Thai bank gives thumbs up to STV plan - "wealthy" tourists with high spending power best place to start

[webfact]

Thai bank gives thumbs up to STV plan - "wealthy" tourists with high spending power best place to start

 

File photo for reference only
 

RYT9 reported that Thai bank Kasikorn's research arm was the latest group to come out in favor of the Special Tourist Visa plan. 

 

Though many details are still to be ironed out the plan is to accept about 1000 to 1,200 tourists a month for an initial 90 day stay that can be extended up to 270 days. 

 

The cost is a mere 2,000 baht but the Thai cabinet in approving the plan on Tuesday, hope it will attract tourists who are loaded with cash.

 

Kasikorn said it was right to target wealthy tourists with high spending power.

 

Though numbers are limited they assessed that opening up foreign tourism in this way will stimulate the tourism sector.

 

They noted that in the first seven months of the year the lack of foreign tourists had caused 787 billion baht to be lost. 

 

Thaivisa notes that many doubts remain about the STV scheme that has been widely ridiculed online and panned for not including groups like retirees and people with loved ones in the kingdom who are desperate to return.  

 

Where will the tourists come from? Can they really spend up to a million baht each a month as has been suggested? are two questions.

 

But perhaps a third is much more relevant - is anybody going to come at all given all the hoops and hurdles?

 

Source: RYT9

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-09-17

 

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[RotBenz8888]

15 minutes ago, webfact said:

Where will the tourists come from? Can they really spend up to a million baht each a month as has been suggested?

Next thing, "tourists" have to deposit millions of baht to get approval. 

[madmen]

One big upside is condo owners are already approved. Downside is for poms and yanks won't be able to come regardless 

[Donga]

Wealthy tourists with high spending power are very unlikely to stay three months in Thailand. But I suppose it is a timid start. However, to have an impact on the millions unemployed, Thailand needs to ramp up seriously and soon. 

What better way than going back to safe countries, bubble approach? There are already many countries in the region, including big markets like Japan, Australia and South Korea where the chances of someone boarding a plane with Covid would be 1 in 10,000.. even before you apply tests 3 days out and upon arrival.

With existing distancing and face masks, the chances would be around one in a million. So bring them in tested from "safe" countries, have them wear masks, isolate for a week perhaps. If one or two beat those odds and slip the net, the chances of an outbreak are minuscule, e.g. the Egyptians earlier and recent DJ.

Sooner or later other countries in the region will see this and let's hope Thailand is an early adopter.

Edited September 17, 2020 by Donga

[metisdead]

A troll post and a reply has been removed. 

[Phuketshrew]

39 minutes ago, webfact said:

Though many details are still to be ironed out the plan is to accept about 1000 to 1,200 tourists a month for an initial 90 day stay that can be extended up to 270 days.

Delusional. They make it sound like there is a long waiting list of wealthy tourists chomping at the bit to come to Thailand to stay for 3 months and be relieved of their cash.

[vivananahuahin]

The virus don't make any difference between poor wealthy and rich wealthy , it is an illusion again and they wear some pink sunglasses, i can understand the situation is very complicated and 2021 will be more difficult, and up this there is the strong baht with a failing Thai economy.,please explain me this.

[rasmus5150]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

But perhaps a third is much more relevant - is anybody going to come at all given all the hoops and hurdles?

 

[geriatrickid]

26 minutes ago, vivananahuahin said:

The virus don't make any difference between poor wealthy and rich wealthy , it is an illusion again and they wear some pink sunglasses, i can understand the situation is very complicated and 2021 will be more difficult, and up this there is the strong baht with a failing Thai economy.,please explain me this.

 

Actually it does. Survival outcomes are better for the wealthy. It is the same  outcome as what we see with other critical care diseases;

- Wealth is a determining factor in  general health characteristics such as nutrition, and care of chronic disease. Wealthy people will have their diabetes under control, but poor people often do not. Same for blood pressure etc.

- The  wealthy are less likely to be exposed to crowded  poorly ventilated living conditions and they will have access to clean water for proper sanitation.

 

The poor are most likely to be in situations where they are exposed. it is the poor person who drives the bus or who works at 7-11.

it is the poor person who has to work as the cleaner.

 

True, being rich won't protect you or save you from Covid19, but it makes one chances to avoid the disease better.

As in other aspects of life, it sucks to be poor.

 

 

[steven100]

I serious doubt wealthy tourists are going to come just because of a 90 days extendable visa.

When I go on holidays to visit a country I select things about the country I would like to see and also what it has to offer ....   the last thing I do is see what visa I will require. 

So they only accept 1200 / month    .....   and  ??    what   ???  

as mentioned,  a pre-requisite will be a guarantee that 1 million baht must be spent.     

[pantsonfire]

and i thought drugs are banned in thailand

[androokery]

1 hour ago, Donga said:

Wealthy tourists with high spending power are very unlikely to stay three months in Thailand. But I suppose it is a timid start. However, to have an impact on the millions unemployed, Thailand needs to ramp up seriously and soon. 

What better way than going back to safe countries, bubble approach? There are already many countries in the region, including big markets like Japan, Australia and South Korea where the chances of someone boarding a plane with Covid would be 1 in 10,000.. even before you apply tests 3 days out and upon arrival.

With existing distancing and face masks, the chances would be around one in a million. So bring them in tested from "safe" countries, have them wear masks, isolate for a week perhaps. If one or two beat those odds and slip the net, the chances of an outbreak are minuscule, e.g. the Egyptians earlier and recent DJ.

Sooner or later other countries in the region will see this and let's hope Thailand is an early adopter.

I'm regularly trying to "game this out", trying to see what a realistic compromise between the needed volumes of visitors and the safety measures could be. And I always get stuck on the isolation part, the quarantine. If you want to maintain control you will never get the volume of tourists you need. There are bottlenecks both at the embassies and at the ASQ hotels.

You need a system where visitors are incentivised to self-quarantine for a period, a system where you get checked in and out with appropriate testing, a system where you are penalised for breaking the rules. It doesn't sound like fun and it does sound like the perfect opportunity for police and other locals to capitalise on your vulnerability as a visitor. And people will of course slip through the cracks. Some of them.  

[RichardColeman]

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

They noted that in the first seven months of the year the lack of foreign tourists had caused 787 billion baht to be lost. 

Or about 1.5 trillion baht !! Over a year. That means to make up the tourist lost money, each of the monthly 1200 'tourists' need to spend 104,000,000 baht - good luck with that one

[86Tiger]

3 minutes ago, androokery said:

I'm regularly trying to "game this out", trying to see what a realistic compromise between the needed volumes of visitors and the safety measures could be. And I always get stuck on the isolation part, the quarantine. If you want to maintain control you will never get the volume of tourists you need. There are bottlenecks both at the embassies and at the ASQ hotels.

You need a system where visitors are incentivised to self-quarantine for a period, a system where you get checked in and out with appropriate testing, a system where you are penalised for breaking the rules. It doesn't sound like fun and it does sound like the perfect opportunity for police and other locals to capitalise on your vulnerability as a visitor. And people will of course slip through the cracks. Some of them.  

Let's face it, Thailand is not a jewel on the mountain every soul across the world aspires to visit.  As matter of fact, there is nothing really unique offered, nothing not available at dozens if not hundreds of other locations all over the world.  And Bangkok is a dirty, loud, crowded, stinking city.

 

The draw has always been and always will be easy to get to and relatively cheap.  Impose up front costs, bureaucratic nonsense to acquire visas/permission to travel, a forced quarantine and Thailand as a tourist destination is finished.  The entire world will get the message pretty darn qwik and another easy to get to, cheap destination will be bursting at the seams with new tourists that used to go to Thailand.

[treetops]

2 hours ago, madmen said:

One big upside is condo owners are already approved.

That's news to me - when did that happen?

[Thaidude]

Thailand was never about attracting wealthy tourists. Its all about mass tourism which the country was banking on earlier and now they are probably in denial mode where they think ignoring the average middle class from travelling to their might country will bring them back. 

[DrTuner]

Meanwhile in Maldives .. no quarantine, enjoy your holiday. 

 

Wealthy doesn't mean stupid.

[Pattaya46]

44 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

Meanwhile in Maldives .. no quarantine, enjoy your holiday. 

Wealthy doesn't mean stupid.

Really?

 

" Warning – Level 3, COVID-19 risk in Maldives is high.

" CDC recommends travelers avoid all nonessential international travel to Maldives.

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/warning/coronavirus-maldives

 

" Maldives - COVID-19 travel guidance

" The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office currently advises British nationals against all but essential international travel.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/maldives/coronavirus

Edited September 17, 2020 by Pattaya46

[topt]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Can they really spend up to a million baht each a month as has been suggested?

 

3 hours ago, steven100 said:

as mentioned,  a pre-requisite will be a guarantee that 1 million baht must be spent.

Where did this come from as not noticed before in previous articles?

Edited September 17, 2020 by topt
OK - just seen the article that mentions it

[DrTuner]

45 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

Really?

 

" Warning – Level 3, COVID-19 risk in Maldives is high.

" CDC recommends travelers avoid all nonessential international travel to Maldives.

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/warning/coronavirus-maldives

 

" Maldives - COVID-19 travel guidance

" The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office currently advises British nationals against all but essential international travel.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/maldives/coronavirus

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/maldives-reopening-july/index.html

 

Quote

The Maldives is reopening to all visitors next month with no restrictions.
A spokesperson for the tourism board has confirmed the Indian Ocean destination will welcome back tourists of all nationalities in July.
While a previous draft proposal indicated travelers would need to present a medical certificate confirming proof of a negative Covid-19 test, the island nation is instead opting to allow tourists in without prior testing or a mandatory quarantine period.
There are also no new visa requirements or additional fees.

 

[Pattaya46]

5 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/maldives-reopening-july/index.html

You use an old article from July, while the Warning pages are from August...

[DrTuner]

5 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

You use an old article from July, while the Warning pages are from August...

Here's Maldives government themselves:

https://covid19.health.gov.mv/new-normal-measures-for-visiting-the-maldives/?c=0

 

Yours were from UK and US.

Edited September 17, 2020 by DrTuner

[Grumpy John]

I am guessing here but among the  well healed Aussie's I know none would be happy about being told they have to spend a million baht during their stay.  I am thinking their response would be "Thailand can f#&k right off,  we will be going to...."  Add a country name.   My son ands his friends came up until 2 years ago but decided Vietnam was a better option.  When I told him about the quarantine, the insurance scam,  the virus free letter he just laughed. That is 15 to 20 people Vietnam get for 2 to 3 weeks at Christmas that Thailand doesn't! 

Edited September 17, 2020 by Grumpy John
Smelling

[micmichd]

5 hours ago, Donga said:

Wealthy tourists with high spending power are very unlikely to stay three months in Thailand. But I suppose it is a timid start. However, to have an impact on the millions unemployed, Thailand needs to ramp up seriously and soon. 

What better way than going back to safe countries, bubble approach? There are already many countries in the region, including big markets like Japan, Australia and South Korea where the chances of someone boarding a plane with Covid would be 1 in 10,000.. even before you apply tests 3 days out and upon arrival.

With existing distancing and face masks, the chances would be around one in a million. So bring them in tested from "safe" countries, have them wear masks, isolate for a week perhaps. If one or two beat those odds and slip the net, the chances of an outbreak are minuscule, e.g. the Egyptians earlier and recent DJ.

Sooner or later other countries in the region will see this and let's hope Thailand is an early adopter.

I came as a wealthy tourist once, and I certainly don't regret it. 

[micmichd]

4 hours ago, rasmus5150 said:

 

Hoops and hurdles are a challenge for me, and certainly not a reason to give up. 

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai bank gives thumbs up to STV plan - "wealthy" tourists with high spending power best place to start

That's assuming wealthy tourists with high spending power actually want to come here or sit on a beach in some other paradise without all the restrictions !

[Pattaya46]

25 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

Here's Maldives government themselves:

https://covid19.health.gov.mv/new-normal-measures-for-visiting-the-maldives/?c=0

Yours were from UK and US.

2 different things :

- Maldives saying "Come in, tourists!" (We need you... and your money)

- Tourists' countries saying "Don't go there; too risky"

[vinny41]

Updated 02 September

Travellers arriving in Maldives from 10 September 2020 will be required to provide a negative coronavirus test result on arrival.

Persons who have a history of contact with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 within the past 14 days and/or persons who have fever or respiratory symptoms such as cough, sore throat, shortness of breath within the past 14 days should not travel to Maldives

Tourists are not allowed to travel to other islands or to the capital city, Malé.

https://visitmaldives.s3.amazonaws.com/Z7wzGbYW/owowl0oq.pdf

[vermin on arrival]

So full court press in the media by everyone to say that this idiotic plan approved by the cabinet onTuesday is actually some form of brilliance.

[Pedrogaz]

I'm calling bs on this. Long stay visitors are usually backpackers, who don't usually spend a million a month.