News Forum - Thailand’s nightlife can officially open from Wednesday but this will be too late for many businesses

[Thaiger]

Warnings yesterday from the Thai government health officials as they urge business operators of Thailand’s nightlife – bars, karaoke bars, clubs and the larger massage premises – to “follow strict precautions” against Covid when they re-open next month. That’s next Wednesday. We’ll get back to the absurdity of that warning a bit later. 31 Thai provinces, 14 now reclassified as green zones and another 17 described as blue zones, will be allowed to open and operate, serving alcohol, officially, until midnight. But they won’t be able to hold promotional activities, according to the CCSA. Will that include posting pics on […]

The story Thailand’s nightlife can officially open from Wednesday but this will be too late for many businesses as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Soidog]

Good article Tim. Spot on observations of how it really is. Thai officials continue to vie for the title of most stupid comment. 
 

When you look at the ineptitude on display on a matter as simple as easing of Covid restrictions, what chance this lot will develop and grow the country. Rolling a dice in order to make a decision would result in a better outcome. 

[JJJ]

3 minutes ago, Soidog said:

Good article Tim. Spot on observations of how it really is. Thai officials continue to vie for the title of most stupid comment. 
 

When you look at the ineptitude on display on a matter as simple as easing of Covid restrictions, what chance this lot will develop and grow the country. Rolling a dice in order to make a decision would result in a better outcome. 

Exactly. Spot on.

Apart from very early 2020,  the strictest measures were in place in April 2021 and July-September 2021 with the peak deaths coming in August. And of course cases peaked and receded in 1Q 2022 with essentially the same or loosing control measures.  There’s very little relationship between the control measures and infections.   

On the reopening, I doubt there’s many places that want to reopen that haven’t. And there’s a lot that haven’t. These were peoples businesses and livelihoods and there wasn’t the slightest bit of help or sympathy for them. These covid rules are anything but costless.

The fact that it took the government more than 5 quarters before allowing them to open “officially” despite vaccinines, treatments, and a year preparation before the first big wave (May 2020-April 2021) shows how incompetent the covid response has been.

It also shows how out of touch the government is with the reason people visit Thailand. Leisure and fun isn’t the exclusive reason but it’s one of the main reasons and they’ve tried to squeeze every last bit of fun and excitement out of Pattaya and Phuket. 

[Nivram]

Inflation, increase in fuel prices and now rainy season.

Who will come?

 

[rc1]

One of many examples worldwide of the response to the virus being more harmful than the virus itself.

Will look back on this time and the damage done in absolute disgust in the future, will not believe what was done in the name of preventing a few infections.

 

 

 

[dingdong]

well its good when businesses can open again...but will many still able to do so...example guesthouses ...there are  much more closed than open...and I think it will stay like this...and the falangs...???

chinese need to observe a strict 28 day quarantaine once they come back from their holidays....

europaens...by the way they are in the middle of two wars...one is the  russian invasion attempt to ukraine..

the second is it the economic war.. a battle the eu opens against russia...fueled by the moral narrative they will stop all gas and oil imports from russia despite beeing dependent on this source of russian energy up to 80 percent...

that already resulted in a doubling of petrol and energy prices for households...a soaring 8 percent official inflation ( which in real is 20 percent )  without adjusting the interest rates..

and because every bit of food is transported several times around the continent before it reaches the customer the food prices already started roaring up ..like the shade follows your walk in the sunshine

and all this is only the beginn...some more debts to increase the starved defensive systems etc etc etc...

so prices for energy can easy double or triple again ...and everything along with it

after two years of covid craze another nail in the coffin of europaen economic...

many thousand of businesses already closed or are in the edge of closing...

does these circumstances invite an individual to make a spending spree in faraway thailand...i dont think so...

in top of all this thailand agreed to the russians attack on ukraine and to thousands of russian war crimes by keeping their mouth shut and displayed the idiot smile...

most will go  to greece for  a short one week holiday with the kids...camping or trying to go cheap not because they are cheap charlys because real poverty for europaens is just one more step away,,

also the exchange rate is not very appealing for europaens to go thai...

with all above i could be completely wrong and would be more than happy if this two wars would stop soon and thai is back to normal asap

usa...they have nearer and easyer options to spend their bucks

aussie...i believe they still locked up down under chinese style 

other asian, india pakistan bangla or arabs...good luck with those, but that's where thai future is

Edited May 28, 2022 by dingdong

[Soidog]

40 minutes ago, dingdong said:

because real poverty for europaens is just one more step away,,

I posted a longer reply but it didn’t submit (maybe later).

I agree with much of your post apart from the above statement. Europeans know only relative poverty and have no idea what real poverty is. 

[astro]

1 hour ago, rc1 said:

Will look back on this time and the damage done in absolute disgust in the future, will not believe what was done in the name of preventing a few infections.

Corona around the world:

510.2 million confirmed cases

6.2 million reported deaths

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-51235105

[astro]

1 hour ago, dingdong said:

most will go  to greece for  a short one week holiday with the kids...camping or trying to go cheap not because they are cheap charlys because real poverty for europaens is just one more step away,,

An unfortunate generalisation, though it is true that more Europeans are threatened by or have already slipped into poverty during the last two years than before. I'd guess most who have been living near the poverty level didn't travel to Thailand before either.

I wouldn't expect too many visitors in June anyway, peak holiday season is July/August.

1 hour ago, dingdong said:

also the exchange rate is not very appealing for europaens to go thai...

Looks ok to me, not unusually low.

Edited May 28, 2022 by astro

[Soidog]

15 minutes ago, astro said:

Looks ok to me, not unusually low.

I think a lot of people recall the period around 2002 to 2009 when the GB Pound. was getting 70+ baht and similar rates for the Euro. The reality is, that over the past 50 years or so, 40-45 baht to the Pound has been the average. It has been as low as 24 and as high as 100, but where it is now is the norm. 

[Tigermask]

Quote

Now the same spokesperson also announced at the same meeting, presumably with a totally straight face, that some venues have already reopened despite the ban still applying for bars to stay closed. And she warned that those premises will be closed again if patrons are found to test positive to Covid-19. She appeared a little surprised.

Clubs are open until 2am now, nobody will know what the rules actually are because that's what happens when you have too many inane ones. 

[Freeduhdumb]

[Politenessman]

1 hour ago, astro said:

Corona around the world:

510.2 million confirmed cases

6.2 million reported deaths

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-51235105

Keeping in mind that "reported deaths" does not mean actual deaths from Covid, you need to ask was a roughly 1% global fatality rate worth all the damage?

If we hadn't shut down the advanced economies of the world for 2 years, could we have used some of the resources generated to cut the death rates in the less advanced countries?

[Nivram]

Approximatly 16% of the reported Covid deaths are from the USA

[Poolie]

1 hour ago, Politenessman said:

Keeping in mind that "reported deaths" does not mean actual deaths from Covid, you need to ask was a roughly 1% global fatality rate worth all the damage?

If we hadn't shut down the advanced economies of the world for 2 years, could we have used some of the resources generated to cut the death rates in the less advanced countries?

Yes, without a doubt.

Would it have happened? No, never.

[riclag]

1 hour ago, Politenessman said:

Keeping in mind that "reported deaths" does not mean actual deaths from Covid, you need to ask was a roughly 1% global fatality rate worth all the damage?

If we hadn't shut down the advanced economies of the world for 2 years, could we have used some of the resources generated to cut the death rates in the less advanced countries?

Despite the body pain that comes with it,It wasnt worth restrictions  for Omicron thats for sure!

Now if these greedy sob here would dispense with the forced Ins and Thai pass, it would be perfect.

[Vigo]

The "economic damage" is exaggerated and over estimated due to political bias. What occurred were temporary suspensions of some business operations. The hospitality trade sectors that were hit hardest were already struggling and it wasn't a question of if they would go under, but when. In any given year, a large number of bars and small hotels in the tourist areas open, close  or change ownership. These places have limited lifespans because tthey never generated the margins that allowed for advanced upkeep. Over a period of 5 years pre-Covid, large  sections of the tourist destinations saw large scale redevelopment. Covid expedited the inevitable.  Thailand's midsized and larger resorts and facilities may have struggled but they survived and will prosper again. What has occurred has been a shake out of marginal operations. there were too many  low quality hospitality businesses chasing the same market demographic. Covid closures will be paying dividends to the well managed and capitalized business because they are able to operate in an environment with less competition.

[BIGGLES]

Well it's good news that business can operate. Problem is still the same, will they come in the numbers required? Will they jump through the  hoops? Even if all the restrictions are lifted, European travellers are struggling, people are having to re-prioritise where and how they spend their money. Chinese tourists are thin on the ground as are the Russians. Will the new markets, Saudi, India etc do the heavy lifting? I doubt it. 

The government need to have a Well thought out plan, which is implemented without flip flopping, and give tourists some real and meaningful incentives to holiday in Thailand. Furthermore, the government need to capitalise on what it already has by this, I mean retirees. They are in country all year, spend daily in local shops etc. They need to make it much easier to retire in Thailand. Let us hope that they don't go in at the deep end, when Monkeypox arrives, if it already hasn't. 

Edited May 28, 2022 by BIGGLES

[rc1]

9 hours ago, astro said:

Corona around the world:

510.2 million confirmed cases

6.2 million reported deaths

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-51235105

Yes, and the numbers would have been close to the same without the public health restrictions. They were ineffective once Omicron came along.

These measures have decimated the Thai economy and society. 

I still maintain this time will be looked back on with incredulity. 

[palooka]

So that’s some 31 provinces, out of Thailand’s 77 provinces, that will be able to reopen from next Wednesday, as far as the guidelines from the CCSA are concerned.

Can you declare Covid endemic if half the country is still shut down?

 

[HiuMak]

13 hours ago, dingdong said:

aussie...i believe they still locked up down under chinese style 

Australians can travel freely now without quarantine upon return since April 26

[Benroon]

5 hours ago, rc1 said:

Yes, and the numbers would have been close to the same without the public health restrictions. They were ineffective once Omicron came along.

These measures have decimated the Thai economy and society. 

I still maintain this time will be looked back on with incredulity. 

Yet again, the restrictions and vaccination programmes were put in place in order to stop public health systems getting overwhelmed! Thus fatalities would have shot up for other completely unconnected ailments, and others exacerbated by Covid due to lack of capacity to treat them hitting the general economies even harder than they did. 

What is incredulous is people still don’t understand that over 2 years on. 

[Manu]

10 hours ago, Vigo said:

The "economic damage" is exaggerated and over estimated due to political bias. What occurred were temporary suspensions of some business operations. The hospitality trade sectors that were hit hardest were already struggling and it wasn't a question of if they would go under, but when. In any given year, a large number of bars and small hotels in the tourist areas open, close  or change ownership. These places have limited lifespans because tthey never generated the margins that allowed for advanced upkeep. Over a period of 5 years pre-Covid, large  sections of the tourist destinations saw large scale redevelopment. Covid expedited the inevitable.  Thailand's midsized and larger resorts and facilities may have struggled but they survived and will prosper again. What has occurred has been a shake out of marginal operations. there were too many  low quality hospitality businesses chasing the same market demographic. Covid closures will be paying dividends to the well managed and capitalized business because they are able to operate in an environment with less competition.

"marginal operations" (in touristic areas), small tourist shops, bars, restaurants, small resorts, street sellers, tuk-tuk drivers, etc... were providing food on the table for 100 000s on a daily basis, and now it does not anymore. These people were always "struggling" as you said, but nevertheless it was bringing food on the table. Now it is not even anymore a matter of what will be tomorrow for all these people, but what is today. "well managed and capitalized business", basically with owners with enough cash on the side, will always manage somehow, but the real "economic damage" is always suffered by small people and the poorest of the poors in a crisis and in Thailand, it is dramatic. That is what I have observed where I am in Thailand.

[Politenessman]

20 hours ago, Poolie said:

Yes, without a doubt.

Would it have happened? No, never.

and yet over the years billions of dollars have been donated to help Africa alone...

[JamesR]

On 5/28/2022 at 1:06 PM, Soidog said:

I posted a longer reply but it didn’t submit (maybe later).

I agree with much of your post apart from the above statement. Europeans know only relative poverty and have no idea what real poverty is. 

"Europeans know only relative poverty and have no idea what real poverty is."

I do, I used to drive a number of E class Mercedes for many decades but now I am retired I have to put up with a Peugeot 5008 in the UK and a Toyota in Thailand, times are hard.

The airports were packed out at the weekend in the UK as it is half term for schools, they could not cope with the volume.

I think poverty in the UK means we can only have one holiday a year instead of two.

It is also funny with some people using the word Europe to class us all over here, there is a huge difference between the East and the West of Europe just as there is a huge difference in the continent of North America as the people in Canada are totally different to the people in Mexico for example. 

But many of use will still not want to go to Thailand yet as most of us do not go there just for the night life, we won't go as we do not want to spend hot days wearing masks as we do not need to wear them in our own countries.