Thai govt eyes offering long weekend every month next year

[webfact]

Govt eyes offering long weekend every month next year

By The Nation

 

Pipat Ratchakitprakarn

 

The government plans to add a long weekend to every month next year in a bid to stimulate the economy, Tourism and Sports Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn said on Monday.

 

For instance, he said, the Chinese New Year, which falls on Friday, February 12, can be made a public holiday, making the weekend longer.

 

He said the ministry will ask the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to let foreigners visit Thailand and arrange quarantine so they can leave their rooms but not the hotel.

 

However, he said, this can be considered once the new wave of infections has improved.

 

The Public Health Ministry is also expected to consider reducing quarantine days from 14 to 10, though the CCSA has yet to give it the go-ahead.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30400344

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-12-28

 

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[Irrumator]

Great idea!  Incentivize the population to go travelling all over the country, merrily spreading yet more Covid as they go!  

You couldn't make it up! 

[ThailandRyan]

So twelve more days off a year in addition to the already known holidays, basically, it makes me think that there will never be a full week of work for the Government offices and the backups at DLT, and Immigration will continue unabated.  They need to look at allowing all people needing services with Immigration the ability to use any location and not just the ones in their provinces as well as looking at some online abilities such as they currently have for doing the 90 day report, and the TM30.  Maybe allowing longer hours per day would help on cutting down the ques and backup that they currently have at places like DLT and CW here in Bangkok which seems to be the locations most severely impacted due to the long closures for Covid and Holidays. 

[welshguy]

Sadly,  a by product of this plan....if it happens..... and if people use it to travel around Thailand..........................will be more deaths on the road each long weekend.

[Golden Triangle]

Didn't we read this yesterday ?

 

Anyhow, where is all the money coming from that the minister believes people are going to spend,many are already skint, without work, upto their eyes in debt, the only ones to benefit will be the uncivil servants like immigration, teachers & bank workers etc.

 

There must be better ways to stimulate the economy, I'm not sure what, but I know plenty of you will.

Edited December 28, 2020 by Golden Triangle

[PatOngo]

I wonder how long it took the Ministry of Stupid Ideas to come up with this little gem?

[colinneil]

Unbelievable, bloody unbelievable, what idiot thought up that crazy idea, covid, what you talking about covid for.

We just need to spread a little happiness, to hell with covid.

[Destiny1990]

How about buying vaccines?

[edwinchester]

1 hour ago, Destiny1990 said:

How about buying vaccines?

Spot on. The allocated budget for vaccines is enough for only 20% of the population.

[Destiny1990]

11 hours ago, edwinchester said:

Spot on. The allocated budget for vaccines is enough for only 20% of the population.

Kinda late buying vaccines now. All they can is to close the borders. I wish them the best

[kingdong]

Suppose they,ll ban the sale of alcohol on these long weekends too.

[Paul Henry]

Last week the latest figures showed GDP would drop next year. This absolutely crazy idea will only push it down further. There is currently a finite amount of disposable income in the country so inviting people to have more time off. Dropping productivity will not do anything to stimulate the economy. As already stated it will increase road fatalities and the additional injuries will only drive the economy further down. Maybe the Thai Govt should out source the Government ministers job to the Japanese or Singaporeans if that want the country to develop and grow. Putting the the fox in charge of the hen house is not the answer.

[Tarteso]

18 hours ago, webfact said:

the ministry will ask the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to let foreigners visit Thailand and arrange quarantine so they can leave their rooms but not the hotel.

The best plan to visit a Country ????.. I mean a room.

[hotchilli]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

He said the ministry will ask the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to let foreigners visit Thailand and arrange quarantine so they can leave their rooms but not the hotel.

That'll pull them in... go out on a leash.

 

Edited December 29, 2020 by metisdead
Trolling image removed.

[IraqRon]

Well I for one am not amused.  Another long weekend causing the schools to be closed and my daughter to be home for another day each month.  They are already being limited to two weeks break between terms.  Also I am tired of having my free time taken up due to all the days off when I must care for her.  

 

[bluesofa]

4 hours ago, hotchilli said:

That'll pull them in... go out on a leash.

 

It gets my goat too.

[newnative]

Shouldn't be hard to do.   I know they have more than 12 holidays.  

[realfunster]

1 hour ago, Paul Henry said:

Last week the latest figures showed GDP would drop next year.

Not sure what you saw, but GDP predictions for 2021 are for a 3-4% increase on 2020. 

This remains below 2019 levels but definitely an increase on 2020.

Clearly, this is dependent on the COVID situation & economic recovery in Thailand and elsewhere.

[shackleton]

Well reading about the new 4 day holidays being introduced who besides Government workers  who are paid for the days off can afford these

 

Was reading about people cashing in their gold hoardings to pay bills ect

 

I think the interest in  this new Domestic  holidays  will start to wane off 

As most cant afford it plus have  more priority concerns like putting food on the table

 

 

 

[Darkside Gray]

19 hours ago, Irrumator said:

Great idea!  Incentivize the population to go travelling all over the country, merrily spreading yet more Covid as they go!  

You couldn't make it up! 

And getting the employers to pay for it with the extra holiday payments!

[recom273]

1 hour ago, IraqRon said:

Well I for one am not amused.  Another long weekend causing the schools to be closed and my daughter to be home for another day each month.  They are already being limited to two weeks break between terms.  Also I am tired of having my free time taken up due to all the days off when I must care for her.  

 

I think businesses are tiring too - I noticed a lot of banks open on the Father’s Day substitute as we had a 4 day week the following. Around our way the Lazada delivery guys are now working holidays because of the issues the holidays cause.

 

The wife sells has a little stall on a Sunday morning market, trade has really taken a dive recently - I don’t think the average market customer rushes away to a beach, maybe just laze around at home, maybe have a bbq and get drunk as they know they don’t have to work for a couple of days.

 

A bit of stability is what is needed. 

[tomazbodner]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

He said the ministry will ask the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to let foreigners visit Thailand and arrange quarantine so they can leave their rooms but not the hotel.

Does this man understand the point of quarantine?

[tomazbodner]

1 hour ago, IraqRon said:

Well I for one am not amused.  Another long weekend causing the schools to be closed and my daughter to be home for another day each month.  They are already being limited to two weeks break between terms.  Also I am tired of having my free time taken up due to all the days off when I must care for her.  

 

Should have thought of that before you made her...

[stretch5163]

1 hour ago, IraqRon said:

Well I for one am not amused.  Another long weekend causing the schools to be closed and my daughter to be home for another day each month.  They are already being limited to two weeks break between terms.  Also I am tired of having my free time taken up due to all the days off when I must care for her.  

 

If your tired of having your free time taken away by watching your daughter maybe you should put her up for adoption then you wouldnt have to worry about your responsibilities.....what a parent lol kids are a bit like puppies not only for xmas........

[Almer]

17 hours ago, colinneil said:

Unbelievable, bloody unbelievable, what idiot thought up that crazy idea, covid, what you talking about covid for.

We just need to spread a little happiness, to hell with covid.

An idiot earning good money who needs to justify his position once in a while. 

[rwill]

More holidays to promote travel while at the same time closing restaurants and bars......

[Bender Rodriguez]

I'm all in for a 3 day work/school week and 4 day long weekend, every week

[foreverlomsak]

17 hours ago, edwinchester said:

Spot on. The allocated budget for vaccines is enough for only 20% of the population.

That's about right for all the important people, the rest can look after themselves.

[samtam]

So those who get a holiday effectively get a pay rise.

My maid works Monday to Friday afternoons, and gets paid the same per month, including for Government holidays.

[Reigntax]

If an additional day off a month is believed to stimulate the economy, using their same logic, why not make it every weekend amnd make the economy boom !!!

Couldn't make this stuff up altbough his reasoning is well suited for the current government.