Thais don't want foreign tourists yet - poll says

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Jun

Re: Thais don't want foreign tourists yet - poll says

Post by Jun »

Gaybutton wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2020 6:12 pm
Jun wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2020 4:57 pm once they have concluded that it's necessary to restart tourism, the government will need to start shaping public opinion by explaining the risks.
Do you really believe that has much of a chance of happening? Do you see anything to indicate it will? What you say makes sense, but when you consider Thai logic I think the reality is it is only wishful thinking. That is why I don't believe for a second it will happen that way.
Well, let's start from the other direction. Approximately 20% of the Thai economy was from tourism.
How long can Thailand withstand that situation ? What support are the people in that sector getting ? Sooner or later the economic difficulties will cause pressure. How do you anticipate the government will deal with it in 6~12 months time ?

I believe the economic issues will eventually lead to the return of tourists, probably within 6 months.
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Re: Thais don't want foreign tourists yet - poll says

Post by Gaybutton »

Jun wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2020 7:21 pm How do you anticipate the government will deal with it in 6~12 months time ?
I anticipate the government will continue doing exactly as they are doing now. I think much of it will depend on what the virus situation will be and what the political situation will be. If that poll accurately represents the way the Thais want it, and it is still that way 6-12 months from now, I don't see the government deciding against the wishes of over 90% of the people. I think if tourists are allowed back in, Thailand's government will be very selective about where they originate. The way I see it, I believe tourists from the USA and UK - even a year from now - out of the question. I just don't see Thailand opening up to tourists until there is a reliable vaccine.

Suppose the government does decide to let tourism flow in unimpeded. If that many Thai people don't want tourists coming in, how do you think they will be treated once they get here? I don't foresee them being welcomed with open arms. I wonder how many people will want to come to Thailand as tourists if they think once they get here they will be shunned. At the rate the virus is spreading in the USA, I'm wondering how many Americans will even still be alive to be tourists.

I hope you're right and I'm wrong. We'll see.
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Re: Thais don't want foreign tourists yet - poll says

Post by gerefan »

Gaybutton wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2020 7:45 pm I don't see the government deciding against the wishes of over 90% of the people.

I think if tourists are allowed back in, Thailand's government will be very selective about where they originate. The way I see it, I believe tourists from the USA and UK - even a year from now - out of the question.
But 90 % of the people probably don’t work in the tourist sector. No wonder they voted like that.

The rest, who do work in the industry, in Pattaya Phuket and the Islands etc., no doubt want the tourists to bask ASAP. Can you imagine these places after a few years without tourists? Be like Chernobyl! Domestic tourism doesn’t cut it either....How many respectable Thai people would be seen dead in Pattaya?!

I hope you are wrong about UK tourists. The situation is changing so fast that they are now no longer the worst affected country. The America’s now has that “ privilege”!
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Re: Thais don't want foreign tourists yet - poll says

Post by gera »

As I suggested in my previous post, elite card members will be allowed in. I presume with quarantine. In what I disagree with Gaybutton is that Thais will decide based on geography when it comes to opening tourism. Short of miraculous vaccine or cure mass tourism is out of question. Thais will allow in small groups of people whose virus status they can control (e.g. , through quarantine) and who are beneficial to the country. Small number of big ATMs is definitely welcome.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/ad ... allowed-in
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Re: Thais don't want foreign tourists yet - poll says

Post by gerefan »

As I said in a previous post there are 2149 holders of the elite card.

Category 5 of the people welcome, in the above link, refers to “Workers who have an Elite Card”. Note the careful wording. Not everyone with the card will be allowed in, only workers.

Whilst they go on about their survey saying 90% of the population are against opening tourism, what they don’t say is that the survey did not survey the whole population, only a very, very small proportion of it.

As for how “foreign visitors who co-organise trade exhibitions” and “foreign visitors in film production crews” are going to help the economy I have no idea!
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Re: Thais don't want foreign tourists yet - poll says

Post by gera »

gerefan wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2020 1:48 am Category 5 of the people welcome, in the above link, refers to “Workers who have an Elite Card”. Note the careful wording. Not everyone with the card will be allowed in, only workers.
Not sure why you distort the article from Bangkok Post. Exact wording is:
The relaxation will cover migrant workers in the construction business and food export industry, foreign visitors who organise trade exhibitions, foreign visitors in film production crews, and foreign travellers who are members of the Thailand Elite Card scheme, he said.

Travellers with elite card are not workers. Workers with elite card is oxymoron. As for number of elite card holders, yes it is small. But that is the whole point. They can control virus status only for small number of visitors. Judging from the reaction on small breach by Egyptian soldier both from the government and general public , you can forget about mass tourism in Thailand in the near future.
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Re: Thais don't want foreign tourists yet - poll says

Post by Gaybutton »

gerefan wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2020 1:19 am The rest, who do work in the industry, in Pattaya Phuket and the Islands etc., no doubt want the tourists to bask ASAP.
What makes you think they are not already getting tourists back? Thailand is now focusing and promoting domestic tourism - and it is working. The survey indicates it's foreign tourists they don't want. The tourism businesses still suffering the most from tourist losses are the ones catering primarily to foreign tourists. That accounts for why so many tourist businesses in places such as Pattaya are still in trouble.
____________________________________________________________

Over 3.6 million hotel rooms booked under tourism stimulus campaign

Jul 19, 2020

The number of hotel room bookings under the "Rao Pai Tiew Gun" (Let’s travel together) campaign has reached 3.6 million as of Sunday.

Traisuree Taisaranakul, the deputy government spokeswoman, said on Sunday that travellers are still booking hotels in the major tourism cities, most of them in the western and eastern regions. People mostly booked hotels near the seaside for mostly one-night stays. For long-period travel, people mostly booked hotels in the southern provinces, especially Krabi, for an average of two nights.

She added that the booking process that opened on Saturday was going well and people would start travelling from July 24 as the long holiday period would be from July 25-29.

The Rao Pai Tiew Gun campaign is one of the government's tourism stimulus measures, providing 40 per cent discount per night (but not exceeding five nights) to 5 million travellers.

The spokesman warned hotel operators to desist from cheating or inflating the room price. There are government agents scanning and comparing the prices. Any hotel found to be cheating will be disqualified immediately, the spokeswoman said.

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30391557
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Re: Thais don't want foreign tourists yet - poll says

Post by gerefan »

gera wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2020 2:15 am Not sure why you distort the article from Bangkok Post.
No distortion of the article in the Bangkok Post. I have used the exact wording from the blue coloured diagram attached to the article and it says Quote ...“ foreign workers who have an elite card”.

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Re: Thais don't want foreign tourists yet - poll says

Post by Gaybutton »

gerefan wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2020 3:35 am I have used the exact wording from the blue coloured diagram attached to the article and it says .....
It also says "expected to be allowed to enter". Nothing has been decided yet. We'll know soon enough.

I kinda-sorta agree with gera about workers with an elite card. I'm not sure what they mean by "workers", but if it means physical workers, I too would be wondering how many people in that category would be holding an elite card. Somehow I find it a little difficult to picture someone working on a road construction crew also holding an elite card.

Of course, the next question would be if foreign workers will be allowed to enter if they hold the elite card, then why can't anyone who holds the elite card also be allowed to enter provided they can produce the required documents and are willing to undergo quarantine?

There are still several aspects of who can and cannot enter Thailand and on what basis some of the decisions are made on my "I Don't Get It" list.
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Re: Thais don't want foreign tourists yet - poll says

Post by gera »

I an sorry but there is a clear quote from the CCSA spokesman which is worded exactly as I stated before. The diagram most probably has been produced in the Editorial office by some technician who has no idea about subject matter. There are no workers with elite card. In fact, visa attached to elite card is not working visa. It does not allow to perform any work in Thailand. Gaybutton is correct: it is a recommendation only but I have no doubt it will accepted. Now, of course, there still may be an option that elite card holders from certain countries with high level of covid infection still will not be allowed. But , if entrance is subject to mandatory quarantine, then most probably all will be allowed. I am hundred percent sure that I am correct. Sorry, but I will return to this topic later when my predictions materialize.
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