Thailand’s ‘Bold Move’ to revive tourism to take years, analysts say

[webfact]

Tourist poses for a photo on a boat before a boundary line set by the Thai National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department to close the beach on Maya Bay to visitors on the southern Thai island of Koh Phi Phi. - Thailand plans to fully re-open to vaccinated tourists travelling by air from countries deemed low risk from November 1. - AFP  

 

BANGKOK, Oct 12 (Bloomberg): Thailand's plan to end quarantine for vaccinated visitors is "a fight to win foreign tourists", Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said on Tuesday (Oct 12).

 

But analysts and industry executives see it as a long road to recovery fraught with risks of periodic virus resurgence and unpredictable travel trends.

 

Minister Phiphat said Thailand's reopening plan coincides with many other nations' efforts to allow easier cross-border travel and is a fight to win foreign tourists in the next few months.

 

His ministry wants to attract travellers from China the most, and may seek travel bubbles with Asean nations if they are low-risk countries and travellers have been fully vaccinated.

 

Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view

 

Full story: https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2021/10/12/thailands-bold-move-to-revive-tourism-to-take-years-analysts-say

 

-- © Copyright The Star 2021-10-13

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[RichardColeman]

32 minutes ago, webfact said:

But analysts and industry executives see it as a long road to recovery fraught with risks of periodic virus resurgence and unpredictable travel trends.

Wont be any travel trends - apart from stagnation - if they don't decide 100% of entry demands and stick to it for tourists to actually plan anything

 

From Link. Krungsri expects Thailand's population to reach 70 per cent vaccination rate by year-end with tourist arrivals forecast maintained at 300,000 this year, 14 million in 2022, 34 million in 2023, and a rebound to pre-pandemic levels of 40 million by 2024.

 

I think a jump from say 100,000 to 14 million in 2023 is optimistic to say the least without restrictions being completely removed, and 34 million in 26 months time is even funnier.

Edited October 12, 2021 by RichardColeman

[Rampant Rabbit]

yeah  yeah  yeah  samne old  nationalistic  twaddle reporting tripe, "bold  move"   yep  Thailand the brave, Thailand the Free , Thailand the undefeated, protector of the people , world  champions  in...........................BS

[Jingthing]

In other words, reckless. 

[Gold Star]

Ooooh, I just can't wait for the Chinese hordes to return.

[nkg]

40 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Wont be any travel trends - apart from stagnation - if they don't decide 100% of entry demands and stick to it for tourists to actually plan anything

 

From Link. Krungsri expects Thailand's population to reach 70 per cent vaccination rate by year-end with tourist arrivals forecast maintained at 300,000 this year, 14 million in 2022, 34 million in 2023, and a rebound to pre-pandemic levels of 40 million by 2024.

 

I think a jump from say 100,000 to 14 million in 2023 is optimistic to say the least without restrictions being completely removed, and 34 million in 26 months time is even funnier.

 

East Asia and ASEAN account for approximately 27m out of their 40m tourists in 2019, but I can't see China opening their borders any time soon, and the ASEAN countries are also being very cautious.

 

Fortunately for Thailand, long-staying Western tourists spend a lot more money. Not always in hotels and shopping malls where their spending can be easily monitored, but they are what is needed to kick-start the local economy. Remove the restrictions, and they will start coming back.

 

Time to end this childish obsession with visitor numbers, Thailand.

 

Edited October 12, 2021 by nkg

[ExpatOilWorker]

49 minutes ago, Gold Star said:

Ooooh, I just can't wait for the Chinese hordes to return.

Have China expanded the 9 dash line to include Brazil????

 

https://factcheck.afp.com/no-photo-does-not-show-crowded-beach-china

[ExpatOilWorker]

50 minutes ago, nkg said:

 

East Asia and ASEAN account for approximately 27m out of their 40m tourists in 2019, but I can't see China opening their borders any time soon, and the ASEAN countries are also being very cautious.

 

Fortunately for Thailand, long-staying Western tourists spend a lot more money. Not always in hotels and shopping malls where their spending can be easily monitored, but they are what is needed to kick-start the local economy. Remove the restrictions, and they will start coming back.

 

Time to end this childish obsession with visitor numbers, Thailand.

 

Correct, China isn't even issuing passports to its own citizens anymore.

 

'No Ordinary Passports to be Issued': China Restricts Overseas Travel to Curb Fresh Covid Outbreak
https://www.news18.com/news/world/no-ordinary-passports-to-be-issued-china-restricts-overseas-travel-to-curb-fresh-covid-outbreak-4044824.html
 

[fredscats]

....and the rest

[nkg]

4 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Correct, China isn't even issuing passports to its own citizens anymore.

 

'No Ordinary Passports to be Issued': China Restricts Overseas Travel to Curb Fresh Covid Outbreak
https://www.news18.com/news/world/no-ordinary-passports-to-be-issued-china-restricts-overseas-travel-to-curb-fresh-covid-outbreak-4044824.html
 

 

China claim to have had 4,636 covid deaths in total, and 96,435 cases of covid since 2019. With a similar population, India have 451,220 deaths and 34,000,500 cases.

 

If those figures are close to being accurate, China's borders are likely to stay sealed for a long time to come.

 

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/china/

 

 

 

[gt162]

16 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Correct, China isn't even issuing passports to its own citizens anymore.

 

'No Ordinary Passports to be Issued': China Restricts Overseas Travel to Curb Fresh Covid Outbreak
https://www.news18.com/news/world/no-ordinary-passports-to-be-issued-china-restricts-overseas-travel-to-curb-fresh-covid-outbreak-4044824.html
 

Yap, China impose 2-3 week quarantine upon return to China. I don't think Chinese are willing to take 1 week vacation in Thailand and take 2/3 weeks in quarantine upon return at additional expense that costs more then what they paid in 1 week in Thailand.

[thailand49]

China?  Here we go again!  ????  These so call leaders do have a one track mind!

[10baht]

2 hours ago, nkg said:

If those figures are close to being accurate, China's

They are not correct, and we all know it.

[XJPSX]

3 hours ago, Gold Star said:

Ooooh, I just can't wait for the Chinese hordes to return.

Imagine all the urine in that poor ocean.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

But analysts and industry executives see it as a long road to recovery fraught with risks of periodic virus resurgence and unpredictable travel trends.

Where's the risk?

International double vaxed and multi tested travelers or partially vaxed Thailand?

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

In other words, reckless. 

Clueless more like.

[nobodysfriend]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

and is a fight to win foreign tourists in the next few months.

To win foreign tourists ... so , a foreign tourist is a prize to win ?

If they want to be the winner , need to make the country and it's people more attractive to foreigners then . Much more attractive . And stop all that bad behavior against foreigners . By the government officials and the local xenophobes as well .

[nobodysfriend]

5 minutes ago, XJPSX said:

Imagine all the urine in that poor ocean.

Imagine the mountain of trash left behind ...

[sirineou]

Proposing to Increase the tax on tourists by 500 bht was a brilliant Idea, towards reviving tourism.

[thailand49]

Bold move!  OK if he say so!  Bold is to open now and let get on with ones life and what is surely to come instead of all the dreaming it has been close to two years one would think with that time one could get their <deleted> together?  Bold is open without any restriction not slowly crack the door an CM then slam it back close the next day!

[Roger Ward]

It would make more sense if you could be more tollerent to the ex pats who live here already and have helped to keep Thailand economy going,your not going to get a influx of tourists untill entertainment venues,national parks,etc are reopened,lets stop the BS every week .

[nobodysfriend]

Btw , just seen a report about Amsterdam and it's red light quarter ... it is so packed with tourists that the locals want to move away ... What attracts all these tourists ?

The excitement and entertainment they get over there ...

It is not really the ' happy holiday for a family on a beach ' prospectus that attracts people , it is excitement and entertainment as well .

Let's face it : a mayor attraction of Thailand was it's sex workers ... even a family of ' normal ' tourists want to have a look at this at least , to have something to show and tell when back home .

If Thailand is killing this business , it shoots itself in the foot .

Spend a day on the beach or sightseeing , in the evening , go out for a good dinner in a restaurant , send the kids back to the hotel , and then go for a drink to a  'red light ' quarter , that is what many want .

Make Patts the new thai Las Vegas , would , f.e. be a huge money maker ...

Edited October 13, 2021 by nobodysfriend

[Pedrogaz]

Personally I would be pleased with a smaller, but much more expensive tourist industry. Of course that would require cleaning the place up, sorting out the dangerous electricity, and impounding the vehicle of lots of bad drivers.

[jacko45k]

3 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

Btw , just seen a report about Amsterdam and it's red light quarter ... it is so packed with tourists that the locals want to move away ... What attracts all these tourists ?

A redundant question? 

[vandeventer]

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

In other words, reckless. 

Nice picture, is she a Thai girl? It would be nice to see the face of a beautiful Thai girl in the picture as they are up with the most beautiful women in the world.

[nobodysfriend]

12 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

Nice picture, is she a Thai girl? It would be nice to see the face of a beautiful Thai girl in the picture as they are up with the most beautiful women in the world.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder ...

 

 

 

 

Edited October 13, 2021 by nobodysfriend

[mikebell]

17 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

Personally I would be pleased with a smaller, but much more expensive tourist industry. Of course that would require cleaning the place up, sorting out the dangerous electricity, and impounding the vehicle of lots of bad drivers.

And culling five million stray dogs.

[mjakob007]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

His ministry wants to attract travellers from China the most

That's all he intended to communicate in the press release..

Rest is all fluff

[Clarkey611]

15 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder ...

 

 

 

 

Get it out with Optrex?

[Tonypandy]

2 hours ago, nkg said:

 

China claim to have had 4,636 covid deaths in total, and 96,435 cases of covid since 2019. With a similar population, India have 451,220 deaths and 34,000,500 cases.

 

If those figures are close to being accurate, China's borders are likely to stay sealed for a long time to come.

 

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/china/

 

 

 

Yes and all with what Westerns call the crappy vaccine Sinovac and Sinopharm. Looks like the Chinese have it right unlike the US and others. 

 

We all know that China could be hiding true numbers, but then again that's just the same as Western governments.

 

Time will tell