Thailand wants to avoid a repeat of Songkran, tourism policies to be reconsidered in January

[webfact]

 

By Cod Satrusayang

 

Thai authorities have scaled back new year celebrations and are asking people to avoid traveling where possible to avoid a repeat of Songkran this year where unrestricted celebrations prompted a spread of the third wave of Covid-19.

 

According to multiple sources inside the government house, the Prayut Chan-ocha administration is wary of letting the situation get out of hand and rolling back hard earned gains.

 

From a peak over 10,000 cases per day, that number was just over 2,000 cases on Monday with less than 20 deaths.

 

Full story: https://www.thaienquirer.com/36113/thailand-wants-to-avoid-a-repeat-of-songkran-tourism-policies-to-be-reconsidered-in-january/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Enquirer 2021-12-27

 

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[ikke1959]

So why do they promote travelling than??? They want to stimulate the local economy by giving extra days off and even partly sponsored by 50/50 scheme, and now they call not to travel if not necessary to prevent spreading.....Organizing countdown parties, everything must go on, but please don't go they say... We will never understand these totally opposite announcements

[Karma80]

The "Authorities" might do well to have at least a broadly consistent policy at this stage. Promote travel, but don't travel?

Maybe this is just a prelude to the new TAT program of mailing your credit card in, so you can enjoy spending the money without the inconvenience of actually going.

[TheScience]

More confusion.

 

We are actually traveling this eoy holiday and it's not looking good for tourism industry. #nofear

 

Well, everyone can go to CP resort by booking at cp.com and eating CP food. Get their sino/CP vax from here on in...

 

Seems indirectly to be telling International tourists to not come and yet at the same time to come so more confusion.

Edited December 27, 2021 by TheScience

[TheScience]

I think part of the problem with all these crossed wires is that there are too many people and or government entities allowed to make official pronouncements.

 

If it was at least limited to ministers themselves and the prime minister this might help. Defo no TAT pronouncements.

 

Cut out ALL speculation and leaks to media.

Edited December 27, 2021 by TheScience

[tomacht8]

The government has been trying to prevent the virus from spreading since March 2020. If you look at the previous virus waves, the previous measures / restrictions and bans have been of no use. The world is no different. It sucks when the governments make life difficult for people, but in the end nothing better comes out of it.

Edited December 27, 2021 by tomacht8

[smedly]

I predicted weeks ago that they would need to open things up in Pattaya because a few hundred extra people would cause serious overcrowding, now we have a similar situation even though there are more venues open it is still centralised around a small area in central Buakoew, with the arrival of several thousand people we are back again with serious overcrowding - this idea of limited opening is causing a bigger problem than it is trying to solve, I have said over and over - either fully open up or stay shut, this half way open is just stupid nonsense 

 

Can you imagine a city in the UK with 600,000 people and nightlife venues of say 200 and the local authorities deciding that only 10 can open up to accept customers - what is going to happen.

 

This stupidity of restaurants allowed to open and bars are not would only happen in ### Thailand - Prayuth and his merry band of genius generals should take a walk down soi buakoew at 8pm and see the monstrosity they have created with their stupid rules - either fully open up or don't - #### or get off the pot  

[ezzra]

42 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

So why do they promote travelling than??? They want to stimulate the local economy by giving extra days off and even partly sponsored by 50/50 scheme, and now they call not to travel if not necessary to prevent spreading.....Organizing countdown parties, everything must go on, but please don't go they say... We will never understand these totally opposite announcements

In their defense one can say that Thailand is not the only one to deploy the usual: close the borders, masks, quarantine, ban on mass gatherings and repeated PCR/ATK testing, this is become the true and tried action to take in the face a new threat, would i have done differently if i were in-charge?, probably not, and the drop in the numbers of infections are a proof that this is working...

Edited December 27, 2021 by ezzra

[richard_smith237]

There is a major conflict of policy when the Thai government opens up a promotion of 2 million ‘ nights on the Lau Teaw Doi Gan’ from the BauTang app (sp?) to stimulate domestic tourism. 

 

These 2 million nights come with a 40% subsidy from the government and up to 900 baht per day off on food at the same hotels (again subsidised by the government).

 

All the 2 million nights have sold out quickly (as of two weeks ago).

 

Yet the very same government is telling every one not to travel  ????

 

 

Its like children are running the show on a day to day basis....  as another poster wrote, there are too many making their own announcements, getting their own input as if all the government ‘agencies’ do not talk with each other or agree on a unified policy before making their announcements. 

Its like they are in competition. 

 

 

[smedly]

55 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

We will never understand these totally opposite announcements

ask any one of them to explain why they are doing something and you will be met with a blank confused expression that would make Stan Laurel look like a genius - they simply have no clue 

[smedly]

11 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Its like children are running the show on a day to day basis

that would be a vast improvement

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai authorities have scaled back new year celebrations and are asking people to avoid traveling where possible to avoid a repeat of Songkran this year where unrestricted celebrations prompted a spread of the third wave of Covid-19.

That is almost laughable... 

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, TheScience said:

I think part of the problem with all these crossed wires is that there are too many people and or government entities allowed to make official pronouncements.

 

If it was at least limited to ministers themselves and the prime minister this might help. Defo no TAT pronouncements.

 

Cut out ALL speculation and leaks to media.

But that's what makes Thailand interesting...

[Cherrytreeview]

Thailand, like all governments worldwide, is going to cover it's back for a very long time to come.

That means the Test-Wait-Maybe-Go-Hospital scheme or 7 day quarantine ain't going away anytime soon.

That means Thai tourism and up to 20% GDP is kaput for most likely years to come.

With omicron becoming the dominant strain worldwide, and peak season passing, Thailand will lose another year of tourism revenue.

That's why BA and Eva have cancelled direct flights from Heathrow.

No forward demand.

 

 

[Scott Tracy]

5 hours ago, ezzra said:

probably not, and the drop in the numbers of infections are a proof that this is working...

Proof of nothing. A drop in numbers can be attributed to many factors. One of which is lack of testing, another is,  a lack of public information as to the 'real' figures. We do not know what the real figures are, and are unlikely to know. We know the figures we are told.

[khunPer]

It's a very difficult task to sit between two stools, the one is that people shall travel more make domestic tourism catch up some of what lacks from foreign tourists, and the other is that people shall not travel due to the risk of spreading Covid-virus...

Edited December 27, 2021 by khunPer

[billd766]

8 hours ago, ezzra said:

In their defense one can say that Thailand is not the only one to deploy the usual: close the borders, masks, quarantine, ban on mass gatherings and repeated PCR/ATK testing, this is become the true and tried action to take in the face a new threat, would i have done differently if i were in-charge?, probably not, and the drop in the numbers of infections are a proof that this is working...

Bu is the number of infections really dropping or are the government not testing as many people until a cluster of infections occur? 

 

In all the reports I have read in Thailand not one  has mentioned how many tests per day are carried out, only that less infections have been found and less people are dying. 

 

But if you don't test you will never find.

 

 

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Post deleted by me.

 

[billd766]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

But that's what makes Thailand interesting...

 

[Stargeezr]

My Thai family say to stay in my own country and communicate with them through e mails, and zoom calls.

  They are all being as cautious as they can, and are getting their shots and boosters and staying apart as

well.  We all miss the gatherings but it is not worth the risk at present.  Maybe in 2023 the pandemic will be almost over and

we can travel more safely by then.

[brianthainess]

To repeat the announcements by this so called government; '' Most people will stay home.'' then; Free express ways, car checks, cheap accident insurance blah blah blah, just to try and make people Lub Him to Mut. then announce it will be a "Mass exodus"    Now they want to avoid the stupid decision they made at Songkran. Too late, just like their driving they never look ahead to see potential problems. Pathetic government run by a Pathetic so called leader.

[StayinThailand2much]

22 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

All the 2 million nights have sold out quickly (as of two weeks ago).

 

Yet the very same government is telling every one not to travel  ????

So it's perfect business strategy. With very limited consumer rights, they did what they wanted, planned or not, to fool customers, take the money and run...

 

And it's not unique to Thailand either. Difference is, internationally, it's (online-based) companies that act like that, while in Thailand it is the government.

[herfiehandbag]

On 12/27/2021 at 10:13 AM, TheScience said:

I think part of the problem with all these crossed wires is that there are too many people and or government entities allowed to make official pronouncements.

 

If it was at least limited to ministers themselves and the prime minister this might help. Defo no TAT pronouncements.

 

Cut out ALL speculation and leaks to media.

 

On 12/27/2021 at 10:13 AM, TheScience said:

I think part of the problem with all these crossed wires is that there are too many people and or government entities allowed to make official pronouncements.

 

If it was at least limited to ministers themselves and the prime minister this might help. Defo no TAT pronouncements.

 

Cut out ALL speculation and leaks to media.

 

23 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

There is a major conflict of policy when the Thai government opens up a promotion of 2 million ‘ nights on the Lau Teaw Doi Gan’ from the BauTang app (sp?) to stimulate domestic tourism. 

 

These 2 million nights come with a 40% subsidy from the government and up to 900 baht per day off on food at the same hotels (again subsidised by the government).

 

All the 2 million nights have sold out quickly (as of two weeks ago).

 

Yet the very same government is telling every one not to travel  ????

 

 

Its like children are running the show on a day to day basis....  as another poster wrote, there are too many making their own announcements, getting their own input as if all the government ‘agencies’ do not talk with each other or agree on a unified policy before making their announcements. 

Its like they are in competition. 

 

 

You are both right. Compound the situation you describe with a system whereby ministries and responsibilities are effectively awarded as personal fiefdoms, rather like medieval feudal baronies. They are awarded not on the basis of merit, talent or "being on side" with policy, but as rewards for bringing support to a government which relies on a complex network of ( non electoral) support to remain in power. 

 

The result is power bases which reflect and act for the benefit of their bosses interests, intentions and egos. These bosses are driven by placating, rewarding and benefiting their own power bases. There is little attention paid to central coordination and directives are often ignored if they don't suit, with impunity.

Edited December 28, 2021 by herfiehandbag

[wasabi]

Song Kran in it's current filthy water gun festival incarnation should be permanently canceled. Worst time of year to be in Thailand both for the nasty water getting splashed in your eyes and the road carnage.

[Andycoops]

So after encouraging the citizens to spread the virus earlier this year to all 4 corners of the Kingdom, where it didn't exist, so they could extend the emergency decree, which has had no effect on containing the virus, they now want to clamp down again.

Thailand's emergency will last an awful long time.