TAT sees vaccines passports and ‘area quarantine’ as key to reopening Thailand to foreign tourists

 

File photo: Travel Daily (for reference only)

 

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) sees the implementation of so-called vaccine passports and ‘area quarantine’ as a fundamental part of Thailand properly re-opening its borders to foreign tourists.

 

Speaking to Bangkok Biz News, Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, TAT deputy governor of marketing for Asia and the South Pacific said there is already demand from tourists in Korea and India wanting to visit Thailand

 

Mr Chattan said that in Korea where it is currently minus 6c, tourists can't wait to visit the beaches in Thailand. He also mentioned the recent arrival of Korean tourists who are the first to enter the ‘golf quarantine’. 

 

TAT's offices in Mumbai and New Delhi reported groups of Indian tourists eager to book their weddings in Thailand, with the country having developed a niche as the overseas wedding destination of choice for high-spending Indian couples. The average cost of an Indian wedding in Thailand is 10 million baht and it was big business for resorts in Bangkok, Pattaya and Hua Hin pre-pandemic. 

 

Mr Chattan said the issue of vaccinations is an important factor in opening up Thailand again to tourists. He said that groups of Indians coming to Thailand to attend a wedding could be quarantined at a hotel in the so-called ‘area quarantine’, similar to those who are currently quarantining at the luxury Sri Panwa resort in Phuket.

 

Meanwhile, Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, TAT deputy governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Americas said that a policy on opening the country to foreign tourists should be in place by June with the aim of allowing foreigners to visit by the fourth quarter of this year. 

 

Mr Siripakorn cited the IATA Travel Pass or so called ‘vaccine passport’ as a way for Thailand to open up to tourists who have been vaccinated against the virus.

 

He said that 42 airlines including Thai Airways, Smile, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, British Airways and Emirates had agreed to the IATA Travel Pass initiative.

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-02-23

 

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9 minutes ago, webfact said:

area quarantine

No, thank you.

 

Signed: potential tourist.

13 minutes ago, webfact said:

TAT sees vaccines passports and ‘area quarantine’ as key to reopening Thailand to foreign tourists

 

File photo: Travel Daily (for reference only)

 

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) sees the implementation of so-called vaccine passports and ‘area quarantine’ as a fundamental part of Thailand properly re-opening its borders to foreign tourists.

 

Speaking to Bangkok Biz News, Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, TAT deputy governor of marketing for Asia and the South Pacific said there is already demand from tourists in Korea and India wanting to visit Thailand

 

Mr Chattan said that in Korea where it is currently minus 6c, tourists can't wait to visit the beaches in Thailand. He also mentioned the recent arrival of Korean tourists who are the first to enter the ‘golf quarantine’. 

 

TAT's offices in Mumbai and New Delhi reported groups of Indian tourists eager to book their weddings in Thailand, with the country having developed a niche as the overseas wedding destination of choice for high-spending Indian couples. The average cost of an Indian wedding in Thailand is 10 million baht and it was big business for resorts in Bangkok, Pattaya and Hua Hin pre-pandemic. 

 

Mr Chattan said the issue of vaccinations is an important factor in opening up Thailand again to tourists. He said that groups of Indians coming to Thailand to attend a wedding could be quarantined at a hotel in the so-called ‘area quarantine’, similar to those who are currently quarantining at the luxury Sri Panwa resort in Phuket.

 

Meanwhile, Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, TAT deputy governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Americas said that a policy on opening the country to foreign tourists should be in place by June with the aim of allowing foreigners to visit by the fourth quarter of this year. 

 

Mr Siripakorn cited the IATA Travel Pass or so called ‘vaccine passport’ as a way for Thailand to open up to tourists who have been vaccinated against the virus.

 

He said that 42 airlines including Thai Airways, Smile, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, British Airways and Emirates had agreed to the IATA Travel Pass initiative.

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-02-23

 

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

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

WOW.

 

Area Quarantine. That just means a bigger room. maybe access to a swimming pool and of course a massively inflated price on the "standard Quarantine".

 

Are these clowns for real.

 

Play all the games you want, put all the positive spin on Quarantine you want. 

Simple fact of the matter is you are not going to attract tourists back that way.

 

If you cant come up with a serious risk based analysis to allow vaccinated people back when a large majority of Thais are vaccinated also, well you might as well not even bother.

 

 

 

 

TAT isn't going to make the call so it's a moot point...

Anyone wants to join an area quarantine while there's an Indian wedding? 

Average Indian wedding cost is 10 million baht? 

31 minutes ago, webfact said:

He also mentioned the recent arrival of Korean tourists who are the first to enter the ‘golf quarantine’. 

what type of breathing apparatus do they carry? 

is it like a scuba tank filled with filtered air? 

54 minutes ago, webfact said:

TAT's offices in Mumbai and New Delhi reported groups of Indian tourists eager to book their weddings in Thailand, with the country having developed a niche as the overseas wedding destination of choice for high-spending Indian couples. The average cost of an Indian wedding in Thailand is 10 million baht and it was big business for resorts in Bangkok, Pattaya and Hua Hin pre-pandemic. 

 

Trying to curry favour with the Indian community then .. 

The one's I see arguing outside a pizza restaurant before even going in can't be in town to get married .. 

6 minutes ago, Justgrazing said:

 

Trying to curry favour with the Indian community then .. 

The one's I see arguing outside a pizza restaurant before even going in can't be in town to get married .. 

'curry favour' where's that? Is it near Curry Rivel in Somerset?

My American friends who have been coming here for years every February went to Mexico.  No future plans to return.

Hasta la bye-bye. 

Get the locals vaccinated before you come up with anymore hair brain ideas!

TAT struggles to prove their relevance, a position of which credibility is lacking. 

It would be interesting for someone to list all the TAT boasts/plans/announcements in the past couple of years, and how they worked out.

I'm thinking 100% failure, it's a wonder they still get financed, they must have powerful relatives in the government.

17 hours ago, Kraig62 said:

Average Indian wedding cost is 10 million baht? 

      In Thailand.  For destination weddings.  Destination weddings are one of the reasons why the big hotels in north Pattaya all have very large meeting and entertainment spaces.  Mytt, Grande Centre Point, Ozo, Holiday Inn, Dusit, Cape Dara, and the very large Grande Centre Point 2 now being built, among others.  

Is this the same agency that is Sponcering Sex tours for rich tourists ?  Ensuring clean brothels and disesse free men and women ptostitues? 

 

I just don't think I can take them seriously anymore...  

 

IATA.... who's going to pay for that training and app? The Thai Government? The ICAO seems to think BKK needs to improve runways and the Tarmac. Can we safely welcome people back,?

 

What about the predators at the airports? 

Illegal taxi drivers, tour guides praying on the tourists, and Petty Thieves? 

 

Was it not about 9 years ago,  when a couple of hundred armed men robbed the motorists of parking ticket booths?

 

Now is the time to clean up our security protocol to protect Thailand and its visitors. 

21 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Anyone wants to join an area quarantine while there's an Indian wedding? 

I would and I'm a white euro guy.

Indian weddings are great.....loads of food,  music, dancing, booze. 

They really are excellent hosts. 

So kind and generous.

If you're  staying in a hotel that has one just pop in and say congrats and youll be there all night.

I think bullet proof vests may soon also be recommended.