Thailand reopening may be delayed to Nov 1: TAT

[webfact]

REUTERS file photo for reference only

 

The Tourism Authority of Thailand chief Yutthasak Suphasorn seemed unconcerned that the Phase Two reopening of Thailand to foreign tourists was likely to be put back a month when the CCSA meet today.

 

The plan was to open up Bangkok, Chiang Mai (four districts), Cha-Am, Hua Hin and Pattaya/Sattahip from October 1st.

 

But this will now be put back to November 1st according to comments he made in the Thai media.

 

The reason is that Covid is still on the march in many places and that 70% vaccination has not been achieved.

 

Bangkok already looked likely to delay but the four other areas were experiencing more positive reports. However now it looks like a blanket delay is in the offing.

 

Yutthasak said he was largely unconcerned by the delay saying that many places were waiting for vaccine. He was confident that domestic tourism programs like Phase 3 of Thiaw Duay Gan and Tour Thiaw Thai would take up some of the slack from the missing foreigners. 

 

Meanwhile TAT marketing rep Thanesuan Petchsuwan said that Chian Mai was ready for direct flights but would start off with taking part in the Phuket 7+7 extension plan first. 

 

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[LomSak27]

The obligatory rollback. The only real question, will there be another?! 

 

Reality Bites. Meanwhile back to clipping coupons.

[Sametboy2019]

December 1st. No January 1st.......

[poskat]

"Yutthasak said he was largely unconcerned by the delay"

 

of course he isnt, he is a billionaire and isnt affected by the lack of tourists.

 

and who cares about the effect that this ever-changing "opening" date has on tourist who might want to make plans ahead of time to come here.

 

I'd like to make a trip back to the US for the holidays, but cant make any plans due to the lack of a firm date that wouldnt require a lengthy isolation stay on my return or going to phuket to leave for a round trip back there to use the sandbox entrance

[whiteman]

Thailand the land of hubs of pigs flying

[Guderian]

Not a big deal, the Chinese ain't coming and, for farangs, the high season doesn't really kick-off in Pattaya until well into November. If you remove the Chinese from the equation, then the high season for Western tourists has really been from December to February for quite a few years now, the days of it lasting from mid-October until after Songkran in April are long gone.

[JonnyF]

They need to open internally first. Get the protocols in place for places like restaurants, swimming pools, beaches, pubs etc. that tourists will expect to be 100% open.

 

Once this is working properly for domestic tourism, consider opening to foreign tourists.

 

I would suggest they open up pubs and restaurants (properly - no alcohol bans) on October 1st so we can start practicing the protocols. I'll happily take part and provide feedback. 

[smedly]

22 minutes ago, Guderian said:

Not a big deal, the Chinese ain't coming and, for farangs, the high season doesn't really kick-off in Pattaya until well into November. If you remove the Chinese from the equation, then the high season for Western tourists has really been from December to February for quite a few years now, the days of it lasting from mid-October until after Songkran in April are long gone.

correct - this is all about the Chinese 

[smedly]

19 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

They need to open internally first. Get the protocols in place for places like restaurants, swimming pools, beaches, pubs etc. that tourists will expect to be 100% open.

 

Once this is working properly for domestic tourism, consider opening to foreign tourists.

 

I would suggest they open up pubs and restaurants (properly - no alcohol bans) on October 1st so we can start practicing the protocols. I'll happily take part and provide feedback. 

don't expect pubs and nightclubs to open any time soon - I would say either December or into early next year

 

Pubs and nightclubs are not a requirement for bulk Chinese tour groups so the authorities have no interest in it

[JonnyF]

2 minutes ago, smedly said:

don't expect pubs and nightclubs to open any time soon - I would say either December or into early next year

 

Pubs and nightclubs are not a requirement for bulk Chinese tour groups so the authorities have no interest in it

Well the bulk Chinese tour groups aren't going to be here any time soon, so it might be prudent for the TAT to focus on things that the average western tourist likes i.e. pubs, restaurants, bars etc.

[ikke1959]

With their brains big as a pea, they change all the time.. Western tourists plan their holidays a few months ahead and with the required paperwork now for Thailand it is difficult to plan on a short term. But the biggest problem is than nobody knows what will happen tomorrow or even this afternoon. It is impossible by all the changes every day to plan anything ahead. As I told before in Thailand they don't have a clue about tourism.. Better they should plan a study on this and come with decent plans

[Danderman123]

November 1 of what year? 

[smedly]

31 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Well the bulk Chinese tour groups aren't going to be here any time soon, so it might be prudent for the TAT to focus on things that the average western tourist likes i.e. pubs, restaurants, bars etc.

you seem to have understood the meaning of my post 

 

No Chinese No opening and you can forget about bars - not high on the agenda - so as I have posted many times - what exactly did/does "open" mean ????, not bars or nightlife or even lifting of the stupid curfew, in the grand scheme of things it means absolutely nothing  

[JonnyF]

11 minutes ago, smedly said:

you seem to have understood the meaning of my post 

Yes I also think I understood. But thanks for confirming ????.

 

I didn't really understand the rest of your post though. Could you translate to English for me please?

 

 

[paul1804]

I have said this before the Chinese group tourists are predominately on budget tours of which much is prepaid so the bulk of the money stays with the Chinese and doesnt get circulated in the community like with most other asian & western tourists. It is my observation that these budget groups eat a lot of street food,  frequent 7/11 and Thai roadside kitchens rather than dine in restaurants which of course they have every right to dine where and how they choose to but point is the money actually spent here is very small in comparison to other tourists so I do not understand why the Thai authorities are so focused on accommodating this kind of tourist! They are rather outspoken about discouraging back packers but I have to say the same back packers support a certain market here and do support restaurants and bars!

[meechai]

These are the moves that assure no tourists for a very long time.

 

Reason being planning...How can anyone thinking of going back to Thailand plan anything

based on any claims made by Thailand regarding any opening/rules/requirements etc etc

 

Most folks ourselves included have no intentions to try till Winter 2022 at the earliest

Fortunately we have relatives to care for our home there so no problem skipping another year

[khunPer]

Postponing reopening probably won't make much financial difference, as there's only one week to October 1st, and most foreigners are not planning a vacation with a few days notice - I can't imagine hordes of tourists queue up with all their holiday luggage in a nearby transit hub, while they are waiting for the first airplane to Amazing Thailand - so just decide to push it till November 1st, or December 1st, to be safe; it makes more sense, and then the visitors also have some chance to believe in the date, and to plan their holiday...????

[smedly]

18 minutes ago, paul1804 said:

I have said this before the Chinese group tourists are predominately on budget tours of which much is prepaid so the bulk of the money stays with the Chinese and doesnt get circulated in the community like with most other asian & western tourists. It is my observation that these budget groups eat a lot of street food,  frequent 7/11 and Thai roadside kitchens rather than dine in restaurants which of course they have every right to dine where and how they choose to but point is the money actually spent here is very small in comparison to other tourists so I do not understand why the Thai authorities are so focused on accommodating this kind of tourist! They are rather outspoken about discouraging back packers but I have to say the same back packers support a certain market here and do support restaurants and bars!

you really don't have any understanding of Chinese tour groups - pretty much everything in your post is incorrect

[Caldera]

Oh look, another TAT flip-flop. Completely unexpected. What are they going to say in October? Who will be daft enough to book a trip?

[jacko45k]

So when will the bars and nightlife be opened...?. I was thinking to give it a trial run before all the tourists arrive..... just to make sure things are good and ready.

[smedly]

3 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

So when will the bars and nightlife be opened...?. I was thinking to give it a trial run before all the tourists arrive..... just to make sure things are good and ready.

my guess would be mid December but I do agree they should open bars etc first to locals 

[meechai]

10 minutes ago, khunPer said:

 so just decide to push it till November 1st, or December 1st, to be safe; it makes more sense, and then the visitors also have some chance to believe in the date, and to plan their holiday...????

Maybe...maybe not right?

I mean that is the whole point...Folks like to plan, buy travel insurance, reserve tickets etc etc

But given the flip/flop track record you would have to wonder if  Nov or Dec 1st will hold up any better than Oct 1st did

 

It seems quite obvious they have a wealth of no idea ????

 

[In Full Agreement]

 

 

What do you think  the real reason is for lockdowns?    Who benefits from them?

 

[Johnny Mac]

I still have absolutely no idea of what ''reopening'' means in this context, and I can't be arsed to 'read all about it' as what really is the point?

 

This whole Covid situation is utterly exhausting.

[Cherrytreeview]

2 hours ago, Guderian said:

Not a big deal, the Chinese ain't coming and, for farangs, the high season doesn't really kick-off in Pattaya until well into November. If you remove the Chinese from the equation, then the high season for Western tourists has really been from December to February for quite a few years now, the days of it lasting from mid-October until after Songkran in April are long gone.

Yeah, no big deal.

People won't be booking any trips to Thailand this high season.

Thailand is not 'reopening', it is implementing 7 + 7, kitten litterbox, sealed deal tourist trap or whatever the next buzz word bingo is.

Contrary to Thailand's deluded view of itself, people will travel elsewhere, if at all and meanwhile more expats will, if they can, leave.

Flip flopping rules and 76 different provinces with 76 jittery different bosses does not a covid exit strategy make.

 

[Heng]

I have booked my winter holidays and just tagged on another 16 days for quarantine.   Scr3w you Covid.   Is that all you got?

[Cherrytreeview]

4 minutes ago, Heng said:

I have booked my winter holidays and just tagged on another 16 days for quarantine.   Scr3w you Covid.   Is that all you got?

You've used the word 'holiday'.

Maybe endurance test to gain entry, followed by let's see what businesses have survived/are open and hope the rules don't change before or during my trip, might be more accurate.

Anyway, hope you have a great time.

[Heng]

7 minutes ago, Cherrytreeview said:

You've used the word 'holiday'.

Maybe endurance test to gain entry, followed by let's see what businesses have survived/are open and hope the rules don't change before or during my trip, might be more accurate.

Anyway, hope you have a great time.

It's all in the game... flight cancellations, PCRs, and rule changes... Travelling out of Thailand for vacations so hopefully the return will continue to just be the COE+AQ inconvenience.   For myself, I choose not to wait another year, maybe another, etc.  I might get Covid from the half masked lady at Lotus just as easily as from the dudes arguing about masks on my Southwest flight. 

[khunPer]

1 hour ago, meechai said:

Maybe...maybe not right?

I mean that is the whole point...Folks like to plan, buy travel insurance, reserve tickets etc etc

But given the flip/flop track record you would have to wonder if  Nov or Dec 1st will hold up any better than Oct 1st did

 

It seems quite obvious they have a wealth of no idea ????

Isn't that what I'm saying, one week is too short time for hordes of tourists to arrive, a firm date ahead -where one knows that the vaccination targets can be met - is far better, like my suggested 1st November, or 1st December - or even 15th December, then the important Xmas-New Year peak season can be included...????

[Ireland32]

5 hours ago, poskat said:

"Yutthasak said he was largely unconcerned by the delay"

 

of course he isnt, he is a billionaire and isnt affected by the lack of tourists.

 

and who cares about the effect that this ever-changing "opening" date has on tourist who might want to make plans ahead of time to come here.

 

I'd like to make a trip back to the US for the holidays, but cant make any plans due to the lack of a firm date that wouldnt require a lengthy isolation stay on my return or going to phuket to leave for a round trip back there to use the sandbox entrance

I left in July  for USA I’m waiting for No Quarantine , Japan Airlines letting me change tickets for no fee $800 dollars RT which was. A deal especially being  summer flight