Who is traveling to Thailand now that international airlines have returned 80% of their slots?

[starky]

As I have said in many threads. I don't find anything particularly taxing about coming to Thailand atm. Especially when compared to a couple of weeks ago. Realistically though I would say no tourists are coming or almost zero.

   Only people travelling to Thailand at this time would be Thai nationals, expats and long term stayers returning to family and possibly those with foreign relatives who live/work in Thailand but I doubt there would be very many of those.

[purcho]

3 hours ago, jaiyen said:

There is no way that airlines have taken up 80% of the slots. Most planes are still parked up and it will be months before they are even ready to fly, pilots are retrained and staff are brought back, but only if there is a demand for them, which there isn't.

Might pay to reread the original article mate

[joecoolfrog]

2 hours ago, Stefanix said:

I dont understand all the negativity. I see only two issues: The risk of hospitalisation because someone around you during the journey has been tested positively and the mask wearing. The risk of catching covid yourself is very slim with the appropriate precautions. I am here on a 14 day vacation using TP. TP works and is doable, only the approval has been a bit slow.  The mask wearing in that climate is really annoying and unnecessary outside, but seems to be expected as almost everyone wears one. Besides this, of course the bar scene is dead. Maybe its not such a big loss for Thailand to be free from those coming just for this. 

The negativety is obvious , why would a tourist go to Thailand right now when there are clearly better and easier alternatives available ?

Im sure you had your reasons for going, as do a small number of other visitors , but currently Thailand is a completely unattractive destination for the vast majority of mainstream tourists.

[bberg]

I have just returned to Korea, I did 1 week as a must do after nearly 2 years absent including foamily illness. 

 

Getting the COE was hard because the Thai embassy staff was probably not sufficient or prioritized Thai citizens - it was very stressful seeing the days disappeared but with hours left I managed to get the approval - its was pure luck and endless efforts. 

 

Thailand is generally not open for regular tourists - full stop, Sandbox programs perhaps but elsewhere not ready yet. 

 

A 7 days visit has resulted in 5 COVID19 PC test, 3 of the test i have paid 120USD, the two left is by tax people money in Korea. Quarantine hotel in Bangkok was ok but only because so few people travel so the airport organizers can cope.  I read stories of people who have been subjected to positive COVID19 tests, directly or indirectly and will end of paying hundreds of thousands baht unless insurance pay which, I hope for them, is the case. 

 

I was almost rejected traveling to Ubon from Bangkok but luck on my side the latest PCR test was valid and I was granted boarding. 

I had issues with immigration due to e-VISA, I was the only person in the huge departure immigration last night when I arrived and was called to side due to the e-VISA item which was fast resolved. 

 

Almost all shops in the airport was closed and boarded up shut, I managed to get a coffee on ground floor next to airport link only. 

 

I have had 7 visits for hospitals for tests and to claim documentation.

 

I hope soon the travel restrictions will become better, its a troubled road ongoing and in the immediate future but we will get there. 

 

For now I will say, based on my experience, if you go to stay in one place only its ok but be prepared to do numerous COVID19 tests at 120USD time upon coming and leaving. If you have a condo or similar and are familiar with Thailand in general its doable but much of the usual services and transport services are simply not there currently. 

 

Family holiday is not ready yet, unless sandbox perhaps, but I would advice to give it a few more months.

 

Insurance is more important than anytime before to include all COVID19 related happenings,  flight cancelation and rescheduled flexibility etc. is necessary too. You could if unlucky to be close to a COVID19 positive case face 10K USD a person easily - its a higher financial risk more than a virus risk in my opinion. 

 

We are getting there, was great to be back and I plan my next trip, hopefully a but longer in February.

 

Keep it up folks - sunny days will return. 

 

[bkk6060]

Many health experts have predicted Covid is not going away any time soon.

I bet there will be restrictions here indefinitely those thinking things will change in January are probably dreaming.

PCR prior to travel I bet will stay.

Insurance would not be surprised if it is required in some form forever.

Test on arrival I bet will stay.

 

Just walking into to this place with nothing on Visa exempt, could well not be possible for a very long time.

[poskat]

5 hours ago, fusion58 said:

Planning? What’s that? 
 

Don’t you know Thailand operates on the “mai pen rai” principle? ????

my hypothesis is that the mai pen rai culture developed here long ago with the thais deciding that because they are all basically screw-ups, that they would culturally agree not to call each other out on each others failings.

 

My GF is mystified, and considers unreasonable, by my idea that a person should know how to do the basics of their job.  

[Bangkok Barry]

4 hours ago, Stefanix said:

I dont understand all the negativity. I see only two issues: The risk of hospitalisation because someone around you during the journey has been tested positively and the mask wearing. The risk of catching covid yourself is very slim with the appropriate precautions. I am here on a 14 day vacation using TP. TP works and is doable, only the approval has been a bit slow.  The mask wearing in that climate is really annoying and unnecessary outside, but seems to be expected as almost everyone wears one. Besides this, of course the bar scene is dead. Maybe its not such a big loss for Thailand to be free from those coming just for this. 

We are happy that you have chosen Thailand as the best place in the world to take a vacation and are content to comply with the restrictive rules that exist almost nowhere else in the world.

Signed

Thai Tourism Authority

 

 

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, jippytum said:

Airlines returning there slots until the new year for the entire 'high season' is a more accurate picture of the tourist arrivals forecast for the coming months .Much more accurate that the hype from the  government  projections on tourist arrivals

There. I've corrected it for you ????

[DefaultName]

Why is it that everything they bring in to simplify things complicates things?

Edited November 11, 2021 by DefaultName

[brucegoniners]

So they've returned 80% of their slots, which means flights will be expensive too.

 

This is being so horribly managed I just can't imagine it being any worse.

[jacko45k]

38 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

We are happy that you have chosen Thailand as the best place in the world to take a vacation and are content to comply with the restrictive rules that exist almost nowhere else in the world.

Signed

Thai Tourism Authority

 

 

Now, you  tested positive so off you go to the Quarantine for 2 weeks, hand over all your money!

[Jon1050]

8 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

I had planned to return to Thailand after 19 months away from the family for x-mas, but I will wait until mid Jan now. There is just too much nonsense that may be ironed out in the next month or so. 

 

Personally I think when they see the disaster arrivals coming for end of year - if they don't remove certain current demands - they may scrap some of it.

 

People need to plan holidays in 2022, they will be looking in early 2022 (if not now) for a destination and if they see all this nonsense now or early next year still continuing then they will look elsewhere. Most people don't impulse buy thai holidays, and thai pass is killing planning

Couldn’t agree more , as a family of four the upfront costs have got horrendous and with the risk of confinement still there , we’ve cancelled.

for the cost of cpr tests  and one night quarantine in bkk alone we can book a hotel for ten days skiing in Europe.

[bbbbooboo]

Hmmm….. Arrogance and stupidity is a terrible combination?

[ukrules]

8 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

My family in the UK, daughter, her kids and even my mum have all cancelled coming to visit me and their extended family here because of all the obstacles. Just too many risks involved with people who have limited dates in which they can travel and return. Real tourists will be very few.

Same here, my mother used to come every year.

 

She's had 3 vaccine shots this year, the latest of which was just 2 weeks ago.

She said she will only return if there's no requirements, if there are any hurdles at all then she's never coming again while they are in place.

 

Sounds reasonable to me. She won't lift a finger, she won't be using any convoluted crappy websites to register at all and she definitely won't be staying in any quarantine hotels, even if it's for only one night.

That covid prison thing doesn't sound too enticing either, that will have to go as well.

 

She doesn't care about the bars being open or not, that's not one of her requirements.

Edited November 11, 2021 by ukrules

[raccos21]

I think it is not a good time to travel to Thailand as a tourist.

[DBath]

8 hours ago, HashBrownHarry said:

What 'demands' are hard to comply with?

While most are not difficult to comply with, they’re added hassle. You may however, want to read the following:

https://aseannow.com/topic/1238858-tourist-faces-huge-bill-separation-from-family-after-testing-positive-on-arrival-in-thailand/
 

[mahtin]

Delta Flights to Thailand From $563 | Travelocity

What's in a name?

[sambum]

Old news - this was reported a couple of weeks ago about the same time that Chiang Mai reported that the hotels had ZERO booking from foreign tourists.

 

I think that the main problem facing Thailand is that the rules and regulations regarding entry seem to change every day, so no one is going to book a holiday so as long as this chopping and changing (flip flopping) continues, no one is going to risk losing their holiday or having it ruined by overnight changes of plans by the government of the country they are due to visit.

 

Another problem is that many countries have returned to near normal in spite of having large numbers of Covid cases daily (e.g. the UK) They have learned to "live with it", and keeping the bars and places of entertainment closed is another reason for holidaymakers not to come to a country whose reputation as a fun place to visit is no longer appllicable.

 

 

[HashBrownHarry]

1 hour ago, DBath said:

While most are not difficult to comply with, they’re added hassle. You may however, want to read the following:

https://aseannow.com/topic/1238858-tourist-faces-huge-bill-separation-from-family-after-testing-positive-on-arrival-in-thailand/
 

As mentioned, you can foerget about travel being the same as it was before Covid, those days are long long gone now.

 

Accept it or don't travel, that's the two choices.

[DBath]

24 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

As mentioned, you can foerget about travel being the same as it was before Covid, those days are long long gone now.

 

Accept it or don't travel, that's the two choices.

It may not be that big of a deal for people like me who are frequent travelers, but for those looking to vacation - who don’t travel often - I can understand their trepidation and being worried about getting a refund for the hotel room they can’t stay in or the flight they can’t take for their entire family should any one of them contract covid before or after their arrival. 

 

There are certainly more than the two options you mentioned. Some may opt to vacation domestically or travel to a less restrictive country than Thailand.

[HashBrownHarry]

15 minutes ago, DBath said:

It may not be that big of a deal for people like me who are frequent travelers, but for those looking to vacation - who don’t travel often - I can understand their trepidation and being worried about getting a refund for the hotel room they can’t stay in or the flight they can’t take for their entire family should any one of them contract covid before or after their arrival. 

 

There are certainly more than the two options you mentioned. Some may opt to vacation domestically or travel to a less restrictive country than Thailand.

Ok,

 

Accept it or don't come to Thailand, those are the two options, my bad.

[DBath]

9 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

Ok,

 

Accept it or don't come to Thailand, those are the two options, my bad.

I’ve no intention of ever returning to Thailand, albeit for other reasons. There are way too many better places to visit, let alone live. 
 

And you’re still incorrect, there are more than two options. Go ahead, you have my permission to have the last word - as that is apparently very important for you. 

[HashBrownHarry]

7 minutes ago, DBath said:

I’ve no intention of ever returning to Thailand, albeit for other reasons. There are way too many better places to visit, let alone live. 
 

And you’re still incorrect, there are more than two options. Go ahead, you have my permission to have the last word - as that is apparently very important for you. 

I'm sure you'll me missed in Thailand - lol

 

Good luck.

[zzaa09]

6 hours ago, starky said:

As I have said in many threads. I don't find anything particularly taxing about coming to Thailand atm. Especially when compared to a couple of weeks ago. Realistically though I would say no tourists are coming or almost zero.

   Only people travelling to Thailand at this time would be Thai nationals, expats and long term stayers returning to family and possibly those with foreign relatives who live/work in Thailand but I doubt there would be very many of those.

More than likely you're on the mark regarding the demographic breakdown of arrivals since Nov 1 - largely made up of residents and business folks. I just don't believe that many of the travelers are of the tourists/holidaymaker variety. 

 

Generally speaking, I don't think there is the great movement of travel internationally anywhere in the world - as most are still cautious [vaccinated or not] and understand that COVID will be around for a while. 

[daejung]

13 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

I had planned to return to Thailand after 19 months away from the family for x-mas, but I will wait until mid Jan now. There is just too much nonsense that may be ironed out in the next month or so. 

 

Personally I think when they see the disaster arrivals coming for end of year - if they don't remove certain current demands - they may scrap some of it.

 

People need to plan holidays in 2022, they will be looking in early 2022 (if not now) for a destination and if they see all this nonsense now or early next year still continuing then they will look elsewhere. Most people don't impulse buy thai holidays, and thai pass is killing planning

As for me, if not possible by mid-january, it might be november 2022

[sambum]

1 hour ago, DBath said:

I’ve no intention of ever returning to Thailand, albeit for other reasons. There are way too many better places to visit, let alone live. 
 

And you’re still incorrect, there are more than two options. Go ahead, you have my permission to have the last word - as that is apparently very important for you. 

You were right - last word to follow!

 

[zzaa09]

13 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

I had planned to return to Thailand after 19 months away from the family for x-mas, but I will wait until mid Jan now. There is just too much nonsense that may be ironed out in the next month or so. 

 

Personally I think when they see the disaster arrivals coming for end of year - if they don't remove certain current demands - they may scrap some of it.

 

People need to plan holidays in 2022, they will be looking in early 2022 (if not now) for a destination and if they see all this nonsense now or early next year still continuing then they will look elsewhere. Most people don't impulse buy thai holidays, and thai pass is killing planning

There is theoretical talk and suggestions that such TP program modifications might be in the works as we speak, RC. 

Or.....contradicting my personal reasoning - they might even scrap the whole process, as they're learning quickly that most aren't buying into this boondoggle game. Most of the current arrivals are those associated with Thailand....Thai nationals, expats, residents, etc. 

I believe changes are at hand very soon - before the year's out. 

 

Hope springs eternal.

 

[bangkokbonecollector]

5 hours ago, Jon1050 said:

Couldn’t agree more , as a family of four the upfront costs have got horrendous and with the risk of confinement still there , we’ve cancelled.

for the cost of cpr tests  and one night quarantine in bkk alone we can book a hotel for ten days skiing in Europe.

I am saddened to hear this but I completely agree with your decision. I hope you and your family have a great holiday wherever you decide to go ????

[thailand49]

Slots are like Gold to???? Airline they don't give them up easily because they can be leased even transfer for money and favors? We all have been on flights arriving early or delay and there wasn't a gate and the wait was long the airline request the use of another airline slot that is money it time it happens.

But airlines never envision a pandemic like this that would close airports world wide like Thailand, the pandemic and length have put many airline in cash strap position for airlines to give them up I wouldn't be surprise the airport hasn't done much in reducing the fees for these slots why would they? Since the airport is being subsidized by the government obtaining the slot back allows them to control the price when things open back up, they can basically up the prices on the slots or renewal the leases to terms more to their liking?

[DBath]

1 hour ago, sambum said:

You were right - last word to follow!

 

Haha, no surprise there…some people are easily read and soooooo predictable!

 

Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed going to Thailand for vacation and I can see what draws many people there to live, mainly it's low cost of living. However, living there is much different and I lived there for a year and a half never intending to stay indefinitely, but I made many friends and was thankful I was able to stay there with virtually zero covid during that time.

 

After seeing all the corruption and half-brained schemes laid forth by the government there I could never live there permanently. That amongst other factors.

Edited November 11, 2021 by DBath