Poll: Thais see lack of foreigners as major factor in obliteration of tourism industry - only a third ready to travel in Q4

[webfact]

Picture: Sanook

 

The latest poll conducted last week by Suan Dusit University asked questions about the causes and solution to the crisis that has brought down Thailand's tourism industry causing losses of 850 billion baht, reported Sanook.

 

1,195 people nationwide were polled from Monday to Thursday last week. ASEAN NOW notes that this was in advance of the murder case in Phuket. 

 

Asked about the biggest problems 88.55% put the blame on the pandemic.

 

But 82.83% said it was because foreigners wouldn't dare come to Thailand because of the Covid-19 infection rate. 

 

75.34% pointed to tourism businesses losing money and large numbers of people losing their jobs in the industry.

 

So what should the government do?

 

94.2% said they need to come up with a fast and viable plan to tackle the crisis. 

 

75.69% said that tourism confidence needed improving.

 

66.27% called for quality vaccines to be administered in tourism areas. 

 

They were also asked about their plans in the fourth quarter (Oct-Dec) regarding their readiness to travel if the latest wave of infections abates.

 

37.99% said they were ready.

35.65% said they would not travel.

26.36% were not sure.

 

82.48% pointed out that the government had only addressed the tourism problem in main tourist areas while about three quarters pointed to the stimulus measures that had been introduced including Let's Go Halves. 

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2021-08-09

 

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[Shuya]

99,9% of tourists wont come if you have to quarantine upon arrival, buy scam insurances and pay for several pcr tests just to find everything closed and a law enforcement who's having a field day. 

[RichardColeman]

10 minutes ago, webfact said:

But 82.83% said it was because foreigners wouldn't dare come to Thailand because of the Covid-19 infection rate. 

Ah, got it. It's the reluctant foreigners fault for devastating Thailand's economy and its tourism - not the silly regulations.

[Bluespunk]

23 minutes ago, webfact said:

But 82.83% said it was because foreigners wouldn't dare come to Thailand because of the Covid-19 infection rate. 

Tourists: can’t live with them, can’t live without them. 
 

“It is the fate of all great tourist spots to become terrible tourist spots because as soon as everyone finds out they’re great tourist spots, they fill up with tourists.”

 

Ben Pobjie, Australia - What Happened?

Edited August 9, 2021 by Bluespunk

[johng]

Bloody tourists !!! ????

 

[Anythingleft?]

An utterly pointless poll, who the hell comes up with these ridiculous polls and articles?? I want a job...

[Capella]

17 minutes ago, Shuya said:

99,9% of tourists wont come if you have to quarantine upon arrival, buy scam insurances and pay for several pcr tests just to find everything closed and a law enforcement who's having a field day. 

True - the sandbox scheme is so incredibly hard to navigate. Added to that, the countries whre tourists come from are always changing their rules too. It's just too hard for anyone who has a regular job and limited annual leave.

[Gottfrid]

Ops! I thought they got like they wanted. Now they no have much problem with dirty, bad foreigners that are spreading Covid. At least we heard that before.

[SEAsia Traveler]

Oh boy…this story is tailor made for spidermike and one of his rants about the decline of tourism. He could copy and paste his entire list of grievances to this one.

[daveAustin]

35 minutes ago, webfact said:

Asked about the biggest problems 88.55% put the blame on the pandemic.

Surprised not to see ‘100% blame foreigners’. 

[spidermike007]

First of all they are very confused. 850 million baht is not the number they lost. It is the number they said they would earn from the sandbox. A math error?

 

Second, if you consider tourism generated 3 trillion baht a year, and it has been shut down for around 18 months already, that is a loss of 4.5 trillion to date, and climbing rapidly.

 

Third, tourism is not returning anytime soon. The average Thai seems to attribute this to Covid. And that is a significant factor. But, there were a dozen issues plaguing the industry long before covid reared it's ugly head, income was dropping dramatically, as the "number of arrivals" were up, pointing toward a dramatically lower quality of tourist, that Thailand was able to attract. The heavy hitters, and the wealthy tourists have found many other places that meet their need for a nice bottle of wine with dinner (that is not overpriced to a mind boggling degree), a sommelier at the hotel who knows their wine, reasonable luxury goods, so the wife can shop here while on vacation, law and order that addresses jet ski scammers, sewage being dumped into the ocean in resort areas, control over the taxi goons, and far better transportation options (high speed trains, helicopters available for transport, etc). And I am only getting started, as there were a dozen other things that needed to be addressed, and were not on any level, by anyone. 

 

They still have not learned much. This was a great learning opportunity for Phiphat, and the other goombahs. Obstacles and tragedies can be learning experiences, for mature men and women. And they can offer a path toward improvement, and progress. But, apparently that does not apply to these authorities and so called leaders. 

 

Phiphat you have made history. 100 years from now, in the hospitality industry classes at the university level, they will still be teaching about you, as the man who presided over the once great industry of tourism, the man who helped destroy the industry millions depended upon. And the man who helped precipitate the demise and decline of Thailand, from the tiger of SE Asia (and at one time the 21st largest economy in the world) to a whiny, sickly, skinny, disease infested alley cat, on it's last legs. An economy on par with Burundi, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Yemen, and Sierra Leone. 

Edited August 9, 2021 by spidermike007

[gk10012001]

I am not overly concerned about the COVID or the infection rate.  I am able and ready and was prepared to go to Thailand earlier this year.  Semi retired, easily was staying for 90 days or more depending on my mood.  

 

   I hate the pre travel complexity.  I do not like the curfew.  I do not like the shutdowns.  I do not like the ASQ.  However I can accept all those things.  I just do not trust what the Thai officials will do next.  Now they closed the beaches and the hotel/condo pools?  Goodness. So irrational.  What next?  Kick people out again?  More political unrest as the Thai people are getting frustrated.  Martial law?

[Gottfrid]

21 minutes ago, SEAsia Traveler said:

Oh boy…this story is tailor made for spidermike and one of his rants about the decline of tourism. He could copy and paste his entire list of grievances to this one.

Are you psychic in any way? See above how right you were. ???? 

[RotBenz8888]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

66.27% called for quality vaccines to be administered in tourism areas. 

 

 

So opposed to "quality vaccines", there must be worthless vaccines? Do I dare to guess which those might be? 

[BangkokReady]

37 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Now they no have much problem with dirty, bad foreigners that are spreading Covid.

Funny you should say that, I actually think that one of the primary reasons that Thai people seem far more relaxed about the third wave than they seemed to be during the first wave is the lack of foreigners.

[BobinBKK]

59 minutes ago, Shuya said:

99,9% of tourists wont come if you have to quarantine upon arrival, buy scam insurances and pay for several pcr tests just to find everything closed and a law enforcement who's having a field day. 

Add to that being raped and murdered!!!

[mfd101]

"Lack of foreigners obliterates tourist industry".

 

Oh really? I hadn't thought of that.

[ukrules]

It's a good job we've been repeatedly reminded how little tourism matters to the Thai economy over the years, merely a few percent they all said.

 

Belittled on a regular basis, the mighty Thailand does not rely on tourism in any way, shape or form ????

 

 

[RubbaJohnny]

I wonder why so few foreigners are gagging to come could i be hassle hesitancy

 

Costly tests

Many attractions closed /masked

Quarantines 

Travel restrictions at short notice,

Murders Riots Floods

94% of locals unvaxxed

Threat of imprisonment for speaking the truth even  restauarant views

What's not to like, What's it got , it's got the lot.

 

Perhaps could try and keep the foreigners who are alredy here spending pensions etc

Allow Foreigners to get vaxxed even if they have to pay surely less than turnip in Sweden

While no need to abolish immigration could remove all need to visit any office during the pandemic.I have obtained visas/permits from USA ,Cuba, Malawi,Uk,Australia, Russia Cambodia, Colombia  etc on line in minutes with a credit card? It would allow them more time for angry birds.

My local immigration Office has between 900-1100 fotocopies of varoius passport renewals, the estimate as of course about a tenth are handed out as scrap paper to others!!

 

 

[Rampant Rabbit]

1 hour ago, Anythingleft? said:

An utterly pointless poll, who the hell comes up with these ridiculous polls and articles?? I want a job...

99.99%  of  Thais wanted a  job  although 101%  admitted they dont want to do any work  in that  job when asked in a recent survey of  70  million, many claimed  its the jobs fault for making them work too  much.

[Henryford]

Tourists are not scared of Covid, they are scared of the stupid rules put in place to stop them having an enjoyable holiday

[RubbaJohnny]

1 hour ago, johng said:

Bloody tourists !!! ????

 

Forget that big old red wind up phone , try this for a trunk call sahib, also repels frogs

 

[Gottfrid]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

94.2% said they need to come up with a fast and viable plan to tackle the crisis. 

 

75.69% said that tourism confidence needed improving.

 

66.27% called for quality vaccines to be administered in tourism areas. 

 

They were also asked about their plans in the fourth quarter (Oct-Dec) regarding their readiness to travel if the latest wave of infections abates.

 

37.99% said they were ready.

35.65% said they would not travel.

26.36% were not sure.

Oh, dear! Soo sad, that I just don´t know where to start. I guess that will be from the top.

 

94.2% are asking for the impossible.

 

75.69% just won their share of the yearly Sherlock Prize.

 

66.27% is not aware that they just discriminated the other part of the country. Careful, the chance is big that you might have an auntie or uncle somewhere.

 

At last, The Pulitzer price goes to the only one in Thai news, that actually managed to create a calculation that sums up to 100%.

[Caldera]

Asking people now if they will travel once the situation improves is pointless. Once it does improve, I'm sure many will want to travel, but the big question is: How many will be able to afford it? The economic fallout is enormous.

[RubbaJohnny]

37 minutes ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

99.99%  of  Thais wanted a  job  although 101%  admitted they dont want to do any work  in that  job when asked in a recent survey of  70  million, many claimed  its the jobs fault for making them work too  much.

Some are nervous of a couple of big pricks.

[Rampant Rabbit]

Just now, RubbaJohnny said:

Some are nervous of a couple of big pricks.

I  dont like prayut or  prawit  either

[brucegoniners]

Brilliant!

 

So you're telling me that the lack of tourism is because of....wait for it....not yet....a lack of tourists?

 

I had no idea.

 

Man this poll was enlightening! 

[poskat]

2 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Ah, got it. It's the reluctant foreigners fault for devastating Thailand's economy and its tourism - not the silly regulations.

I dont think that the average thai has any idea of what is currently required for a tourist to gain entry to the country right now.

 

just like the fact that the thais I work with are always surprised when they find out that I have to do the 90-day reporting

[Virt]

It's not that i don't dare to come to Thailand atm, even if they have a high number of infections.

I got my 2 shots of Pfizer which should provide enough protection, and even if i get Covid 19, i should have a rather big chance of not getting very sick.

 

I don't want to spend my vacation with so many restrictions and all sorts of hoops to jump through even before arriving at the destination.

 

Hopefully by the end of this year they will have the majority of Thailands population vaccinated, so they can drop all their restrictions and open up as normal again.

 

For example, as long as they have their mandatory masks i'm not returning.

I used more than 700 single use masks in the last year in Denmark, so it's not like i refuse to wear masks and used them where it was required.

Just don't want to use them on my holiday, because they are a pain in the butt.

 

I still hope to return in Feb 2022, but let's see how things evolve.

 

 

Edited August 9, 2021 by Virt

[Muhendis]

3 hours ago, Shuya said:

99,9% of tourists wont come if you have to quarantine upon arrival, buy scam insurances and pay for several pcr tests just to find everything closed and a law enforcement who's having a field day. 

And then get banged up for a few weeks under quarantine when they get back home.