Popular Post webfact Posted September 2, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted September 2, 2021 File photo: REUTERS The chief of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) has put the biggest stick yet in the spokes of Prayuth Chan-ocha's 120 day reopening plan. The Thai PM wanted the country opened by the middle of next month to foreign tourists in many areas. His plan was criticized as ambitious in some quarters, utterly unrealistic in others. His pronouncements came back in June as the country began to battle a massive third wave of infections caused by Covid-19. But still the PM insisted his plan was viable and that locally produced vaccine would save the day. ATTA chief Sittiwat Chiwarattanaporn begs to differ on virtually all counts. In a wide ranging interview with Thai business media he said that the Phuket Sandbox and associated plans were a fair start but numbers were very low. There just wasn't the market among inbound foreigners. He said that what the authorities failed to understand was that it was not just about Thailand's tourism readiness. It was about all the countries tourists would come from. They all had their rules and their economic woes. China, for instance, was just non-existent as a tourism market at the moment due to travel restrictions. Sittiwat said he could see no positive signs in regards to the return of foreign tourists this year. He predicted that it would be Quarter 4 next year before there would be any marked improvement in inbound tourism. Operators would have to get used to that reality and make do with what they could with the domestic market in the meantime. He called for greater clarity from the government about their reopening plans and a greater accent on getting at least 70% of the country vaccinated to create a so-called herd immunity. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-09-02 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post smedly Posted September 2, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted September 2, 2021 6 minutes ago, webfact said: In a wide ranging interview with Thai business media he said that the Phuket Sandbox and associated plans were a fair start but numbers were very low. There just wasn't the market among inbound foreigners. there might have been without all the senseless red tape and stupid rules directed only at fully vaccinated foreigners I assume arrivals have now died out since they have gone silent and are now trying to resume domestic tourism unfortunately with more stupid rules - they just won't learn will they 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post smedly Posted September 2, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted September 2, 2021 13 minutes ago, webfact said: He called for greater clarity from the government about their reopening plans and a greater accent on getting at least 70% of the country vaccinated to create a so-called herd immunity. herd immunity has now been generally ruled out by western experts - not possible with this virus, the consensus now is that every person will get this virus at least once 3 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Mr Meeseeks Posted September 2, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted September 2, 2021 19 minutes ago, webfact said: In a wide ranging interview with Thai business media he said that the Phuket Sandbox and associated plans were a fair start but numbers were very low. There just wasn't the market among inbound foreigners. He said that what the authorities failed to understand was that it was not just about Thailand's tourism readiness. It was about all the countries tourists would come from. They all had their rules and their economic woes. China, for instance, was just non-existent as a tourism market at the moment due to travel restrictions. This guys gets it. Mass tourism is over for the foreseeable future. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post RotBenz8888 Posted September 2, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted September 2, 2021 25 minutes ago, webfact said: Sittiwat said he could see no positive signs in regards to the return of foreign tourists this year. Seems to be a very sensible man. Finally someone not out of touch with reality. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeymaus Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 Why can't they all use the same glass ball ???? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrotobike Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 This kind of truth and reality will just bounce off the amour of the general (personal not the CCP paper tanks) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Will B Good Posted September 2, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted September 2, 2021 A sensible, realistic assessment of the current situation. How odd. 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post khunPer Posted September 2, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted September 2, 2021 Makes sense, actually makes good sense...???? 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post daveAustin Posted September 2, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted September 2, 2021 The T(w)AT will be along any time now to refute this and promise 100M visitors generating 10 trillion baht by Christmas. 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ourmanflint Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 I'll try to come in Q1 next year and I promise to spend at least 10,000 baht 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post RichardColeman Posted September 2, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted September 2, 2021 2 hours ago, webfact said: The chief of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) TAT and ATTA - wonder if they have a People's Front of Judea and Judean People's front type fued ? 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukrules Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 2 hours ago, webfact said: The Thai PM wanted the country opened by the middle of next month to foreign tourists in many areas. What the PM wants is somewhat irrelevant 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andersonat Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 I have 2 British friends, who live in Birmingham (England). They are 60y old, well-off, fully-vaccinated and retired ( = they have time on their hands, and so they're not worried about [self-]quarantining, if that were necessary after a trip). They are *really* well-travelled internationally, and they are open to the idea of travelling internationally again "sometime". There were considering their Autumn 2021 holiday-travel plans, and they thought that they were ***really*** "pushing-the-boat-out" by booking a 1-week holiday to London (England). No - they're not thinking of travelling abroad/to South-East Asia/to Thailand for a holiday at-this-time/this year; and I would think that *very* few are. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GinBoy2 Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 3 hours ago, smedly said: herd immunity has now been generally ruled out by western experts - not possible with this virus, the consensus now is that every person will get this virus at least once Well the whole idea that this nightmare is going away anytime soon is nonsense, and with that the idea that mass tourism is going to restart with it. My fully vaccinated wife just went down with covid pneumonia. Yes she will recover and unlikely to need to be hospitalized. But this is just how it appears it is, with variants spreading across the planet, the travel restrictions are going to be in a constant state of flux for years. With my wifes experience I'm kinda at the point to believe it either burns itself out, or this is our new normal. Neither of those scenarios bode well for the quick return to tourism as normal 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotchilli Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 4 hours ago, webfact said: He predicted that it would be Quarter 4 next year before there would be any marked improvement in inbound tourism. That's gonna rock the boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotchilli Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 4 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said: This guys gets it. Mass tourism is over for the foreseeable future. He's gonna get it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotchilli Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 4 hours ago, webfact said: In a wide ranging interview with Thai business media he said that the Phuket Sandbox and associated plans were a fair start but numbers were very low. I wondered why we hadn't seen any airport pics lately showing thousands of tourists flooding in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Cake Monster Posted September 2, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted September 2, 2021 This is the first realistic view of the situation I have heard from anybody who has a position of Authority. Unfortunately , it will probably be his Swan Song, as telling the truth about the situation and not lying through your teeth is not in the script. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post onekoolguy Posted September 2, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted September 2, 2021 (edited) I have several friends who would love to come to Thailand this year. Pretty much all are fully vaccinated and they tend to spend way too much money! However they will not endure a quarantine, mandatory overpriced covid insurance and repeated covid tests after entering the country not to mention having to install tracking software on their phones and having to navigate a complicated COE process. You have to ask, what are they trying to protect the country from? The horse has already left the barn! Look at the Phuket sandbox statistics. Extremely few positive tests. All varients are already here or will be and cannot be kept out. The high risk people are the thousands of illegal, unvaccinated workers not the vaccinated tourists. Why do they not understand that the covid spread is not coming from fully vaccinated tourists but from locals? Lighten up, just require normal entry controls with proof of vaccination and a single covid negative test and the tourists would start returning. Even in the USA all that is required is a negative test within 3 days of travel for most. Edited September 2, 2021 by onekoolguy spelling 4 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phuketshrew Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 2 hours ago, RichardColeman said: 5 hours ago, webfact said: The chief of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) TAT and ATTA - wonder if they have a People's Front of Judea and Judean People's front type fued ? Splitters! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bkktodd Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 With the expensive laundry list of Entry requirements you can bet the tourist number will be non existent. No brainer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
248900_1469958220 Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 3 hours ago, GinBoy2 said: Well the whole idea that this nightmare is going away anytime soon is nonsense, and with that the idea that mass tourism is going to restart with it. My fully vaccinated wife just went down with covid pneumonia. Yes she will recover and unlikely to need to be hospitalized. But this is just how it appears it is, with variants spreading across the planet, the travel restrictions are going to be in a constant state of flux for years. With my wifes experience I'm kinda at the point to believe it either burns itself out, or this is our new normal. Neither of those scenarios bode well for the quick return to tourism as normal Sorry to hear that. May I ask which vaccine she got? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bkktodd Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 2 hours ago, onekoolguy said: I have several friends who would love to come to Thailand this year. Pretty much all are fully vaccinated and they tend to spend way too much money! However they will not endure a quarantine, mandatory overpriced covid insurance and repeated covid tests after entering the country not to mention having to install tracking software on their phones and having to navigate a complicated COE process. You have to ask, what are they trying to protect the country from? The horse has already left the barn! Look at the Phuket sandbox statistics. Extremely few positive tests. All varients are already here or will be and cannot be kept out. The high risk people are the thousands of illegal, unvaccinated workers not the vaccinated tourists. Why do they not understand that the covid spread is not coming from fully vaccinated tourists but from locals? Lighten up, just require normal entry controls with proof of vaccination and a single covid negative test and the tourists would start returning. Even in the USA all that is required is a negative test within 3 days of travel for most. You sir have laid exactly the argument ive tried to get a handle on. Im dismayed at all the negativity (from farangs no less) from this and many many other posts covering the sandboxes and “fear” of incoming arrivals. I wish the thai government would read these posts to get a guage and a common sense approach in saving LOS 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bkktodd Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, hotchilli said: I wondered why we hadn't seen any airport pics lately showing thousands of tourists flooding in. No, but there was just one posted in a recent aseannow post in the airport of a farang and his lady NOT wearing a mask getting temperature checked. Whiskey tango foxtrot …. Edited September 2, 2021 by Bkktodd 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rinrada Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 Truth for a change..easy if you try and the will is there...Next Year..yes...err Maybe...if..but No more witch doctors style fairytales please ..it just dosnt help..and tends to insinuate..not what you consumed...etc etc,,krup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GinBoy2 Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 7 hours ago, 248900_1469958220 said: Sorry to hear that. May I ask which vaccine she got? Pfizer, back in March Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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