TAT boss: quarantine remains for 1 day to test all visitors, no going back to old tourism pub scenes

[webfact]

The Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has moved to douse expectations after the Prime Minister’s announcement on Monday night by explaining that quarantine will remain for at least one day even for fully vaccinated arrivals from five initially approved countries. He also was adamant that there is no going back to the old model of Thai tourism with crowded pub scenes as his agency plans a shift to a higher quality, higher spending, family orientated sort of tourism in the future.

 

by James Morris and Son Nguyen

 

TAT boss rules out going back to the old Thai tourism formula of crowded bars and nightlife. He insists the kingdom is instead pursuing a higher quality, more family-friendly market. Yuthasak Supasorn also highlights the vital importance of cooperation between national, local government and state agencies in continuing to monitor and control the reopening process to protect the population from the threat of the COVID-19 virus. On Thursday, there was a significant breakthrough when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the Certificate of Entry system will also cease on November 1st and be replaced by a new web-based ‘Thailand Pass’ system confirming a passenger’s vaccination status to make travelling to Thailand easier.

 

Just days after what appeared to be a watershed announcement by Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan ocha that the country would reopen on a blanket basis to visitors from an initial list of 10 countries without quarantine and a suggestion that both alcohol and nightlife may be allowed after December, comes news that stronger controls will be maintained.

 

According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Yuthasak Supasorn, in recent days, there will still be a mandatory one day quarantine requirement for all visitors while he also suggested that there was no going back to the former tourism market with busy nightlife scenes as Thailand seeks a new tourism following. 

 

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Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2021/10/14/tat-boss-quarantine-remains-for-testing/

 

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[Enzian]

The puritans in government see the pandemic as a once in a lifetime opportunity to transform their shame about the "lower orders" into an image of glowing virtue. But reality will intervene, as it always eventually does.

[JCP108]

So, "no quarantine" means one to two days of quarantine and the COE remains but with a name change. 

[fusion58]

12 minutes ago, webfact said:

On Thursday, there was a significant breakthrough when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the Certificate of Entry system will also cease on November 1st and be replaced by a new web-based ‘Thailand Pass’ system confirming a passenger’s vaccination status to make travelling to Thailand easier.

Great! I’m currently waiting for approval on my COE application. Flight arrives on November 12. Did I just waste several days of my time?

[RichardColeman]

My 3rd UK jab will be due after 25th October. I think I'll get the 3rd, wait a month and see what happens. Far as I am concerned nothing has really changed. The health pass appears to be the COE in all but name and my own opinion it will end up just causing holiday chaos as much as the COE.

 

If I have to miss X-mas with the wife and kid, so be it. I'll let the rest if the eager beavers iron out the new system and see the comments here !

 

[soi3eddie]

29 minutes ago, webfact said:

TAT boss rules out going back to the old Thai tourism formula of crowded bars and nightlife. He insists the kingdom is instead pursuing a higher quality, more family-friendly market.

Good luck with that. With European destinations in summer, Dubai and Carribean in winter then there are plenty of other family/luxury/value options closer to home. Thailand is an exotic place that had thrived for decades on the mix of hedonism, freedom and lax implementation of rules. Make it difficult, expensive and less fun then many will simply seek alternative destinations. Maybe he's only got the Chinese or Indians in mind so let's see how that goes.

 

[soi3eddie]

11 minutes ago, fusion58 said:

Great! I’m currently waiting for approval on my COE application. Flight arrives on November 12. Did I just waste several days of my time?

My flight arrives in Thailand on 3rd November and I have been holding off making COE application and hotel booking in anticipation of rule changes. Hopefully full details of the new "Thailand Pass" and requirements will be out soon. If not, I'll simply delay arrival.

 

[HeijoshinCool]

.

 

This is why Thais wear flip-flops.....

 

They make a sound that is just like their decision making process.

[sirineou]

57 minutes ago, JCP108 said:

So, "no quarantine" means one to two days of quarantine and the COE remains but with a name change. 

 before we condemn it let's wait and see what it looks like.

  They say it would just be an app to confirm vaccination, but will it be only that? How about covid insurance? and if there are issues , how are they resolved? Not easy to call the web. LOL. also how about reservations for the one day stay?  Registering PCR test before you come so that if inadequate you don't need to go back, or do What? 

Say good by to the old confusion,Say  Hello to  new confusion.

[ukrules]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

He also was adamant that there is no going back to the old model of Thai tourism with crowded pub scenes as his agency plans a shift to a higher quality, higher spending, family orientated sort of tourism in the future.

He just announced the death of Tourism in Thailand. It's over.

 

He's far too dumb to realise it just yet but that realisation will come, probably some time in January 2022 once everyone who's conned into coming here realises that it's one of the worst places to go for their winter trip.

 

RIP, final nail, etc, etc.

[kotsak]

Someone remind him to turn off the light on his way out.. 

[madmitch]

TAT. One minute announcing unbelievable figures, the next discouraging tourists from visiting.

 

Simply not fit for the purpose.

[Thaiwrath]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

there was no going back to the former tourism market with busy nightlife scenes as Thailand seeks a new tourism following. 

Thai tourism:

[Captain Monday]

1 hour ago, soi3eddie said:

My flight arrives in Thailand on 3rd November and I have been holding off making COE application and hotel booking in anticipation of rule changes. Hopefully full details of the new "Thailand Pass" and requirements will be out soon. If not, I'll simply delay arrival.

 

Two weeks away. Expect same as opening of Sandbox. "Nothing Official yet, It has not been gazetteed",  Just fly from Memphis to Seattle wherever no idea if you will get your COE hours before flights. After you buy $1000 worth of PCR tests and hotel rooms for a whole family, you'll be fine. A disorganized shambles where airport staff were learning new rules via emails. We need 3 copies of your certificate of SHABA. "No you don't " Same staff taking pics of every document I have. Do similar again in Doha. Is it a holiday or being extradited on murder charges?

 

This time another government app/website that likely has not even been coded yet, same as COE but for name. Dubious Insurance and prepaid hotels NEVER going away.  Probably, the prepaid tests also. 

 

Sure it will work as well as Thailand Plus? Mooted, mulled, then forgotten by everyone except Thai embassies and the previously mentioned pesky agents trying to deny you boarding.  The rules will change 5 times by Jan 01. By then any hope of High Season 2021-2022 a failed memory.

 

Nobody will take a Thai holiday until they cut this nonsense, only people with serious partners and properties. As for the the "unaccompanied male" no more such shenanigans allowed forget about the bars they wont open for at least 1 more year if ever.

 

[zzaa09]

Flip-flopping for the last several months. 

And yet today, they still don't know what they wanna do. 

[ukrules]

6 minutes ago, Captain Monday said:

 

Nobody  will take a Thai holiday until they cut this nonsense, only people with partners and properties 

Yes, and once you go through all this nonsense there's a very good chance you will catch COVID just like anyone else already here if you mingle with the locals who are actively hiding their infections unless they need to go to hospital or get caught up in an active contact trace investigation.

 

If that happens then be prepared for a world of restriction, quarantine and possibly incarceration if you don't want to stump up their special fees for 'hospitel' quarantine.

 

[scorecard]

34 minutes ago, sirineou said:

 before we condemn it let's wait and see what it looks like.

  They say it would just be an app to confirm vaccination, but will it be only that? How about covid insurance? and if there are issues , how are they resolved? Not easy to call the web. LOL. also how about reservations for the one day stay?  Registering PCR test before you come so that if inadequate you don't need to go back, or do What? 

Say good by to the old confusion,Say  Hello to  new confusion.

The 1 day quarantine... where will the swab be taken? At the airport on arrival or at the ASQ hotel when traveler arrives at the hotel?

 

Hopefully at the airport on arrival so that analysis of the swab can start promptly.

 

And, when will the 1 day Q start if passenger arrives at swampy late afternoon/evening.

 

I have a flight booking for 9 Dec, arrives swampy 5:20 pm. If arrival is on time, does it mean I must go to my ASQ hotel and stay there until 5:20 pm on 10 Dec?

 

Or for my arrival and later arrivals does the 1 day start the next day 10th?

 

I need to make a domestic air booking from swampy to Chiang Mai, but until I get a clear understanding of the above points I can't make the domestic booking.

[zzaa09]

On 10/15/2021 at 5:18 AM, scorecard said:

The 1 day quarantine... where will the swab be taken? At the airport on arrival or at the ASQ hotel when traveler arrives at the hotel?

 

Hopefully at the airport on arrival so that analysis of the swab can start promptly.

 

And, when will the 1 day Q start if passenger arrives at swampy late afternoon/evening.

 

I have a flight booking for 9 Dec, arrives swampy 5:20 pm. If arrival is on time, does it mean I must go to my ASQ hotel and stay there until 5:20 pm on 10 Dec?

 

Or for my arrival and later arrivals does the 1 day start the next day 10th?

 

I need to make a domestic air booking from swampy to Chiang Mai, but until I get a clear understanding of the above points I can't make the domestic booking.

This is one of numerous issues that logically arise that they haven't worked out as of yet - if they ever do.

They do tend to misplace important details here and there. 

 

The usual Thai cluster<deleted>.

[freedomnow]

...another flip-flop on what is going to occur a day later..

 

This just shouts to the world what a bunch of hapless headless chickens are running the show.

[Andycoops]

So this guy who is just a head of an authority, is over ruling the Muppet PMs announcement.

If so who is really running the country?

Another case of left foot, right foot.

And more of the mumbo jumbo drivel about high this and high that to go along with it.

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

TAT boss rules out going back to the old Thai tourism formula of crowded bars and nightlife. He insists the kingdom is instead pursuing a higher quality, more family-friendly market.

Uh-huh. It's hardly just limited to tourism. Thai men and their mia nois. Thai women and their giks. Former colleagues and other farangs I've known have had ongoing things with neglected, married Thai ladies. The countless little "resorts" you see scattered across the countryside, on the outskirts of towns, in which such arrangements are consummated. Heh.

 

You hardly need to go to the bar to get it. I'm sure everyone's got a story of being flirted with, beginning with a raised eyebrow, a wink, in anywhere from a noodle shop to a workplace. In my village an attractive lady has gone unmarried for years, instead preferring an assortment of male visitors. It's how she affords a better lifestyle than her meager salary allows for. 

 

I suppose they'll also be shutting down all the Thai venues, the soapy massages, the karaoke bars, the "pretties" who can be hired for events (and wind up drugged to death)? The TAT sure has their work cut out for them. In shifting their tourism model, they'll also have to somehow shift a deeply ingrained part of their culture.

[Bkk Brian]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Governor Yuthasak Supasorn, in recent days, there will still be a mandatory one day quarantine requirement for all visitors while he also suggested that there was no going back to the former tourism market with busy nightlife scenes as Thailand seeks a new tourism following. 

Since when has this jerk been part of the CCSA? He needs to go back in his box now.

 

Complete disunity in the government here again. Last time he spoke he talked about increasing revenue from each tourist from 49k each to 82k to make up for lost revenue. He was also the one who wanted the "sexy" slogan for advertising and do away with mass tourism.

[JonnyF]

Thailand is like a grubby restaurant selling overpriced burgers and beers while waiting for the Caviar and Champagne set to turn up.

 

Totally delusional. They have no idea how the world views them and why people used to come here.

[gk10012001]

I and I am sure many object to the implication of not being a "Higher Quality" tourist.  Sure I go to pubs and I go to a gogo now and then.  But if that Puritan sounding TAT guy equates that or assumes that most tourists only go to packed in bars and gogos he is somistaken.  Sure some meetups happen, tourists meet up with fellow expats or countrymen for a night out for some drinking.  But there is so much more to visiting or living in Thailand as many expats and visitors can testify to.  I have been to Thailand 15 times.  I am a semi-retired engineer.  I have no criminal background. I do no drugs or anything illegal.  I am well funded for retirement.  I am not a cheap charlie. After my first trip to Thailand and Pattaya in 2004, I always planned to semi retire there for at least 6 months of each year.  I was waiting for COVID policies to become more reasonable before taking at least my next 90 day vacation, (SETV 60 day + 30 Day extension).  Now, the heck with it.  I will take this upcoming Engineering contract for the next 10 months or so and then see what Thailand is doing at that point

[fangless]

2 hours ago, fusion58 said:

Great! I’m currently waiting for approval on my COE application. Flight arrives on November 12. Did I just waste several days of my time?

Ask again on the 13th.  They may have made up there minds by then!

[talahtnut]

Why would posh folk come to Thailand, with no drinking, no gambling, no sex,

just heaps of stupid paperword and constant rule changing.

[Skeptic7]

As always, they just spout off and fantasize about whatever silliness that projectile vomits out their stupidity holes. When curfew lifted and bars opened...We The People...the consumers...with the money...are gonna make up for almost 2 years of lost time.

 

It AIN'T gonna be "family friendly"! ????

[fangless]

43 minutes ago, freedomnow said:

...another flip-flop on what is going to occur a day later..

 

This just shouts to the world what a bunch of hapless headless chickens are running the show.

This just shouts to the world what a bunch of hapless headless chickens are running the show. around the government buildings pretending to be in charge of their menagerie!

[RachaRob]

Family Friendly? So they want to rip off whole families now?

[Destiny1990]

Wouldn’t mind seeing the bulldozers going to WS after all what will be the purpose of these didco-bars. Make it Neo Pattaya..????????