Government told: Stop the flip-flopping on Phuket foreign tourism reopening - let the locals decide

[webfact]

Picture: Daily News

 

A Pheu Thai politician told the Thai government to stop its flip-flopping on plans to reopen the country to foreign tourism.

 

The Phuket sandbox was due to start next month without quarantine for foreigners. Then the center for Covid Situation Administration threw a spanner in the works saying tourists would need to quarantine for 14 days. 

 

Tourists were left with not knowing whether they were coming or going!

 

Then the tourism minister in one report suggested that the island was not ready to link up with Samui on July 1st and may not even be ready at all.

 

It was also announced that bars and entertainment would not be reopening on July 1st.

 

This all led to the Pheu Thai party arranging a public forum about the issue.

 

Nan politician and party health spokeswoman Dr Chollanan Srikaew told the government to stop flip-flopping. 

 

She said that locals in Phuket should come up with a workable plan not PM Prayut Chan-o-cha whose record so far has been terrible. 

 

If they presented their ideas to Prayut they were bound to be better. 

 

She called for mass vaccination in tourism areas like Phuket as well as mass testing as the keys to moving forward. 

 

Niphon Ekwanich, a Phuket businessman, outlined the devastation caused by the pandemic in Phuket saying that the mini-recovery last year after lockdown was eased was further destroyed by Waves 2 and 3 of Covid, reported Daily News. 

 

A near 400 billion baht business for Phuket - 300 billion from foreign tourists and 70 million from Thai domestic tourists - in 2019 was obliterated. 

 

He called on a "single command" approach of government and opposition MPs like what was experienced during the cave drama in Chiang Rai in 2018.

 

He wanted everyone to pull together in a united approach for the sake of the nation and tourism.

 

And he also called for an end to the confusion and conflicting statements coming out of the mouths of government officials every time they speak. 

 

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[Phuketshrew]

39 minutes ago, webfact said:

He called on a "single command" approach of government and opposition MPs like what was experienced during the cave drama in Chiang Rai in 2018.

The difference here is that Chiang Rai had a competent governor that got the job done instead of an incompetent xenophobe.

[jaiyen]

Phuket will never be ready for tourists until there are lots of planes flying.  Thats it ! Nothing more to be said.

[Surelynot]

Thai Government...stop flip-flopping??......Never I say, never.

[RotBenz8888]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

And he also called for an end to the confusion and conflicting statements coming out of the mouths of government officials every time they speak. 

Have to say, I love having my daily good laugh, it's pure madness????. 

[Caldera]

Let the locals decide? In Thailand? Nice one.

[Surelynot]

1 minute ago, Caldera said:

Let the locals decide? In Thailand? Nice one.

What could possibly go wrong?

[sammieuk1]

If you ever arrive the only thing to buy will be flipflops by the look of this circus ????

[Cake Monster]

18 minutes ago, Caldera said:

Let the locals decide? In Thailand? Nice one.

If the Locals were left to decide upon when, and who re-enters Phuket, there would be open pandemonium, chaos, and every chance that the Island would become a Petri Dish for Covid in very short order.

All the Locals care about is Tourist Money, and they really do not care, or have the relative knowledge to make informed decisions about the Local Economy or the welfare of the Citizens.

What a totally stupid, and ill thought out comment from somebody that is equally as stupid.

[holy cow cm]

 

But they are so comfortable.

[Desmondo69]

30 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Have to say, I love having my daily good laugh, it's pure madness????. 

Me too.. Choke on my coffee every morning.... ????????????

[klauskunkel]

Quote

Government told: Stop the flip-flopping

it's like telling an addict to stop using

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Tourists were left with not knowing whether they were coming or going!

Add the locals to that to, actually the entire Thailand population.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

She called for mass vaccination in tourism areas like Phuket as well as mass testing as the keys to moving forward.

The problem is the "mass vaccination bit"... there simply isn't enough.

Plus, don't just push for Phuket as some sort of saviour island, vaccinate the whole country and get Thailand moving forward should be the chorus echoing around the nation.

[spidermike007]

We are ready. No we are not ready. They were ready, but we were not. We were ready, but they were not. We are going to open July 1st. No August 1st. Maybe October 1st. Not sure. Maybe we will never open. Maybe we should just give up on tourism. After all, it is only 20% of our economy. We can always make up for it somewhere else. We are a giant, and one of the world's leading nations. 

 

Huh? You guys are the shame of the planet. Some of the most timid and cowardly people anywhere. Over 60 nations have fully opened for tourism already. Thailand as usual, is behind the curve. Shame on your guys. Livelihoods are a stake, and you act like it means nothing. How can one still be a rank amateur after how many years at the job? Your behavior has sabotaged a once lively industry. You goons are turning the nation from the tiger of SE Asia, into a tiny little, whiny, timid, traumatized, crying pussycat.

 

Let the islands decide, or the islands should act in total defiance of the administration and create their own plans. This is so far past ridiculous, it boggles the mind. 

 

Thailand is one of the countries open for tourism, but it has some of the strictest regulations. First, travelers must have a valid visa unless they qualify for the Visa Exemption Scheme. Once they have the approved visa, they must apply for a Certificate of Entry.

 

Additionally, tourists must present a medical certificate for a negative RT-PCR test result that was obtained within 72 hours of departure, proof of COVID-19 travel insurance coverage of over USD 100,000, as well as a reservation number for certified accommodation, such as an Alternative State Quarantine facility. This is where they’ll stay for the mandatory 14-day quarantine.

 

https://capturetheatlas.com/countries-open-for-tourism/#thailand

[Justgrazing]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

 

Nan politician and party health spokeswoman Dr Chollanan Srikaew told the government to stop flip-flopping. 

 

She said that locals in Phuket should come up with a workable plan not PM Prayut Chan-o-cha whose record so far has been terrible. 

 

If they presented their ideas to Prayut they were bound to be better

 

Blimey no messing there .. an invitation to an attitude adjustment course may be forthcoming after that .. 

[robertson468]

Thailand has become the laughing stock of the World due to its's flip flopping on Tourism and everyone and their Friend making decisions and then changing them.  Do they not have a Minister for the Interior who combined with the Minister for Tourism and (God forbid) Minister for Health make a decision.  I appreciate that the decision might change as issues develope, but this is rediculous!

[Burma Bill]

2 hours ago, jaiyen said:

Phuket will never be ready for tourists until there are lots of planes flying.

 

Yes indeed. I have just experimented trying to book a return ticket with AIR ASIA from Phnom Penh to Phuket via DMK, out Saturday 3 July, return Saturday 17 July for one person. I also tried different date combinations to see the responses - everyone "NOT AVAILABLE". Air Asia were previously listed as flying from Phnom Penh to Phuket via DMK. The experiment however, was of use as I was able to update my Air Asia Registration details from living in Thailand to living in Cambodia.

[sammieuk1]

Its now just announced wait until the 18th for another announcement about the probable announcement ???? 

[khunPer]

Hard to imagine a lot of Europens ans Americans planning for a Phuket vacation at the moment under these conflicting announcements and still numerous restrictions, and those tourists are the target, as Chinese need three weeks quarantine when returning from Thailand, so they might not be inetersted in a week or two on Phuket, and Russians might not have an approved vaccine when vaccinated, so they will not be let onto the island without quarantine.

[BestB]

Just the other week Phuket governor said something like 65% of the people have been vaccinated , so what on earth are they waiting for?

 

stop listening up the idiots in BKK, open up, any locals coming in must get a jab on arrival or no entry .

 

Tourists can stay at any hotel for 10-14 days , if they want to leave , must do the test . Easy as that 

[connda]

4 hours ago, jaiyen said:

Phuket will never be ready for tourists until there are lots of planes flying.  Thats it ! Nothing more to be said.

Businesses will not open until there are tourists;
Tourists will not return until there are open businesses including bars, restaurants, and entertainment - as well as being assured that the government won't close everything down on a whim every time their is a reported sniffle and implement additional layers or rules and regulations that simply kill any enjoyment to be had by vacationing in Thailand.

What I see on the horizon is an economic tsunami that is going to end tourism as it was once known in Thailand for a long, long time. 
No sane tourist is going to wade into the turbulent and constantly changing regulatory waters set loose by this government.  These people are incapable of grasping that fact.

[Mavideol]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

A Pheu Thai politician told the Thai government to stop its flip-flopping on plans to reopen the country to foreign tourism.

if they do that,  what else is there for them to justify their existence, flip-flopping is in their DNA

[connda]

1 hour ago, robertson468 said:

Do they not have a Minister for the Interior who combined with the Minister for Tourism and (God forbid) Minister for Health make a decision. 

They do seems to have a Ministry of Silly Walks that is functioning in top-notch form however!

[lavender19]

This is what happens when one person has complete power. No opposition. In the real world it's called a dict@torship

[Deli]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

We are ready. No we are not ready. They were ready, but we were not. We were ready, but they were not. We are going to open July 1st. No August 1st. Maybe October 1st. Not sure. Maybe we will never open. Maybe we should just give up on tourism. After all, it is only 20% of our economy. We can always make up for it somewhere else. We are a giant, and one of the world's leading nations. 

 

Huh? You guys are the shame of the planet. Some of the most timid and cowardly people anywhere. Over 60 nations have fully opened for tourism already. Thailand as usual, is behind the curve. Shame on your guys. Livelihoods are a stake, and you act like it means nothing. How can one still be a rank amateur after how many years at the job? Your behavior has sabotaged a once lively industry. You goons are turning the nation from the tiger of SE Asia, into a tiny little, whiny, timid, traumatized, crying pussycat.

 

Let the islands decide, or the islands should act in total defiance of the administration and create their own plans. This is so far past ridiculous, it boggles the mind. 

 

Thailand is one of the countries open for tourism, but it has some of the strictest regulations. First, travelers must have a valid visa unless they qualify for the Visa Exemption Scheme. Once they have the approved visa, they must apply for a Certificate of Entry.

 

Additionally, tourists must present a medical certificate for a negative RT-PCR test result that was obtained within 72 hours of departure, proof of COVID-19 travel insurance coverage of over USD 100,000, as well as a reservation number for certified accommodation, such as an Alternative State Quarantine facility. This is where they’ll stay for the mandatory 14-day quarantine.

 

https://capturetheatlas.com/countries-open-for-tourism/#thailand

 

Meanwhile...The Maledives welcomes tourists with open arms.

[bangon04]

8 hours ago, robertson468 said:

Thailand has become the laughing stock of the World due to its's flip flopping on Tourism and everyone and their Friend making decisions and then changing them.  

Thailand is the laughing stock of a very small world, the world it believes it is the center of.....  with every passing day it becomes less important in the tourism world, less important in the political world, and just another inept little province of the Belt and Road Initiative.

[Chelseafan]

10 hours ago, connda said:

They do seems to have a Ministry of Silly Walks that is functioning in top-notch form however!

 

That was closed down. It was replaced by the Ministry of Silly Talks...

 

[Damrongsak]

11 hours ago, connda said:

They do seems to have a Ministry of Silly Walks that is functioning in top-notch form however!

In other news, the Andaman Sea is actually functioning well and will reopen soon.

 

[ExpatOne]

It’s cute they think the locals could make better decisions when they don’t know what’s going on with COVID and only want one thing, to have tourists come back at all costs. Short sighted thinking is why we’re dealing with the current outbreak here and why they have been dealing with it for a year elsewhere.