Foreign tourism reopening: Key operator slams government for inconsistency, lack of communication even damaging tourism

[Huckenfell]

8 hours ago, prakhonchai nick said:

Read 2 days ago that NO  Chinese even applied for an STV.  Most farangs doubted they would with all the red tape, restrictions and cost.

Nothing to do with the veggy brigade!

Its time that the gov looked at how they operated a few years ago, then go back to basics starting with their destructive Visa requirements. Try to make it easier for 'spending' visitors to come to Thailand, not harder.

As it stands now, they are never going to get tourism back.

[Bangkocker]

7 hours ago, Brickbat said:

Enjoying the Quietness this virus has created. Nice , slow, easy life without the loud ,trampling ,damaging tourists. 

Quietness? quietness? - All I can hear from Isaan all the way to Pattaya is 'I miss my falang boyflend and him want to have plenty sek with me when he allive. Hope he cum soon. I give him big discount.

[Huckenfell]

7 hours ago, Brickbat said:

Enjoying the Quietness this virus has created. Nice , slow, easy life without the loud ,trampling ,damaging tourists. 

But "No money honey"

[Huckenfell]

6 hours ago, 0815 said:

How is it possible that other countries simply reopened for tourists without "special visas", "special plans" or "special bubbles" ?
And they even get bookings and visitors !
 

Because, unlike the Thai govt., they don't think inwardly. And they don't load visitors up with no end of money producing rules and regulations.

[spidermike007]

3 hours ago, JusticeGB said:

The guy is right but the real problem is that no other country in the world forces people into expensive prison for two weeks for the right of coming to holiday in their country 

Particularly a country with most of the better restaurants shut down. The obstacle course to tun before even considering coming would put off 90% in the first instance. 

Good point. If you wanted to venture to an island destination, they are all devastated by this shutdown. Was recently in Samui. 85% of the hotels were closed. Most restaurants, alot of bars, shops and other businesses were closed many permanently. Granted, there are some great hotel bargains right now. But, that environment is fairly depressing, seeing so much hardship. 

 

So, the lame authorities here need to wrap their minds around that. Tourists would be coming to a hugely diminished destination. Free quarantine? Might be a good place to start. Make some sacrifices, you incompetents.

 

A good place to start would be the submarines. Give them up. Show the people you care. Or, just admit you don't. 

[Reigntax]

6 hours ago, TERMINATOR3AB said:

Sorry  never  been to Phuket

If that  pic  of a street   and the  Kebab  sign is a  main street  in Phuket

I  am amazed  why  they have tourists  anyway

Looks like a  third  world  slum ...sorry  yuk    in  any  large city  there are  slums  sadly  true  ....   but a tourist  place to look like  a slum area  ?......Really  

One place I would  not want to visit if  in Thailand 

Good  Luck  Phuket

It is a 3rd world slum at 1st world prices.

[KhaoYai]

On 10/13/2020 at 8:21 AM, webfact said:

He said that people cancelled their booking because of it. 

Totally confused. First the Chinese were delayed because the quarantine hotels weren't ready. Then it was delays in issuing visas. A couple of days ago they said the facts were that nobody had actually applied for the new STV - now they cancelled their bookings???

 

Will the truth ever be told?

[ChipButty]

Without the flashing lights Phuket looks dismal it's doomed to fail 

[ChipButty]

2 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Totally confused. First the Chinese were delayed because the quarantine hotels weren't ready. Then it was delays in issuing visas. A couple of days ago they said the facts were that nobody had actually applied for the new STV - now they cancelled their bookings???

 

 

I think he is talking about certain hotels where about to open and they had received bookings, he says they had called staff back now everything is cancelled as I understand it from the Thai news 

[Flying Saucage]

1 hour ago, fxe1200 said:

Everybody, including the Thai government and the TAT and the Ministry of Health shoud read this. It is hopefully available in Thai soon:

https://gbdeclaration.org/

The aim must be achieving of herd immunity, and this is what is happening right now during this so called "second wave" in Europe. Thousands new cases per day, which are very mostly asymptomatic, but only very few serious cases, much less than 6 months ago. 

 

The huge majority are asymptomatic, and such asymptomatic infections create personal immunity and boost herd immunity. 

 

But few people understand the mechanism behind it: It's just keeping up social distancing and wearing masks indoors when together with others. This reduces the inhaled virus concentration, and that leads to mainly asymptomatic or weak cases instead of serious cases.

 

In other words, people should immediately given back to their normal lives, without lockdowns and with open borders, but should continue a minimum not social distancing in public and wear masks indoors in badly ventilated rooms. 

 

It's not rocket science. The shocking thing is that their is no political will to return back to normal in many countries. And the countries under strong Chinese influence, like Thailand, are the worst.

 

Edited October 14, 2020 by Flying Saucage

[Huckenfell]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

What can one say? Desperation is setting in. Heads are going to roll. Just returned from Samui. Utter devastation. 90% of the businesses on the beach road were closed, and hundreds of hotels are closed and for sale, at half price. Trillions of baht are going to be lost here. Annually. Tourism will NEVER recover. Not in our lifetimes. Too much timidity. Too much cowardice. Too little juice and creativity. Such small minds. 

 

 

I gather from this that you ventured no further than Chaweng. Go again and look further next time .

[DaveCW]

5 hours ago, sandyf said:

But which incompetence is the more significant, I am more than happy for the incompetent to keep me safe, unlike other incompetents.

 

It would then transpire that the new measures had actually been disowned far in advance of their announcement, and to make it clear, the prime minister’s group of scientific advisors published all the guidance they gave to the prime minister three weeks ago, about the urgent need for an immediate temporary lockdown, which he had declined to do.

https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/the-virus-is-out-of-control-and-only-a-pasty-with-chips-and-or-side-salad-can-save-us-now-b1016872.html

These will be the same scientific advisors that stated that there would 50,000 deaths a week?  Yep their advice can certainly be relied upon.... NOT

[Huckenfell]

3 hours ago, SupermarineS6B said:

Tell you what, why don't you all just take a good bowel function ( As the gov and TAT seem to be full of it at the moment)  and just let back in the Goose that laid all the golden eggs for years and stop dreaming of robbing rich tourists....... Problem solved........ Oh, and while yer on....... Elect a civilian government of the people, for the people....... Not rocket science eh......  La la Land back to normal overnight..... 

Have'nt you noticed. As soon as anyone or any party who are for the people appear, Mr P gets then shut down.

[Huckenfell]

2 hours ago, Bkktodd said:

There’s alot of expats  trying to get back in to enjoy the same very “guest of Kingdom” exploitation you seem to enjoy.  We can agree on keeping the backpackers away forcawhile

You appear to forget or not to know that a lot of ex pats have families with whom they wish to be reunited.

[DaveCW]

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

What can one say? Desperation is setting in. Heads are going to roll. Just returned from Samui. Utter devastation. 90% of the businesses on the beach road were closed, and hundreds of hotels are closed and for sale, at half price. Trillions of baht are going to be lost here. Annually. Tourism will NEVER recover. Not in our lifetimes. Too much timidity. Too much cowardice. Too little juice and creativity. Such small minds. 

 

 

Place looks rundown as it is, can you imagine what these places will look like in another six months, even more rundown, and it will take money (which folk don't have) to redo.

Edited October 14, 2020 by DaveCW

[mal2018]

2 minutes ago, DaveCW said:

Place looks rundown as it is, can you imagine what these places will look like in another six months, even more rundown, and it will money (which folk don't have) to redo.

Looks no different to a couple of years ago.

[paulikens]

at least theres been a few people in tourism industry finally starting to say something although they should have started to do this 3-4 months ago and then maybe they could have saved high season.

 

but still not enough in tourism are making enough noise it baffles me but then i suppose they would rather lose the money because they are gripped by their irrational fear of a virus that isnt even in thailand any more.   nowt stranger than folk

[Miss Pickle]

I very much doubt you will have any tourists back with all the rules.I can’t see anyone wanting to come back to stay 14 days cooked up in a Hotel room at inflated prices having to take Thailand’s Travel insurance at a crazy price! I own a property and to get a visa we need to transfer 3 million baht into our Thai bank account.It won’t be happening .Complete madness who is in charge as it seems a complete shambles right now.High season is fast approaching and if they don’t get there act together Thailand will be like a ghost town.

 

 

 

[smew]

Finally a Thai that recognizes, admits and does not blame tourists for their woes.

 

STV(special tourist visa) .. we already know, no one is coming it was all fake news!!!    

[tomauasia]

4 hours ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

Clever leaders would have used the last 6 months to repair Phuket roads, footpaths, collect all trash on the island, dig down the ugly electric cables and get new electric or hybrid low emission busses to replace the tuk tuk maffias. They could have showed the world how much better Phuket is now to generate interests from tourists. They could have used the many thousands of people who got laid off to do this work instead of just giving them some small money for three months. But again the rulers are not very clever and only interested in getting huge commissions from weapon purchases. 

They are crooks only do big money deals 

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, Huckenfell said:

I gather from this that you ventured no further than Chaweng. Go again and look further next time .

Wrong. Traveled the whole island, which I know well, having lived there for many years. Chaweng is the worst hit no doubt. But, Lamai is devastated, as is Bang Rak, Bhoput, and Maenam. Samui is a pale shadow is its former self. 

 

My friends who still live on Samui say the same thing. So do the ones who own businesses there. I know so many who have packed up and left. 

Edited October 14, 2020 by spidermike007

[smew]

1 hour ago, KhaoYai said:

Totally confused. First the Chinese were delayed because the quarantine hotels weren't ready. Then it was delays in issuing visas. A couple of days ago they said the facts were that nobody had actually applied for the new STV - now they cancelled their bookings???

 

Will the truth ever be told?

This is Thailand: truth is never told by a Thai.

To safe face, it will be revealed that the chinese decided not to come because too many.... whatever, pick your reason from Thai moronic reason book!

 

Daily road carnage deaths ~~ 65 PER DAY AND THEY DO NOTHING !! allowing kids to drive without licenses

Total Chinese virus deaths: 59

Where is the logic... ???

[metisdead]

Off topic posts, troll posts and the replies have been removed. 

[hottrader77]

On 10/13/2020 at 3:20 PM, ChipButty said:

I find that excuse a bit lame because of the Vegetarian Festival. they would have been in quarantine would they not?

would you fancy been in quarentine for 2 weeks just eating vegetables ? thats probably the message the chinese got , confused or what ? yes is the answer in dealing with bozos . instead of employing a farlang from england who can speak english who can also speak chinese then the message would have got across . thais wont do that though as its loss of face .

[bimmerbob]

On 10/13/2020 at 9:34 AM, from the home of CC said:

this guy needs to go out and find real work, the days of skimming from the lives of others is over..

focus on his main point about inconsistent communications.....do you actually disagree?

[smylee52]

Not only are they doing irrepairable damage to tourism they are setting the stage for tourists to suffer very very aggressive demands from the locals who have been waiting in bread lines because there were no foreigners providing employment opportunities . On my return I expect Pattaya to feel more like the *hithole known as Angeles City with begging becoming a problem .

 

I expect to read of increased theft from tourists as the locals have been put into survival mode . I hope I am wrong but what are people to do when there is no social safety net and the government can't organize a <deleted> up in a pub.

[Titan1962]

On 10/13/2020 at 9:20 AM, ChipButty said:

I find that excuse a bit lame because of the Vegetarian Festival. they would have been in quarantine would they not?

My thoughts exactly,but now it appears they weren’t even coming. Phuket is an island and they could control people coming and going. But that’s not as easy as it sounds either,as food and general supplies need to get there from BKK and surrounding areas. Do they let these drivers into the island and back out again. Plus I hear almost 80% of business in the tourist area closed. Then who would want to go there anyway with nothing to do. Maybe they need to organize more events there that will attract locals and people who are willing to travel that far. Music festivals,tattoo events,hot rod shows or whatever. But now the international tourist are not coming,the establishments will really need to adjust there prices to suit the Thai market. Cheaper hotel rates across the board,better and cheaper transportation options. 
special rates on flights going to phuket to attract people , This will be the only option available to try and get the people living and trying to run business in and around Patong,Kata,Karon a chance untill a vaccine is found. 

[dieter1]

On 10/13/2020 at 9:21 AM, webfact said:

 

Picture: Manager Online

This picture is, for me, the most interesting part. Is it from Phuket?

compared to the massive amount of money they (?) did earn with tourism in the last decades (especially in Phuket) it seems there is - compared to that money - nearly nothing spent for public infrastructure.

espec. in urban places:

roads

as you see in this picture (and this is typical) what is done is just the cheapest you can get.

Just some centimetres of new asphalt, the old is not even removed properly, so the street surface is getting higher and higher and the level of the footpath and the level of the first floor of the buildings are nearly at street level. The new asphalting will only resist 1 to 3 years. ( too thin etc.)

wastewater treatment

guess what happens  to your excrements (and to that of the other millions of tourists)

 

waste management

you guess ....

 

quality of food, controlling of toxic ingredients

forget it, they do no even have limits. In short: it is dangerous to eat in Thailand !

( you can find results of testing - google!. It is a nightmare!)

 

and so on. 40 years before , you could say, its a poor third world country, but nowadays, Thailand would have had enough money to do it properly.

If you only stay in Thailand for 14 days, you mostly do not understand what is going on. But if you live here for a longer time and are interested in the important and fundamental circumstances of your living conditions - which for me is healthy food, none toxic air and water (not to mention the threat to live in traffic)  you realize, that basic and fundamental conditions for life are far from acceptable in Thailand.

 

 

 

[tomauasia]

There was no tourists was all lies. No booking no VISA applications. Nothing. There will no tourists entering under there stupid conditions 

[Truth Will Set You Free]

19 hours ago, pkrv said:

Well I have to give the guy some credit for speaking out about the craziness of the announcements and (in)action of the government on tourism thus far. What's really needed are more voices from sensible heads on (younger?) shoulders, then perhaps something meaningful can come.

I agree 100% but until the young and old of this country come together for the sake of betters things, this country will not recover. The government is damaging everyone that wants to come here. Everyday there a new change which is being sent out to the world by others. Nobody is trying to return and it may be another year or years before it get back to normal. 
 

God said you will weep what you sow! I truly believe it Thailand time........????????????????