TAT chief admits it could be THREE YEARS before Thai tourism is back to normal

[rooster59]

TAT chief admits it could be THREE YEARS before Thai tourism is back to normal

 

Image: The Bangkok Insight

 

Following widespread criticism that Thailand's tourism authorities were being overly optimistic some realism and acceptance of the future is starting to set in.

 

The penny seems to have finally dropped with Tourism of Thailand governor Yutthasak Suphasorn who was speaking to The Bangkok Insight yesterday. 

 

Though he still expressed hope that the so-called "vaccine passport" could help by ending tourists' need to quarantine.

 

His comments come as industry leaders have urged the government to save what is left of the ailing tourism sector - 20% of Thai GDP at least - before it is too late and there is nothing for foreign tourists to return to.

 

Yuttthasak was no longer plucking figures from the ether about 10 million foreign tourists visiting this year. In fact no figures were given at all.

 

His comments were much more guarded though there was still some cause for optimism in his remarks.

 

He said that it would be 2 to 3 years before Thailand's tourism sector was back to anything like normal. He said he expects foreigners to start coming again by mid-year "but not fully". 

 

He thought that this January had seen the worst of Covid and things were looking brighter now.

 

He expected Thais to start travelling again at Songkran (in April) claiming that they were raring to go. He expected the government to be facillitating this. 

 

Last year the entire festival was cancelled amid fears of a spread of the virus, notes Thaivisa. What form it takes this year remains to be seen and will largely depend on what degree the second wave outbreak is under control come the tradition Thai New Year holidays.

 

Yutthasak admitted the tourism operators were in dire straits; he stressed the need for support for staff and downtime to be used in what he called "upskill" and "reskill" of workers.

 

He observed that the tourism economy was an important driver for the wider Thai economy.

 

The governor struck a positive note when it came to certain aspects of the return of foreign tourists.

 

He said that he was receiving good reports from 29 TAT offices worldwide regarding vaccine programs abroad.

 

He cited the example of the Scandinavians who he claimed all wanted to beat a path to Thailand's door in the hot season.

 

Thaivisa notes that this seemed strange. Scandinavians were previously well known for largely ignoring Thailand in the hot season and in the European summer, favoring places like Krabi in particular in the cold European winter.

 

Many TAT offices, he said, pointed to the return of foreign tourists to Thailand in the FOURTH quarter. Previously he was bullish about the third quarter that begins in June. 

 

He also noted that tourism minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan's "vaccine passport" plan had merit and had been discussed at a small cabinet committee. 

 

If given the go ahead this would see foreigners not having to quarantine when they come to Thailand. 

 

All along since the days of the much ridiculed STV, quarantine has been seen by everyone outside the tourism ministry and TAT as a major obstacle to foreign tourism. 

 

The special tourist visa is now not even being mentioned.

 

Other tourism leaders quoted by the media also put faith in a vaccine passport and said that government support for tourism businesses needed to be fast before they went under.

 

Yutthasak said they needed to "grit their teeth".

 

Government policy regarding tourism needed to be clear, said the leaders.

 

And therein lies the nub of the matter. 

 

Critics have noted the "flip-flop" of the Thai government pinning their hopes on one false dawn after another. They have said there is a lack of overall strategy with different ministries, departments and individuals competing for the limelight with one ill thought out scheme after another. 

 

Now many are pointing fingers when it comes to the rollout of vaccinations inside Thailand. 

 

With June before mass vaccinations begin some are saying this is too slow while the whole procurement process of vaccination doses, the companies involved and possible vested interests, are all coming under increased scrutiny both in Thailand and abroad. 

 

Comments from senior leaders like health minister Anutin Charnvirakul and DPM Prawit Wongsuwan in dismissing criticism and being economical with information have done nothing to allay concerns.

 

Source: The Bangkok Insight

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-02-06

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[bdenner]

Why hasn't this clueless jerk been fired yet. He is not in touch with reality and never has been.

[darksidedog]

That must have been tough for him to admit. Small things like reality normally pass officials by here.

TBH I think that it may take longer than three years to approach previous levels, but denying him a little optimism might be harsh.

[YetAnother]

18 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

some realism and acceptance of the future is starting to set in

what ? no more ludicrous estimates ? that was always entertaining

[Pattaya Spotter]

This seems to be the general consensus if these recent headlines are to be believed...who knows what Thailand will look like after 3-4 years of basically no international tourism. At least in Pattaya, the central  ity area is already looking pretty rough and there are more people by the week living on the streets.

 

 

[kingofthemountain]

First time ever i can read something a little bit realist from one of these TAT gurus

the situation must be really worse than even the most pessimist members on TVF think

[NCC1701A]

 

[anchadian]

Why, as soon as somebody from Thai tourism opens their mouth, we get a report about it?

 

We/ve heard it all before, tourism will return when covid-19 is eradicated and that could take several years.

[internationalism]

tourism is 18% of gdp, but the international one is only 12%.

 

problem with domestic tourism is now that very few have disposable income.

During songkran they would rather visit families in provinces, maybe stopping for a night at some cheaper hotel, but they won't be staying for extended holidays. Bangkokians would traditionally travel to by car within 3-4h drive  

[Surelynot]

Hara-kiri on the cards I would have thought....what a climb down.

[RotBenz8888]

58 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

The special tourist visa is now not even being mentioned.

Hard for TAT megalomaniacs to face reality, they seriously thought people would do anything to get in to Thailand.

The only way forward is to scrap quaranteen and relly on test before and after arrival, might entice a few. 

[Pesche]

Well,

 

Maybe it would be a good time now to "think outside of the box" and NOT "inside" like they still do! (Vaccine Pass, yes/no quarantine and other nonsense...)

 

Maybe time to put down a REAL strategy how to WELCOME future Tourism (instead of stubbornly continue with their ridiculous and draconian Immigration standards!!)

 

Maybe time to offer FREE VISA at arrival for 30 days,

Friendly, affordable and simple Retirement Visa by year,

Multi-Entry Visa for residents and much more!

 

Better English at schools to be more competitive?

 

Finally understand that Thailand is NOT the only holiday destination in the world!

Finally understand that Thailand IS NOT the center of the world!

Finally understand the use of tolerance while inviting other cultures and stop with their ridiculous, arrogant 'Thainess-Attitude"!

 

Finally understand that it is NOT the wealthy elite who will resuscitate the 20% of GDP but rather the "mister normal" who will buy at the noodle shop and discover touring this blessed Land Of Beauty!

The wealthy stay at their 5 Star Resort and don't go around to discover or have a few drinks at the little Bar or eat in the small, traditional restaurant.

 

Just my Salt & Pepper

[Surelynot]

3 minutes ago, Pesche said:

Well,

 

Maybe it would be a good time now to "think outside of the box" and NOT "inside" like they still do! (Vaccine Pass, yes/no quarantine and other nonsense...)

 

Maybe time to put down a REAL strategy how to WELCOME future Tourism (instead of stubbornly continue with their ridiculous and draconian Immigration standards!!)

 

Maybe time to offer FREE VISA at arrival for 30 days,

Friendly, affordable and simple Retirement Visa by year,

Multi-Entry Visa for residents and much more!

 

Better English at schools to be more competitive?

 

Finally understand that Thailand is NOT the only holiday destination in the world!

Finally understand that Thailand IS NOT the center of the world!

Finally understand the use of tolerance while inviting other cultures and stop with their ridiculous, arrogant 'Thainess-Attitude"!

 

Finally understand that it is NOT the wealthy elite who will resuscitate the 20% of GDP but rather the "mister normal" who will buy at the noodle shop and discover this blessed Land Of Beauty!

The wealthy stay at their 5 Star and don't go around to discover or have a few drinks at the little Bar or in the small, traditional restaurant.

 

Just my Salt & Pepper

555.....nice ideas.......holding my breath 

[Blumpie]

Remember, you are not tourism per se.  Tourism is someone coming in for 2 weeks or sometimes even less to splurge and get out.  

Until the vast majority of the planet is vaccinated it will be hard to recover from this in any sense of the word.  

Things change rapidly and sometimes not at all for long periods of time.  What is true today is false tomorrow.  How these, um, inept people can continually make categorically false statements almost daily is astounding.  

This isn't the first time since this happened that they have rolled over - this is precisely the second time they have.  

Frankly, the best comedy in the world would be to copy and paste what these people have released by day over the last year, and read it.  It's ridiculous, pathetic, yet funny.  

[Pattaya Spotter]

4 minutes ago, Pesche said:

Well,

 

Maybe it would be a good time now to "think outside of the box" and NOT "inside" like they still do! (Vaccine Pass, yes/no quarantine and other nonsense...)

I believe many countries are considering some type of vaccine passport scheme  efore they restart mass international arrivals...it's not just Thailand.

4 minutes ago, Pesche said:

 

Maybe time to put down a REAL strategy how to WELCOME future Tourism (instead of stubbornly continue with their ridiculous and draconian Immigration standards!!)

 

Maybe time to offer FREE VISA at arrival for 30 days,

Friendly, affordable and simple Retirement Visa by year,

Multi-Entry Visa for residents and much more!

Free Visa free 30 day entries are already offered to passport holders from 55 countries. A single entry Non-Imm O visa costs $80 and the annual renewal is about $65...that's pretty cheap to me. Try settling in the US as a non-citizen for retirement for $145. A multiple re-entry permit to go with one's "retirement visa" is another $125.

 

4 minutes ago, Pesche said:

 

Better English at schools to be more competitive?

 

Finally understand that Thailand is NOT the only holiday destination in the world!

Finally understand that Thailand IS NOT the center of the world!

Finally understand the use of tolerance while inviting other cultures and stop with their ridiculous, arrogant 'Thainess-Attitude"!

I'm pretty sure they already know all this...and many people see Thailand, with it's Buddhist ethos, to be one of the most tolerant countries around.

4 minutes ago, Pesche said:

 

Finally understand that it is NOT the wealthy elite who will resuscitate the 20% of GDP but rather the "mister normal" who will buy at the noodle shop and discover this blessed Land Of Beauty!

I consider myself pretty normal and have never eaten at the 40 noodle stands...maybe you are referring to the "backpacker" segment of the market, which, while important, will hardly resuscitate the tourism industry themselves.

4 minutes ago, Pesche said:

 

 

[ThailandRyan]

Oh the Horrors, Oh the Shock, oh the...well whatever, tomorrow he will say something to the opposite.  These daily stories, although I do believe the truthfulness of 2 to 3 years before true tourism returns unlike a few members who say by the 3rd quarter of this year it will have returned, truly show that the reality is very bleak at this point.

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

With June before mass vaccinations begin some are saying this is too slow while the whole procurement process of vaccination doses, the companies involved and possible vested interests, are all coming under increased scrutiny both in Thailand and abroad. 

The whole vaccination program and procurement of said vaccines is right now in a total shambles.  Daily inaccuracies, and the inability to admit that they have no vaccines in shipping at this point, and that they really do not know when or if they will arrive is the complete fault of the MOPH DPM.  Seems that they want it to be about making money instead of doing it for the good of the people.  Now don't get me wrong, yes they will produce vaccines and give them free of charge to the citizens eventually, but the goal was always to make money and money for one lab owned by a certain someone who would be selling the vaccines onward to other countries.  However, I think they are way behind because of procrastination. 

[PatOngo]

2 hours ago, bdenner said:

Why hasn't this clueless jerk been fired yet. He is not in touch with reality and never has been.

Is'nt that why he fits in so well?

[Mavideol]

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

TAT chief admits it could be THREE YEARS before Thai tourism is back to normal

it looks like some of them are starting to catch up to reality and making (minimal) some sense...

[Aarin]

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

TAT chief admits it could be THREE YEARS before Thai tourism is back to normal

 

Image: The Bangkok Insight

 

Following widespread criticism that Thailand's tourism authorities were being overly optimistic some realism and acceptance of the future is starting to set in.

 

The penny seems to have finally dropped with Tourism of Thailand governor Yutthasak Suphasorn who was speaking to The Bangkok Insight yesterday. 

 

Though he still expressed hope that the so-called "vaccine passport" could help by ending tourists' need to quarantine.

 

His comments come as industry leaders have urged the government to save what is left of the ailing tourism sector - 20% of Thai GDP at least - before it is too late and there is nothing for foreign tourists to return to.

 

Yuttthasak was no longer plucking figures from the ether about 10 million foreign tourists visiting this year. In fact no figures were given at all.

 

His comments were much more guarded though there was still some cause for optimism in his remarks.

 

He said that it would be 2 to 3 years before Thailand's tourism sector was back to anything like normal. He said he expects foreigners to start coming again by mid-year "but not fully". 

 

He thought that this January had seen the worst of Covid and things were looking brighter now.

 

He expected Thais to start travelling again at Songkran (in April) claiming that they were raring to go. He expected the government to be facillitating this. 

 

Last year the entire festival was cancelled amid fears of a spread of the virus, notes Thaivisa. What form it takes this year remains to be seen and will largely depend on what degree the second wave outbreak is under control come the tradition Thai New Year holidays.

 

Yutthasak admitted the tourism operators were in dire straits; he stressed the need for support for staff and downtime to be used in what he called "upskill" and "reskill" of workers.

 

He observed that the tourism economy was an important driver for the wider Thai economy.

 

The governor struck a positive note when it came to certain aspects of the return of foreign tourists.

 

He said that he was receiving good reports from 29 TAT offices worldwide regarding vaccine programs abroad.

 

He cited the example of the Scandinavians who he claimed all wanted to beat a path to Thailand's door in the hot season.

 

Thaivisa notes that this seemed strange. Scandinavians were previously well known for largely ignoring Thailand in the hot season and in the European summer, favoring places like Krabi in particular in the cold European winter.

 

Many TAT offices, he said, pointed to the return of foreign tourists to Thailand in the FOURTH quarter. Previously he was bullish about the third quarter that begins in June. 

 

He also noted that tourism minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan's "vaccine passport" plan had merit and had been discussed at a small cabinet committee. 

 

If given the go ahead this would see foreigners not having to quarantine when they come to Thailand. 

 

All along since the days of the much ridiculed STV, quarantine has been seen by everyone outside the tourism ministry and TAT as a major obstacle to foreign tourism. 

 

The special tourist visa is now not even being mentioned.

 

Other tourism leaders quoted by the media also put faith in a vaccine passport and said that government support for tourism businesses needed to be fast before they went under.

 

Yutthasak said they needed to "grit their teeth".

 

Government policy regarding tourism needed to be clear, said the leaders.

 

And therein lies the nub of the matter. 

 

Critics have noted the "flip-flop" of the Thai government pinning their hopes on one false dawn after another. They have said there is a lack of overall strategy with different ministries, departments and individuals competing for the limelight with one ill thought out scheme after another. 

 

Now many are pointing fingers when it comes to the rollout of vaccinations inside Thailand. 

 

With June before mass vaccinations begin some are saying this is too slow while the whole procurement process of vaccination doses, the companies involved and possible vested interests, are all coming under increased scrutiny both in Thailand and abroad. 

 

Comments from senior leaders like health minister Anutin Charnvirakul and DPM Prawit Wongsuwan in dismissing criticism and being economical with information have done nothing to allay concerns.

 

Source: The Bangkok Insight

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-02-06

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Cannot see it ever been back to where it was. Vietnam/Philippines will start to get many tourists that originally used to visit Thailand because its cheaper and far easier when it comes to visa. The Philippines has BEAUTIFUL CLEAR WATER beaches and even on a Retirement Visa you allowed to work 10 hours a week...... 

[RichardColeman]

If Thailand opens up fully towards the end of this year - 2-3 years I think is possible for full return, though optimistic since the infrastructure is in decline and tourists may have used holiday money on purely surviving !

 

If Thailand is still closed until next summer an full Thai vaccine roll out, then  I think 5-7 is more likely as the valley is a far steeper climb

 

 

[klauskunkel]

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

TAT chief admits it could be THREE YEARS before Thai tourism is back to normal

That's not entertaining at all! Bring back the old statements, they were funny. This sound way too rational coming from an official's mouth.

[Phuketshrew]

1 hour ago, Pesche said:

Finally understand that Thailand is NOT the only holiday destination in the world!

Finally understand that Thailand IS NOT the center of the world!

Finally understand the use of tolerance while inviting other cultures and stop with their ridiculous, arrogant 'Thainess-Attitude"!

 

Finally understand that it is NOT the wealthy elite who will resuscitate the 20% of GDP but rather the "mister normal" who will buy at the noodle shop and discover touring this blessed Land Of Beauty!

Then finally, you woke up?

[curlylekan]

These guys seem to finally be willing to face up to reality or tell the truth to their superiors and things like that, I think are what the majority of us want to hear

[Justgrazing]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

All along since the days of the much ridiculed STV

 

They were up for a kicking from day one using an acronym that also stood for sexually transmitted virus .. I mean who'd want that stamped in the pp .. 

[Guderian]

There's a story in the papers this morning saying that, at the current rate of vaccination, it will take 7 years before the world reaches herd immunity.

Maybe his three years is being a bit bullish.

 

And, of course, new variants will be appearing all the time, and some of them may not be affected by the existing vaccines, so 7 years may also be a bit bullish.

 

It's a disaster story, and not just for Thailand's tourism industry. At least here we've been spared the human carnage that many countries have suffered. Over 110,000 people now dead from Covid in the UK alone, that's like wiping out a small city, half as many people again as are reckoned to have died when Fat Man exploded over Nagasaki. An unbelievable disaster.

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-9229519/It-SEVEN-YEARS-end-coronavirus-pandemic-vaccination-calculator-suggests.html

 

[Mak25]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

He observed that the tourism economy was an important driver for the wider Thai economy.

 

Genious ????

[Pilotman]

A pure guess of course.  Nobody knows, nobody can predict what will happen next or for how long.  I suppose that he has to be optimistic, but I think nearer 5 years , but that's a wild guess too, but just as valid. The best indicator as time moves on will be the plans and actions of the international airlines in re instating old routes and planning new ones. My old airline is still retrenching and re equipping with a small number of new aircraft and has no known plans for opening old routes in the next 18 months. 

[hashmodha]

The penny seems to have finally dropped !????????

Wise professionals don't make comments about this very sensitive and emotional issues! Spain has released incoming tourism figures for 2019,the lowest in 50 years! Back to 1969(19Million I think)It was the first year I began working in Tourism ( me living out of suitcases )It was screamingly busy in those days! I wouldn't like to comment on our belvoved Thailand...Good day!

[hashmodha]

12 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

A pure guess of course.  Nobody knows, nobody can predict what will happen next or for how long.  I suppose that he has to be optimistic, but I think nearer 5 years , but that's a wild guess too, but just as valid. The best indicator as time moves on will be the plans and actions of the international airlines in re instating old routes and planning new ones. My old airline is still retrenching and re equipping with a small number of new aircraft and has no known plans for opening old routes in the next 18 months. 

Nice reading!????????

[lujanit]

Would someone please disconnect the batteries that power this idiots pea brain.