Foreign tourists not wearing masks threaten closure of Phi Phi island - hotelier calls for foreigners to be fined

[webfact]

File photo for reference only//Wikipedia

 

Jiraphat Jantharo of the Phi Phi Hotel Group in Krabi, southern Thailand said that most foreigners visiting the holiday island were not wearing masks.

 

He feared a spike in Covid cases - especially the Omicron variant - and the possibly closure of the island if something is not done fast. 

 

He told the Thai media that foreign tourists were not wearing masks in public, at tourist sites and in convenience stores. 

 

With many places being narrow and congested on the island he feared that spread of the virus would be inevitable. 

 

He called on the Krabi health authorities to take immediate action and fine tourists if necessary. 

 

The comments came after 63 visitors to Krabi tested positive from December 1st to January 1st.

 

Ten of those had Omicron with a further 27 awaiting confirmation after tests. 

 

The Thai media were at the port in Phi Phi where the main concern was making sure that people were wearing life jackets and boats were not overloaded.

 

Some 1,300 visitors were there daily with many going to Maya Bay that has recently reopened to tourism.

 

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[ezzra]

Tourists coming from far and wide around the glob to be care free on a beach in Thailand and has to were masks, what a holiday it is in deed...

[Gsxrnz]

Yeah sorry Kuhn Tourist, you can't get on the boat unless you're wearing a mask.  What?  Nuh, you don't need a life jacket. Life jackets are useless against Covid.

[RandiRona]

Sure....what kind of mask...would fishnet work?? 

[KhunLA]

"....take immediate action and fine tourists"

 

There's a sale booster if I ever read one .... ????

[Gsxrnz]

4 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

"....take immediate action and fine tourists"

 

There's a sale booster if I ever read one .... ????

Business planning is not their strongest suit.

[MRToMRT]

Theres a vid on Facebook showing this, not a single Thai tourist or boat operator/staff has one on either !

[2long]

At least the diving community even wear masks underwater! ????????????

 

I'll get my coat.

[richard_smith237]

This is simply xenophobia at place...  potentially even racism.

 

This guy is a tool and has failed to recognise that on every beach in every tourist destination no one is wearing masks. 

 

 

Of course, in an area such as Maya Bay the majority of tourists are going to be foreign, so this plays into a sanctimonious xenophobes hands. 

Go to any beach at 5:30pm.... such as Cha-am, Bang Saen, Rayong, Nai Harn, Samila (Songkhla), Chumpon beaches etc.... and see 90% of Thai’s on the beach ‘not wearing’ masks.....  and of course not, no criticism there, there really is no need for anyone to be wearing a mask on a beach when more than 5meters away from anyone else. 

 

 

[Willy Wombat]

Fear the dirty foreigners.

 

What a joke , a lot of threads on this site about foreigners spreading corona.

[BangkokReady]

18 minutes ago, MRToMRT said:

Theres a vid on Facebook showing this, not a single Thai tourist or boat operator/staff has one on either !

I wonder how it will work.  Will they make the Thais wear masks as well, or will they fine foreign tourists right in front of Thais not wearing masks?  Will be interesting to see how deranged the racism gets...

[ThailandRyan]

Make them wear cement galoshes and sink them to become a new Coral Attraction.............................

[mokwit]

I would have thought the problem was that Phi Phi opened too early in pursuit of money.

[kotsak]

1 hour ago, Gsxrnz said:

Yeah sorry Kuhn Tourist, you can't get on the boat unless you're wearing a mask.  What?  Nuh, you don't need a life jacket. Life jackets are useless against Covid.

Yeah, like those guys on bikes wearing masks but no helmets.. 

[tgw]

the photo is misleading because neither tourists nor boats are allowed to go into Maya Bay's waters anymore.

[OneMoreFarang]

In the last days I see more and more tourists in Bangkok not wearing masks.

Most of the time I don't think this is a huge problem, i.e. if they walk along a street.

 

But it is interesting to see that almost any Thai person and any foreigner who lives here wears a masks and tourists often don't do that. It seems many of them "think" this is Thailand and who cares.

Maybe those tourists should think about why the number of Covid cases in Thailand is relative low compared to other countries. I am sure it's not only about masks. But masks help and for me it seems most locals, Thai and foreigners who live here, take Covid serious.

 

If tourists think they don't want to wear masks then maybe they should look for destination where they don't have to wear them.

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, MRToMRT said:

Theres a vid on Facebook showing this, not a single Thai tourist or boat operator/staff has one on either !

So there are intelligent free thinking people in Thailand ... go figure.

 

Isn't everyone vax'd or tested to get on Phuket or to get a ferry to PP ?

Guess it's everyone's option, though do know the risk of running foul of the 'rules'.  Apparently none.

Edited January 4, 2022 by KhunLA

[London Lowf]

Up to a point I agree with the OP - whether or not mask wearing is effective is beside the point.

 

When I arrived on Phuket at the beginning of October everyone (yes, everyone) was wearing a mask outdoors and riding. At that time there were barely any farang tourists, but those that were here were respecting the regulations.

 

As the tourist numbers have increased (some parts of Phuket look as busy as pre-Covid at the moment) so has the lack of adherence to the law - but unlike in OneMoreFarangs post, many Thais here are seeing this and are now also going maskless.

 

Three months ago you would not get served in a shop without a mask - that has now flown out of the window in Patong at least.

 

Edited January 4, 2022 by London Lowf
To make it better

[London Lowf]

3 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

So there are intelligent free thinking people in Thailand ... go figure.

I assume the riders who choose not to wear a crash helmet and drivers without seatbelts fall into this category?

 

[KhunLA]

1 minute ago, London Lowf said:

I assume the riders who choose not to wear a crash helmet and drivers without seatbelts fall into this category?

 

Yep .... hurt only themselves.   Though I do wish they'd adjust the law, "causing death by vehicle" / if no helmet, list as suicide, not death by vehicle.

[LoveThai94]

Not wearing mask outside is generally OK, but from an enforcement stand point this is a bad grey area.

 

Not everything that make sense can be factor into making law.

 

 

[tomyami]

welcome, vaccinated tourist scum

Was hoping to go jan 2023 i think

Thailand should close down they are looking more like china

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

Those dirty farangs again. Yet nothing of the many Thais all going about maskless.

 

In my school's Christmas activity photos I was the only teacher wearing a mask. They all thought this was funny. I had to tell them about the finger being pointed at us recently.

[wasabi]

But was there a dancing elephant logo on the boat to insure quality?

[JustAnotherHun]

The next moron will demand to fine foreign tourists who do not wear masks while eating or drinking.

[ikke1959]

Protect the country and close the borders.. That will teach the tourists for not wearing masks...Better don't let them in than fine , because that will cost tourists.. Bad for the reputation to fine your guests

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, tgw said:

the photo is misleading because neither tourists nor boats are allowed to go into Maya Bay's waters anymore.

Sorry but as of January 1 Maya Bay was reopened.

 

https://www.tatnews.org/2021/11/krabis-world-famous-maya-bay-eyeing-1-january-2022-reopening/

 

At least it was supposed to....lol

Edited January 4, 2022 by ThailandRyan

[JimHuaHin]

May I add, which will be criticised - I am sick of seeing so many farangs walking aroung Hua Hin Market Village and BluPort without masks; and in the nice littled gated communited I live in, maybe 20% of the farangs wear masks when they are walking around outside their properties.   And their nosiy teenage kids, never wear masks.

[Tropicalevo]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Jiraphat Jantharo of the Phi Phi Hotel Group in Krabi, southern Thailand said that most foreigners visiting the holiday island were not wearing masks.

Do all of the hotels have notices in all rooms explaining to guests that mask wearing is compulsory?

When I tell our guests, they all show surprise as 'no one told us'.

Then - how do they tell the local Thais?

[Sametboy2019]

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

This is simply xenophobia at place...  potentially even racism.

 

This guy is a tool and has failed to recognise that on every beach in every tourist destination no one is wearing masks. 

 

 

Of course, in an area such as Maya Bay the majority of tourists are going to be foreign, so this plays into a sanctimonious xenophobes hands. 

Go to any beach at 5:30pm.... such as Cha-am, Bang Saen, Rayong, Nai Harn, Samila (Songkhla), Chumpon beaches etc.... and see 90% of Thai’s on the beach ‘not wearing’ masks.....  and of course not, no criticism there, there really is no need for anyone to be wearing a mask on a beach when more than 5meters away from anyone else. 

 

 

The article mentions crowded areas and convenience stores.

I have also witnessed this to be true.