1 hour ago, miamiman123 said:

How is that recovery even possible when the rest of the people in the world like the USA, the UK et al are in desperate financial straits, and are in no position to travel even if they could?

A distorted point of view, certainly as far as the UK is concerned. The majority of those in "desperate financial straits" were probably never in a position to travel anyway. Those that continued to work throughout the year and pensioners, which account for about 20% of the population, have probably watched their bank balance inflate during the crisis.

When travel does start to move again, every chance the preference will be for short haul with long haul taking that bit longer.

As far as Agoda is concerned, we use the We Travel Together quite regularly and and have found in many cases our choices to be fully booked. 

1 minute ago, herwin1234 said:

Stop the unfounded negativity.

If you want to believe Thailand's  "incredible" figures  then "up to you"   the fact remains that there where around 7000 tourists from Wuhan arrive in Thailand at the beginning of this WuFlu debacle  and rise of

"viral pneumonia"  deaths this year.

Tourism will NOT be recovering here anytime soon. A year or two, at the minimum, and even then it will be a pale shadow of the previous numbers. Many problems existed here, long before Covid, that were never addressed. 

 

You keep your nation sealed off from the world, and the world will sooner or later the world forgets about you. Thailand is NOT the center of the universe, nor is it the most desirable nation on earth.

 

It is great that the Thais are stepping up, taking advantage of great deals, and supporting the tourism industry. It helps, no doubt. But, it is only a portion of what the hotels, restaurants, and other businesses need. The industry is hurting, big time. 

 

Thailand needs courageous leadership. They don't have it. The army are major cowards. ANY person from ANY nation should be welcome starting tomorrow, if they are willing to subject themselves to a 14 day quarantine and pay excessive fees for that two week sentence. There is no downside or risk, and only upside for the nation. No groveling from a local consulate should be required. That is utter nonsense. A covid free letter and a booking at an approved hotel. Period. No more insane "Phuket or Samui" models". And no special health insurance either. Quarantine is enough of a penalty already. Stop being silly and stop the nonsense.

 

But, the reality is, that if Thailand had a qualified health minister, and a slightly intelligent tourism minister, they would stop this nonsense, and realize no tourism program requiring quarantine will ever work. Period. Any such program will never attract more than a few thousand tourists a year. Testing is the answer. Plain and simple. 

 





 

Edited November 25, 20205 yr by spidermike007

5 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

Once whichever  vaccine starts to be distributed the paranoia will be relieved

 

 

no TH official or other source ever mentioned the extremely difficult handling / logistics of all of these C19 vaccines: At ultra-low temp. !! your deep freezer environment does not qualify...a challenge for a lot of countries

 

3 hours ago, Kaopad999 said:

Thailand most certainly top 5 in the world for Covid response. 
It will be interesting to know the final winner once Covid has finished. 

15th on the list just published in Bloomberg.  NZ No.1 . I suspect the absence of testing would affect the rankings .  

Edited November 25, 20205 yr by terryofcrete

Posts spouting exterme conspiracy theory nonsense have bee ]n removed

Complete nonsense. For one thing, airlines have to be up and running again, and the days of people being able to fly cheaply are gone. Qantas is saying it will require all passengers to be vaccinated before they can board.

A holiday where you spend the first 14 days of it in quarantine, then when you go back to your home country, another 14 days there, at mandated costs?

What is Mr. Brown smoking, I want some.

Agoda??? Do they have any skin in the game? They say that about every country.

5 hours ago, madmitch said:

I've just looked at Booking Holdings' share price and was amazed to see it is almost back to where it was in January! Very surprised at this but I suppose announcements like this are there to inspire confidence in shareholders, even if most hotel owners are taking a more realistic view.

Thanks to the 64 million Euro they received from the Dutch Government for their Amsterdam office to survive, perhaps? The year before they made an enormous profit,  which disappeared in the pockets of management and shareholders. And then cry for help when business slows down........

Edited November 25, 20205 yr by damascase
Typo

6 hours ago, webfact said:

He said the world was looking towards Asia.

Yea right they may looking at it, that doesn't a thing .

Let them back in and see what happens ,most countries aren't doing so good in containing the Virus.

They may let many suspect virus carries back in.    

58 minutes ago, herwin1234 said:

isnt it true! The Thai leaders completely listened to science and didnt abuse it for political reasons.  What a complete shame for Trump to even make wearing a mask into a culture war. 

You are correct about Trump but EVERYTHING the current Thai leadership does is connected to a single political goal.

One would have to be remarkably naive not to grasp that fact.

Looking on the visa boards, and traffic through the RTE London, lots are taking up the option of the TR visa, it will be appealing to those who can afford to take off several months and with talk of reduced quarantine, I see January being a busy(ish) month for returnees and expats, let’s hope we start to see an uptick in arrivals soon.

Edited November 25, 20205 yr by Jaye Mak Mak

34 minutes ago, thurien said:

 

no TH official or other source ever mentioned the extremely difficult handling / logistics of all of these C19 vaccines: At ultra-low temp. !! your deep freezer environment does not qualify...a challenge for a lot of countries

 

The "technology" is not such a difficult problem in that  Thailand  has a  manufacturing  capacity  to  provide  it.

It  may well be  being undertaken  as of this  moment.

The  real issue  is in the  capacity of effective  administration . Maybe  there is time  between now and when such  vaccines are  available that a rapid  training  program is undertaken?

There need  be some imperative in that !

I have seen the waste of  expensive distributions of  rabies  vaccines being handed  out  to  people  nominated  as dog  owners to  take home in their hand  or pocket to inject at  any such  time as their   dog  appears  on the doorstep. That  vaccine also  deteriorates  quickly  if above a critical temperature in less than  10 minutes !

 

 

Excellent sourcing:

 

RYT got it from Infoquest, who presumably got it from CNBC. Although there is the possibility of the proverbial Chinese whispers, I have yet to see where he said that a quick recovery was expected.

 

The quote is: "Speaking on CNBC Mr Brown said that signs were that both Thailand and Taiwan would lead the way in Asia where recovery is likely to be far quicker than in the west."

 

is likely to be far quicker than the west....not that a quick recovery is expected. Poetic license, or fake news?

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand and Taiwan's domestic tourism market was getting going again.

I agree these long weekends every month have increased the number of tourists at the popular destinations.

 

The problem from my observation is it is just increasing debt.  Many putting hotels, restaurants, shopping, etc. on their credit cards.  To add, the Thais I know usually make the minimum payment every month some carrying 3 or 4 credit cards.  

7 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

Once whichever  vaccine starts to be distributed the paranoia will be relieved. No doubt the desired well heeled  who can pay to access  early it will be welcomed even if  numbers are not prolific.

The  general economic impact will have staggered financial viability for a quick return to mass tourism.

Meanwhile the "Talk it Up" brigade will continue to offer the  donkeys a carrot.

 

I must add to your coments that if we hopefully get the Russian and/or Chinese both well tested and very very promising vaccines here in Thailand they  will be supplied at cost as a duty of care rather than a duty of corporate greed. So will be affordable to most ordinary Ex Pats here who are far from well off as well as less of a drain on the Thai public resources too.  I would not personally  trust or take any vaccine produced by western big pharma who do so solely for huge quick profits, but agree we must all have a choice  as to which vaccine we are prepared to have or indeed for some choose not have one at all.  That the Russian and Chinese tested and effective vaccines, which are virtually available about now, are not being allowed into the UK is a stupid, irresponsible and childish anti Russia/Chinese deplorable policy by a bad UK Government who are trying to protect the big corporate western pharma profits rather than make you and I their rightful priority.  

 

I do though very much trust the Russian and Chinese vaccines produced, as usual in those nations, purely as a duty of care to the people and to meet urgent responsible public health needs. They also use tried and test traditional vaccine production methods not the risky unknown long term effects experimental DNA system being developed by western big pharma and which really need probably a few years to test the new technology, rather than rushing it out for a quick big profitable return as big corporate pharma always do. We should all be of course fully aware that their CEOs and shareholders are who matter to them not the well being of you and I. 

 

Personally as a 75 year old retiree I want the Russian Sputnik 5 vaccine as soon as possible now it has completed the last stage three certification testing and has shown one of the highest success rates with I think a 94% effectiveness and with a two year protection lifespan.  What's not to like?  I believe the Chinese have three similar developed vaccine candidates too whcih are shortly also going to be available and supplied at cost.  

 

IMHO all pharma and healthcare worldwide should never be run by modern day private usually corrupt corporates but exclusively by state run controlled enterprises and run efficiently for the people, by the people and fully accountable to the people.  Yes in true and sensible democratic Socialist ways. Much like the way the NHS in the UK used to be run fully by the state pre that awful Thatcher woman, and since then has steadily been privatised underhandedly and destroyed by successive right wing non Socialist Governments (incluidng the Blair/Brown pink Tory new Labour Governments of '97 to '10 ) who put corporate profits before a responsible duty of care to the people.

Edited November 25, 20205 yr by rayw
Typos

If 14 day quarantine is a sign of a quick recovery of tourism i got some swampland in Florida to sell for top dollar.

Clap Clap Clap, 2025 is a long way off, go back to sleep and try not to think about it, I know, how about flying elephants, Thai of course, with seating for 6.....

With a lot of European countries in lockdown and the virus not improving until the vaccine  has arrived

Plus Thailands quarantine measures its going to take a bit of time for normal tourists to travel to Thailand 

Maybe  middle 2021 at the earlist and that's a estimate looking on the bright side 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

He singled out Thailand for praise in dealing with the pandemic and said that both Thailand and Taiwan's domestic tourism market was getting going again.

Not if you listen to the hotels.

Thailand soon. We now open...just  Show 1 billion baht in bank for 10 years.

and put this chain around your neck. Don't worry, The shock collar will be set on low.
Remain tethered all times here.
Send selfies every 5 minutes.

sweep it under the carpet and don’t is Thailands strategy thats being praised! 

John Brown???

I thought he was hanged in 1859...

8 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

Once whichever  vaccine starts to be distributed the paranoia will be relieved. No doubt the desired well heeled  who can pay to access  early it will be welcomed even if  numbers are not prolific.

The  general economic impact will have staggered financial viability for a quick return to mass tourism.

Meanwhile the "Talk it Up" brigade will continue to offer the  donkeys a carrot.

 

Untill then you can go here.

 

Americans can now travel to 64 nations for vacation and tourism — here's the list of every open country and how to get there

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/americans-now-travel-47-nations-140200016.html

17 minutes ago, Tony125 said:

 

Untill then you can go here.

 

Americans can now travel to 64 nations for vacation and tourism — here's the list of every open country and how to get there

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/americans-now-travel-47-nations-140200016.html

With some exceptions  most  nationalities  are  free to travel wherever they  are accepted and can afford criteria for entry.. Unfortunately many of the destinations are  rife with  infection anyway  so   bonne chance !

Bit of a concern. As an American I am thankful for being in Thailand which reacted quickly to embrace medical advice and lockdown in order to get a handle on controlling the Covid spread domestically. We have now been lulled into viewing Thailand as Covid free (except for those found to be positive in quarantine. More and more of us are seen without masks much of the time. Warranted as a result of the low Covid numbers. Open up fully to tourism? I recommend against especially such countries as the USA where medical advice is spurned. I think the current policy of opening to control groups and mandatory quarantine provides a safety check. Revist? Sure, if and when an effective vaccine becomes readily available and proven effective. MHO

7 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

Bit of a concern. As an American I am thankful for being in Thailand which reacted quickly to embrace medical advice and lockdown in order to get a handle on controlling the Covid spread domestically. We have now been lulled into viewing Thailand as Covid free (except for those found to be positive in quarantine. More and more of us are seen without masks much of the time. Warranted as a result of the low Covid numbers. Open up fully to tourism? I recommend against especially such countries as the USA where medical advice is spurned. I think the current policy of opening to control groups and mandatory quarantine provides a safety check. Revist? Sure, if and when an effective vaccine becomes readily available and proven effective. MHO

Realistic . In the current term at  very  least.

If in the longer term the promise  of  a  genuine vaccine is false  or short lived the Thai response  has apparently  effective . Certainly  it has  caused  damage to a significant sector of the population  but  in a country which still retains a more  flexible  capacity  for  development as opposed  to the more  rigid  socio economic "developed" countries clinging to historic but  declining heights of  "what was" Thailand and  greater  Asia retain a capacity for "what could  be".

That which turns  the wheel is irrelevant to the  fact that the wheel turns if there is no way to stop it.

Well, I booked 1 hotel and 4 resorts with Agoda in the first week of November; maybe I am their inspiration for a future upturn. But I know 4 of those I stayed at were all but empty. Hardly any restaurants or shops open and beaches deserted around Krabi.  Phi Phi Island virtually closed up!

2 hours ago, rayw said:

 

I must add to your coments that if we hopefully get the Russian and/or Chinese both well tested and very very promising vaccines here in Thailand they  will be supplied at cost as a duty of care rather than a duty of corporate greed. So will be affordable to most ordinary Ex Pats here who are far from well off as well as less of a drain on the Thai public resources too.  I would not personally  trust or take any vaccine produced by western big pharma who do so solely for huge quick profits, but agree we must all have a choice  as to which vaccine we are prepared to have or indeed for some choose not have one at all.  That the Russian and Chinese tested and effective vaccines, which are virtually available about now, are not being allowed into the UK is a stupid, irresponsible and childish anti Russia/Chinese deplorable policy by a bad UK Government who are trying to protect the big corporate western pharma profits rather than make you and I their rightful priority.  

 

I do though very much trust the Russian and Chinese vaccines produced, as usual in those nations, purely as a duty of care to the people and to meet urgent responsible public health needs. They also use tried and test traditional vaccine production methods not the risky unknown long term effects experimental DNA system being developed by western big pharma and which really need probably a few years to test the new technology, rather than rushing it out for a quick big profitable return as big corporate pharma always do. We should all be of course fully aware that their CEOs and shareholders are who matter to them not the well being of you and I. 

 

Personally as a 75 year old retiree I want the Russian Sputnik 5 vaccine as soon as possible now it has completed the last stage three certification testing and has shown one of the highest success rates with I think a 94% effectiveness and with a two year protection lifespan.  What's not to like?  I believe the Chinese have three similar developed vaccine candidates too whcih are shortly also going to be available and supplied at cost.  

 

IMHO all pharma and healthcare worldwide should never be run by modern day private usually corrupt corporates but exclusively by state run controlled enterprises and run efficiently for the people, by the people and fully accountable to the people.  Yes in true and sensible democratic Socialist ways. Much like the way the NHS in the UK used to be run fully by the state pre that awful Thatcher woman, and since then has steadily been privatised underhandedly and destroyed by successive right wing non Socialist Governments (incluidng the Blair/Brown pink Tory new Labour Governments of '97 to '10 ) who put corporate profits before a responsible duty of care to the people.

I think you are wrong about the UK (Oxford) vaccine.

1 hour ago, chickenslegs said:

 

The Oxford vaccine costs $3 - $4 per dose and is fairly easy to store/transport. Let's hope that it will be affordable for everyone.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/17/covid-vaccines-how-much-they-cost-whos-bought-them-and-how-theyre-stored.html

 

 

Quote

The AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, which requires two doses, is priced at approximately $3 to $4, according to the Financial Times, citing supply deals agreed through to Oct. 7.

The company has said the vaccine will be delivered at a price of no profit, regardless of where in the world it is being delivered, “as long as all these orders have been taken in the next few weeks and months.”