Omicron panic decimates Thai tourism "high season" - foreign tourists cancel, events scrapped, flights stopped, insurance woes

[Scott]

Off-topic, troll posts and replies removed.  

 

[nausea]

Up to them. They seem to be concentrated on destroying whatever demand there is. Dangerous course to pursue, Thailand isn't the only country in SE Asia.

[Oracle2022]

8 minutes ago, nausea said:

Up to them. They seem to be concentrated on destroying whatever demand there is. Dangerous course to pursue, Thailand isn't the only country in SE Asia.

Said it before, saying it again.

 

Destroying all the "cheap and nasty" tourism places is the goal..............the Hi So Elite can then snap up all the prime land in Pattaya and Phuket and Hua Hin and Sukhumvit.........and develop it into Prime residential and make billions...........

 

This is the game.......... if 6 million Thai's lose their jobs and 250 Thais make billions........the 250 is all that matters.  They Hi So Elite control the country.......the millions of normal Thai's have no say in the running of the country.  The country is fake democracy......

 

Thailand Pass system will be in place for all of 2022 and likely 2023 as well..............Bad cheap nasty guys out........Allow some "verified" people in...........the new Thailand.

 

 

 

[jacko45k]

19 hours ago, RubbaJohnny said:

if this variant is as deadly as Delta

Big IF, and looking like it isn't. 

[jerrymahoney]

26 minutes ago, nausea said:

Up to them. They seem to be concentrated on destroying whatever demand there is. Dangerous course to pursue, Thailand isn't the only country in SE Asia.

Conversely, at some point it MAY be the only safe place to visit in SE Asia.

[morrobay]

18 minutes ago, Oracle2022 said:

Said it before, saying it again.

 

Destroying all the "cheap and nasty" tourism places is the goal..............the Hi So Elite can then snap up all the prime land in Pattaya and Phuket and Hua Hin and Sukhumvit.........and develop it into Prime residential and make billions...........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That maybe exactly what the plan is. But is there enough demand for prime real estate for making  billions ?

 

 

[atpeace]

9 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Yes. The total decimation of tourism. It will not be reversed. I would be stunned if Thailand saw 5 million tourists ten years from now. Destroyed forever. Way too many bullets in the foot and an unforgivable degree of timidity, combined with a lack of support. 

 

Also, the economy is slipping into oblivion. The entire nation is moving toward lower income, African nation status. Total sabotage. Malfeasance to the extreme. 

Maybe but I bet it is busier than ever 3 years from now.  Sad to see all the business closures but the ones that survive will do well.  Travelled all through Thailand the last year and am amazed with the foresight of obviously well off business owners. Renovating their properties when there is no risk of lost revenue.  Sure not all is rosy but when this opens up again the decrepit businesses will be gone and "IMO" the tourism economy will thrive.

 

Passing through Pattaya/Jomtien and wow!  The area is vastly more upscale than per-covid. The beach front, why most come here, is very nice with new sand and and nice sidewalks.  Sure most shops are closed but 99% will open post covid. It is almost as nice as San Diego without the waves. 

 

The losers will be the business owners that were doing well pre-covid and couldn't hang on.  Sad but life isn't fair and wish them luck post-covid.

[metisdead]

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[sezze]

1 hour ago, Oracle2022 said:

Said it before, saying it again.

 

Destroying all the "cheap and nasty" tourism places is the goal..............the Hi So Elite can then snap up all the prime land in Pattaya and Phuket and Hua Hin and Sukhumvit.........and develop it into Prime residential and make billions...........

 

This is the game.......... if 6 million Thai's lose their jobs and 250 Thais make billions........the 250 is all that matters.  They Hi So Elite control the country.......the millions of normal Thai's have no say in the running of the country.  The country is fake democracy......

 

Thailand Pass system will be in place for all of 2022 and likely 2023 as well..............Bad cheap nasty guys out........Allow some "verified" people in...........the new Thailand.

 

 

 

Uhuh , whats the difference in any other country ? Prime land in Pattaya ? If it isn't for tourists this land is worth a littlebit more then prime rice land in Isaan .No tourists , Pattaya is plain ugly , no beach worth to mention , only dirty water . If you say Phuket or anywhere more south , ok , there f*** nice beaches there , but not in Pattaya .

It is always easy to find things to complain on , and i agree on many things , but that's everywhere around the world . Basically it is the same everywhere , being NK or US or EU or Africa , normal people get leftovers if they are lucky .

 

[Tropposurfer]

Not looking good for countries with low, double-dose vaccination levels as far as death rates are concerned. It's interesting how the Thai and some other Asian nations have faired with their low death rates and low severe morbidity in long term side effects if an infected person survives. The data is starkly different to that of western nations death rates.

I'll go and revisit some sites and see what I can find out about that as it stands today.

Take a look at the (little changed) death rates in the 'greatest country on earth' (?) and the tale is clear i.e. refuse vaccinations and your chance of severe side-effects if not death are very high, the numbers of deaths directly contributed to Delta continue in unvaccinated areas in that nation ... the data don't lie (well not unless your a conspiracy swallowing person that is).

The data seems to tell us the Omicron variant while nasty does not invade the lower parts of the lungs as readily as Delta, and thus importantly the the auto-immune systems seems to cope far better by not going into hyper-drive as it does with Delta, so the death rates are seeming (data still thin) to be much lower. 

My thoughts are vaccinated, thereby deny the virus prime reproductive and mutating environments in which to mutate freely, and get on with living with and hoping the variants will eventually weaken, and shrink to small enclaves (as with SARS 1). 

I think, if ya wanna not get vacc'ed then ok but carry the consequences of that decision e.g. Novak Djcovic won't be attending the Australian Open Tennis because he refuses to confirm being vaccinated or not. 

The numbers of vaccinated dying or suffering from serious long term issues (Omicron variant) seems to be very small across the globe from Google searches of credible medical site's tells me. 

Thank the gods I am just barely sane enough to not listen to Dr Rogan or other 'experts'.  

[Hanuman2547]

Thailand and the TAT once again shoot themselves in the foot.  Who would want to come to Thailand after the Test -n- Go program has been suspended?  It would also be very stressful to jump though all the hoops to even travel to Thailand and then hope you don't test positive upon arrival.  Who wants to spend their holiday in quarantine?  

 

I wonder how big of a hit these Covid insurance companies will take?  I'm sure that they will be doing their best not to pay.  

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, atpeace said:

Maybe but I bet it is busier than ever 3 years from now.  Sad to see all the business closures but the ones that survive will do well.  Travelled all through Thailand the last year and am amazed with the foresight of obviously well off business owners. Renovating their properties when there is no risk of lost revenue.  Sure not all is rosy but when this opens up again the decrepit businesses will be gone and "IMO" the tourism economy will thrive.

 

Passing through Pattaya/Jomtien and wow!  The area is vastly more upscale than per-covid. The beach front, why most come here, is very nice with new sand and and nice sidewalks.  Sure most shops are closed but 99% will open post covid. It is almost as nice as San Diego without the waves. 

 

The losers will be the business owners that were doing well pre-covid and couldn't hang on.  Sad but life isn't fair and wish them luck post-covid.

Thailand will never get back to even close to the former levels of arrivals. And that is a good thing for most of us. Harder on the Thais, for sure. 

[FritsSikkink]

11 hours ago, Pinot said:

Yeah, we kinda are. It's weaker and far more contagious so it kinda balances out. 

 

Oh no! You're leaving? We need rich guys like you to stay! Don't let the door hit you in the...never mind. 

 

No, that's wrong. Chances are things are about to get infinitely worse

 

The words of a renown epidemiologist, obviously

 

Wow... That's incredible and going Israeli is the icing on the cake. A true hero. Anyone?

 

Yeah, I think everyone know what's about to happen but you're THE glass half-full guy? 

" No, that's wrong. Chances are things are about to get infinitely worse" Chances are, ..... so what is the percentage that is will happen Mr. epidemiologist?

Edited December 30, 2021 by FritsSikkink

[Henryford]

22 hours ago, stigar said:

Well..they been warned allready.Close down this country rigth now.UK(just england)with 130.000 new cases..france 180.000 new cases.USA 580.000 new cases.And thailand only about 3000 new cases????

Come on..start testing and tell the real truth.

France has 208,000 cases a day now, and the UK 183,000. Get ready for lockdown.

[Muhendis]

7 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

And that is a good thing for most of us.

Why do you say that?

[thaibook]

10 hours ago, wealthychef said:

Yes, cases are surging but what about hospitalizations?  They will go down if it's like South Africa, the UK or USA.  And that's what matters -- assumes people are vaccinated.  If not, then yeah, hospitals will be swamped I guess.  Thailand is highly vaccinated now, though, according to the WHO.  So hospitalizations should be fairly low if the vaccines are as effective as they were in the UK.  All guesswork but based on evidence, not politics.  

look at actual data (for the UK) : https://data.spectator.co.uk/  The UK has good data collection and does an enormous amount of testing so the statistics provide a fairly reliable guide to what is happening there and likely to happen elsewhere.  Of course the proportion of people vaccinated and having received a booster is higher than in most countries partly because people were not put off by politicians such as Macron saying that the AZ vaccine hardly works.

 

In England (but not the Principality of Wales nor Scotland presided over by wee Crankie) the message is get vaccinated, get boosted, carry on with your life.

[Guest Isaanlife]

Why are tourists not coming? Feel free to add your own to the list!

 

1. A good majority of Thailand attractions and businesses are closed.

 

2. Thailand quarantine schemes ever changing and not trusted.

 

3. Tourist don't want to get quarantined and spend 50,000 baht

 

4. A good number do NOT trust the accuracy of Thai testing. (3 vaccines, negative test before flight, arrive in Thailand less than 24 hours later test positive, 50,000 baht in quarantine. Sound like a scam?)

 

5. Extremely hard for tourists to get out of their own countries. (US recently had 2,000 flights canceled in one day.)

 

6. Different Covid rules and regulations from country to country

 

7. Economy is suffering inflation, costs for good, gas, etc much higher and people are not spending foolishly and staying home

 

8. Tourists are staying in their own countries or close by countries for holidays that are less risky

 

9. Cruises in US currently decimated with Covid even though all passengers and crew were required to be vaccinated.

 

10. Tourists have no reliable medical source to trust on traveling during this pandemic

 

11. Shortage of testing kits. Accuracy of testing kits in question ( 3 vaccines, negative test before flight, arrive in Thailand less than 24 hours, test positive for COVID, somehow miraculously after 7 days and spending 50,000 baht you are now negative even though you did nothing for 7 days but sit around in a hotel room.)

 

12. Too many stories of vaccinated tourists getting banged up financially for all kinds of reasons (Dutch Family)

 

13. The entire pandemic period has taken a financial toll on many tourists around the world. Unemployment, reduced waged, furloughs tourists don't have the money to travel.

 

14. All the bad press surrounding COVID has many tourists not in the mood to travel period.

 

15, Other countries are locked down and not let tourists out

 

Feel free to add to the list

Edited December 30, 2021 by Isaanlife

[Pinot]

37 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

" No, that's wrong. Chances are things are about to get infinitely worse" Chances are, ..... so what is the percentage that is will happen Mr. epidemiologist?

100%. 750 new cases reported today. After the New Year, there will be tens of thousands new cases.

[Isaan sailor]

32 minutes ago, Isaanlife said:

Why are tourists not coming? Feel free to add your own to the list!

 

1. A good majority of Thailand attractions and businesses are closed.

 

2. Thailand quarantine schemes ever changing and not trusted.

 

3. Tourist don't want to get quarantined and spend 50,000 baht

 

4. A good number do NOT trust the accuracy of Thai testing. (3 vaccines, negative test before flight, arrive in Thailand less than 24 hours later test positive, 50,000 baht in quarantine. Sound like a scam?)

 

5. Extremely hard for tourists to get out of their own countries. (US recently had 2,000 flights canceled in one day.)

 

6. Different Covid rules and regulations from country to country

 

7. Economy is suffering inflation, costs for good, gas, etc much higher and people are not spending foolishly and staying home

 

8. Tourists are staying in their own countries or close by countries for holidays that are less risky

 

9. Cruises in US currently decimated with Covid even though all passengers and crew were required to be vaccinated.

 

10. Tourists have no reliable medical source to trust on traveling during this pandemic

 

11. Shortage of testing kits. Accuracy of testing kits in question ( 3 vaccines, negative test before flight, arrive in Thailand less than 24 hours, test positive for COVID, somehow miraculously after 7 days and spending 50,000 baht you are now negative even though you did nothing for 7 days but sit around in a hotel room.)

 

12. Too many stories of vaccinated tourists getting banged up financially for all kinds of reasons (Dutch Family)

 

13. The entire pandemic period has taken a financial toll on many tourists around the world. Unemployment, reduced waged, furloughs tourists don't have the money to travel.

 

14. All the bad press surrounding COVID has many tourists not in the mood to travel period.

 

15, Other countries are locked down and not let tourists out

 

Feel free to add to the list

16. Tourists not willing to wear a mask during 12 - 24 combined flights and airport transfers.

[NoshowJones]

"Meanwhile it was also reported that insurance companies face payouts of 20 billion baht on Covid policies - the new variant is overstretching them and means that many are facing losses after miscalculating the cost of policies." 

Yippee!!!! Karma got them at last, they have been screwing people for years with their legal jargon etc.

[Trip Hop]

30 minutes ago, Isaanlife said:

Why are tourists not coming? Feel free to add your own to the list!

 

1. A good majority of Thailand attractions and businesses are closed.

 

2. Thailand quarantine schemes ever changing and not trusted.

 

3. Tourist don't want to get quarantined and spend 50,000 baht

 

4. A good number do NOT trust the accuracy of Thai testing. (3 vaccines, negative test before flight, arrive in Thailand less than 24 hours later test positive, 50,000 baht in quarantine. Sound like a scam?)

 

5. Extremely hard for tourists to get out of their own countries. (US recently had 2,000 flights canceled in one day.)

 

6. Different Covid rules and regulations from country to country

 

7. Economy is suffering inflation, costs for good, gas, etc much higher and people are not spending foolishly and staying home

 

8. Tourists are staying in their own countries or close by countries for holidays that are less risky

 

9. Cruises in US currently decimated with Covid even though all passengers and crew were required to be vaccinated.

 

10. Tourists have no reliable medical source to trust on traveling during this pandemic

 

11. Shortage of testing kits. Accuracy of testing kits in question ( 3 vaccines, negative test before flight, arrive in Thailand less than 24 hours, test positive for COVID, somehow miraculously after 7 days and spending 50,000 baht you are now negative even though you did nothing for 7 days but sit around in a hotel room.)

 

12. Too many stories of vaccinated tourists getting banged up financially for all kinds of reasons (Dutch Family)

 

13. The entire pandemic period has taken a financial toll on many tourists around the world. Unemployment, reduced waged, furloughs tourists don't have the money to travel.

 

14. All the bad press surrounding COVID has many tourists not in the mood to travel period.

 

15, Other countries are locked down and not let tourists out

 

Feel free to add to the list

As many posters have stated on numerous different threads, if you are familiar with Thailand, you must be mad to travel here at the moment, for the possible forced hospital isolation and associated financial risk alone?
 

However, there are some including myself who after 2 years are happy to take that risk due to family/relationship or business reasons?

 

For your average Thailand newbie, I would say it’s all the extra paperwork, insurance costs etc when there are countries that are far easier to travel to and who’s systems, should you fall ill, can be expected to behave in a similar way to your home country?

[Sheryl]

7 hours ago, Thunglom said:

there are many reasons why they should be right.

• Mask wearing
• Social habits
• Climate
• Outdoor living
• No handshaking 
• Rate of evaporation of aerosol droplets
• Obedience to regulations
• Draconian government

I'm sure you can think of more.

Also -' as Groucho Marx once said-- "It's early yet".

 

It reached Europe earlier than it reached Thailand (may even have begun there, unclear).

 

But yes, the widespread mask wearing does help. As does the dry weather. While this is peak season for spread of respiratory borne pathogens in the West it is low season in Thailand, in Thailand this peaks in the rainy season. Same factors: inclement weather leading people to socialize indoors rather than outside.

 

[Stargeezr]

If posters think that there are no Delta COVID viruses around, would you bet your life?

  The WHO spokesperson just said on TV this evening that both delta and omicron variants

are still making people sick.  If you want to believe your fake news sources, well Good Luck.

  Not all the new cases that are in hospitals are omicron. That may be why there are still people dying.

[NoshowJones]

22 hours ago, edwinchester said:

"....many are facing losses after miscalculating the cost of policies."

 

Oh dear, how sad, nevermind.

 

That's Karma for you.    .

[Bkk Brian]

9 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Also -' as Groucho Marx once said-- "It's early yet".

 

It reached Europe earlier than it reached Thailand (may even have begun there, unclear).

 

But yes, the widespread mask wearing does help. As does the dry weather. While this is peak season for spread of respiratory borne pathogens in the Wedt it is low season in Thailand, in Thailand this peaks in the rainy season. Same factors: inclement weather leading people to socialize indoors rather than outside.

 

10,000 covid hospital patients in England for the first time since 2 March. Total was 7000 just THREE days ago. They aren't all incidental cases. Over 90% of cases are now Omicron

 

Omicron does have teeth, its not just a mild cold. Thailand tends to hospitalize people at the drop of a hat, whats it going to be like when it really gets hold.

Edited December 30, 2021 by Bkk Brian

[FritsSikkink]

30 minutes ago, Pinot said:

100%. 750 new cases reported today. After the New Year, there will be tens of thousands new cases.

How many of these cases involve people actually feeling sick, how many need a hospital visit, how many need to go to intensive care?

[kiwikeith]

8 minutes ago, Stargeezr said:

If posters think that there are no Delta COVID viruses around, would you bet your life?

  The WHO spokesperson just said on TV this evening that both delta and omicron variants

are still making people sick.  If you want to believe your fake news sources, well Good Luck.

  Not all the new cases that are in hospitals are omicron. That may be why there are still people dying.

That is true there are delta and omicron together in hospitals but the data coming out of the UK and SA show Delta has been displaced in SA and the same appears to be happening in the UK if you care to search google for DR John Campbells latest he posts all the links to the data in his presentations I can not put the direct link up but easy to find all his presentations give links to any data he explains. He is not anti vax he 's had his 3 shots, he only explains the latest data from credible sources like the CDC and SA/UK hospitals ect. And all data has links posted.

[Blumpie]

4 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Big IF, and looking like it isn't. 

Not only isn't it but you need to be dropped on your head at some point, drunk, or stricken by dementia to see otherwise.  All experts agree this is a total joke so far.  It's a cold.

And before you start calling me an antivaxxer (whoever), triple vaccinated and am vaccinated against everything you can think of before COVID.  

[Pattaya Spotter]

12 hours ago, Cherrytreeview said:

And you know nothing again....

Monsoon lasts April to October....

http://www.knowphuket.com/climate.htm

....????????????

Have you ever been to Thailand, let alone Phuket, little to no rain until at least June on Andaman side. 

 

As you seem to revel in trolling..."ignored" now.

[kiwikeith]

15 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

10,000 covid hospital patients in England for the first time since 2 March. Total was 7000 just THREE days ago. They aren't all incidental cases. Over 90% of cases are now Omicron

 

Omicron does have teeth, its not just a mild cold. Thailand tends to hospitalize people at the drop of a hat, whats it going to be like when it really gets hold.

Latest I saw was 80% were coincidental 20% admitted for omicron out of your figure. but you can check that easily the data is available  freely on the nett. I think it was previously with Delta 59% were admitted for covid sars 2 so thats a drop with Omicron to 20% I will pull the chart up later if required but is easy to find..