File photo for reference only

 

Officials in Surat Thani in southern Thailand always cautioned that the Samui Plus Model reopening of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao would be a pilot with low numbers.

 

It started on July 15th and has now completed nearly a month. 

 

The Tourism Authority of Thailand said there would be just 1,000 visitors in the first month. These foreigners would spend 180 million baht, was the call. 

 

But even this has proved to be pie-in-the-sky with less than a third of their estimate.

 

So far just 279 tourists have gone directly to Samui and 11 to Phangan and 13 to Koh Tao. A total of 302 from July 15th to August 11th. 

 

Just a few more than ten a day. 

 

Fifteen arrived on a Bangkok Airways flight on Wednesday.

 

No foreign tourists at all arrived from the Phuket Sandbox with the total remaining at 257. 

 

Thai media reported that a change in EU advisories on July 17th that affected Thailand and Rwanda had dealt a blow to the Samui Plus Model. 

 

In reality foreign tourists are not coming even in the modest numbers predicted. 

 

Consequently with the pandemic still raging in Thailand further TAT predictions that everything will pick up in the fourth quarter (from October) and early next year must be treated with a large dose of skepticism, notes ASEAN NOW. 

 

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I am wondering that tourists come at all. Even being vaccinated doesn't mean that you can't get the virus. And what will follow then has nothing to do with holidays anymore. So vaccinated or not - you still have to be very careful.

You raise the hurdles high enough, and few either want to or are capable of jumping that high. 

 

In some places it is known as self sabotage or shooting oneself in the foot, a particular speciality of Phiphat, the sabateur in chief. 

 

Tourism is now gone forever. They killed the industry. Shot it in the heart. Trillions of dollars in infrastructure wiped out. Permanently. Sure, five years from now we might see 3-5 million tourists annually. Maybe. 

12 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thai media reported that a change in EU advisories on July 17th that affected Thailand and Rwanda had dealt a blow to the Samui Plus Model. 

It says it all when Thailand and Rwanda are treated as equals.

The Thai goverment still thinks its a priviledge to come here, when in reality it's quite the opposite. 

8 minutes ago, Mickeymaus said:

I am wondering that tourists come at all. Even being vaccinated doesn't mean that you can't get the virus. And what will follow then has nothing to do with holidays anymore. So vaccinated or not - you still have to be very careful.

I agree - so I surmise mostly they are not tourists but people here on business/visiting family etc. 

4 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

You raise the hurdles high enough, and few either want to or are capable of jumping that high. 

 

In some places it is known as self sabotage or shooting oneself in the foot, a particular speciality of Phiphat, the sabateur in chief. 

 

Tourism is now gone forever. They killed the industry. Shot it in the heart. Trillions of dollars in infrastructure wiped out. Permanently. Sure, five years from now we might see 3-5 million tourists annually. Maybe. 

My fear for Thailand is greater than this- I agree with what you say but a vacuum will suck in all kinds of rubbish - so imagine a tsunami of $0 Chinese tourists ......

7 minutes ago, fangless said:

It says it all when Thailand and Rwanda are treated as equals.

EU adds Ukraine to safe travel list, removes Thailand, Rwanda | Reuters

They still spent 1 billion baht, right?

Obviously the TAT is full of the brown stuff, but they missed the golden opportunity of letting remote workers base themselves on what are (relatively) covid free islands for a year like Dubai or others.

 

Instead, dreams of short term tourists, when all there really is, are people who are trying to come here and eek out a longer term stays and extensions. Many forced to go under the farce of education, volunteer or other facades with no certainty.

 

Should have leaned into it. Right now, in Asia there are no options for that. Instead, this disappointment.

51 minutes ago, Scrotobike said:

I agree - so I surmise mostly they are not tourists but people here on business/visiting family etc. 

I know of some who want to come and help their bar love here. Perhaps it would be better for everyone just to send the money... ????

1 hour ago, fangless said:

It says it all when Thailand and Rwanda are treated as equals.

And at the moment, Thailand appears to be moving toward "lower income African nation" status, at warp speed. Would not be surprised to see Thailand drop to 85th in the world, or further, if they do not get rid of the retrograde brigade soon. 

1 hour ago, Scrotobike said:

My fear for Thailand is greater than this- I agree with what you say but a vacuum will suck in all kinds of rubbish - so imagine a tsunami of $0 Chinese tourists ......

They already had it, for a few years, prior to Covid. They called them zero baht tourists. Came in package groups, pre-paid in China. Ate only at low priced buffets, at 60% off the normal rate. Stayed only in hotels, where the tour operator negotiated 40-70% off the rates. The only ones who really benefitted were 7/11, Tesco, and King Power. Few made any money, and nearly all complained about the lack of quality tourists. 

 

More evidence of the stunning mind of Phiphat at work. When witnessing such a powerful mind, one is left with a feeling of awe. 

 

 

2 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

They already had it, for a few years, prior to Covid. They called them zero baht tourists. Came in package groups, pre-paid in China. Ate only at low priced buffets, at 60% off the normal rate. Stayed only in hotels, where the tour operator negotiated 40-70% off the rates. The only ones who really benefitted were 7/11, Tesco, and King Power. Few made any money, and nearly all complained about the lack of quality tourists. 

 

More evidence of the stunning mind of Phiphat at work. When witnessing such a powerful mind, one is left with a feeling of awe. 

 

 

Yes I met them in Pattaya when I went there for R&R. I really wondered if I got a flag and wandered around - how many could I get to follow me?

 

My thought is even more will come!

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

You raise the hurdles high enough, and few either want to or are capable of jumping that high. 

 

In some places it is known as self sabotage or shooting oneself in the foot, a particular speciality of Phiphat, the sabateur in chief. 

 

Tourism is now gone forever. They killed the industry. Shot it in the heart. Trillions of dollars in infrastructure wiped out. Permanently. Sure, five years from now we might see 3-5 million tourists annually. Maybe. 

2 years back to normal

Looks like a perfect place to go right now. 

The costs of running this plus-program might be higher than the revenue - and not especially environment friendly to fly almost empty planes to and from Samui, even that it's the small ATR-72 propeller aircrafts, and if they also bring some airfreight.

 

Some of those arriving, and using Samui+ - and Phuket's sandbox - do it to have a more pleasant two-weeks quarantine periode. In my opinion there are too many restriction in the program to create an interest from real tourists, which the numbers of arrivals also shows - same for Phuket - the target was Americans and Europeans, but they might both have more interesting alternatives; at least the Europeans have that in the Mediterrenean area.

The reason why everything has been made so complicated, is that the government's starting position is 'every foreigner wants to come to Thailand for their holiday'.

That's why they think they can put up as many hoops as they want and everyone will jump through them.

The actual idea that some of these hoops are actually convincing potential tourists to go elsewhere for their holidays, has never even entered their tiny little minds.

5 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

The reason why everything has been made so complicated, is that the government's starting position is 'every foreigner wants to come to Thailand for their holiday'.

That's why they think they can put up as many hoops as they want and everyone will jump through them.

The actual idea that some of these hoops are actually convincing potential tourists to go elsewhere for their holidays, has never even entered their tiny little minds.

Bureaucrat's Wet Dream .... ego stroking predictions ......

only 10 willing to jump the hoops ,  ....  pithy  !!  only in Thailand   !!

or ...  not   ??

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

They already had it, for a few years, prior to Covid. They called them zero baht tourists. Came in package groups, pre-paid in China. Ate only at low priced buffets, at 60% off the normal rate. Stayed only in hotels, where the tour operator negotiated 40-70% off the rates.

<snip>

 

Do you remember the multiple videos of those reprobates storming the buffet food warmers with wild and reckless abandon? I don't miss them in the least.

3 hours ago, Shuya said:

The Thai goverment still thinks its a priviledge to come here, when in reality it's quite the opposite. 

And STILL getting worse. The weakening baht is a strong indicator. Thailand is sinking while the government buys subs and plans on a space program.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

No foreign tourists at all arrived from the Phuket Sandbox with the total remaining at 257. 

Erm - there are no 'promised' flights from Phuket to Samui.

Some guests recently had to travel in three separate mini vans to get to Samui. A 12 hour journey.

2 hours ago, Sparktrader said:

2 years back to normal

Not even close. In five years, we might see 20% of the former volume. And that is a big maybe. 

Just now, spidermike007 said:

Not even close. In five years, we might see 20% of the former volume. And that is a big maybe. 

Doubt it. People r bored. 

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

They already had it, for a few years, prior to Covid. They called them zero baht tourists. Came in package groups, pre-paid in China. Ate only at low priced buffets, at 60% off the normal rate. Stayed only in hotels, where the tour operator negotiated 40-70% off the rates. The only ones who really benefitted were 7/11, Tesco, and King Power. Few made any money, and nearly all complained about the lack of quality tourists. 

 

More evidence of the stunning mind of Phiphat at work. When witnessing such a powerful mind, one is left with a feeling of awe. 

 

 

 

 

These pics are not from Samui. I haven't seen any Chinese organized groups in Samui, in fact the footpaths there are so narrow it would be quite difficult to lead a group this way.

Prior to covid the Chinese were the highest spending group in my girlfriend's business in Samui. I've spoken to quite a few of her customers,  well educated and polite, many working in the hi-tech indistries.

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

You raise the hurdles high enough, and few either want to or are capable of jumping that high. 

 

In some places it is known as self sabotage or shooting oneself in the foot, a particular speciality of Phiphat, the sabateur in chief. 

 

Tourism is now gone forever. They killed the industry. Shot it in the heart. Trillions of dollars in infrastructure wiped out. Permanently. Sure, five years from now we might see 3-5 million tourists annually. Maybe. 

Well said and your ideas are similar to mine.

Their mishandling of the W-Flu has destroyed 15-20% of their economy and it won't be coming back for a long time, if ever.  The days of 30+ million tourists annually are long gone.

2 hours ago, khunPer said:

The costs of running this plus-program might be higher than the revenue - and not especially environment friendly to fly almost empty planes to and from Samui, even that it's the small ATR-72 propeller aircrafts, and if they also bring some airfreight.

 

Some of those arriving, and using Samui+ - and Phuket's sandbox - do it to have a more pleasant two-weeks quarantine periode. In my opinion there are too many restriction in the program to create an interest from real tourists, which the numbers of arrivals also shows - same for Phuket - the target was Americans and Europeans, but they might both have more interesting alternatives; at least the Europeans have that in the Mediterrenean area.

It is a much more convenient and cheaper way to come back than the ASQ in Bangkok.

18 minutes ago, WISteve said:

Well said and your ideas are similar to mine.

Their mishandling of the W-Flu has destroyed 15-20% of their economy and it won't be coming back for a long time, if ever.  The days of 30+ million tourists annually are long gone.

Unless there is a new bad variant there would be a lot of tourists mid next year. There would be a surplus of vaccines early next year,  and most people would have a booster mid next year.

Enjoy the empty beaches while you can. I certainly got used to the empty Chaweng, so much nicer to swim without looking around for zipping jetskis all the time.

 

4 hours ago, Mickeymaus said:

I know of some who want to come and help their bar love here. Perhaps it would be better for everyone just to send the money... ????

Ah, the true voice of TAT. 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

So far just 279 tourists have gone directly to Samui and 11 to Phangan and 13 to Koh Tao. A total of 302 from July 15th to August 11th. 

 

Just a few more than ten a day. 

 

Fifteen arrived on a Bangkok Airways flight on Wednesday.

 

No foreign tourists at all arrived from the Phuket Sandbox with the total remaining at 257

Basically a flop then.