Fears growing that Covid may yet derail plans to reopen fully to foreign tourism from July 1st next

[DrJoy]

1 hour ago, bangon04 said:

and keep blaming the vaccinated Farang coming through the airport hurdles.....

Nobody put a gun on their forehead to welcome foreigners. Close the country to Foreigners.

 

Forget tourism, focus on something else

[bangon04]

4 minutes ago, DrJoy said:

Nobody put a gun on their forehead to welcome foreigners. Close the country to Foreigners.

 

Forget tourism, focus on something else

Anything else would require the Thai government to educate its own people.......  unlikely....  

[Soikhaonoiken]

5 hours ago, malibukid said:

this all could have been adverted if the Thai government had gotten it right in the first place, but elected to go with big brothers useless vaccine in true Thai fashion and incompetence

Ah yes,  but the other Countries selling quality Vaccines weren't offering large brown envelopes like China was...

[Soikhaonoiken]

The report quotes  tourisum is up 66% ... but based on what, yesterday's figures, or last weeks, last months or even last year's figures, the figures are BS,

Seems the PM doesn't want to open Thailand up,

But read today that some Thai banks are not as healthy as the Government & BoT  want the world to know, with large amount of bad loans ..

[Maha Sarakham]

Well, Thailand's loss.  Vietnam is already opened up, that country is quite a good alternative in SE Asia, the food is amazing.

[LiamB80]

I’m in a rural area of Thailand and covid has run rampant through this community in the last month. I’ve just recovered from it for the 2nd time. The first time I had it was 9 months ago and did 2 weeks in a covid hospitel now got it again. Most of the people here that are catching it have been vaccinated already. I think everyone is catching it as some point whether vaccinated or not. Maybe time to just get on with it and stop delaying the inevitable.

[it is what it is]

when you hear about what is happening in the rest of the world thailand seems like a parallel universe.

 

or, maybe the government has decided that the country does not want to be a big player in the tourist industry, or too dependent on tourism, and is pivoting the economy away from tourism.

[Trvlr55]

17 hours ago, Whale said:

So what happens I come and then fail the test at the airport. I think this is what people should be made aware of.

Removing PCR test pre-flight was just a gimmick. Going to ATK or arrival is a good 1st step. However counties need to stop worrying about people that are actually sick, and not those with no symptoms or a mild cold... Really there is zero need to quarantine people for these conditions. Late last year, Cambodia stopped reporting "or worrying about" these types of cases, and only report those hospitalized. This is the way forward. Covid is endemic, no real reason to wait for some arbitrary point that is 100 percent guaranteed to happen within months.

[nattaya09]

4 hours ago, Soikhaonoiken said:

The report quotes  tourisum is up 66% ... but based on what, yesterday's figures, or last weeks, last months or even last year's figures, the figures are BS,

Seems the PM doesn't want to open Thailand up,

But read today that some Thai banks are not as healthy as the Government & BoT  want the world to know, with large amount of bad loans ..

Yeah...66% of nothing is still nothing. Numbers need some appropriate context to be useful

[shdmn]

14 hours ago, mommysboy said:

Thailand's vaccination program has failed to reach those who really needed it most, so unfortunately what goes for other countries, eg, UK, USA, does not follow for this country.  Whilst the latest Omicron variant is inherently less dangerous, even mild in some cohorts, it nevertheless is a threat for many older and more vulnerable people.

 

It's an incredible, needless sxxxshow but Thailand simply isn't ready to open, and may not be able to do so for some months yet.

Anyone who wants to get vaccinated can get vaccinated.  There is more than enough to go around and many countries are throwing away expired doses now.  No idea what you are going on about an imaginary failed program. ???? 

 

Are they supposed to be somehow responsible for people not willingly getting vaccinated?  Do you think they should be going door to door forcing people to get vaccinated?

[Skeptic7]

Ceaseless Covidiocy Continues unContained. 

[BangkokReady]

22 hours ago, Walker88 said:

why is Xi so hellbent on total control of Covid?

I think that because covid came from China, they have a very strong desire to save face by showing that they are the best at handling covid and they can achieve zero covid while others cannot.

[peter zwart]

23 hours ago, Walker88 said:

Perhaps the PM is being influenced by the actions of his role model, President-for-Life Xi of the PRC.

 

It's bizarre what is now happening in one of the world's largest cities, Shanghai. In lockdown, as part of Xi's Zero Covid policy, the masses are beginning to rumble as many have neither money nor food. The CP is woefully inefficient in trying to address the food needs of tens of millions of locked down subjects. Of course, anyone would be unable to adequately meet the needs as well as corral so many people, except in an authoritarian State. And therein lies the attraction.

 

A question remains: why is Xi so hellbent on total control of Covid? Does he believe it is even possible, save via keeping China ringfenced and its borders locked for the next five years? Does he have some special knowledge of Covid no one else has? Is it simply his penchant for wanting total control over people whose 'votes' he obviously will never need, plus a kind of delusionary view of how long even the CP and PLA can keep a billion four hundred million Chinese under their bamboo hand? Does Xi think he can keep economic activity at a high enough level to sustain China's growing debt and RE problems under lockdown?

 

In any event, it seems Xi's actions might be inspiring Thailand's PM to maintain the 'advantages' of Covid fear in a self-appointed and unpopular regime.

As we all know, governments dont give a Sj!t about "their" people as long its not convenient for them. So the answer is......Control.

[Jimbo2014]

The rest of the world had moved on, he is loving the control.  Meanwhile over 100 die a day from pollution.

[Lingba]

The fix is in

[internationalism]

Usually they make even key decisions just days before implementation, with royal gazette publishing even with shorter timing. 

they have just made a change from 1st April with pre-departure pcr. 
They have some 10 days to see developments not only in thailand (as they claim), but also around the world. 
ATK on arrival means also no 1 night AQ hotel booking. 
Now they would have to arrange at the airports large areas (probably whole floor at bkk), to hold many hundred or even thousand passengers, waiting for their atk's

[peter zwart]

Even if they would open up completely their would be hardly any tourist coming from the western world. its halfway holiday season and people like to plan a few months ahead. So this makes no difference (from a western world prospective). Now lets see if high season at the end of the year can bring some enlightenment.

[sandyf]

On 4/9/2022 at 1:15 PM, Mavideol said:

already preparing for a U turn which is their usual type of action

Not the only one.

 

Now, the Prime Minister has suggested that the country could still go into lockdown, despite implementing a new 'Living With Covid' plan. He told conservative MPs Esther McVey and Philip Davies for GB News: "I want to avoid any such thing ever happening again." Despite this, he acknowledged that any decision to bring back restrictions must find a position between public health and saving lives.

“I think it would be irresponsible of any leader in any democracy to say that they’re going to rule out something that can save lives.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/boris-johnson-says-cannot-rule-23633040

[Puccini]

9 hours ago, internationalism said:

...ATK on arrival means also no 1 night AQ hotel booking...

Are you sure that with the proposed change from PCR test to ATK on arrival there will still be a one- day hotel booking required?

 

I remember reading that the ATK test is intended to be carried out directly at the arrival airport and the travellers stay there while waiting for the result.

[jacko45k]

20 hours ago, Jimbo2014 said:

The rest of the world had moved on, he is loving the control.  Meanwhile over 100 die a day from pollution.

Another problem, another thread, another day!

[internationalism]

12 hours ago, Puccini said:

Are you sure that with the proposed change from PCR test to ATK on arrival there will still be a one- day hotel booking required?

 

I remember reading that the ATK test is intended to be carried out directly at the arrival airport and the travellers stay there while waiting for the result.

you have missed "no". Misreading my posts happens to you often. So why bother?

I did write:

"ATK on arrival means also no 1 night AQ hotel booking. 
Now they would have to arrange at the airports large areas (probably whole floor at bkk), to hold many hundred or even thousand passengers, waiting for their atk's"

[Jimbo2014]

9 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Another problem, another thread, another day!

I noted the balance between covid news and Pollution news was unbalanced so I performed a public service by raising awareness in the Covid Thread, since mortality rates are likely higher for pollution and once covid goes Pollution stays. 

[Dart12]

Numbers haven't changed.   

Only the  narratives change by those in charge to fit their desires and plans.

 

[jacko45k]

15 hours ago, Jimbo2014 said:

I noted the balance between covid news and Pollution news was unbalanced so I performed a public service by raising awareness in the Covid Thread, since mortality rates are likely higher for pollution and once covid goes Pollution stays. 

But chose to comment in a thread supposedly Covid related, rather than a new topic....  a bit like jumping in on a parade for LBGT rights with a strip-club billboard.

[Jimbo2014]

3 hours ago, jacko45k said:

But chose to comment in a thread supposedly Covid related, rather than a new topic....  a bit like jumping in on a parade for LBGT rights with a strip-club billboard.

The comment was related to Covid - as risk related - see original comment. Others seem to have agreed.

[shackleton]

If people want to come to Thailand as Tourists they will even if they have to put up with hassle of Covi 19 procedures

People who are here expats ect seem to be more concerned then the Thai Government over who is coming ???? 

[Photoguy21]

On 4/9/2022 at 5:20 AM, NHPT said:

I think it may be too late for the tourist industry to recover...ever

Certainly for a long time but maybe not for ever

[Oblomov]

Recently got back from 4 months on  Koh Samui and around Phuket amongst other places.

 

This is the devastation caused by the panicked and insane restrictions to travel sector and the auxiliary industries that are linked to it or reliant on it. Kids opening rubbish bags looking for things to sell. Starving dogs. Lamai beach was not only covered in congealed oil but filthy with rubbish. Chawaeng similarly covered in rubbish that is dumped in the closed down resorts.

 

To stimulate any significant investment in reviving these important employment hubs for the young and those that have lost their businesses and livelihoods, all entry restrictions will have to be removed apart from the vaccination proof. Also a consistent and coherent policy that is not implemented then revoked and that is realistic. Almost all forms of all viruses are in every nation on Earth, so to pretend otherwise with these futile reactions to the normal ebb and flow of flu-type virus infection borders on state insanity. 

 

If Thailand's 'leaders' continue to use this to attempt to put a cork in student protests, or any other discontent and legitimate  protest in this supposedly democratic country, then we all know where that will lead.

 

Like many others in many other posts, there are cleaner beach destinations with more pragmatic entry protocols. It's about managing risks rationally, as we all do each time we open out eyes in the morning. 

 

Removing test prior to departure but retaining test on arrival, with the obvious risk of enforced 'treatment'/isolation/quarantine is transparently stupid and can serve only one purpose. 

 

Thailand is jammed in that uncomfortable place of not knowing whether to fully open US/UK/European style or attempt the futile China model but without the reserves China has nor the monolithic state population control organs. That equals uncertainty. People won't travel in these circumstances and who can blame them.

 

[Jai Dee]

An off-topic troll post (and a reply) have been removed.

[Sheryl]

The 2 party flamefest has gone on way too long. Posts by both parties have been deleted. Cease and desist.