STV: Not a single Chinese person actually applied for a special visa - TAT supplied "list of names"

[Misterwhisper]

They even pinpointed an exact DATE when that supposed first flight with 180 Chinese tourists on board was to touch down at Phuket airport -- despite KNOWING that there was no plane. Outrageous, really! Not to mention that private plane with half a dozen Chinese millionaires on board... which now likewise has turned out to be a lie as well.

 

Do these people EVER learn???? Now the face loss is even greater than if they had admitted from the start that the STV scheme was unworkable and that nobody had bothered applying for it.

[androokery]

11 minutes ago, MRToMRT said:

I wonder if the Scandinavian flight is still on for Nov 1 ?? I havent heard anything about that one either.

 

I applied but heard nothing after that.

 

 

I assume we're both officially on that flight, since we expressed an interest in more information from the Thailand Longstay Company. 

[rumak]

21 minutes ago, VBF said:

Therefore the same "powers that be" may possibly be reconsidering an alternative strategy, which, let's face it, can hardly be worse than the current one!

uhhh,  that IS the problem.    every new strategy IS worse than the ones before !

[nervona81732]

6 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

Where have all the tourists gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the tourists gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the tourists gone?
Thais ripped them off, every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

You nailed it Dude!!!

[rumak]

7 minutes ago, Misterwhisper said:

Do these people EVER learn???? Now the face loss is even greater than if they had admitted from the start that the STV scheme was unworkable

 Hey !  slow down,  give them some time .   They are only on plan number 25  !

 

[Polaky]

 

 

Meanwhile Natthaphanu said that 22,000 CoE (Certificates of Entry) have been processed worldwide from those gathering paperwork to return to Thailand. 

 

I certainly believe that this is in fact true going by the amount of people posting on Thailand Asq hotels on facebook, many people have already been through and are now free to roam, others are on their way, many asking for quotes from asq hotels, and some are reviewing these hotels.....which could be a risky proposition, what type of visa they are on i have no idea but they are all quite happy to pay those prices, keen I'll give em that.

[Peterphuket]

6 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

Where have all the tourists gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the tourists gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the tourists gone?
Thais ripped them off, every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Ah, Marlene Dietrich "Wo Sind Sie Geblieben"

[herfiehandbag]

1 hour ago, Silencer said:

Although I note the acronym SNAFU originated within the US military during WWII, Wikipedia uses a picture of Thailand as its reference. ????

It is beyond SNAFU. As we British might say, it is FUBAR.

...beyond all recognition!

[Brunolem]

27 minutes ago, Expat Tom said:

 

Thailand needs to do a cost benefit analysis of the Chinese mass tourism model. If so the findings would reveal that more money is spent in "China" by tourist coming to Thailand than in Thailand itself. 

 

Let's also do a little critical thinking as well. If it is "COVID 19" then that presumes that there was a COVID 18, COVID 17,,,,,16,15,14,13,12....etc....

The whole Chinese tourism thing is the result of a bad choice privileging quantity over quality.

 

Obviously, no other country than China can provide 10 + million tourists per year, but is it worth it?

 

Obviously not, it is a huge mistake!

 

About covid, the 19 is for the year (2019), not the ranking of the virus...

[JohnHans]

I think it might have a lot to do with the cost.

I don't know what a normal tourist would need to pay but for business people, retirees and married foreigners its virtually impossible (Unless you are a millionaire)

For example a friend of mine who owns a business in Thailand... has a valid one year work permit and correct visa, he owns a condo here and his car and Ducati motorbike is sitting gathering dust waiting for him (unless they've been stolen) BUT he wont be coming here any time soon as he would need to payout approximately 3 Million Baht after jumping through all the hoops with certificates, medical checkups, quarantine and not to mention an overpriced flight!

I think its obvious now that the "people" running Thailand do not want foreigners here anymore.

[Burma Bill]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Not a single Chinese person actually applied for a special visa

[JohnHans]

3 minutes ago, Peterphuket said:

Ah, Marlene Dietrich "Wo Sind Sie Geblieben"

And add the line:

"They will never return".

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

you can take all your paper work and shove up your higher shelves for waiting

until mid next year.

[Peterphuket]

without comment.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

1 hour ago, MRToMRT said:

I wonder if the Scandinavian flight is still on for Nov 1 ?? I havent heard anything about that one either.

 

I applied but heard nothing after that.

 

 

Maybe you have to send the application by fax?

[baboon]

1 hour ago, VBF said:

Has anyone considered that this (non) event might actually have done us all a favour?

 

They will probably never admit it publicly (face!) but privately some of the "powers that be" may possibly be realising that their inane  "STV" and apparent preference for the Chinese, are doing nothing but harm.

Therefore the same "powers that be" may possibly be reconsidering an alternative strategy, which, let's face it, can hardly be worse than the current one!

 

Then again........ TIT ????

Be careful what you wish for. They may make it even harder in a sulking fit.

[Pattaya Spotter]

2 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

But would they come back with the stringent rules now in place. I really have to question your read on those tourists. Are they wishing to return back into the insane asylum of quarantine and excess fees and then from a half to several millions deposited into an account just to stay here again for a short time. I believe you are wrong on those accounts.

The post implied that Thailand, for a long time, has been turning off tourists. I pointed out that as recently as 2019, almost 40M people either hadn't got the word or disagreed. My personal survey of tourists over the years didn't include any from this year (none to be found) but I wouldn't expect even the most enamored of Thailand tourists to visit at this time, what with all the extra hassle and costs involved, to say nothing of the fact that most tourist destinations are ghost towns, with almost all restaurants, hotels, and attractions closed.

[Peterphuket]

1 hour ago, Expat Tom said:

I find it totally amusing to read all of the stuff about Chinese coming to Thailand. Apparently, the leaders in Bangkok are unable to read the actual  news from China  or the Thai Embassy in China fails to supply the Thai government any actual feedback about political and economic circumstances within China. If so, then the leaders in Bangkok would know that:

1)  China is having a "hard currency" crunch and is discouraging their citizens from going abroad

2) Notwithstanding CCP propaganda, the true unemployment rate in China is 20%+. There isn't as much money to travel as before.

3) Over 1,000,000 business from large factories to small shops have closed in China since the trade war with the USA and the CCP Wuhan Virus

4) There have been new outbreaks of the CCP Wuhan virus in China and there are reported cases of bubonic plague in China as well prompting a Level 4 alert within China.

One doesn't have to be a member of the CIA to learn this. It is all open source. Try Google!!!! 

The list is much longer but if the Thai leaders and the Thai embassy in China can't figure it out, they will not listen to a simple farang.

 

Thailand needs to do a cost benefit analysis of the Chinese mass tourism model. If so the findings would reveal that more money is spent in "China" by tourist coming to Thailand than in Thailand itself. They arrive on Chinese airplanes, stay in hotels whose beneficial owners are Chinese or Thai / Chinese. They buy cheap package tours and motor around in huge busses that do a disportionate amount of damage to Thai roads and pollute the air. The bioload and infrastructure load of these hoards of Chinese wreak havoc on Thailand far beyond the money that they actually contribute to Thailand. 

 

Do I need to add that that starting back in 1958, the contributions of China to the world (and Thailand) include the Asian Flu, the Hong Kong flu (which actually came from mainland China), Sars, the Avian flu, Swine flu and now the CCP Wuhan Coronavirus....misnamed COVID 19. Let's also do a little critical thinking as well. If it is "COVID 19" then that presumes that there was a COVID 18, COVID 17,,,,,16,15,14,13,12....etc....All from your friends and big brothers in the Middle Kingdom...AKA China. 

 

Welcome to Thailand, your vassal state! We are are all smiles here and will greet you warmly. 

Very nice, Tom, thank you.

[Anant72]

7 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

A telling reveal of the appetite of travellers who may wish to come to Thailand. Was it the onerous paperwork, Covid-19 tests or the quarantine that put people off? Here lies a lesson for the Thai authorities if they think that huge numbers of "tourists" can't wait to return to Thailand. Better for the Thai authorities to first allow all long term visa (non-immigrant or extension) holders to return under easy terms. Tourism for fun is not going to happen for at least another year.

Totally agree. Som nam na. Why give priority to hypothetical tourists (they are not stupid and won't be taken for an expensive ride) to the detriment of long term residents, including retirees, some having spent years and A LOT of money in this country which they have made their homes? 

[Trip Hop]

I don't think any Chinese will be coming soon.  I've just read that due to an outbreak, the whole 9m residents of Qingdao are to be tested within the next 5 days?

[talahtnut]

Fiddling and overcharging by the inscrutable Thai governments love of money

will not go down well with the inscrutable, slippery, rich Chinese tourists.

Whereas the poor pithed Brit, with all the gear and no idea, easily loses his

whole pot in Thailand.  Pschycology in economics.

[Rockbottom]

"The charter flight was virtually taxiing on the runway, it was claimed."  Oh what a tangled web they weave when they CONSISTENTLY practice to deceive.

[Lacessit]

I have to say I admire the ability of TAT officials to make complete idiots of themselves, then pretend nothing untoward has happened.

[Ty Hareways]

You've got to admit the Vegetarian Festival excuse was a good one though????????????????????????????????????

[Pikasso]

7 hours ago, petermik said:

Yet more BS from TAT....more like Fred Karnos Circus than a responsible government department...

Lying bunch of no good government ministers..... what a disgusting state of affairs and no repercussions as nobody held accountable for their statements.

And this is a country that puts so much store in "face".... I think they mean bare-faced lies.

How sad, but I'm sure Rooster will placate them next Sunday!

 

 

[robsamui]

6 hours ago, steelepulse said:

A tribute to Eddie Van Halen, nice.

 

Where have all the good times gone.

 

 

 

Chuckle!
You've obviously of the generation which never heard of Pete Seeger or Peter Paul and Mary!

[robsamui]

5 hours ago, John Drake said:

This proves Chinese are smarter than farangs. No Chinese in his right mind is willing to go through the Thai quarantine hoops while several farangs, even on this forum, are begging to do so. Some, indeed, have already done so.

Your awareness is breatakingly narrow . . . how many Chinese have married a Thai woman, got a family, or have kids and other dependents here in Thailand?
Duh.

[Lashay]

Simple fact TAT should have nothing to do with reopening borders and visas, they are a marketing department, nothing more.

 

But even worse, all these plans are TAT working with Health and CAAT (otherwise known as Anutin and the Bhumjaithai Party) and neither of them should have anything to do with borders and visas either, its the terminally blind leading the perpetually stupid, only question at any given moment is who is the latter and who is the former.

 

This trio have abused their authority (especially CAAT) to shut down the borders but they are obviously totally clueless how to reopen.

 

Time for them to step aside, reinstate normal flights and leave it to  interior and Foriegn affairs to decide borders and visas.

 

CAAT should go back to regulating airline safety, TAT should just <deleted> until someone tells them to promote something and health just stick to deciding quarantine rules (how about making serious effort to increase ASQs? After all these months amount is shameful, should be at least 4 times more capacity)

[cjinchiangrai]

This plan was never going to be that attractive to normal Chinese. No time and too much hassle. They would need to be invested somehow.

 

You don't need to leave China to go to the beach, or skiing, or even find companionship. There is also not the huge price difference that attracts the falangs. 

 

[digger70]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

STV: Not a single Chinese person actually applied for a special visa - TAT supplied "list of names"

People and tourists like to come to Los and Expressed Interest. But the Big But is that they Don't want to jump thru the hoops that those circus clowns hold up.