News Forum - FTI warns Thailand must reopen to international tourists

[Thaiger]

With such a long time since tourists were welcomed into Thailand, the Federation of Thai Industries fears that potential tourists may be wandering away from Thailand. The FTI chairman warned that the window may be closing to still attract these travellers. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but as Thailand’s closure to nearly all international tourism stretches to almost 2 years, tourists’ fond recollections of sun-drenched beaches, beautiful temples, great food, or wild nights may be fading away to a distant memory, and they may be tempted away by newer travel destination ideas. The FTI chairman fears that […]

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[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

29 minutes ago, Thaiger said:

They say absence makes the heart grow

Such nonsense, get real. Open up without CoE and Quarantine to begin with, then of course, they need to devalue the Baht!

Edited October 9, 2021 by DoUKnowWhoIAm

[Tonyheaven]

The sad thing if Thailand does reopen is the certificate of entry and having to have special insurance when most travelers if they have any sense have adequate insurance. But would agree that if you travel without adequate cover you should be refused entry to any flight let alone country. The first thing I sort out before flights etc is insurance it is an absolute must. So Thailand needs to scrap this certificate of entry as it puts up to many barriers for people to come/go to Thailand 

[Pi_Tim]

44 minutes ago, DoUKnowWhoIAm said:

Such nonsense, get real. Open up without CoE and Quarantine to begin with, then of course, they need to devalue the Baht!

Indeed, why fully vaccinated needs to undergo such process ?  It makes no sense, or it means vaccination is useless, which is proven to be effective in Europe at least

same goes for the domestic travels: who is going to Phuket and risk a 2 weeks "jail" terms in a hospital, after a positive test, while being vaccinated ?

[Malc-Thai]

So it's up to the FTI to decide when it's safe to open now ?

[Jason]

Absence makes the heart grow...lonely. Yes, I can only hope that the COE will be a thing of the past. I saw an announcement that Visa on arrival is to come back. What is COE? It's another form of Visa. If Thailand wants a return to pre-Covid international tourist levels, the COE needs to go! International visitors are fully vaccinated (they have to be to travel)

[Rain]

19 minutes ago, Pi_Tim said:

Indeed, why fully vaccinated needs to undergo such process ?  It makes no sense, or it means vaccination is useless, which is proven to be effective in Europe at least

same goes for the domestic travels: who is going to Phuket and risk a 2 weeks "jail" terms in a hospital, after a positive test, while being vaccinated ?

As they still don't seem to get it - if they ever will. 

[Jason]

So let's see what hoops Thailand is willing to forego. If not....then it's going to be a very lonely high season in Thailand! And a very busy one for other holiday destinations.....

[Tim]

They don't seem to know that people have to plan their holidays, most people have already booked holiday packages to other destinations, if Thailand doesn't get more sensible right now, high season will be gone.

I have 4 weeks holidays left to take this year, I have taken from 15 of November to 15 December to go somewhere, I give another 6 days before I buy my holiday package, will probably be to the Dominicans or Mexico, as unfortunately I know by experience that if I don't buy my holiday package 1 month prior to go, the prices will increase and the best hotels will be full already.

It really pisses me off as I wanted to go to Phuket, but the cons out-weight the pros at the current time of the day.

[Abby]

The tourism went down 2 years before Covid, due to high Thb

[USASteve]

Ironically this article comes at a convenient time as I write this reply from my plan B, Costa Rica, another prime destination for world tourists. CR is reaping the rewards of opening their country. I say let Thailand eat this high season and teach them a lesson. 

[Convert54]

Just another voice in the chorus .

[MikeTexas]

Fairly silly as most other similar destinations for tourism have also had their borders closed so there has been no other place in which to wander.   Tourism taxes, dual pricing, ect., while a limited hinderance to tourism, are more a deterrent than closed borders while the rest of the world has been closed as well.  

[Jafagreg]

Of course opening up is not the only issue. For many countries, allowing there citizens to travel will depend on the covid situation of the country they want to visit. I am hoping to get back to Thailand next year but time will tell. 

[EdwardV]

“gross domestic product will grow by only 1% this year” that’s not even a dead cat bounce, and it’s highly likely Thailand won’t even get that much. There is a real worry the true number is negative. Two straight years of negative growth would be devastating to the country’s poor. Thailand needs to make it as easy to visit as other parts of the world or the numbers won’t return. 

[Soidog]

I note an article in the BKK Post which restated a number of other areas will open to tourists in November 1st. The article is a little confusing as it doesn’t make it clear if this is for foreign arrivals or domestic. It goes in to explain the challenges of international arrivals as though the plan does include foreign arrivals. My question is this. How do you get from Suvarnabhumi to Pattaya or Hua Hin for example? Will they have convoys of busses with police and army escorts with staff in full hazmat suits? 
 

When I say busses I mean a couple of 12 seater mini-busses

[Soidog]

 

I agree with all that’s being said. All the logic and experiance from other countries show this to be a highly risky and wrong decision. Even in countries with higher vaccination levels and similar populations, cases and deaths are still high. The kids in Thailand aren’t back at school and again, all other countries have the scars to show how this can go wrong…..

However! This Is Thailand.  Those of us who have been sprung this country for a few years or more will know the seemingly unfathomable things that happen here. The seemingly illogical actions and results that happen. The contradictory and counterintuitive things that happen. If I was a betting man, I wouldn’t be putting any money in these plans to open to result in failure! A combination of smoke and mirrors and a massive helping of good fortune could well allow the Thais to coast through to March relatively unscathed and by which time higher vaccination levels will protect people. 
 

As I say. It’s not what every fibre in my body is telling me, but TIT !!!

 

[farang]

i hope to return to thailand in nov.but as of now its to many restrictions.one big one for many people is the insurance.ones like me cant even buy it from a thai company as vthe age limit is 74  to75.and the coe on top of getting a visa.if these were lifted in nov i think thai would see a lot of people coming.go back to normal way of applying for the visa and scrape the insurance and coe.i understand the covid test and even the 500 baht to enter.thats ok.drop the insurance and charge on arrival a fee depending on how long your stay is.even $100 bucks usd would be ok.last time i checked with usa thai embassy they could not advise on what to do about the insurance if you are over 74. but im still waiting as quite a few others are to see if we can  get a visa.thank you for listening.good luck to all.

[Guevara]

2 hours ago, Tim said:

They don't seem to know that people have to plan their holidays, most people have already booked holiday packages to other destinations, if Thailand doesn't get more sensible right now, high season will be gone.

I have 4 weeks holidays left to take this year, I have taken from 15 of November to 15 December to go somewhere, I give another 6 days before I buy my holiday package, will probably be to the Dominicans or Mexico, as unfortunately I know by experience that if I don't buy my holiday package 1 month prior to go, the prices will increase and the best hotels will be full already.

It really pisses me off as I wanted to go to Phuket, but the cons out-weight the pros at the current time of the day.

You obviously don't have the stamina to jump through all the hoops they keep creating 555 Like you, I'm looking more west than East. About time a paid Cuba another visit.

[Stonker]

3 hours ago, Jason said:

 And a very busy one for other holiday destinations.....

Which "other holiday destinations"?

All those in direct competition have similar restrictions.

[Stonker]

4 hours ago, Thaiger said:

before opening the country, a drive should focus on vaccinating the business sector so it is ready to open and operate safely for a full international reopening.

So ... "focus on vaccinating the business sector" which has less  interaction with foreign and domestic tourists than anyone else ...

I see ...

[Malc-Thai]

"He argues that now that 40% to 50% of the population of Thailand has been vaccinated, "

Just looking at covid vaccinations in Thailand, it says 49% had first dose and only 32% had second dose! Many are AstraZeneca and a 12 week interval between doses 

Why do they still think and say if you had a first vaccine yesterday you count as vaccinated!  

Edited October 9, 2021 by Malc-Thai

[Bob20]

25 minutes ago, Malc-Thai said:

"He argues that now that 40% to 50% of the population of Thailand has been vaccinated, "

Just looking at covid vaccinations in Thailand, it says 49% had first dose and only 32% had second dose!

Why do they still think and say if you had a first vaccine yesterday you count as vaccinated!  

You know why

But even if they did the math correctly, they should be quoting a much lower percentage double vaccinated, as all the double jabbed Sinovac don't really count at all, especially in relation to Delta.

[Malc-Thai]

1 minute ago, Bob20 said:

You know why

But even if they did the math correctly, they should be quoting more like 10% double vaccinated, as all the double jabbed Sinovac don't really count at all, especially in relation to Delta.

Yes exactly!  Just so annoying that they use this as "evidence" that the country is vaccinated.!. 

[Bob20]

3 minutes ago, Malc-Thai said:

Yes exactly!  Just so annoying that they use this as "evidence" that the country is vaccinated.!. 

They've used every trick in the book to confuse the numbers already. Why change now?

BTW, I just saw that the "opening" date of 1 November has been made conditional on there being no significant clusters.

That takes CM off of the list, as a few square miles have been locked down in the city today because of 160 market workers testing positive this morning and they were still testing so that number will rise.