Anamai Poll finds most Thais are concerned about November 1 reopening

[webfact]

   

BANGKOK (NNT) - A survey by the Department of Health has found that Thais are worried about the November 1 reopening to international travelers, and wanted to see more effective prevention of illegal border crossings.

 

Results from the Department of Health’s Anamai Poll points to 94% of the public having some concerns about Thailand’s reopening to foreign tourists on November 1. Only 28% of respondents expressed confidence in the country’s disease prevention capability. 72% of respondents said they wanted to see measures that give rise to confidence about safety after reopening, especially the acceleration of vaccine administration so that each province achieves a 70% coverage.

 

60% of survey takers proposed more stringent measures to prevent illegal entry along the border, while 50% expressed the view that follow-up and supervision over disease control measures implemented by venues and individuals should be strictly carried out.

 

Department of Health Director-General Dr. Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai asserted that all venues must work to improve tourists’ confidence in safety, by rigorously observing public health measures. Staff at various establishments should be vaccinated or receive an ATK test every 7-14 days, and make use of the Thai Save Thai online risk evaluation service. Anyone determined by the service to be at risk should undertake an ATK test immediately.

 

Dr. Suwannachai said venues will be evaluated under the ‘Thai Stop COVID Plus’ criteria and the passing certificate should be put up at an easily visible spot in each venue so visitors and officials can scan its QR code. The director-general added that venues that comply with SHA Plus requirements will have adequate ventilation and allocate at least four square meters of space per one customer. Touched surfaces will also be cleaned frequently.

 

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-- © Copyright NNT 2021-10-26

 

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[ThailandRyan]

Vaccinate the public, and ensure even the migrant workers are vaccinated and not left hanging.  Create a program where you also vaccinate thos unvaccinated who arrive in the country just like the US is doing.  Create an air of confidence that is clear and transparent and not filled with reverse image glass. 

 

To create trust in your ability to do the right thing, well then "Do the right thing" and no more smoke and mirrors and stop putting more obstacles in place just like with your Pfizer purchase, the Moderna purchase, and then the Donation from the US which still has not made it hear after Anutin stated it was not Thailands fault and they would do the necessary paperwork, which has yet to be completed......TIT where confusion reigns supreme and the Thai people are slowly waking up to the true issue "They are not the center of the Universe".

[bkk_bwana]

The 85% of Thais who have nothing to do with working in tourism or its related industries have a right to be worried. The country will do far better if efforts are concentrated on keeping the virus out of the manufacturing and food supply chain, focusing on exports which are a far greater revenue generator than tourism.

Tourism will come back. When the world is ready to travel again. Not just because they hang a 'now open' sign up.

 

[TooMuchTime]

6 minutes ago, bkk_bwana said:

The 85% of Thais who have nothing to do with working in tourism or its related industries have a right to be worried. The country will do far better if efforts are concentrated on keeping the virus out of the manufacturing and food supply chain, focusing on exports which are a far greater revenue generator than tourism.

Tourism will come back. When the world is ready to travel again. Not just because they hang a 'now open' sign up.

 

>when the world is ready

The people are ready, unless you consider a small group of "leaders" as your overlord.

I hope you aren't the type who just waits for daddy govt to tell you what to do and how to think,

[ezzra]

The big majority of those 94% people who "has concerns" dose not realist how important tourism is to Thailand and without tourist's dollars millions are out of work, foreign earning are not coming in and the government's coffers are running on empty...

[spidermike007]

They have been scared into submission! 

 

Some boldness is required, on the part of the overly timid guys in charge here and the people. The economy is in tatters. The economic situation in Thailand is not getting any better.

 

Let's face it. The danger is from within. It is not the scary foreigners who are threatening Thailand, but rather the scary locals, especially those from Bangkok. So, let's man up why don't we? And start performing your job. Which is to man the roadblocks, and forbid the Zombies from leaving Bangkok for the next few weeks. And start locking up the super corrupt "Prayuth immigration men" on the borders. And close all the super cluster army bases and canning plants. 

[mommysboy]

They should be concerned if not fully vaccinated and feel somewhat cautious otherwise. It's going to cut up fairly rough for a few months.  But there is no other way imo, although waiting a couple more months to reach 80% vaccination would have been better from a public health perspective.

[bokningar]

21 minutes ago, bkk_bwana said:

The 85% of Thais who have nothing to do with working in tourism or its related industries have a right to be worried. The country will do far better if efforts are concentrated on keeping the virus out of the manufacturing and food supply chain, focusing on exports which are a far greater revenue generator than tourism.

Tourism will come back. When the world is ready to travel again. Not just because they hang a 'now open' sign up.

 

With the level of intrusion on personal privacy, they will have in Thailand from now on. The spy app they have dreamed up will keep people away. Only people desperate to reconnect with family would want to come and spend money in Thailand with no personal privacy at all. This sounds more like North Korea or China.

[NanaSomchai]

2 minutes ago, bokningar said:

Only people desperate to reconnect with family would want to come and spend money in Thailand with no personal privacy at all. This sounds more like North Korea or China.

Spot on.

 

This is what we saw with the very first initial batch of so called "tourists" that weren't tourists at all returning to the Kingdom under the Phuket's sandbox program.

 

Those were mostly expats who were unlucky enough to find themselves abroad when the country entered it's first curfew/lockdown/you-name-it thing and were desperate to return to the Kingdom over family/business matters at all costs, no matter what it implied for them.

 

Hint: The keyword in the sentences above is the word desperate, in case you didn't get it the first time.

[RichardColeman]

I wonder if the poll would be the same if the Thais asked were told that the government would agree a 2 month delay as long as ALL Thais had to be vaccinated twice in the 2 months, take out $50,000 medical insurance, take 2 PCR tests in 4 days and be holed up in a hotel until they had the result.

 

I'm pretty sure they would say open tomorrow and let the foreigners worry about it.

[vandeventer]

2 hours ago, bkk_bwana said:

The 85% of Thais who have nothing to do with working in tourism or its related industries have a right to be worried. The country will do far better if efforts are concentrated on keeping the virus out of the manufacturing and food supply chain, focusing on exports which are a far greater revenue generator than tourism.

Tourism will come back. When the world is ready to travel again. Not just because they hang a 'now open' sign up.

 

Thai people are not stupid, most know this is not the time to open the gates to let hordes of tourist in. They know the vaccines that were given to them were of low standard two doses of Chinese or Chinese than AZ. and still many Thais have not been vaccinate. What's the rush, a safer Thailand is a better Thailand for all.

[wombat]

a poll taken of 1600 hiso residents is not a representative poll of opinion

[flyfrog]

To all those concerned, well give 20% of your salary to those who don't have a job, and check the corruption at the borders for the illegal entrees by workers.

[cardinalblue]

A safer thailand? Thailand does not factor safety into their decision making…

 

let’s go study drowning, construction accident and road fatality rates 

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

A survey by the Department of Health has found that Thais are worried about the November 1 reopening to international travelers, and wanted to see more effective prevention of illegal border crossings.

They should be more worried about domestic vaccination rates.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, bkk_bwana said:

The country will do far better if efforts are concentrated on keeping the virus out of the manufacturing and food supply chain,

So why not jail every Thai employer who employees illegal un-vaccinated migrants?

[WEBBYB808]

No! They are not.  Most hotels and other tourist  traps are opening and already gearing up to reap everything  they can and then some more

[JCP108]

The borders not being policed pose a much, much bigger threat to Thailand in regards to infections than letting in fully-vaccinated travelers who are tested twice.

 

On a related note, if only about 40% of the 70 million people in Thailand are vaccinated and they could get around 65 million vaccinated tourists to arrive all at once, then 70% of the people in Thailand at that time would be vaccinated even without giving any more vaccines to Thais. 

[Brock]

The figures mean nothing. What was the sample size ( 200, 2000, 200000) and what area was the survey taken. results of 94% are meaning less if only 100 people responded and they were Burmese workers in the far north west..  You would have a different result from Phuket and Pattaya or Bangkok..

[PEE TEE]

O(k that's good ..now do a poll on those who are dependent  on tourists .

[Bangkok Barry]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

A survey by the Department of Health has found that Thais are worried about the November 1 reopening to international travelers, and wanted to see more effective prevention of illegal border crossings.

A survey by the Department of Health the Travel Agent Association has found that Thais foreigners are worried about the November 1 reopening to international travelers, and wanted to see more effective prevention of illegal border crossings vaccination of Thais to prevent visitors being infected with the Corona virus.

[soi3eddie]

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

They have been scared into submission! 

That's for sure. I can't help think that by blaming foreigners for the virus and Anutin's infamous comments last year, it's all part of the plan to distract Thais from criticising their government for all it's failings. More talk and fear of foreigners will maintain controls on everyone and divert attention from the Thai government. It will be interesting to see the poll attitudes to foreigners once the pandemic is well and truly over.

 

I'm reminded of a situation in June 2020 while travelling near Khao Sok in Surat Thani. I stopped at a roadside coffee shop and was greeted by the owner's husband outside in the garden, he spoke great English and was a nice chap. On trying to enter the shop to place my order, his wife said I must leave as "foreigners have Covid". She was adamant that I could not enter the shop. Her husband persuaded her to serve me coffee at the table outside which she did. Cleary she was <deleted> scared of foreigners and covid. 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

5 hours ago, bkk_bwana said:

The 85% of Thais who have nothing to do with working in tourism or its related industries have a right to be worried. The country will do far better if efforts are concentrated on keeping the virus out of the manufacturing and food supply chain, focusing on exports which are a far greater revenue generator than tourism.

Tourism will come back. When the world is ready to travel again. Not just because they hang a 'now open' sign up.

 

They have a right to be worried IF there is something to worry about. 

However, ignorance and hearsay do not an educated pollee make. 

 

i.e. ask the same questions in similar ways and you’ll get different answers: 

 

A) Are you concerned that foreigners will bring in Covid-19 when Thailand opens in Nov 1st ?

B) What is the risk foreigners present to Covid-19 numbers ?

 

Everyone will answer - Yes, to question A. The vast majority will have no idea how to answer question B proving they are ultimately unknowledgeable to provide an educated answer. 

 

--------

 

That said 20% of Thailands GDP comes from Tourism which has been devastated impacting millions who now have no income. 

As you mention [bkk_bwana] the remainder of Thai industry and business needs to be protected. 

 

The Phuket Sandbox has proven that opening up of Thailand to foreign tourists does not present any significant increase in risk to the spread of Covid-19 especially with the 1st Nov requirements to isolate (hotel quarantine) for 1 night until a locally administer PCR test is proven negative. 

 

But, elevated risk may exist if the increased population density within tourist areas leads to further domestic transmission. But, will the increase in tourism (from Nov 1st) really lead to an increase in population density in tourist areas, it may in some, but I just do not see major increase in tourist numbers the TAT are proposing, thus I do not envisage elevated risk. 

 

Additionally, how is the risk of increase tourism through opening up of bars and restaurants in tourist areas otherwise measured against shopping malls, restaurants, massage, sports facilities, offices etc

 

The point I wish to make here is that if ‘everything else’ is open, how much greater is the risk presented by opening the tourist areas populated by international tourists ?

 

There are also many tourist areas popular with domestic (Such as Khao Yai) which are very busy at the weekends - tourism is not only dependant on foreign visitors. 

 

Thus, to conclude: Anyone who considers vaccinated and PCR tested foreign arrivals as presenting a major elevated risk to the spread of Covid-19 in Thailand has not really considered the various facets to present a balanced response. 

 

 

 

 

 

[spidermike007]

16 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

That's for sure. I can't help think that by blaming foreigners for the virus and Anutin's infamous comments last year, it's all part of the plan to distract Thais from criticising their government for all it's failings. More talk and fear of foreigners will maintain controls on everyone and divert attention from the Thai government. It will be interesting to see the poll attitudes to foreigners once the pandemic is well and truly over.

 

I'm reminded of a situation in June 2020 while travelling near Khao Sok in Surat Thani. I stopped at a roadside coffee shop and was greeted by the owner's husband outside in the garden, he spoke great English and was a nice chap. On trying to enter the shop to place my order, his wife said I must leave as "foreigners have Covid". She was adamant that I could not enter the shop. Her husband persuaded her to serve me coffee at the table outside which she did. Cleary she was <deleted> scared of foreigners and covid. 

 

 

Such stunning ignorance. What can one even say? 

[paulikens]

I can't take the opinion seriously of a nation were parents will ride a motorbike with 3 kids on it and they and the kids have no helmets on but all have masks on.   it beggars belief.  

Edited October 26, 2021 by paulikens

[soi3eddie]

5 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Such stunning ignorance. What can one even say? 

I very nearly turned away and left but the husband was genuinly nice and chatty (he had worked in Phuket until the pandemic). I was <deleted> off at first but I really wanted that coffee!

[Tonypandy]

5 hours ago, mommysboy said:

They should be concerned if not fully vaccinated and feel somewhat cautious otherwise. It's going to cut up fairly rough for a few months.  But there is no other way imo, although waiting a couple more months to reach 80% vaccination would have been better from a public health perspective.

If your vaccinated you can catch and transmit, if your not vaccinated you can catch and transmit. 

[spetersen]

5 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

They have been scared into submission! 

 

Some boldness is required, on the part of the overly timid guys in charge here and the people. The economy is in tatters. The economic situation in Thailand is not getting any better.

 

Let's face it. The danger is from within. It is not the scary foreigners who are threatening Thailand, but rather the scary locals, especially those from Bangkok. So, let's man up why don't we? And start performing your job. Which is to man the roadblocks, and forbid the Zombies from leaving Bangkok for the next few weeks. And start locking up the super corrupt "Prayuth immigration men" on the borders. And close all the super cluster army bases and canning plants. 

This comment really spot on , it was a long time ago I read something which is absolutely true to 100% , Thais should be afraid of themselves instead...

[firemans35]

How many Thai's were polled. The last poll discussed on here the poll was 4 days and only around 1,363 responded.

[gejohesch]

6 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

..... where confusion reigns supreme and the Thai people are slowly waking up to the true issue "They are not the center of the Universe".

Are they really waking up to this reality???? I wonder.....