Special Tourist Visa: Thailand opens to the world - But will the tourists really come?

[Badrabbit]

Get rid of Quarantine and yes tourists will come, mate is waiting to come back from the UK  but wont until they stop 2 weeks in hotel Prison!!

[KannikaP]

6 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

Did you actually read the link you posted EotBenz8888?

Did you read what YOU typed.....................Eotbenz instead of Rotbenz.   LOL

[SuwadeeS]

Here are some reasons why the tourists will not / should not come.

1. The exchange rate is very bad. Right now the powerful people keep the exchange rate like this, so they can transfer their money into a stronger currency.

2. You have to go into quarantine for two weeks, and pay an average of 35.000 - 40.000 Baht for that.

3. I just figured out last week in Pattaya. They have still many scammers and rip off prices. E.g. ask 3.000 Baht to go to Koh Lan.

4. The the government planned a crackdown on dual pricing. It did not really take place.

5. I personally would not holiday in Thailand the reason of some human right issues.

6. Finally, there are plenty of more beautiful places in Asia.

 

[KKr]

2 weeks in a Q facility;

this is boosting statistics of the core sector of " Tourism for Medical " reasons ????

[sqwakvfr]

By my calculation the cost of flight, Covid Test, Covid Insurance and ASQ could be anywhere from $3000 to $5000 USD.  This is just he starting amount.  I really can’t Tourists spending this amount just enter the country.  It might be worth it if one has a long term visa.  

[Jimbo2014]

I imagine they will be flooding in to one of the most polluted countries in the world especially as they will have to spend days or weeks in a government sanctioned hotel apart from their families with no alcohol.

[findlay13]

6 hours ago, Tagged said:

I know a few people who is dying to come for long holiday, and willing to pay what it costs, but the problem is the paperwork on top of it. If they can do the paperwork much easier, it will ease the decision to come to Thailand. 

 You are correct.I  would without the quarantine and  all the hoops,PLUS all the hoops for leaving my country [Australia]. Of course if you're connected it easy [Tony Abbott got to London ok ,and Pedo Pell's back with his mates in the Vatican] but for the average punter forget it.PLUS lack of flights  etc.etc. 

 

[Enfield]

7 hours ago, Jack Mountain said:

Bring the Baht down 25% then the people will come ... money talks!

 

[onebir]

From U-turn Thani to U-turn Thailand ????

[Enfield]

Bring the Baht down by 25 percent ????

I see you were taught economics in a nursery .

Perhaps you would like to suggest ways in which this should be done .

[pookondee]

7 hours ago, smedly said:

 

 

as for the OP 

 

Thailand just is not getting it

 

no matter what they do nobody is coming here on holiday for at least another year

 

perhaps if they started treating tourists (including expats) properly instead of contempt they might just convince some people to come here, pre covid they were killing it already - people were getting angry and deciding not to come here or were leaving in masses - they need to take a long hard look at what they are doing going forward and what they have done looking back and correcting the negative sentiment they have created

 

I couldn't have said it better.

 

I must admit, It does take a bit of time away to see what was always in plain sight.

 

Being home may not have those certain excitements that Thailand offers...

 

But the feeling of actually belonging somewhere,

being allowed to earn a $,

allowed buy property or a car in your own name.. 

 

and who would miss begging for visas?

or else having to jump through hoops, seemingly to amuse the Thais that they have power over the farang..

 

I certainly do not miss having to constantly sign documents and photocopying sหit, and wondering what new rule or crackdown will be coming next.

blaaah

 

Suck it up Thailand, you aint that great.

People are waking up to your game.

 

 

 

[apetryxx]

Well, if the baht drops 25% I’ll buy another house and maybe throw in a condo just for fun. But then, that is about as likely as me being on the next moon shot. The current government, or sort of government, is a soup sandwich and that’s being kind.

[thaijett]

7 hours ago, FarangPumpui said:

I have wife, house in Thailand , money and time to go Thailand for long time but I dont even concider it because of 14 days guarantine and because Thai people can go unchecked to airplane with me.

are you familiar with the moral of "cutting off your nose to spite your face" 

 

stay away ,  your choice 

[smew]

All these confusing and always changing requirements are ridiculous.

Who do they think they are. 

The only reason I come is because of my family. Once we re-locate no more Thailand   

[mrfill]

8 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

And just how do you do that Jack ??

They could do it by asking all the other countries to raise their currencies by 25%. Easy...

[ronaldo0]

825 people !! ????????????

[Sujo]

2 weeks quarantine on arrival. Plus 2 weeks quarantine upon return. No.

 

Im from oz but havent lived or even visited there for 8 years. I live in malaysia. But even if thailand had no quarantine i would not visit. I refuse to visit any country that has mandatory insurance.

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

In a massive U-turn after few people turned up as part of the government's STV (special tourist visa) scheme Thailand has decided to open up to the whole world irrespective of Covid conditions.

They'll get the same response, the rest of the world has other things to think about rather than saving Thailands economy.

[starky]

7 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

I agree--much to high.........

7 hours ago, Sametboy2019 said:

If the quarantine was more reasonably priced then others may come but being fleeced and a 14 day hotel arrest isnt gonna work

 

Compared to where exactly? State quarantine in Australia starts at 3000 AUD and you get zero choice of your allocation. There are ASQ hotels for much cheaper than that. 

[schvonsky1]

8 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

And just how do you do that Jack ??

???????????????????????? exactly that’s what they cannot do however so happy to know they are starting to panic now love it when a plan comes together ????????

[dlclark97]

Good luck, I hope it works and that all these 7 million visitors said to be expected elsewhere in this edition do not bring more COVID with them.

More effective, do away with the ridiculous insurance requirement as it currently stands.  And, do away with the very expensive insurance needed for those who arrived originally on a Non Immigrant O-A visa for retirement and even though the requirements can be met for a change, cannot change it at this time.  Accept insurance from various overseas providers.  Many USA military retirees are here and most if not all have very, very good Tricare Overseas or TC Select coverage for their medical expenses.  Easily verifiable!  Improve the USD-THB (and other countries) exchange rates by at least 20%.  Todays drop to 29.90 just gives potential tourists a higher bill for quarantine and far less money to spend than in recent years.  Let it be known that all potential visitors if still working, do not have many weeks per year of vacation time.  Two, three and sometimes four weeks would be the norm.  Only those who are retired can stay on a seemingly endless holiday.  Thailand is a beautiful country with many wonderful people who are often very kind and helpful to visitors.  The restrictions imposed over the last few months may have been done with good intentions but now they are roadblocks to tourists arriving here in masses.  Some people need to get over the mindset that all foreigners are rich.  We are not!  And, many are tired of being fleeced with new found and unusual ways for us to be separated from what money we do have.  We live here, we love it here and we continue to support our local communities.

[schvonsky1]

8 hours ago, Jack Mountain said:

Just by leaning back, most of the time the opposite happens of what I suggest, so the tourists stay away. Mission accomplished.

They need to take a leaf out of Dubai’s book folk can go back there no problem ????

[starky]

6 hours ago, stretch5163 said:

Im in the same catagory here cant get back to see wife and its been 11 months now, our relationship is fine. The annoying factor is i work and work offshore so my limited time to go and see wife would involve going back to my home country as no where else will process the paperwork so what chance do i have when i only get 3 weeks vacation. There is no way the paperwork could be processed so i guess im resigned to staying out unitl Quarantine and stupid visa'a that for me are unobtainable due to time are stopped.

Plenty of offshore workers in the same boat mate but how many places in the world can you or would you want to travel to without the 2 weeks quarantine? We are still mid pandemic I believe. I know offshore works from Tassie and kiwi that were facing their whole leave doing 4 weeks of quarantine. It's 2 everywhere you go ain't changing in a hurry.

[Thaifly88]

8 hours ago, Jack Mountain said:

Bring the Baht down 25% then the people will come ... money talks!

The baht is where it is for a good reason - Thailand has little foreign debt and a strong economy (apart from the decimated tourist industry which accounts for around 20% if GDP, the other 80% is holding things up) but you’re right , many people cannot afford Thailand anymore.

[stigar]

In norway people have to go in 10 days qurantene..pay about 500 pound.Today 1 oclock they will change the rules means people can take the time in a privat home after arrive here.Thats good news for people coming to visit their gf/bf.

Edited December 9, 2020 by stigar
wrong spelling

[Mister MXYZPTLK]

An easy way to attract tourist and deal with the quarantine is to separate the arriving passengers from the “Have Covid” to the “Have Not COVID-19”. 

Put the “Have” group into the hospital at their own expense (or send them back when they came from immediately) and the “Have Not Yet” Covid on a Blimp (Zepplin) for 2 weeks on a tour over Thailand. Anyone that gets Covid during the 2 week ride, throw them overboard into the sea And those who don’t are welcome to stay!  What a wonderful way to spend 2 weeks in quarantine seeing all the tourist sites.  Problem solved!

[spidermike007]

This program will be a success. In attracting 50,000 tourists in the next few months. 

 

Any program requiring quarantine will fail. And with the quarantine in place, there was never any reason to begin with, to limit people from high risk countries. With a lab test required up front. 

 

Also, the groveling to get permission from a consulate is just another silly and onerous hurdle, not to mention the "special health insurance scheme".

 

At this pace Thailand will soon be forgotten. 

Edited December 9, 2020 by spidermike007

[NeoDinosaw]

8 hours ago, FarangPumpui said:

I have wife, house in Thailand , money and time to go Thailand for long time but I dont even concider it because of 14 days guarantine and because Thai people can go unchecked to airplane with me.

I am in the same situation , and am doing the same as you !

[Dukeleto]

As usual it’s going to take time for it to sink in. At least it’s proved to them that foreigners won’t simply flock here under any circumstances a myth they have long held.

[ian007]

Strangely no mention of the compulsory 100k USD Covid medical coverage. I think the going price now is around 30.000 THB.  That should really put the remaining nails in the coffin of this idea.... 14 days quarantine plus insurance let's say about 70.000 THB on top of normal holiday expenses. WOW, what a bargain!!