3 hours 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.

There's a third choice....deal with the authoritarians and their apologist parrots.

From the perspective of the out of touch, religious extremists who run Thailand, the fact that 80% of the airline slots have been returned in a good thing.  More room for all the billionaires' private jets.

11 hours ago, BE88 said:

You are sure is open ? Best check, now is close on this indication  https://www.kayak.com/travel-restrictions/portugal?origin=th

I'm in the Isle of Man , double jabbed and yes as we speak its open with the restrictions I mentioned. Basically very few and took out insurance which covers me if any changes .  

11 hours ago, nickmondo said:

once people in the West can see what a nightmare it is, even now, to travel here, and the associated costs...........the airlines will return even more slots.

its a shame........but with the present conditions, who in their right mind will come here for a holiday?

there are so many other countries that are a whole lot easier to travel to.

I reckon another year, maybe two.

And then, only if things are totally back to normal.

Until normal times resume.........forget tourism.

Luckily, I live here, nothing changed for me, and I continue to enjoy my time here.

But come here as a tourist at the moment?  No thanks

Nobody will, i mean the answer is completely and utterly obvious.  

I don't understand why everyone is getting so upset over this.  Even first world countries require a negative test before leaving and after coming home.  The net result of a positive test anywhere on the planet is a huge bill financially and time wise.  And what if you get really really sick?  

Honestly, we are just about through this.  It's just not a good time to travel yet.

Those that are going back for a reunion, a long time who are retired, etc it may be good for them so it's hard to put all the eggs into one basket.  But I agree, anyone going to Thailand for a two week care free holiday is an idiot if they haven't figured on an extra 2 weeks for a quarantine and LOTS of money and an employer who will wait for weeks more while they covid out in another country.  

14 hours ago, HaoleBoy said:

Chiang Mai did have 1 flight last Fri from S Korea, but are any others getting flights and tourists coming in?

I want to fly into Chiang Mai via Bangkok after Christmas as there are no international direct flights from anywhere practical. It seems according to the rules I have to do my one day quranatine in BKK not CNX (where I would prefer) and it is putting me off making the trip. 

Thailand desperately needs some adults in the room, making decisions at this time. Instead they have highly timid, scared of the dead, petrified of the Zombie Apocalypse kids running the show. 

 

This does not bode well for tourism prospects. It is quite possible the death of tourism is permanent. Sure, some will return, but not alot. They are erasing themselves from the map, permanently. Thailand is being forgotten, scorned ignored and laughed at. 

12 hours ago, mran66 said:

If really 80% of slots taken, then either a lot of almost empty planes landing, or alternatively a lot of unused slots! 

80% of slots were relinquished, so given up and unused. It was reported that only 20% were taken but that's probably a rounded up figure. If this 20% share of potential capacity remains unprofitable, more will be cancelled as airlines will not continue for very long, flying in expensive planes with only a small number of passengers onboard. 

 

The airlines won't fund loss making routes for very long

Since Phuket Sandbox opening, I have been looking at coming to Thailand. But the requirement and especially download the app that is no better than Thai Pass website, with lots of security backdoors is just too much.

 

So since Phuket Sandbox, as a true tourist, I have been to Cyprus, Greece and Spain. Soon I will be heading to USA (Florida and Arizona) as it is open for us since Monday. Next year it would be Canada first, then may be Barbados. Southeast Asia can wait for 2023. If they don't drop the requirement of download the stupid app and health insurance thing, I am not coming to spend my money.

 

For other 'tourists' take the bait, good luck.

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

 

1)  Families separated during the closure of borders.

2)  Expats returning to work.

3)  Thais that live abroad and are back to visit their families.  

Considering that international airlines have a need for only 20 percent of their slots, tells a lot

about the likely increase of tourism for at least 1 or 2 more years is slim.

  With the continued delays of the alcohol ban and other restrictions, and chances of

a hefty hospital bill if you check positive on arrival, Good Luck with any more tourism 

numbers for now.  Thailand may be cautious for a good reason. Just heard on the

news that Yukon Canada has had a big spike in COVID cases, and is going to be restricted

 for even the locals. Russia had 1241 people die in the last 24 hours. The USA has a lot of

people still getting sick from COVID, and lots still dying, but they also have the covidiots, who 

want their freedoms instead of vaccines.  Cases of COVID are spiking especially in Colorado, Minnesota, Texas,                                                                                               and some more states, so I will not be heading to that country either until at least next year.

   I think that only people who have family or property will be heading to Thailand for now.

Regular international travelers, may just be taking shorter trips to break up this coming Winter.

 That is what I do if I leave Canada at all this Winter

Geezer