Popular Post webfact Posted February 3, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2021 OPINION Quarantines are killing Thailand’s tourism industry, and not even a long holiday can offset 14 days of isolation Despite reopening to long-stay tourists in October, Thailand attracted relatively few arrivals By comparison, the Maldives, which is quarantine-free, has recorded relatively respectable visitor numbers Mercedes Hutton For many prospective tourists, the prospect of spending 14 days in a hotel room is enough to put them off travelling altogether. Photo: Shutterstock In the halcyon days of 2019, Thailand welcomed almost 40 million holidaymakers from overseas. The average international hotel guest’s length of stay that year was 9.26 days, according to data platform Statista – precisely 4.74 days shorter than the quarantine period required from all visitors nowadays, which perhaps explains why so few tourists have taken the Land of Smiles up on its long-stay special tourist visa (STV) offer . Launched in October to provide a lifeline to a depressed tourism-dependent economy, the STV scheme is open to travellers from all countries providing they present a negative result from a recent PCR test and isolate for 14 days on arrival. After quarantining at a government-approved hotel, tourists are free to roam for up to 90 days from their date of entry, with the option of extending the visa twice. In December, Thailand added the option of a shorter stay tourist visa, valid for a period of 60 days, with a 30-day extension allowed. But news service Bloomberg reports that “Just 346 overseas visitors have entered the country on average each month on special visas since October,” citing figures provided by the Thailand Longstay Company, which helps facilitate the travel permits. “That’s well below the government’s target of about 1,200 and a tiny fraction of the more than three million who came before the pandemic.” Full story: https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3120232/quarantines-are-killing-thailands-tourism-industry -- © Copyright South China Morning Post 2021-02-03 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates 2 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post bdenner Posted February 3, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2021 (edited) Finally the penny has dropped. Edit. But not in the right camp. Edited February 3, 2021 by bdenner 9 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post darksidedog Posted February 3, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2021 15 minutes ago, webfact said: Quarantines are killing Thailand’s tourism industry You think? I mean really? Wow! What an epiphany that must have been when they worked it out? 11 2 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post internationalism Posted February 3, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2021 (edited) but there also can be: - quarantine on designed islands - quarantine is a seaside resort with 1km perimeter, even with a beeping gps bracelet - shorter then 14 days, especially those with vax or taking additional tests coming negative - travel corridors, travel bubbles - no quarantine for those who already had covid mixture of those options, as well as many other options it's better to put into coma industry, which can be re-vived, than literally kill workers in this industry, their families and the rest of population Edited February 3, 2021 by internationalism 5 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post sammieuk1 Posted February 3, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2021 Passage without impendence or financial pummelling is the only way back for me ???? 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post RotBenz8888 Posted February 3, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2021 They will have to open for vaccinated tourists from low risk countries, when next high season starts. Of course with tests before departure and on arrival. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Yuley Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 4 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said: They will have to open for vaccinated tourists from low risk countries, when next high season starts. Of course with tests before departure and on arrival. Of course they do. They just cant keep closed and totally destroy tourism forever for the country. Obviously after a significant amount of the Thai population is vaccinated, they have to open to low risk countries with tourists who have had the vaccine. And I would be happy to have a test before i fly and on arrival if that was part of the condition to enter. Just my opinion 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Sheryl Posted February 3, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2021 The quarantine is certainly a deterrent but not the only problem with the Special Tourist Visa. The mandatory :400/40 insurance is at least as much of an issue. 22 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damascase Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 7 minutes ago, Big Yuley said: Of course they do. They just cant keep closed and totally destroy tourism forever for the country. Obviously after a significant amount of the Thai population is vaccinated, they have to open to low risk countries with tourists who have had the vaccine. And I would be happy to have a test before i fly and on arrival if that was part of the condition to enter. Just my opinion .....but that it might well be the end of 2022 before that ‘significant amount’ has been vaccinated. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Artisi Posted February 3, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2021 49 minutes ago, darksidedog said: You think? I mean really? Wow! What an epiphany that must have been when they worked it out? Yes, it must have come as a complete surprise, like a bolt of lightning from nowhere. 1 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post RichardColeman Posted February 3, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2021 9 minutes ago, Big Yuley said: And I would be happy to have a test before i fly and on arrival if that was part of the condition to enter. And just where exactly do say 100,000 people a day wait for the test result at the arrival airport before released ? Planning to test on arrival is just plain nuts in the long run, Short term with 3 planes a day maybe , 200 planes a day and the logistics make it impossible ! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post alyx Posted February 3, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2021 19 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said: They will have to open for vaccinated tourists from low risk countries, when next high season starts. Of course with tests before departure and on arrival. Why from low risk countries? A vaccine is a vaccine, no? 8 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Peterw42 Posted February 3, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2021 Comparisons to the Maldives isn't really apples with apples. Its a completely different tourism model. Maldives is isolated self contained resorts, off the plane, 2 weeks in a self contained resort then back on the plane home. 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Artisi Posted February 3, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2021 1 minute ago, RichardColeman said: And just where exactly do say 100,000 people a day wait for the test result at the arrival airport before released ? Planning to test on arrival is just plain nuts in the long run, Short term with 3 planes a day maybe , 200 planes a day and the logistics make it impossible ! Oh b ugger! , we didn't think of that. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzzzz Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 something interesting< Singapore airlines will start Singapore- Phuket flights march 1st> IF this happens, ( phuket airport is currently not open for international flights) we could get visitors from Australia and Singapore quarantining in Phuket.. and not having to go to Bangkok and IF, they start the vaccine passports. Yea, I know, Lots of ifs 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post RotBenz8888 Posted February 3, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2021 3 minutes ago, alyx said: Why from low risk countries? A vaccine is a vaccine, no? Vaccinated people can still carry the virus, but with a lower viral load and less symptoms. 2 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connda Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 And government forced business closures are destroying both the foreign as well as the domestic segment of the Thai economy. But? Like globally, those government officials destroying the small and medium business sector continue to get a paycheck and live the good life. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post GeorgeCross Posted February 3, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2021 7 minutes ago, Peterw42 said: Comparisons to the Maldives isn't really apples with apples. Its a completely different tourism model. Maldives is isolated self contained resorts, off the plane, 2 weeks in a self contained resort then back on the plane home. beat me to it. might also add the type of client the maldives receives can only be found in the wettest dreams of our junta overlords.. $5K per night.. lol - those guys (and gals) wouldn't be seen dead here worst case scenario in the maldives they isolate the island resort.. here its 1 month+ national lockdown and all the GDP losses that go with it 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post connda Posted February 3, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2021 4 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said: Vaccinated people can still carry the virus, but with a lower viral load and less symptoms. Can you supply the source to support your statement regarding "lower viral load?" All I've heard from the vaccine companies is that the vaccine will lessen the symptom if you contract the virus. Well, unless still wearing 1 or 2 or 3 or more masks after getting the vaccine the maybe the viral load will be lessened. I'm hearing now that at least 3 masks may now be required by each potential Covid carriers in order to stem the tide. Maybe 4 or 5 soon. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Disparate Dan Posted February 3, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2021 (edited) Isn't it high time to just shut up about tourism? You'd think that was the only casualty of this panic. Yeah, 9 percent of GDP comes from foreign tourists, but the vast majority of Thais (and expats living here) don't see anything from that and care less about missing out on coachloads of [deleted] tourists getting in everyone's way. Round our way, no-one wants mass tourism back. Moreover, any of this hot air about letting people in with vaccinations is fiction unless/until IATA and "governments" agree on and implement a workable certification process. Only yesterday Europol had to issue a warning about "organised crime gangs selling fake Covid-negative certificates at airports, sometimes for as much as 300 euros each" after several people were caught at airports. Until there's a better system than handing over 250 baht just off KSR, all bets are off even for bona fide travellers, let alone largely unwelcome "tourists". Edited February 3, 2021 by Disparate Dan 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanLaew Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 1 hour ago, webfact said: Quarantines are killing Thailand’s tourism industry, and not even a long holiday can offset 14 days of isolation Covid is killing people, and not even a long holiday can reduce the chances of that happening. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VBF Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 33 minutes ago, Sheryl said: The quarantine is certainly a deterrent but not the only problem with the Special Tourist Visa. The mandatory :400/40 insurance is at least as much of an issue. Why would you say that? My standard travel insurance includes much more than those levels of cover, as long as I remain a tourist and limit my trips to 90 days at a time. Or are you looking at long-stay in excess of that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEVUP Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 26 minutes ago, zzzzz said: something interesting< Singapore airlines will start Singapore- Phuket flights march 1st> IF this happens, ( phuket airport is currently not open for international flights) we could get visitors from Australia and Singapore quarantining in Phuket.. and not having to go to Bangkok and IF, they start the vaccine passports. Yea, I know, Lots of ifs & the biggest IF is not to tell Auss gov your travel is just for a holiday Otherwise to the end of the que for you 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Sujo Posted February 3, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2021 Did thailand take into consideration that most tourists wont come because not only quarantine in thailand but quarantine on the their home country. Dont think many fancy 3 or 4 weeks of annual leave in quarantine hotels. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotBenz8888 Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 16 minutes ago, connda said: Can you supply the source to support your statement regarding "lower viral load?" All I've heard from the vaccine companies is that the vaccine will lessen the symptom if you contract the virus. Well, unless still wearing 1 or 2 or 3 or more masks after getting the vaccine the maybe the viral load will be lessened. I'm hearing now that at least 3 masks may now be required by each potential Covid carriers in order to stem the tide. Maybe 4 or 5 soon. "If neutralizing antibodies from the vaccines do their jobs, the viral load in a person infected with SARS-CoV-2 is much lower than in those who haven’t been vaccinated. A lower viral load may mean that they are less likely to infect others with the same efficiency that an unvaccinated person may." https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamhaseltine/2021/01/27/israeli-study-shows-majority-of-those-vaccinated-can-be-infected-by-sars-cov-2/?sh=5e0861986053 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sujo Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 31 minutes ago, zzzzz said: something interesting< Singapore airlines will start Singapore- Phuket flights march 1st> IF this happens, ( phuket airport is currently not open for international flights) we could get visitors from Australia and Singapore quarantining in Phuket.. and not having to go to Bangkok and IF, they start the vaccine passports. Yea, I know, Lots of ifs You wont get any tourists from australia. The oz govt wont let you fly out as a tourist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post RichardColeman Posted February 3, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2021 32 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said: Vaccinated people can still carry the virus, but with a lower viral load and less symptoms. Heaven's mate exactly how long are you going to let that go on . If covid is supposedly here forever are you saying we will be only letting in fully tested tourists forever ? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post pattayadude Posted February 3, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted February 3, 2021 people all over the world are falling ill, losing their jobs, losing loved ones,spending their life savings and going broke, petrified to be outdoors and travel, airlines now requiring PCR test before boarding, virus keeps getting mutated, vaccines may not be able to fight these mutations, there's uncertainty in the air.. So who the hell is going to travel half way around the world to sit in a red-light street bar with a drunk, loud, needy middle aged sex worker if there is a deadly virus and death in the air??? 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exparte Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 (edited) Tourism. Not needed. 1. The World Bank in news last week said the Thai Economy in 2021 will grow 4%. It grew 3.8% in 2019 with over 40 million tourist arrivals. So, no tourist needed. The Economy is projected to grow more than 2019 with much less tourism. 2. "Finance Minister says economy must pivot away from tourism with a switch to S-Curve industries" https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2020/12/03/finance-minister-economy-pivot-from-tourism/ I believe the Finance Ministry more than the Tourism Ministry. All Tourist industry's are trying to keep their chin up; but I think think it is clear that the Government want to move away from Tourism; and is trying to placate the those with investments in the tourism with unrealistic tourism projections. Edited February 3, 2021 by exparte Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotBenz8888 Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 5 minutes ago, RichardColeman said: Heaven's mate exactly how long are you going to let that go on . If covid is supposedly here forever are you saying we will be only letting in fully tested tourists forever ? I believe they'll keep that requirement until the pandemic has calmed down significantly , who knows, but probably at least a year is my guess. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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