August travel bubble countries?

[RickG16]

Apologies in advance if there is a post already on this... I couldn't spot one.

 

Do we know if a) an August travel bubble is likely to include SETVs from the countries in it, b) which countries are likely to be in this travel bubble and c) in the cases of nationals from a country outside this travel bubble,  who have been living in the bubble for a number of months, will they be considered as part of the bubble and therefore allowed entry?

 

Cheers

[ubonjoe]

The travel bubbles have not been approved yet and there is no information about them available.

[BritTim]

I think August is probably too early to expect any travel bubbles. Once they exist, I would expect visas from those countries to be similar to their status before the pandemic. All guesswork, obviously.

[metisdead]

A conspiracy post has been removed. 

[Destiny1990]

I assume these people seriously talking about travel bubbles are living in a bubble themselves !

[Max69xl]

Travel bubbles is a terrible idea that some people in the government came up with. It's based in bilateral agreements between Thailand and other countries. Now when the numbers of infected people in several countries are spiking again, the travel bubble idea is even worse. 

[from the home of CC]

55 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

Travel bubbles is a terrible idea that some people in the government came up with. It's based in bilateral agreements between Thailand and other countries. Now when the numbers of infected people in several countries are spiking again, the travel bubble idea is even worse. 

all Thailand needs to do is monitor Europe, the story will be told within a few months..

[MRToMRT]

I think Thailand is just delaying (rightly) to see how others countries easing of lockdowns goes. Primarily Europe as I think America seriously blew it by going waaaay too early. 

 

The bubbles will come whether you want them or not. Even the UK's death numbers are now equal to that which they are on average every year, most European countries hit this target 2 weeks ago. The opening is now starting with a trickle (rightly) and the bubbles will be a next step. 

Whilst I have my own personal issues (I am locked to of Thailand and spending a fortune in the process) with how Thailand has handled parts of the whole Covid thing. I think their softly softly approach to reopening is actually a good one. 

 

 

[geisha]

Bubble or no bubble, the regular European tourist isn’t going to Thailand anyway this year. Maybe some are not fully aware of the economic downturn, it is catastrophic. We have wonderful beaches in EU from Greece to Spain , Portugal, France etc for tourists wanting a beach holiday  and at an hour or so flight/ drive or train. Lots of people have lost their jobs, others, still waiting to go back to work. An article about travel agencies this morning says business is picking up slowly , with nearly  a 100% of bookings being within the EU. Emirates have also announced the suspension of flights to Bangkok, which is a clear sign that they are not expecting to carry enough travelers for the time being.

[adammike]

47 minutes ago, geisha said:

Bubble or no bubble, the regular European tourist isn’t going to Thailand anyway this year. Maybe some are not fully aware of the economic downturn, it is catastrophic. We have wonderful beaches in EU from Greece to Spain , Portugal, France etc for tourists wanting a beach holiday  and at an hour or so flight/ drive or train. Lots of people have lost their jobs, others, still waiting to go back to work. An article about travel agencies this morning says business is picking up slowly , with nearly  a 100% of bookings being within the EU. Emirates have also announced the suspension of flights to Bangkok, which is a clear sign that they are not expecting to carry enough travelers for the time being.

Most of Thailand's visitors from the EU visit in the winter November to March,I normally spend February there,it gives me a break from the Netherlands winter we are known as snowbirds.Its cheaper for people from the Netherlands to go to Spain,Turkey,Greece,Portugal even France than holiday at home.The weathers bad at the moment so people will be desperate to get some sun.

[JackThompson]

59 minutes ago, geisha said:

Bubble or no bubble, the regular European tourist isn’t going to Thailand anyway this year. Maybe some are not fully aware of the economic downturn, it is catastrophic. We have wonderful beaches in EU from Greece to Spain , Portugal, France etc for tourists wanting a beach holiday  and at an hour or so flight/ drive or train. Lots of people have lost their jobs, others, still waiting to go back to work. An article about travel agencies this morning says business is picking up slowly , with nearly  a 100% of bookings being within the EU. Emirates have also announced the suspension of flights to Bangkok, which is a clear sign that they are not expecting to carry enough travelers for the time being.

The "have money" is one factor.  But, I would not expect airlines to be creating flights to countries with very restrictive entry policies, such that no one can board them.  As is, almost no one who wanted to come to Thailand can do so - so of course very few flights are scheduled.  And "travel agencies" will not have business, with minimal-offerings available to sell.

[MRToMRT]

3 hours ago, JackThompson said:

The "have money" is one factor.  But, I would not expect airlines to be creating flights to countries with very restrictive entry policies, such that no one can board them.  As is, almost no one who wanted to come to Thailand can do so - so of course very few flights are scheduled.  And "travel agencies" will not have business, with minimal-offerings available to sell.

 

I am of the opinion it will take off faster than some think. In UK with furlough and business grants 70% of majority's wages have been paid. British Travel agents are reporting a mass of bookings for European holidays and that may take off more when the "brit bubble list" is released this afternoon.

 

I think the airlines are still testing what's happening, I would expect emirates and all its competitors to move quite quickly once the legal landscape of flying to Thailand is more clear. Numbers will be down obviously but I think they will still be more than viable for many airlines to want to hold their share of.

 

Of course I may be wrong.

Edited July 1, 2020 by MRToMRT

[geisha]

Which ever way you look at it, it’s not sensible to be traveling long haul flights in the current situation. People are wary of booking flights that might not leave or be delayed. There’s been huge reporting of this happening, with mostly only date change promised and not reimbursement. The average tourist who stays 12/14 days usually buys a package tour. Are these tours on offer ? From what the agents say , it’s no. The amount of tourists that eventually get to Thailand will be a drop in the ocean of what is needed to help the economy .

[AgMech Cowboy]

On 6/30/2020 at 10:33 AM, RickG16 said:

Do we know if a) an August travel bubble is likely to include SETVs from the countries in it, b) which countries are likely to be in this travel bubble and c) in the cases of nationals from a country outside this travel bubble,  who have been living in the bubble for a number of months, will they be considered as part of the bubble and therefore allowed entry?

Let me look into my crystal ball.

On 7/1/2020 at 5:34 AM, BritTim said:

...All guesswork, obviously.

That's what mine said, too.

On 6/30/2020 at 10:55 AM, ubonjoe said:

The travel bubbles have not been approved yet and there is no information about them available.

The only answer that makes any sense.