Hotel operators beg govt to consider reopening Thailand soon

By The Nation

 

 

Hotel operators are pleading with the government to reopen the country and launch measures to help their business as soon as possible.

 

Suphajee Suthumpun, Dusit Thani’s group chief executive officer, said if the country is not reopened soon, hotel operators will suffer heavy losses. Also, she said, banks and financial institutions are not granting loans easily to tourism businesses to because of the risks.

 

“Hence, we want to ask the government to issue financial measures to support tourism businesses and to instruct the Thai Credit Guarantee Corporation to guarantee loans for small and medium enterprises,” she said.

 

“We also want to ask the central bank to ease rules related to debentures as many large enterprises’ debentures are nearing maturity.”

 

Suphajee also encouraged the Tourism and Sports Ministry to set up a tourism recovery fund that will allow hotel operators to borrow by using their hotel as a collateral.

 

“Since the Covid-19 vaccine is expected to be ready next year, the government should come up with an e-visa system to help tourists return to the country,” she added.

 

Chaiyapat Paitoon, Minor International’s chief strategy officer, said the company had lost more than Bt14 billion in the first nine months of the year, and its businesses in Thailand accounted for Bt2 billion of the losses.

 

He said the company may need to boost its liquidity, by either finding new capital or launching debentures if the government does not reopen the country soon.

 

“The government should look into travel-bubble schemes, ease self-isolation rules and launch measures to support entrepreneurs,” he said.

 

Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, executive vice president of Sukosol Hotels and chairperson of the Thai Hotels Association, said the government should launch measures to help hotels, such as paying 50 per cent of hotel staffs’ salaries as it has been doing for new graduates.

 

“The government should also extend its 2 per cent contribution to the Social Security Fund, set land and building tax at 10 per cent and ease self-isolation rules,” she said.

 

Parkpoom Prapasawudi, vice president of the Erawan Group’s Hotel Asset Management division, said hotel occupancy has been at 20 per cent for more than five months due to travel restrictions.

 

“The situation in Thailand is different from China and Europe, where occupancy rate is 50 to 60 per cent and 30 to 40 per cent, respectively,” he said, adding that the country must be reopened because hotels cannot survive if occupancy remains so low.

 

“If the government does not want to reopen the country, then it should launch measures to support the hotel business,” he said, adding that hotel operators were unable to come up with a business plan because the government has not provided any clear directions.

 

Supawan Tanomkieatipume, executive assistant manager of the Twin Towers Hotel Bangkok, said the government should launch a campaign to boost public awareness on reopening the country, because it is not possible for Thailand to be free of Covid-19 forever.

 

“Thailand and countries with low-risk of infections should work on travel-bubble schemes like Singapore and Hong Kong have done because hotel operators cannot bear high costs or inject more cash into their businesses,” she said.

 

Meanwhile, Tourism and Sports Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed the Centre for Economic Situation Administration (CESA) to work on establishing a tourism recovery fund to help the travel sector. This fund is expected to stand at between Bt50 billion and Bt100 billion.

 

“We will also discuss other proposals with the premier and CESA, especially e-visa options, so tourists can return to Thailand once the Covid-19 vaccine is ready,” Pipat said.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30398166?utm_source=category&utm_medium=internal_referral

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-11-18

 

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It's not going to open up, the zero COVID approach will continue for a very long time.

 

I can't see anything changing before the end of 2021 and that's being optimistic.

15 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

the government should launch a campaign to boost public awareness on reopening the country, because it is not possible for Thailand to be free of Covid-19 forever

 

I got the impression that the plan was zero covid cases and let the tourism industry and related businesses fail and everybody lose their businesses?  Did they not tell the tourism industry this?

It is a hard time for businesses but putting money before peoples lives is not the answer, until covid is totally under control around the world travel bans need to be enforced and the govt needs to help effected businesses/people more than they are, buying subs etc when the country is desperate is not  good govt policy.

The Thai tourist industry was in decline long before the covid issue began. In addition to the expensive Baht, Thailand is simply not interesting anymore. When was the last time anyone bragged about having been to Thailand, like 2005? 

56 minutes ago, seajae said:

It is a hard time for businesses but putting money before peoples lives is not the answer, until covid is totally under control around the world travel bans need to be enforced and the govt needs to help effected businesses/people more than they are, buying subs etc when the country is desperate is not  good govt policy.

 

Yes but more people will die of poverty/starvation/depression/suicide from these measures than from covid. 

4 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

The Thai tourist industry was in decline long before the covid issue began. In addition to the expensive Baht, Thailand is simply not interesting anymore. When was the last time anyone bragged about having been to Thailand, like 2005? 

 

IDK what you are talking about but I brag about being the last farang to experience the wonder of the world Walking Street, every day. I first visited Thailand in November 2019, it blew my greenhorn farang mind so much so,  that I decided to return immediately in February 2020, and I could not have been happier with my decision as I had a feeling that this may be the last time anyone will ever experience Thailand at its peak. 

Blame your PM chan o cha. His Gov.  is responsible for this. He loves to play state emergency for his benefit.

5 hours ago, seajae said:

It is a hard time for businesses but putting money before peoples lives is not the answer, until covid is totally under control around the world travel bans need to be enforced and the govt needs to help effected businesses/people more than they are, buying subs etc when the country is desperate is not  good govt policy.

If  covid  killed 20%  of  all  those infected I might agree  but it doesnt,  they should  just accept  the losses and get on with it.

Yeah open up, what's the worst that can happen. Oh wait, there's a pandemic that is destroying millions of lives around the world. 

 

Seriously why is this even been reported on ?

28 minutes ago, bodga said:

If  covid  killed 20%  of  all  those infected I might agree  but it doesnt,  they should  just accept  the losses and get on with it.

The figures and debilitating effects of long Covid are quite frightening...something people are forgetting.

11 minutes ago, baansgr said:

The figures and debilitating effects of long Covid are quite frightening...something people are forgetting.

If there were debilitating effects then people would not be forgetting, those I know who tested positive either experienced no symptoms or just had a regular flu, one in his 40s one in his 30s neither athletic. 

4 hours ago, baansgr said:

The figures and debilitating effects of long Covid are quite frightening...something people are forgetting.

I  think theyre going to remember  more the massive depression, I mean Spanish  Flu  took  many and its  from the same era as the great depression, which one do you remember.

4 hours ago, AmySeeker said:

Yeah open up, what's the worst that can happen.

downfall  of  nations, overthrowing govts

Baht nice and strong right now also.

 

555

12 hours ago, ukrules said:

It's not going to open up, the zero COVID approach will continue for a very long time.

 

I can't see anything changing before the end of 2021 and that's being optimistic.

 

Well you could be right about C19 regulations continuing but as far as not seeing anything change?

I tell you what ...change is quickly approaching & it is not going to be pretty.

Desperation/poverty does not happen silently or without major changes occurring in day to day life

Edited November 18, 20205 yr by meechai

Instead of begging why don’t they all get together and completely shutter All their hotels and lay off all staff. Can you imagine no hotels open in Bangkok??? That will get their attention and put the reality of what they are doing home to roost.

12 hours ago, ukrules said:

I can't see anything changing before the end of 2021 and that's being optimistic.

 

Given the changes that have already occurred I believe that should be pessimistic rather than optimistic.

A post of a conspiratorial nature has been reported and removed. 

10 hours ago, greenhornfarang said:

 

Yes but more people will die of poverty/starvation/depression/suicide from these measures than from covid. 

yes quite right and of course cars and thai roads,obviously if we carry the govt logic thru why is anyone driving!!??

Hotels should realise it is not possible to open Thailand until Covid is under control and that they are only a small  part of losses being incurred in Tourism and related busnesses Hotels  are most able to sustain losses and should plan accordingly.

5 hours ago, greenhornfarang said:

If there were debilitating effects then people would not be forgetting, those I know who tested positive either experienced no symptoms or just had a regular flu, one in his 40s one in his 30s neither athletic. 

Just have a look at reports of hospital systems being overwhelmed in many parts of the US and you might change your mind. Those you know ... how about those other people know? Unless you personally know someone who has died or suffered long term then it doesn't exist?

would only be a handful of countries that currently let their citizens fly in and out freely with no restrictions anyways so even opening the borders there is not going to be some huge magical influx of tourists.

Every little helps.

Just now, Salerno said:

Every little helps.

well of course but that "little" needs to at minimum cover the hotels overheads.

11 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

The Thai tourist industry was in decline long before the covid issue began. In addition to the expensive Baht, Thailand is simply not interesting anymore. When was the last time anyone bragged about having been to Thailand, like 2005? 

 

In decline when the number of visitors to the country has been jumping every year? Tell that to the millions of Thai people employed in tourism and who made a good living from it.

 

Don't make the mistake of thinking that because you and maybe your farang friends had lost interest in Thailand. Pre-Covid, Thailand might not have been the in / trendy place to visit like it was 20 years for Westerners, but try telling that to the more the 10 million odd Chinese who visit each year. And still plenty of Westerners visiting too. In terms of pure visitor numbers, Thailand was booming - and will boom again when Covid is behind us.

 

47 minutes ago, Dukeleto said:

Instead of begging why don’t they all get together and completely shutter All their hotels and lay off all staff. Can you imagine no hotels open in Bangkok??? That will get their attention and put the reality of what they are doing home to roost.

Do you think so? I get the feeling this government doesn't care about mass tourism no more, Thailand can survive without it

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Hotel operators beg govt to consider reopening Thailand

 

They’re begging the wrong people…

 

These are issues that are decided by the big boss: Godfather Xi.

 

They should be begging China instead.

 

 

27 minutes ago, Dialemco said:

Hotels should realise it is not possible to open Thailand until Covid is under control and that they are only a small  part of losses being incurred in Tourism and related busnesses Hotels  are most able to sustain losses and should plan accordingly.

How is that? How about the staff that will be laid off (not a small amount of people), how they are going to plan?

But now would be a good time to start setting clear direction for those that do get the vaccine in the UK or the US, for example. What will be proof of the vaccine that Thailand will accept?

 

...are they allowed into Thailand like a normal tourist, with no quarantine restrictions once they get the vaccine? 

 

These are probably the questions people should be asking now.

 

Thailand is not going to open and this that persist in "its just the flu", go volunteer in the COVID ward with no PPE.