Promoting domestic tourism

[Gaybutton]

Thailand is trying to come up with holidays and festivals to do what can be done to promote domestic tourism, but while that is better than nothing, I don't see it helping much other than temporary quick fixes. I don't know how much good it really is doing or how much longer it will be of help.

I agree with the powers-that-be that as long as Covid-19 is a serious threat, the country can't risk just opening the borders to tourism and pretending everything is ok. I don't know how many tourists would come any time soon even of they could, especially since most are one or two week visitors and the quarantine requirement is still in place.

Still no sign of permitting international tourists to enter Thailand. Again I hope I'm wrong, but to me it appears it will be much longer than many expected before Thailand opens its borders to international tourism.

Because international tourists cannot go to Thailand, I am still trying to figure out the logic of Thailand's refusal to extend the visa amnesty and force so many foreigners to leave. So far I have been unsuccessful trying to understand the reasoning and it is still on my "I Don't Get It" list. I doubt all foreigners who cannot get an extension or a new visa will even be able to leave the country by the September 26 deadline. I wonder what is going to happen to them. Immigration officials have made it clear they do not intend to play games about it and the deadline has been well known long enough that there will be little or no sympathy for violators, no matter why they are still in Thailand after the 26th.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thai Cabinet officially announces two long weekends in November and December to encourage domestic travel and spur domestic economy

By Nop Meechukhun

22 September 2020

A Thai government committee has officially approved for two periods of long weekends in November and December this year at a scheduled Thai Cabinet meeting this afternoon, September 22, to encourage domestic travel and boost the national economy.

The first additional holidays are scheduled to be on November 19th and 20th, which will add the normal weekends of Saturday the 21st and Sunday the 22nd to be a four-day weekend.

The substitution holiday of Father’s Day of December 7 is also moved to the 11th to give people another four-days off from Thursday the 10th of December, which is Constitution Day, to Sunday the 13th.

The proposal of additional public holidays in November was introduced by the Deputy Prime Minister last Tuesday following the Prime Minister’s plan to set up other long holidays to spur the domestic economy since a number of domestic tourists had been traveling and potentially injecting tens of millions of baht during the previous Songkran substitute long holiday on September 4th to 7th.

Many tourist cities and places were bustling again, including Pattaya, during the four-day weekend substitution and are expected to benefit again with the two additional holidays.

https://thepattayanews.com/2020/09/22/t ... c-economy/
__________________________________________

Chonburi annual Buffalo Racing festival set to begin

By GoongNang(GN)

22 September 2020

The annual Chonburi Buffalo Racing Festival, the 149th Edition, will be held September 28 to October 4.

A press conference was held yesterday at the Mueang Chonburi Municipality building and was led by the Chonburi Vice Governor Thagoon Chawanaphong and the Chonburi Administrative Chief Officer Wittaya Khunpluem.

The Chonburi Buffalo Racing festival this year is going to be held for seven days from September 28 to October 4. The main buffalo racing activity is going to be on October 1.

Local activities and games will be held during the festival too. Homemade products and food will be sold.

The festival is aimed to conserve an over one hundred year old local and cultural tradition as well as to boost domestic tourism.

It is expected that many Thai tourists and resident foreigners will take part in the festival which is estimated to generate about at least 30 million baht for Chonburi.

However, participants should wear masks to follow COVID- 19 guidelines. The event is held at the Mueang Chonburi City Hall area.

https://thepattayanews.com/2020/09/22/c ... -to-begin/
_________________________________

Phuket seems to be suffering the most.
_________________________________


Phuket 'a patient in coma': governor

Tourism losses put at staggering B400bn

by Achadthaya Chuenniran

22 Sep 2020

Phuket's governor on Monday asked all stakeholders to help restore its economy as quickly as possible after figures show the province has lost more than 400 billion baht since the outbreak of Covid-19.

The resort island is suffering a severe crisis as the tourists it needs so much have been kept away by the travel ban introduced to control the pandemic, Narong Woonciew told a Public Health Association (PHA) forum.

Mr Narong said Phuket usually had 14 million tourists per year, 10 million of them foreigners, arriving on 300 flights each day. These had slumped to just 81 flights a day and tens of thousands of domestic visitors at an estimated annualised rate.

He added that 40,000 workers had lost their jobs and even those still in work had lost 20-90% of their income, while only 30% of all hotels were still open.

"Phuket is like a patient in a coma in ICU. So it is necessary for all stakeholders to help restore Phuket as quickly as possible,'' Mr Narong said.

He said the resort province was launching several packages to attract local and foreign tourists.

Next year, it might be still facing the same situation, so the government can help by organising seminars to draw large amounts of attendees to the province, he said.

"So far, the province has invited 15,000 village health volunteers in the South to travel and spend time in the province while today's seminar is bringing in 10,000 attendees and followers and will relieve some of the hardship," he said.

PHA president Prapat Thamwongsa said the forum "Step to New Normal In Primary Health Care" was a chance to share ideas in order to tackle future challenges and raise people's understanding of how to prevent the virus spreading.

Research presentations, competitions and award ceremonies have all been organised to cover all activities in the public health field, he said.

District and tambon public health clinics were also playing a key role in the promotion of quality health, disease prevention and application of first aid.

The government reported on Monday that the country had no new coronavirus cases and the total remained at 3,506, with 59 deaths.

The update was provided by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... a-governor
_____________________________________________________

‘Special Tourist Visa’ Can Launch October At Earliest: Ministry

By Khaosod English

September 21, 2020

A visa that would allow tourists to visit Thailand during the coronavirus pandemic worldwide may be up and running in October at the earliest, a spokesman for the tourism ministry said Monday.

Some tourism agencies already received a “large amount of requests” from various countries, Ministry of Tourism and Sport spokesman Narit Kanjanopas said of the visa.

“The soonest we can get it running is in October, I can’t say the exact date or which countries will be allowed in yet,” Narit said.

“As far as we know, many people want to come from many countries. It’s up to us to accommodate and work out the steps and process on our side.”

The plan for “Special Tourist Visa” was approved by the Cabinet last week. If implemented, it would allow foreigners from countries without local coronavirus outbreaks to visit Thailand for up to 270 days.

The catch is they must agree to a 14-day quarantine inside a hotel upon their arrival.

There is also a confusion about what other requirements would be involved. Department of Disease Control official Chakrarat Pittayawonganon was quoted as saying the visitors must also have a coronavirus test no more than 72 hours prior to travel, and they must present a record of not visiting crowded places before their departure.

Chakrarat did not say how the authorities would enforce the tourists’ self-isolation at their home countries.

But Narit said today the visa will not involve self-isolation prior to arrival in Thailand.

“They will not need to quarantine while over there, but they need a health certificate from there. Then, they will quarantine for 14 days here,” Narit said.

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/cri ... -ministry/