Province in Western Thailand works to revive tourism in new scheme

 

Province in Western #Thailand works to revive tourism in new scheme

The governor of one Western Thai province whose tourism income plummeted this year announced yesterday the need for a “comprehensive strategy” to revive tourism. The province of Prachuap Khiri Khan made 1.85 billion baht in tourism in 2020, but that dropped to 36 million baht in 2021.
“We expect travel activities to pick up once Covid-19 is classified as an endemic disease”.

The governor says the new tourism strategy will mainly promote one-night and two-night stays in three target areas. The areas are Hua Hin-Pran Buri, Sam Roi Yot-Kui Buri-Muang, and Thap Sakae-Bang Saphan-Bang Saphan Noi. The governor says the campaign will try to appeal to a wide range of travel groups, including families, young people, and the elderly. He said the main target districts will submit their reopening plans to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration later this week, hopefully on time for Songkran.

Prachuap Khiri Khan is a coastal province, like many Thai provinces that have been gutted hard by Covid-19’s destruction of the tourism industry. Another province notably similar is Phuket. The number of tourists plummeted from 14,800 a day on average in 2019 to 500 a day on average in 2021. At one point, the average monthly income in Phuket fell to 1,961 baht per month.

Like Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phuket is also slowly making a comeback in tourism. Last week, the Tourism Authority of Thailand Phuket announced the province is ready to welcome back sea tourists, after the Test & Go scheme extended to them.

Source - The Thaiger

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Maya Bay to re-open under strict conditions

 Picturesque Maya Bay in Thailand’s southern province of Krabi will reopen to visitors on New Year’s Day, 2022, but with strict conditions attached, including no swimming in the bay and the number of visitors at one time will be limited to no more than 375.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Thon Thamrongnawasawat, vice dean of the Faculty of Fisheries at Kasetsart University and a well-known marine scientists, said in his Facebook post this week that the national parks committee, have approved the reopening of the bay.

Maya has been closed for three and a half years, after coral reefs and environment in the area sustained heavy damage from excessive tourism activities.

The national park committee agreed that restrictions must be imposed to protect the bay and its marine resources if the bay is to be reopened, said Dr. Thon.

The restrictions are as follows:

 No boats may enter the bay area through the front access and must use the opposite side, where a landing pier for landing visitors is already in place.

The number of visitors at any one time will be limited to no more than 375. The number of rounds of visits each day and the duration of each stay are yet to be decided by chief of the national park and tourism operators in Krabi province.

No swimming is allowed in the bay area, because there are many black-tipped reef sharks in the water which may pose a danger to swimmers. Swimming may also disrupt the sharks and coral in the area.
 

Maya Beach was the prime location for the Hollywood film “The Beach” in 2000, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. – Thai PBS

Source - BangkokJack

 

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Pattaya tourism quiet until entry and booze rules are eased

According to the acting president of the Chon Buri Tourism Council, Pattaya is still quiet, and 95% of tourists there are Thai since the reopening to international tourists on November 1. Of the 200 to 300 people per day who do come, the majority are not tourists but businesspeople and expats. And many of the tourists who do come end up leaving quickly when they discover that everything is closed and that there is no entertainment or nightlife allowed.

The president estimates that, of the 1,000 to 2,000 international tourists the Tourism Authority of Thailand says enter Thailand each day, about 10% of travellers make a stop in Pattaya. The city is seeing what averages to about 6,000 to 7,000 visitors per month – a far cry from the pre-pandemic days when during the busy season from November to March, an average of 1 million people would visit Pattaya per month.

He says that the turnover rate is much faster now than it was earlier in the pandemic offsetting the increase in the number of bookings. People are booking one night and leaving afterwards whereas, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, a single booking would often stay 10 nights to 2 weeks.

A deeper dive into the people booking reveals the reason for so many short stays: the majority of international arrivals coming into Thailand are expats coming home. They arrive and take their RT-PCR test and check into the required hotel while awaiting their results. As soon at the test is returned negative, they head straight to their homes or condos or apartments.

The Tourism Council leader sees the lack of tourists in Pattaya as a direct result of the complicated hoops people have to pass through to arrive in Thailand, discouraging potential tourists. Other holiday countries require vaccination and a negative test before boarding a flight and… that’s it! No complicated document submission processes or quarantine or required hotel bookings. He suggested at least switching to antigen test kits that are exponentially cheaper and much faster so that arriving travellers can start their holiday right away.

But the other thing that has massively disenfranchised international travellers is the draconian restrictions on drinking and entertainment venues. The unnecessary confusion of opening 17 tourism Sandbox destinations but then allowing alcohol in only 4 of them just angers travellers and spreads negative reputations online for potential travellers.

Even when not catering to the wild partying demographic, a large percentage of foreigners want to have a drink with their meals and denying them that is enough to dissuade potential tourists from booking tickets. But speaking of the partiers, while it’s not everyone’s interest, the draw of nightlife and entertainment to Thailand and especially Pattaya is undeniable. And even for those who aren’t going clubbing, nightlife brings more tourists that allow more local businesses to open and thrive, creating a butterfly effect that benefits all areas of tourism in Pattaya.

The Tourism Council president said he fully supported all the efforts of hundreds of local bar and business owners and 8 major tourism associations that have petitioned the government to reopen nightlife and entertainment venues in Pattaya sooner rather than later. Under then, it looks like the holidays will be very quiet in Pattaya.

SOURCE: The Pattaya News

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It’s expats, not tourists that are visiting Thailand: Business leader

A key figure in Thailand's tourism industry pulled absolutely no punches when commenting on the country's supposed "reopening".

Thanet Supharothatrangsi, chairman of the Chonburi Tourism Business Association, echoed what people online have been saying for weeks if not months.

In an interview with business media he said there are virtually no tourists coming into Thailand despite the rhetoric of the government after their much vaunted reopening claims.

The only arrivals are not true tourists at all. Just business people, property owners or those with families.

The tourism industry is hardly benefitting at all. He blames all the obstacles put in the way of potential tourists, says Thailand shot itself in the foot when it had the opportunity to do better and now is even lagging behind neighbor Cambodia.

He slammed the petty and baffling alcohol and nightlife restrictions saying tourists couldn't even celebrate New Year with a drink.

Thanet's comments come as leading ministers wax lyrical about 50,000 visitors since November 1st and millions more to follow praising their wonderful Thailand Pass scheme as a simple panacea to reignite the tourism industry.

Thanet says it's all smoke and mirrors.

"The reality," he said," is that tourism recovery is slight in the extreme. In Chonburi we are seeing 200-300 tourists a day.

"Not even 10,000 have arrived - normally pre-pandemic it would be a million.

"Thailand has shot itself in the foot despite being the first country in SE Asia to open its borders to international tourists".

Opening up should have meant really opening up, not this half baked reopening, he said.

An RT-PCR test from their home country within 72 hours would have been sufficient not being tested again on arrival, he said.

They should have been allowed to come in and go anywhere immediately without restrictions, he noted.

Instead ridiculous obstacles have been put in their way with all the Thailand Pass documentation and tests on arrival and one day quarantine to wait for results.

He said that Cambodia opened up after Thailand but they had no silly obstacles so people were going there instead.

"Real tourists are not bothering to come to Thailand", he continued in a controlled and measured set of statements completely mirroring what netizens have been saying.

"You can see by the hotel bookings. They are just staying one night in a hotel to wait for their test result  then they are going elsewhere.

"They are not tourists, they are business people, home and condo owners or people with families in Thailand".

Apart from a few souls "tourists are simply not coming to Thailand" said the business leader.

He called for the hoops and hurdles facing potential tourists to be removed but especially the on- arrival RT-PCR test.

He said the country's tourism businesses were ready for visitors and it was time for the authorities to get real, stop making the big claims and get people visiting Thailand again.

They were ready since the start of the Phuket Sandbox months ago but since then there have been delays after delays as the authorities chopped and changed their minds confusing everyone.

He also attacked the decision not to reopen nightclubs, pubs and bars and the issue of not allowing alcohol to be served or having drinking restricted.

"Tourists won't even be able to have a drink to celebrate the New Year," he continued. "They have been told they can't do that until at least January 15th".

He cited the Pattaya Music festival with all its restrictions and banning of alcohol as yet another pathetic example of the obstacles in place.

"People can't have a drink and can't even get up out of their seats to dance to the music," he said pointing out that such restrictions only applied inside the restricted area.

Outside this people were buying alcohol and enjoying the sounds.

"What sort of control is that?" he fumed clearly exasperated by his country's measures.

As further evidence of his claims he pointed to a leading German tour company that would normally be sending 3,000-4,000 tourists a month.

He said they were sending just 20 a day and not to Pattaya - they were nearly all going to Phuket, he lamented.

Source - ASIAN NOW

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Bangkok lifts more restrictions on booze sales

More restaurants and eateries will be allowed to serve alcoholic beverages from today(Tuesday), after the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) agreed to lift restrictions at venues certified by the Department of Health.
As of Tuesday, venues with “Thai Stop Covid Plus” certification will be allowed to serve alcoholic beverages in the same manner as businesses that have SHA (Safety and Health Administration) certification from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the BMA announced on Sunday.

While this means while more venues will be allowed to serve alcohol, the sale of such beverages will still be restricted after 9pm.

In the same announcement, the BMA said game shops and internet cafes will be allowed to reopen as long as they strictly enforce Covid-19 control measures, as most children in the capital have been fully vaccinated against the disease.

The relaxed restrictions will apply until Nov 30, when authorities will meet again to discuss the impact of the easing on infection numbers.

According to the director-general of the Department of Health, Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai, the move was intended to help more businesses reopen.

However, he said, the majority of these venues are actually capable of managing Covid-19 risks, as shown by their Thai Stop Covid Plus certification.

As such, Dr Suwanchai said, they should be allowed to serve alcohol again.

The Thai Stop Covid Plus certification was developed by the Department of Health to help businesses assess if their health and safety measures are up to standard amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Businesses, Dr Suwanchai said, must have a good ventilation system and regularly conduct testing using antigen test kits, the frequency of which should be determined by the risk of exposure to infection sources.

Restaurants and eateries must immediately clean tables and chairs after use, frequently disinfect physical contact points and restrooms, and provide separate cutlery for each customer. In addition, Covid-19 tests must be carried out periodically to ensure the safety of service providers and consumers.

“The [Thai Stop Covid Plus] focus is on the providers and recipients of services and the practices of the businesses,” said Sopon Iamsirithaworn, deputy director-general of the Department of Disease Control.

As of Nov 10, 6,579 businesses in Bangkok had obtained SHA certification, while 700 had received SHA Plus certification.

An SHA-certified venue has public health measures in place to prevent contagion, while SHA Plus certification means at least 70% of the staff are vaccinated.

The Thai Restaurant Association welcomed the latest announcement and urged business operators to strictly adhere to disease control measures to keep the virus at bay.

Thaniwan Kulmongkol, president of the association, said more than 30,000 restaurants and eateries are certified as Thai Stop Covid Plus venues, as they have been preparing for the reopening since May this year.

She said that personally she does not see a huge difference between Thai Stop Covid Plus and SHA/SHA Plus systems and urged the government to raise public awareness about the labels and what they mean.

She also called on the government to allow operators to serve alcohol until 11pm, after recent infection figures showed the easing of restrictions did not cause an uptick in new cases.

Currently, restaurants and eateries in Bangkok, Krabi, Phangnga and Phuket with SHA certificates are allowed to serve alcohol until 9pm.

Khao San Business Association president Sanga Ruangwattanakul said the most businesses have put in place Covid-19 control measures that are on par with Thai Stop Covid Plus, even before they were mandated by the government. – Bangkok Post

Source - BangkokJack

Thailand pins hope of recovery on tourism

Reopening the tourism industry to vaccinated foreigners from November will help drive GDP growth and sustain business confidence of Thailand, according to the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI).
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on October 11 stressed that Thailand should not lose the “golden time” to earn revenue during the end of the year, insisting the reopening date will be on November 1.

Revenue from tourism, which makes up 10 percent of Thailand’s GDP, is a quick way to boost the domestic economy, said the FTI.

The federation expects foreign arrivals would help Thailand reach its GDP growth target of 0 – 1 percent this year.

Local media on October 13 quoted FTI Chairman Supant Mongkolsuthree as saying that Thailand must learn to live with COVID-19 and let everything run by itself.

It is time for Thailand to bring back bustling business activities, while maintaining necessary measures against the pandemic, he said.

Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) Sanan Angubolkul said the agency supports the government’s plan to fully re-open to vaccinated tourists from countries deemed low risk from November 1, saying the decision is a good sign for the country’s economy.

Source - BangkokJack

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Thailand’s ‘Bold Move’ to revive tourism to take years, analysts say

BANGKOK, Oct 12 (Bloomberg): Thailand's plan to end quarantine for vaccinated visitors is "a fight to win foreign tourists", Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said on Tuesday (Oct 12).

But analysts and industry executives see it as a long road to recovery fraught with risks of periodic virus resurgence and unpredictable travel trends.

Minister Phiphat said Thailand's reopening plan coincides with many other nations' efforts to allow easier cross-border travel and is a fight to win foreign tourists in the next few months.

His ministry wants to attract travellers from China the most, and may seek travel bubbles with Asean nations if they are low-risk countries and travellers have been fully vaccinated.

A return to the pre-pandemic levels of tourist arrivals and spending will likely take a few years, according to Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, the president of the Thai Hotels Association.

It is unlikely that large groups of visitors will immediately head to Thailand, given the volatile nature of global travel and the coronavirus situation, she said.

"The light at the end of the tunnel is here, but at the same time it will be a slow climb back to the levels seen before the pandemic," Marisa said. "Travel is still so volatile so we have to manage our risks. Keeping costs low will still remain a key strategy for all the hotels in Thailand."

Thailand will end quarantine for vaccinated visitors from low-risk nations from Nov 1, joining a growing list of nations reopening to cross-border travellers ahead of the year-end holiday season, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha said on Monday.

The surprise announcement saw the nation's currency surge the most in more than two weeks, and stocks of airport operators, hotels and airlines rally to lift the benchmark index to a one-month high.

Ekasit Kunadirekwong, an analyst at Krungsri Securities, said that with the "bold move", tourism recovery is expected to accelerate in the fourth quarter along with rising vaccination rate and roll-out of booster shots.

Thailand's low vaccination rate of 32 per cent could lead to a spike in new cases upon reopening for inbound travellers and easing of restrictions for business activities.

Krungsri expects Thailand's population to reach 70 per cent vaccination rate by year-end with tourist arrivals forecast maintained at 300,000 this year, 14 million in 2022, 34 million in 2023, and a rebound to pre-pandemic levels of 40 million by 2024.

Sunthorn Thongthip, an analyst at Kasikorn Securities, said the latest move will help remove the barriers preventing tourists from coming to Thailand and to stimulate economic activity during the New Year festive period.

Sunthorn sees an upside to Bank of Thailand's 2022 GDP forecast of 3.9 per cent which is based on tourist arrivals estimate of 6 million next year. Every 3 million tourist arrivals in Thailand is expected to create 1 per cent upside to GDP growth.

Sunthorn expects the baht to rise to 32.75 vs US dollar by end-2021.

Kasikorn Securities is positive towards the Thai equities market as the reopening should benefit domestic, tourism related sectors.

Kampon Adireksombat, deputy managing director of SCB Securities' Chief Investment Office, said the economic recovery still faces many downside risks and there is a need to monitor how many tourists actually come in, especially from China, the biggest source of visitors pre-Covid.

Supant Mongkolsuthree, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, said the reopening is necessary to boost the Thai economy as tourism accounts for more than 10 per cent of GDP.

"Thailand needs to reopen to gain more income and benefit from global economic recovery. If not, the nation will only suffer from higher costs due to rising oil prices," Supant said. - Bloomberg

Source - ASIAN NOW

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WHO backs reopenings: Cambodia rep says new normal possible if adopted safely

 

WHO in Cambodia has requested the Ministry of Health to consider reopening all sectors, especially businesses in the Kingdom, after observing a sustainable and well-managed response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

World Health Organization Representative to Cambodia Dr Li Ailan told Khmer Times yesterday that Safe & Sustainable reopening is possible, if well managed.

“We need to apply a good risk management approach in all the sectors, especially the business sector for business reopening. Individuals need to make right choices on Covid-19 measures. Implementation & Monitoring are key,” Dr Ailan said.

“We have indeed learned some lessons to realize the  safe-reopening ambition,” she added.

She cautioned however, that if reopening is rushed without good planning and risk management in place, cases will surge, hospitals are highly likely to become overwhelmed and businesses may close again.

“I think that it is the right time to consider reopening the economy and our society safely and responsibly. The current Covid-19 response strategies need to be adjusted towards the New Normal and relevant policies must support all sectors to invest in balanced, risk-based public health and social measures,” she said.

Dr Ailan added that it is crucial to have functional monitoring of implementation and compliance. Policies should support the health sector to shift toward less intensive, more sustainable Covid-19 operations and improving health care and public health surveillance systems for early detection and rapid response to any future outbreaks.

She noted that the virus, especially the Delta variant, is circulating in the community and can still cause a surge in Covid-19 cases to overwhelm health care, even if the vaccination coverage is high, if reopening of businesses is not well managed.

Dr Ailan said WHO advises and encourages the application of a risk-based approach in reopening all the sectors as well as to shift mindsets and efforts in “learning, adjusting and sustaining” to a new way of working and living.

She also said that Cambodia’s high vaccination coverage provides a good basis for reopening the economy and society safely and responsibly. However, vaccination alone is not enough.

“We are working to provide our policy advice and technical support in moving towards “living with Covid-19” as an endemic disease in the future,” she said.

“We need a good combination of “vaccination”, “public health & social measures (PHSM)” and “health care capacity,” she said. “As we move forward in this situation of higher vaccination coverage, we will have to test our new ways of living. We must try, learn, adjust, and sustain new measures and behavior.”

She said each sector can open safely and responsibly with balanced, risk-based policies on public health and social measures that incorporate guidance from the health sector, monitoring of implementation and compliance with the measures, and engagement and communication with the members of the sector.

Investments in these measures are investments in the lives and livelihoods of the people of that sector, Dr Ailan noted.

Regarding recent irresponsible behavior by some holidaymakers during Pchum Ben, she said communities should also play a part by adopting measures that reduce disease spread.

“I regret that there are some who were not taking this responsibility seriously. We have seen images in some places and social media of crowding and maskless gatherings. These are the kinds of situations that can send Cambodia over the Red Line and back into prolonged social disruptions,” Dr Ailan said.

“We should not revert the progress made so far in Cambodia.  WHO is grateful to those who are working hard and who are monitoring the situation during their holidays? We thank the local authorities for taking some quick action to prevent a tragedy. This kind of monitoring and quick response, not waiting for cases to occur, is exactly the kind of try, learn, adjust, and sustain approach that Cambodia needs,” she added.

Ministry of Health spokeswoman Or Vandine said yesterday that she is hoping to get out from the Covid-19 box as soon as possible, if people continue to practice the  3 Do’s and 3 Don’ts correctly and regularly.

“Learning to carefully exercise necessary preventive measures allows us to live with a new normal when reopening businesses safely,” Vandine said.

On Friday, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced that Cambodia will be capable of  reopening its economy across all sectors if the Covid-19 situation post Pchum Ben remains stable at current levels for at least 10 consecutive days.

“If the situation remains as it is for the next 10 to 15 days, then I think it is time to reopen the economy, and society, across all sectors under the new normal concept,” Mr Hun Sen said.

In another development, Hem Sinareth, the capital’s director of the Department of Education, said on Saturday evening that from October 8 to October 9, 6,000 teachers were tested for Covid-19 and 11 were found positive.

He said the remaining 1,000 teachers in the capital will be tested today.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health yesterday reported 239 new cases of Covid-19 using PCR testing, bringing the total number in the country to 107,857. Of the new cases, 25 are imported and the rest are linked to the February 20 Community Event.

The ministry also announced 24 new deaths, bringing the total number of fatalities to 2,506.

At the same time, it also recorded 481 new recoveries, bringing the total number to 107,857.

Source - Khmer Post

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Thailand must reopen soon if it wants to survive: FTI

 

The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) is concerned that tourists may not be interested in Thailand if the country takes too long to open its doors.

Also, he said, the number of daily cases has dropped, and Thailand has the facilities to treat Covid-19 patients. However, he said, the authorities should speed up the vaccination rate in the business sector before reopening the country.

Suphan predicted that Thailand’s gross domestic product will grow by less than 1 per cent as the number of tourists visiting under sandbox schemes was lower than expected.

He said that though the economy is showing signs of recovery and economic activities have resumed after the lifting of lockdown, the government still needs to lend a helping hand to small businesses. He said most SMEs cannot reopen due to liquidity problems.

Source - TheNation

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Once-Bustling with Foreign Tourists Bangkok Now a Ghost Town

Hotels are shuttered in the dark, bars are closed and empty food carts are seen around Bangkok’s once-bustling with foreign tourists. The silence shrouds the city’s party land despite the easing COVID-19 lockdown measures.

“Bangkok at night is deserted as never before. I can’t believe it is a tourist haven where I’ve been living all my life. It’s almost a ghost town,” said local resident Anan who lives near Sukhumvit 24. An area home to starred hotels, large shopping malls, high-end and popular restaurants in central Bangkok.

Thailand has recorded no local transmission of COVID-19 for 35 consecutive days with all of the recorded infections being Thais returning from abroad.

Although the curfew imposed since April to contain coronavirus has been lifted and most businesses are allowed to open, most of them kept their doors closed.

“I sat around here the whole day. You’re the second visitor to the shop. Foreigners are major visitors here, but now we could hardly see them,” Apple, a masseuse in downtown Bangkok, told Xinhua.

“I got only 30 percent of my normal earnings, which could barely afford meals, but better than nothing,” said the 45-year-old with two children under 10.

Absence of foreign tourists in Bangkok

Apple left her hometown in southern Thailand and went back to Bangkok on June 1 when the country allowed massage parlors to reopen. “I can’t wait any more,” she said.

“The absence of foreign tourists means business is still very slow. We recalled only five workers from 15 of them,” said Rada, owner of the massage parlor.

Inbound international tourists remains banned. Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority said commercial international flights will not resume in the months to come.

“We are operating at a loss, but we have to reopen to survive till foreign tourists return,” said Rada with a bitter smile who offered a free coupon for every visitor at her parlor.

Rada is not the only one who tries all her ways to woo the customers back. Grand sales are seen in every shopping mall in the city, offering the best deal of the year with discounts up to 90 percent.

With no foreign tourists, tourism hotspots like Pattaya and Phuket have been hit even harder than Bangkok.

Bangkok Businesses face collapse

Tourism contributes to 18 percent of the country’s GDP, of which 12 percent or 2 trillion baht (about 66 billion U.S. dollars) comes from international tourists.

Most tourist businesses are set up for foreign visitors. Without international tourists, most hotels, shops and restaurants have to shut their doors and many face business collapse.

In the first five months this year, Thailand takes in about 17 billion dollars, a 57-percent drop from last year. The state planning agency estimates the country’s economy will shrink 5 percent to 6 percent this year. Its worst performance since the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis.

“The tourism sector of Thailand is in the plight of oversupply due to the absence of foreign tourists. To make it survive and fill the void of the foreign market, the cabinet has approved stimulus packages worth about 740 million dollars,” Yuthasak Supaporn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), told Xinhua.

He said the government will offer coupons on accommodation, transport, food and tourist attractions to stimulate 2 million domestic trips from July to October.

“All the measures are aimed to reinvigorate tourism by encouraging domestic spending and converting Thailand’s 12 million local outbound travelers into domestic tourists,” said Yuthatsak.

To regain tourist confidence, the TAT has set up Safety and Health Administration (SHA) certification for tourism business on hygiene, health and cleanliness. The TAT expects 70 percent of the tourism supply chain will join the new safety standards in two years.

Thailand mulling reopening to foreign tourists
The government also floated an idea to help hard-hit hotels by encouraging them to offer “alternative quarantine” to a limited group of foreign travelers to the country.

Foreign business people who registered for a self-funded covid-19 isolation package at luxury hotels, known as “alternative state quarantine,” are permitted to fly into the country. Hotels can sell them with upgraded accommodation and private doctor consultations.

As foreign tourism remains a vital part of the Thai economy, the kingdom is mulling to reopen its door to foreign tourists.

The current phase of border reopening is strictly limited to business trips. Skilled workers, expats with Thai families, students, and teachers are expected to be covered in the next phase, which may take place on July 1.

Meanwhile, ways in which the country can safely allow the return of tourists are being reviewed. Among them is the idea of “travel bubbles.” The bubbles would involve reciprocal travel arrangements with other countries. Only countries that have shown they can effectively contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to spokesman for the government’s Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration Taweesin Wisanuyothin, short-term business travellers from China, Japan, South Korea and Singapore might be allowed back without having to spend 14 days in quarantine.

The relax of immigration rules

He said the Covid-19 “travel bubbles” idea has not been finalized but it was clear that it would not allow hundreds of thousands of foreign tourists to visit Thailand per year. Adding that the plan will not be rolled out before August.

“The plan needs more talks, the fear of further outbreak still haunts tourism demand. The relax of immigration rules will be step by step. Probably starting from limited destinations like Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket,” said the TAT governor.

“Tourism sector will be reset in the pandemic. We are turning away from mass tourism. Targeting wealthy groups, balancing the domestic and international markets will be the trend,” he said.

“It will not return to the past when the influx of international travellers created euphoric sentiment for the country,” said Annan. He just ended his second trip with his family around the country within two weeks.

School closure continues. Hotels and meals are in exaggerate discount. It’s golden time to travel with your kids everywhere in Thailand without being disturbed by noisy tour crowds, he said.

“Gone is humanity, the crowds, the diners, the drunks. What a time of hard-won quietness! Yet I miss the roar of tuk-tuk cars at midnight, the noisy street full of bewildered foreign tourists. Also touting vendors-the messy charm of the city,” said Annan.

“We are expecting Bangkok to return to what it was before. However, the empty streets remind me that the fun and charm of Bangkok will depart for a long time,” said Annan. Enditem

Source - Chiang Rai Times

#Vietnam considers resuming flights to some Asian destinations

Tokyo, Seoul, mainland China's Guangzou city, Taiwan and Laos are among destinations being considered for early reopening of international flights, the government said.

The consideration is based on the condition of places that have had no new Covid-19 cases for at least 30 days, the Government Office said in a statement Wednesday, citing a prime ministerial directive.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has directed that the flights should undertake strict anti-pandemic measures in line with the Health Ministry’s regulations.

The premier assigned the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control the task of drafting a list of safe countries and territories where there have been no new cases for at least 30 days, saying these destinations will be prioritized for the resumption of international flights. "There must be guidelines on quarantine for those entering the country via such flights."

Phuc had earlier said that it was impossible for the country to remain completely closed to international flights, but the reopening has to be done carefully and with consideration for the disease safety level in the countries or territories involved.

Vietnam's entry suspension for foreign nationals since March 22 is still in effect, as is one on international flights since March 25. Only those with diplomatic or official passports, or coming for special economic projects, are allowed to enter the country and are quarantined upon arrival. It has also granted permission for some special flights to repatriate Vietnamese citizens stranded abroad.

Domestic flights have resumed since April.

Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are also considering the reopening of international flights with Vietnam, foreign media reported.

Japan has banned entry by foreigners but is considering allowing business travelers from Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Vietnam who test negative for Covid-19 both while leaving their home country and arriving in Japan, said Asahi Shimbun, a Japanese national newspaper.

South Korea is planning a limited resumption of international flights to certain destinations including Vietnam, which has garnered international acclaim for its effective dealing of the Covid-19 pandemic.

With a population of over 96 million, Vietnam has reported just 332 infections. Of this, 319 have recovered after treatment and no deaths recorded.

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Minister of Health and Welfare, Chen Shih-chung, had said last month that only a few countries could meet its requirements for resuming flights based on objective data. The minister said he thinks that New Zealand and Vietnam are the most likely countries to open up in the first wave, Taiwan News reported.

Though Vietnam has yet to open its doors to international visitors, the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control had said at a meeting on May 28 that the tourism industry could pilot a plan to welcome foreign tourists to island destinations on a trial basis with strict safety measures in place.

Phu Quoc, Vietnam's largest island in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang, was on the list of priority island destinations.

Due to border closures and flight suspensions, Vietnam's number of foreign visitors in the first five months was 3.73 million, a 48.8 percent year-on-year decline.

The country has gone nearly two months without community transmission of the disease.

Source - VN Express