News Forum - Tourism seeing signs of recovery after Covid-19 pandemic

[Stardust]

14 minutes ago, King Cotton said:

'TiT can sometimes amaze you' . . . too true, @Shark and the chicken/egg conundrum, too, with my wife, almost proudly, telling me earlier that the village hospital now has 5 vaccines (incl Sin, AZ and Pf) available for locals who want jabbing.

And this, with the country's double-vaxxed still only at 54.4% (yesterday), how are the PHM people going to persuade the remaining masses to get what the country needs them to get, both for their own and the greater good?

With numbers and whats really avaiable are 2 different things here. We experienced that a few times and asking why they anounced it and the people drive to there to here it is out of stock. What they expect or said is often not the reality and they not write on their homepages we are out of stock now dont come. 

[Stardust]

4 minutes ago, Malc-Thai said:

I'm pretty sure they count everyone that gets off of an international flight as a tourist.. makes the figures look good for tourism.

I presume it would be quite difficult to compile a true reason why everyone is arriving

Yes especially Bangkok and Chonbury with all the multinational companies, key industries and automotive industries. Bangkok , Chonbury/Pattaya you see the expats mosly connected to that but not tourists and they aware in Chonbury/Pattaya about it.

[Shark]

14 minutes ago, Stardust said:

I guess not here it is a minority , most not want a Chinese Vaccine in conversation with people especially with Thai people. Another problem is the chaos in the deliveries or complications with registratiins. If they would make walk ins for first and second shots the vaccinated number would much higher. Example they make rounds only second shots and when people come and ask when is the round of first shot none of the staff knows asking them to inform or registrate them they can not do it and say they should follow the facebook. Older people or people who said I am not in facebook what can I do they tell them they don't know. So there are other reasons and this people are not anti vaxxers. Walk ins for all is the answer also because many people live not near the the vaccination centers. 

but this is the thing the Chinese Vaccine is the only thing mainly available and if you don't take the Chinese one first you don't get an AZ booster (I'm now talking about Thai) or Pfizer as 2nd shot.

So in this regard if you look at Russia for example they don't give people choice it's only Sputnik and it has been argued that Spunik IV has the same coverage as Sinovac.

An MRNA friend of mine gave the advice that Sinovac is better then Sputnik IV (in forms of being transparent in the test process) and that it's a feasible choice for vaccine and he actually advised it too me, only thing he was against was Sinopharm as that's worse then Sputnik IV.

So, yes, you don't the vaccine you want but at-least life can return back to normal withholding on vaccination doesn't seem to help.

[JohninDublin]

19 minutes ago, King Cotton said:

'TiT can sometimes amaze you' . . . too true, @Shark and the chicken/egg conundrum, too, with my wife, almost proudly, telling me earlier that the village hospital now has 5 vaccines (incl Sin, AZ and Pf) available for locals who want jabbing.

And this, with the country's double-vaxxed still only at 54.4% (yesterday), how are the PHM people going to persuade the remaining masses to get what the country needs them to get, both for their own and the greater good?

I wouldn't be too gloomy about the vax rates in TH. A month ago, it was 55% part vaxxed, and now it's 65%. That's an uptake of 7 mill new people in a month. I suspect as the infection rates continue to fall, the hesitant will become less so. 

At the current rate of vaxxing, TH is expected to reach 70% fully vaxxed by Dec 7th.

https://covidvax.live/en/location/tha

[JohninDublin]

14 minutes ago, Malc-Thai said:

I'm pretty sure they count everyone that gets off of an international flight as a tourist.. makes the figures look good for tourism.

I presume it would be quite difficult to compile a true reason why everyone is arriving

Makes sense to me. The best indicator of whether the numbers are picking up, is the total arrivals at airports. Eventually, the pool of returnees must diminish. I also wonder why people nit-pick about returnees. do they not also add to the economy?

[Shark]

28 minutes ago, King Cotton said:

'TiT can sometimes amaze you' . . . too true, @Shark and the chicken/egg conundrum, too, with my wife, almost proudly, telling me earlier that the village hospital now has 5 vaccines (incl Sin, AZ, Pf, but not Mod) available for locals who want jabbing.

And this, with the country's double-vaxxed still only at 54.4% (yesterday), how are the PHM people going to persuade the remaining masses to get what the country needs them to get, both for their own and the greater good?

I'm happy for the village, Really I am! Chances are that still nobody wants a jab. This is the problem.

I seriously don't have a clue on how to motivate people, perhaps the same like Russia give people money 500-1000B to get vaccinated? Same form of what they did in Russia (500 Russian Ruble).

Really @King CottonI'm worried about Thailand in the bigger form. It might sound to some like I'm worried about myself but I'm not. I'm worried about the people especially in the villages out there whom appear to be afraid of needles or whatever.

[JohninDublin]

1 minute ago, Shark said:

I'm happy for the village, Really I am! Chances are that still nobody wants a jab. This is the problem.

I seriously don't have a clue on how to motivate people, perhaps the same like Russia give people money 500-1000B to get vaccinated? Same form of what they did in Russia (500 Russian Ruble).

Really @King CottonI'm worried about Thailand in the bigger form. It might sound to some like I'm worried about myself but I'm not. I'm worried about the people especially in the villages out there whom appear to be afraid of needles or whatever.

Speaking of Russia, I heard a report on the radio that vax hesitancy was on the increase there. Apparently the Russians went on a propaganda campaign against foreign vaxxes in order to increase the uptake of the domestic Sputnik vax. This has led to some Russians mistrusting all vaxxes and a downturn in vaxxing.

https://euobserver.com/tickers/153314

[Shark]

3 minutes ago, JohninDubin said:

Speaking of Russia, I heard a report on the radio that vax hesitancy was on the increase there. Apparently the Russians went on a propaganda campaign against foreign vaxxes in order to increase the uptake of the domestic Sputnik vax. This has led to some Russians mistrusting all vaxxes and a downturn in vaxxing.

https://euobserver.com/tickers/153314

I know, my wife is Russian and returning to Russia for some family time soon.
They don't even recognize her given vaccines there. If she wants a non family life and outdoors life there she would need to vaccinate herself with Sputnik as well.

Edited November 21, 2021 by Shark
edit

[King Cotton]

14 minutes ago, Shark said:

I'm happy for the village, Really I am! Chances are that still nobody wants a jab. This is the problem.

I seriously don't have a clue on how to motivate people, perhaps the same like Russia give people money 500-1000B to get vaccinated? Same form of what they did in Russia (500 Russian Ruble).

Really @King CottonI'm worried about Thailand in the bigger form. It might sound to some like I'm worried about myself but I'm not. I'm worried about the people especially in the villages out there whom appear to be afraid of needles or whatever.

'I'm worried about Thailand in the bigger form' . . . yes, you and me both, @Shark. These lovely, quite amazingly happy people sometimes appear to need a rocket up their rears. There's no way I'd dare tell my wife that though . . . it would result in an ex-KC. She and her old school chums are so proud of their village and the wider Isan culture that they cherish.

Yep, maybe it would come down to a pay-per-jab approach. But, as you said earlier, TiT, like it or lump it . . . or both.

[Shark]

2 minutes ago, King Cotton said:

'I'm worried about Thailand in the bigger form' . . . yes, you and me both. These lovely, quite amazingly happy people sometimes appear to need a rocket up their rears. There's no way I'd dare tell my wife that though . . . it would result in an ex-KC. She and her old school chums are so proud of their village and the wider Isan culture that they cherish.

Yep, @Shark , maybe it would come down to a pay-per-jab approach. But, as you said earlier, TiT . . . like it or lump it.

That's at least something we share. For next year a trip to the sticks is what I'm considering to-do as in visit the less touristy places and be a happy person myself enjoying the beautiful scenery. But chances are still that these people will be scared shitless to see a foreigner.... 'a dirty farang' because this is the only thing that kept in their mind from the message sent that day. Such a pitty. However happy people is good but keeping them happy is also important and a humanitarian goal would be keeping beds empty. What they also tend to forget is, the moment somebody gets really sick isn't the moment we jab someone. So now, you can have good vaccines and not use them.... which is a pity but whom are we too judge - we simply can't, we won't, so the stimulus needs to come from the gov't - How I don't know.

[King Cotton]

3 hours ago, ace035 said:

That's why they will have a meeting with PM on Friday November 26 

So soon? . . . but  TiT!

[Mallo]

Well Phuket is already back to normal. At least close to it.

Banglar road is full and they are opening more by the day. Prices for the nightlife hit an all time high and keep rising.

GoGo Bars are open and the lockdown at 23:00 for bars is not imposed some times. The police is bribed and you dont have to wear a mask. 
 

Watching whats happening in Banglar it can impossibly stay open without catastrophic corona cases. 
 

I can not recommend visiting thailand at all anymore. It became FAR to expensive.

[Soidog]

44 minutes ago, Malc-Thai said:

I presume it would be quite difficult to compile a true reason why everyone is arriving

In not sure it would. If you count everyone with a foreign passport that either enters visa exempt or on a tourist visa, then that would get you fairly close to true tourist numbers. There will be exceptions but it would be far more accurate a picture of genuine tourists ? 

[Malc-Thai]

28 minutes ago, JohninDubin said:

Makes sense to me. The best indicator of whether the numbers are picking up, is the total arrivals at airports. Eventually, the pool of returnees must diminish. I also wonder why people nit-pick about returnees. do they not also add to the economy?

That's fine if you just want an indication as numbers. And yes everyone here contributes to the economy and did before they left here from covid..

my thoughts then just call them arrivals not tourists.. rat a tat TAT just want to call everyone tourists to presumably look good..

as my first post said it would be difficult to give an accurate breakdown.. 

[King Cotton]

14 minutes ago, Mallo said:

Well Phuket is already back to normal. At least close to it.

Banglar road is full and they are opening more by the day. Prices for the nightlife hit an all time high and keep rising.

GoGo Bars are open and the lockdown at 23:00 for bars is not imposed some times. The police is bribed and you dont have to wear a mask. 
 

Watching whats happening in Banglar it can impossibly stay open without catastrophic corona cases. 
 

I can not recommend visiting thailand at all anymore. It became FAR to expensive.

Hi, @Malloand welcome to the forum. You've joined a busy debate, no matter re your current view of a TH visit . . . things can and probably will mend!

[Malc-Thai]

16 minutes ago, Soidog said:

In not sure it would. If you count everyone with a foreign passport that either enters visa exempt or on a tourist visa, then that would get you fairly close to true tourist numbers. There will be exceptions but it would be far more accurate a picture of genuine tourists ? 

It would work but you know how it goes here with paperwork ..one person to fill the foreign passport form in, then stamp and sign it then pass it on to the next person to Wright it in a book to cross check etc etc just easier to say arrivals

[Shark]

16 minutes ago, Mallo said:

Well Phuket is already back to normal. At least close to it.

Banglar road is full and they are opening more by the day. Prices for the nightlife hit an all time high and keep rising.

GoGo Bars are open and the lockdown at 23:00 for bars is not imposed some times. The police is bribed and you dont have to wear a mask. 
 

Watching whats happening in Banglar it can impossibly stay open without catastrophic corona cases. 
 

I can not recommend visiting thailand at all anymore. It became FAR to expensive.

Welcome Mallo,

Phuket is back to normal - To what are you comparing it?
Bangla Road is just a part of Phuket. I however understand why they are doing it.
That the police is bribed doesn't mean you don't have to wear a mask, you wear it for your own protection but I guess kissing a GoGo lady(boy) is a bit hard that way hence the flexibility.

I know bars in Phuket which would go out of business if another lockdown was apposed again. These bars are nowhere near Bangla not even in Patong.

People try to compensate the lost revenue and need to pay rent up-front normally hence the prices for beers wouldn't be the same.

[Mallo]

15 minutes ago, King Cotton said:

Hi, @Malloand welcome to the forum. You've joined a busy debate, no matter re your current view of a TH visit . . . things can and probably will mend!

Thanks!
But idk if the will mend, and mend to what? At the moment its just getting worse and I am 100% sure they will close again soon.

[Soidog]

4 minutes ago, Malc-Thai said:

It would work but you know how it goes here with paperwork ..one person to fill the foreign passport form in, then stamp and sign it then pass it on to the next person to Wright it in a book to cross check etc etc just easier to say arrivals

Yes I’m sure it would be lots of paperwork if they wanted it to be. However, I always assumed that when you present your passport at immigration and they check and stamp your passport, they always type something in to the system. Surely one piece of data is the visa you arrived on?  Running a report from the immigration system to filter visa exempt and tourist visa arrivals should be easy to do?
 

I think the reason they don’t do it is for the reasons we all know. It would only reduce the tourist numbers and that’s not the picture they want to present. 

[Mallo]

2 minutes ago, Shark said:

Welcome Mallo,

Phuket is back to normal - To what are you comparing it?
Bangla Road is just a part of Phuket. I however understand why they are doing it.
That the police is bribed doesn't mean you don't have to wear a mask, you wear it for your own protection but I guess kissing a GoGo lady(boy) is a bit hard that way hence the flexibility.

I know bars in Phuket which would go out of business if another lockdown was apposed again. These bars are nowhere near Bangla not even in Patong.

People try to compensate the lost revenue and need to pay rent up-front normally hence the prices for beers wouldn't be the same.

Well im talking exclusively about Patong Beach. I stayed here for 1 Week now and I see everything reopening every day. Banglar road is full to the brink. 
And ye you can wear a mask, but no one really cares. Its rly only for yourself, but if u wanna protect yourself you shouldnt go there at all.

So i talked to many local Thais here i knew from 2018, they got money from the government and food from some locals. 
Also Lady prices have risen to 4000 Baht for shorttime

[Shark]

34 minutes ago, Mallo said:

So i talked to many local Thais here i knew from 2018, they got money from the government and food from some locals. 
Also Lady prices have risen to 4000 Baht for shorttime

gov money doesn't make you rich and food from (foreigner) locals doesn't either.
No work for longtime. 8 months of mai mee tang just counting since april Songkran.

I don't know what the price before was, Like told already elsewhere I still the "I'll  you for free" not that I'm interested in that.

Edited November 21, 2021 by Smithydog
Disguised expletive removed.

[Rookiescot]

45 minutes ago, Mallo said:

Well im talking exclusively about Patong Beach. I stayed here for 1 Week now and I see everything reopening every day. Banglar road is full to the brink. 
And ye you can wear a mask, but no one really cares. Its rly only for yourself, but if u wanna protect yourself you shouldnt go there at all.

So i talked to many local Thais here i knew from 2018, they got money from the government and food from some locals. 
Also Lady prices have risen to 4000 Baht for shorttime

4000 baht for a short time?

You must be mad.

 

[dimitri]

1 hour ago, Mallo said:

Well im talking exclusively about Patong Beach. I stayed here for 1 Week now and I see everything reopening every day. Banglar road is full to the brink. 

 

I came back from Phuket 2 weeks ago, stayed there for 2 1/2 weeks after coming back from my home country.

Yes, there were foreigners. But none of them were real tourists. Everybody I talked to had an urgent reason to go (back) to Thailand. Family, work...  Instead of staying in a BKK hotel they travelled to Phuket first. Like I did too. For tourists all the rules are still too expensive, complicated and confusing. 

 

Edited November 21, 2021 by dimitri

[JohninDublin]

1 hour ago, Malc-Thai said:

That's fine if you just want an indication as numbers. And yes everyone here contributes to the economy and did before they left here from covid..

my thoughts then just call them arrivals not tourists.. rat a tat TAT just want to call everyone tourists to presumably look good..

as my first post said it would be difficult to give an accurate breakdown.. 

I agree that it would be difficult to give a more accurate breakdown. But for the nit-pickers, the question I have is has TH ever properly counted tourists as temporary visitors only, or were they counted as part of the "all foreign visitors" group. 

[Rookiescot]

3 minutes ago, JohninDubin said:

I agree that it would be difficult to give a more accurate breakdown. But for the nit-pickers, the question I have is has TH ever properly counted tourists as temporary visitors only, or were they counted as part of the "all foreign visitors" group. 

I guess it depends on which government dept you ask.

If its TaT then even transient passengers waiting for an onward flight will be counted as tourists.