6 hours ago, Surelynot said:

OMG....don't let Anutin or TAT see this!!!!

Im going to BKK 23th march..pick up my wife..after we wait until thailand open again...maybe in our next life

8 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

 Cyprus will allow British tourists who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 into the country without restrictions from May 1, its tourism minister said on Thursday.

 

Take note Thailand, this is the only way it will work ................LOL

Note "fully vaccinated" only. So, no difference really. 

Who the he’ll do these ministers think they are ? Do they really believe that they will make up their rules and arrangements for flights etc and that the millions of tourists will bow down in front of them and follow ?  Get that idea out of your head !

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Pipat has been busy this week on all his plans.

Pipats been flapping his gums for the last 12 months and achieved nothing... he just dreams up rubbish to stay in the news....

Until Thais have been inoculated it is sheer madness to open up to international tourism.

Incoming tourists can have had vaccines but to mix them with un-inoculated people is criminal.

 

So will the tourists travel to Koh Tao by a normal taxi from the airport ?  I doubt the Thai authorities will lay on special Covid proof vehicles

6 hours ago, DLock said:

you might want to call him

Long distance to Germany???

8 hours ago, webfact said:

New Buzzword: Area Quarantine - Thailand set to open resorts and islands as three ministries tackle tourism crisis

 

Pipat Ratchakitprakarn (File photo for reference only)

 

There is a new buzzword on the lips of every Thai in the tourism industry from the minister down through the ranks. 

 

Area Quarantine.

 

This is now being hailed as the answer to Thailand's tourism crisis after the pandemic saw the 3 trillion dollar industry that is 17 % of GDP decimated. 

 

Here's how it will work come next month then progress later from July.

 

In the first phase long stay tourists will be targeted for the main tourist areas.

 

Then "travel bubble" countries will be identified from the third quarter. That is as early as July.

 

These are countries that have been as successful as Thailand in controlling the pandemic and delivering vaccine. 

 

The selection of areas where tourists have been well known to stay at least one month and possibly as long as three is seen as vital to success. 

 

These will be Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi, Pattaya, and the three islands of Koh Tao, Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. 

 

All these are ready and willing and able to cope with the anticipated numbers who will be beating a path to Thailand's door. 

 

Importantly, THREE ministries are working on the plans, tourism and sports minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan told the Thai media yesterday. 

 

This three pronged approach is crucial, he said. His own ministry will grinding down into the nitty gritty of the obstacles.

 

The transport ministry under Saksayam Chidchob - from a well known family in the north east not unfamiliar with getting things done - will handle the all important flights and travel arrangements.

 

While the ministry of public health under Anutin Charnvirakul - who has masterminded Thailand's Covid-19 response strategies - will handle health and vaccine matters making sure that each and every Thai and foreigner is as safe as can be. 

 

Pipat said they were also looking into the possibility of even stopping two week quarantine at some stage this year for foreigners who have had two doses of vaccine. 

 

Pipat has been busy this week on all his plans.

 

Thai media reported that he had a "video conference" with the Department of Health Promotion of the MoPH and 216 tourism operators to present his ideas and plans.

 

Nothing is set in stone just yet - that will come when PM Prayuth Chan-ocha and his cabinet rubber stamp the plans. 

 

But it is hoped that as early as next month and certainly by May "Area Quarantine" will be in full swing in the tourist areas.

 

The media reported that tourism was 17% of Thai gross domestic product pre-pandemic raking in 2 trillion baht from foreign tourists annually and a further trillion from the domestic tourism market. 

 

Critics of the minister's gung-ho stance suggest that few foreign visitors have much appetite for travel just yet and only this week a tourism Thai business leader said it was all pointless if 14 day quarantine stays in place. 

 

Others point out that the tourism ministry and TAT(Tourism Authority of Thailand) plan to promote long stay tourists already flopped not even meeting unambitious targets.

 

The Thais seem to be pinning their hopes on vaccines creating confidence though many have criticized the slow rollout of vaccination in the country.

 

A process that has already been mired in allegations of smoke and mirrors and flip-flopping. 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-03-05

 

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

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Sorry but they don't "understand" quarantine is the same wherever it is and will never be accepted...plenty of other countries for a holiday!  A great pity!

This guy is really pushing the boat out now - that's 2 new initiatives in a week!  He must be bored.  He's asked Chan-o-Cha to look at vaccine passports and it seems that's under consideration.  All his other 'announcments' have either been shot down in flames the next day by the government or introduced and failed. But there is a glimmer of hope in that Chan-o-Cha has actually commisioned a study into the possibility of vaccine passports. Why not leave it at that, wait and see what the study recommends?  All he does by proposing these almost daily 'schemes' is ridicule himself.

19 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Long distance to Germany???

Ever heard of Skype? 

How many long-stay tourists come during the rainy season?

So, three ministries involved--nicely spreading the blame around this time when this latest scheme fails.  Once again, back to the drawing board.

2 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

Only from May the 1st

and just when do Brits take their "annual two weeks summer holiday"?

Some troll posts have been removed.

 

A post with misleading information has been removed. 

If Thailand wants foreign tourism firstly it has to invest in vaccines for its population which it has been slow and reluctant to pay for, secondly it has to make Thailand an attractive holiday destination without quarantine, stop all this talk about X number of tourists will spend X amount this makes Thailand looks greedy ready to rip off tourists once again, fourthly recognise Thailand is competing for fewer tourist with nearby countries which are now cheaper with more modern and better facilities, fifthly make it easier to enter without any conditions or visa for a longer period of 60 days. 

8 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Who are they trying to convince with these "plans" and "ideas"?

 

Themselves? Thai people?

 

It's certainly not us, we're already here. And if its potential tourists just STOP confusing them with the today's "plan".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just look at it as yet another photo op. 

Let's face it, if it was not for photo ops, there won't be any form of entertaining news............

 

Quarantine-there's that word again.A no doubter non starter.Same goes for restricted areas allowed to visit.

Nock, Nock, hello anybody home, maybe a good idea to wait for Thailand's population to be vaccinated, then you can start coming up with the BS schemes.

11 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

... Meanwhile Brits, having been vaccinated, will be able to take their annual 2 weeks summer holiday in Cyprus without being incarcerated and gouged of their hard earned cash.

Higher density of Russians though....swings and roundabouts.

And RETIREES?

Quote

GET it through your heads..nobody is coming to Thailand to quarantine ..NOBODY

 

10 hours ago, Katipo said:

While there are still wrinkles, this seems to be the most sensible attempt yet. I sincerely hope for the sake of all those affected, that they can successfully open the country up to some degree soon.

People will visit those countries with least barriers , that does not bode well for Thailand .

When will the deluded souls @ TAT realise that they need tourists far more than tourists need Thailand.

9 hours ago, sandyf said:

Fortunately it is not up to you, or anyone else on this forum.

Not very fortunate for the millions of people in Thailand reliant on tourism is it , should they eat cake ?

15 hours ago, AlfHuy said:

Here we go again. The Friday's muppet show.

We're the peanut gallery.

9 hours ago, sandyf said:

Fortunately it is not up to you, or anyone else on this forum.

.......but in the end it will be how it's going to work, sooner or later !

10 hours ago, madmitch said:

How many long-stay tourists come during the rainy season?

erm - rainy season? WHAT rainy season? Which one of the three that Thailand has?

Evidently not your rainy season!

But on Koh Samui we won't get our rainy season until November -  another nine months.

 

At this stage we need flights to Thailand at reasonable prices.Airlines are not stupid and will resume when it is safe.Sad to say it will not happen if tourist need to spend 2 weeks in quarantined on arrival.I await for next weeks BUZZWORD. 

The cynical side of me says that the powers that be an the well off want this lock down / shut down to continue for as long as possible - all that lovely well placed property and assets in tourist areas going for satang on the baht right now.

22 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Bubble should be the buzzword.  Each tourist will get their own bubble to stay inside of.

 

I preferer water sport.

 

7 hours ago, Albert Zweistein said:

.......but in the end it will be how it's going to work, sooner or later !

Speculation obviously, unless of course you have a link.

8 hours ago, joecoolfrog said:

Not very fortunate for the millions of people in Thailand reliant on tourism is it , should they eat cake ?

You would have to show me where I said there would be no tourists.

Nobody on this forum will have any say on how tourists arrive, so why try and make out otherwise.