I previously got a ban for 48 hours because I said something about an ASEAN news article, was advised it was abuse of a moderator just because they posted it?

 

If ASEAN keep posting this daily <deleted> where they can't even put a paragraph together, might as well ban me for life

18 hours ago, Billpro785 said:

They can make up the fantasy numbers they want, let's be real, with Cambodia opening fully on Nov 15th, why would a real tourist go through all the Thailand pass, paperwork, insurance, and etc, when they can enter Cambodia, take a 15 onsite test, and go. Besides all the bars are open, and Phnom Penh is getting busy again. Thailand , take notes, this is how you open a country. 

Cambodia’s Reopening Is Propelled by Vaccinations -- Updated Nov. 19, 2021,

 

(But )citing the rapid pace of inoculations and a vaccination rate of 88 percent, Prime Minister Hun Sen accelerated that plan and said that fully vaccinated tourists could arrive without quarantine, effective on Monday.

 

While the prime minister put the fully vaccinated rate at 88 percent based on a population of 16 million, The New York Times database puts the rate at 80 percent, based on a population of nearly 16.5 million.

 

About 90 percent of Cambodia’s vaccines came from China, including more than nine million doses of Sinovac and nearly four million doses of Sinopharm.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/11/18/world/covid-vaccine-boosters-mandates

 

 

 

16 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

But they are not officially open and allowed to serve beer or wine or God forbid a 'G n T'  I want to visit a proper restaurant and enjoy a decent meal with my mrs, and not looking over my shoulder for plod approaching looking for big handouts ( as my dodgy knees won't allow me to do a runner anymore ????). We used to eat out 3 or 4 times a week, at proper restaurants not beer bars masquerading as restaurants with difficulty making a toasted sandwich and serving beer in a T or coffee mug.

 

Not a criticism of your post but the truth of the situation.

 

As for STD's, I'll take your word on that. ☺????????????

Thats what I am telling you.  There are restaurants everywhere that are open.  Selling alchol in the open.  Selling alcohol  behind closed doors.  Not in coffee cups, in many cases in clear glass, and its not zeto beer.  Many of these restaurants  do attempt to keep social distancing.   I have seen authorities stand in formation  meters away, and never say a words, and this I have observed this at several restaurants.   I have seen authorities use their phones to take photos and record video, and no one worried.  I am not going to name these places, but they are out there and it is many, and obvious  they are doing it.  It would appear  that only certain  places may repeatedly be targeted, all the while places next door to the targets continue to serve alcohol with no issues.  So what I am saying is that as people here have started to return, and it grows daily, they can read and see an occasional example,  or arrest made, for good PR, but people are realizing keep your head down, don't make a scene,  and you can practically  do anything the same as you would in normal times.  Many bar owners are turning bars into make shift restaurants, I'd love to be the guy who issues business license,  and they register  with food delivery  services, just to make it look good.  So ooen!!! It really is more open than people know.  The ladies who used to be bar workers... they are around in large numbers too.  The just use social media, instead of sitting in a bar selling drinks, and bar fines for pimps, I mean bar owners.  So you see factually  the alcohol  ban, other than affecting  restaurants,  as a by product,  have just removed the need for bars, and pimps.  No more bar fines, the ladies charge their normal  fee for being company,  and money that would normally  be the barfines is usually  the tip for the escort  service.  So the ladies make more, the bars make nothing.  It is a factor and has also changed the face of night life.  Anyone buying virtual  drinks on line, water sometimes,  is really only giving money to the bar owners.  The ladies are making more now without the bars.  So open... yes its open and life is semi operational. 

22 hours ago, BritManToo said:

On the other hand,

Roadside Moo Ping is 5bht a stick.

Four of those and 5bht of sticky rice and I'm stuffed full!

 

Back to the OP, I predict less than 5M, assuming the 1 night quarantine, test on arrival, Thailand pass, and compulsory insurance are dropped.

I don't think that compulsary insurance will ever be dropped, it is too big a moneymaker.

"Emirates even wanted to land their A380 airbusses."

Maybe, they used to land 2 a day: mostly full of passengers, so did Thai and Qatar.  Face it, Tourists either normal people or the mythical 'big spenders'  are not coming with the current restrictions

When were Indian or Chinese ever considered 'big spender'.

TAT has lost all touch with reality.  its predictions are no more than what they wish would happen.

Get rid of Thailand Pass, even when it is working, with its  vague nonsensical insurance and quarantine  requirements, and allow people in with a simple negative PCR test taken before arrival.

4 hours ago, Robin said:

"Emirates even wanted to land their A380 airbusses."

Maybe, they used to land 2 a day: mostly full of passengers, so did Thai and Qatar.  Face it, Tourists either normal people or the mythical 'big spenders'  are not coming with the current restrictions

When were Indian or Chinese ever considered 'big spender'.

TAT has lost all touch with reality.  its predictions are no more than what they wish would happen.

Get rid of Thailand Pass, even when it is working, with its  vague nonsensical insurance and quarantine  requirements, and allow people in with a simple negative PCR test taken before arrival.

I think they are desperate, and those announcements are for internal use only, for support with the Hotel Association of Thailand, and other agencies, to make sure they don't revolt or go into a complete meltdown ????

 

That dude, Richard Barrow, who is around these folks, does he have the balls to tell them they are completely deluded?

since so many airlines are beating a path here, on jan 1 bump the "tourism improvement" entry fee from 500 to 5,000 baht. That'll really put a cherry on top for all those indian and chinese zillionaires who can't wait to visit this fabulous high end destination. 

On 11/19/2021 at 6:28 PM, GrandPapillon said:

holly jesus, Austria in full lockdown even if you are fully vaccinated? what's the point then of vaccination? they seem to be repeating the same mistakes over and over again!!! let's hope the rest of European countries are not following them

That is part of the problem, vaccination take-up was low in Austria.... also booster/3rd vaccinations are slow to get going. Fully vaccinated is becoming 3 not 2..... even the UK still only at 25% on that measure.

22 hours ago, drenddy said:

That dude, Richard Barrow, who is around these folks, does he have the balls to tell them they are completely deluded?

I think he mentioned it, and they agree with him. But Thai style, who knows what they really think of their silly projections. They do it for face, not for personal beliefs or facts.

Guesthouse sell for cheap as we speak. And tourists pouring in. Time to buy my guesthouse it seems

Heck, I menionted this  article to my son, as he and his wife and kids  are "thinking "of  visiting here  later  in 2022.    His reply,    Gee I was planning on spending at least One trillion  myslef alone, doesnt everyone??

 

Im  getting on to  T.A.T   first thing Monday to tell them, so they can revise their figures.

I know the straight shooter Thai official is 1000% right. TAT is blowing smoke trying to cloud the truth.

On 11/19/2021 at 3:39 AM, webfact said:

On the "Test and Go" idea - roundly criticized by Thanet who said it was putting tourists completely off a trip to Thailand - Yutthasak claimed it was "creating confidence among tourists".

The man is deluded!  I did my Thailand Pass application over a week ago and it didn't seem that difficult - but I have a Thai wife and therefore a need to return.

 

However, I've just been helping a friend who in turn is helping 2 elderly Brits obtain their passes for a forthcoming trip.  Seeing it from a 'normal' touirsts point of view, putting togther all the necessary documents, converting them into an acceptable format etc. etc. made me realise how vastly different this is from simply making a phone call and booking a flight.

 

And that's without considering the likelihood that much of the country will be closed when they arrive.

 

My recommendation  to anyone seeking a little sun this winter - the Canaries are looking good.