REUTERS file photo

 

A leading Thai travel agent has said that the focus at present remains "Thai Thiaw Thai" and not "Thai Thiaw Nork".

 

The first expression means for Thais to travel domestically, the second is to start going abroad.

 

Suthipong Pheuanphiphop of TTAA, the Thai Travel Agents' Association chief, was talking to business media after vaccine rollout in many countries throughout the world showed positivity and some firms were even offering "vaccine tours".

 

Suthipong said that while some FITs (fully independent travellers) were going abroad Group Tours were still not running anywhere. 

 

In his mind the focus at the moment was to encourage inbound rather than outbound tourism for Thailand's travel agents. 

 

Clearly much of this will rely on Thailand getting its vaccine act together to create herd immunity as quickly as possible to encourage tourism.

 

So far Thailand's rollout has been widely criticised for being slow and poorly managed. The government is insisting that next month problems will start to be resolved with vaccination center trials over and a large quantity of locally produced AstraZeneca vaccine becoming available from Siam BioScience. 

 

Much will depend on that as Thailand attempts to vaccinate 70% of its population by the end of the year. 

 

Vaccinations for frontline people in tourist areas have begun. But in Pattaya yesterday there was chaos with a large number of unexpected "walk-ins".

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-05-21

 

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This may change if this can not be done as the below quote states.

18 minutes ago, webfact said:

Much will depend on that as Thailand attempts to vaccinate 70% of its population by the end of the year. 

Additionally, until the Sinovac vaccine is accepted as a approved vaccination then Thais and those vaccinated with it will not be accepted either for travel to certain locations.

 

EU regulator examines Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine (aa.com.tr)

 

Coronavirus: those inoculated with Chinese, Russian vaccines could face travel inequality | South China Morning Post (scmp.com)

 

So until this plays out Thai's are going nowhere unless they get another type of vaccination.  There are those flying to the US, who have money, and obtaining their vaccinations which are accepted in many countries.

You want to travel don’t get China or Russian Jabs 

20 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

This may change if this can not be done as the below quote states.

Additionally, until the Sinovac vaccine is accepted as a approved vaccination then Thais and those vaccinated with it will not be accepted either for travel to certain locations.

 

EU regulator examines Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine (aa.com.tr)

 

Coronavirus: those inoculated with Chinese, Russian vaccines could face travel inequality | South China Morning Post (scmp.com)

 

So until this plays out Thai's are going nowhere unless they get another type of vaccination.  There are those flying to the US, who have money, and obtaining their vaccinations which are accepted in many countries.

but this could be a double-edged sword as China and/or Russia could deny entry to people with other vaccines then the ones produced by them

90 day reports and Tm30's no matter where they go!

Never know how many of them might overstay their visas and work illegally.

 

Gotta keep an eye on them....

34 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

but this could be a double-edged sword as China and/or Russia could deny entry to people with other vaccines then the ones produced by them

Well worth the trade off.

 

Having been to China I'm in no rush to go back. Countries refusing to recognize Sinovac as an approved vaccine would be an excellent way to reduce the environmental scourge of mass Chinese tourism. Quid pro Quo.

 

The only downside would be that Thailand will be one of the countries that would recognize it, so those hordes that can't go anywhere else would inevitably end up here.

42 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

but this could be a double-edged sword as China and/or Russia could deny entry to people with other vaccines then the ones produced by them

And pray tell why would I want to go to China or Russia,  oh yes it was not about me but others...gotcha.

Definitely not ready.  Japan has banned arrivals from Thailand.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

So far Thailand's rollout has been widely criticised for being slow and poorly managed

 

Justifiably so as well .. vaccination is the only way out of this but the procrastination and stalling are yet another example of why military men are not suited to running a country .. 

30 minutes ago, Justgrazing said:

 

Justifiably so as well .. vaccination is the only way out of this but the procrastination and stalling are yet another example of why military men are not suited to running a country .. 

You must be wrong, I thought they were punctual and took charge.

When the Japanese invaded in 1941 it took only five hours to find Prime Minister Field Marshal Phibun Songkhram, in order for him to make the decision to tell the military to stop fighting.

2 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

 

 

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

Well worth the trade off.

 

Having been to China I'm in no rush to go back. Countries refusing to recognize Sinovac as an approved vaccine would be an excellent way to reduce the environmental scourge of mass Chinese tourism. Quid pro Quo.

 

The only downside would be that Thailand will be one of the countries that would recognize it, so those hordes that can't go anywhere else would inevitably end up here.

 

Can't clear the <deleted> editor easily...

 

Responding to JonnyF.

 

Great point. It would be rather sweet to see HiSo (mostly Sino) Thai snobs refused entry to many of the countries they love to visit and post to social media on account of having received the Chinese gunk. It'd be wonderful to tell them, "well, why don't you visit your motherland China?? China is the best at anything and everything, after all."

I doubt that Thais with the CP/Sinovac jab will never be able to travel anywhere but China unless they get a reliable vaccination

4 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

This may change if this can not be done as the below quote states.

Additionally, until the Sinovac vaccine is accepted as a approved vaccination then Thais and those vaccinated with it will not be accepted either for travel to certain locations.

 

EU regulator examines Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine (aa.com.tr)

 

Coronavirus: those inoculated with Chinese, Russian vaccines could face travel inequality | South China Morning Post (scmp.com)

 

So until this plays out Thai's are going nowhere unless they get another type of vaccination.  There are those flying to the US, who have money, and obtaining their vaccinations which are accepted in many countries.

China will not accept any tourist without having been inoculated with their own vaccine

 

4 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

This may change if this can not be done as the below quote states.

Additionally, until the Sinovac vaccine is accepted as a approved vaccination then Thais and those vaccinated with it will not be accepted either for travel to certain locations.

 

EU regulator examines Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine (aa.com.tr)

 

Coronavirus: those inoculated with Chinese, Russian vaccines could face travel inequality | South China Morning Post (scmp.com)

 

So until this plays out Thai's are going nowhere unless they get another type of vaccination.  There are those flying to the US, who have money, and obtaining their vaccinations which are accepted in many countries.

Soon apologies:

Misunderstanding. It's 7% not 70%

4 hours ago, Mavideol said:

but this could be a double-edged sword as China and/or Russia could deny entry to people with other vaccines then the ones produced by them

Get a Pfizer in your right arm

A Moderna in your left arm

Astra-Zeneca left leg

Chinese thing in your right leg

In your backdoor, get the Russian Vodka

 

Sorted: you can travel the world.

3 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

And pray tell why would I want to go to China or Russia,  oh yes it was not about me but others...gotcha.

To get your lady a new Ei fon

4 hours ago, Mavideol said:

but this could be a double-edged sword as China and/or Russia could deny entry to people with other vaccines then the ones produced by them

For me, at least—I have no desire to travel to the home of Covid, or to Russia.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Vaccinations for frontline people in tourist areas have begun. But in Pattaya yesterday there was chaos with a large number of unexpected "walk-ins".

Thailand is chaos... it can't do it any other way.

5 hours ago, Mavideol said:

but this could be a double-edged sword as China and/or Russia could deny entry to people with other vaccines then the ones produced by them

Indeed, the very first announcement China made on this subject months ago was that they would only allow entry to foreigners vaccinated with one of the Chinese vaccines.

I believe they have since expanded this to include additional foreign vaccines - but that was the first step they took - Chinese vaccine only and they were not quiet about it.

 

8 hours ago, Ireland32 said:

You want to travel don’t get China or Russian Jabs 

unless you are travelling to China.....  (or Russia)

9 hours ago, webfact said:

A leading Thai travel agent has said that the focus at present remains "Thai Thiaw Thai" and not "Thai Thiaw Nork".

Dude can't distinguish between tourism and medical necessity.  Well there's a travel agent who will be missing out on the "Thai Ow Woxine" or Thais Want Vaccinated which has little to do with tourism and everything to do with personal safety.
If he won't book vaccine flights for well-to-do Thais, some other entrepreneurial Thai travel agent will. 

8 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

This may change if this can not be done as the below quote states.

Additionally, until the Sinovac vaccine is accepted as a approved vaccination then Thais and those vaccinated with it will not be accepted either for travel to certain locations.

 

EU regulator examines Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine (aa.com.tr)

 

Coronavirus: those inoculated with Chinese, Russian vaccines could face travel inequality | South China Morning Post (scmp.com)

 

So until this plays out Thai's are going nowhere unless they get another type of vaccination.  There are those flying to the US, who have money, and obtaining their vaccinations which are accepted in many countries.

Vaccines as Geo-political weapons. There really is no place in the world for that nonsense, and yet, here it is.

6 hours ago, bluesofa said:

You must be wrong, I thought they were punctual and took charge.

When the Japanese invaded in 1941 it took only five hours to find Prime Minister Field Marshal Phibun Songkhram, in order for him to make the decision to tell the military to stop fighting.

But but but - they have never ever been defeated by a foreign power.  ????

4 hours ago, malibukid said:

China will not accept any tourist without having been inoculated with their own vaccine

 

 

An unattributed speculative and probably libelous post has been removed

2 minutes ago, CALSinCM said:

But but but - they have never ever been defeated by a foreign power.  ????

You're right, it was one way to avoid defeat, by 'allowing' them in and not fighting with them (after the first five hours).

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_invasion_of_Thailand

https://dniewcollectors.blogspot.com/2012/06/japanese-occupation-thanland-note.html  

9 hours ago, Mavideol said:

but this could be a double-edged sword as China and/or Russia could deny entry to people with other vaccines then the ones produced by them

Would think the numbers breaking their necks to get to China or Russia are pretty low in the overal scheme of travel. 

31 minutes ago, CALSinCM said:

But but but - they have never ever been defeated by a foreign power.  ????

Dropping your trousers is not technically a defeat...... 

6 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

 

Responding to JonnyF.

 

Great point. It would be rather sweet to see HiSo (mostly Sino) Thai snobs refused entry to many of the countries they love to visit and post to social media on account of having received the Chinese gunk. It'd be wonderful to tell them, "well, why don't you visit your motherland China?? China is the best at anything and everything, after all."

 

Sounds like a Thai person can still visit the U.S. without being vaccinated at all:

 

The US CDC policy on this for incoming international travelers to the U.S.:

 

"This guidance applies to COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson (J&J)/Janssen COVID-19 vaccines.  This guidance can also be applied to COVID-19 vaccines that have been authorized for emergency use by the World Health Organization (e.g. AstraZeneca/Oxford)." -- which for now excludes Sinovac...

 

"In general, people are considered fully vaccinated: ^±

• 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
• 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine"

If you don’t meet these requirements, regardless of your age, you are NOT fully vaccinated.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html#vaccinated

 

However....

 

If you are not fully vaccinated and must travel, follow CDC’s international travel recommendations for unvaccinated people.

• Before you arrive in the United States:
  • All air passengers coming to the United States, including U.S. citizens and fully vaccinated people, are required to have a negative COVID-19 viral test result no more than 3 days before travel or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months before they board a flight to the United States.
• After you travel:
  • Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel AND stay home and self-quarantine for a full 7 days after travel.
    • Even if you test negative, stay home and self-quarantine for the full 7 days.
    • If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected.
  • If you don’t get tested, stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel.
  • Avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness for 14 days, whether you get tested or not.
  • Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel-during-covid19.html#:~:text=All air passengers coming to,to the United States.

 

The only way would be for Thais to stow away in a Durian shipment