Thailand to remain closed to mass tourism until March, travel bubble discussions ongoing

[rooster59 18,879]

Thailand to remain closed to mass tourism until March, travel bubble discussions ongoing

 

Image: FILE PHOTO: Empty chairs are seen on a beach in Phuket, Thailand March 11, 2020.

 

Thailand will remain closed to the vast majority of foreign tourists until at least the second quarter of 2021.

 

Last week, Pipat Ratchakitprakan, Minister for Tourism and Sports told Thai media that Thailand’s borders are likely to remain closed to foreign tourists until March next year.

 

Currently only a relatively small number of foreigners are eligible to enter Thailand.

 

These include business people such as technical experts, high level workers and those in the medical field, foreigners who are married to or a parent of a Thai national, property owners, retiree visa holders, Elite Card holders and those who enter Thailand under the Special Tourist Visa scheme - all of which have to undergo mandatory 14 day quarantine.

 

Minister Pipat also added that talks with so called ‘low-risk’ countries regarding the creation of travel bubbles remain ongoing.

 

Countries including Singapore, Vietnam, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan had previously been mooted as possible travel bubble partners.

 

This week, the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce urged the Thai government to set up a travel bubble with China.

 

Narongsak Phutthaphrommongkhon, chief of the Thai Chinese Chamber of Commerce, said a pilot scheme should be introduced that would allow Chinese tourists from Guangzhou to travel to Phuket. Once the scheme would be proved successful, Thailand could then establish further travel bubbles with as many as 19 other Chinese provinces.

 

The prospect of Thailand’s borders remaining closed to most foreigners until March will come as a further blow to Thailand’s beleaguered tourism industry which this week was told not to expect the pre-coronavirus pandemic level of 40 million visitors to return to Thailand until 2024.
 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-12-06

 

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[Somtamnication 23,753]

What a nightmare. They have no clue on what to do.

[dbrenn 2,542]

Excellent news. Mass tourism has spoilt Thailand's beauty, and I hope it's gone for good.

[Techno Viking 1,295]

Outstanding news.

[mtls2005 16,606]

56 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Last week, Pipat Ratchakitprakan, Minister for Tourism and Sports told Thai media that Thailand’s borders are likely to remain closed to foreign tourists until March next year.

 

So will they continue to issue the TR60 for CoE "tourists"?

 

 

[Kadilo 12,476]

29 minutes ago, dbrenn said:

Excellent news. Mass tourism has spoilt Thailand's beauty, and I hope it's gone for good.

Yes and all the unemployed Thais as a result of it agree with you. 

Edited December 6, 2020 by Kadilo

[Kadilo 12,476]

Another thread for all the “Im alright Jacks” 

[Thaiwrath 37,059]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

Thailand will remain closed to the vast majority of foreign tourists until at least the second quarter of 2021.

Thai tourism.............................

[Boomer6969 2,120]

Good, but how about shutting down the business of the cross border Thai hookers, and gambling addicts?

Edited December 6, 2020 by Boomer6969

[sweetserenity 115]

Until march? The vaccines are already being given to the western world.. Why can't they just allow vaccinated tourists to enter?

[Techno Viking 1,295]

1 hour ago, sweetserenity said:

Until march? The vaccines are already being given to the western world.. Why can't they just allow vaccinated tourists to enter?

 

No vaccine is 100% effective, why take the risk of allowing potentially infected people enter.

 

[Enzian 902]

1 hour ago, sweetserenity said:

Until march? The vaccines are already being given to the western world.. Why can't they just allow vaccinated tourists to enter?

Tomorrow there will be a new story, estimate, expert statement, plea for understanding, whatever you want to call it. And the next day...

[Don Chance 1,021]

People are being vaccinated very soon. Why shouldn't someone with a vaccine be allowed into Thailand?

[poohy 6,430]

20 minutes ago, Techno Viking said:

 

No vaccine is 100% effective, why take the risk of allowing potentially infected people enter.

 

So by that assumption no one can ever travel from anywhere, to any place at any time from now on.

 

[Tropicalevo 6,349]

2 hours ago, dbrenn said:

Excellent news. Mass tourism has spoilt Thailand's beauty, and I hope it's gone for good.

'Mass tourism' probably enabled you and many other posters that live here, to come to Thailand in the first place.

Mass tourism enables cheap flights and accomodation. It helps to build the infrastructure that enables people to move around the country more easily.

Of course, those who came here earlier do not want to share paradise with the masses.

It was the same when I first came to Thailand (except I drove here). I built a house in the middle of nowhere and told my friends about this geat place that I had found. They told their friends, who told their friends and before you  know it, I am surrounded by more 100 houses. But at least I now have concrete road access, and reliable water and electricity supplies. There are even supermarkets now where I can buy decent bread!

It is called progress. The world changes.