Thailand eyes 50,000 foreign tourists in second-quarter, down 99.5% - industry

[snoop1130]

Thailand eyes 50,000 foreign tourists in second-quarter, down 99.5% - industry

 

People enjoy Cha-am Beach in Phetchaburi province, Thailand, September 26, 2020. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand is expected to have 50,000 foreign tourists in the fourth quarter of 2020, down 99.5% from a year earlier, an industry body said on Wednesday, as the country tries to support its battered economy by gradually reopening to visitors.

 

Foreign tourist receipts are seen at 4.5 billion baht ($142 million) in the quarter, down 99% year-on-year, Chairat Trirattanajarasporn, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, told a briefing.

 

The council predicts 6.74 million foreign tourists this year, down 83% from a year earlier, after a record 39.8 million visitors last year, he said.

 

Next year's outlook remains uncertain, Chairat said, although the official tourism agency predicts 20 million foreign tourist in 2021.

 

"If there is no vaccine and we still have a 14-day quarantine, I expect only hundreds of thousands of tourists next year," he said.

 

Thailand has had relatively few coronavirus infections compared to most countries and halted foreign tourism and commercial flights in April to try to keep the virus out.

 

It is due to start receiving its first long-stay foreign vacationers next week to help a key sector devastated by travel restrictions.

 

The industry will propose the government to allow more foreign tourists from very low-risk countries, to return in December with no 14-day quarantine, said Vichit Prakobgosol, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-09-30

 

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

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[ExpatOilWorker]

11 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand eyes 50,000 foreign tourists in second-quarter, down 99.5% - industry

 

12 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand is expected to have 50,000 foreign tourists in the fourth quarter of 2020

Pick a quarter, please, just one.

 

[Justgrazing]

Don't know when they've had enough .. more bonkers figures pulled out of their 'arris .. 

 

12 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Next year's outlook remains uncertain, Chairat said,

Obvious , stating and bleeding are forming in my mind for some reason .. 

[Guderian]

That equates to around 4,000 tourists a week for the last 12 weeks of the year. They'll have to greatly increase the number of passenger flights allowed in to meet that target. And can the ASQ system handle them, in spite of the nonsense about dropping quarantine, only the lunatic fringe in the Tourism ministry would actually consider that a realistic option. 

[Emdog]

Down 99.5% to 50k. Not enough to make a positive econ impact, but more than enough to bring in the virus. Sounds like worst of both worlds

[Geoffggi]

12 hours ago, Guderian said:

That equates to around 4,000 tourists a week for the last 12 weeks of the year. They'll have to greatly increase the number of passenger flights allowed in to meet that target. And can the ASQ system handle them, in spite of the nonsense about dropping quarantine, only the lunatic fringe in the Tourism ministry would actually consider that a realistic option. 

Unfortunately the only people who will be exempt from quarantine will be the ones who started the whole thing in the first place .....!!!

[phantomfiddler]

This brings a new light onto the old saying "The most terrifying thing in the world is ignorance in action" ????

[TheFishman1]

More crazy talk TIT

[DPKANKAN]

Tourism down 99.5%  but revenue only 99%.

So all tourists are going to spend twice what they have before............ duh.... or is it the rip off quarantine costs???????????????????????????????????

[steven100]

50,000 .....  or what I think he really meant to say was 500,  just a couple of zero's to many. 

[sezze]

18 minutes ago, steven100 said:

50,000 .....  or what I think he really meant to say was 500,  just a couple of zero's to many. 

50k or 500 . Whats the difference , when its down 99.5% ? Basically there's no tourist money coming in , in either both of the nrs . Everybody knows it , everybody recognizes it , even TAT . The question is not where we are now , but where we are going to be in the future . Thailand needs tourism , because it's a big part of economy , and everybody got to find a way out of this , which isn't easy . Just opening , forget about that , i'm pretty sure , due to unknown reasons , Thailand so far has skipped the rope (or how do you call it ) . Even Thailand doesnt know , thats why they not opening more as they want to , but they do not want to take risk , which in fact is understandable . Next up is , how to open ... idk , as far if theres not a lot solutions , i believe its gonna be a difficult story . I wish to believe 100% , as soon if a vaccine is available , and people do take it ( paper ) the government will open up to tourism , even if it is only 50% . You can blame me for believing wrong things or anything , but thats my personal believe .

[tonysilly]

Over 6 million tourist?? That's a lot of gps tracking bands. Lol 

[khunjeff]

Even with all the crazy proposals that come out each day, I haven't heard a single one that could realistically allow 50,000 tourists to enter in a single quarter. The COE and STV systems are too complicated, the ASQ approval process is too cumbersome, and of course the 14 day quarantine, while understandable, just isn't compatible with mass tourism, even at a very low level.

[vandeventer]

So if they have a Russian or Chinese vaccine than there is no quarantine? But do they work? If they have the vaccine will they all test positive?

[yellowboat]

Only the feeble minded and petty talk about things all the time they cannot change.   Instead of moaning about the loss of tourism to the point of absurdity, how about overhauling the silly visa laws and allow for great foreign investment?

 

 

[Dukeleto]

Meanwhile in the rest of the modern world where the virus has spread relatively unchecked with September showing far higher Infection numbers than at the height of it in April but with very very little deaths by comparison which clearly indicates the medical community in those countries can Now effectively cure those infected reducing the danger of the virus. While it appears on the surface that Thailand Managed to contain the virus (dubious imo as there was not widespread testing) they have sort of been left behind in gain expertise in the curing of this virus department. I think they have shot themselves in the foot on this one.

[Mr Meeseeks]

From a purely selfish perspective I can only see positives in this news.

[hotchilli]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand eyes 50,000 foreign tourists in second-quarter, down 99.5% - industry

I had my eyes on a new racing bike when I was a youngster, my father said keep my eyes on it as I'd never get my a**e on it !

Wish for what you want.. with the entry restrictions and cost of travel I don't think many will be coming this year.

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

50,000 .....  or what I think he really meant to say was 500,  just a couple of zero's to many. 

I wish they'd use the same calculation with the exchange rate.

[Docno]

Wow - I didn't know 'medical' marijuana is already being used by Tourism officials ????

[TKDfella]

One thing that's been bothering me with all these expectations and plans is that no doubt the gov. adds the expenditure for quarantine to their figures. A debatable point I suppose because it is a gain in revenue but it is an imposed 'sanction' and not tourist spending proper. Since the quarantine takes place at the hotel the gov. doesn't have to worry about any expenditure attached to it. In other words, they get to have the cake and eat it too.

[DGS1244]

Heads in the Sand again. Why doesn't someone just accept that there will be no mass tourist recovery until they have a workable vaccine. Middle of next year? maybe.

[JusticeGB]

And even if the whole of the 50,000 came all tourism woes would be over as this figure is very close to the 10,000,000 that came in the last quarter of 2019. TAT only seems good at making one pathetic announcement a day.

[KC 71]

47 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

So if they have a Russian or Chinese vaccine than there is no quarantine? But do they work? If they have the vaccine will they all test positive?

A guy in the uk swabbed some fruit, the coconut and grapefruit came back positive.

The Banana was negative though so that's hopeful !

[AgMech Cowboy]

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

"If there is no vaccine and we still have a 14-day quarantine, I expect only hundreds of thousands of tourists next year," he said

What a laugh, "hundreds of thousands". More likely less than tens of thousands; although, maybe, they will see a big influx starting November next year, but that's still assuming they drop the quarantine and have a vaccine for the Thaias. The silly part will be demanding the tourist have a vaccine.

[Burma Bill]

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand eyes 50,000 foreign tourists in second-quarter,

Thailand is expected to have 50,000 foreign tourists in the fourth quarter

 

Confusing - so which quarter? "fourth" I would presume!

[AgMech Cowboy]

46 minutes ago, Dukeleto said:

...but with very very little deaths by comparison which clearly indicates the medical community in those countries can Now effectively cure those infected reducing the danger of the virus. While it appears on the surface that Thailand Managed to contain the virus (dubious imo as there was not widespread testing) they have sort of been left behind in gain expertise in the curing of this virus department. I think they have shot themselves in the foot on this one.

"dubious" indeed, although, since people did not get tested irrationally (i.e. if they we're terrible sick they didn't get tested or even go to the hospital) and just because they died of a respiratory problem were not tested, I think there is probably more immunity here than we expect. When it come to the expertise in curing the virus there will now be many studies for the Thai physicians to read. The French doctors have already published some very good info. S. Korea has also done a lot in that regard. I think it will depend on how expensive the different treatments may cost, if it come to that.

 

I'm hoping for the best, but honestly, am not concerned if I catch it, which I doubt that I will.

[2 is 1]

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand eyes 50,000 foreign tourists in second-quarter, down 99.5% - industry

I eyes many times nice behind's in town! But i never get any piece of those ????

Maybe they need do some other thing's than just "eyes".

Maybe dream on like what they have doing so far!

[aussiexpat]

So 3 flights from china (1, 8, 25 Oct) and one from Scandinavia (1 Nov) reported on TV last couple of days for a total of 403 tourists.

 

Wahoo, that means they plan 49,597 more tourists in the 60 days remaining in Q4 after above flights so they will have to relax things to get that ????

[Odisan]

New day, new set of hopes, dreams, and fiction...