10 hours ago, tomster said:

Just drop all entry restrictions (maybe keep the insurance requirement as that is not that unreasonable) and the millions will return.

 

Problem is if they drop all restrictions before the next election the protests will return in force - they can't have that so expect to see the fear campaign kept going until after the vote at least. 

What about the expats that have been hear years that cannot get insurance because of medical and age reasons should they pack up go home leave the thousands of families that depend on their pension .? Just a thought as I am in that category

4 minutes ago, tigerfeet said:

What about the expats that have been hear years that cannot get insurance because of medical and age reasons should they pack up go home leave the thousands of families that depend on their pension .? Just a thought as I am in that category

'They' not me, will tell you that's why you should have  800,000 in the bank or 65,000 income a month.

PS i'm not saying good or bad, I'm just saying that is very likely the answer you will get from 'them'.

At present with all the red tape to get into Thailand the majority of people will choose another destination which is just as good. The chance of being covid positive and sent to some hospital to spend your holiday, what a waste of time and money.
Other Asian countries are opening with less red tape so I pretty sure people will just go to say Vietnam or Philippines and even Cambodia. 

If whining (s)expats get their way and make it just like home, tourists will stop coming.

 

Weather Too hot

Food too spicy

Driving to crazy

 

Etc

There were criticisms in the past and shall continue from a few "unhappy" travelers  /tourists/expats . But , let us face it, none of the other destinations , Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore (?!), Philippines, Dubai (?!) etc. etc. Well, none match what Thailand has to offer. What more, there is NO mass exodus of Westerners from Thailand ( a wishful think-aloud of the disgruntled few !!)

Yes, Thailand needs to streamline, make-easy a few stringent rules it has put in place because of the pandemic. And this is likely to happen sooner than expected (hopefully) .

So, enjoy , live , be happy   .. life is  beautiful , let us make the journey a merry tale  for ourselves, for those with us and for posterity to smile  ... 

It was heck of a ride !!

3 hours ago, Isaan sailor said:

On top of the well-discussed quarantine hurdles, you can now add the rising Baht as a dealbreaker. The higher Baht crimps spending, hurts exports, and should force foreigners to look elsewhere.

I think you called it right there, 

"force foreigners to look elsewhere", force being the operative word. And money being the use of force. 

I don't see too many going elsewhere because of the traditional listed complaints. 

 

5 minutes ago, Prometheus33 said:

There were criticisms in the past and shall continue from a few "unhappy" travelers  /tourists/expats . But , let us face it, none of the other destinations , Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore (?!), Philippines, Dubai (?!) etc. etc. Well, none match what Thailand has to offer. What more, there is NO mass exodus of Westerners from Thailand ( a wishful think-aloud of the disgruntled few !!)

Yes, Thailand needs to streamline, make-easy a few stringent rules it has put in place because of the pandemic. And this is likely to happen sooner than expected (hopefully) .

So, enjoy , live , be happy   .. life is  beautiful , let us make the journey a merry tale  for ourselves, for those with us and for posterity to smile  ... 

It was heck of a ride !!

Very well said Mr P. 

11 hours ago, smedly said:

seeing as pretty much all restrictions have now been lifted in western countries this is a pretty stupid headline question 

 

I have a better question 

 

How does Thailand recover its tourism and also stop the mass exodus of expats/retirees from leaving 

There's a presumption there. That Thailand wants to stop the exodus.

 

This TED talk, which popped up as "recommended for me" just last night, seems to link to this topic. I found it interesting. The talk was aired in September 2019 and pertains to SEAsia in general (in particular those nations that were colonized in the past). Although Thailand was not colonized, there are points of relevance in the talk. 

 

Watching the talk could prove to be enlightening for anybody who has yet to view tourism/expatriation to SEAsia through the same lens that a number of educated SEAsians may currently be doing. Younger generations may wish to change the way that they and their country are portrayed to the rest of the world.

 

I'll drop the link here if anyone is interested.

 

 

  

12 hours ago, ukrules said:

When there's zero restrictions things will return to normal.

 

Until that day comes then it's not happening. I think it will happen sooner than most people think - as in this year.

sounds like April is the target date

9 hours ago, twix38 said:

I am just waiting until I can return without any restrictions except a PCR test to enter without any quarantine for vaccinated folk.

 

Then I will return to sort out my affairs and complete my relocation back to uk permanently. Far too many downsides to living in Thailand and I did that for 13 years.

 

Pollution, pesticides, poor air quality, hospitals not actually competent often in my experience, Sun exposure damage build up often under estimated, flipping street dogs, xenophobic population, jumping through immigration hoops, 2 tier pricing and ripoff, dangerous driving, political shambles, exch rate and no longer cheap....so much more, but I'll stop there.

 

Just waiting to return to leave for good!!

Before I would return to UK I would rather try North Korea instead.

But honestly go for SPAIN. 

1 hour ago, tigerfeet said:

What about the expats that have been hear years that cannot get insurance because of medical and age reasons should they pack up go home leave the thousands of families that depend on their pension .? Just a thought as I am in that category

You had years up front to get a proper insurance you could continue past 67 if you started early enough. But I guess some arrived to late and did not have the resources then, and do not have now! 

 

Life is not fair for some, 

Thailand, as a tourist destination, has been dying for years and the only thing keeping it afloat are it's horizontal women. Even the saddos who have to buy a wife in Thailand because no-one else will have them are looking elsewhere.

12 hours ago, ukrules said:

When there's zero restrictions things will return to normal.

 

Until that day comes then it's not happening. I think it will happen sooner than most people think - as in this year.

Carted off to a hospital from a obsolete RTP CR at 10,000 Bhat a day is just dam stupid idiotic mesmerised fools, suggested remedy see a hypnotherapy specialist and snap out of it, follow the pied piper = Danish strategy 

16 minutes ago, OishiRefill said:

Watching the talk could prove to be enlightening for anybody who has yet to view tourism/expatriation to SEAsia through the same lens that a number of educated SEAsians may currently be doing. Younger generations may wish to change the way that they and their country are portrayed to the rest of the world.

Well, the Malaysian academic Farish Noor is interesting. The "long shadow of colonialism" he mentions is, of course, what he makes his money off of.  Why? Because his entire career has been in Western institutions (universities) or SE Asian universities copied after Western models. In fact, his entire talk is from the perspective of Westernized institutional academic chit chat. I wonder how many SE Asians of 1860, his reference date, had much influence at all from, say, the British.  I remember some 30 or 40 years ago coming across a poll that was taken in India as the British were preparing to exit.  Pollsters went across the country and into villages in an unprecedented wide swath to ask Indians if they had heard the British were leaving. What they found, however, was that upwards of 90 percent were yet to hear that the British had arrived.  I wonder what Noor thinks of the Chinese brought into Malaya to work and in many cases start up the tin mines? What does he think of the Tamils brought in as tappers for the rubber plantations? Why does his country even to this day preserve a two tier system for Malays and "other Asians?"  I  don't think it's because of Western expats.

Duplicate Post - to be deleted

 

10 hours ago, Hayduke said:

 

Western tourists will never go off visiting Thailand. In fact, quite the contrary. There are many reasons…

 

Simple, transparent, user-friendly visa procedures.

Supportive, welcoming, 'jai dee' government.

Uniform and fair application of common sense rules and regulations.

Reasonable prices for all tourist services.

Honesty and integrity of tourist-related businesses.

Unspoiled natural attractions.

Incorruptible security and world-class public safety.

 

Yes…without question…untold multitudes of well-heeled, free-spending, quality farangs will be soon be arriving...to much TAT fanfare.

 

 

???? Have you been on Anutin's wacky baccy?

27 minutes ago, sawadee1947 said:

Before I would return to UK I would rather try North Korea instead.

But honestly go for SPAIN. 

That's because you couldn't afford to buy or rent a property.

Not the UK's fault you haven't got a pot to p*ss in.

So, it may take Thailand’s charm, its medical tourism, and even its fledgling Cannabis industry to still lure western travellers here in the future. I am sure many retirees will think twice before settling here in the future as visa and insurance regulations are making it harder to make ends meet.

 

Some very good points made. One thing is for certain. Nothing will ever return to normal here, with regard to tourism. You can't just open up after two years, and start by offering an expensive 2 day quarantine package, and expect people to return. The TAT made such a big deal about the 25,000 or so signed up on Feb. 1st. They have been absolutely mute since then. Nothing. Guess it is not working out as planned, with the insane projection of 5 million. I think if the cowards relaxed ALL restrictions, they might get 1 million this year. Maybe 2 million in 2023. Maybe 5 million by 2026, or 2028. And never, ever beyond 5 million again. Sorry guys, you slaughtered the Golden goose. It is dead and gone. 

 

They keep on yapping about getting wealthy expats. This will never happen. The opposite is happening right now. A mass exodus is taking place. A friend of mine uses a foreign lawyer in Bangkok, who is one of the top attorneys around. He said his office cannot find enough hours in the day to meet with expats who are leaving, with their Thai spouse or family, and dealing with trusts and wills for their remaining Thai families, properties, etc. 

He said he has never seen anything like it, in the 30 years he has been in practice here. Woe is Thailand. Where is the hope for the future? 

The dinosaur creeps are moving this nation backwards at a breakneck pace. Truly regressive reptilian leadership. No wonder so many are leaving. Why?

1. Overall, a declining quality of life.

2. An oppressive government that was not sincere about letting go of power. Ever.

3. High prices on most import goods and wine. Crappy selection of beer.

4. Rampant xenophobic on the part of the goons and immigration.

5. A nation in reverse. No hope for a better future here.

6. Extreme timidity and destruction of the economy, many lives and businesses. Please, don't blame Covid. That is only one element.

7. Little in the way of good education available for kids.

8. The sanitization of Thai society, the elimination of anything that resembles character, and the tired, insincere, increasingly fake purity campaigns.

9. The continued environmental destruction and worsening air quality, coupled with no intent of effort to fix anything.

10. The worsening dependence on China. Will Thailand eventually be a communist colony?

Shall I go on?

What these simpletons fail to mention, is that this ranking is really all about the money. Anyone who is wealthy or even affluent, would have little interest in retiring here. So, it is mostly about affordability. And I agree with that. It is reasonable here. Most of us live well, on a relatively modest income or pension.

57 minutes ago, Prometheus33 said:

There were criticisms in the past and shall continue from a few "unhappy" travelers  /tourists/expats . But , let us face it, none of the other destinations , Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore (?!), Philippines, Dubai (?!) etc. etc. Well, none match what Thailand has to offer. What more, there is NO mass exodus of Westerners from Thailand ( a wishful think-aloud of the disgruntled few !!)

Yes, Thailand needs to streamline, make-easy a few stringent rules it has put in place because of the pandemic. And this is likely to happen sooner than expected (hopefully) .

So, enjoy , live , be happy   .. life is  beautiful , let us make the journey a merry tale  for ourselves, for those with us and for posterity to smile  ... 

It was heck of a ride !!

Yip a drop from 40 million tourists to 400,000 is a "few".

Got any factual links to say expats aren't leaving Thailand?

 

https://thaivisa-express.com/why-are-so-many-brits-choosing-to-leave-thailand/

 

They most likely will until Thailand has balls to skip all testing requirements upon arrival. If you’re vaccinated and can show a negative test, then by all means things will get back to normal. And with time, skip the tests all together - that’s the way to do it.  

it will be a long haul back to normalcy due to disruption around the globe for jobs and earnings ,savings

Filipines from today..no quarantene or other <deleted> that thailand required

filipines.pdf

airlines say masks will have to be worn for 2 years if they can find the pilots as well

25 minutes ago, Hummin said:

You had years up front to get a proper insurance you could continue past 67 if you started early enough. But I guess some arrived to late and did not have the resources then, and do not have now! 

 

Life is not fair for some, 

And Insurance Companies make it less fair!

 

Your point about "years up front" is a fair point, but if you insure a car if you do not amke a claim, your premium is reduced by way of a "no claims bonus". Not so with health insurance. Your premium goes up every year whether you make a claim or not, until it becomes impossibly high to pay for some. And what is the point of paying upwards of 100,000 baht A YEAR for Insurance that doesn't cover you for pre existing conditions?

 

How many people do you know past the age of 65 that DOESN'T have hypertension to some degree, or high cholesterol. The fact that these conditions affect so many people shows that their medication is very successful (Usually one tablet a day - almost like taking a daily vitamin tablet, or a contraceptive pill - becomes a habit!) but the Insurance companies just find it an excuse to up their profits even further by charging extra to have these conditions covered.

 

Plus of course, there are quite a few people who are just classed as uninsurable because they are TOO old - I fall into that category, but am fortunate enough to have enough money to "self insure".  

 

As you say, life is not fair for some, but that doesn't mean that insurance companies should be able to inflate their profits by taking advantage of their customers!

1 hour ago, overherebc said:

'They' not me, will tell you that's why you should have  800,000 in the bank or 65,000 income a month.

PS i'm not saying good or bad, I'm just saying that is very likely the answer you will get from 'them'.

Agree that’s the presumed response.  So does that also mean self insure?  Once you hit seventies, insurance companies don’t want you—and jack up premiums.

12 hours ago, Soikhaonoiken said:

As the report stated, there are still other places in the world to visit with less hassle.... 

Tell that to the thousands that are cancelling their mid term break to Spain.

9 hours ago, DrMJA said:

As a longtime resident expat, I watch with laughter as tourists arrive and get double  or triple priced, while communicating with Philippine staff cause Thai youth don’t like service jobs (demeaning) and then there are the bar stools tourist (expats) drinking themselves into oblivion on 40฿ Leo’s looking for their next ex wife.

Don’t worry everything is gonna be all right Thailand. 

40 baht bottles of Leo, day light robbery...pass me anothet  

5 hours ago, LittleBear57 said:

I was looking at the Philippine's recently and for sure they have some wonderful beaches and exotic islands. Don't know if the infrastructure is as good and the weather is definitely more than a little dodgy sometimes. However it still looks great.

I wouldn't bother mate. Philippines is not a patch on Thailand 

Hotels are way overpriced and in many cases poorly maintained except at the top end. Prices in shops are also ridiculous,  in many cases much more expensive than the UK for lower quality. Corruption is rife and makes dealing with government officials expensive!!

Transportation is very inefficient . Thai taxi drivers are angels compared to the many fraudulent and intimidating Manila taxi gangsters!!

The environment  has been degraded in many areas by unrestricted building on farmland and vast mining and logging operations.

I could go on!!

The country is kept afloat by a vast army of OFWs( overseas Filipino workers) sending remittances home to their relatives ..who then decide they are too posh to work!!

I have spent a lot of time in both places and while Thailand has its faults RP is not a viable alternative. 

Just my opinion of course????

 

9 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Stay in your ASH hotel until you test negative.

Is one allowed to do that after a positive test?

Do you have proof of that statement?

I have not read any posts in here stating that positive testers were allowed to stay in the hotel.

Maybe that is because hotels are NOT equipped to care for them, nor would ordinary staff want too.

 

Thai people are scared stiff of contracting Covid due to the fear factor generated politically so do you really think that your submission is the norm?

 

Methinks that perhaps you are dreaming or cajoling people into a false sense of security in a situation of intense insecurity due to a ridiculous set of rules and regulations for entry

But one will stand corrected IF you can prove it.

3 hours ago, Pushkin said:

.... And so, Mexico was an easy choice with only a few hours flight, neverending PCR tests with certified hotels requirement, useless insurance, no fear of being locked up and automatic 6 months Visa on arrival with none of the documentation hassle... 

Mexico is at it too. There's an ABC news article on the web: 

"US Consulate warns Los Cabos hospital preys on Americans

The U.S. government is warning U.S. citizens to avoid a hospital at a Mexican resort, following years of complaints that the facility preyed on Americans by overcharging, bullying them and refusing to release medical records"