Pattaya: Scrap the 14 day quarantine or resort will take years to recover, says tourism leader

 

Picture: Manager

 

Manager reported what many will see as a dose of reality as doses of vaccine were being rolled out in Pattaya.

 

They quoted the acting head of the Chonburi Tourism Council who had some choice words for the government and the future of tourism in Pattaya.

 

He was quoted as saying that vaccination was "not the final answer" and only scrapping 14 day quarantine would work. 

 

The mood was buoyant as 4,700 doses of vaccine were being jabbed into the arms of health workers and other frontline staff at risk of contracting Covid-19 in the eastern seaboard province.

 

But Thanet Suharothatrangsee put the brakes on the optimism with some realistic observations.

 

These come after TAT officials and the tourism minister have been pilloried and ridiculed online in recent weeks for what many see as their "pie-in-the-sky" assessments.

 

Picture: Manager

 

Thanet said that if the government is serious about getting tourism going again then they need to prioritise vaccinnations in places like Pattaya, Phuket and Bangkok where tourists visit.

 

They need to get 65% of the population vaccinated in these places as soon as possible. 

 

He said that not just house registration holders should get the vaccine but everyone - this would include workers.

 

It was clear it would also mean foreign residents living in the area should be vaccinated.

 

He called the 14 day quarantine an "obstacle" to foreign tourism that needs to be scrapped.

 

At least at first for those who have received two doses of vaccine.  He specifically mentioned potential tourists from Germany and the UK for this "summer". 

 

He said that no one will come if there is a 14 day quarantine especially when tourists have travel options that are nearer to home. 

 

Picture: Manager

 

No one wants to waste their time and money on quarantine, he said, they will just go elsewhere.

 

The government needs to scrap the quarantine, he said, otherwise it'll be three or four years before places like Pattaya can recover. 

 

He called the vaccine rollout now underway "not the final answer" to the tourism woes in places like Pattaya. 

 

Source: Manager

 

 

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18 minutes ago, webfact said:

He said that no one will come if there is a 14 day quarantine especially when tourists have travel options that are nearer to home. 

A person who actually makes sense and is not afraid to say it.  Lets face it, ask yourself if you were a tourist and you had choices as to where to vacation, would you choose a destination that puts you into quarantine for 14 days or another.  Also, if someone really is willing to sit in quarantine for 14 days to visit, they are really not a tourist.  They are some form of long term resident. 

16 minutes ago, Thomas J said:

A person who actually makes sense and is not afraid to say it.  Lets face it, ask yourself if you were a tourist and you had choices as to where to vacation, would you choose a destination that puts you into quarantine for 14 days or another.  Also, if someone really is willing to sit in quarantine for 14 days to visit, they are really not a tourist.  They are some form of long term resident. 

Doesn't make any difference to me, quarantine or not. There are no international flights out of Australia till October 2021. By the way anyone know where I can buy a hot air Balloon?

19 minutes ago, Thomas J said:

Also, if someone really is willing to sit in quarantine for 14 days to visit, they are really not a tourist.  They are some form of long term resident. 

Or people who need the nightlife and their special services badly. I see many such tourists here in Pattaya now. They for sure have been here before Corona too. But now the many quality family tourists are missing and so they are easier to spot. 

7 hours ago, Oldie said:

 But now the many quality family tourists are missing and so they are easier to spot. 

You have actually seen these here in Pattaya...did they stay long...or just for the weekend.....

8 minutes ago, pokerface1 said:

There are no international flights out of Australia till October 2021.

 

I take it the 12,600 citizen departures from Australia in January (averaging around 9,000 per month in 2020) where conducted by good swimmers? 

4 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 

I take it the 12,600 citizen departures from Australia in January (averaging around 9,000 per month in 2020) where conducted by good swimmers? 

To help stop the spread of COVID-19, the Australian Government has banned overseas travel, unless necessary for business, aid assistance or compassionate reasons. 

I fail to see how anyone can be described as buoyant when only 4700 doses have been issued to Pattaya, that probably wouldn't be enough to cover the first shot for every health worker - Surgeon's, Dentists, Dr's,  Nurses, cleaning assistants, lab workers, receptionists, cashiers etc etc in this city, this government, if we can call it that, has failed miserably in its duty of care to its citizens whether that be indigenous, expat or migrant.

 

The fact that it's the Sinovac shot is irrelevant at this point, what this country needs is a massive vaccine rollout from north to south, PDQ NOW........... ????????

Scrap the quarantine and it will definitely take years to recover....

11 minutes ago, pokerface1 said:

To help stop the spread of COVID-19, the Australian Government has banned overseas travel, unless necessary for business, aid assistance or compassionate reasons. 

 

Instead of listening to propaganda (they are putting out that message as they don't want conventional tourism due to the hassle of returnees) look at the reality. Anyone that lived/spent the majority of their time overseas have never needed to get an exemption, they could just rock up at the airport and show their travel history, since last October you can get an exemption by proving you are leaving for 3+ months. There are multiple flights out every day.

38 minutes ago, petermik said:

You have actually seen these here in Pattaya...did they stay long...or just for the weekend.....

Since I spotted them even when there was no weekend I would say that they didn't just stay for the weekend.

34 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 

I take it the 12,600 citizen departures from Australia in January (averaging around 9,000 per month in 2020) where conducted by good swimmers? 

@Ralf001

 

As per my previous post:

 

Automatic exemptions

You are exempt from travel restrictions, and can leave Australia without applying for an exemption if you are:

• ordinarily resident in a country other than Australia
• etc.

Travel for three months or longer

If you are seeking exemption from Australia’s outbound travel restrictions on the basis that you are leaving Australia for three months or longer, your proposed travel must be for a compelling reason and you must provide evidence to support your claims.

This evidence must be provided in the form of a Commonwealth Statutory Declaration.

The Statutory Declaration must state you are making an application for travel exemption on the basis that you intend to be absent from Australia for more than three months.

Evidence may include:

• confirmed flight itinerary, with return date of at least three months after departure date
• confirmation of leave from employment for three months
• enrolment confirmation for study
• a doctor’s certificate to support your claim you are travelling in order to provide care for sick family members
• any other matter you wish to raise in support of your request for exemption.

https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/leaving-australia

1 hour ago, Oldie said:

Or people who need the nightlife and their special services badly. I see many such tourists here in Pattaya now. They for sure have been here before Corona too. But now the many quality family tourists are missing and so they are easier to spot. 

 yes the only reason over the last 10 years was I using this service before 2010 I leftlove the country toothe country to and there was other reason to stay. but since 2010 I love only the nightlife the other good reasons for stay in Thailand are gone like nature and environment ,livingcheap and exotic.

 

But even I love the nightlife there is no reason to go back with Quarantäne. i sold already most assets. Last year I was leaving two months for holiday in February never thinking i cant go back (or under dificultys)

The good luck is I already have a home abroad. Okay we don't have this night life here but after the year when I stay here I only can say that's it just seemed easy to get the special service even not more expensive than in Thailand but I have the advantage of high-quality living inexpensive living costs good nature and environment and as well easy Visa. And I do not have to fly such long way from Europe.

 

Even Thailand is open again i will only go for the winter for two months or 3,, after one year outside of Thailand i don't see any reason more to live their all yeae around anymore.

Evan i am not missing one day Thailand what's the time difference twenty or thirty year ago when I leave at Don Muang with tears in the eyes

 

No doubt that tourists don't wish to spend their two weeks vacation in a Quarantine hotel, but how long time will it take for the remaining part of the society to recover, if tourist quarantine is scrapped to rescue less than 20 percent of the GNP, and cause a new Covid-epidemic...????

1 hour ago, pokerface1 said:

Doesn't make any difference to me, quarantine or not. There are no international flights out of Australia till October 2021. By the way anyone know where I can buy a hot air Balloon?

Apply for the use of an MP in almost any country in the world. Most of them are full of hot and some can be had very cheaply nowadays.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

He was quoted as saying that vaccination was "not the final answer" and only scrapping 14 day quarantine would work. 

 

a completely foolish thing to say

 

does he actually comprehend why there is a quarantine 

2 hours ago, pokerface1 said:

Doesn't make any difference to me, quarantine or not. There are no international flights out of Australia till October 2021. By the way anyone know where I can buy a hot air Balloon?

I left OZ in December.

No drama's getting a flight, what's changed?

If they get rid of the quarantine then covid will run rampant in this country, worse than at the start. That's a really bad idea.

 

I feel for the people in the tourist trade and related industries, but to suggest no quarantine, especially for non vaccinated people is just asking for trouble.

3 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

The fact that it's the Sinovac shot is irrelevant at this point, what this country needs is a massive vaccine rollout from north to south, PDQ NOW........... ????????

Yes, a miserly 200,000 Sinovac Doses and 117,000 AZ Doses of Vaccine that have a " Technical problem " could hardly be described as a Vaccine Rollout.

More of a drunken wobble from the Pub at closing time.

The Thai government is not interested in more tourists, they know the 14 days quarantine is a deal breaker, that's actually their best argument to make sure no tourist come back in Thailand for the moment, they want total control of their borders

3 hours ago, Salerno said:

 

Instead of listening to propaganda (they are putting out that message as they don't want conventional tourism due to the hassle of returnees) look at the reality. Anyone that lived/spent the majority of their time overseas have never needed to get an exemption, they could just rock up at the airport and show their travel history, since last October you can get an exemption by proving you are leaving for 3+ months. There are multiple flights out every day.

Now thats rubbish. You cant just turn up and fly out. You need special permission and its not easy.

 

For a holiday, not a chance in hades.

2 hours ago, Olad Mate said:

I left OZ in December.

No drama's getting a flight, what's changed?

This is whats needed to leave. Going on a holiday wont cut it.

 

 

https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/leaving-australia

 

5 hours ago, pokerface1 said:

Doesn't make any difference to me, quarantine or not. There are no international flights out of Australia till October 2021. By the way anyone know where I can buy a hot air Balloon?

So how did the tennis players get in and out and just for a game of knocking a few balls around ?

1 hour ago, Sujo said:

Now thats rubbish. You cant just turn up and fly out.

 

That's your opinion, which you are entitled to, but not your own facts. I already posted the link, take it up with the Australian government.

 

1 hour ago, Sujo said:

For a holiday, not a chance in hades.

 

Define holiday? I wasn't talking about people on a two week trip as my post clearly articulated.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

He was quoted as saying that vaccination was "not the final answer" and only scrapping 14 day quarantine would work.

So little or no vaccination to the Thai population, and scrap the quarantine is his brilliant idea.

Give it a month and Pattaya would become the next Samut Sakhon.

Fenced off from the rest of Thailand.

 

6 hours ago, pokerface1 said:

Doesn't make any difference to me, quarantine or not. There are no international flights out of Australia till October 2021. By the way anyone know where I can buy a hot air Balloon?

I've got a lead on all the hot air you need, but not a balloon big enough to contain it.

In reply to Salerno,s post, there are no flights out of Australia till October,  you can write in English but obviously can't read English, stop being a keyboard warrior, and if you know anything about hoops and paperwork in Thailand not to mention Quarantine,  Covid insurance,  fit to fly cert, letter from Embassy,  letter from doctor, flight itinerary,  letter from employer,  do your homework before you copy and paste something you saw, silence is a form of intelligence something you should look into 

5 hours ago, Salerno said:

@Ralf001

 

As per my previous post:

 

Automatic exemptions

You are exempt from travel restrictions, and can leave Australia without applying for an exemption if you are:

• ordinarily resident in a country other than Australia
• etc.

Travel for three months or longer

If you are seeking exemption from Australia’s outbound travel restrictions on the basis that you are leaving Australia for three months or longer, your proposed travel must be for a compelling reason and you must provide evidence to support your claims.

This evidence must be provided in the form of a Commonwealth Statutory Declaration.

The Statutory Declaration must state you are making an application for travel exemption on the basis that you intend to be absent from Australia for more than three months.

Evidence may include:

• confirmed flight itinerary, with return date of at least three months after departure date
• confirmation of leave from employment for three months
• enrolment confirmation for study
• a doctor’s certificate to support your claim you are travelling in order to provide care for sick family members
• any other matter you wish to raise in support of your request for exemption.

https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/leaving-australia

I thought the thread was about tourists.

19 minutes ago, Boedog said:

In reply to Salerno,s post, there are no flights out of Australia till October,  you can write in English but obviously can't read English, stop being a keyboard warrior, and if you know anything about hoops and paperwork in Thailand not to mention Quarantine,  Covid insurance,  fit to fly cert, letter from Embassy,  letter from doctor, flight itinerary,  letter from employer,  do your homework before you copy and paste something you saw, silence is a form of intelligence something you should look into 

Take your own advice. There's flights out daily, how else do you think the Aussies currently in/recently completed quarantine in Thailand got there.