Covid chaos descends again on Thailand’s foreign tourism sector amid cancellations and complaints

[JensenZ]

16 hours ago, mikebell said:

Thailand.  EVERY flight from China will have 50+% of its passengers infected judging by last week's data.

Testing only Chinese tourists seems like a perfectly good idea. No one can suggest it's discrimination due to the data coming out of China. Tests are more useful than vaccines as vaxxed people can still catch it and spread it. There's too many variants to keep track of.

[mstevens]

5 hours ago, BumGun said:

Bit hard to exempt citizens of the country from entry wouldn't you say ? Up to the countries who receive them when they leave Thailand  if they want proof of vaccination..  I guess they could insist Thai citizens are vaccinated before leaving  but the usual suspects in here would bang on about discrimination if it wasn't applied to foreigners I guess.  

 

As a precedent, Australia and New Zealand did ban their own citizens from arriving during the height of Covid, , with unfortunately very broad support from locals who were already home.

As a New Zealander, I would contend that the idea that there was broad support from locals is absolutely not correct!

 

Most New Zealanders were appalled at the restrictions on New Zealand nationals not being able to return to the country. Many felt returning NZers should have to go in to quarantine but few thought it right that Kiwis were prevented from coming home.

 

For weeks the news featured heartbreaking story after heartbreaking story of people who could not come home to see dying parents or relatives, New Zealand citizens stuck in far-away lands such as Afghanistan while pregnant and other crazy stories. There was a very strong backlash against this policy.

 

I don't follow things in Australia so closely but Australians hold dear the concept of fairness and I can't imagine the average Australian supported the policy of fellow Aussies being prevented from returning to their country either.

[Soikhaonoiken]

Wow, what I can't understand is the latest update to the new requirements,  where none vaccinated tourists can board a flight, but must take covid test on arrival....but if immigration won't be checking vaccine paper work who is going to police the un vaccinated.... the mind boggles...

[Salerno]

53 minutes ago, mstevens said:

I don't follow things in Australia so closely but Australians hold dear the concept of fairness and I can't imagine the average Australian supported the policy of fellow Aussies being prevented from returning to their country either.

100% correct, same deal in Oz as you explained about NZ. It was disgusting. The thrust of the policies as a whole where, I believe, supported by the vast majority - the actual implementation, not so much.

[Salerno]

8 minutes ago, Soikhaonoiken said:

Wow, what I can't understand is the latest update to the new requirements,  where none vaccinated tourists can board a flight, but must take covid test on arrival

Your a bit behind on the flipping and flopping.

 

As it stands now no restrictions or testing whatsoever other than insurance for a very small minority of travellers.

 

Of course than can change in an hour or two as we've already seen 555

[torturedsole]

5 minutes ago, Salerno said:

As it stands now no restrictions or testing whatsoever other than insurance for a very small minority of travellers.

 

Of course than can change in an hour or two as we've already seen 555

I'm about to pull the trigger on two business class return tickets to LOS at beginning of May 2023 (indirect LHR-BKK) and quite content to purchase Covid travel insurance just to cover that base.

 

My wife and I aren't vaccinated but no problem for my wife as she's Thai so my only concern is whether I can claim off travel insurance / credit card if I can't board at that time. I'm taking a huge risk by booking flights now but going to gamble and hope Buddha intervenes.

 

[Salerno]

10 minutes ago, torturedsole said:

my only concern is whether I can claim off travel insurance / credit card if I can't board at that time.

It's a bit of a dilemma for sure. The fiasco yesterday ended up with a couple of countries proclaiming it force majeure therefore insurance policies worthless, wonder how a chargeback on a card would go? 

Edited January 9, 2023 by Salerno

[torturedsole]

12 minutes ago, Salerno said:

... wonder how a chargeback on a card would go? 

I dread to think. I can only hope it all goes swimmingly and prefer to dream that I'll take off from LHR and land in BKK unmolested.

 

Masks are fine, antigen tests are fine, Covid insurance is fine but vaccines, no way.

Edited January 9, 2023 by torturedsole

[torturedsole]

I wonder if the sudden retreat of the draconian reinstatement of restrictions was brought on by election season. 

 

Suddenly, someone realised this isn't good electioneering?

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

Another who opens his mouth before his brain is awake. When will Thai officials learn they are not THE law maker, just part of the system.

Loss of face again Mr Anutin? Som nam na!

[RickyJB]

23 hours ago, Hakuna Matata said:

70% of Thais are happy with the current government

according to my Thai family they are not 

[Boomer6969]

On 1/9/2023 at 2:20 AM, webfact said:

Non-Thai passengers arriving from countries which refuse entry to infected people must have taken out COVID insurance, valid throughout their stay in Thailand plus seven days, before their departure for Thailand.

Doesn't this demonstrate the medecine is only a secondary concern here? Maybe not at all?

 

AFAIC this reads: "If you refuse entry to our infected Chinese friends you are not welcome here".

Edited January 10, 2023 by Boomer6969

[gearbox]

Anutin got it wrong again, should have looked at his ASEAN partners and not changing the rules and imposing any restrictions.

By the time the Chinese can travel en masse their current covid wave would be long gone, now many of them have expired passports and there is not much flight capacity.

 

The smart money and the markets are betting this year SGD and THB would be the best performing SEA currencies, one of the reasons for the THB being that the Chinese tourists are coming back again. Seems it would be a lot of moaning on this forum later this year.

[blazes]

4 hours ago, torturedsole said:

I wonder if the sudden retreat of the draconian reinstatement of restrictions was brought on by election season. 

 

Suddenly, someone realised this isn't good electioneering?

A trifle naïve: since when has a dictatorship had to worry about an upcoming "election"?

[mikeymike100]

14 hours ago, blazes said:

Hold it, Mike: are you seriously calling Joe Biden and Fauci morons???

Better hope the FBI are not listening (or reading).  It's simply not allowed these days to question the actions of our ruling classes.

 

(Sorry, Mike, I apologise if you are not American; I made that assumption too quickly.)

Guilty, yes American. i love the sarcasm.????

I thought the first amendment gave me the right to free speech?????

[Henryford]

2 hours ago, blazes said:

A trifle naïve: since when has a dictatorship had to worry about an upcoming "election"?

Exactly, the lock downs in China didn't stop Xi from being re-elected.

[Neeranam]

9 hours ago, mstevens said:

As a New Zealander, I would contend that the idea that there was broad support from locals is absolutely not correct!

 

Most New Zealanders were appalled at the restrictions on New Zealand nationals not being able to return to the country. Many felt returning NZers should have to go in to quarantine but few thought it right that Kiwis were prevented from coming home.

 

For weeks the news featured heartbreaking story after heartbreaking story of people who could not come home to see dying parents or relatives, New Zealand citizens stuck in far-away lands such as Afghanistan while pregnant and other crazy stories. There was a very strong backlash against this policy.

 

I don't follow things in Australia so closely but Australians hold dear the concept of fairness and I can't imagine the average Australian supported the policy of fellow Aussies being prevented from returning to their country either.

Many would not visit Oz or NZ due to these draconian policies. 

 

 

[Neeranam]

2 hours ago, gearbox said:

one of the reasons for the THB being that the Chinese tourists are coming back again.

Minute compared to the trade. 

[Olmate]

1 minute ago, Neeranam said:

Many would not visit Oz or NZ due to these draconian policies. 

 

 

I got the impression that most australians could.t give two... about us unable  to return home.! 

[stoutfella]

23 hours ago, mberbae said:

ANYONE NOT having been vaccinated by now is a moron and should NOT

be traveling to foreign countries.

That's your very humble opinion is it?

[StayinThailand2much]

14 hours ago, mstevens said:

For weeks the news featured heartbreaking story after heartbreaking story of people who could not come home to see dying parents or relatives, New Zealand citizens stuck in far-away lands such as Afghanistan while pregnant and other crazy stories. There was a very strong backlash against this policy.

It seems strange, that NZ now, similarly to Thailand, and unlike Australia, doesn't test or in any way restrict Chinese arrivals. I mean, after such heartache for it's own citizens earlier in the pandemic...

Edited January 10, 2023 by StayinThailand2much

[StayinThailand2much]

5 hours ago, Henryford said:

Exactly, the lock downs in China didn't stop Xi from being re-elected.

Probably on the contrary, they helped his re-election by the party. The leadership only gave up the strict Covid-zero policy after backlashes, possibly fearing a situation like 1989...

[ukrules]

25 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Probably on the contrary, they helped his re-election by the party. The leadership only gave up the strict Covid-zero policy after backlashes, possibly fearing a situation like 1989...

Lol, they feared a full blown revolution, like the French one which didn't end well for those running the show at the time.

 

[StayinThailand2much]

8 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Lol, they feared a full blown revolution, like the French one which didn't end well for those running the show at the time.

 

Not sure, a 'Made in China' guillotine would do the job... LOL

Edited January 10, 2023 by StayinThailand2much

[sandyf]

On 1/9/2023 at 4:06 PM, Woof999 said:

BA do not currently fly scheduled service to Thailand.

Good one, change the statement and then claim you are right.

You can fly out of BKK tonight with BA on flight BA6173 operated under partnership arrangement by Qatar Airways.

Bottom line is you fly with the airline that exercises the Conditions of Carriage and that would be BA.

 

[Soikhaonoiken]

15 hours ago, Salerno said:

Your a bit behind on the flipping and flopping.

 

As it stands now no restrictions or testing whatsoever other than insurance for a very small minority of travellers.

 

Of course than can change in an hour or two as we've already seen 555

Hi Salerno  I read the update before Anutin decided to flip flops on his decision,  think I need to check the news every 15 minutes,  5555

[Salerno]

9 minutes ago, Soikhaonoiken said:

Hi Salerno  I read the update before Anutin decided to flip flops on his decision,  think I need to check the news every 15 minutes,  5555

Well, it makes life ... interesting ????

[mstevens]

8 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

It seems strange, that NZ now, similarly to Thailand, and unlike Australia, doesn't test or in any way restrict Chinese arrivals. I mean, after such heartache for it's own citizens earlier in the pandemic...

Yep, the NZ government has flip-flopped the same as the Thais have. Many things the current NZ government does, be it related to Covid or other stuff, make little sense. You'll get no argument on that from me.