News Forum - Anutin reports surge in Thailand Pass applications after Test & Go dropped

[Thaiger]

Thailand’s health minister says there has been a jump in Thailand Pass applications since the ditching of Test & Go. According to a Nation Thailand report, Anutin Charnvirakul says registration has increased, with no problems reported with the simplified system so far. The health minister also commented on the Covid-19 situation in Thailand, saying that daily new infections are dropping, as are severe cases and fatalities. He adds that this can be seen in a decreased demand for ventilators and anti-viral drugs, and the fact that there are fewer patients in intensive care. Yesterday, Thailand’s new infections fell below 10,000 […]

The story Anutin reports surge in Thailand Pass applications after Test & Go dropped as seen on Thaiger News.

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[RichardR]

 So time to plso time to blame the "dirty s so time to blame" the dirty farang with his dirty habbists "  for the next wave or disease that will hit ..

Post magazine wrote in march 2020"

" Thai health minister blames ‘dirty’ Western tourists for country’s coronavirus cases
    Tweets posted by an account associated with Anutin Charnvirakul suggested ‘farangs’ should be feared more than Asians "

[ThaiEyes]

Yes Anutin is trying to stay relevant since being health minister is usually a boring position. Why isn’t the Ministry of Tourism reporting this instead? It is more their purview. 

[Pompies]

So Anutin didn't get his post Songkran Covid surge and has to find another surge elsewhere. It is interesting that there is no measurable number stated in his surge so we can assume that it is actually insignificant. A 100% increase of damn all is still damn all and currently the tourist numbers are tiny and forward bookings are very low compared to other regional markets such as Singapore & Philippines. So Anutin has to scratch around for an excuse to get that face of his in the media after a notable absence. The sooner we see the back of him and the rest of that cabal the better.

[Fundok]

16 hours ago, Thaiger said:

Pattaya officials and stakeholders have been meeting to discuss the dropping of curfews and an official reopening of bars and the city’s vibrant nightlife. Kunlachart Kunlachai, the superintendent of Chon Buri Police, chaired the meeting. Bars around Thailand, particularly in tourist magnet areas, have been forced to convert to ‘restaurants’ in order to reopen and serve alcohol. Conversions have been perfunctory, at best, but the owners have been keen to kickstart their battered businesses and have been forced to register under Thailand’s new Safety and Health Authority (SHA) guidelines before lifting up the shutters. From May 1, restaurants, and ‘restaurants’ […]

The story Pattaya bars push to reopen, officially, and extend closing times to 3am as seen on Thaiger News.

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Now also dump the Thai Pass and the general mask mandate and things are almost back to normal.

However, I wonder: why did it take so long to scrap the T&G/Sandbox? Aren't those responsible to needlessly keeping it in force for so long aware of the economic hardship these programs have caused? It's good that they are gone now, but tourists now deciding to visit Thailand will not travel immediatedly, as any trip needs planning. So the application numbers might indeed go up now but that - on my view - will not mean that long-haul visitors will be showing up short-term.