Chiang Mai: Four districts in "sandbox" reopening by August 1st - tourists to spend 27 billion baht by end of year

[webfact]

File photo

 

Thai media has reported that foreign and domestic tourists will bring in 27 billion baht to the Chiang Mai economy after four provinces are opened up come August first.

 

The key is to get 70% or more of the population vaccinated.

 

Manager reported yesterday that the vaccine rollout was proceeding well at the meeting hall of Chiang Mai University under the auspices of Maharat Nakhon Chiang Mai Hospital. 

 

It was the second day of jabs for those aged 60+ and people with underlying health conditions. 

 

The jabs and document checks  were taking just 12 minutes with a thirty minute waiting period after so it was all done in three quarters of an hour. 

 

Health personnel reminded people to be well rested and hydrated before arriving.

 

Meanwhile Nawaphol Khantawanich of the "We Love Chiang Mai" investment fund was bullish about domestic and foreign tourism in the northern capital.

 

He said that Chiang Mai would be adopting the "sandbox" model with tourists on sealed routes come August 1st.

 

It would all be done with proper operating procedures and participating outlets and be limited to Muang district as well as three others: Mae Rim, Mae Taeng and Doi Tao. 

 

He anticipated that more than 70% of the population in these districts would be vaccinated by mid July ahead of the big reopening. 

 

And by the end of the year his estimation was that tourists would have contributed 27 billion baht to the local economy. 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-06-09

 

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[RandolphGB]

The sandbox idea seems to be the way Thailand will open up. Tourist numbers will increase slowly. 

 

 

[keith101]

These numbers look just like TAT work which is just plucked out of thin air . Delusions of  Grandeur expecting 5 billion spent month on month , i cant imagine how many tourists it would take to do that but i very much doubt they will get enough of them IMO .

 

[Excel]

1 minute ago, keith101 said:

These numbers look just like TAT work which is just plucked out of thin air . Delusions of  Grandeur expecting 5 billion spent month on month , i cant imagine how many tourists it would take to do that but i very much doubt they will get enough of them IMO .

 

Very few if the Indian variant, delta, is rampant here

[Shuya]

No tourist will spend holidays in a sandbox. There is just no reason to do so. Only thing even worth considering is doing a relaxed-entry-quarantine in this places. 

[MadMac]

45 minutes ago, RandolphGB said:

The sandbox idea seems to be the way Thailand will open up. Tourist numbers will increase slowly. 

 

 

This is all wishfull thinking. Just wait for the first "fully" vaccinated people coming down with the virus as we've already seen it in for instance the Seychelles or Singapore. We all know what happens then, total panic without any mindful plan. I don't want to be particularly in Phuket for this to happen.

[smedly]

how do they hope to contain people in these districts even if they did decide to come

 

I wonder what they are smokin to dream up this nonsense 

[khunPer]

Another Thaivisa article about Pattaya's reopening said, that Chinese tourists shall not be expected, as they are due to 3 weeks quarantine when they return home.

 

Before the pandemic 43 percent of Chiang Mai's tourists were Chinese according to 2018 statistic.

 

The article also mentioned that the tourists during the reopening were expected to be American, European and Russians. 8 percent of Chaing Mais tourists came from USA before the pandemic, and 5 percent from UK, down to real numbers it was around 400,000 from US and 200,000 from UK.

[Tony125]

US is warning it's citizens to only visit Thailand if fully vacinated

 

CDC issues updated COVID-19 travel guidance for dozens of countries

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/cdc-issues-updated-covid-19-travel-guidance-for-dozens-of-countries/ar-AAKQtw4?li=BBnb7Kz

 

 

 

COVID-19 Travel Recommendations------Thailand is level 3

 

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/noticescovid19

[yang123]

"The vaccine roll-out was proceeding well"

 

Sorry to intrude, but how many folks received vaccinations at CM and what was the vaccine?

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai media has reported that foreign and domestic tourists will bring in 27 billion baht to the Chiang Mai economy after four provinces are opened up come August first.

Jeez, now they're joining forces with Phuket & Pattaya with the..." how much farangs will spend"

[My POV]

They need to give us all a bit of what they are smoking and drinking so we can at least laugh a bit more at these ridiculous numbers. ????

[terminatorchiangmai]

sticking your head in the sandbox it is then.

[ronaldo0]

27 billion !!! ????????????

[connda]

Chiang Mai: Four districts in "sandbox" reopening by August 1st - tourists to spend 27 billion baht by end of year

Lordie.  Whose derriere do they pull these numbers out of?  

[connda]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

He said that Chiang Mai would be adopting the "sandbox" model with tourists on sealed routes come August 1st.

Impossible!
 

What it seems completely devoid in this article is specifics about implementing a plan where tourists are forcefully corralled within the confines of Chiang Mai city and Mae Rim (neither of which are small) no less Mae Taeng and Doi Tao. 
How are they planning to do that?  Personal security escorts to make sure the cheeky tourist don't go off reservation? 
Then I can imagine those of us who actually live here! Are we to become continually hassled by the RTP and whatever security forces are out and about in these districts forcing foreign tourist compliance?
"Why are you out without your minders?"
I live here.
"But but but, you all look the same!"
Yeah, I'd like some meat on this bone, not vaccination reports. 
How much of a hassle will it be to come to CM from Lamphun to see my kid, my grand-daughter, to visit the dentist???
"May I see your papers", "Why aren't you with your tour group."
Again - I live here. 
Will Chiang Mai start feeling like North Korea (no, I've never been and never wish to go, but I've heard stories). 
Is that where this is going to go.  Inquiring minds wish to know.

Edited June 9, 2021 by connda

[connda]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Jeez, now they're joining forces with Phuket & Pattaya with the..." how much farangs will spend"

To quote Carl Sagan, "Billions and billions!"  ????

[connda]

48 minutes ago, terminatorchiangmai said:

sticking your head in the sandbox it is then.

Don't do that.  My cat's been using it.  Don't tell the tourists!  "Shhhhh"

 

[Advocatus Diaboli]

11 minutes ago, ronaldo0 said:

27 billion !!! ????????????

That figure is 100% correct. Just that is 27 Billion Vietnamese Dong.

[Uroller]

Why would anybody go to Thailand for holiday as it is rated a high risk country requiring quarantine when you return home, Thailand was a green rated country before the Songkran mess but is now Amber and could easily go to red the way things are going????

[natway09]

I do not think that the Chinese are even allowed out at present a bit like most Australians & Kiwis

[pizzachang]

9 hours ago, Uroller said:

Why would anybody go to Thailand for holiday as it is rated a high risk country requiring quarantine when you return home, Thailand was a green rated country before the Songkran mess but is now Amber and could easily go to red the way things are going????

What's even more interesting, is the rhetoric we heard LAST summer..." The virus doesn't like hot weather, direct sun and open spaces." Then why close beaches?  Why are healthy people STILL not getting sick"?  Anyone who "tests" positive is "required to hospitalize....what do you think a poor, jobless (because of dubious, 'slow the spread controls') national, will do? And of course, the pipe dream of fantasizing about tourists (other than Chinese, some Japanese and Koreans) thinking a tightly controlled tour is a vacation?  There are the class of "tourists" who like being confined on cruise ships; places where viruses have spread regularly, long before C19....but those do supply all the food and drinks required for two weeks.

[sqwakvfr]

AHHHHHHHHHH, middle of June. Gyms and Movie Theaters are closed.  No alcohol in restaurants.  The safest places I have been to lately have been out to lunch because lately no more than 1 or 2 persons are eating anywhere I go.  Admittedly I eat out at mostly mall restaurants or western style places but still I have even noticed a drop in the number of food delivery drivers who have been waiting as I eat quietly.  Thai's do not adapt to sudden changes well. I see a major problem if restaurants or shopping malls ever get crowded again because it has been "dead" for more than a year.  It appears some of the businesses and workers have adapted to this slow pace of work(slower than in the past).   

[Sticky Rice Balls]

23 hours ago, Excel said:

Very few if the Indian variant, delta, is rampant here

I would expect an "Indian" variant to prefer the pattaya area, and a it splits itself very quickly ????

[Sticky Rice Balls]

Id come back as Cm is where i stay..I was gonna tolerate phuket for 7 days but 14? no way

 

Even considered 14 in BKK just to get back in....but if they did a CM ASQ for a week id bite the bullet

 

A ghost town without chinese or tourists sounds lovely as I just rode my bike around daily and be "local"

 

The bonus being the chubby Isaan grannies on Loy Kroh would be so happy to see me, so hansum! ????

[thaibeachlovers]

On 6/9/2021 at 2:45 PM, webfact said:

Thai media has reported that foreign and domestic tourists will bring in 27 billion baht to the Chiang Mai economy after four provinces are opened up come August first.

IMO they won't be having any tourists once it gets out on "social media" that drinking alcohol in a bar gets one arrested in Chiang Mai. Who in their right mind would go to a city where all they can do is stay in their room and watch tv at night time.

!st August is just 11 days away.

 

I'm constantly boggled at the way the tourist people are sabotaged by the cops.

[kamma]

Such a one sided mindset.

 

Forget the woes of others as long as we open our doors they're sure to come?!

[heybruce]

"He anticipated that more than 70% of the population in these districts would be vaccinated by mid July ahead of the big reopening.  "

 

What percent has been vaccinated at this time?

[BritManToo]

On 6/9/2021 at 9:45 AM, webfact said:

The key is to get 70% or more of the population vaccinated.

So they need to vaccinate 63% of the CM population in the next 2 days?

Doesn't seem likely.

Edited July 29, 2021 by BritManToo

[BritManToo]

On 7/20/2021 at 4:04 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO they won't be having any tourists once it gets out on "social media" that drinking alcohol in a bar gets one arrested in Chiang Mai.

Not to forget 2 days back drinking alcohol in a private villa gets 6 people arrested.