Pattaya’s stupid rules are ruining tourism efforts

Ridiculous disease-control measures are undermining Pattaya’s efforts to rebuild tourism, the city’s top business representative said.
Boonanan Pattanasin, president of the Pattaya Business & Tourism Association, said there is virtually no point in organizing festivals and events like the Pattaya Music Festival if alcohol cannot be sold in the city and crowd sizes are unnecessarily limited.

Attendance at the weekend’s music festival and hotel bookings in Pattaya both disappointed and can be blamed directly on overly strict disease-control measures, he said.

Only 150 people were allowed into the gated stage area at each of the three music festival venues. City officials claimed this was to prevent the transmission of Covid-19 by limiting crowd size, spacing attendees a meter apart and prohibiting standing or dancing.

But Boonanan pointed out what everyone else saw and scoffed at: Right outside the fences, people packed in with no attempt at social distancing or crowd control.

The truly laughable thing, Boonanan said, was that current health regulations allow for crowds of up to 1,000 people.

While alcohol normally is prohibited at music festivals held on public land, Boonanan said the fact that restaurants and vendors near the festival sites are banned from selling alcohol also depressed interest in the concerts.

Even though Chonburi Province has once denied a PBTA appeal of the alcohol ban, Boonanan said the organization would try again, making its case in stronger terms.

If the association’s pleas are ignored, he said, Pattaya should save the money and not bother with staging festivals because few people will come.

The PBTA said it has met with Pattaya Mayor Sonthaya Kunplome about the music festival crowd size and he admitted that it was held under outdated rules, Boonanan said.

The PBTA said it wants next weekend’s festival to allow 1,000 people into the seating area and better organize the crowd outside. – Pattaya  Mail

Source - BangkokJack 

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#Thailand to turn away from mass tourism, target the wealthy

Kingdom considers protocols for return of foreign tourists

The government's tourism-revival strategy is to target big spenders seeking privacy and social distancing in the Covid-19 era, rather than try to attract a large number of visitors, according to Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn.

The pandemic provides an opportunity to reset the sector, which had become reliant on Chinese groups and backpackers, he said in an interview with Bloomberg News.

Once the country’s borders are reopened and so-called travel bubbles are agreed upon, marketing efforts will be geared toward wealthier individuals who want holidays with minimal risks.

The government will initially allow a small number of arrivals, such as some business executives and medical tourists. It is also working with the travel industry to identify and invite individuals in target demographics, which will probably include previous visitors to luxury resorts in the islands of Phuket, Samui, Phangan and Phi Phi, the minister said.

Phuket is “a prototype” because it has all the needed facilities.

People may be required to pass Covid-19 screenings before traveling and upon arriving, choose a single resort island and remain for a minimum period of time.

The “high-end visitors” will be able to travel freely while they’re on the island and be allowed to leave for home or other destinations in Thailand once the minimum 14 days have passed. The country plans to court such visitors, possibly during the winter months of November-February when European and American travelers seek out warmer climates, Mr Phiphat said.

“One person can easily spend as much as five by staying at the finest hotels,” he said, adding that full and free travel should become a “thing of the past.”

Thailand is not the only country grappling with the question of how and when to reopen for visitors. Across Southeast Asia -- one of the most tourism-reliant regions in the world -- hotels and travel businesses are slowly kicking into gear as countries that have succeeded in flattening their virus curves ease lockdown restrictions.

Thailand’s first few travel-bubble pacts, with nations such as Japan and Australia, probably will not be ready until at least August, Mr Phiphat said. Thailand also is mulling a program to allow visitors from specific Chinese cities and provinces, he said. (continues below)_

Thailand’s borders are currently locked to all but essential travel through June 30. Most restrictions on domestic travel were lifted this month.

The goal is for Thailand to have 10 million foreign arrivals this year -- one-quarter of the 2019 tally -- Phiphat said. Total tourism revenue is forecast at 1.23 trillion baht (US$39.6 billion) this year, down 59% from last year.

The tourism sector will account for about 6% of gross domestic product in 2020, down from 18% last year, Phiphat said. The dearth of travelers is one reason Thailand’s economy is forecast to contract as much as 6% this year. The government is rolling out stimulus worth 15% of GDP, according to World Bank estimates.

- Pink Dolphins and turtles -

A lockdown, social distancing, tight control of borders and near-universal adoption of face masks enabled Thailand to restrict its official virus tally to just over 3,000, with 58 deaths.

The government has recently relaxed the lockdown and has detected no local transmission of the novel corona-virus for more than three weeks.

Mr Phiphat said Thailand sees the crisis as an opportunity to address problems that existed before the pandemic, including over-crowding at some beaches and temples and environmental destruction.

In the quiet months without foreign travelers, sea turtles have returned to lay eggs on Thai beaches, pink dolphins have been seen frolicking with fishermen and manatees swam to shore to snack on sea grass, Phiphat said.

“If we don’t use this chance to create the most benefit for the industry, Thailand will lose out,” he said. “This is an opportunity to reset the entire tourism system.”

Source - Bangkok Post

#Thailand - 'Keep foreign tourists out': Poll

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A majority of (elite) people do not want foreign tourists to return soon while the Covid-19 situation in the country is improving, saying foreigners could spread the disease and Thai people should be able to enjoy the country first, according to the results of an opinion survey by the Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, or Suan Dusit Poll.

The poll was conducted online between June 9-12 on 1,116 people throughout the country to gauge their opinions after the government announced the easing of the Covid-19 lockdown and invited the Thai people to visit places around the country to help stimulate the economy.

Each respondent was allowed to give more than one answer.

Asked when they thought Thailand's tourism would return to normal after the Covid-19 situation is resolved, 41.40% said in one year; 25.90% in six months; 20.52% in two years; and 12.18% in more than two years.

Asked whether they wanted foreign tourists to return to visit Thailand soon, 75.72% said "no", with 54.39% saying that they would like the Thai people to tour their own country first before going elsewhere and 21.33% saying that they were afraid the foreigners would spark a second wave of the virus.

The rest, 24.28%, said they wanted foreign tourists to come soon so that they could help spur the economy and generate income for the country.

Asked which provinces they would like to visit the most, the top five were: Chiang Mai (31.00%), Prachuap Khiri Khan (28.14%), Bangkok (19.35%), Chon Buri (18.55%) and Kanchanaburi (11.92%).

Source - The Bangkok Post