10 hours ago, TERMINATOR3AB said:

Water   now  ...then  rubber  bullets  .... then .............

Ill take that offer to escape the States....tear gas..rubber bullets, armed militias, killer cops and Covid virus

18 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

 Very few tourists will be willing to jump over the onerous hoops this stunningly uncreative administration is putting forth. Perhaps a few thousand per year. Expats, yes. Tourists, no. Dumb and dumber. 

 

Any effective solution to the devastation of the tourism industry here, has to include a plan without the requirements of quarantine.

 

A simple plan. Require tourists to get a laboratory test in their home country, with negative results. Then, issue an antigen test here, upon arrival. A simple test, with results in 15 minutes. The new Abbott test system costs just $5 per test. Free testing upon arrival. You are negative. You have been subjected to two different tests, using two completely different systems. You are healthy. You are free to go, and please spend alot of money here, so you can help to revive our devastated economy, and put some people back to work. Thank you so much for coming!

Some of those "tourists" might have to do quarantine upon their return to home country too.

8 hours ago, GAZZPA said:

Pattaya has built itself to attract "choice" tourists, what do you expect. It is a seedy hole of a place and not a place people want to invest their money in visiting for their well earned holiday. It is home to skint retirees, sex tourists and not much else. It has had its day, even after COVID is said and done it is going to take decades of reinvention to bring it up to a tourist destination for people with money to spend. Might sound sad but it is simply the truth, facing reality will be the start to reinventing the city.

Well the Thais allowed it to be like that in places and in that respect it serves many purposes..........I was always happy to both visit & leave.

It is ironic that not that long ago the Thai immigration authorities were arguing that anyone who came for more than a few weeks more than once a year was not really a tourist and was not welcome unless they got a “proper” visa. Now they want to base their entire tourism economy on people who stay at least 3 months.

 

 I thought such people only came to Thailand to work illegally or to engage in criminal activities? Wasn’t that the story?

19 hours ago, Chivas said:

These people are absolute roasters....nobody is going to do 2 weeks quarantine bar extreme cases. Get that through your thick heads

Tell you what... if I was stuck in the UK now with winter on the way and the lockdown being re-implemented, as a retired person I would be over here like a shot.... 2 weeks quarantine I could handle. At the moment I see the limited Visa options (and CofE) as more of an impediment. The O-X for example tying up one's money for years on end is ridiculous.

19 hours ago, keith101 said:

With the baht getting stronger every day why would anybody want to come here as a tourist and lose money and quarantine for fourteen days at their expense .

The baht has been flat for a while and Sterling has improved against it since late last year.

18 hours ago, sungod said:

Why not, if I was in the UK and wanted to see 3 or 4 months of the winter out here, I wouldnt hesitate if allowed.

Yes me too. Sitting in a hotel room in Pattaya waiting my time out or sitting lonely in a cold room in the UK , my time running out.

14 hours ago, Mung said:

I've never heard of a currency gain strength over multiple months, while the economy it's attached to dwindles and dies - it's extraordinary 

Thailand isn't digging into its reserves to support its citizens and businesses that have been crippled by this pandemic. Let's face it , the government is in no danger of being voted out of power whatever the hardship.

Western democracies don't have the same option.

16 hours ago, Emdog said:

Have the strongarm mayor and his buddies put up a 100 billion dollar bond to cover expenses in case Thailand has pandemic similar to US or parts of Europe. Problem solved.

What!

A pile of money and a pile of bodies!

6 hours ago, Susco said:

I just read a post on FB from a bar owner in Pattaya who said there are currently quite some Chinese tourists in Pattaya already.

 

Anyone in Pattaya can confirm?

Many are (were) stuck here.  Can't get back to China easily.  Quite a few from Bangkok go to Pattaya to get away.  Quite a few are from Taiwan or Singapore.  Many mistake them for mainland Chinese.

 

We've got large Chinese communities here in Thailand.

3 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Yes me too. Sitting in a hotel room in Pattaya waiting my time out or sitting lonely in a cold room in the UK , my time running out.

Tests , insurance , Visa, grossly inflated airfare and quarantine . I reckon about £3000 before one even starts their holiday.

Throw in the hassles and uncertainty , most will just sit it out.

I will miss my couple of months in Thailand this winter but there are other options for a week or two ( at bargain rates ) if I get desperate.

I happen to live in a leafy village , it's very pleasant , it wont kill me to stay at home , 2 weeks locked in a hotel room possibly would !

7 minutes ago, joecoolfrog said:

I happen to live in a leafy village , it's very pleasant , it wont kill me to stay at home , 2 weeks locked in a hotel room possibly would !

My origins look more like downtown Karachi these days.

20 hours ago, Chivas said:

These people are absolute roasters....nobody is going to do 2 weeks quarantine bar extreme cases. Get that through your thick heads

Wrong !

I would gladly do two weeks quarantine to get back to Thailand where I have spent the last 18 years.

Russia is rated No 4 worst in the world. 1.4 million active cases. 15,000 new cases today. Much worse than China and the rest of Asia. It sure makes sense to allow them in! ????????????

11 hours ago, GAZZPA said:

Pattaya has built itself to attract "choice" tourists, what do you expect. It is a seedy hole of a place and not a place people want to invest their money in visiting for their well earned holiday. It is home to skint retirees, sex tourists and not much else. It has had its day, even after COVID is said and done it is going to take decades of reinvention to bring it up to a tourist destination for people with money to spend. Might sound sad but it is simply the truth, facing reality will be the start to reinventing the city.

I don't know about that anymore : Have a look at all the high end development in North Pattaya and South Naklua. Unknown how supported it all will be , but for now the area is getting established with upper class Bangkok Thais on weekends.

21 hours ago, madmen said:

The elephant in the room is thai people themselves with the overwhelming majority wanting to keep borders closed 

And rightly so. 

 

I am thankful to the Thai people.

 

At this stage letting COVID spread would negate all the efforts that have been made so far. But the government must be imaginative in finding better ways to help the people who have lost their livelihood. 

 

But sadly..

to susco. i live 5 min walk from walking st, pattaya. generally out at least once a day. i have not seen ANY chinese. zero.

What they could do is to allow bars to stay open till 2/3am as before. Many don't like to have to go home at midnight. Shortly the clocks "change" in the UK and football followers won't be able to watch any games which commence after 3pm UK time. 

On 10/17/2020 at 11:29 AM, spidermike007 said:

 Very few tourists will be willing to jump over the onerous hoops this stunningly uncreative administration is putting forth. Perhaps a few thousand per year. Expats, yes. Tourists, no. Dumb and dumber. 

 

Any effective solution to the devastation of the tourism industry here, has to include a plan without the requirements of quarantine.

 

A simple plan. Require tourists to get a laboratory test in their home country, with negative results. Then, issue an antigen test here, upon arrival. A simple test, with results in 15 minutes. The new Abbott test system costs just $5 per test. Free testing upon arrival. You are negative. You have been subjected to two different tests, using two completely different systems. You are healthy. You are free to go, and please spend alot of money here, so you can help to revive our devastated economy, and put some people back to work. Thank you so much for coming!

yes simple..job done  

On 10/17/2020 at 12:10 PM, Brunolem said:

Tourists or "tourists"? 

 

There is no such thing as a "long term tourist". 

 

The Chinese, who are real tourists, spend on average one week in Pattaya or somewhere else. 

 

The Russians need more time to launder the suitcases of cash brought with them. 

 

Some Europeans, after having secured their unemployment benefits, would rather spend the winter sitting on a bar stool, watching the cars passing by and enjoying their fresh exhaust fumes. 

 

Exactly the kind of characters Thailand would be better off without... 

Been a tourist for thirty years now......... Not long enough ?       "Exactly the kind of characters Thailand would be better off without"..    Listen to her........ Go home then....... 

An off topic post has been removed

Apart from an absolute apocalyptic bureaucracy and the quarantine they now can offer day trips to visit the mob in Bangkok - Thailand as a tourist destination is getting more and more attractive; on a daily basis ???? 

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. 

4 hours ago, Boomer6969 said:

And rightly so. 

 

I am thankful to the Thai people.

 

At this stage letting COVID spread would negate all the efforts that have been made so far. But the government must be imaginative in finding better ways to help the people who have lost their livelihood. 

 

But sadly..

They do. 

Here in the Dark Side of Pattaya aka Chonburi aka Eastern Economic Corridor they do. Are you aware how many jobs for people from Issan were established in Chonburi in the last years? With Pattaya Beach as the hub of entertainment, arts, and music? 

And Hua Hin, and Patong, and now the Southern Economic Corridor? 

And Chiang Mai? 

Everything in Thailand is improving for Thais. Of course there are backslashes, but Thais are optimistic. 

 

Edited October 18, 20205 yr by micmichd
Specification

7 hours ago, cracker1 said:

Wrong !

I would gladly do two weeks quarantine to get back to Thailand where I have spent the last 18 years.

Dear oh dear.....go back and reread the post CAREFULLY this time

19 hours ago, GAZZPA said:

it is exactly what would happen in my view. People are staying local for holidays and weekend breaks, if they are going to travel long haul there are countless choices before Pattaya (unless of course you are a sex tourist who wants to spend their holiday with prostitutes).

Many Thai and foreigner business owners are simply blaming the boarder closures. 

 

Sure, some people will come to Thailand, but if they think as soon as the boarders open everything will go back to pre Covid, or even close, they are mistaken. 

 

There are many other factors to consider.   

12 hours ago, ChakaKhan said:

Ive often heard that walking out of the massage shops! ????

No tip.  ????

It's a great idea , maybe they can get 50000 long term tourists back, but most of the Russians are not big spenders.  But it will create some business in Pattaya restaurants and hotels for sure. 

I mean, it's a start right ?  Better than no business at all. 
 

On 10/17/2020 at 11:54 AM, madmen said:

The elephant in the room is thai people themselves with the overwhelming majority wanting to keep borders closed 

 

To bad for tourism based busssines. Prayuth is no dummy he is fully aware of the political implications of a failed re opening 

 

So in the meantime we go round and round in circles albeit very entertaining ones ????

Spot on.  The choices for the Pattaya powers that be are diametrically opposed.  It's either open up everything with no restrictions in a last attempt to keep Pattaya alive, or keep the people safe.  There is no other option.

3 hours ago, phetchy said:

Spot on.  The choices for the Pattaya powers that be are diametrically opposed.  It's either open up everything with no restrictions in a last attempt to keep Pattaya alive, or keep the people safe.  There is no other option.

Soon see if the thai saying "Money No. 1" applies...as the river runs dry day by day