News Forum - Indian travel slowing due to new restrictions

[Vigo]

9 hours ago, Bernhard said:

You mean all Indians should have all the time your british "only 130 pound per year" insurance? Or do you mean, that I was too stupid for that, as I have bought last year for around 12,000 baht a 3 month Thai insurance? To be fair: you seem to think very much from your point of view. And we are talking in endless circles. It is inconvenient, useless and negative for the Thai economy to force a purchase of such a insurance, imho. But not for you and this is, what you should have said to be fair.

Sorry, but he  made multiple valid points. I had the impression that you had purchased a German insurer travel insurance policy. Based upon our own company requirements, I am aware that Allianz offers  covid coverage. Other Eu based insurers such as AXA XL, Zurich, Barmer etc.  Now you mention you had purchased. local Thai insurance. Ok. Did you even read the policy wording to verify if Covid coverage was provided?   I saw his comment as common sense.

You say that the Thai requirement insurance is useless and negative.  ok, please tell me where  Thailand should get the Baht 500 million (est.)  of visitor unpaid medical expenses? In 2019, Thailand said it was owed 448 million baht. https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Asia-Insight/Tourism-proves-hazardous-to-Thai-hospitals-financial-health             I counter your claim by pointing out that conference visitors from most countries will have  option of travel insurance either from employer or from conference organizer.  It is you who is boiased when you assume Indians would not have the coverage. One of the fastest growing financial services sector in India is life and health insurance and the middle class have been quick to purchase some basic coverages.

I expect that the majority of  western and north Asian visitors  are covered by employer provided group health insurance or private travel health insurance plans. I think it would be the isolated exception that the  coverage does not include  Covid care.   Everyday some foreigner is injured in road crash or  has sickness when in Thailand. Very rarely do we hear the tale of woe. The thousands of foreigners are taken care of by their insurance plans.  

[Vigo]

12 hours ago, Bernhard said:

Not the smartest decision, imho. First: Omikron doesn't cause much severe illness, except in the a population group, that is too old to travel. Second: even the best vaccines don't prevent from infections or from being infectious. Third: the Chinese vaccines are scrap. It is close to useless to force Chinese travelers (and with them all other travelers too) to get vaccinated and buying a special health insurance before travelling to Thailand. It will hit the tourism industry and will make nothing better. I am not effected, because I am vaccinated and I am already in Thailand, but the decision seems for me to be very, very wrong. I can understand the worries, but the decision is not the result of a rational conclusion.

Correction to your claim: The Omicron BA 1.5 variant is more likely to cause less severe illness compared to other variants in the vaccinated and those who previously had COVID.  Unfortunately, this variant is quickly being replaced  by some deadlier variants.

Not all Chinese  vaccines are scrap. Some have been shown to be just as effective as western vaccines on the earlier variants. However, no Covid vaccines to date have been shown to be more effective or safer than the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

[Bernhard]

3 hours ago, Vigo said:

Sorry, but he  made multiple valid points. I had the impression that you had purchased a German insurer travel insurance policy. Based upon our own company requirements, I am aware that Allianz offers  covid coverage. Other Eu based insurers such as AXA XL, Zurich, Barmer etc.  Now you mention you had purchased. local Thai insurance. Ok. Did you even read the policy wording to verify if Covid coverage was provided?   I saw his comment as common sense.

You say that the Thai requirement insurance is useless and negative.  ok, please tell me where  Thailand should get the Baht 500 million (est.)  of visitor unpaid medical expenses? In 2019, Thailand said it was owed 448 million baht. https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Asia-Insight/Tourism-proves-hazardous-to-Thai-hospitals-financial-health             I counter your claim by pointing out that conference visitors from most countries will have  option of travel insurance either from employer or from conference organizer.  It is you who is boiased when you assume Indians would not have the coverage. One of the fastest growing financial services sector in India is life and health insurance and the middle class have been quick to purchase some basic coverages.

I expect that the majority of  western and north Asian visitors  are covered by employer provided group health insurance or private travel health insurance plans. I think it would be the isolated exception that the  coverage does not include  Covid care.   Everyday some foreigner is injured in road crash or  has sickness when in Thailand. Very rarely do we hear the tale of woe. The thousands of foreigners are taken care of by their insurance plans.  

Sorry, I have something else to do, but because I have studied something with economics and also have some idea of insurance mathematics, because I have once written a study work about, I want to point one thing out, because I think some people here have no idea about it: Do you know how ridiculous small the amount of 450 mln. baht owed insurance costs of foreigners compared to the 20% share of the tourism industry of the gross domestic product is? Just to give you an idea: google says, 450 mln baht are around 13 million dollar (roughly calculated in mind from euros). This is kindergarden economic understanding. I have no time for that. Bye.

[Bernhard]

4 hours ago, Vigo said:

[1]...Unfortunately, this variant is quickly being replaced  by some deadlier variants.

[2]... Some have been shown to be just as effective as western vaccines on the earlier variants. 

 

I am a fool to reply to such non sense, but 1) you have any scientific source for that? I really attentive follow the state of the mainstream science, and that tells me up to now something totally different. 2) There are several study works, that show, that especially the effect of  Chinese vaccines, protein or dead are extraordinary fast waning.

I am not sure, if I am allowed to use the word here, but there is not better matching word: I think, that here is a lot of bullsh:t said. Do you know the book about it from Harry Frankfurt? I don't insist on an answer - better not. Bye.  

 

[Havana]

21 hours ago, Soidog said:

Best news I’ve read for a while. I was rather hoping China would be locked down for the next 50 years. I’m sorry it’s opened up again. 

I think you've missed out a zero.

[Soidog]

7 hours ago, Highlandman said:

It's the Indian government that is demanding a test not the Thai government. I don't see how the Indian government can deny entry to its own citizens who refuse a test but its the airlines enforcing this. Since Indians can't travel back home by land via Myanmar, they have to go by air.

To avoid the test they could travel back home via Malaysia or Vietnam, but would need to enter those countries first, not remain in transit.

You’ve missed my point mate. I was referring to a comment made by a Thai minister last week, in which he said that they would be screening people including random testing of arrivals at the airports. 

[Soidog]

1 hour ago, Havana said:

I think you've missed out a zero.

I’ll be dead in 50 years and possibly a lot sooner, so I’m not too concerned.

[Soidog]

8 hours ago, AdvocatusDiaboli said:

So as the insurance companies know that Thailand will be flooded with Chinese covid infected tourists (proven by the recent reports out of Italy) would they pay out as its a known risk? Increased risk at that. Check the fine print.

I can’t speak for other countries, but in the U.K. it’s based on guidance from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. If the FCO recommend not travelling to a country then that invalidates most insurances.
 

My Covid policy also states things such as:

Breaking local lockdown rules or restrictions on travel. 
 

There’s certainly the possibility of more wriggle room for your insurer with the developing situation in Thailand. 

[Vigo]

10 hours ago, Bernhard said:

Sorry, I have something else to do, but because I have studied something with economics and also have some idea of insurance mathematics, because I have once written a study work about, I want to point one thing out, because I think some people here have no idea about it: Do you know how ridiculous small the amount of 450 mln. baht owed insurance costs of foreigners compared to the 20% share of the tourism industry of the gross domestic product is? Just to give you an idea: google says, 450 mln baht are around 13 million dollar (roughly calculated in mind from euros). This is kindergarden economic understanding. I have no time for that. Bye.

Good for you that you once took an economics course. It does not make you competent.  You make many assumptions and claims, none of which are supported by the existing data. You dismiss 450 million baht as insignificant. Then you  make the assumption that the entire contribution to national GDP  from tourism will be lost because of the temporary covid vaccination requirement. You have ignored the  fact that the vast majority of visitors to Thailand will be compliant. Vaccine compliant visitors will continue to arrive. Yes, a small number of potential tourists will not be compliant, but the demographic data for such people indicates that these are marginal value visitors.  

[Vigo]

10 hours ago, Bernhard said:

I am a fool to reply to such non sense, but 1) you have any scientific source for that? I really attentive follow the state of the mainstream science, and that tells me up to now something totally different. 2) There are several study works, that show, that especially the effect of  Chinese vaccines, protein or dead are extraordinary fast waning.

I am not sure, if I am allowed to use the word here, but there is not better matching word: I think, that here is a lot of bullsh:t said. Do you know the book about it from Harry Frankfurt? I don't insist on an answer - better not. Bye.  

You made the false claim that all Chinese vaccines were  garbage. That is not true. If they were they would not be acceptable to multiple international governments. For example, US approved acceptance of  BIBP/Sinopharm and CoronaVac (Sinovac). The most effective vaccines remain Pfizer and Moderna  MRna based products, but that doesn't mean the less effective Chinese vaccines are useless. Even the western based vaccines have reduced benefit after 6 months which is why we need a booster.

In your haste to dismiss  Chinese medical  technology, do keep in mind that much of the world including some of the EU and USA's largest  pharmaceutical manufacturers source 40% of their  key active ingredients from China.

 

[Bernhard]

13 hours ago, Vigo said:

"Then you  make the assumption that the entire contribution to national GDP  from tourism will be lost because of the temporary covid vaccination requirement. "

Once again you are bullsh:tting around. It is a waste of time to reply. The part of the tourism in the trade balance is around 4000 times higher than the medical liabilities from tourists. 0,1% lowering the incoming tourists is enough, to lead the decision into a economic deficit. I know the forum rules here, so I try to be polite, but it is 100% useless for me to talk with someone like you.

[Bernhard]

13 hours ago, Vigo said:

"Good for you that you once took an economics course."

Obviously you have several problems, one seems to a massive lack in the kognitive ability for meaningful reading. I have neither said, that the restrictions will cause a total breakdown in in come from tourism, nor said that i have took a economic course. I finished successful my economic studies after many years with a grade close to the best possible, only insurance mathematics I have only written a study work. I really recommend you to read the book "on bullsh:t" from Harry Frankfurt. I have not met many other people like you, who's motivations are described in the book so very well.  

[Faraday]

Post removed in large bold text

 

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[Havana]

22 hours ago, Soidog said:

I’ll be dead in 50 years and possibly a lot sooner, so I’m not too concerned.

You and me both.