First Chinese group expected in time for Year of the Ox under travel bubble

[webfact]

First Chinese group expected in time for Year of the Ox under travel bubble

 

By The Nation

 

 

Phipat Ratchakitprakarn

 

The Tourism and Sports Ministry will discuss the option of building a travel bubble for Chinese tourists with the Chinese Embassy, with the aim of drawing visitors from 22 provinces in China that have been free of Covid-19 for more than 150 days.

 

The travel bubble involves opening cities to exchange tourists without the necessity for isolation.

 

Tourism and Sports Minister Phipat Ratchakitprakarn said the ministry will cooperate with the Public Health Ministry before proposing the idea to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration and the Cabinet.

 

He expects the Cabinet to approve the proposal before January 1, while the ministry expects the first group of Chinese tourists to arrive under the new arrangement during Chinese New Year in February.

 

“Once the Cabinet approves the idea, the ministry will discuss the option with the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok, while the Foreign Ministry will discuss the plan with its Chinese counterpart. After that, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will discuss the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping,” he added.

 

Meanwhile, he said, the Scandinavian group that was expected to arrive under the Special Tourist Visa will not arrive this month because the country is under a second lockdown.

 

“However, government and private agencies will continue promoting tourism,” he said, adding that the ministry has called on tourism operators in Phuket to use their customer database and invite people to visit Thailand. The Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Thailand Longstay Company have also been told to help.

 

“Hence, we expect the number of foreign arrivals in Thailand this year to stand at 6.8 million, though the second lockdown in Europe is making it tough to draw tourists to Thailand,” he added.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30397457

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-11-06

 

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[johnray]

I don't think it's possible to get information on groups of tourist.  Do they knock on their door or something?  This sounds like <deleted>.

[damascase]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Meanwhile, he said, the Scandinavian group that was expected to arrive under the Special Tourist Visa will not arrive this month because the country is under a second lockdown.

Which country? ‘Scandinavia’??

[RotBenz8888]

1 hour ago, damascase said:

Which country? ‘Scandinavia’??

This one? 

[gearbox]

It would be good for Samui and Phuket, but with so many fake bubbles and special visas announced in the last few months I doubt this one would materialize too.

[Justgrazing]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Once the Cabinet approves the idea, the ministry will discuss the option with the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok, while the Foreign Ministry will discuss the plan with its Chinese counterpart. After that, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will discuss the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping

 

Talking borrucks in other words .. 

Kingpin Jinping'll be too busy watching the mad hatter's tea party going on in the States ..

[John Drake]

All those Thai students educated in international programs in tourism and hospitality. All taught in English. And pffft! Their language skills now useless.

[sammieuk1]

Sure Xi will discuss owning a new province general ????

[Caldera]

Not going to happen, the Chinese will want to keep the money in country, continuing to promote domestic tourism. They'll allow a few cashed up individuals to travel to Thailand on the STV, but that's it.

[Dumbastheycome]

16 minutes ago, Caldera said:

Not going to happen, the Chinese will want to keep the money in country, continuing to promote domestic tourism. They'll allow a few cashed up individuals to travel to Thailand on the STV, but that's it.

You  could be right . China seems to be shuttering itself at the moment in many ways including selective non essential primary imports.

[Mavideol]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

First Chinese group expected in time for Year of the Ox under travel bubble

and here is the TAT weekly BS post, maybe they should get updated on Chinese situation.... China just imposed new restrictions on lock down as they found some new cases, they also require 14 days days quarantine for any arrivals and citizens from Ukraine, France, Italy, Russia, UK and so forth are not allowed in...

 

https://news.trust.org/item/20201104012613-sk4co

Mainland China reports 17 new coronavirus infections, asymptomatic cases surge

 

http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1006400/china-bans-foreigners-traveling-from-coronavirus-plagued-countries

China has temporarily denied entry to most people traveling from a dozen countries, some currently seeing surges in local coronavirus infections.

 

[Blumpie]

2 hours ago, John Drake said:

All those Thai students educated in international programs in tourism and hospitality. All taught in English. And pffft! Their language skills now useless.

And currently degrading into a form of gobbley-gook, much like my Thai is on a good day.  

[teacherclaire]

The travel bubble involves opening cities to exchange tourists without the necessity for isolation.

 

How many Chinese people for a dollar? 

[lkv]

Makes sense, both are communist and both have a similar epidemiological situation a.k.a. underreporting.

 

Although I feel China might get plenty of returnees from Thailand testing positive of covid, therefore being skeptical about the bubble.

[crazykopite]

Yet more BS from these ????????????????s

[AhFarangJa]

[jlwilliamsjr18]

Winters Tsunami is upon us. Get ready people.

[Nip]

15 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

 

Talking borrucks in other words .. 

Kingpin Jinping'll be too busy watching the mad hatter's tea party going on in the States ..

I recall as a kid the chimps tea parties in the Zoo. I think they made the same noises and as much sense as this lot. Year of the Ox prefix that with Boll. 

[phantomfiddler]

Could this be some subtle form of "Chinese Torture" ?  ????

[riverhigh]

17 hours ago, damascase said:

Which country? ‘Scandinavia’??

What does it matter? Blond, white skin, good looking ... they all look the same to Thais. 

[aussieinphuket]

i just dont get the fascination with chinese tourists coming to thailand, we are talking about a small number which cannot really add to the total tourist economy here, they spend no money they rarely go out to nice restaurants or bars ..... i would say unlike the russians who love to spend their money here and other expat tourists it just the typical officials making non-sense announcements ... 

[FinChin67]

All just discussions and plans.

 

Thailand considering no-quarantine travel bubble with China
https://www.chinatravelnews.com/article/141560

[Guderian]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

The travel bubble involves opening cities to exchange tourists without the necessity for isolation.

 

Ah, right, so a million Chinese tourists comes to Thailand and in return a million Thais will visit China. Has anybody asked all these Thai people if they want to go there?

[EricTh]

I thought Thailand only allows countries with no internal virus cases for at least 150 days?

 

So why are the Scandinavian countries allowed into Thailand this month when it is going another lockdown?

 

Inconsistent and conflicting policies by Thailand again.

 

Scandinavian countries statistics

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/sweden/

 

on 30 Oct

 

Sweden: 4000 new cases .

Denmark: 1100 new cases 

Norway: 300 new cases

Edited November 7, 2020 by EricTh

[Jimbo2014]

16 hours ago, Caldera said:

Not going to happen, the Chinese will want to keep the money in country, continuing to promote domestic tourism. They'll allow a few cashed up individuals to travel to Thailand on the STV, but that's it.

 

Hell on earth ????

 

[ChouDoufu]

16 hours ago, Mavideol said:

and here is the TAT weekly BS post, maybe they should get updated on Chinese situation.... China just imposed new restrictions on lock down as they found some new cases, they also require 14 days days quarantine for any arrivals and citizens from Ukraine, France, Italy, Russia, UK and so forth are not allowed in...

 

https://news.trust.org/item/20201104012613-sk4co

Mainland China reports 17 new coronavirus infections, asymptomatic cases surge

 

http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1006400/china-bans-foreigners-traveling-from-coronavirus-plagued-countries

China has temporarily denied entry to most people traveling from a dozen countries, some currently seeing surges in local coronavirus infections.

 

 

the "surge" in asymptomatic cases was due to testing the entire 4.7 million population of the city of kashgar after a couple local transmissions occurred.

 

the new travel hubble-bubble plan is calling for tourists from the 22 provinces in china that have had no cases for 150+ days.

 

not sure of the details on that.  is it 150 days without any covid, or with only symptomatic cases?  are they excluding asymptomatic cases and imported cases?

 

 

[KKr]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

“Once the Cabinet approves the idea, the ministry will discuss the option with the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok, while the Foreign Ministry will discuss the plan with its Chinese counterpart. After that, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will discuss the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping,” he added.

 

good marketing tactics. 
first approve the product,
and then start talking with potential customers.

Always thought that a commercial idea would be discussed with attache in Embassy,
in cooperation worked out, and then proposed to ministry for approval  or negotiations support if needed.

[KKr]

20 minutes ago, Jimbo2014 said:

 

Hell on earth ????

 

 

????

tourist attractions are like that in many countries ,
go just at opening and you'll be almost alone

[khunjeff]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

Meanwhile, he said, the Scandinavian group that was expected to arrive under the Special Tourist Visa will not arrive this month because the country is under a second lockdown.

...or because it never existed to begin with

[thailand49]

Only an idiot which is what this guy is to actually still be talking about a bubble that has burst so many times!  At this point believing in China numbers and words!