Traveling to Thailand - Mission Impossible

[Gaybutton]

It's saying that it does not expect international air travel to resume until 2023 and maybe not until 2025.

I hope they are wrong about that and you will be able to make that trip this year. I'm guessing they might mean regularly scheduled flights as before Covid rather than no flights at all. Whatever the airlines do, I would think it is going to depend on whether they are making money or losing money.

If that is the way it is going to be, and if Thailand wants high foreign tourist numbers again, but airlines that had always had service to Thailand won't provide that service, then they better talk to Thai Airways about scheduling flights to get people here and home - whether they are making money on those flights or not.

Then again, until 2023 or 2025, there might not be all that much going on in Pattaya for people to come to - assuming the bar scene even survives. I just wonder how many gay farang are going to plan expensive trips to Thailand, under Covid prevention rules, to go to the few go-go bars and the beer bars that are currently open.

I've been saying the same thing for years, and so far before Covid and also now, it's been falling on deaf ears. If the bars want to survive and get good customer numbers, they need to provide incentives to attract customers. At the moment, I am not impressed.

[Gaybutton]

Another blow. Thai Airways is laying off 395 pilots as part of their plan to help the airline survive. Obviously that means fewer flights. The article does not say whether that will affect international flights, but if it does, then that will make it even more difficult getting to and from Thailand, along with fewer available domestic flights. The fact they are grounding mainly jumbo jets does not bode well for international flights.

If by any chance you have booked a flight on Thai Airways, you might want to find out if your flight is affected.
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THAI grounds aircraft, lays off 395 pilots as part of rehab plan

Feb 8, 2021

Thai Airways (THAI) has decided to ground three kind of aircraft in its fleet, namely Airbus A-330-300, Airbus 380 and Boeing 747, as part of its rehabilitation plan.

The national carrier explained that this decision was made based on the current and expected situation of the airline industry, which has been hit hard by the Covid-19 outbreak.

The airline also plans to bring the number of pilots in its workforce down to 905, and to achieve this it is considering laying off 395 pilots. Thai Airways said it does not plan to hire more pilots between 2021 and 2022.

The airline has also called on aircraft lessors, engine manufacturers and service companies to reduce their charges.

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30402388