Deserted Cha-Am beach: Hotels chief says foreigners will not return to Thailand until 2022

[webfact]

Deserted Cha-Am beach: Hotels chief says foreigners will not return to Thailand until 2022

 

Picture: Komhadluek

 

Thai media Komchadluek went with the now standard "quiet and deserted" caption on their picture after they went to Cha-Am beach in Phetchaburi to report on the devastation to tourism of the second wave of Covid-19 infection. 

 

They spoke to a seafood vendor and the head of a hotel association to back up their observations - now all too familiar - that both domestic and foreign tourism is just not happening at the moment.

 

They had a few pictures of three policemen wandering about then standing to attention - they didn't report what they were doing there. If they were looking for tourists they would have been disappointed.

 

Picture: Komhadluek

 

Prasan - better known as Lung Chang (Uncle Elephant) - owner of a beachside seafood restaurant called Lung Chang - said there were no tourists at all. The economy had been bad, now Covid. The government seemed preoccupied - traders would have to fend for themselves, he said. 

 

Wasan Kittikul of the Western Hoteliers' Association said that hotels in Cha-Am and Hua Hin were suffering greatly. They were lowering charges, offering promotions, cutting staff salaries and working hours. 

 

Some were just calling it a day and closing until the situation improves.

 

He said a proper recovery plan would be needed over the next few years. 

 

He couldn't see foreign tourists returning until 2022 and that would depend on the airlines. 

 

Already this week similar tales of doom and gloom have come out of Pattaya - where ghostly movie doll Annabelle was pictured on a chair on the beach - and Patong, Phuket, where though the sea was clean and inviting there were no tourists to enjoy it. 

 

Soure: Komchadluek

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-01-15

 

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[Wildliferescue]

Business was bad, but many were in survival mode until some government officials allowed migrant workers to cross the borders in exchange for bribes. With the current closure most hotels and restaurants are now without any income and the gov isn't interested in helping out in any way at all. Wanting to build bridges, buy submarines and so much more things Thailand DOES NOT NEED NOW for billions of dollars... while claiming there is not enough money to help the people.

 

In the meantime these same officials and politicians get paid as usual and find more rules and regulation to squeeze out more money from normal citizen.

 

 

[NCC1701A]

"I had the brown envelope when we got here. Keep looking."  

[DaLa]

Long term residents are doing a reasonable job of keeping the bars open at the Wednesday market and there have been occasional weekends where the Thais have flooded the  beaches.

 

The good restaurants (and not cheap) appear to have  a steady flow of custom. For example Love Bread on Phetchkasem  Road.  

[spidermike007]

Tourism is not returning to Thailand anytime soon. If you think about it, the group that comprised perhaps 60% of all arrivals (lower to middle income Chinese and Indians) are the ones who have been hardest hit by this idiotic worldwide economic shutdown. Tourism in Thailand will never recover to even close to it's former levels, and that leaves millions out of work. Most countries will still be required to have Covid letters, as the virus is still raging in many countries. And some countries will not issue that letter (impossible to get in the US). Plus, will the mandatory health insurance still be required? Will it be even stricter than before? And just what are people returning to, or coming to? Will restaurants be open? How about nightlife?

 

Within a year, if this virus gets under control, Thailand may see 25,000 tourists a month. By 2022, they may see 2 to 5 million tourists. Maybe. It may take 5 more years, before they see 10 million tourists, and it will never, in our lifetimes, get back to the levels it was at, pre-covid. There were already a dozen areas and issues that were not being addressed. What sacrifices are the authorities willing to make? I do not see any discussion of this, but rather the vapid "TCOKU" (Thailand is the center of the known universe) drivel. They will return, simply because we open back up. No. Not the case. You need to do alot more than that. Thailand will be forgotten over time. Thailand needs the world, 20x more than the world needs Thailand. Are they addressing critical issues, like the air and water quality, traffic safety, public transportation on the southern islands, rapid rail transport, and the lack of law enforcement? No. Nothing, and I mean less than zero is being done.

 

Perhaps trillions of dollars have been invested in tourism infrastructure, with the faith and the hope that should anything terrible happen, the government would be there, they would step in and they would do something to assist and to help both Thais and international companies that have invested a fortune. Instead what are they getting? Absolutely nothing, sheer timidity and an extreme and pathetic lack of courage and a do nothing attitude.
 
Do anything, just don't do nothing, we are counting on you to do something. Anything is better than what you're currently doing, which is nothing. Pathetic. Cowardly. Apathetic. Grossly incompetent. There are so many unanswered questions, it boggles the mind. One thing is for certain. Thailand will be feeling the effects of this for a very, very long time. So will the rest of the world.

[ChipButty]

Tourism was going down before Covid came along

[soi3eddie]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

 

He couldn't see foreign tourists returning until 2022 and that would depend on the airlines.

 

Getting just some foreign tourists to return depends upon open borders with no quarantine. The airlines will fly if there is demand. Some airlines are still flying here and have been throughout the pandemic.

 

I agree that 2022 is most likely for any relaxation of entry requirements. Tourist areas have been devastated and decimated by the shutdown of the country. Since May 2020 I've spent time in many areas including; Cha-Am, Hua Hin, Koh Lanta, Ao Nang Krabi, (missed out Phuket and Khao Lak because the other places were so depressing), Mae Hong Son, Pai, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Pattaya. All these places are just desolate now. Hard to beleive how many visitors they actually had previously to sustain the industry - amazing to think there were enough tourists to patronise all the hotels, restaurants, bars, tour agencies and massage places - virtually all of which are now closed (many permanently).     

 

[Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai]

2 hours ago, Wildliferescue said:

Business was bad, but many were in survival mode until some government officials allowed migrant workers to cross the borders in exchange for bribes. With the current closure most hotels and restaurants are now without any income and the gov isn't interested in helping out in any way at all. Wanting to build bridges, buy submarines and so much more things Thailand DOES NOT NEED NOW for billions of dollars... while claiming there is not enough money to help the people.

 

In the meantime these same officials and politicians get paid as usual and find more rules and regulation to squeeze out more money from normal citizen.

 

 

You forgot the 300kg sky rocket to the moon.

????❤????????

[TheFreqFlyer]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Tourism is not returning to Thailand anytime soon. If you think about it, the group that comprised perhaps 60% of all arrivals (lower to middle income Chinese and Indians) are the ones who have been hardest hit by this idiotic worldwide economic shutdown. Tourism in Thailand will never recover to even close to it's former levels, and that leaves millions out of work. Most countries will still be required to have Covid letters, as the virus is still raging in many countries. And some countries will not issue that letter (impossible to get in the US). Plus, will the mandatory health insurance still be required? Will it be even stricter than before? And just what are people returning to, or coming to? Will restaurants be open? How about nightlife?

 

Within a year, if this virus gets under control, Thailand may see 25,000 tourists a month. By 2022, they may see 2 to 5 million tourists. Maybe. It may take 5 more years, before they see 10 million tourists, and it will never, in our lifetimes, get back to the levels it was at, pre-covid. There were already a dozen areas and issues that were not being addressed. What sacrifices are the authorities willing to make? I do not see any discussion of this, but rather the vapid "TCOKU" (Thailand is the center of the known universe) drivel. They will return, simply because we open back up. No. Not the case. You need to do alot more than that. Thailand will be forgotten over time. Thailand needs the world, 20x more than the world needs Thailand. Are they addressing critical issues, like the air and water quality, traffic safety, public transportation on the southern islands, rapid rail transport, and the lack of law enforcement? No. Nothing, and I mean less than zero is being done.

 

Perhaps trillions of dollars have been invested in tourism infrastructure, with the faith and the hope that should anything terrible happen, the government would be there, they would step in and they would do something to assist and to help both Thais and international companies that have invested a fortune. Instead what are they getting? Absolutely nothing, sheer timidity and an extreme and pathetic lack of courage and a do nothing attitude.
 
Do anything, just don't do nothing, we are counting on you to do something. Anything is better than what you're currently doing, which is nothing. Pathetic. Cowardly. Apathetic. Grossly incompetent. There are so many unanswered questions, it boggles the mind. One thing is for certain. Thailand will be feeling the effects of this for a very, very long time. So will the rest of the world.

I rarely come onto Thaivisa anymore and only even bother when I'm browsing my Facebook profile and an interesting story comes my way.

 

I then click on the link and even if it's been a month or two, or 6, your comments stand out because they're the same claptrap every time. You're like a wind up doll. 

 

You keep making ridiculous predictions about how no one wants to come here anymore, that the world will forget the country, there will only be 1 million visitors next year blah blah blah when the only thing keeping visitors away from the country are the current ridiculous travel restrictions.

 

Visitors will return tomorrow and in big numbers once travel restrictions are lifted, including border crossings re-opened and flights resuming normal service.

 

There will be 20-30 million annual visitors in no time, once the global economy recovers. 

[TheFreqFlyer]

1 hour ago, soi3eddie said:

 

Getting just some foreign tourists to return depends upon open borders with no quarantine. The airlines will fly if there is demand. Some airlines are still flying here and have been throughout the pandemic.

 

I agree that 2022 is most likely for any relaxation of entry requirements. Tourist areas have been devastated and decimated by the shutdown of the country. Since May 2020 I've spent time in many areas including; Cha-Am, Hua Hin, Koh Lanta, Ao Nang Krabi, (missed out Phuket and Khao Lak because the other places were so depressing), Mae Hong Son, Pai, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Pattaya. All these places are just desolate now. Hard to beleive how many visitors they actually had previously to sustain the industry - amazing to think there were enough tourists to patronise all the hotels, restaurants, bars, tour agencies and massage places - virtually all of which are now closed (many permanently).     

 

I can imagine.

 

However, Chiang Mai is a big city and also has a non-tourism related economy. There are over a million Thais (and quite a few expats) living there and the city will do fine without international tourism, as sad as it is to see it go. 

 

Mae Hong Son never really had any foreign visitors to begin with. Last time I was there in early 2019, I hardly saw another westerner. Pai, yes. But Pai started out with Thai visitors and only later became popular with foreign backpackers. More recently (pre-Covid) Chinese and well to do Thais started re-discovering the place. During the same trip, I passed through Pai and noticed quite a few westerners, but only in the town and a couple of the surrounding sites. Mae Sariang has always been popular with bikers, many of them expats, so as long as there are expats the place will do fine. 

 

The beaches are hard to imagine without international tourists though. I do hope things will eventually return to a semblance of normality in the not too distant future and I certainly support international tourism, but there is an economy in most parts of the country at least, that does not revolve around international visitors. Phuket, Samui and Pattaya (particularly the former two) are doing it exceptionally tough because they put all their eggs in the same basket. 

[TheFreqFlyer]

2 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Tourism was going down before Covid came along

In your dreams. 2019 was a record year for tourism; 40 million arrivals came. Go troll elsewhere. 

[brucegoniners]

What a stupid article. Not at all like headline once again. Common Thai Visa, you can do better. Who the hell knows anyway? It's January!

[Bangyai]

Could we even visit Cha Am now if we wanted too ? 

 

Doesn't seem likely

[klauskunkel]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Hotels chief says foreigners will not return to Thailand until 2022

Look on the bright side:

It also means that foreigners will not skip to pay their hospital bills until 2022

[spidermike007]

46 minutes ago, TheFreqFlyer said:

I rarely come onto Thaivisa anymore and only even bother when I'm browsing my Facebook profile and an interesting story comes my way.

 

I then click on the link and even if it's been a month or two, or 6, your comments stand out because they're the same claptrap every time. You're like a wind up doll. 

 

You keep making ridiculous predictions about how no one wants to come here anymore, that the world will forget the country, there will only be 1 million visitors next year blah blah blah when the only thing keeping visitors away from the country are the current ridiculous travel restrictions.

 

Visitors will return tomorrow and in big numbers once travel restrictions are lifted, including border crossings re-opened and flights resuming normal service.

 

There will be 20-30 million annual visitors in no time, once the global economy recovers. 

 

And you sir, are certainly entitled to that opinion of yours. But many would disagree. The problem with tourism, is that it is more complication than plumbing. The nice thing about plumbing, is that you can simply turn on a faucet, and even if it has not been used in years, and the water simply flows out. Not the same with tourism. You can't just turn on the faucet of tourism, and expect it to perform exactly as it did, before the world changed.

 

There are an infinite number of variables here. Will the planet resume long haul flights like before? Will the average tourist have as much money to spend? Will Thailand make any sacrifices, to get those tourists back? Tourism has been dropping for years before Covid. They claim the numbers were up. But, anyone in the industry will tell you the quality was way, way down. The low to middle income Indian and Chinese tourists that made up around half of the visitors were decimated by Covid. 

 

We are both guessing, and for that matter throwing our guesses into a 75kph gust of wind. Which way it will blow is just a guess. But, I would guess tourism will be a fraction of what it was before, for a dozen good reasons, which I will not spell out at this time. 

[IamNoone88]

Uncle Elephant is a wise old man. Better than the predictions by the "hotel association" and hotel Guru's that were desperately grasping at straws and publishing "flightradar24" screen shots of all the aircraft over China and touting how quickly the rebound would be in May last year. It will be a momental global effort to unfreeze the travel industry and that will not happen overnight. Listen to Uncle Elephant.

[AlexJohanson]

https://thethaiger.com/news/national/government-discusses-900-billion-baht-investment-for-pattaya-to-hua-hin-bridge

 

The Pattaya to Hua Hin bridge. Government discusses 900 billion baht investment.

[cryo]

I'm going to put my Thai logic head on and answer why tourism will not reach pre covid levels ever. Thinks- I have lost a lot of money and had no income for one year plus? solution- I will double my old prices and return financially to where I would have been if covid had never happened, problem solved ???? You all know this is what happens using Thai logic as lots of Thais generally cannot see outside of the box or further than tomorrow. It would never occur to lots of Thais that this will only work for a very short period until they have <deleted> off all the tourists then as the tourists reduce they will use the same logic and increase the prices again because it worked initially and the loss of revenue could never be because of their superior logic skills.

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, TheFreqFlyer said:

In your dreams. 2019 was a record year for tourism; 40 million arrivals came. Go troll elsewhere. 

 

It was a focus on quantity over quality, which eroded the nation on countless levels. More is rarely better. It just lowers the quality of life for nearly everyone, creates more congestion, more smog, more traffic, longer lines at immigration, and makes life difficult, especially in the big cities. There are countless things the government could be doing, if they wanted to attract the high quality tourists, and go for quality over quantity.

Quantity over quality is never a good thing, unless you are selling one dollar items at a swap meet. It just lowers the quality of the experience for all.

 

Everyone I spoke to who worked in the industry said the same thing. Income was way down. Business was down. Sure, the hotels that offered 50% off their rates, to attract the Chinese and Indian tours were usually full. But, what did that really mean to the nation?

[Katipo]

4 hours ago, Wildliferescue said:

Business was bad, but many were in survival mode until some government officials allowed migrant workers to cross the borders in exchange for bribes. With the current closure most hotels and restaurants are now without any income and the gov isn't interested in helping out in any way at all. Wanting to build bridges, buy submarines and so much more things Thailand DOES NOT NEED NOW for billions of dollars... while claiming there is not enough money to help the people.

 

In the meantime these same officials and politicians get paid as usual and find more rules and regulation to squeeze out more money from normal citizen.

 

 

 Hey Hey Hey! It's not only the Government Officials who allowed the migrant workers in who are responsible. You are also forgetting the Government Officials who allow gambling to take place, and the Government Officials who turn a blind eye to prostitution. Credit where credit is due, please.

[TheFishman1]

Worries I’ll figure another tax and then we are to back all the time so I tax on my banking and asked what was that in the bank lady said new tax bracket that I never saw a tax on my bank box now they’re all text anyways I’m sure the government will figure out a new taxing system to get more money for themselves TiT

[ronaldo0]

3 hours ago, TheFreqFlyer said:

In your dreams. 2019 was a record year for tourism; 40 million arrivals came. Go troll elsewhere. 

Yeah they arrived , walked through the airport and got on their connecting flight ! ????

[ronaldo0]

Nice photo of the police competing at the National tourist hide and seek championships ! ????????????

[m Stender]

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Tourism is not returning to Thailand anytime soon. If you think about it, the group that comprised perhaps 60% of all arrivals (lower to middle income Chinese and Indians) are the ones who have been hardest hit by this idiotic worldwide economic shutdown. Tourism in Thailand will never recover to even close to it's former levels, and that leaves millions out of work. Most countries will still be required to have Covid letters, as the virus is still raging in many countries. And some countries will not issue that letter (impossible to get in the US). Plus, will the mandatory health insurance still be required? Will it be even stricter than before? And just what are people returning to, or coming to? Will restaurants be open? How about nightlife?

 

Within a year, if this virus gets under control, Thailand may see 25,000 tourists a month. By 2022, they may see 2 to 5 million tourists. Maybe. It may take 5 more years, before they see 10 million tourists, and it will never, in our lifetimes, get back to the levels it was at, pre-covid. There were already a dozen areas and issues that were not being addressed. What sacrifices are the authorities willing to make? I do not see any discussion of this, but rather the vapid "TCOKU" (Thailand is the center of the known universe) drivel. They will return, simply because we open back up. No. Not the case. You need to do alot more than that. Thailand will be forgotten over time. Thailand needs the world, 20x more than the world needs Thailand. Are they addressing critical issues, like the air and water quality, traffic safety, public transportation on the southern islands, rapid rail transport, and the lack of law enforcement? No. Nothing, and I mean less than zero is being done.

 

Perhaps trillions of dollars have been invested in tourism infrastructure, with the faith and the hope that should anything terrible happen, the government would be there, they would step in and they would do something to assist and to help both Thais and international companies that have invested a fortune. Instead what are they getting? Absolutely nothing, sheer timidity and an extreme and pathetic lack of courage and a do nothing attitude.
 
Do anything, just don't do nothing, we are counting on you to do something. Anything is better than what you're currently doing, which is nothing. Pathetic. Cowardly. Apathetic. Grossly incompetent. There are so many unanswered questions, it boggles the mind. One thing is for certain. Thailand will be feeling the effects of this for a very, very long time. So will the rest of the world.

well written

[digger70]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Deserted Cha-Am beach: Hotels chief says foreigners will not return to Thailand until 2022

That's still wishful thinking, With all the Hoops that one will have to jump through it will be a Miracle that someone would want to come to Los  for a holiday.

[terryofcrete]

4 hours ago, TheFreqFlyer said:

Visitors will return tomorrow and in big numbers once travel restrictions are lifted, including border crossings re-opened and flights resuming normal service.

When the vaccinations are at a peak level everywhere and most Thais are vaccinated too there will be no quarantine and tourists will come again , as they will to most tourist destinations . the vaccinations go up, the covid cases go down.

[phantomfiddler]

6 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Tourism was going down before Covid came along

Going down since a certain group took over the helm ????

[Bangkok Barry]

7 hours ago, Wildliferescue said:

Business was bad, but many were in survival mode until some government officials allowed migrant workers to cross the borders in exchange for bribes. With the current closure most hotels and restaurants are now without any income and the gov isn't interested in helping out in any way at all. Wanting to build bridges, buy submarines and so much more things Thailand DOES NOT NEED NOW for billions of dollars... while claiming there is not enough money to help the people.

 

In the meantime these same officials and politicians get paid as usual and find more rules and regulation to squeeze out more money from normal citizen.

 

 

 

Come on! The government needs every baht it has to develop the rocket it is sending to the moon to store the hundreds of millions of immigration forms they've collected. The little people, as always, are completely irrelevant. But no point in us or anyone else complaining about their inaction. They don't care and will continue , as always, to ignore everything that anyone says.

[fakser]

4 hours ago, TheFreqFlyer said:

I rarely come onto Thaivisa anymore and only even bother when I'm browsing my Facebook profile and an interesting story comes my way.

 

I then click on the link and even if it's been a month or two, or 6, your comments stand out because they're the same claptrap every time. You're like a wind up doll. 

 

You keep making ridiculous predictions about how no one wants to come here anymore, that the world will forget the country, there will only be 1 million visitors next year blah blah blah when the only thing keeping visitors away from the country are the current ridiculous travel restrictions.

 

Visitors will return tomorrow and in big numbers once travel restrictions are lifted, including border crossings re-opened and flights resuming normal service.

 

There will be 20-30 million annual visitors in no time, once the global economy recovers. 

I share your attitude about Thai Visa members. Many of them are grumpy old farts, complaining about this "horrible" country but will never pack up their belongings and return to their homeland.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, ronaldo0 said:

Yeah they arrived , walked through the airport and got on their connecting flight ! ????

 

Very true. Over the period from around 2016 to early 2020, every time I flew to Thailand the plane was close to full. But when I was collecting my bag from the carousel there were rarely more than about 50 people doing so. And many of those looked like Thais and therefore not tourists.