Overall negative reaction to Thai Covid-19 center meeting, majority of business owners, tourists want much further and faster easing of restrictions

[webfact]

 

By Adam Judd

 

Bangkok, Thailand-Following a major meeting of the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration in Bangkok, March 18th, 2022, the overall reaction online and from business owners has been tepid at best and outright negative at worst.

 

We aren’t going to detail the changes made and discussed in depth in this article, you can recap by reading our coverage here.

 

The reaction to the changes has come in from across the board but with very few exceptions has been universally negative.

 

The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and Thai Chamber of Commerce have both stated the changes are not enough to encourage wider foreign tourism and travel.

 

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The FTI in particular has stated this weekend that they will continue to petition and urge the government to entirely drop the Thailand Pass and test and go process, replacing it with a simple vaccine verification. They do not believe dropping only the pre arrival test will make much difference and pointed at an increasing number of countries with little to no paperwork, testing, and restrictions required to visit.

 

The Thai Chamber of Commerce stated that the steps made a positive move forward but far too slow and the current plan to treat Covid19 as endemic in four months will put Thailand significantly behind other tourism destinations. They suggested immediately moving forward the timeline to dropping restrictions and regulations around travel and testing.

 

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Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/03/19/overall-negative-reaction-to-thai-covid-19-center-meeting-majority-of-business-owners-tourists-want-much-further-and-faster-easing-of-restrictions/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2022-03-21

 

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[Soikhaonoiken]

The lifting of a PCR  prior arrival flight was a joke,  this Government has lost the plot, and would appear that they don't want to lift restrictions  and want to continue there tight grip of Thalands citizens.

[Petey11]

They got it the wrong way around, should have kept PCR before arrival and get rid of the other tests and Thai Pass.

[Jerno]

They better lift the ridiculous alcohol restrictions also.

[Captain Monday]

8 minutes ago, Soikhaonoiken said:

The lifting of a PCR  prior arrival flight was a joke,  this Government has lost the plot, and would appear that they don't want to lift restrictions  and want to continue there tight grip of Thalands citizens.

Why is eliminating pre-flight test, something that could save a family over $USD 1000 dollars "a joke"? 

[Thaiwrath]

The venues are allowed to operate in a grey area as converted restaurants currently but this brings many rules and regulations as well as a chance of corrupt officials and law enforcement looking for bribes.

 

A chance ?

More like a guarantee. There is a lot of money being made, and it's not by the business owners !  

[Destiny1990]

It’s a catastrophe. ????????

[dj230]

No PCR test to arrive in Thailand now? 

 

I guess another lockdown is coming 

[TooMuchTime]

Simple solution to keep Thailand happy.

 

Full reopening, 0 restrictions as if it was 2019 for ALL Asian countries.

 

Thaipass and other restrictions apply to western countries.

[Wiggy]

By the time the restrictions are lifted, everyone taking a long haul holiday this year will have done so, and to

countries that have already lifted them. It could be a year before those people in employment can take leave for another trip. Thailand is missing out massively. But I’m sure they think people are queuing up at airports as they dither ready to come here. They’re not. 

[mjakob007]

1 hour ago, Captain Monday said:

Why is eliminating pre-flight test, something that could save a family over $USD 1000 dollars "a joke"? 

Most airlines require PCR testing prior to departure, so passengers wont escape pre-travel testing.

 

So ideally, they should have lifted hotel stay upon arrival, if they were trying to be helpflu.

 

[Captain Monday]

3 minutes ago, mjakob007 said:

Most airlines require PCR testing prior to departure, so passengers wont escape pre-travel testing.

 

So ideally, they should have lifted hotel stay upon arrival, if they were trying to be helpflu.

 

Most airlines do not require pre-flight testing. Please name one.

 

Airlines actually want people to fly. The airlines use the rules of country of destination and country of 

transit.

[sirineou]

1 hour ago, Petey11 said:

They got it the wrong way around, should have kept PCR before arrival and get rid of the other tests and Thai Pass.

Absolutely right.

We are flying to Greece in two weeks, and we didn't even had to do the PCR test if triple vaccinated and have the appropriate documents.

We will have a test before we go, because we are transiting in Doha and do not want to have any problems, 

People are now beginning to make plans for their summer vacation. If Thailand does not "get with the program" people will make plans to go elsewhere and by the time they adjust their attitude it will be too late. 

Once people decide on a destination and make the nessacery investments, people will not change their plans IMO. 

[cnx101]

1 hour ago, Petey11 said:

They got it the wrong way around, should have kept PCR before arrival and get rid of the other tests and Thai Pass.

They don’t make money on a PCR test before travel, as we all know that’s what all this is about.

[Willy Wombat]

Back to front and upside down.

Decision making Thai Sty

[realfunster]

1 hour ago, Captain Monday said:

Why is eliminating pre-flight test, something that could save a family over $USD 1000 dollars "a joke"? 

There's more than a few clues in the OP and the responses from various Thai commercial organisations. Basically, this equates to about a quarter step back from current requirements.

 

Personally, I would be much happier doing no tests and with just being vaccinated being sufficient.

 

If more palatable, doing only a pre-flight PCR test at least gives me & host country reasonable comfort I am coming in negative and will have a high probability of avoiding any quarantines/costs etc. and actually be able to enjoy my holiday as planned.

 

Doing an on-arrival test does not give me so much confidence to travel, as the risk remains that I test positive on arrival and any holiday is then ruined. I also have to <deleted> about with all the various Thai Pass requirements, including insurance cost.

 

That USD1,000 saving doesn't look so attractive for your example family, if they get pushed into quarantine upon arrival. 

[Captain Monday]

My buddy got a pre-flight PCR test in US and still got pushed into 10 day hotel on arrival due positive test in Thailand. If one is worried one is still free to undergo a pre-flight test on ones own volition.

 

Pre flight test, waste of money and burdensome, good riddance to it.

[OneMoreFarang]

"business owners, tourists want"

 

Are that the people who should decide the direction where Thailand goes? Really?

[kiwikeith]

2 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

Why is eliminating pre-flight test, something that could save a family over $USD 1000 dollars "a joke"?

PCR test does not pick up BA.2 nor accurate for BA.1 as BA.1 has S gene dropout on the PCR, that tells them it may be BA.1, so better to do a RAT test on arrival, PCR cost nearly $400 per person to leave NZ it's a rip off and with omicron spread everywhere everyone will get it, My family has had it and everyone I know in my circle has had it, no one got sick just very mild cold, but elderly need to be more cautious . Drop the test = good idea, NZ prime minister looks aged and ragged she is under pressure I think mandates will be lifted Wednesday and vaccine passports scrapped, Denmark is the worlds leader at the moment they dropped everything and the graph lines are falling steadily not only in Denmark but just about everywhere, its all over, except for the political few that are promoting a free pizza on your 8thJab, can't wait.

[sirineou]

15 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

"business owners, tourists want"

 

Are that the people who should decide the direction where Thailand goes? Really?

No one said that the above should be the ones to decide , They are simply making their case, 

I am sure we both agree that all parties concerned should have input in the fact gathering that will lead to a decision. 

[Swampy999]

In the past 5 months 8 friends have decided not to come to Thailand due to the pathetic covid regulations here. 2 of them are UK company directors and they have spent a lot of money in previous visits to Thailand but for them the risks of having a positive test whilst here and the ensuing ramifications are simply not worth the risk. 

[Excel]

3 hours ago, Soikhaonoiken said:

and would appear that they don't want to lift restrictions  and want to continue there tight grip of Thalands citizens.

And that my friends is exactly what it is all about. Covid to this government is just a means to an end. Remember in the early days when it was mainly only the Elite and some Bangkokians getting the vaccine ? Well that was done to deliberately penalise the poor, mainly those from Isan, the 1/3 of the country that the elite despise so much. That backfired as covid didn't naturally kill the people in such large numbers as they had hoped for and ended as a threat to the government so the policy changed. Same this time except clearly there is an election coming soon so the emergency powers will remain in force to assist this corrupt administration in the hope they will win another election.

Covid ? bah humbug, it's about controlling the people as @Soikhaonoikeneluded to.

[TheFishman1]

Get Rid of Thai pass

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and Thai Chamber of Commerce have both stated the changes are not enough to encourage wider foreign tourism and travel.

The changes are the reverse of what is needed.

PCR test prior to departure is acceptable, on arrival nothing, do what you like and be afforded the same freedoms as Thai nationals. 

[wombat]

3 hours ago, Soikhaonoiken said:

they don't want to lift restrictions  and want to continue there tight grip of Thalands citizens.

That sums it up in a nutshell 

[spidermike007]

The sadism continues, unrelenting. The extreme cowards don't seem to realize that with Covid numbers dropping in many countries, and Thailand unable to do so, in addition to mask mandates being dropped elsewhere, the real risk takers and the ones making the sacrifices, are the incoming tourists, entering Zombieland. Thailand needs them 40X more than they need Thailand. 

 

So, potential tourists will continue with a resounding NO Thanks. And the people will continue to suffer. 

 

It is increasingly obvious this is not about the risk of Covid anymore. It is about the deliberate sabotage of tourism, to rid the nation of it's nightlife and the "industry", by the fake puritans. Such misguided notions of sanctity. 

 

Woe is Thailand with dinosaurs in charge. 

 

 

[Adumbration]

3 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

The sadism continues, unrelenting. The extreme cowards don't seem to realize that with Covid numbers dropping in many countries, and Thailand unable to do so, in addition to mask mandates being dropped elsewhere, the real risk takers and the ones making the sacrifices, are the incoming tourists, entering Zombieland. Thailand needs them 40X more than they need Thailand. 

 

So, potential tourists will continue with a resounding NO Thanks. And the people will continue to suffer. 

 

It is increasingly obvious this is not about the risk of Covid anymore. It is about the deliberate sabotage of tourism, to rid the nation of it's nightlife and the "industry", by the fake puritans. Such misguided notions of sanctity. 

 

Woe is Thailand with dinosaurs in charge. 

 

 

@spidermike007 is an intelligent and articulate guy.  But he is off the mark here.  It has nothing to do with puritanism.  The elite are sending as many workaday Thais to the wall as possible with of overall objective of obtaining their land holdings.  

[the green light]

I think the concern is mutual. The government does not understand how tourists travel for pleasure would think about the restrictions

 

As a frequent visitor to Thailand, I consider the pre departure test is like getting ready for the trip. It  is ok and it should not be scrapped.

 

Once I am on the plane, I want to enjoy my vacation once i arrive, I do not want to be forced being locked in a hotel which I do not like,  have some body poke my noise or mouth  for  tests  twice  costing more money , wasting time and not sure how reliable these people to conduct the test. worse I do not want to be locked in a costly hospital.

 

Question: would I be excited coming to Thailand?

until the government drops all restrictions , I will go somewhere else.

 

 

 

 

[Reigntax]

3 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

Why is eliminating pre-flight test, something that could save a family over $USD 1000 dollars "a joke"? 

I also believe the pre flight testing is a requirement to board some airlines

[RichardColeman]

When they do not hit their glorious 25-20 million tourists figures they will wonder why and blaming every farang on the planet for their continuing plight