Pubs and bars to remain closed in 17 pilot areas after November 1

[Cake Monster]

3 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Groups of foreign investors, mostly Chinese have their eyes on and have been buying up closed hotels and businesses for months in Pattaya, according to the hotel association president

And in 3 to 5 Years time gambling will be made legal in Thailand, with all the big Casino,s Etc being Chinese owned

You only need to look as far as Sihanoukville in Cambodia to see Pattaya,s future.

[NanLaew]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

... Entertainment venues, pubs, bars and karaoke shops in these areas will have to remain closed for the time being.

Let the hand-wringing and wailing and gnashing of teeth begin.

[Tony M]

1 hour ago, Spellforce said:

And the Pattaya Music festival planned end of npvember ?

About entertainment and new rules, I'm pretty sure nothing will change before 15th november.

Pattaya is advertising two music festivals in Pattaya in November - 5th and 6th at Pattaya Beach, and 12 and 13 at Jomtien Beach and Koh Larn (!) (and two more weekend music festivals in December). In addition, they are advertising Loy Krathong festivities on 19th November.  Are they really expecting less than 500 people or "allowing" less than 500 people at such events,  ?

[Jonathan Swift]

4 hours ago, Gandtee said:

That's going to go up like a lead balloon. Places of entertainment closed??? So what is the point of this announcement? It's certainly not going to entice any tourists. The next announcement will be all tourists will have to join the monkhood for fourteen days on entry.????

I think it's obvious that these "announcements" are designed to encourage optimism, but are couched in certain assumptions, as such they are more like conditional scenarios with the possibility of being revoked if things go south again. I agree that the rules that remain will still discourage tourism, but I also agree they they should not rush things. In the bigger picture these "dubious" announcements show that the intent is there, a step in a longer arc which if nothing comes up to prevent it, the restrictions will end and tourists will be once again free to come. I think anyone who has been paying attention knows full well that any serious outbreak will reverse policy as has happened many times. I don't have any problem understanding the position and rationale of the government, I understand the public relations aspect of these announcements, they have a right to be cautious, and I personally have all the patience necessary to endure more of the restrictions in exchange for a safer place. The disappointingly slow rollout of vaccines was obviously a mitigating factor, which is slowly improving. but it IS improving. That is probably the most significant progress, something you can bank on. What I can't figure out is why the US is listed among the favored countries, when in fact it has been and remains dangerously high in Covid cases, there is still a shortage of intensive care beds, all because politicians are stirring up the ignorant by telling them they have the "right" to walk around maskless and to refuse vaccines. So in typical culturally violent fashion we have idiots assaulting and shooting each other over mask mandates. I kid you not, there have been hundreds of assaults, shootings, and murders over convenience stores and restaurants enforcing mask rules. Meanwhile 725,000 dead in the US from Covid, and all of those tragically unnecessary. What ever you can say about Thailand, at least the general public is not violently insane. Nope, as far as I'm concerned I don't care how silly, illogical, or misguided anyone thinks the Thai government is, I'm vaxxed, did my quarantine (BTW when I got here they had reduced quarantine to 7 days for vaxxed immigrants, so I got a few hundred dollars refunded. Is that NOT progress?) I'm here in Bangkok and so much better off than in the US in so many ways, so I will NOT complain. I happen to enjoy the deserted beaches, so beautiful and peaceful like my own private beach, and I don't miss the absent hordes of rude Chinese and other annoying tourists. 

[Olmate]

57 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Strange response, you were the one that said: "Think any folk planning a return to work would be well aware of the need for vax and set to go by now."

 

So I presumed you knew what you were talking about, but obviously not. 

You missed it again but tobe expected. Try asking the folk you know in Isaan if they,re having problems getting vax in order to return to work hospitality.

[Tony125]

3 hours ago, overherebc said:

Will it make Thailand a bad place to bring your family on holiday if the sex industry is gone or vastly reduced?

Just askin'

The thing is you don't target 1 type of tourist, say we only want rich tourists, Chinese tourists, Indian, Brits, families, Eco tourists. You diversify, can have bars and sexpats in an area of Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket  but you would not even know about it without searching for it. Can have adventure tours for river rides, jungle tours , ocean tours for ECO/green type tourists, and waterparks other places for families something for everyone and getting paid by ALL the diferent groups coming for what they are interested in.

[ed strong]

3 hours ago, overherebc said:

Will it make Thailand a bad place to bring your family on holiday if the sex industry is gone or vastly reduced?

Just askin'

Its a very strange / surreal experience wondering through the red light districts of Thailand and seeing / passing plenty of European families with young children in tow actively looking around. You dont get this is other countries.

 

Ive even seen a family hire a prostitute as a baby sitter, i belive the family had no idea she was on the game and even after their holiday hey brought the prossy a gift and more money. I wonder how they would have felt if they knew what she normally got up to, anyway ignorance is bliss juts find it a bit strange why you would bring family to the redlight areas.

 

 

[Kadilo]

28 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

And in 3 to 5 Years time gambling will be made legal in Thailand, with all the big Casino,s Etc being Chinese owned

You only need to look as far as Sihanoukville in Cambodia to see Pattaya,s future.

I recall an agent telling me that in Pratumnak Hill when trying to sell me a condo for a new development around 5 years ago. The first casino was going to be at the Royal Cliff, dead cert with all the Chinese staying there. 
 

It was imminent then. Fortunately I never listened to the story as the prices have bombed. 

[aussiexpat]

Oh well, that's the November 1 plan off the list...looking forward to the December 1 plan, or even the January 1 plan (if I don't go to Bali or US  instead)

 

[NanLaew]

24 minutes ago, Sweet Swede said:

What about NON IMM O expats returning after visit to origin country? Do they need this 50k USD insurance?  We are not tourists.

You may not be tourists but you still need insurance.

 

A lot of insurance policies already meet this requirement quite easily although I see that some US-issued insurance refuse to issue a single document to specifically state the coverage that the CoE application requires. For those that like to ride the ragged edge and either don't bother with insurance or 'self insure', there's at least 3 Thai insurance companies offering pro-rated Covid-19 specific coverage to fit individual needs. For example, if you are entering early November and your annual extension expires end of December, you can but 2-months of coverage.

 

Unless I have missed it, there's no mention of a CoE from your local embassy in the new, November plans so I wonder who is entrusted with checking that everything is correct before check-in at the airport?

[NanLaew]

20 minutes ago, Tony M said:

Pattaya is advertising two music festivals in Pattaya in November - 5th and 6th at Pattaya Beach, and 12 and 13 at Jomtien Beach and Koh Larn (!) (and two more weekend music festivals in December). In addition, they are advertising Loy Krathong festivities on 19th November.  Are they really expecting less than 500 people or "allowing" less than 500 people at such events,  ?

They have the option of "allowing" multiple, smaller events rather than one big one. One has to think outside the box these days.

[petedk]

1 hour ago, Griffo63 said:

Given that most people wanting to take a Christmas break will probably be making their decisions anytime soon, then delaying giving a date for entertainment venues etc to open will only make people give Thailand a miss this year and book somewhere else. There might be a few last minutes booking but they’ll be the exception. 

I am sure people are planning and booking their Christmas breaks now.

How many of them would want to enjoy a Christmas lunch without a glass of wine, let alone a whole 14 days without drinks with food. Sure they can buy wine and beer and drink in the hotel room, but that's not the same as relaxing and talking in a restaurant or pub.

[Salerno]

4 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Unless I have missed it, there's no mention of a CoE from your local embassy in the new, November plans so I wonder who is entrusted with checking that everything is correct before check-in at the airport?

Point 2 in the article ("specified platform" being Thailand Pass once it's up and running).

 

https://www.tatnews.org/2021/10/quarantine-free-thailand-reopening-for-vaccinated-tourists-from-1-november-2021/

[Scouse123]

3 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

Most people who come to the sex industry are singles, although I have also see couples and families walking their kids and pushing prams through the main Walking Streets, that said, the majority of people that frequent those places outweigh families and couples, not to mention a lot of them end up moving here later on and continue to spend money in the Thai economy.

 

Remove the sex industry and those who used to come will move onto other countries where it is available. Just saying.

 

I agree,

 

And if you close down negative parts ( to them) like the sex industry, will it make families come to a country that is still corrupt, lawless, dangerous, dual pricing, jet ski mafias,taxi mafias, unclean beaches, broken roads and dangerous pavements? I don't think it will. It hasn't got enough going for it.

 

It's not family friendly, elderly friendly nor disabled friendly. It built a tourist country largely on the back of the sex industry. Other countries such as Vietnam and Malaysia etc did not.

 

They are trying to ' sanitize ' certain aspects that they themselves dislike and keep the aspects that made themselves rich, such as endemic corruption, and it's doomed to fail.

 

I stay here because of a long term personal relationship only,

 

I get my enjoyment by flying to other countries in the region. We have our own houses and vehicles, which I continuously upkeep to a good standard and I like to stay up to date with a new truck. However, apart from food and essentials, my spending here is now minimal in this country.

 

Everybody cuts back the spending when they feel they just aren't getting value for money and I feel like that every time I set foot in Bangkok or areas frequented by Foreign tourists.

[Bkk Brian]

21 minutes ago, Olmate said:

You missed it again but tobe expected. Try asking the folk you know in Isaan if they,re having problems getting vax in order to return to work hospitality.

Considering they are not vaccinating that age group in the general public in Issan yet then theres no need. You missed that. They have not completed the over 60's yet

[NanLaew]

10 minutes ago, ed strong said:

Its a very strange / surreal experience wondering through the red light districts of Thailand and seeing / passing plenty of European families with young children in tow actively looking around. You dont get this is other countries.

 

Ive even seen a family hire a prostitute as a baby sitter, i belive the family had no idea she was on the game and even after their holiday hey brought the prossy a gift and more money. I wonder how they would have felt if they knew what she normally got up to, anyway ignorance is bliss juts find it a bit strange why you would bring family to the redlight areas.

 

 

A mate of mine had his favorite ladyboy as babysitter for his boss and his family when they came to Thailand for their summer holidays. The only complaint his boss had was it was hard to get their 'nanny' to let go of the pram.

 

It's possible the family you observed appreciate that a 'prossy' is primarily a human being, even the Thai ones?

 

Then again, you're the one that brought up the question of ignorance.

[petedk]

1 hour ago, norfolkandchance said:

You’re right I think. I was in a hotel in the NE a couple of nights ago having a beer at 1800. There where 3 young ladies in Pyjamas having dinner with their minder. 3 Thai guys turned up. Minder collected the cash and so to bed.

The three neighbouring houses to us are HiSo party houses.

Most evenings at about 5 pm the same girls are dropped off and they get dressed up. Around 7 pm different guys slowly start trickling in and by 9 there are just as many guys as girls. All the Mercedes, BMWs, Porches and so on line the street.

[Molly Malone]

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Social media is too great a force now, and opening without any nightlife, is a misplaced, misguided, and overly puritanical sentiment. ALL tourists want some nightlife. Expect 20,000 tourists in November, 30,000 in December, and 50,000 during what used to be known as "peak season".

 

It feels like willful sabotage. You cannot kill tourism more effectively, if you were doing it deliberately. Therefore, the verdict is in. They are trying to reduce the industry to ashes, and rebuild it in their own image. That of saints, sages and holy Buddhists. Put all the bars, nightclubs, go-go's, and related businesses out of business entirely. Then rebuild the industry as a Disneyworld, family type attraction. Pure as winter snow. 

 

Of course we all know this will be a dismal failure. I expect no more than 4-5 million tourists a year, 5-10 years from now, and for that trend of diminishing arrivals to continue, for the next 50 years. News bulletin! They killed the golden goose. 

 

It is time to admit that the tourism industry has been sabotaged to the point where it will never recover, to any meaningful extent. Ever. Decades from now it will be limping along, and thousands of large hotels will either be closed, or they will attempt to convert them into low priced condos. Eventually many will be razed to the ground. Trillions of dollars in tourism infrastructure down the toilet. Prayuth, Phiphat will go down in history as the men who destroyed the Thai economy, and set the nation on a scorched earth path toward a position of 80th in the world, in GDP, and a dramatic decline of the standard of living, for all but him, his cronies, and the very rich. 

Talk about PHENOMENAL MORONS, you want the tourists back BUT you do this idiotic booze ban!? 

 

Oh come on Tom, Dick and Harry lets go out on the town and have a rollicking good time sipping green tea! 

A few boom booms in a parlor then back home to read the Bible, the NYT or the teachings of Lord Buddha.

 

I can hear the phones ringing all over the world, "Cancel my trip to Thailand"!

[Cherrytreeview]

1 hour ago, SchuetzRob said:

You have every right to your opinion...... If the Chinese or the martians buy up Thailand, there is nothing I can do. If the Thais want this, so be it. No more tourist hubs, but casinos....? I guess you're a foreigner just like me in this interesting country and therefore you certainly realize that our point of view do not make much difference to the thai in charge....

And should the Thais decide to go all in again with mass tourism to the tourist hubs, then so be it as well.... As to penny pinching hero, I applaud you for intensively supporting the tourist hubs.  To es h his own (after all Thailand is the land of the free). And no, I have no credentials of wokeness whatsoever.

An essay addressing everything apart from the fact that Thai to Thai prostitution is far bigger and more prevalent than sex tourism into Thailand.

If you live in Thailand and not under a stone you would know it.

Thailand can do exactly as it likes. I couldn't care less.

However, i do take exception to people posting untrue stereotypes and lecturing other people.

[NanLaew]

6 minutes ago, Salerno said:

Point 2 in the article ("specified platform" being Thailand Pass once it's up and running).

 

https://www.tatnews.org/2021/10/quarantine-free-thailand-reopening-for-vaccinated-tourists-from-1-november-2021/

OK, thanks for the pointer. I don't have much hope that they will produce a new 'oven ready' app in time. I think the last one they came up for the sandboxes was ThailandPlus and it crashes on my phone. Maybe easier just to tweak the existing CoE online application that seems quite robust these days.

[ChrisY1]

They want the hookers to disappear!

[Cherrytreeview]

1 hour ago, norfolkandchance said:

You’re right I think. I was in a hotel in the NE a couple of nights ago having a beer at 1800. There where 3 young ladies in Pyjamas having dinner with their minder. 3 Thai guys turned up. Minder collected the cash and so to bed.

Not very subtle to say the least.

I remember a wonderful day out with a guide around Phuket.

He suggested we visit a brothel after lunch.

[AMFWolfie]

5 hours ago, Kadilo said:

“Entertainment venues, pubs, bars and karaoke shops in these areas will have to remain closed for the time being.”

 

 My guess would be that this will be the case for the duration of November then, depending on the data remaining positive, the next phase will be reopening bars etc in time for the main tourism to arrive for Xmas/new year period.

 

Its a sensible, measured approach.  

Unfortunately all the farangs from across Thailand currently holidaying in Phuket(because they can!!) many have not been double jabbed, are there partying, drinking and socialising and eventually will return to their own provinces.. Do the Thai government actually believe Covid doesn't go to Phuket?? or is it the vested interest of many of the people in power saying its OK its fine because they own or run business's in there! You can see why the business owners in Pattaya and other holiday resorts are getting totally <deleted> off with the situation especially when many in Pattaya have been double jabbed, Something is well out of sync here and with the announcement the bars will remain closed throughout November in most other provinces the tourists and returning Ex-pats are simply going to sit tight in their home countries until these clowns making these decisions either wise up or step down...

[NanLaew]

3 minutes ago, Molly Malone said:

Talk about PHENOMENAL MORONS, you want the tourists back BUT you do this idiotic booze ban!? 

 

Oh come on Tom, Dick and Harry lets go out on the town and have a rollicking good time sipping green tea! 

A few boom booms in a parlor then back home to read the Bible, the NYT or the teachings of Lord Buddha.

 

I can hear the phones ringing all over the world, "Cancel my trip to Thailand"!

Are you Molly the Monger?

 

Alcohol is not required to have a great time.

 

Nice to see the NYT right up there but you forgot the Quran.

[Cherrytreeview]

44 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Let the hand-wringing and wailing and gnashing of teeth begin.

Let more businesses close and employees have no earnings leaving more hungry mouths to feed.

While you mock and laugh at them on an expat forum.

Classy.

[NanLaew]

4 minutes ago, Cherrytreeview said:

Not very subtle to say the least.

I remember a wonderful day out with a guide around Phuket.

He suggested we visit a brothel after lunch.

Shocked? My Vietnamese client suggested we do the brothel bit before the languorous, seafood-stuffed and beer-soaked afternoon.

 

As The World Turns.

[Salerno]

6 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

OK, thanks for the pointer. I don't have much hope that they will produce a new 'oven ready' app in time. I think the last one they came up for the sandboxes was ThailandPlus and it crashes on my phone. Maybe easier just to tweak the existing CoE online application that seems quite robust these days.

To be honest, not sure how the "app" rumour got started on here, from day one it was referenced as a "new portal". It will be live at https://tp.consular.go.th/

 

The fact they didn't just spend half an hour - an hour to tweak the existing COE site is beyond me. Can only put it down to "TiT".

[Cherrytreeview]

23 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

They have the option of "allowing" multiple, smaller events rather than one big one. One has to think outside the box these days.

Thinking "outside the box" ain't worth jack <deleted> to anyone.

No one got rich on an alcohol ban and Thai festivals for Thai's.

Give it 5 years and it will be Chinese festivals for the Chinese.

With all the earnings being sent back to the motherland.

[NanLaew]

5 minutes ago, Cherrytreeview said:

51 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Let the hand-wringing and wailing and gnashing of teeth begin.

Let more businesses close and employees have no earnings leaving more hungry mouths to feed.

While you mock and laugh at them on an expat forum.

Classy.

Virtue signalling... making everyone look good.

[norfolkandchance]

10 minutes ago, Cherrytreeview said:

Not very subtle to say the least.

I remember a wonderful day out with a guide around Phuket.

He suggested we visit a brothel after lunch.

I forgot to mention the Hotel. It was named ‘ The Rabbit ‘.