Thailand Sold Itself as a Paradise Covid Retreat. No One Came

[Timwin 913]

Thailand is mostly a cheapo beach holiday destination to western working class singles and families with 7, 10 or 14 days prefabricated cattle package. Very few rich tourists come to Thailand to buy some luxury product with 2-3 times the price that of in London or Paris.

[Somchai Jackson 169]

On 1/16/2021 at 12:11 AM, rooster59 said:

Thailand Sold Itself as a Paradise Covid Retreat. No One Came

No.  If you could afford it you came.  The rest?  Ha ha ha.

[AmySeeker 414]

11 hours ago, Don Chance said:

Thailand can vaccine everyone on Samui and Phuket and at the airports. So tourists can fly in and transfer to the island.  Then they can have their travel bubbles. Tourist just can't leave those islands.

 

And what about the workers who work on these islands - some who commute back to the mainland cities like Bangkok ? WIll they just bring the virus back with them. 

 

No such thing as a bubble. 

[jomtienisgood 482]

2 hours ago, KarenBravo said:

Reread what you wrote.

You said that you know "it" (BP) as Q8.

If "it" doesn't refer to BP, then what does "it" mean?

Yes, my mistake; I got BP mixed up with Shell, my apologies for that...

[GinBoy2 8,345]

I sound like a broken record here, but...

 

People just aren't flying, regardless of whatever crackpot scheme they put on to a slick PowerPoint presentation.

 

I work for an airline. Domestic load factors are running at about 30-50% of what they should be, and thats on a flight duration of a couple of hours.

 

So tourists, and I mean real tourists not the sexpat or folks trying to get back to family, are gonna say; "Hey thats a great deal. I'm scared shi*t**less about that one hour flight to xxxx, but hey, sign me up for 18 hours to Thailand" What are they thinking?

 

Then there are the airlines. Half the worlds widebody aircraft are parked up in the desert because, surprise surprise there isn't any demand. Now may come as a shock to some, but flying aircraft next to empty means they lose money, and lots of it.

 

Domestic air travel will rebound first, that will be the precursor to airlines looking at reinstating international routes to a pre covid level.

 

So my prediction is that we will be recycling various versions of this story for the next 12 months

[longway 327]

7 hours ago, KarenBravo said:

Obviously, you think you know better than the experts.

Personally, I think the Thai response has been one of the best. They err on the side of caution and it seems to have worked. Too many people who have been inconvenienced blame the government for their own selfish reasons.

Thailand has been lauded for their response all over the world and by the experts, too.

Not a single rebuttal of any point I brought up. Go ask the experts why Thailand can have, quite literally, millions of chinese tourists traipsing around for months after the virus started to be spread, then have 100s of 1000s pack themslves into buses and travel home all around the country and neighbouring regions, and none of this seemingly cause any large scale spread of the virus. I would love to know how it is possible, given what happened in Italy and other countries.

 

Asking questions and thinking by yourself are not bad traits. Unquestioning obedience to people in authority is a bad trait.

 

Can you imagine if Thais are largely immune? It would be wonderful, and help millions of people get back on their feet again. You have your own selfish reasons for liking the status quo. 

 

How can anyone want to discount investigating this possibility? it beggars the mind, given that it is a plausible explanation given the thai government's missteps when the virus first emerged, and can the amount of good it can do. How can anyone not feel fustrated that no-one is looking into explanations on why the effects of the virus are so much milder in se asia and africa, despite some of places pretty much carrying on as normal.

Edited January 17 by longway

[Turkleton 207]

On 1/16/2021 at 1:25 AM, PatOngo said:

 

I think they have a Ministry For Stupid Ideas!

They don't need a Ministry.

It's in their genes.

 

[KarenBravo 10,600]

42 minutes ago, longway said:

Not a single rebuttal of any point I brought up. Go ask the experts why Thailand can have, quite literally, millions of chinese tourists traipsing around for months after the virus started to be spread, then have 100s of 1000s pack themslves into buses and travel home all around the country and neighbouring regions, and none of this seemingly cause any large scale spread of the virus. I would love to know how it is possible, given what happened in Italy and other countries.

 

Asking questions and thinking by yourself are not bad traits. Unquestioning obedience to people in authority is a bad trait.

 

Can you imagine if Thais are largely immune? It would be wonderful, and help millions of people get back on their feet again. You have your own selfish reasons for liking the status quo. 

 

How can anyone want to discount investigating this possibility? it beggars the mind, given that it is a plausible explanation given the thai government's missteps when the virus first emerged, and can the amount of good it can do. How can anyone not feel fustrated that no-one is looking into explanations on why the effects of the virus are so much milder in se asia and africa, despite some of places pretty much carrying on as normal.

Para 1. I don't agree with any of it and I know what the experts have said. Rather listen to them than you.

 

Para 2. Just because I listen to experts and don't prescribe to your view makes me give "unquestioning obedience to people in authority? Get real.

 

Para 3. Thais are not immune. There are 51 countries with a lower death rate. Are they all immune, too? Maybe you should research your own claims.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1093256/novel-coronavirus-2019ncov-deaths-worldwide-by-country/

 

Para 4. Not necessary. See above. 

Edited January 17 by KarenBravo

[longway 327]

15 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

Para 1. I don't agree with any of it and I know what the experts have said. Rather listen to them than you.

 

Para 2. Just because I listen to experts and don't prescribe to your view makes me give "unquestioning obedience to people in authority? Get real.

 

Para 3. Thais are not immune. There are 51 countries with a lower death rate. Are they all immune, too? Maybe you should research your own claims.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1093256/novel-coronavirus-2019ncov-deaths-worldwide-by-country/

 

Para 4. Not necessary. See above. 

you have not presented any evidence from a single expert. What exactly is it you diagree with? What is my view? You dont even make any sense. 

 

Your link undermines your position and sterngthens my argument. Death rates are low in other countries too, esp africa and se asia, and thats despite not really doing anything at all. For example, Tanzania barely took andy measures at all, and it is basically on par with NZ who have isolated themselves from the rest of humanity. No, I dont think Thais are unique, but there is something going on that could mean Thailand doesn't need to destroy itself with these restrictions, what's not to like about looking into it?

 

This is not stuff to ignore. it should be looked at urgently. what's to disagree?

Edited January 17 by longway

[starky 5,127]

On 1/16/2021 at 4:05 PM, beano2274 said:

 

I recently flew from Germany to the UK and back during the LOCKDOWN period, before leaving Germany I had to fill in a form to say where I was staying in the UK (this form was done on line and had a copy, was not even checked upon arrival in the UK), upon returning to Germany the same (filled out a form at Passport control, they kept it). No hotel, no app, nothing. From Heathrow to my address in the UK was 2 1/2 hours, stayed at my mums house, and even went shopping. From Arrival airport in Germany to my house about 30 minutes used the train and tram to get to my house.

 

Also I have homes in Nonthaburi and Sattahip, but not looking to travel to Thailand as the cost for myself and my family including Quarantine is too much, we would be staying in both locations if we came.

Yep no hotel no app nothing probably why the UK is in the state it's in mate.

[elliss 3,086]

On 1/16/2021 at 7:27 PM, The retired guy said:

Less tourists, but many immigrants

 

    Aliens / immigrants ? 

    Whatever next ...

 

[The Now Factor 34]

Idc how many bells n whistles they have in place ....i aint coming to Thailand until they remove the quarantine issue.

Of course this is my .02 and i'm sure it's the same for the vast majority. Cheers.

[Blumpie 1,603]

5 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

I sound like a broken record here, but...

 

People just aren't flying, regardless of whatever crackpot scheme they put on to a slick PowerPoint presentation.

 

I work for an airline. Domestic load factors are running at about 30-50% of what they should be, and thats on a flight duration of a couple of hours.

 

So tourists, and I mean real tourists not the sexpat or folks trying to get back to family, are gonna say; "Hey thats a great deal. I'm scared shi*t**less about that one hour flight to xxxx, but hey, sign me up for 18 hours to Thailand" What are they thinking?

 

Then there are the airlines. Half the worlds widebody aircraft are parked up in the desert because, surprise surprise there isn't any demand. Now may come as a shock to some, but flying aircraft next to empty means they lose money, and lots of it.

 

Domestic air travel will rebound first, that will be the precursor to airlines looking at reinstating international routes to a pre covid level.

 

So my prediction is that we will be recycling various versions of this story for the next 12 months

I completely agree with you.

Now there are many who want to come back to Thailand for a long long visit.  I get that.  These people are different.  These are not the tourists that they are gunning for.  They are wanting  "in and out" tourists.  The kind of people who spend big $$$ on a relative scale.  The kind of person who stays for three months or so doesn't necessarily do this on the same level.

People are not flying at all.  It is very difficult to get in and get out of many countries.  The problems when you get home are tremendous.  Private transportation home, mandatory quarantines and who has bought your groceries for you?  Travel insurance that is only good for the duration of your trip (get covid during your trip and have to stay extra, those days are NOT covered).  The list goes on.

Good news is vaccines are coming.  Bad news is it may be a long time before anything turns back to normal.  I don't wish this on anyone, but I"m afraid it is probably going to happen.  

[248900_1469958220 821]

On 1/16/2021 at 11:08 AM, spidermike007 said:

An incompetent, living in a cloud of delusion. TAT governor Yuthasak Suphasorn said that interest at all TAT offices abroad was intense and that the STV would start in October. "As soon as the STV news broke the London office had FIFTEEN calls," he said,"and there were SIXTEEN emails". 16 e-mails. Wow. How will the nation be able to keep up with that kind of demand? I suggest he try the 14 day quarantine, watch alot of movies and concerts, and then talk from experience, and tell us about the joy he felt. Green curry pizza would attract anyone. The tour agents are jubilant!

What can one say? Desperation is setting in. Heads are going to roll. Went to Samui recently. Utter devastation. 90% of the businesses on the beach road in Chaweng were closed, 80% in Lamai, and hundreds of hotels are closed and for sale, at half price. Trillions of baht are going to be lost here. Annually. Tourism will NEVER recover. Not in our lifetimes. Too much timidity. Too much cowardice. Too little juice and creativity. Such small minds.

Nonsensical stupidity. Lack of science. Fear mongering. Let us make your stay as uncomfortable as possible. And by the way, you cannot consume alcohol either, during your quarantine. Who comes up with this stuff, and why does the nation tolerate the nonsense, the utter incompetence, the malfeasance? How much longer will they tolerate the extremely regressive army?

 

No program requiring quarantine will work. What part of that do they not understand? Effective testing and vaccination, are the answer. 

 

 

 

Dont always agree with your posts but, nonetheless, you are spot on here. I am also wondering when all this will come to a real head. The protests we have seen so far have, at times  been an eye opener but.....When is the knock on effect of this devastation really going to hit home? This country must be taking a massive hit, and the medium term at least also looks bleak, 

 

What will be the straw that breaks the camels back?

 

 By the way, good pics, Cheers,

Edited January 17 by 248900_1469958220

[gafdtomaka366 51]

On 1/16/2021 at 2:19 AM, PatOngo said:

Get it through your heads, NOBODY wants to sit in a quarantine hotel for two weeks!

In ASQ-paradises? Nobody?? Are you certain??