Chinese New Year will do little to boost fortunes of Thailand’s decimated tourism industry

[webfact]

Chinese New Year will do little to boost fortunes of Thailand’s decimated tourism industry

 

REUTERS FILE PHOTO for reference only

 

The second wave of the pandemic has dealt Thailand's tourism industry another hammer blow for the lucrative Chinese New Year celebrations.

 

This coming weekend was named a three day long weekend from Friday a while back and it was hoped to be a money spinner with Thai domestic tourism taking up the slack from the lack of foreign tourists.

 

Even that now has proven to be a pipedream after the second wave of Covid. 

 

Thai media said that the TAT was obliged to reveal the extent of the devastation: Last year domestic tourists spent 3.5 billion baht at Chinese new Year and foreigners swelled this to 8.6 billion baht.

 

This year the forcast is a mere fraction: 602 million baht. 

 

Events have been cancelled or severely toned down said TAT governor Yutthasak Suphasorn. 

 

The governor - previously upbeat about everything related to Thai tourism - is increasingly becoming the harbinger of more and more bad news. 

 

He said that at least there were some lights on in Yaowarat (Chinatown in Bangkok) and they were sponsoring events in Nakhon Sawan, a popular central/north Thai city for new year.

 

They were the only straws he could clutch.

 

He admitted that spending this year would be low with only just over 200,000 Thais expected to travel  and just 15% of hotels booked. 

 

Thais were just not in the mood to travel, he lamented, and the country is still effectively closed to foreign tourists. 

 

At least some would be making merit at temples in such places Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Chonburi and Nakhon Sawan.

 

But that was about it for welcoming the Year of the Ox that could be used as a metaphor for the state of Thai tourism.

 

Thai tourism is now no longer strong - more like a beast of burden. 

 

The burden falling on those millions of Thais who once made a killing out of the industry. 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-02-09

[Surelynot]

They still don't seem to get it........in the middle of a pandemic you can't have holidays, weekend breaks, parties and trips abroad......get real and deal with it.

[internationalism]

As there are 3 days holidays and valentines shortly after, people would travel, even to visit few temples. 
virus is around, but asymptomatic, so not great danger. 
Travel within provinces is fine, the long distance one might bring mutations, and those should be discouraged. 
Staing now in bangkok is dangerous because of hight pollution, people should get out to rhe seaside, take advantage of clean air and low hotel prices. 
there might be no songkran this year again

[Surelynot]

2 minutes ago, internationalism said:

but asymptomatic, so not great danger

????

[Surelynot]

3 minutes ago, internationalism said:

people should get out to rhe seaside, take advantage of clean air

Like in Hua Hin???

[kingstonkid]

Most thai's I know are just tired.  They're not in the party celebrate mood.  Those that are traveling are visiting family.  Also while Friday might be a holiday some schools are having classes on Saturday to catch up

[GeorgeCross]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The governor - previously upbeat about everything related to Thai tourism - is increasingly becoming the harbinger of more and more bad news

 

[GeorgeCross]

1 hour ago, Surelynot said:

Like in Hua Hin???

 

PM2.5 = 10 today!! actually going to the beach in a minute ????

 

(before it goes back to 80 tomorrow..????)

[Jai Dee]

A troll post has been removed.

[Fex Bluse]

2 hours ago, Surelynot said:

They still don't seem to get it........in the middle of a pandemic you can't have holidays, weekend breaks, parties and trips abroad......get real and deal with it.

Agree. Reason they can't deal with it because 

 

- like young children, and whilst having among the lowest testing rates in the world, they were busy telling the world that Thailand was "Covid free" thinking they could get tourists to come back immediately 

 

- thus not investing in early procurement of vaccine candidates

 

- grossly underestimating the scale of and impact the pandemic would have

 

- being forced to acknowledge their long lie that foreign tourism contributes only 9% to GDP which grossly inaccurate 

 

- and sadly have no backup plan for the 2 tier economy as the education system is horrific and leaves 10s of millions of Thais entirely unprepared for the emerging global economy 

 

They've gotten almost everything wrong. And, now they are going to suffer as the world quickly races by. 

 

Edited February 9, 2021 by Fex Bluse

[kotsak]

[RichardColeman]

Seem to remember another nation that celebrated Chinese new year and then destroyed the planet.

 

 

[robertson468]

1 hour ago, Fex Bluse said:

Agree. Reason they can't deal with it because 

 

- like young children, and whilst having among the lowest testing rates in the world, they were busy telling the world that Thailand was "Covid free" thinking they could get tourists to come back immediately 

 

- thus not investing in early procurement of vaccine candidates

 

- grossly underestimating the scale of and impact the pandemic would have

 

- being forced to acknowledge their long lie that foreign tourism contributes only 9% to GDP which grossly inaccurate 

 

- and sadly have no backup plan for the 2 tier economy as the education system is horrific and leaves 10s of millions of Thais entirely unprepared for the emerging global economy 

 

They've gotten almost everything wrong. And, now they are going to suffer as the world quickly races by. 

 

Also they do not read the international press!  China is offering it's citizens a financial incentive to stay home for the Chinese New Year.

[Jimbo2014]

2020 Chinese New Year kicked the whole Covid Nightmare off - wonder what this year will do?  Launch a new deadly virus?

[Geoffggi]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The second wave of the pandemic has dealt Thailand's tourism industry another hammer blow for the lucrative Chinese New Year celebrations.

What about the BURAPA Bike celebrations is this still going ahead, not much being posted about this which normally draws huge crowds of people ......???

[unblocktheplanet]

2 hours ago, robertson468 said:

Also they do not read the international press!  China is offering it's citizens a financial incentive to stay home for the Chinese New Year.

As should the generals. Pay people to stay home. Pay workers who are Covid+ to stay home. Why is this too simple for the simple-minded?

[Isaan sailor]

Just wondering—if they gave you COVID-19, why would you celebrate their holiday?

[BangkokReady]

31 minutes ago, Isaan sailor said:

if they gave you COVID-19

 

I don't think all of China, all Chinese history and Chinese culture gave anyone covid.  Also, many Thais have Chinese in their family.

 

Why would you not celebrate it just because of the current Chinese government?

[brianp0803]

I predict a cycle.
The government tells employers and schools to give people the day off for travel. Then from the travel, the virus spreads to many provinces. And then the government imposes lockdowns. When contained again, the government encourages travel.

And repeat.

No end in sight for people being able to travel to Thailand without a long quarantine.

[Deli]

On 2/9/2021 at 6:19 PM, Geoffggi said:

What about the BURAPA Bike celebrations is this still going ahead, not much being posted about this which normally draws huge crowds of people ......???

cancelled

[internationalism]

So i am now in hua hin and there is visible inflow of visitors for the last few days. 
Might have also somerhing to do with very high pollution in bangkok for the last 10 days. 
But definitely people taking an advantage of long weekend. 
it's also safer in here, i have seen health workers distribiuting printed info to business owners, but it wasn't anything dramatic. 
still, better to go holidays now, when there is cool weather. 
 

today is new years eve, so activities are already going from the early morning. Looks, like monks are not coming, but there were symbolic chairs prepared for them. 
many nicely dressed people around chiinese temple and parking is full

Edited February 11, 2021 by internationalism

[ChakaKhan]

On 2/9/2021 at 2:26 AM, GeorgeCross said:

 

Beware the Covid Zombies!...on the stumble home...sangsom may kill them if needed as defensive move.. ????

 

[ChakaKhan]

On 2/9/2021 at 8:24 AM, Isaan sailor said:

Just wondering—if they gave you COVID-19, why would you celebrate their holiday?

Short Answer...

[brian stoner]

Song Kran coming up, waiting to see how it will be this year. We usually leave the city and go out to the wife's family's village for at least one of the days, and the 15th is her birthday as well! (... very auspicious to have been born on Song Kran Day!)  We had a somewhat subdued New Years out there, so Song Kran will probably be similar.  ????????