Suvarnabhumi: Incoming experience for tourists improves, hotels face sanctions if they can't deliver

[webfact]

Picture: Thai Rath

 

The authorities at Bangkok's main airport Suvarnabhumi held a press conference to announce improvements after overcrowding last week.

 

There were large queues recently at the meeting point for hotels in the arrivals area.

 

Airport director Kittipong Kittikhajorn met with Narong Preuksarungreuang of the EOC that handles the airport's Covid-19 response as well as hotels and the Tourism Authority of Thailand. reported Thai Rath. 

 

Kittipong said that things had improved at the airport now that more counters were in place and the TAT had started offering a QR code to facilitate contact by directing incoming tourists to the right counter. 

 

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Picture: Thai Rath

 

But problems still remain with some hotels not having enough staff to man their posts leaving tourists waiting. Some hotels also do not have sufficient transport in the form of buses.

 

Some 700 hotels are involved under the SHA+ scheme.

 

Some hotels have been warned in emails that should they be unable to fulfill their obligations under the SHA+ program they face having their privileges removed. 

 

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[mtls2005]

Seems like this scheme will self-implode before the regime decides to drop it.

 

Face-saving claxon will be set off shortly.

 

Clean up in aisle 3.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 21, 2022 by mtls2005

[inactiveposter]

So some hotels might lose their privileges? That’s not a solution. That leaves more travelers stranded. How about daily fines instead as a first step?

[mtls2005]

4 minutes ago, inactiveposter said:

How about daily fines instead as a first step?

Meh.

 

By the time the committee to study this is formed COVID-25 will be upon us.

 

4 minutes ago, inactiveposter said:

So some hotels might lose their privileges? That’s not a solution.

Yea, and they already have the traveler's cash.

 

 

This is going to end messily, just a question of HOW messy.

 

 

[ezzra]

The only 'improvement' its need is to do away with most if not all requirements to enter the country, and everyone will benefit out of it...

[RafPinto]

Yes, big improvement.
Those pictures do not look overcrowded at all.

[RandiRona]

48 minutes ago, webfact said:

TAT had started offering a QR code to facilitate contact by directing incoming tourists to the right counter. 

Brilliant solution....while you are at it why not make them download another app and get approval for Bar Code tourist charge.... That would solve all problem with congestion....as 2000 tourist per day will be pretty manageable!

[Dancer57]

Rollocks

I arrived yesterday morning and it was still a rugby scrum with some complaining of waiting over an hour for their transport.

I went to the R counter and was told by a surly attendant that my hotel was not there.

Was directed to another lady who eventually got me sorted.

I live in Thailand and this is my 3rd time to do this, but it must be very frustrating for genuine tourists

 

[86Tiger]

 

 

Please just let it end....

[Misterwhisper]

Whatever they say in order to save their oh so precious face.... the one and only true, viable, genuine improvement is going to be to do away with that convoluted SHA+ cr*p altogether.  

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Kittipong said that things had improved at the airport now that more counters were in place and the TAT had started offering a QR code to facilitate contact by directing incoming tourists to the right counter.

A QR code to direct people... how about some real service?

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Some hotels have been warned in emails that should they be unable to fulfill their obligations under the SHA+ program they face having their privileges removed.

How about if their stall is un-manned it is removed, and so is their licence to operate.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, inactiveposter said:

So some hotels might lose their privileges? That’s not a solution. That leaves more travelers stranded. How about daily fines instead as a first step?

Pussy footing around solves nothing... 

[apetryxx]

SHA+ is a racket anyway. Get rid of it!

[richardhead]

I recently was at the airport on a Saturday evening waiting for my friend to arrive.  What I witness was a Cluster <deleted>.  There were 5 counters each with a billboard where 250 hotels had their logo taped to a billboard.  Passengers were never notified as to which counter their hotel was located so every passenger exiting customers, with their baggage, was stuck inside of a small areas searching to check in for the ride to their hotel.  And what made matters worse, once you found your hotel, you were told to wait behind the billboards so they could collect the other passengers traveling to the same hotel.  The ordeal took over 2 hours (and TAT wonders why tourists aren’t coming to Thailand)! An analogy would be having no display as to what counter you check in for your flight, but having to go thru all counters before you find the right one AND then waiting at that area until all passengers had checked into flight, before you could leave the area.

 

Hello, Thailand! Is there Anyone home with a brain?  This is what happens when you teach children at an early age NOT to ask questions in school, just do as you’re instructed.

 

Notice that in the attached photo, the Arrival board is turned OFF (because there aren’t any flights arriving).  This was only 1 flight arriving on a Saturday night.  The photo was taken in the first 30 minutes once passengers entered into this area.

[kiwikeith]

6 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Seems like this scheme will self-implode before the regime decides to drop it.

 

Face-saving claxon will be set off shortly.

 

Clean up in aisle 3.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr Watsons Theory was that the Hotels and Insurance companies expected to make a killing with a massive in flow of tourists, instead this has promoted dislike of the system and tourists are not wanting to go through this nonsense which is hurting Thailand and its people (The small traders) so scrap the <deleted> and get on with it, open up its endemic time!!.

[Burma Bill]

7 minutes ago, apetryxx said:

SHA+ is a racket anyway. Get rid of it!

Yes indeed, but maybe the hoteliers involved are "pals" of the ruling elite?????

Edited April 21, 2022 by Burma Bill
additional information

[kiwikeith]

6 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Yes indeed, but maybe the hoteliers involved are "pals" of the ruling elite?????

Out of possible and provable, I would put my money on highly provable.

[mrfill]

21 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

A QR code to direct people... how about some real service?

No, that's no good - it wouldn't be able to infect your phone and steal your data...

[Flink]

6 hours ago, inactiveposter said:

So some hotels might lose their privileges? That’s not a solution. That leaves more travelers stranded. How about daily fines instead as a first step?

The hotels would be happier with that, they'd just up the prices to compensate (plus their obligatory percentage profit and a bit extra in case brown envelopes are needed.

[peter zwart]

5 hours ago, Dancer57 said:

Rollocks

I arrived yesterday morning and it was still a rugby scrum with some complaining of waiting over an hour for their transport.

I went to the R counter and was told by a surly attendant that my hotel was not there.

Was directed to another lady who eventually got me sorted.

I live in Thailand and this is my 3rd time to do this, but it must be very frustrating for genuine tourists

 

Exactly the reason why im still not visited my family and friends in my home country. To get there.....no problem. But the thoughts of going through all the hassle to come back.....no thank you. So i also can completely understand that tourist will look for another destination without all the risk and hassle.

[xxeo]

Came back to BKK Airport yesterday morning. Yes, quite a lot of tourists as seen on the photos, but many staff people around as well. They asked me which hotel I had booked, let me wait 10 minutes or so, then a good car took me directly to Jomtien Hospital. In 5 minutes I was tested and taken to Ibis hotel in Pattaya to wait for the result. Covid free.

 

This hotel's communication with me was really bad, their room disappointing. But the check-in with Thai Airways in Munich quick and efficient, their flight comfortable, the way at Suvarnabhumi from the gate to the immigration interrupted with only one checkpoint to see the Thailand Pass. Waiting time at the immigration nearly zero.

 

Thailand Pass should be ended, but everything was acceptable for me, even the online registration - had no problems.

[Bangkok Barry]

7 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

7 hours ago, inactiveposter said:

So some hotels might lose their privileges? That’s not a solution.

Yea, and they already have the traveler's cash.

Realising that requires next step thinking, alien to Thais. And why is it a privilege? An opportunity to gouge the arrivals? It would be like sending hotels to an inactive post where they lose their turn at the trough.

[Marley01]

Went through 3 weeks ago, no problem. Mate went through yesterday, no problem. It ain’t rocket science what they have set up

[natway09]

The Governments "over the top restrictions" for Covid made the hotels close & many never to return.

Now getting slowly back to some sense of normalcy the hotels that survived coming on stream 

& just because the airport has problems threatening to take their licence off them.

Just sort yourselves out & get  some official taxis certified to carry.

Had 2 years to sort out what was pretty obvious what was going to happen.

Typical Government

[LALes]

"some hotels might lose their privileges".  Translation...lose their place at the feeding trough.

Watta racket this Test & Go is.  For $150, you get an airport pickup, a $20 swab test, and a crappy

meal in the morning.  You're gonna have to pry this away from their cold, clammy hands.

[Onerak]

Tourist are not going to flock as soon as TP is removed not within a month of TP removal. 

[charmonman]

It seems obvious that as the number of arrivals at the airport increases the system will become more and more unwieldy. Since they claim they want more tourist arrivals maybe it's time to think of a new system that can cope. I would suggest returning to the system that was in place pre-pandemic, let people just get on with their lives. 

[VBF]

13 hours ago, inactiveposter said:

So some hotels might lose their privileges? That’s not a solution. That leaves more travelers stranded. How about daily fines instead as a first step?

How about just getting rid of SHA+ , Covid Insurance (Travel insurance covers it anyway) Thai Passes, blah blah.

 

None of it necessary - just impose 1 rule - all travellers should be vaccinated or they don't get ON the aircraft in the first place. Make it a condition of getting a visa too.

Used to work for Yellow Fever in many places - I've lost count of the YF shots I had over the years! (Come to that, I shall soon lose count of my Covid shots - it'll be 4 soon - arm like a bloody dartboard!)

[KhaoYai]

Simple answer but they've already scrapped the part that was most beneficial - scrap Test & Go and just make vaccine certificates compulsory and re-introduce the pre departure PCR test.

 

Covid is rampant across the country in any case and will continue to be so until it burns itself out. A few positive passengers aren't going to make much difference but it makes no sense at all to let people into the country who are positive (unless your a quarantine facility of course). I'm more worried about catching Covid in Thailand than taking it there with me .

 

Although I don't like paying for PCR tests, I will probably get a PCR test before I go next time whether its required or not - I'd rather know my status before I fly than arrive in Thailand and get locked up.  Yes, you can get infected on the flight but I think its unlikely that you would then test positive less than 24 hours later.  The ATK is not taken seriously and very easy to manipulate in any case - so that's a waste of time.

 

Pre-departure PCR and fully vaccinated would make much more sense and probably get the tourist industry going again much faster.

 

Overall, the hotels wouldn't lose out but the cash would be spread out more fairly - those tourists are going to have to stay somewhere.