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

[HashBrownHarry]

Just now, Leaver said:

 

Of course quarantines will not last forever, but it's not going anywhere anytime soon, not until the individual tourist has been vaccinated, and Thailand has vaccinated at least 65% of the population.   

Where did i say the quarantine was going somewhere?

 

why 65%, where's this number come from?

[Leaver]

On 3/6/2021 at 8:46 AM, HashBrownHarry said:

I know people who do contracting work, they make enough money to come here for 2,3 or 4 months ( or longer ). If there's a shortage of work they might not come for a year or two.

 

Would they not be considered tourists?

 

What visa would they be staying on?  

[HashBrownHarry]

Just now, Leaver said:

 

What visa would they be staying on?  

90 day SE TV?

 

then extension, no?

[Leaver]

1 hour ago, HashBrownHarry said:

90 day SE TV?

 

then extension, no?

 

Were the majority of tourists coming to Thailand on that visa, pre covid?    

[Leaver]

1 hour ago, HashBrownHarry said:

Do you think they'll return post covid or you think pre covid was a sign to come even before covid, post covid i would imagine not to deter to many people and it'll return to pre covid numbers.

 

The new visa laws made the 4th month a problem for snowbirds, so many changed their travel plans.  I know a few that went to Vietnam.     

 

After Thailand has vaccinated its population and opened up its borders. I think they should make a special 6 month or 12 month multiple entry tourist visa, for free.  

[Leaver]

1 hour ago, HashBrownHarry said:

Where did i say the quarantine was going somewhere?

 

why 65%, where's this number come from?

 

You said quarantine will not last forever, and I agreed, but it's not going to end anytime soon.    

 

The 65% figure is from the the medical profession.  

 

Just one random article of many from Google..

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-immunity-analysis/analysis-can-first-covid-19-vaccines-bring-herd-immunity-experts-have-doubts-idUSKBN27Y124

 

"World Health Organization experts have also pointed to a 65%-70% vaccine coverage rate as a way to reach population immunity through vaccination."

 

 

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, Leaver said:

After Thailand has vaccinated its population and opened up its borders. I think they should make a special 6 month or 12 month multiple entry tourist visa, for free.  

 

Totally agree...  Please come, we need tourists, but we’re going to charge you to apply to come here and only give you a few weeks just doesn’t seem fitting given the current desperation of the tourism industry.... 

 

... When Thailand does open up it should do everything possible to make it very easy for tourists to visit - Free 6 month Visa Exempt stamp on arrival...   there’s not even any real need for a visa for tourists, just stamp them on entry. 

[VBF]

3 hours ago, HashBrownHarry said:

90 day SE TV?

 

then extension, no?

An SETV is 60 days not 90, but you are allowed 1 x 30 day extension meaning 90 days in all.

I've done that many times.

 

After that you have to leave Thailand and return, or can, I believe, change the TV to an "O" - never done that so not sure.

[jacko45k]

12 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

Is that really the tourists we are discussing?  

 

The vast majority, in the millions, holiday here for 2 weeks.  Do you think they are going to holiday here for 3 months?  

I still regard a retired person who comes here for a month or so in winter as a tourist. And maybe those on benefits....????

[Bvor]

16 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Totally agree...  Please come, we need tourists, but we’re going to charge you to apply to come here and only give you a few weeks just doesn’t seem fitting given the current desperation of the tourism industry.... 

 

... When Thailand does open up it should do everything possible to make it very easy for tourists to visit - Free 6 month Visa Exempt stamp on arrival...   there’s not even any real need for a visa for tourists, just stamp them on entry. 

thailands economy has taken a massive hit. IMHO tourists can afford to pay a small fee for visa exempt stamp (500 baht?) particularly if its for an extended period. in post vax times the millions of visa exempt chinese and indians for example would be handy fee contributions as it always should have been, even if they are 14 day tourists.   

[rott]

17 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

The new visa laws made the 4th month a problem for snowbirds, so many changed their travel plans.  I know a few that went to Vietnam.     

 

After Thailand has vaccinated its population and opened up its borders. I think they should make a special 6 month or 12 month multiple entry tourist visa, for free.  

Ah, the magic words "they should". 

[jacko45k]

17 hours ago, Leaver said:

After Thailand has vaccinated its population and opened up its borders. I think they should make a special 6 month or 12 month multiple entry tourist visa, for free.  

Why for free? There was already a METV (currently suspended), although it was not particularly popular. High financial requirements I guess. They want big spenders ....

[Leaver]

On 3/8/2021 at 12:59 PM, jacko45k said:

Why for free? There was already a METV (currently suspended), although it was not particularly popular. High financial requirements I guess. They want big spenders ....

 

What I was getting at was basically removing the traditional hoops, just for 1 year.  Instead of a 30 day visa exemption stamp, it's 6 months, or more.

[zhounan]

I've never understood what's so special about Pattaya, it literally sucks for me.

[jacko45k]

8 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

What I was getting at was basically removing the traditional hoops, just for 1 year.  Instead of a 30 day visa exemption stamp, it's 6 months, or more.

The short term visitors are probably more attractive and the sought after market. 

[Leaver]

10 hours ago, jacko45k said:

The short term visitors are probably more attractive and the sought after market. 

I agree, but turn any visitor away, for any length of time, or make them do a visa run, in which they spend their money elsewhere for a few days.