Coronavirus: New year, old problem for Thai tourism as Omicron punctures hope

[webfact]

People take Covid-19 tests at Pattaya’s ‘Walking Street’. Photo: Vijitra Duangdee

 

● The rapid spread of Omicron this year has smashed into Thailand’s economy in the middle of peak vacation season

 

● From Pattaya to Bangkok, visitors are cancelling holiday plans as Thailand suspends its Test & Go tourism scheme

 

Vijitra Duangdee

 

With each new coronavirus wave, Naowarat Khakay has been forced to let go more workers from her restaurant, hotel and apartment businesses across the Thai resort island of Pattaya.

 

“I’ve lost over 100 employees now,” said the 65-year-old businesswoman, taking a moment to hold back tears.

 

A short walk down to the beach, Yuttana Leebamrung, 30, looks on at the smattering of Russian tourists taking in the sun on a virtually empty expanse of sand but ignoring the chance to rent his two jet skis.

 

“I have had only two customers in a week,” he said.

 

Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view

 

Full story: https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3162649/coronavirus-new-year-old-problem-thai-tourism-omicron-punctures

 

-- © Copyright South China Morning Post 2022-01-10

 

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[RichardColeman]

8 minutes ago, webfact said:

“I’ve lost over 100 employees now,” said the 65-year-old businesswoman, taking a moment to hold back tears.

try explaining that to the people on here saying shut the country up, with no thought of the consequences to working  thais

[Crossy]

43 minutes ago, webfact said:

 ... the Thai resort island of Pattaya

 

I know the flooding gets pretty bad but ...

[ChaiyaTH]

Even I am a positive person and usually always find new ways and things if another ends I really can’t see how the majority of Thais could survive again until high season.

 

If nothing changed or closed again it would been hard enough already.

 

Next to that Thailand is way less attractive when being so quiet and having many shops and places closed so to factor that in they have to survive like 5 years total before any normal tourism could be back in business. 

 

Not to mention that most other middle class like office, teachers and government employees were heavily indebted prior to covid already and will still be paying off loans for 20 years or more without consuming much.

 

Makes living in Thailand less comfortable too as the (backup) options to do some local business or have rental income are much less secure. This knowing most jobs are not for foreigners too.

Edited January 9, 2022 by ChaiyaTH

[ikke1959]

It is not onlyCovid that ruined the tourist industry.. It accelerated it indeed, but still with many hurdles for tourists before they can come on holiday,the expensive THB,  the blaming of foreigners of the pandemic in Thailand , and the changing restrictions day by day are also reasons for tourists to stay away. Welcome your guests and they will come....

[ezzra]

What different dose it makes when Top official describes the popular ‘Test and Go’ entry as a loophole exposing Thailand to Omicron and blame tourists for Thailand problems?...

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

try explaining that to the people on here saying shut the country up, with no thought of the consequences to working  thais

So the alternative is open up, get infected and close her business anyway?

[Venom]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

So the alternative is open up, get infected and close her business anyway?

Have a friend who was out of work for five days with fever after receiving his second jab. Now he's fully vaxed so your alternative is that he should now be forced to close his business? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

,

Edited January 10, 2022 by Venom

[hotchilli]

3 minutes ago, Venom said:

Have a friend who was out of work for five days with fever after receiving his second jab. Now he's fully vaxed so your alternative is that he should now be forced to close his business? 

 

No what I said was if you don't follow precautions when open, and your employees get infected your business will be shut down for quarantine purposes.

As evident in Pattaya Banglamung area... 

They skipped the precaution bit... played like normal and now pay the penalty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

,

 

[mikebell]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

to rent his two jet skis.

 

“I have had only two customers in a week,” he said.

Luckily they both had crashes that necessitated expensive and lengthy repairs paid for by the customers and enforced by a serendipitous passing con-stable.

[James105]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

So the alternative is open up, get infected and close her business anyway?

I've never understood this argument.   Even the most economically illiterate would realise that being closed for 2 weeks due to illness is better than being forcibly closed for 8-10 months due to overreaction.   It's right up there with the "we need to lockdown to prevent lockdown" arguments that are equally non sensical.   

[hotchilli]

20 minutes ago, James105 said:

I've never understood this argument.   Even the most economically illiterate would realise that being closed for 2 weeks due to illness is better than being forcibly closed for 8-10 months due to overreaction.   It's right up there with the "we need to lockdown to prevent lockdown" arguments that are equally non sensical.   

A case in point... Banglamung.

Belly-ache for months about loss of business.

Open-up, ignore all the precautions, carry-on as if nothing is happening and everyone gets infected.

Business is closed down again.

Open-up-wash-repeat.

[spidermike007]

Covid is only a single factor now. It is the incredible sabotage brought on by terrible leaders, which have wrought the real destruction of millions of livelihoods. 

 

Cowardice and timidity are ugly things to witness in a man. This whole thing could have been handled in a way that is safe, and would attract some tourists. We are witnessing sheer insanity, callous disregard, historic malfeasance, devolution, and the end of hope for the Thai economy for years to come. 

 

Many of us will reap the benefits. Half priced condos (just wait it will happen) low rents, and $50 four and five star hotels is nice. But, the devastation of the economy is a hard thing to witness, if you care about the Thai people, which I do. 

Edited January 10, 2022 by spidermike007

[James105]

11 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

A case in point... Banglamung.

Belly-ache for months about loss of business.

Open-up, ignore all the precautions, carry-on as if nothing is happening and everyone gets infected.

Business is closed down again.

Open-up-wash-repeat.

Ok lets address this argument by taking a look at one bar that this happened to - the triangle bar.   Bunch of staff tested positive for covid and they have to close for 2 weeks but (and this is crucial) they will be allowed to open again after this 2 weeks rather than shut down for 8 months.

 

So what do you think is worse for a business?  

 

A.  Forced to close for 8-10 months to prevent being closed for 2 weeks due to a mild illness

B.  Forced to close for 2 weeks due to mild illness

 

I'm presuming from your comments you have never owned a business so this might be a tricky one for you. 

[newnative]

     The whole process to visit is just way too complicated, and constantly changing.  I try to keep up but I have no idea what the process currently is--but it doesn't matter as it's likely to change a minute from now.  Either open easily or stay closed.

[Henryford]

Well i have cancelled my planned holiday for next week. I am tired of keeping track of the changes in rules and whether i can have a beer or not or be tested and sent to hospital. Wake me up Thailand when you have decided you actually want tourists.

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, James105 said:

Ok lets address this argument by taking a look at one bar that this happened to - the triangle bar.   Bunch of staff tested positive for covid and they have to close for 2 weeks but (and this is crucial) they will be allowed to open again after this 2 weeks rather than shut down for 8 months.

Ok lets look at this again.. you say one bar..

Do you think for one moment that the [infected] staff & customers only frequented that one bar and went no-where else?

They mix all over the place and this is what's perpetuating the infections.

 

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, James105 said:

Ok lets address this argument by taking a look at one bar that this happened to - the triangle bar.   Bunch of staff tested positive for covid and they have to close for 2 weeks but (and this is crucial) they will be allowed to open again after this 2 weeks rather than shut down for 8 months.

 

So what do you think is worse for a business?  

 

A.  Forced to close for 8-10 months to prevent being closed for 2 weeks due to a mild illness

B.  Forced to close for 2 weeks due to mild illness

 

I'm presuming from your comments you have never owned a business so this might be a tricky one for you. 

Economic sabotage and highly selective shutdowns are the dumbest thing a nation, state or city can engage in. There are far more effective ways to fight the spread. 

 

And why allow construction sites, canning plants, army bases and other super spreader sites to remain open? 

 

One answer. Money, cronyism and power. Very little to do with the "fight against Covid". 

[Eric Loh]

47 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Economic sabotage and highly selective shutdowns are the dumbest thing a nation, state or city can engage in. There are far more effective ways to fight the spread. 

 

And why allow construction sites, canning plants, army bases and other super spreader sites to remain open? 

 

One answer. Money, cronyism and power. Very little to do with the "fight against Covid". 

Perhaps the difference in selective shutdowns comes down to traceability and uninhibited conduct of intoxicated person. 

[James105]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Ok lets look at this again.. you say one bar..

Do you think for one moment that the [infected] staff & customers only frequented that one bar and went no-where else?

They mix all over the place and this is what's perpetuating the infections.

 

Ok I picked one bar as I assumed the maths involved would make it more digestible for you - I stand corrected on that.  Let's try it another way.  Supposing in 100 bars all the staff contracted covid at the same time and they all had to shut down for 2 weeks.  Would this be better or worse for them than being forced to shut down for 8 months to avoid the possibility they would have to shut down for 2 weeks?  

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, James105 said:

Ok I picked one bar as I assumed the maths involved would make it more digestible for you - I stand corrected on that.  Let's try it another way.  Supposing in 100 bars all the staff contracted covid at the same time and they all had to shut down for 2 weeks.  Would this be better or worse for them than being forced to shut down for 8 months to avoid the possibility they would have to shut down for 2 weeks?  

How about one bar gets infected because they ignored precautions, it gets closed for one or two weeks..

Before being found infected those people mixed among friends and family and other establishments [not only bars] and thus they will soon be found to be infected and closed.

The cycle continues.

How does that suit your palette?

[billd766]

9 hours ago, James105 said:

Ok lets address this argument by taking a look at one bar that this happened to - the triangle bar.   Bunch of staff tested positive for covid and they have to close for 2 weeks but (and this is crucial) they will be allowed to open again after this 2 weeks rather than shut down for 8 months.

 

So what do you think is worse for a business?  

 

A.  Forced to close for 8-10 months to prevent being closed for 2 weeks due to a mild illness

B.  Forced to close for 2 weeks due to mild illness

 

I'm presuming from your comments you have never owned a business so this might be a tricky one for you. 

The problem now is that no business has any idea what conditions will be like in 2 weeks time. Nobody really knows if tourists will be allowed in in 2 weeks time. Under the current bunch of clowns running the country nobody has any idea of their plans to even allow tourists back into Thailand.

 

If tourists are not allowed in, a 2 week closure may even be 8 to 10 months.

 

The harder this government makes it for tourists, the less they will get. No tourist in their right mind will come to Thailand with their family to spend 7, 10 or even 14 days banged up in a hospital/hospitel and lose all their hotel money and be forced to pay extra as they are put in a hospital because somebody seated close to them on the aircraft was tested positive.

 

This is without of course the chance of going into hospital/hospitel back in their own country. They would rather go to a country which actively welcomes them.