PM says restrictions could be lifted next month amid signs of infection slowdown

[reader]

From Thai Enquirer

Bangkok releases list of venues and businesses allowed to reopen in October

he Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) on Thursday revealed a list of businesses and activities that will be allowed to reopen, and which ones will still be closed starting on October 1.

Bangkok is also set to reduce its curfew from the current 9 pm – 4 am to 10 pm – 4 am starting on October 1.  

The venues, businesses and activities that will be allowed to reopen in Bangkok include:

1. Schools (based on permission and regulations from related agencies)
2. Children daycares (based on permission and regulations from Bangkok’s Health Department)
3. Restaurants (closing time 9 pm, no alcohol sales, 50 per cent capacity limit for air-conditioned venues, 75 per cent capacity limit for outdoor venues and live bands will be allowed but no more than five musicians per band)
4. Convenience stores and markets (closing time 9 pm)
5. Libraries and museums (75 per cent capacity limit, no food and no drink)
6. Cinemas (closing time 9 pm, 50 per cent capacity limit, no food and no drink)
7. Beauty and nail parlors (closing time 9 pm and advance booking only)
8. Tattoo parlors (closing time 9 pm, advance booking and customers must be fully vaccinated or tested negative for Covid via ATK or RT-PCR test within 72 hours prior to service)
9. Thai massage parlors and spas (advance booking, customers must be fully vaccinated or tested negative for Covid within 72 hours prior to service and no more than two hours service per person)
10. Public parks, sports stadiums, open-air swimming pools or indoor swimming pools with proper airflow (closing time 9 pm)
11. Gyms (closing time 9 pm, no sauna)
12. Sports matches and competitions (based on permission and regulations from related agencies)
13. Malls (closing time 9 pm)
14. Productions of movies and television shows
15. Theaters (based on permission and regulations from Bangkok’s Health Department, closing time 9 pm)
16. Martial arts and dancing schools
17. Weight loss facilities
18. Amulets centers
19. Zoos
20. Venues that organize meeting rooms and ballrooms (only for traditional purposes such as weddings and no buffets)
21. Hotels (no seminar)

Venues, businesses and activities that will continue to be close include:

1. Pubs, bars and karaoke lounges
2. Bathing parlors
3. Sauna activities
4. Fun parks and water parks
5. Playgrounds and children’s play equipment  
6. Sit-and-play gaming shops, internet shops and gaming arcades
7. Exhibition halls and large meeting centers
8. All indoor sports venues (except for the ones with proper airflow)
9. Eldercare centers (except for overnight facilities)
10. Cock-fighting, bull-fighting and horse racing venues

The government is planning to reopen the capital to vaccinated tourists under the “Bangkok Sandbox” program on November 1.  

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2190251/man-held-for-allegedly-shooting-din-daeng-protester

[reader]

From Thai PBS World

Thailand’s new tourism promotional slogan for next year unveiled

The Thai government plans to promote tourism next year under the new slogan “Visit Thailand 2022, Now Even More Amazing Thailand Has It All”, together with investments as well as the setting up of a tourism promotional fund to transform Phuket into a world class destination.

The ambitious plan for Phuket and the tourism sector was approved during an online meeting today (Thursday) of the Centre for Economic Situation Administration, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

A tourism promotion fund, with the support of the private sector and civil society, will be set up, not just to promote tourism but also to effect changes in the tourism industry for sustainable growth, as well as reducing as much red tape as possible to promote tourism.

According to the NESDC, various lockdown restrictions have been eased to make travel easier, such as the shortening quarantine from 14 to 7 days, issuance of visa on arrival and the granting of permission for Russian passenger aircraft to land in Phuket.

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailands-new-tourism-promotional-slogan-for-next-year-unveiled/

[Londoner]

I suspect that it will have reservations about the return one type of tourist....us! However, our money talks so I do not despair.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, reader said:

A tourism promotion fund, with the support of the private sector and civil society, will be set up, not just to promote tourism but also to effect changes in the tourism industry for sustainable growth, as well as reducing as much red tape as possible to promote tourism.

Reducing red tape doesn't actually need any money, just the right sort of mentality.   Which is what is lacking.

e.g.

1  Return to visa free travel immediately, since visa status does not affect covid status

2 If foreigners from certain countries are considered reliable enough to get a 30 day visa exemption, in an era when there are too few travelers, extending that to 60~180 days costs nothing.

3 If they must have visas, make it like the Cambodia e-visa, where you apply on line and often get the visa by e-mail almost immediately.   Particularly for previous travelers, where Thai immigration has already has records of the passport, fingerprints and face pictures. The embassy does not need to handle my passport AGAIN, every time I need a visa.

4 Delete the COE.   If they must have covid testing before travel, ask the airlines to check and then check again at immigration.

5  Delete all this SHA hotel bullshit.    Concentrating customers into SHA hotels is probably higher risk than alowing them to spread out.

etc etc

OK, we might lose some money in visa fees here, but they can offset that by firing loads of people from their pointless immigration jobs & freeing them up to do something of use to society.   

And if they really must, increase taxes on air travel or something else to recover the lost visa income.   Probably after the travel industry has recovered.

 

[paulsf]

#3.   According to Thai Embassy in Washington, E Visa is now available.  

[Jez1980]

4 hours ago, paulsf said:

#3.   According to Thai Embassy in Washington, E Visa is now available.  

Evisa is available but COE is as well, the documents to secure both are lengthy. 

[reader]

From Bangkok Post

Sandbox now open to everyone

ully vaccinated travellers from “any country in the world” can now book holidays in Phuket and other provinces taking part in the sandbox scheme, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) says.

The change will allow previously excluded Indonesians and Malaysians, among many others, to travel to the southern resort island and some of its neighbours.

Before the pandemic, Malaysia was the country’s second biggest source of tourists, with more than 4 million arrivals or 10% of the global total in 2019.

The announcement by the TAT late Friday is part of an expanded push to revive tourism, after authorities halved the mandatory quarantine period to seven days for vaccinated travellers from abroad.

The agency said authorities would no longer follow a list of eligible countries — estimated to be around 80 — based on Covid transmission risk. “This means Thailand is now welcoming travellers from any country in the world to the Sandbox programme,” it said in a statement on its website.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2191359/sandbox-now-open-to-everyone

=============================

From Pattaya Mail

Decline of Covid-19 patients closes Bangkok field hospital

The country’s largest field hospital in Nonthaburi Province closed its doors on Thursday after a decline in new daily caseloads.

Busarakham treated 20,436 Covid-19 patients during its operation which started on May 14.

According to Dr Kiatiphum Wongrajit, permanent secretary for health, it took only seven days to set up “the country’s biggest and best field hospital.”

Dr. Kiatiphum said it opened with 1,000 beds with contributions from the government, as well as the private and civil sectors, and later expanded to 3,700 beds.

With intensive care and semi-intensive care units, the facility helped free up beds for critically ill patients at conventional hospitals.

[spoon]

1 hour ago, reader said:

The change will allow previously excluded Indonesians and Malaysians

While this is good news indeed, I'm still waiting for malaysia to allow us international travelling lol

[Guest]

I'm not paying attention here, but does Thailand still maintain the exceptionally dumb policy of sending everyone who fails a test to some form of hospital ?    

Which will inevitably discourage some people from getting tested.

 

[Will7272]

As an Aussie I’m planning to return to BKK in may next year. Hope entry and quarantine will be eased by then. Hoping the old bars like Nature boy and the muscle bar will be open. 

[Patanawet]

8 minutes ago, Will7272 said:

As an Aussie I’m planning to return to BKK in may next year. Hope entry and quarantine will be eased by then. Hoping the old bars like Nature boy and the muscle bar will be open. 

I think that before the first lockdown, Nature Boy combined with Golden Cock in the NB premises.

[Will7272]

Ok thanks. I’ll be excited to visit that place and Tawan. 
 

[Boy69]

23 hours ago, z909 said:

I'm not paying attention here, but does Thailand still maintain the exceptionally dumb policy of sending everyone who fails a test to some form of hospital ?    

Which will inevitably discourage some people from getting tested.

 

Yes this is exactly what happening at the moment,this is why I am not planning any trip to Thailand in the near future .

[vinapu]

9 hours ago, Will7272 said:

As an Aussie I’m planning to return to BKK in May next year. Hope entry and quarantine will be eased by then. Hoping the old bars like Nature boy and the muscle bar will be open. 

That's long time planning indeed

[anddy]

On 10/2/2021 at 2:58 PM, z909 said:

I'm not paying attention here, but does Thailand still maintain the exceptionally dumb policy of sending everyone who fails a test to some form of hospital ?    

Which will inevitably discourage some people from getting tested.

 

Yes, by and large they still do that. However, a while ago they introduced a "home isolation programme" in Bangkok, and Bangkok only, but not because they had enlightenment from their dumbness, but simply because they ran out of field hospital space and thus were forced to do it. With case loads now declining I don't know if they reverted back to the incarceration of ALL positive cases.

[reader]

From Bangkok Post

Hoteliers keep domestic focus for Q4

As Thailand remains on course to reopen more areas to vaccinated tourists, aiming to stimulate the national economy during the traditional high season, hoteliers are pinning their hopes on the restart of tourism, particularly in Bangkok.

The capital recently had its reopening plan pushed back to November from October.

Whether Thailand's reopening is an immediate economic success is dependent upon the model set for Bangkok, said Garth Simmons, chief executive at Accor for Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea.

The sooner Thailand can reopen to the world, the quicker the economy can be revived and people can resume their livelihoods as tourism is a lifeline for many people in the country, he said.

Impacts from the prolonged pandemic and the most recent wave have caused the unemployment rate in the tourism sector to reach 71%, or 3.05 million people in the third quarter this year, from a total of 4.3 million workers prior to the outbreak, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand.

Mr Simmons said even though properties in Bangkok have prepared for the arrival of international guests, Accor is focusing on the domestic market in the fourth quarter this year.

Michael Marshall, chief of commercial operations for Minor Hotels, said the company enhanced its facilities, job training and services for the guest experience, as well as offering promotional campaigns to attract key sources for the reopening.

The complicated certificate of entry (COE) process should also be relaxed, following the lead of other countries that have made similar adjustments, he said.

"Thailand will continue to compete with many destinations, so it is vital travellers are not deterred by complicated travel conditions," Mr Simmons said.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2193727/hoteliers-keep-domestic-focus-for-q4

[Guest]

On 10/2/2021 at 12:10 AM, Jez1980 said:

Evisa is available but COE is as well, the documents to secure both are lengthy. 

From 27-9-2021, visa applications in UK and Ireland are e-visas, so no need to trust Postman Pat with my passport.

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/how-to-apply-for-thailand-s-e-visa-stickerless?page=5d6636cd15e39c3bd00072dd&menu=5f4b6eb3f6ae4b236972c562

In typical Thai fashion, the headline summary on the e-visa page doesn't quite match the options that you get after logging in.

I'll wait a little while before applying & hope someone else will have established the difference between what they ask for when applying for a visa and what's actually needed to get the visa.

[gerefan]

The whole thing (the application form and the 44, YES 44, pages of instructions) is written in appalling Thenglish...

[reader]

Assuming that most readers of the forum easily spent more than the 82,576 baht target per trip to Thailand in the past, the TAT should be soliciting more gay travelers going forward to reach its income goal.

From The Thaiger / BP

TAT 80% revenue recovery plan: get travellers to spend double

While the Tourism Authority of Thailand admits the revenue figures for 2021 are grim and likely won’t improve monumentally in the final quarter, they still have a rosy outlook on the tourism market rebounding over the next few years. The TAT is estimating that by 2023 tourism revenue will have recovered to 80% of the huge numbers seen at its peak in 2019. They plan on making up revenue loss from fewer people coming by attracting wealthier travellers and getting tourists to spend more in Thailand.

In 2020, before Covid-19 fully took hold, 6.7 million travellers journeyed to Thailand. This year, that number is only about 100,000 according to TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn. But he predicts that as things begin to reopen more over the next few months, 2022 should see a recovery to about 50% of the tourism numbers Thailand saw in 2019, with another 30% improvement the following year.

The TAT’s plan to see revenue numbers jump so high seems to hinge on the idea of drawing more wealthy and high spending travellers to Thailand over the next few years.

The TAT acknowledges they don’t expect to see anywhere near the 40 million travellers seen in 2019, and has taken a traditional Thai approach towards recovery: double the amount that each tourist pays. They hope to increase from the 49,700 baht average per tourist in 2019 to get higher-spending travellers to spend an average of 82,576 baht per person now.

They say they will lean on sustainable and eco-friendly tourism that adds value for higher prices, but admit that their plan to attract only rich travellers will create great economic disparity and not benefit small and budget tourism businesses.

Domestic tourism has seen a 34% drop this year from figures in 2020, when 90.52 million domestic trips were taken. The predictions for all of 2021 are that about 60 million domestic trips will be taken. Covid-19 once again affected travel, particularly dampening the Songkran holiday that still occurred sporadically around the country but was not a massive travel holiday period it traditionally is.

https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/tourism/tat-80-revenue-recovery-plan-get-travellers-to-spend-double

===========================

Thai Lion Air adds more aircraft to fleet as Thailand plans further re-opening

Thai Lion Air is expanding its fleet as Thailand plans to re-open more parts of the country to international travel. The carrier’s chief executive, Aswin Yangkirativorn, says the expanded fleet, which includes 2 Airbus aircraft and 2 Boeing 737s, will serve international destinations. The airline has already taken delivery of the Airbus aircraft, with the Boeing delivery expected before the end of the year.

According to a Bangkok Post report, the carrier plans to focus on markets in Singapore, Taiwan, India, and Japan. Aswin says that while China would have been an important market for the airline prior to the pandemic, its citizens are not expected to resume international travel until mid-2022.

 

[Guest]

An interesting TAT strategy aspiration. 

Just because TAT wants tourists to spend double, I don't think all the HNW tourists who go to the Maldives (photo) are suddenly going to divert their private jets to Pattaya.

We don't always easily get what we want in life.   Some times it takes a good strategy, then a lot of effort and patience (years, decades).  Then after all that, when we deserve something, it might just happen.   Let's see how they get on.

I reckon it would be rather like Suzuki saying they want to double prices and be like Mercedes.   Not easy.

[As for sustainable tourism, the 12,000 mile round trip is a fail for a start].

[macaroni21]

Daydreaming!

Using Maldives as comparison, as z909 did, we can see how unrealistic this TAT strategy daydream is.

In 2019, Maldives had a grand total of 1.7 million tourists who spent an average of 4 nights in the country. Each visitor spent about USD1,862 per person for his/her holiday. (see https://www.worlddata.info/asia/maldives/tourism.php).

However, the average spend per tourist has been flat or declining for the last 5 - 6 years, pre-pandemic. In 2014, the Maldives got 1.2 million tourists spending an average of USD2,333 per person. 

This seems to suggest that Maldives had only been able to grow its tourism numbers by attracting lower-spending travellers. Other articles on the web described a national plan to promote smaller guesthouses. The island country might have discovered that there was a limit to how many high-spending tourists would be prepared to go there, despite Maldives long-established high-end reputation.

Yet Thailand imagines it can get about 32 million by 2023, each spending 82,000 baht (USD2,440). Are there even 32 million potential tourists anywhere in the world prepared to spend this kind of money on a Southeast Asian destination? (Don't compare with Italy or France -- these countries have far greater cultural pull than Thailand and people expect to pay developed country prices while there).

[Guest]

They probably do want more customers like us.

Actually, I think I spent more than the 49,000 baht "average" 2019 spend per tourist back on my very first trip in 2007(?), never mind 2019.

On one trip, I put such a thick wad of cash on the desk in Super Rich, the guy behind the counter was laughing. 

This is nothing compared with the largesse of certain members.

 

Then how the money is spent matters.   

e.g.

Low spending Chinese -not what TAT are after.

High spending Chinese.   Probably meet TAT needs, but if the spending is on imported luxury goods from Gucci, Louis Vuitton etc, which is where they often like to spend money, most of it leaves the Thai economy fairly quickly.

If the high spending Chinese guy offs a couple of lads from Toy Boys, there's slightly more chance of his money circulating in the Thai economy.

 

TAT aspirations/daydreams would benefit from being a separate topic.

 

 

 

[vaughn]

The free spending rich, private jet traveling tourist isn't going to land anywhere that their coke stash will put them away for life 😅

On a serious note, if TAT want the big spenders they should be focusing on upper-middle class. This group loves to spend and show off their disposable income. The super rich don't spend as much outside of their bubble as TAT might think.

[PeterRS]

13 hours ago, macaroni21 said:

Daydreaming!

Using Maldives as comparison, as z909 did, we can see how unrealistic this TAT strategy daydream is.

In 2019, Maldives had a grand total of 1.7 million tourists who spent an average of 4 nights in the country. Each visitor spent about USD1,862 per person for his/her holiday. (see https://www.worlddata.info/asia/maldives/tourism.php).

However, the average spend per tourist has been flat or declining for the last 5 - 6 years, pre-pandemic. In 2014, the Maldives got 1.2 million tourists spending an average of USD2,333 per person.

Having been to the Maldives (albeit a couple of decades ago), I also cannot see the parallel. In the Maldives there are no shopping malls where the rich can buy some of their designer clothes and accessories cheaper than in their home countries. The primary costs - and almost the only costs - for the rich visitors are the airline tickets and the many outrageously expensive hotels. Yes, booze, meals and solo boat and dive trips are also expensive but overall probably less than a night at many of the high end resort hotels.

Each of the Maldives tourist islands is a solo resort and so have a strangehold on costs. There are some cheaper islands but unless you are in a guesthouse in one of the few islands with locals, cheap is often at least 4,000 baht per night and more often nearer 10,000 baht and way up to 135,000 baht and more. I am sure Thai hotels would love to raise their rates to Maldives level, but there is far too much competition and there is no way that is going to happen.

[Londoner]

Yes, I suspect that it is still the same.  The super-rich often want complete privacy. They can do their shopping in NYC or London and Paris. Many probably never set foot inside a shop anyway.