The Latest - restrictions, visas, entry requirements, etc.

[Gaybutton]

I'm with the restaurants (not for me personally. I'm not a drinker). I fail to see any logic or fairness in that Bangkok restaurants will be allowed to serve liquor, but not Pattaya. Why?

If there is a valid and logical explanation, it is escaping me. I've never understood the restaurant alcohol ban in the first place.
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Pattaya restaurateurs incensed, demand equal rights to sell alcohol

By Pattaya Mail

October 30, 2021

The President of the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association appealed to the government to be fair when making decisions regarding tourism opportunities after they announced that only Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi and Panga will be allowed serve alcohol in their restaurants as of Nov 1.

This decision was made at a meeting of the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), which was chaired by PM Prayut Chan-ocha.

Boonanan Pattanasin, president of the PBTA said that Pattaya should be put in the same zone as the other blue provinces as the COVID-19 figures in Pattaya are not higher than those in Bangkok. He stressed that most of the infections were in factories and other districts which are not near Pattaya and are not part of the ‘Pattaya Move On’ development projects.

Boonanan called on the government to reconsider and allow Pattaya restaurants to sell and serve alcohol in their restaurants just like the other four major tourism provinces.

He said that Pattaya has been preparing for this day for a very long time and all the safety precautions are in place. Pattaya is one of the top destinations in Thailand for Thai tourists and from around the world and is a major income earner for the country. “We should be given that consideration” he said.

“By not allowing us to sell alcohol as of Nov 1, we are losing our golden opportunity to get back on our feet and will lose the confidence of tourists who are planning to come here to spend their holidays” he said.

The PBTA president called upon the government to be fair and allow alcohol to be served in Pattaya restaurants as of Nov 1, just as he allowed the other four tourist destinations to do so.

https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... hol-377548

[Jun]

I'm with the restaurants (not for me personally. I'm not a drinker). I fail to see any logic or fairness in that Bangkok restaurants will be allowed to serve liquor, but not Pattaya. Why?

If there is a valid and logical explanation..

If I remember correctly, Chonburi also seemed to be treated more harshly than Bangkok with the Zone grades earlier in the year.

There was a period when Chonburi was reporting about 1 case every 2~3 days, whilst Bangkok clearly had a far higher infection rate per capita, yet they had more severe restrictions in Chonburi.

Now the situation is different. According to the CCSA video on 29 Oct, Bangkok has 802 new cases and Chonburi 382. We don't need a calculator to know that's a far higher per capita rate in Chonburi.
This might be a valid and logical explanation.

Admittedly, I think that's new cases on a single day, whereas a 7 day rolling average might be better.

[Bangkokian]

We in Bangkok are angry and incredulous at the BMA ruling but what must you in Pattaya be feeling?
I was wondering what the other new Blue zones have decided?

[Gaybutton]

Bangkok has 802 new cases and Chonburi 382. We don't need a calculator to know that's a far higher per capita rate in Chonburi.
This might be a valid and logical explanation.

I understand what you're saying, but what would serving alcohol in restaurants have to do with it?

I don't know if this is something new. I had not see this announced before. Bangkok restaurants can serve alcohol, but only up to 9:00pm.
See: https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40008207

I wonder if anyone is going to try to get away with bringing their own bottle of booze and pouring it themselves. That way, the restaurant is not serving you alcohol. I don't see anything in the rules that says you can't serve yourself. Tell that to the arresting officer . . .

And, of course, the other major news is the curfew has ended, although I don't know what difference it will really make with everything to be out late for is still closed.

[Gaybutton]

At the time of this post, Thailand's reopening begins midnight tonight. We'll soon see how many international flights start arriving in Thailand and how many tourists are on them. Passengers also include Thais returning home, not tourists only.
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Thailand open to 17 more countries Nov 1

31 October, 2021

The Foreign Ministry on Saturday announced Thailand is to admit visitors from 17 more countries without quarantine if they have been fully vaccinated and have evidence of pre-flight negative Covid-19 test results from Nov 1, increasing the number to 63.

The announcement was signed by Thani Thongphakdi, the ministry's permanent secretary.

On Oct 21, Thailand issued an announcement to allow fully vaccinated travelers from 46 low-risk countries and territories to enter the country without quarantine from Monday. That number has now increased to 63.

The 17 additional countries announced by the Foreign Ministry are: India, Taiwan, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Croatia, Indonesia, Kuwait, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Oman, Romania, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Luxembourg.

The 46 countries announced earlier comprise Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bhutan, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ries-nov-1

[Gaybutton]

Here is the latest for Pattaya:

One line in the article reminds that alcohol is verboten at "parks, reservoirs, bridges, or basically any public area."

Bridges? They have to specifically mention bridges? Maybe I'm missing something, but I'll be damned if I can remember seeing anyone drinking on bridges - ever . . .
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Chonburi Governor releases new Covid-19 orders: Alcohol ban at restaurants/nightlife stays

By Adam Judd

31 October, 2021

Here are the highlights of today’s orders from the Chonburi Governor announced around lunchtime today, Halloween, October 31st, 2021.

We are not going to detail every single point or business that was previously allowed to open but will focus on changes or differences.

All are effective tomorrow, November 1st. (Although the curfew, as previously announced, ended last night and is not in place tonight, Halloween.)

-Alcohol ban stays at restaurants, bars, nightlife, entertainment venues stay closed. However, they did say they are “preparing” rules and guidelines to allow these venues to open “in the future” without a specific date.

-Snooker, bowling, rollerskating venues, and pool halls can reopen.

-Arcades, game shops, can reopen. Amusement parks and water parks in malls however must remain closed.

-Most venues, including restaurants, gyms, etc, can open until 11:00 PM. Convenience stores, markets, supermarkets, can open 24 hours again if they choose. (The only 24 hour full scale supermarket I am aware of in Pattaya is the Foodland on Pattaya Klang. - GB)

-Bang Lamung District, Pattaya City, Sriracha District, Koh Sichang District and Sattahip District (only Na Chom Thian Subdistrict and Bang Saray Sub-district) are officially pilot tourism areas. However, as of this second (see first note) this doesn’t appear to have any immediate change other than “rules being reviewed” for entertainment venues, etc.

-Curfew is gone, as previously stated

-Groups/events of people over 200 are prohibited without approval from the Governor or Disease control committee. (All sorts of parties, assemblies, alcohol-related gatherings remain banned. They also mention hotels can hold gatherings of 500 at banquet halls, convention centers, etc with approval). No alcohol at any of these events is allowed.

-Text about requiring vaccine proof for spas, tattoo places, etc was removed.

-Eligible Government agencies remain working from home, asking private companies to work from home if possible.

-School buildings can be used if approved by the Chonburi Provincial Communicable Disease Committee (We previously announced any public school openings have been delayed, a few private schools are open/opening)

-For stadiums: For the use of venues or stadiums for sporting events, organizers must notify the Chonburi Communicable Disease Committee. Competitions can be held with spectators on the field not exceeding 25% of the indoor stadium’s capacity. If it is an outdoor sports competition competitions can be held with spectators on the field not exceeding 50 percent of the stadium’s capacity and must strictly follow the disease prevention measures prescribed by the government

-No specific mentions of bans on eating popcorn or drinks in movie theaters anymore, although does mention wearing masks required.

-Gave a long warning about not having alcohol at beaches and public areas and gatherings around alcohol at these places are forbidden. Also warned against alcohol at parks, reservoirs, bridges, or basically any public area.

-Tourist attractions and venues may not sell alcohol at all

The order concludes once again by stating that service venues and entertainment venues, pubs, lounges, nightclubs, bars, nightlife, etc. remain closed but will prepare for the relaxation of the opening of the business establishment according to the plan and the time frame that the government will announce under the conditions and supervision of officials.

For a recent article about what local business owners think about the ongoing alcohol ban, please see below:
https://thepattayanews.com/2021/10/31/p ... nt-venues/

https://thepattayanews.com/2021/10/31/c ... ife-stays/

[Gaybutton]

So far, so good. Not bad for the first day.
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Reopening begins in positive atmosphere

1 November, 2021

A positive atmosphere reigned on Monday as Thailand began welcoming vaccinated tourists arriving by air from 63 countries and all deemed at low-risk of Covid-19, without quarantine.

The first flight into Suvarnabhumi airport was All Nippon Airways flight NH 805 from Tokyo, with 11 foreigners and 32 Thai nationals on board. It was followed by Thai Airways International flight TG 931 from Paris at 6am.

The passengers went through stringent Covid-19 screening by airport staff wearing PPE suits, who also checked their travel documents and provided assistance as needed.

Suvarnabhumi airport general manager Kittipong Kittikachorn said a total of 61 flights were scheduled to arrive on Monday, most of them from Europe, with about 3,000 passengers - 2,300 of them foreigners and the rest Thai returnees.

Mr Kittipong said he was satisfied with the process, with the only problem being congestion at the screening stations where officials had to also check passengers' vaccination documents before allowing them to proceed.

Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said between Monday and Friday, flights operated by 27 airlines would arrive and depart from Suvarnabhumi airport with a total of 15,230 passengers.

Suvarnabhumi and Phuket airports were the gateways for tourists on the reopening day.

"We are very, very happy," Andre Winkler, 55, told AFP after he and his partner passed immigration at Suvarnabhumi.

"We stay in Thailand for six months every year during the winter because in Germany it's cold... The last time, before corona, we came to Thailand was 2019," he said. "It's been too long."

In Phuket, Edelweiss was the first airline to land, carrying 229 tourists from Zurich and touching down at 8am. Phuket opened for tourists under the sandbox scheme in July but they were the first group arriving under the reopening plan.

Susanne Peter, 57, said in Phuket she and her partner will stay on the island for a week before moving on to Bangkok and Hua Hin.

"We love the (Thai) people, they are really kind and really friendly," she told AFP, adding this was their first trip since the pandemic began.

The government spokesman said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who is attending the COP26 meeting at Glasgow in the United Kingdom, was closely monitoring the first day of the reopening of the country.

The prime minister asked everyone to be good hosts and strictly comply with health safety measures, to ensure the revival of the economy and tourism, the spokesman added.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... atmosphere

[Gaybutton]

Bad news for the tourist industry in Chiang Mai.
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Thailand reopening: There are no foreigners and no foreign flights at all - at least in the north

by Webfact

November 1, 2021

The chief of Thailand's northern hoteliers' association was forced to admit on Sunday that there were no foreign bookings at their hotels.

Today - Monday November 1st - was hailed as D-Day for Thailand's grand reopening as advertised by the government of Prayuth Chan-ocha and his optimistic tourism authorities.

But it looks like the dampest of damp squibs at least in terms of expectations in the north.

La-iat Bungsrithong told Thai PBS that there were 100 SHA and SHA+ hotels who had bought into the reopening plans in Chiang Mai.

But they had no foreign bookings.

Right now the city of Chiang Mai would have to make do with domestic tourists on government stimulus packages, she lamented.

News from the airport in the northern Thai capital was just as grim.

There was not a single foreign origin flight due today, tomorrow, the next day or the next.

They just hoped that Jeju Air would fly in from Incheon on Friday.

Other airlines have expressed an interest but they have made no firm commitments.

Again, domestic flights between 70-102 a day will have to take up the slack from the missing foreigners.

Earlier Prayuth attempted to woo nationals from an enlarged quota of 63 "safe" nations.

But so far - if the north is anything to go by - his goals of filling up Thailand with foreigners champing at the bit to visit the kingdom look to have been optimistic.

https://aseannow.com/topic/1237583-thai ... the-north/

[Jun]

La-iat Bungsrithong told Thai PBS that there were 100 SHA and SHA+ hotels who had bought into the reopening plans in Chiang Mai.

But they had no foreign bookings.

Right now the city of Chiang Mai would have to make do with domestic tourists on government stimulus packages, she lamented.

News from the airport in the northern Thai capital was just as grim.

There was not a single foreign origin flight due today, tomorrow, the next day or the next.

1 No direct foreign flights to Chiang Mai isn't exactly going to encourage tourists. Particularly when many have to make at least one change to get to Bangkok.

2 To book a one night quarantine hotel in Bangkok, all I have to do is open Agoda, do a search and select the quarantine filter. It gives me 19 ASQ hotels, all of whom are likely to be familiar with quarantine procedures. I pick one with good reviews & book. I can cancel at any time up to about 2 days before arrival, at no cost.
If I change the location to Chiang Mai, there are ZERO hotels on Agoda. So I would be into e-mailing them and asking questions about deposits etc, just like last year.
Starting in Bangkok is so much easier. The hotels in Chiang Mai might need to work a little harder to attract tourists.

[Gaybutton]

Things went wrong at the airport on opening day despite all the prior rehearsals? Why, what a surprise!
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Transport woes dim reopening

Operators seek easing of licensing

by Dusida Worrachaddejchai

November 2, 2021

Insufficient vehicles and more expensive transportation costs at the airport on the first day of reopening prompted tourism operators to urge further relaxation of transport permits.

Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, acting president of the Chon Buri Tourism Council, said only vehicles with yellow or green licence plates can pick up tourists at the airport, but the number of available vehicles is not enough to serve tourists, while the price is also higher than usual.

Under the Test & Go scheme, tourists can book the first night with hotels in Bangkok or go directly to nearby destinations like Pattaya to wait for their RT-PCR test results.

He said the flow of tourists will run more smoothly if general licence plates are granted permission to pick up tourists with drivers being registered with the Airports of Thailand during the first stage of reopening.

He said lifting capacity limits in vans from 3-4 to 8-10 passengers from the same flight will reduce transportation costs to Pattaya which are normally 2,000 baht per person, making the price more competitive with Bangkok which costs less than 500 per person.

Besides restricted licences, vehicles for travellers have to get SHA Plus standard.

He said tourism operators will discuss this issue with the Provincial Transport Office and the Provincial Office of Tourism and Sports to facilitate tourists.

Mr Thanet said 90% of bookings in the first week were Test & Go travellers who booked just one night as they already have apartments, families or workplaces in Chon Buri, while 10% are tourists looking for extended stays of more than one night in Pattaya.

He said as India is already included in the updated list for Test & Go, the Thai ambassador to India informed that commercial flights are estimated to start around mid-November, depending on the air travel policy of both countries.

The updated list including neighbouring countries like Laos and Myanmar, while the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia will open more opportunities, said Punlop Saejew, president of the Tourism Council of Chiang Mai.

"Besides travellers from South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan, our neighbours are potential markets for Chiang Mai," Mr Punlop said.

Meanwhile, Charintip Tiyaphorn, president of the Tourism Council of Krabi, said Krabi is now opening the whole province with the occupancy rate growing to 20% from 10% in October, but Krabi airport is not reopened as planned because its terminal expansion faced delay.

Story and photo: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/22 ... -reopening