Domestic Tourism Campaign “We Love Thailand” to be Launched

Thailand’s Tourism Council is preparing to start its “We Love Thailand” campaign to stimulate domestic tourism after thing normalize. Council president Chairat Trirattanajarasporn said they were in collaboration with the Tourism Ministry and the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

“This campaign will promote new local products and attractions, especially those involving tourism communities,” he told the Nation. Chairat also said domestic tourism needs to be promoted for one to two years.  Above all while the market waits for foreign tourists to regain confidence.

In the initial phase, it is expected that people from China, South Korea or Asean would return to Thailand, he said.

“Thailand needs Chinese tourists as we recover,” Chairat added. “When the situation becomes safe again, Chinese will return to Thailand as our country is near. Moreover, the Chinese market has the capacity to expand.”
Mass Unemployment in Thailand’s Tourism Sector

Up to six million people are expected to lose their jobs in the tourism sector due to Covid-19 a report says.

Reports from the UN’s International Labour Organization (ILO), as well as the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said that unemployment will affect millions of people in Thailand’s tourism sector. A critical industry that accounted for 21 percent of the country’s GDP.

“Thailand’s tourism sector has overcome many past shocks. Including natural disasters and political instability,” the UN report said. “However, there may be new emerging sources of risks that may need to be considered.”

It added, “The magnitude of the current socio-economic shocks that come from the health and economic effects tied to the current COVID-19 pandemic are, however, unprecedented in recent history.”

The industry’s woes were rooted in the total collapse of inbound tourism. International tourist arrivals in January and February dropped to 5.9 million. Compared with 7.3 million in the same months last year.

According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, income in this time dropped from 381 million baht to 293 million baht, or a decrease of more than 23 percent.

From January to March alone, 139,000 people in the tourism sector already lost their jobs, mostly those working in accommodation.

The number of unemployed people could even rise to 10 million if the pandemic does not subside by the end of June, the report by Thai University of Commerce warned.

Source - Chiang Rai Times 

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Thailand’s Extends International Flight Ban Until the End of May

Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has extend its International flight ban on all incoming flight until May 31st, 2020. The aviation regulator announced the extension ahead of the scheduled expiry date, April 30th.

The ban was also in support of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s battle to control the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak in Thailand.

According to the Bangkok Post, CAAT did not explain why it extend the ban with many countries now looking to relax restrictions.

Thailand reported only nine new cases and one more death on Monday. When it was also announced the government was extending the State of Emergency Decree until May 31st.

Exemptions of the flight ban are state and military aircraft; and aircraft making an emergency landing; or a technical landing without disembarkation.

CAAT director Chula Sukmanop said the decision will affect international airlines. Even more those planning to resume commercial flights to Thailand. Philippines AirAsia, had announced the resumption of its Manila-Bangkok service from May 1.

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand reports Thai AirAsia and Thai Lion Air will likely be the first to resume domestic flights, starting May 1st,2020. The routes will hinge on the decision of each province to ease its lockdown.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand had a meeting with representatives from 20 airlines on Thursday.

CAAT director Chula Sukmanop said after the meeting Thai AirAsia would resume domestic services on May 1st. Thai Lion Air said it would wait to see whether the state of emergency would be extended from April 30.

The routes each airline will resume also depends on the lockdown exit strategy of each province.

Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has extend its International flight ban on all incoming flight until May 31st, 2020. The aviation regulator announced the extension ahead of the scheduled expiry date, April 30th.

The ban was also in support of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s battle to control the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak in Thailand.

According to the Bangkok Post, CAAT did not explain why it extend the ban with many countries now looking to relax restrictions.

Thailand reported only nine new cases and one more death on Monday. When it was also announced the government was extending the State of Emergency Decree until May 31st.

Exemptions of the flight ban are state and military aircraft; and aircraft making an emergency landing; or a technical landing without disembarkation.

CAAT director Chula Sukmanop said the decision will affect international airlines. Even more those planning to resume commercial flights to Thailand. Philippines AirAsia, had announced the resumption of its Manila-Bangkok service from May 1.

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand reports Thai AirAsia and Thai Lion Air will likely be the first to resume domestic flights, starting May 1st,2020. The routes will hinge on the decision of each province to ease its lockdown.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand had a meeting with representatives from 20 airlines on Thursday.

CAAT director Chula Sukmanop said after the meeting Thai AirAsia would resume domestic services on May 1st. Thai Lion Air said it would wait to see whether the state of emergency would be extended from April 30.

The routes each airline will resume also depends on the lockdown exit strategy of each province.

“We have required airlines to sell tickets for 70% of the capacity of each plane model by taking into account social distancing. Airlines will have to take this measure into consideration when considering resuming services,” Mr Chula said.

Source - Chiang Rai Times

Thai Government Extends All Foreigners Visas Until the End July

Foreigners locked down due to the coronavirus in Thailand have been granted another automatic visa extension for three months. The three-month extension from May 1 to July 31 was printed in the Royal Gazette on Friday.

The announcement was made by the Interior Ministry and was signed by Prime Minister and Interior Minister.

The extension covers foreigners holding all types of non-immigrant visas. Including visas on arrival, visa-free arrivals and border passes, according to the Bangkok Post.

Foreigners locked down due to the coronavirus in Thailand have been granted another automatic visa extension for three months. The three-month extension from May 1 to July 31 was printed in the Royal Gazette on Friday.

The announcement was made by the Interior Ministry and was signed by Prime Minister and Interior Minister.

The extension covers foreigners holding all types of non-immigrant visas. Including visas on arrival, visa-free arrivals and border passes, according to the Bangkok Post.

The Immigration Bureau explained on its website that foreign residents required to re-enter the country within one year will not be penalized for missing the deadline.

However, it warned that border pass holders have to leave Thailand within a week of the checkpoints reopening.

The extraordinary measures are designed to help foreigners cope with the travel restrictions. Also because of border closures enacted in the campaign to contain Covid-19.
No new cases of foreigners catching virus

Meanwhile, Thailand’s Health Department reported 15 new coronavirus cases and zero deaths, bringing the total number of cases to 2,922. Thailand’s death cases remains at 51 as of Sunday.

The number of new cases was a sharp drop from the 53 recorded on Saturday. The cases numbers jumped because 42 migrants infected with the virus were trying to jump the border in Songkhla.

Of the new cases, four were linked to previous cases, another four had no known links. While five new patients are arrivals from overseas who have been under mandatory quarantine. Even more there was no new infections amount foreign tourist  or long stays visa holder.

Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, a spokesman for the Health department said since the outbreak in Thailand, 2,594 patients have recovered and gone home.

Source - Chiang Rai Times

Emergency decree in Thailand extended

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Monday decided to extend the Emergency Decree for another month after it expires on April 30.

CCSA spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin said on Monday the decree will be extended to the end of May.

The reason is concern about the return of the virus, with the centre still battling to stop it spreading any further.

The decision means the night curfew from 10pm-4am will continue, no social gatherings allowed and only limited inter-provincial travel, among other restrictions, Dr Taweesilp said.

The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and brought together all agencies to discuss the impact of the decree.

The National Security Council told the meeting that it surveyed public opinion, and it favoured the extension of the decree, Dr Taweelsilp said. He gave no other details of the survey.

Source - Pattaya One News

Airports of Thailand Offers Huge Discounts for Airlines and Business

Airlines and concessionaires that suspended operations will not owe rent or concession charges for 9 months or until operations resumed, AOT said.

Thailand’s State-owned Airports of Thailand Pcl has said it will offer new measures for airlines and businesses to mitigate the Covid-19 impact. Because of the decline in flights and passengers amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Airports of Thailand (AOT) said it would offer a 50% reduction in rents, terminal fees and landing charges from April to December for airlines and businesses.

The announcement comes after AOT warned on Wednesday that it expected passenger traffic to drop by 53% for the fiscal year ending in September.

Airlines and concessionaires that suspended operations will not owe rent or concession charges for 9 months or until operations resumed, AOT said.

Duty-free retailer King Power, which holds the majority of duty-free and commercial concessions at airports, has closed its stores and is selling non-duty-free products online.

AOT operates six airports, including the country’s largest international hub, Suvarnabhumi Airport, and saw nearly 900,000 flights and 141.8 million passengers in the year that ended September 2019, booking profits of 25 billion baht ($773.5 million).

Its airport on the resort island of Phuket is closed.

Thailand has reported 2,839 cases and 50 deaths from the coronavirus.

The country’s aviation regulator in early April imposed a ban on passenger flights until the end of the month to curb the spread of the virus. The government had already banned the entry of non-resident foreigners in March.

Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy stands to lose 1.3 trillion baht, most of it in the tourism sector.

More than 2.57 million people have been reported to be infected by the coronavirus globally, and 178,574 have died, according to a Reuters tally.

Source - Chiang Rai Times

Thailand - Divers Recover Over a Ton of Ocean Waste at Phi Phi Island

The “Clean Me Phi Phi Today” project will continue until May 12 when the lockdown on Phi Phi Island is expected to be lifted.

Divers have recovered over a ton of ocean waste on Thailand’s famous Phi Phi Island in an environment conservation project. Environmental activists and diving instructors implemented the projects during the covid-19 lockdown.

The “Clean Me Phi Phi Today” project will continue until May 12 when the lockdown on Phi Phi Island is expected to be lifted.

Participating activists, divers and business operators collected the likes of auto tires; glass and plastic bottles; ans plastic waste at the main pier of the Island.

They said some of the waste was swept into the sea during the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004.

Prasert Wongna, head of tourism business operators’ club of Phi Phi, said with the travelling ban it was a great opportunity to revive the environment of the island.

The project also draws Phi Phi Island community to improve waste management and sewage system of the island.

Source - Chiang Rai Times

Empty Asian beaches

Sun, sea, sand and space as coronavirus empties Asia's beaches

Just weeks ago, some visitors were complaining that Bali's famous sand and surf spot of Kuta Beach was way too busy.

Now it is deserted, with access banned as part of measures to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, which has killed nearly 100,000 people around the world and infected more than 1.5 million.

The picture in Bali is similar at other top Asia Pacific destinations such as Sydney's Bondi Beach and Thailand's Phuket.

"To stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, all the beaches in Kuta area closed for public," reads a sign in Bali, Indonesia, the country with the highest coronavirus death toll in Asia after China, where the virus emerged.

COVID-19 is the disease caused by the coronavirus, which emerged in central China late last year.

The virus has killed 306 people in Indonesia out of 3,512 cases, but more limited testing than in neighboring countries means the figures are widely believed to be higher.

The long Easter weekend would normally be a busy time in Bali, but not this year.

"Business is down almost 95 percent," said souvenir shop owner Ruju, who like many Indonesians uses only one name. "I have to borrow money just to buy food."

Not everyone agreed with the restrictions on the beaches.

Among them was Australian Daniel Baker, who said it would be better to just enforce social distancing of up to two meters to prevent the virus spreading.

"I should be able to swim or surf, it's important for mental health and exercise to stay healthy to fight COVID."

Bondi shut

Bans on public gatherings larger than two also forced Sydney's Bondi Beach to close over the Easter holiday. On Manly Beach, people were allowed to exercise but not swim.

Australians have been told to stay home or face dire consequences in the crackdown against the coronavirus, even as its spread slows. Australia had 6,152 infections by Friday with 53 virus-related deaths.

The co-owner of Bondi Surf Seafoods, George Dimitrios said 2020 was the worst year in his family's 47-year-old business and Good Friday sales had been disastrous.

"We've had the bushfires, we've had the rain and now we've got this," he said.

Bondi made headlines in March when thousands of people were seen ignoring social distancing rules at its world-famous beach. Authorities have since opened up a pop-up clinic.

On the Thai resort island of Phuket, coronavirus has largely eliminated the tourist industry on which it has survived. It is now on a partial lockdown to curb the spread of the virus, which has killed 33 people in Thailand and infected at least 2,473.

The usually busy Walking Street in the Old Phuket Town was almost empty.

"The impact is so severe because most of our customers are tourists," said Ittipat Klomkliang, owner of the Roast Coffee Cafe.

"From China and now Europe, a lot of the tourists have gone to zero."

Source - TheJakartaPost