Opinion: Nobody Won After the Recent Debacle Over Covid-19 Vaccine Proof for Entry to Thailand

[webfact]

 

By Adam Judd

 

Social media, and media in general, in Thailand has been dominated over the past three or four days by one main topic -required documentation of proof of having a Covid-19 vaccine to enter Thailand.

 

To be more accurate, the main issue was the suddenness of the change to many travelers and then constantly changing rules and guidelines over the past weekend that caused widespread confusion and frustration from travelers.

 

In the end, as seen here, the documentation requirement was dropped, but not before likely causing many travelers to cancel their trips entirely and widespread damage to the tourism industry.

 

The requirement was originally brought in because Thai government officials, led by Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, wanted to “not discriminate” against any one country in terms of introducing Covid restrictions.

 

This was, to be more accurate, not wanting to discriminate against China to avoid possible political issues. China, of course, reopened its borders for the first time in three years this week, allowing tourism and visitors to flow once again. 

 

Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2023/01/10/opinion-nobody-won-after-the-recent-debacle-over-covid-19-vaccine-proof-for-entry-to-thailand/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2023-01-11

 

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[spidermike007]

While nobody may have won, Anutin lost the 1% of credibility he had remaining. 

[SuperSilverHaze]

Just not reasonable, educated people making decisions. The society has progressed as far as it can. All innovation will be imported.

 

Same knee jerk reactions as past three years having learned nothing. No surprise really.

[Rig Pig]

Clueless fools. China is, at this moment, experiencing more than 5,000 covid deaths per day. The bad thing is, due to zero COVID and China's relatively ineffective COVID vaccine, for most Chinese, their immune system has not been primed. China's pandemic response model has become a laughingstock (https://theweek.com/china/1019948/china-is-suffering-an-estimated-5000-unofficial-deaths-a-day-in-brutal-covid-19-surge). Welcome to Thailand!!

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

In the end, as seen here, the documentation requirement was dropped, but not before likely causing many travelers to cancel their trips entirely and widespread damage to the tourism industry

Anutin causing confusion again, says something one day and does the opposite the next when it turns out to be the wrong decision...

And he wants to be PM ?

 

[ezzra]

It is very clear that no one, but no one is sure which way to go to please everybody, so in Thai wisdom, do nothing...

[peter zwart]

Wrong, 

Winners: The surrounding countries with new tourism. Loser: Thailand with losing face and tourism.

[Shop mak]

18 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

And he wants to be PM ?

 

Would anyone really be surprised, when he become the new PM?

 

[hotchilli]

4 minutes ago, Shop mak said:

Would anyone really be surprised, when he become the new PM?

 

To be honest no

[Gsxrnz]

Every day is a debacle in LOS.  That's why I love living here.

 

 

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Anutin causing confusion again, says something one day and does the opposite the next when it turns out to be the wrong decision...

And he wants to be PM ?

 

Just imagine what could happen if he became the PM.....one day he would sign a deal here, then the next day cancel it...he is in my view like a serial tweeter from abroad....unhinged and self serving. If someone in an executive position in a major international conglomerate did this they would be fired, tried on criminal charges for hurting the companies finances and then if in Japan allowed the traditional route out....

[ThailandRyan]

12 minutes ago, Gsxrnz said:

Every day is a debacle in LOS.  That's why I love living here.

 

 

It is like watching the Three Stooges and Keystone cops...

[Lucky Bones]

13 minutes ago, Gsxrnz said:

Every day is a debacle in LOS.  That's why I love living here.

 

 

Yes, but only if those debacles do not directly involve me.

Every day is a lucky/unlucky dip.????????

[Lucky Bones]

5 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Just imagine what could happen if he became the PM.....one day he would sign a deal here, then the next day cancel it...he is in my view like a serial tweeter from abroad....unhinged and self serving.

Unhinged......good call ????????

[hotchilli]

18 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Just imagine what could happen if he became the PM.....one day he would sign a deal here, then the next day cancel it...he is in my view like a serial tweeter from abroad....unhinged and self serving. If someone in an executive position in a major international conglomerate did this they would be fired, tried on criminal charges for hurting the companies finances and then if in Japan allowed the traditional route out....

In Thailand all the above gets you the top job...

No wonder it's going backwards.

[Gsxrnz]

13 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

It is like watching the Three Stooges and Keystone cops...

Good comparisons, but I think of living in Thailand more like a never ending Monty Python skit on rocket fuel.  Anything (and therefore, everything) is possible. 

[klauskunkel]

From the article:

Quote

Will any lessons be learned from this massive confusion over the past several days?

That implies that government big shots have the capacity to actually care or think about the possible consequences of their actions. 

[mikeymike100]

"In the end, as seen here, the documentation requirement was dropped, but not before likely causing many travelers to cancel their trips entirely and widespread damage to the tourism industry"

 

So according to the article many travelers had problems and some cancelled etc, Has anyone apologized yet for this almighty mess, that could have been avoided? Has anyone said they would be held accountable?

[Aussie999]

GRAVITAS... putting the boots into Thailand, and not pulling any punches.

 

[Screaming]

8 hours ago, SuperSilverHaze said:

Just not reasonable, educated people making decisions. The society has progressed as far as it can. All innovation will be imported.

 

Same knee jerk reactions as past three years having learned nothing. No surprise really.

You got that right SuperSilverHaze, Thailand has really reached its maximum evolutionary progression but not just in politics, in everyday life as well.

[mikeymike100]

28 minutes ago, Aussie999 said:

GRAVITAS... putting the boots into Thailand, and not pulling any punches.

 

Wow, great stuff! Telling everyone like it actually is?

[John Drake]

The Chinese and Indians clearly won. They not only got out of showing proof of vaccination but have now had their insurance requirement cancelled. If they get sick, it appears that Thais will pay for them, now. Mainly Europeans lost. Apparently thousands canceled, some were denied to board flights, and a lot of them lost a great deal of money.

[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, John Drake said:

The Chinese and Indians clearly won. They not only got out of showing proof of vaccination but have now had their insurance requirement cancelled. If they get sick, it appears that Thais will pay for them, now. Mainly Europeans lost. Apparently thousands canceled, some were denied to board flights, and a lot of them lost a great deal of money.

This now makes Thailand a formerly traveled to location for many that because of the debacle will go elsewhere.  Thailand, and Anutin truly did a hatchet job on the tourists from Europe, Turkey, and the West.

[spidermike007]

20 hours ago, SuperSilverHaze said:

Just not reasonable, educated people making decisions. The society has progressed as far as it can. All innovation will be imported.

 

Same knee jerk reactions as past three years having learned nothing. No surprise really.

I am afraid you may be right. With the current goons in power and no sign of a capable and youthful opposition party taking over, there is little hope for the future. You add in a highly dysfunctional educational system, which denies the youth the ability to question anything, and stifles their creativity, and where is the hope? 

 

Thailand does feel like it is moving backwards. Alot of potential, that is being squashed by the few. 

[still kicking]

10 hours ago, John Drake said:

The Chinese and Indians clearly won. They not only got out of showing proof of vaccination but have now had their insurance requirement cancelled. If they get sick, it appears that Thais will pay for them, now. Mainly Europeans lost. Apparently thousands canceled, some were denied to board flights, and a lot of them lost a great deal of money.

I just cancelled my holiday to Thailand 

[Salerno]

10 hours ago, John Drake said:

If they get sick, it appears that Thais will pay for them, now.

Where did you get that from?

[still kicking]

Salerno why are you laughing I just came back from LOS a few weeks ago I am getting sick and tired of all that BS I have lived in LOS for many years I am glad to be back where I have no problems doing visa extensions or doing boarder runs or 90-day reports or 30-day reports and all the other <deleted> 

[thaibeachlovers]

19 hours ago, peter zwart said:

Wrong, 

Winners: The surrounding countries with new tourism. Loser: Thailand with losing face and tourism.

I look at it differently. IMO Thailand ( the actual environment ) benefits if less tourists arrive in it. The way it was prior to covid was ruining every tourist destination from far too many people. If numbers get back to those in the 90s and Thailand can focus on a better experience rather than numbers, it will benefit both Thailand's environment and the tourists that do visit.

 

So, less tourists = a win, not a loss.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, still kicking said:

Salerno why are you laughing I just came back from LOS a few weeks ago I am getting sick and tired of all that BS I have lived in LOS for many years I am glad to be back where I have no problems doing visa extensions or doing boarder runs or 90-day reports or 30-day reports and all the other <deleted> 

Salerno likes the laugh emoji. He uses it on many of my posts, no matter how serious the post. I sometimes wonder if he's following me around the forum to laugh at me.

[Salerno]

1 hour ago, still kicking said:

Salerno why are you laughing

Because dummy spits are often amusing, especially when it's a reply to a quote that starts with "The Chinese and Indians clearly won."

 

Having lived in LOS for many years I would have thought you'd be used to the <deleted> that goes on but from the rest of your post it appears to have ground you down rather than you learning to roll with it, sorry to hear that. I hope you settle back into life in Oz.