Koh Samui: Foreign tourists set to be welcome subject to rules from July 1st

[desert dueller]

8 hours ago, AlfHuy said:

They will not come into contact with local people.

 

So, no massages, no eating in restaurants, no drinks, no nothing.

No shift in employment opportunities for locals, then. So who is benefitting? And can you visit a 7/11? Who staffs that? And what are "local people" anyway?

[thasoss]

I nteresting views on this topic,I concur with spidermike and bendecosta.Tourists will only return when there is certainty and there is none for people wishing to come to thailand at the mo. and even if the authorities made it simple who would come?...not the chinese,not the indians, and not the japanese,not the aussies or kiwi's.....maybe americans.But the govt. have to start somewhere and a trickle will come,not enough to reopen Lamai or Chaweng.Self contained villa's may do well..

Just my 2 bob's worth...until governments come to realize we all have to live with these viruses and carry on, then nothing is going to change.It is not possible to extinguish a virus,you cannot have zero cases and zero deaths.At present the minute a cluster flares up,no matter if its a 1000klm. away,they start closing every one up,so you end up with repeated lockdowns and livelihoods continue to be wrecked.Thailand,i believe is in dire straits and something needs to happen,people need the assurance of government support  if they cannot work as a direct result of government policy.otherwise society starts to break down.

Good luck Samui and Phuket too,I hope everything opens up soon.

[BenDeCosta]

18 minutes ago, thasoss said:

I nteresting views on this topic,I concur with spidermike and bendecosta.Tourists will only return when there is certainty and there is none for people wishing to come to thailand at the mo. and even if the authorities made it simple who would come?...not the chinese,not the indians, and not the japanese,not the aussies or kiwi's.....maybe americans.But the govt. have to start somewhere and a trickle will come,not enough to reopen Lamai or Chaweng.Self contained villa's may do well..

Just my 2 bob's worth...until governments come to realize we all have to live with these viruses and carry on, then nothing is going to change.It is not possible to extinguish a virus,you cannot have zero cases and zero deaths.At present the minute a cluster flares up,no matter if its a 1000klm. away,they start closing every one up,so you end up with repeated lockdowns and livelihoods continue to be wrecked.Thailand,i believe is in dire straits and something needs to happen,people need the assurance of government support  if they cannot work as a direct result of government policy.otherwise society starts to break down.

Good luck Samui and Phuket too,I hope everything opens up soon.

 

The funny thing is, they are vehemently militant about controlling this virus, but many more people die on the roads, and they do absolutely nothing about that. If they wanted to bring deaths down, then their first port of call should be road traffic accidents. But clearly, they are just pandering to a worldwide agenda about this virus, which kills far fewer people than motorcycle accidents in Thailand at least. Therefore, I would suggest that the Thai government doesn't give a rat's ass about the death figures, but just wants to be seen as doing well on the world stage.

 

The whole thing just stinks to me. There is obviously something else going on here. There is no scientific evidence to show that lockdowns do anything against a virus, yet countries around the world acted in lock-step to introduce them.

 

I think that most countries around the world were pre-warned and told what to do in the case of a pandemic like this (courtesy of the world economic forum), and lo and behold, when it just conveniently happened shortly afterwards, they did what they were told. Jeff Bezos has made 80 BILLION dollars since covid started.

[ronaldo0]

1 hour ago, gearbox said:

The tourism is in severe downturn, but nevertheless they continue to build eyesores...Choengmon beach.

 

 

Construction never really stopped as a lot of these projects will have had all the paperwork etc signed off and completion dates etc to be met . If they are not met or projects not started on time then they have to apply again as far as I’m aware and that means more money getting paid out .

Correct about eyesores though . The mess above banrak seemed to kick it off in that area and it’s went on to Chong mon and now even bophut is getting trashed . As for chaweng noi ????

[Tropicalevo]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Actually, I love Samui. Just returned from a great trip to Samui and Phangan. I left because I had alot of issues, most of which have never been addressed. Just telling it, as I see it. Sorry if that hurts. 

 

Thanks for the correction on the vaccines. My friends living there will be pleased. Is the astro an option? 

It is the only option for 60+ years old.

Under 60 - pot luck on the day.

[brucegoniners]

Soooooo, tourists have only a 7 day quarantine, but people returning to Thailand have a 14 day one if they're vaccinated?

 

Sure, makes sense to me...

[Hugh Jampton]

8 hours ago, khunPer said:

Direct flights from China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore have been flying daily before Covid-19 lockdown, and some of them even during a period upon reopening after 1st wave, plenty of international flight possibilities; you might be able to transit in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, or Singapore, which a number of people already did before Covid...????

I was responding to a previous question about flights from london frankfurt etc and i understand it samui cant handle anything bigger than a 737. Also didnt i read that bangkok airways were involved and id guess that means transit thru bkk for european flights. Could be wrong, time will tell

[zaiko]

Thailand will be off my list as long there are restrictions for Covid-19. Vaccination must be sufficient. All the rest is irrevelant.

 

[FarangJon]

Yet antoher supa dupa idea. No one will come.

No contact to thai people lol

[FarangJon]

9 hours ago, AlfHuy said:

They will not come into contact with local people.

 

So, no massages, no eating in restaurants, no drinks, no nothing.

Yeah. No reason to go there.

[Maha Sarakham]

Tourism in Thailand... starting to seem like an impossible feat.  

[Silencer]

3 hours ago, BenDeCosta said:

After watching a few videos about the current state of Samui on YouTube, I can't imagine why anyone would want to visit right now, unless of course they have friends or family living there.

Depends what you want for in a holiday. I would not fly half-way around the world to come here now. Likely closer places to find peace and solitude. However, as a resident here, Samui has been a paradise the last year and a half. Although I feel for my friends and locals that relied on tourists, it does not diminish the fact that Samui has returned as a tropical island again, without the crowds. Plenty of places to eat, if you don't cook, and the bars will open again for a night out soon enough. Samui is definitely not the place to come for the party crowd now.

[khunPer]

49 minutes ago, Hugh Jampton said:

I was responding to a previous question about flights from london frankfurt etc and i understand it samui cant handle anything bigger than a 737. Also didnt i read that bangkok airways were involved and id guess that means transit thru bkk for european flights. Could be wrong, time will tell

USM has 2100 meters runway, and cannot take fully loaded larger long distance airplanes, but China, Korea, Japan, India, The Gulf, and northern part of Australia are technically within range; Airbus 320 has a range of 6,000 kilometers (3,300 nm) with 2100 meter take off run, and Airbus 319 almost 7,000 kilometers (3,750 nm) with 1.850 meter take off run, both models operated by Bangkok Airways. European transit, as I wrote in my reply, have been through Singapore or Hong Kong. At the moment transit in BKK is not allowed under the sandbox-model.

[Hugh Jampton]

4 minutes ago, khunPer said:

USM has 2100 meters runway, and cannot take fully loaded larger long distance airplanes, but China, Korea, Japan, India, The Gulf, and northern part of Australia are technically within range; Airbus 320 has a range of 6,000 kilometers (3,300 nm) with 2100 meter take off run, and Airbus 319 almost 7,000 kilometers (3,750 nm) with 1.850 meter take off run, both models operated by Bangkok Airways. European transit, as I wrote in my reply, have been through Singapore or Hong Kong. At the moment transit in BKK is not allowed under the sandbox-model.

Interesting stuff, thanks for the info, i remember doing some brief research when it was first muted that samui and phuket would be the first to open because they were islands. Bangkok airways will be involved somehow obiously. Its good to see that some forward progress is being made and these are the first steps, along with the vaccine roll out gathering pace. 

[Dtaw]

Ko Samui sucks. The last 15 years or so has seen it become grossly overdeveloped and trashed. Only the most unimaginative would ever consider booking a trip there. Overpriced garbage with mediocre food and jetski clogged beaches. Just a dump. 

[anon7854]

11 hours ago, khunPer said:

Direct flights from China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore have been flying daily before Covid-19 lockdown, and some of them even during a period upon reopening after 1st wave, plenty of international flight possibilities; you might be able to transit in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, or Singapore, which a number of people already did before Covid...????

 

If I remember correctly for China it was a charter not a daily flight. 

Anyway , the idea was that the airport has a short runway accompanying only short/medium range planes. You will not be able to have a direct flight coming from Europe/US for example as the big planes will not be able to land.

[daxbr]

Thanks, but no thanks.

[Chelseafan]

13 hours ago, gearbox said:

 

Whoever was desperate to get back is already back with the 15 days ASQ.  There will be no tourists coming, but it will be easier for foreigners living here to go back to their home country and then come back if vaccinated.

Also what is this "stringent testing" for locals? If I go to the Taksin Hospital in Surat Thani for a day, do I need to do a PCR test when catching the last ferry back?

 

I'm one of those who are desperate to get back but can't afford another 10 days quarantine on my return to blighty.

Would love to see my wife & child...

Yep, too many unanswered questions.

[Chelseafan]

11 hours ago, bikerlou47 said:

The Thai government just does not understand the facts!

What is the point to limit travel to a person who is fully vaccinated and has test tested negative before the flight and after the flight!

 

Exactly. I read somewhere that only 0.6% of those inbound tourists have found to have Covid and they've all been quarantined/hospitalised which begs the question, where are these outbreaks coming from ? I can only see one reason - illegal immigrants from the surrounding countries.

 

This begs another question, if Thailand cannot control their borders then what's the point of quarantine for those who have been double jabbed?

 

 

[khunPer]

1 hour ago, anon7854 said:

 

If I remember correctly for China it was a charter not a daily flight. 

Anyway , the idea was that the airport has a short runway accompanying only short/medium range planes. You will not be able to have a direct flight coming from Europe/US for example as the big planes will not be able to land.

Just like many tourist destinations, for example Phuket, a lot of tourists arrive by package tours in charter flights.

 

By question of runway length and technical possibilities for medium range aircrafts, like Bangkok Airways' Airbus 319s and 320s, and potential international destinations, see my above post; Asia, northern Australia and part of Middle East are within reach for direct flights.

 

Some Westerners arrived before via transit in Hong Kong and Singapore. There were two daily Airbus flights from Hong Kong and up to two daily flights from Singapore. Hong Kong is a fine transit for both northern Europeans and Americans, and some Europeans got good bargains with Singapore Airlines to Samui via Singapore, instead of a flight via Bangkok. However, the majority of scheduled flight-passengers always came via Bangkok. A direct route from Dubai was also once in planning, it might even have been in operation for a while.

 

Samui has usually been a destination for mainly Westerners rather than Asians, but that might change after the Covid. It's only speculations at this point, but an increase of both Chinese, Japanese and South Korean guests seem likely as direct flights are within reach.

 

Where for example Pattaya in 2018 (the latest specifications I've seen) had 40% Chinese and 10% Indian visitors, and Phuket had 35% Chinese and 10% Russians, Samui had only 15% Chinese, but 10% Brits and 10% Germans. However, during the later years it seems like Asian tourists have been increasing, whilst Westerners have either remained the same or decreased a bit (relative fewer when other nationalities increase), so a slow change in nationality of tourists, as well as increasing number of families with children, has been ongoing during probably the whole last decade.

 

Also take into consideration that the total number of turist arrivals in Thailand went up from 10 million to almost 40 million in 20 years, where numbers of many Western visitors topped around 2012-2014, and by that time the total arrivals were around 25 millions.

 

Direct flights from Europe might not have the same interest in the future as it potentially would have had a decade ago, and direct flights from US to Thailand has always been limited to ER (Extended Range) long range airplanes with a distance around 13,000 kilometers to the US West Coast.

 

Another aspect is that Chinese in average are spenders with a daily average of $192.84 (2017 figure); and Europeans are on the lowest budget, daily average $125.47; Americans came in second lowest with $147.32. Tourist from Middle East spent $190.60 as second highest, but they are relative few, and Asians excluding ASEAN spent $175 a day. Average for all nationalities it was $159.32, so from an economical point of view both Americans and Europeans are under average spenders, and might be of less interest compared to Asian and Middle East tourists.

 

In 2019 57.80% of all tourist arrivals were Chinese, whilst USA only was 0.55%. Of specified Europeans Brits were 1.98%, Germans 1.29%, and French 0.92%, whilst 6.78% were Russians. We Westerners are not as important for Thai tourism as we may think, but still little more important on Samui...????

[Chelseafan]

6 hours ago, gearbox said:

The beach at the Ritz-Carlton, Plai Laem yesterday....not a single soul to be seen. Crappy beach BTW. Look at the pipes going into the sea...wondering what comes out of these.

 

 

 

Two things you should never ask

 

1) How they make sausages

2) Whats in pipes leading to Thai beaches...

 

[Chelseafan]

5 hours ago, desert dueller said:

No shift in employment opportunities for locals, then. So who is benefitting? And can you visit a 7/11? Who staffs that? And what are "local people" anyway?

 

More importantly, can I get beer??

[Chelseafan]

19 minutes ago, khunPer said:

Another aspect is that Chinese in average are spenders with a daily average of $192.84 (2017 figure); and Europeans are on the lowest budget, daily average $125.47; Americans came in second lowest with $147.32. Tourist from Middle East spent $190.60 as second highest, but they are relative few, and Asians excluding ASEAN spent $175 a day. Average for all nationalities it was $159.32, so from an economical point of view both Americans and Europeans are under average spenders, and might be of less interest compared to Asian and Middle East tourists.

 

 

I've always disputed these figures. Chinese pre-pay their trips and shop in malls on debit/credit cards so the data is easily collated. Europeans tend to pay cash which is harder to monitor.

Anyhow off-subject, Sorry.

 

[anon7854]

 

They may be many but they are not big spenders , let's get this out of the way. I am not sure where that myth came from. The average salary in China is much lower than in Europe or US or Japan for that matter. It is impossible for a Chinese to have more disposable income. Also it isn't fair to compare how many Chinese go to Thailand vs Europeans. It is like comparing how many European tourists go to a European country vs how many Chinese get to Europe. Of course there are many ,  they are very close to each other - probably very cheap plane tickets.

 

[khunPer]

8 minutes ago, anon7854 said:

 

They may be many but they are not big spenders , let's get this out of the way.

 

Asians stay less days in the country than European and Americans, therefore you have to look at daily usage rather than what a person (per tourist) spend in total to compare.

[bangon04]

16 hours ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

The  locals  will miss their  opportunities then.

All the resorts will be operated and staffed by Chinese?????

[mtls2005]

9 hours ago, khunPer said:

but China, Korea, Japan, India, The Gulf, and northern part of Australia are technically within range

 

 

So in addiiton to scuba lessons there will be parachute lessons as well? 

 

All this talk about runways and aircraft is beyond silly.

 

You can't just lay on flights without months and months of advanced planning.

 

The only option is PG - with limited capcity (70 seat ATR, A319), via BKK or by boat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[hotchilli]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

After this they can do limited travel for the next three days according to the Samui Sealed Route Model.

 

They will not come into contact with local people.

So if they see a local they must cross the street, cannot go shopping in any type of convenience store or market, cannot eat in local restaurants, cannot use cafes, cannot use local transport.

How ridiculous is that.

[Tropicalevo]

7 hours ago, Chelseafan said:

 

I'm one of those who are desperate to get back but can't afford another 10 days quarantine on my return to blighty.

Would love to see my wife & child...

Yep, too many unanswered questions.

If you do the ASQ quarantine, you do not have to do the Samui 'sandbox' thing. (Who on earth invented that name?)

We have guests arriving on Samui every week having completed the ASQ quarantine. They just come straight to the villa. No hassles.

 

The sandbox is so that you do not have to do the 15 days ASQ.

[Tropicalevo]

9 hours ago, anon7854 said:

 

If I remember correctly for China it was a charter not a daily flight. 

Anyway , the idea was that the airport has a short runway accompanying only short/medium range planes. You will not be able to have a direct flight coming from Europe/US for example as the big planes will not be able to land.

There were both charter and daily scheduled flights to Samui from China. At least three different airlines.

You are correct in that the long-haul larger planes cannot land here.