

1) Thai resort pursues 2 year jail term for Westerner who wrote negative review on Trip Advisor.

 

2) Chinese tourists only allowed in to Thailand.

3 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Two days. Two headlines.

1) Thai resort pursues 2 year jail term for Westerner who wrote negative review on Trip Advisor.

 

2) Chinese tourists only allowed in to Thailand.

What does this tell you?

It was 150 arrivals in the first article, they already lost 30.......

17 minutes ago, webfact said:

will manage with wrist bands

Scrap the vaccin plans! 

 

 

Chinese long term tourists. That's a new one. 

21 minutes ago, webfact said:

Government spokeswoman Traisulee Traisoranakul expects 1,200 tourists in the first month, generating about 1 billion baht ($31.55 million) in revenue

This means every single tourist is expected to pay $26,300 a months, in average. Hardly normal tourists. Down payments from Chinese investors on condos maybe?

8 minutes ago, 86Tiger said:

It was 150 arrivals in the first article, they already lost 30.......

Probably tested positive!

13 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

What does this tell you?

Thailand is a province of China?

The Chinese Government has imposed internal flight bans between cities but isn't concerned if their citizens travel abroad. WOW.

A slow restart to Thai tourism!! A very quick ban is sure to follow. 

Fair dinkum are these people for real? 

24 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

What does this tell you?

Considering Chinese were the largest tourist nationality to Thailand pre Covid...and that they supposedly have controlled the virus...it makes sense to court them first...

10 minutes ago, JusticeGB said:

The Chinese Government has imposed internal flight bans between cities but isn't concerned if their citizens travel abroad. WOW.

Maybe not really citizens as we understand this word. Does the Chinese language has a word for "citizen" at all, after 70 years of CCP-rule? Or just a word for "people"? I assume that these people are members of the CCP politburo, who want to invest in their future colony Thailand.

 

Better start stocking up on booze and toilet roll. Another lockdown will be imminent.

Probably in time for Christmas and New Year. ????

10 minutes ago, JusticeGB said:

The Chinese Government has imposed internal flight bans between cities but isn't concerned if their citizens travel abroad. WOW.

Of course they don't, spread the wuflu to the world, kill the enemy! Why stop at 1 million dead?

4 minutes ago, baansgr said:

and that they supposedly have controlled the virus..

Controlled it very well, killed 1 million enemy outside China! Emperor Xi is quietly smiling!

38 minutes ago, webfact said:

Traisulee Traisoranakul expects 1,200 tourists in the first month, generating about 1 billion baht ($31.55 million) in revenue

1 billion baht divided by 1,200 = 833,333 baht.

 

In other words: Each of these Chinese is expected to spend roughly 26,300 US$ during their trip. Each single one of them!

 

This ought to be the creme-de-la-creme of Chinese vacationers, not the type I have observed on numerous occasions in my neighborhood mom-and-pop store stocking up on mama noodles and trying to haggle down the price of a pack of cigarettes.

 

 

5 minutes ago, Misterwhisper said:

55 minutes ago, webfact said:

Traisulee Traisoranakul expects 1,200 tourists in the first month, generating about 1 billion baht ($31.55 million) in revenue

1 billion baht divided by 1,200 = 833,333 baht.

 

In other words: Each of these Chinese is expected to spend roughly 26,300 US$ during their trip. Each single one of them!

 

This ought to be the creme-de-la-creme of Chinese vacationers, not the type I have observed on numerous occasions in my neighborhood mom-and-pop store stocking up on mama noodles and trying to haggle down the price of a pack of cigarettes.

The dirty money laundry bag was about to burst its seams, they have to launder those asap.. ????

There is only 2 or 3 hotels can cater for them who is going to monitor them and will they stick to the rules? interesting to see, whole bunch of Chinese descending on Central 

Thailand bending over for their masters once again instead of protecting their people, why do they always do what they are told by china instead of doing what is right for the country

37 minutes ago, Flying Saucage said:

This means every single tourist is expected to pay $26,300 a months, in average. Hardly normal tourists. Down payments from Chinese investors on condos maybe?

Surely no zero-dollar tourists this time! 

mind you dont get trampled in the rush

 

spittoons at the ready ...................

4 hours ago, 86Tiger said:

It was 150 arrivals in the first article, they already lost 30.......

They are going on a boat trip????

11 hours ago, JusticeGB said:

The Chinese Government has imposed internal flight bans between cities but isn't concerned if their citizens travel abroad. WOW.

That's how they did it earlier in the year, why would it change now.

12 hours ago, webfact said:

"We have prevented local transmission for 100 days before," she said, adding that had made Thailand attractive for visitors wanting to avoid infections.

Have you? How would you know when you do not test? Smoke and mirrors - Thailand is no different from the rest of the world which  picks this thing up left, right and centre. Look at the likes of topnotch states like SKorea and Germany, both of whom have struggled with it, yet Thailand continues to beat all odds. C'mon! lol

12 hours ago, worgeordie said:

The Thai's and Farangs would also like protection ,i just hope these

visitors are checked very carefully, before been let free in the wild.

regards worgeordie

Indeed. But, alas, I hope they are checked as thoroughly when they depart since there is more of a chance they will pick up 'something' when there.