Thai Government Speeds up Preparations to Boost Tourism

[webfact]

 

By Subhabhong Rarueysong

   

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Thai government has sped up preparations for the reopening of the country, to boost the tourism industry, as early as October 1st, while keeping in mind pandemic restrictions.

 

The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration’s (CCSA) Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has assigned the Tourism and Sports, Public Health and Interior ministries to prepare for an increase in both Thai and foreign tourists in the fourth quarter of this year, which is the tourism high season.

 

He said these ministries were instructed to find areas with potential to be a part of the government’s new tourism reopening program called "COVID-free Tourist Area Sandbox", similar to the Phuket “Sandbox” program.

 

Dr. Taweesilp said ideal candidates for the tourism program include islands and areas with an airport, which would also have in place COVID-19 prevention and control measures. The pilot phase of the new tourism promotion program will begin in October, when Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phetchaburi and Chon Buri are due to reopen for tourism.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-09-16

 

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[drenddy]

When a 75 old woman sells yaba and a 17 year old girl becomes a thief, just to get some food, and you are too damn incompetent to take care of your own people, you need to open this country, give the people a chance to find a job.

The thing is tourists will not come in high numbers.

 

Anything otherwise is a crime.

 

Lockdown apologists, just stay inside or use 10 masks.

Edited September 16, 2021 by drenddy

[HeijoshinCool]

.

7 minutes ago, webfact said:

Prayut Chan-o-cha has assigned the Tourism and Sports, Public Health and Interior ministries to prepare for an increase in both Thai and foreign tourists in the fourth quarter of this year, which is the tourism high season.

.

 

Well, they've got a he11 of a lot to do in just two weeks....

 

But if they have half as many workers as spokesmen, they should be fine.

 

.

[smedly]

so we have a pandemic raging in Thailand with only 20% of the population fully vaccinated with a substandard vaccine that lasts for 50 days and expect foreign tourists to flood in just because they say it is open when it isn't and if one of these so called foreign tourists tests positive they will basically be locked up at their own expense for 14 days or until a negative test is returned

 

what planet are they on 

[Jip99]

18 minutes ago, drenddy said:

When a 75 old woman sells yaba and a 17 year old girl becomes a thief, just to get some food, and you are too damn incompetent to take care of your own people, you need to open this country, give the people a chance to find a job.

The thing is tourists will not come in high numbers.

 

Anything otherwise is a crime.

 

Lockdown apologists, just stay inside or use 10 masks.

 

 

Bu11sh!t..... they were probably doing that before lockdown.

 

Are they fully vaccinated?

 

 

Get the numbers up on that, then we can all play.

[JoePai]

6 minutes ago, smedly said:

so we have a pandemic raging in Thailand with only 20% of the population fully vaccinated with a substandard vaccine that lasts for 50 days and expect foreign tourists to flood in just because they say it is open when it isn't and if one of these so called foreign tourists tests positive they will basically be locked up at their own expense for 14 days or until a negative test is returned

 

 

Yea but apart from that all is honky dory

[koratkarlos]

Driving around down town Chiang Mai today -  So many businesses are closed.  It will take some time for things to ramp up again, maybe 6 months.  Maybe more.  I hope people get vaccinated promptly as it appears there is no stopping the re-opening of Thailand.

[crazykopite]

My sides are hurting with laughter the tears are running down my checks this headline was directly below the headlines Bangkok delay opening till 15 October now which headline am I to take seriously  

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The Thai government has sped up preparations for the reopening of the country, to boost the tourism industry, as early as October 1st, while keeping in mind pandemic restrictions.

Preparations as in fully vaxxed?

[Karma80]

18 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Preparations as in fully vaxxed?

No. Preparations as in finding more ways to torture people with red tape before coming, marketing campaigns to make people think it's worth bothering with, and a few more weeks of massaging covid figures and vaccinating people with sinovac.

[Cake Monster]

18 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Preparations as in fully vaxxed?

And until the Country has 70 % ( Minimum ) of its entire population ( Migrant Workers, Expats Etc included ) vaccinated, it is not going to prevent Thailand being placed on some Countries Red Lists.

And all the time Thailand is placed on Red Lists , the Tourists will find better vacations in other Countries.

I dont think China will release its hold on Tour Groups travelling anytime soon, as they seem to be battling some Delta Outbreaks of their own, and with a 21 Day Quarantine awaiting Chinese travellers back to their Country, not so many are willing to travel as they were pre Pandemic..

China is Thailands biggest Market for Tourists by far, so at least a 50 % reduction can be anticipated upon reopening, down to 18..5 Million, and thats without the red lists and other restrictions placed upon Travellers to the Country by their respective Governments.

Its going to be a very slow opening, and those anticipating their Birthday, Christmas, and a Lottery win all in one, are going to be bitterly disapointed.

[ukrules]

With this level of lockdown and lack of vaccinations I reckon they can stretch this pandemic out for another couple of years.

 

 

[zzaa09]

41 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Preparations as in fully vaxxed?

Exactly. Speeding up everything with the excepting of vaccinations for the general population.

Guess these things aren't priorities.

[internationalism]

so far only 37% bangkokians are fully vaccinated.

Targeted 70% is still remote.

That's why now they moved opening bangkok to 15.10

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2021/09/16/bangkok-tourism-reopening-delayed-to-oct-15

[Blumpie]

WE opened up here and are slammed back down.  75 percent vaccination rate, cases spiralling.  

I can't help but feel that next year is too early for Thailand - I do mean 2022 in the fall.  IT may be 2023.  

For the unvaccinated, the best course of action for them is to let nature take its course and if health care is not available, then they need to stay at home and allow nature to take its course, be it good or bad.  Chances are it will be good, but they clog up hospitals like blood clots.  

Only a place like Thailand could do this.  They won't do that here.  

[AnotherFarang8]

1 hour ago, ukrules said:

With this level of lockdown and lack of vaccinations I reckon they can stretch this pandemic out for another couple of years.

 

 

Lockdowns that do not work took away so many jobs and crushed so many businesses that the re-opening will take years to unfold. Meanwhile places that have common sense have already reached 50% of pre-covid numbers of tourists with a predictable policy. Example: Dominican rep. Sure, they do vaccinations too but they do not treat this virus as end of world and have been letting tourists in for a year now. Restoring tourism will take years, not months. The entire fault is on government, not on the virus. Who starts early will be a winner.

[DefaultName]

Bars closed, nightclubs closed, GoGos closed.  Can't even have a beer with a meal.  Tourists will flood in.  ????

 

 

[HeijoshinCool]

8 hours ago, smedly said:

so we have a pandemic raging in Thailand with only 20% of the population fully vaccinated with a substandard vaccine that lasts for 50 days and expect foreign tourists to flood in just because they say it is open when it isn't and if one of these so called foreign tourists tests positive they will basically be locked up at their own expense for 14 days or until a negative test is returned

 

what planet are they on 

.

Uranus.

 

Hey, you asked.

[newnative]

   'Speeds up' just means talking blah blah blah faster.  Nothing concrete mentioned, as usual.  And, on another thread, Bangkok's opening has been slowed down.  Plus, vaccination targets are not being met so nothing speedy there, as well.  So, a typical day of conflicting reports, flip-flops, set backs, and little meaningful accomplished. 

[NoshowJones]

19 hours ago, Karma80 said:

No. Preparations as in finding more ways to torture people with red tape before coming, marketing campaigns to make people think it's worth bothering with, and a few more weeks of massaging covid figures and vaccinating people with sinovac.

and also getting stinking rich into the bargain. If there had been a properly elected government in charge instead of a military one, my first sentence would still apply, only the elected government would not have gained as much financially as the unelected one.

May I point out that this is just my opinion as I believe the unelected PM and his soldiers have been on one long power trip since they took the country in 2014, and caused many expats to leave the country for good, and lots of tourists to go elsewhere because of certain immigration issues even before the pandemic started.

Here's a question, if it was possible to find out how many expats came to retire to Thailand in the five years leading up to 2014, and compare them with the five years between then and up to when the pandemic started, what would have been the difference?