Thailand delays hosting of first foreign tourists since April

By Chayut Setboonsarng

 

FILE PHOTO: Chinese tourists wear masks as they arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport during a welcome ceremony of Chinese Lunar New Year travellers in Bangkok, Thailand January 22, 2020. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun/File Photo

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand is pushing back plans to receive its first batch of foreign tourists due to administrative issues, a senior official said on Thursday, adding to uncertainty about when it will welcome back visitors vital to its economy.

 

Processes involved in applying for and issuing special visas is delaying the soft reopening, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn told Reuters, adding that about 100 tourists were expected to arrive this month.

 

Foreign arrivals stopped in April after the government banned commercial flights to keep the coronavirus at bay.

 

In September, the TAT said some 120 tourists on special long-stay visas would fly directly from Guangzhou to the resort island of Phuket this week, but their travel has been delayed.

 

Chinese media has questioned the identity of those tourists, however, with reports unable to confirm any Thailand travel bookings among agents in Guangzhou.

 

Operators in Phuket are also puzzled.

 

"We have not been notified about the arrivals," Phuket Tourism Association President, Bhummikitti Ruktaengam told Reuters.

 

"Phuket is ready, but we need clarity, where are they from, how many and where will they stay?" Bhummikitti said, adding that more information would help create confidence among the local community.

 

Authorities last month announced that a limited number of long-stay visitors would be allowed from countries deemed low risk and their trips must include two weeks of quarantine at their resort.

 

Thailand has just over 3,600 confirmed cases, among the lowest in Asia, but its economy could contract by a record 7.8%.

 

The tourism-reliant country could see just 6.7 million foreign visitors this year, the government predicts, after a record 39.8 million in 2019, whose spending made up about 11.4% of GDP, or 1.93 trillion baht (£47.91 billion).

 

Authorities had earlier shelved a "travel bubble" plan to allow movement of travellers between countries with low infection rates.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-10-08

 

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So I guess if you bought plane tickets, paid for COVID tests for your family (pictured above) you are S.O.L.  It's ok, it's Thailand, where things change second by second, minute by minute.

 

This is why people drink.  

this stuff is getting old and tiresome ......   I need another drink   ! 

12 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Chinese media has questioned the identity of those tourists, however, with reports unable to confirm any Thailand travel bookings among agents in Guangzhou.

 

Operators in Phuket are also puzzled.

 

"We have not been notified about the arrivals," Phuket Tourism Association President, Bhummikitti Ruktaengam told Reuters.

 

"Phuket is ready, but we need clarity, where are they from, how many and where will they stay?"

Wow! So it's all a big lie, a big scam, a big bubble!

 

Welcome to Thailand, the land of lies 

37 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Chinese media has questioned the identity of those tourists, however, with reports unable to confirm any Thailand travel bookings among agents in Guangzhou.

Surprise, Surprise  more lies as usual from this group in power. 

37 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Processes involved in applying for and issuing special visas is delaying the soft reopening, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn told Reuters, adding that about 100 tourists were expected to arrive this month.

Well first it was 150, then 120 and now it's gone down to "about" 100. I guess when you are making up the numbers it doesn't really matter ....

48 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

 

In September, the TAT said some 120 tourists on special long-stay visas would fly directly from Guangzhou to the resort island of Phuket this week, but their travel has been delayed.

 

Chinese media has questioned the identity of those tourists, however, with reports unable to confirm any Thailand travel bookings among agents in Guangzhou.

 

Operators in Phuket are also puzzled

Honestly you couldn't make it up .. 

Apart from these bozo's of course ..

53 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Chinese media has questioned the identity of those tourists, however, with reports unable to confirm any Thailand travel bookings among agents in Guangzhou.

Oh no Lieland caught out again!!

 

Some times it's better not to speak but most Thai's in any position of authority seem to have missed this incredibly valuable advice, it speaks volumes....

Probably the same with the flight from Scandinavia.

Either you open the country totally, no conditions, no rules, or you don't.

 

Nobody is going to come with 2-week quarantines, charter flights, mandatory insurance, especially as all of these conditions could change, or the whole country be closed down again at a moment's notice, if someone appears to contract Covid.

 

The Thai government, like many others, has painted itself into a corner by suggesting that the only social and economic metric that counts these days is "number of infections due to Covid".

 

They have successfully scared the population so thoroughly, that they cannot possibly U-turn now, thus dooming the Thai hospitality and service industries to extinction.

 

For those hanging on for a safe and effective vaccine to swoop in and save the situation, history shows that they are betting on a long shot - at best.

 

By all reports there are thousands of retirees being denied entry as they have Non O, not Non OA visas, pathetic situation. Many lives being ruined due to the ignoramuses in charge...

9 minutes ago, Forza2002 said:

By all reports there are thousands of retirees being denied entry as they have Non O, not Non OA visas, pathetic situation. Many lives being ruined due to the ignoramuses in charge...

I think it comes down to someone in power having an interest in the Thai Insurance companies as either a stock holder, or on the board of Insurance.  By only allowing those into the country who buy a policy from these companies he or a group get a percentage or a boost in there stock portfolios.  Again only speculation on my part, but to only allow those back in who have a long stay health insurance policy issued from a Thai company smells to high heaven.

And were AirAsia alerted to organize a charter flight for these zero Chinese tourists?

 

What a shambles.

_____________________________________________

The government will not offer them any refunds for flights, accommodation, insurance, and other fees they already paid for the Special Tourist Visas, or STV, since the delay is not officially considered as a cancellation of the policy. 

 

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2020/10/07/no-refunds-govt-delays-special-tourist-visas-2-days-before-launch/

 

I reckon they're waiting to fill that first plane load before it will fly.

 

Looking over the list of requirements I wouldn't bother coming to Thailand, forget about the place for the next couple of years.

The latest poll says most Thais don’t want tourists.  I hope they keep it closed and we see how the people feel in 6 months.  Will be a lot of good deals when they break down and want us back.  I’m a non-o retirement visa and have about had it with LOS.  When they let me back in I will have saved a lot of money working in good ol USA   One week make what Thai make one year.  Can’t wait for bargains.  Thank you Thailand you are so intelligent 

Oh-hoooo, I have a perfect idea for TAT: make it a competition, the first tourist with enough grit to go through the insane requirements and loop hopping will get a free chicken soup basket and photo-op (with immigration in hazmat suits) at swampy. I'm sure they could sucker a few million out of money by moving the goalposts in true Thai immigration style.

Soon to be a NYT best-seller!

Thailand: How To Lose Friends and Make Enemies

Chapter 1 - Make plans, break plan, refuse refunds

Chapter 2 - Excuse-making as a function of saving face

Chapter 3 - Is there really a smile behind the mask?

Chapter 4 - The role of polls: "Dirty foreigner not wanted

yada yada yada......

 

 

4 hours ago, ukrules said:

I reckon they're waiting to fill that first plane load before it will fly.

 

Looking over the list of requirements I wouldn't bother coming to Thailand, forget about the place for the next couple of years.

OF all the places I'll be going when things open up, Thailand will not be it.  The only ones who will be interested in going are probably Chinese / Indian style tourists.  

11 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Surprise, Surprise  more lies as usual from this group in power. 

Noting that this stuff involves : 'leaders', 'groups', 'agencies', 'ministries', 'hotel owners associations' and more, none of which is coordinated and none of which has any solid basis, end result confusion and no substantive result. All of which is par for the course decade after decade.  

It’s really bad when the Chinese Media questions you?  

A post linking to the BKK Post has been removed.  We are not allowed to use the BKK Post.  

 

It’s time the Thai government stopped all this BS I for one do not believe the figures they have given out for the numbers of deaths that have occurred throughout the Kingdom.

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand is pushing back plans to receive its first batch of foreign tourists

 

Mainly because this so-called 'first 'batch' doesn't exist.

 

TAT can float as many fantasies as they like....but face it Thailand, you've screwed the pooch by making tourism far too labor-intensive, far too exorbitant and far too painful.

 

No one is interested.

 

 

12 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

Honestly you couldn't make it up .. 

 

But they do

Look at the people around you, these are the only people you you will be seeing for some time. Even in India they seem to be rejecting the Russian vaccine as there may be a few things wrong with it. This government must stop changing there minds all the time and think long term not 1 day fix.  

The marching bands have been practicing for the last 2 weeks at the airport

You have to take your hat off to this level of organization, if only to scratch your head

It's just like any new immigration rules, someone on a whim thinks "That's a good idea" and it's put into effect the next day without any deep thought, discussion or informing staff at the many offices throughout the country. Why don't they learn from past mistakes?

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Chinese media has questioned the identity of those tourists, however, with reports unable to confirm any Thailand travel bookings among agents in Guangzhou.

This is frightening, so exactly which part of China were these so called high-end tourists supposed to be coming from WUHAN? it really does make one think. Plus with the news we are getting it is obvious that the Chinese do not want to spend 14 days in quarantine, can't in all honesty blame them for this but rules are supposed to apply to everyone so it is what it is ...............

The administrative issue causing the delay is probably TAT's Aliexpress order for mannequins and sex dolls to fill the airplane seats has been delayed.