Tourism minister’s plan to offer vaccines to foreign tourists as recovery mired at 29% of 2019

[webfact]

Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn is proposing a plan to offer free vaccines to all incoming tourists. It comes as Thailand grapples with the prospect of a return of Chinese tourists to the kingdom while the recovery of the industry is mired in difficulties and well behind other countries with large tourism sectors such as Greece and France.

 

by James Morris and Son Nguyen

Thailand’s long and slow recovery of its foreign tourism industry continues with a somewhat ambivalent attitude towards the now imminent prospect of a return of Chinese visitors due to a raging health crisis in China as Beijing abandons its zero Covid policy. 

 

Thailand may offer free vaccines to all incoming foreign tourists under the latest policy initiative from Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn. The move comes as the kingdom contemplates the possible resumption of foreign tourism from China to Thailand while it still struggles to achieve anything like the visitor numbers and revenue generated in 2019. It lags behind countries such as Greece and France whose foreign tourism industries have already exceeded their 2019 performance while Thailand’s visitor numbers are mired at 29% of that seen in 2019 and even then, with reduced spending per head of between 14% and 20%.  

Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn is to convene a meeting on January 5th of three ministries to explore the possibility of offering incoming tourists to the kingdom free COVID-19 vaccines in a gesture of goodwill and welcome to foreign visitors.

 

Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/12/28/minister-plans-to-offer-vaccines-to-tourists-recovery-mired/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2022-12-29

 

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[Artisi]

How about they concentrate on getting all Thai's vaccinated first, then think about stupid schemes trying to make money. 

[ukrules]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn is to convene a meeting on January 5th of three ministries to explore the possibility of offering incoming tourists to the kingdom free COVID-19 vaccines in a gesture of goodwill and welcome to foreign visitors.

One step away from making them compulsory.

 

I know what they're thinking here, all those Chinese coming without 'proper' vaccines being used - they wll never say it though, so it will be for all.

[Boomer6969]

Weird, while vaccines are nowhere to be found. Especially the Omicron versions.

[2baht]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand may offer free vaccines to all incoming foreign tourists

Not the useless Chinese rubbish, I hope!

[jacko45k]

47 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

Weird, while vaccines are nowhere to be found. Especially the Omicron versions.

They were freely available in Pattaya and probably Bangkok... I did hear tough to find rural. Not seen any Omicron updated ones, that is true. I don't think any Western tourists are interested in their vaccinations, so we know who this is aimed at.

[ChrisY1]

Stupid idea....tourists from China should be tested and if positive, sent back!....1 in 2 tourists that travelled to Italy recently, tested positive....

[phetphet]

The authorities have already stated no bivalent vaccines in Thailand until earliest, second quarter 2023.

 

So will only be getting rid of  existing stocks of older vaccines.

[mikebell]

1 hour ago, Boomer6969 said:

Weird, while vaccines are nowhere to be found. Especially the Omicron versions.

Ageed.  I live in Pattaya; am supposedly on the programme but still looking for 2nd booster.

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, mikebell said:

Ageed.  I live in Pattaya; am supposedly on the programme but still looking for 2nd booster.

Just turning up at Pattaya City in the morning was what i heard a few weeks back....

[internationalism]

nice move to boost tourism from china, but vaccinations don't start working immediately.

Rather after several days and weeks.

Also they are usually 2 doses, with minimum  3 weeks between them.

Just introduce mandatory covid insurance for those coming from China and sell that insurance at airports.

 

Many countries have surplus of vaccinations with short expiry date and many were offering them free, including to Thailand (thailand have not replied at time to some of those offers). Many were wasted already in 2001. 

 

I think thailand is still manufacturing astra zeneca and production can be boosted, but again, most likely there is a large stock close to expiry

[mikebell]

17 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Just turning up at Pattaya City in the morning was what i heard a few weeks back....

Thanks for that.  Pfizer?

[bamnutsak]

Would it be this one?

 

 

[jacko45k]

27 minutes ago, mikebell said:

Thanks for that.  Pfizer?

I believe it was.... not certain though. Take Mrs unless you are confident in Thai.... or get her to go ask...(If you have one that is).

[spidermike007]

They did an outstanding job of decimating the tourism industry and the nightlife. Did they realistically think they would just open the borders, and 40 million would flock in the first year? The recovery is going to take years, and it is likely they will never get back to the old numbers. And that may be a good thing. 

[dinsdale]

No need for vaccination unless you're at risk. More empty headed nonsence.

[sungod]

2 hours ago, mikebell said:

Ageed.  I live in Pattaya; am supposedly on the programme but still looking for 2nd booster.

Just walk into Bangkok Hospital and buy one, Moderna I believe.

[lujanit]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand may offer free vaccines to all incoming foreign tourists under the latest policy initiative from Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn. The move comes as the kingdom contemplates the possible resumption of foreign tourism from China to Thailand while it still struggles to achieve anything like the visitor numbers and revenue generated in 2019

Madness.  Like closing the gate after the horse has bolted.