Even with high infection levels, top officials are saying that incoming tourism will see a takeoff

[webfact]

The manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport Kittipong Kittikachorn (left) this week announced that the Airports of Thailand (AOT) was providing additional and better-organised facilities to cope with a rapidly increasing level of passenger traffic of up to 3,000 visitors per hour. This followed days of chaos and pandemonium at the airport during peak hours as the arrival halls struggled to cope with boosted passenger numbers from all over the world as international travellers are increasingly putting Covid behind them. Thai Airways and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) predict that the country will see over 80,000 visitors a month from an Indian Thai air bubble. Thailand looks set for a powerful take-off in arrivals in 2022 provided the country proceeds with its full reopening plan which very much now depends on the decision of Prime Minister Prayut Chan ocha and experts with the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) when clinical data is reviewed after Songkran.

 

Indications that the kingdom will drop entry restrictions after the Songkran holidays come to an end. The news is coming with an encouraging take off in entry numbers in response to previous moves to lighten the load on travellers. There is now every reason to believe that the kingdom’s critical and highly lucrative foreign tourism industry could turn into an economic bright spot for 2022 provided another Covid storm does not descend.

 

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Senior Thai officials within the government, in recent days, have talked up the kingdom’s plans to fully reopen after the Songkran holiday period with a plan already agreed in principle to reduce paperwork associated with the Thailand Pass system as well as insurance requirements while also replacing the RT-PCR test with an antigen test on arrival. This is despite one senior doctor with the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) suggesting the country may already be experiencing 100,000 infections a day. Dr Udom Kachintorn, a key advisor, however, points out that by comparison, infection levels among incoming tourists are far lower.

 

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Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/04/13/incoming-tourism-take-off-with-easier-entry/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2022-04-14

 

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[spidermike007]

Who is the zombie in the room now? And why, when incoming tourists are far safer than local Thais, and THEY are the ones taking all the risks, are there still restrictions on them? 

 

Are there any adults in the room? 

[impulse]

10 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Who is the zombie in the room now? And why, when incoming tourists are far safer than local Thais, and THEY are the ones taking all the risks, are there still restrictions on them? 

 

Are there any adults in the room? 

Hard to keep outlawing protests (and keep a straight face) if that's your only concession to the 'rona.

 

[vandeventer]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Who is the zombie in the room now? And why, when incoming tourists are far safer than local Thais, and THEY are the ones taking all the risks, are there still restrictions on them? 

 

Are there any adults in the room? 

No, they are all outside playing with their water guns.

[hotchilli]

The only thin they need to "take-off" are the ridiculous entry rules.

[RandiRona]

Anyone who is coming now is taking a big risk...remove Thai pass charade and motivate tourists to come freely and spend!

[nexus99]

We will be there in June if the restrictions are removed. Crossing fingers!

[koratkarlos]

I don't think we will see incoming tourism "taking off" any time soon.  There are still many restrictions.  And a war.  And many people do not have so much money after a long battle with this virus.  The Chinese are locked down.  The Russians busy invading Ukraine.  The Europeans have other places to go.  So the main tourism markets will certainly be muted.  I have seen more local tourism this week and this is a good sign.  But it will be some time before tourism takes off and I do not think it will reach 2019 levels for many years.  Wishful thinking is not reality.

[metisdead]

A post with a link to the Bangkok Post has been removed:

 

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[mikebell]

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

incoming tourists are far safer than local Thais, and THEY are the ones taking all the risks,

Agreed.  Thailand has a low vaccine take-up level thanks to Anutin. Daily deaths are over 100 & that's before you start your road travel.  Families are at the mercy of the pact between testers and hotels.  

[DefaultName]

Rightly or wrongly, people are no longer scared of Covid.

They ARE scared of being locked up in "Covid Gaol", even if they have no or small symptoms. Or even a condo to go to.

You want the tourists back, stop locking them up.

[Partenavia]

Inflation is starting to cause people to look carefully at their spending budgets, long haul travel will NOT be forefront in their minds. Until the Thailand pass is history, with all the additional costs associated with it, tourists will certainly not be coming from Europe.

[internationalism]

looks, like they have allowed for unhindered songkran, domectic tourism, at the expense of an international tourism from May.

They still have time, some 1 week after songkran, to make decisions, adjust and organise entry system. 

The 3rd phase (cancelling entry pcr) and replaying it with atk, most likely will be postponed. That would be the last steep before full opening on 1st July. 

[placeholder]

2 hours ago, Partenavia said:

Inflation is starting to cause people to look carefully at their spending budgets, long haul travel will NOT be forefront in their minds. Until the Thailand pass is history, with all the additional costs associated with it, tourists will certainly not be coming from Europe.

Well, there's an article in the Bangkok post today that says the Philippines and Singapore are both doing better than Thailand. And the reason for that is they don't require tourists to take a test on arrival. Testing is required before they board the plane. This is such an obvious point it's dismaying that those in charge can't seem to grasp it. 

[CG1 Blue]

15 hours ago, webfact said:

Senior Thai officials within the government, in recent days, have talked up the kingdom’s plans to fully reopen after the Songkran holiday period with a plan already agreed in principle to reduce paperwork associated with the Thailand Pass system as well as insurance requirements while also replacing the RT-PCR test with an antigen test on arrival.

'Fully opening up' should mean scrapping any kind of tests on arrival. Tourists testing positive will still go to Covid prison whether they use PCR or antigen tests. Why don't the authorities get that?! Bangs head on table...

[cncltd1973]

17 hours ago, webfact said:

Dr Udom Kachintorn, a key advisor, however, points out that by comparison, infection levels among incoming tourists are far lower.

Dr Udom gets it, Thailand is more infected than the arriving visitors. The corruptors rolled the dice with vaccines and making vaccines, the country lost and is trying to catch up.

BUT, no one is coming until there is no test on arrival and the threat of quarantine! There is no way around that fact, have all the meetings the want.

[TheScience]

As we enter the hottest time of the year and with record pollution in BKK.

 

No end in sight to covid jail on arrival despite the Thai government now sending everyone home to self quarantine. Hmmmmmmmmmm...

 

Yup! Set for a tsunami of foreigners.

 

Northern hemisphere perfect weather.

 

PRC in total lockdown.

 

B1000 ATK

B40k insurance

B2000 hotel

B1000 taxi

????

 

Genius

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

4 minutes ago, TheScience said:

As we enter the hottest time of the year and with record pollution in BKK.

 

There's no "record pollution in BKK."

 

Except for the past couple days of moderately unhealthy air, the past few months -- the normal smog season here -- have been considerably better than past years, with very few red colored / unhealthy for all days.

 

[Lucky Bones]

6 hours ago, DefaultName said:

Rightly or wrongly, people are no longer scared of Covid.

They ARE scared of being locked up in "Covid Gaol", even if they have no or small symptoms. Or even a condo to go to.

You want the tourists back, stop locking them up.

Simpl top comment.

Now that is impossible to disagree with (rightly or wrongly).

[spidermike007]

14 hours ago, mikebell said:

Agreed.  Thailand has a low vaccine take-up level thanks to Anutin. Daily deaths are over 100 & that's before you start your road travel.  Families are at the mercy of the pact between testers and hotels.  

Correct. Thailand owes it's laggard pace to Anutin the lesser. Choose from the bottom of the barrel at great peril to the nation. 

[spidermike007]

8 hours ago, DefaultName said:

Rightly or wrongly, people are no longer scared of Covid.

They ARE scared of being locked up in "Covid Gaol", even if they have no or small symptoms. Or even a condo to go to.

You want the tourists back, stop locking them up.

In would qualify that by saying the vast majority of the world is no longer afraid of Covid. Thailand is still terrified. Good job boys!

 

The lady who cuts my hair tests herself twice a day! That is the very definition of both insanity, and Prayuth induced petrification. Keep em scared. 

Edited April 14, 2022 by spidermike007

[Stargeezr]

For TheScience, do you live in Bangkok?? It is a large city, and most days has pollution. I only stay there with

my Thai family for a week at the most then head for a smaller place along the coast where the pollution is a lot

less most days. Even some of my Thai family live on the outskirts of BKK, to stay away from the most polluted 

areas of the city. They leave the city when they can to spend some time in cleaner air, and appreciate that

as well. I certainly hope that all restrictions are lifted some time before the next high season starts in November.

[internationalism]

16 hours ago, TheScience said:

As we enter the hottest time of the year and with record pollution in BKK.

 

No end in sight to covid jail on arrival despite the Thai government now sending everyone home to self quarantine. Hmmmmmmmmmm...

 

Yup! Set for a tsunami of foreigners.

 

Northern hemisphere perfect weather.

 

PRC in total lockdown.

 

B1000 ATK

B40k insurance

B2000 hotel

B1000 taxi

????

 

Genius

according to reports from the airport, backpackers (or maybe gap year teachers) started to come back. They know better than what is value for money.

This years is cold. No pollution, because of very unusual rains since January (just the last 10 days is bad in bangkok, also unusual at that time).

if backpackers can afford to come, surely all other tourists would easily do. Insurance is only 650/month or 4200/year. 

 

As to nothern hemisphere - heating is still needed for nights and winter clothing for some days. Pollution in cities using coal and even fire wood can still be high. People stay indoors in poorly ventilated rooms and breed covid. There might be no restrictions anymore, but there is still virus and people get sick (see germany, france, UK, USA - comparable or higher than thailand)

 

Edited April 15, 2022 by internationalism

[mommysboy]

22 hours ago, DefaultName said:

Rightly or wrongly, people are no longer scared of Covid.

They ARE scared of being locked up in "Covid Gaol", even if they have no or small symptoms. Or even a condo to go to.

You want the tourists back, stop locking them up.

Also they don't want to fly in to a country where entertainment is not available when that is the primary reason for their visit.

[tjb30i]

On 4/14/2022 at 7:08 AM, hotchilli said:

The only thin they need to "take-off" are the ridiculous entry rules.

You just have to follow the money to understand why the rules are in place. The cops make the money by having a 11pm curfew in place as the bar owners have to pay them off to stay open later or fines. The city officials make money by issuing restaurant licenses to bars even though they don't sell any food and operate just like did before (just pay off officials). Same goes for SHA+ licenses. Cops get paid to ignore water fighting in some areas and lock it down in others. These middle guys then pay the big boys their share. They will milk these endless rules as long as possible.

[internationalism]

9 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

Also they don't want to fly in to a country where entertainment is not available when that is the primary reason for their visit.

since pandemic I have started to go to pattaya/jomtien, because prices became reasonable, no tourists. 

Entertainment was right on the very residential street I was staying. Moving towards pattaya every 3-4 sois there were much more. That was autumn 2020. I would imagine same was earlier, from June 2020, when prohibition was cancelled. Just daytime eateries which became alcohol bars in the evening and into night, playing music. Mostly pensioners entertaining impoverished hookers

 

[metisdead]

A post with an animated trolling meme has been removed.

[internationalism]

23 minutes ago, TheScience said:

You're completely missing the fact that the traditional high season ends after songkran.

 

China...total lockdown.

 

What was it now? Backpackers and gap year teachers? Never heard of a gap year teacher.

 

Air pollution is always a thing in Bangkok.

 

Hope laid at the feet of off season backpackers despite sour economies in all western countries and a war in middle Europe.

All righty then...

season ends in middle of february when summer approaches. But this year is different, rain and cold. 

With a changing weather pattern it's still unknown when the proper rainy season will come.

Regular tourists to thailand, those who use to come every single year, are coming in waves after each liberalisation of rules. For them just enough a few weeks to organise their holidays. 

Backpackers, gap year students, are a large part of thai tourism. Say 20% pre-covid. They don't spend much, from budget hotels from 200b/night and less at hostels on bunk beds, but they stay for many months, spending minimum $500/month. And all year round, not just high season. 

Yes, they don't have much money and try to find teaching jobs to sustain them. There were many 19 years old native english speakers doing 1-2 semesters at the governmental schools for some 30k month. If they got this money they would spend it all in thailand on a higher standard of living.

Edited April 15, 2022 by internationalism

[TheScience]

56 minutes ago, internationalism said:

coming in waves

Lol

 

A veritable tsunami.

 

Yes, technically the high season really pretty much over around March 15 as it warms here and Europe but I'm trying to humor you.

 

57 minutes ago, internationalism said:

budget hotels from 200b/night and less

Even when I was a backpacker in the early 90s 300b was about rock bottom. Perhaps a dorm bed.This is all pure speculation on your part.

 

59 minutes ago, internationalism said:

There were many 19 years old native english speakers doing 1-2 semesters at the governmental schools

I recall 20 being a legal limit for foreign teachers?? Surely they'd no degree. Again, wild speculation. Multiple posts on ajarn.com for these jobs. Apparently few takers.

 

Waves and waves

 

[RafPinto]

Yes: will see a take off.

Take off your pants he means.