Pattaya tourism industry leaders say Test and Go must be further eased or removed, day five PCR test removal only saw “slight” improvement in foreign tourists

[webfact]

PHOTO: INN News

 

By Adam Judd

 

Pattaya - Adding to a growing number of voices across Thailand asking for Test and Go to “Go away” prominent Pattaya tourism industry agree that the program must be further eased or removed to boost tourism in Thailand and Pattaya.

 

According to Mr. Provt Saekoo, President of the Eastern Thai Hotels Association, who also believes that allowing resumption of regular major festivals and events, especially Songkran, is needed to boost tourism as we wrote about here, Test and Go must be eased, potentially to just an ATK test on arrival instead of a costly PCR and mandated hotel stay, to begin to really see an impact on tourism from overseas.

 

Mr. Saekoo, who commented on behalf of dozens of major local hotel and business owners, was discussing the situation just days after dozens of national business and tourism leaders told the Thai Government Thailand Pass and Test and Go needed to immediately be canceled.

 

Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/03/05/pattaya-tourism-industry-leaders-say-test-and-go-must-be-further-eased-or-removed-day-five-pcr-test-removal-only-saw-slight-improvement-in-foreign-tourists/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2022-03-07

 

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[NanaSomchai]

39 minutes ago, webfact said:

According to Mr. Provt Saekoo, President of the Eastern Thai Hotels Association, who also believes that allowing resumption of regular major festivals and events, especially Songkran, is needed to boost tourism as we wrote about here, Test and Go must be eased, potentially to just an ATK test on arrival instead of a costly PCR and mandated hotel stay, to begin to really see an impact on tourism from overseas.

Right.

 

39 minutes ago, webfact said:

Mr. Saekoo, who commented on behalf of dozens of major local hotel and business owners, was discussing the situation just days after dozens of national business and tourism leaders told the Thai Government Thailand Pass and Test and Go needed to immediately be canceled.

This in a nutshell.

 

[Jingthing]

Hurry it up.

No Thailand Pass.

No Insurance Requirement.

No tests, before or after arrival.

Vaccination required.

 

Next 

...

[Karma80]

I mean, it might come as a bit of shock news, but there's one of the most significant wars happening in modern times. In a pandemic. Probably not the ideal time to be thinking about booking your holiday.

 

But until there is the complete removal of all risk of mandatory quarantine between two country pairs, and the removal of pointless testing, there is no chance of significant change in tourist numbers.

[RichardColeman]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Hurry it up.

No Thailand Pass.

No Insurance Requirement.

No tests, before or after arrival.

Vaccination required.

 

Next 

...

No vaccination ID  : Proof of Insurance required.

[ezzra]

Yeah.. you tell 'em guys, i'll be coming back soon and it would be so much better if i had less headaches arranging my return, and i think i speak for many, many more here...

[wombat]

How long before all the experts wives show them the word " endemic " 

When that word is gazzeted will be a red letter day.

[Paul Henry]

Spoke to a friend yesterday who just returned from Thailand after his trip to catch up with family.

His story is beyond belief, F*** up after F***. From airline schedules changing, Covid tests, empty streets and bars, the list goes on. A lot of the Government demands added conciderable cost to the trip.

No incentive to visit "Thailand the land of smiles"  should be "Thailand the land of confusion and costs"

[Canadian Snowbird]

Well Thailand, it's not like we didn't warn you that until you get rid of the Thailand Pass system, the extra insurance, the test and go and test and go again, and the hospitel fiasco, we weren't coming. You've already missed the boat on this winter season and we won't be coming for a short visit to salvage your songkran festival because we simply don't trust you not to keep flip flopping and changing requirements. You've now got 7 to 8 months to learn from your mistakes and get your act together for next winters tourist season.  

[NanaSomchai]

4 hours ago, wombat said:

How long before all the experts wives show them the word " endemic " 

When that word is gazzeted will be a red letter day.

A dark red one even.

 

3 hours ago, Paul Henry said:

Spoke to a friend yesterday who just returned from Thailand after his trip to catch up with family.

His story is beyond belief, F*** up after F***. From airline schedules changing, Covid tests, empty streets and bars, the list goes on. A lot of the Government demands added conciderable cost to the trip.

No incentive to visit "Thailand the land of smiles" should be "Thailand the land of confusion and costs"

Bolded the relevant bits for added emphasis.

 

2 hours ago, Canadian Snowbird said:

Well Thailand, it's not like we didn't warn you that until you get rid of the Thailand Pass system, the extra insurance, the test and go and test and go again, and the hospitel fiasco, we weren't coming. You've already missed the boat on this winter season and we won't be coming for a short visit to salvage your songkran festival because we simply don't trust you not to keep flip flopping and changing requirements.

Millions, dare I say, billions were lost this winter season.

 

"Thailand: The Land of flip flopping rules and changing requirements", how fitting.

 

2 hours ago, Canadian Snowbird said:

You've now got 7 to 8 months to learn from your mistakes and get your act together for next winters tourist season.  

7 or 8 months also known as; After the elections.

 

Good luck with that!

 

Edited March 7, 2022 by NanaSomchai

[connda]

No no no.  Keep it in place.  Dirty foreigners will kill good clean Thais.  It's a matter of life and death.

[connda]

Test & Go to a forced incarceration in a very expensive private hospital.

 

[bkk6060]

Don't know if anything will help for quite awhile.  Many westerners traveling within their own countries or in the US. to their Mexico timeshares.  Too many issues going on in the world Thailand is way down the list.

[connda]

8 hours ago, NanaSomchai said:

Mr. Saekoo, who commented on behalf of dozens of major local hotel and business owners, was discussing the situation just days after dozens of national business and tourism leaders told the Thai Government Thailand Pass and Test and Go needed to immediately be canceled.

But but but - it just makes a s***-ton of money for private hospitals.  Don't you people understand?  New Normal Thailand isn't about the hospitality and leisure industry any longer.  Nope!  It's about forced medical tourism.  The hotels are just jealous that they can't charge customers 10,000 THB a day if they pop positive on a Covid test. 
Big private hospitals have the ears of policy-makers, not you common business-types. 

[NanaSomchai]

50 minutes ago, connda said:

But but but - it just makes a s***-ton of money for private hospitals.  Don't you people understand?  New Normal Thailand isn't about the hospitality and leisure industry any longer.  Nope!  It's about forced medical tourism.  The hotels are just jealous that they can't charge customers 10,000 THB a day if they pop positive on a Covid test. 
Big private hospitals have the ears of policy-makers, not you common business-types. 

Context:

 

Statistics say just over 36,000 Saudi tourists arrived in Thailand in 2019, and Thailand made about 3.2 million baht. TAT’s deputy governor said direct flights will help promote tourism to Thailand, and expand tourist markets in Saudi Arabia, Europe, and the Middle East.

 

He also said it will allow tourists to conveniently transfer to other countries. TAT plans a new marketing campaign for this year called “Visit Thailand Year 2022: Amazing New Chapters”. The campaign will promote three main types of tourism in Thailand, consisting of Medical tourism, beaches, and shopping.

 

Source:

 

https://thethaiger.com/news/national/thailand-news-today-tourism-industry-pushes-for-scrapping-of-thailand-pass-and-pcr-testing

 

There you have it, medical tourism.

 

I myself have a severe case of blue balls, maybe I should apply for a medical visa, I've heard they have great massage/clinics on Soi Buakhaow and all across Pattaya...

[champers]

Minor Group apparently putting the squeeze on the Govt now. Their portfolio of hotels and food outlets is mighty impressive, including Amari, Avani and Marriott hotels plus Pizza Company, Sizzler, Coffee Club, Svennson and Burger King food outlets. They own RGP in Pattaya too.

A search on goggle will show the full list.

I think these guys have more clout than the hospital owners.