It was perhaps the irony of all ironies that it was yesterday, World Tourism Day September 27th, that Thailand was literally braced for yet another anouncement about visa amnesties, visa exemptions and just WHEN the magical tourist $ faucet would be opened again.
Image by Alexas_Fotos from Pixabay
You see, Thailand with it's population of 70 million people last year received 40 million tourists. Since the 1970's brought the first rash of Vietnam war military on furlough to "play", tourism has arguably been as important to the economy as rice, if not more so.
Until Covid. Borders have been firmly CLOSED since early March and even Thai nationals wanting to come home are on a looooong waiting list. Meanwhile the Thai economy is in absolute freefall, with a rising suicide rate and a whole strata of society sitting completely idle. No pensions or benefits here. In the Old City of Chiang Mai - a 720 year old walled moated city - it's no exageration to say more than 50% of the businesses have closed for good. Most days, not more than 30% of the stores are even open. Many hotels and spas are planning for a "soft opening" in October. But unsure and all very vague. Some are just staying closed till November, Christmas or the New Year.
And so everyone is talking, incessantly, about when will the tourists come back.
And yesterday the announcement didn't come. Nor did it come today. But there WAS a back-door media leak that suggested October will see a very small number of tourists return, after they are duly Covid tested 3 times (2 different types of test), complete the mandatory government quarantine at their own not inconsiderable cost, sign up for the Track&Trace app and show evidence of USD $100,000 medical insurance which specifically includes Covid19.
Like so many people grasping at straws and desperate for some cash flow, I took a peek at the leaked news:
Dr Thaweesin Visanuyothin, CCSA’s spokesperson, said that all travellers permitted to enter the country must abide by the strict 14 days of state quarantine measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The six groups are as follows:
- Foreign athletes who participate in the Chalerm Prakiat International Cycling Race from Samut Songkhram to Suratthani on October 6-16. The group will be under 14 days of state quarantine at the local hotel.
- A group of 340 Thai Airways pilots and cabin crew on the repatriation flight to Thailand. The group will be under state quarantine as they operated in the US.
- Holders of non-immigrant types of visa, who are businesspeople without a work permit and are willing to enter Thailand for business purposes by providing a six-month bank statement, equivalent to at least 500,000 baht.
- Holders of Special Tourist Visa which the prime minister will discuss with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and related agencies for the policy.
- Approximately 100,000 of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Cardholders from low-risk countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, China, and Hong Kong.
- Foreigners who wish to stay in Thailand for 60 days can extend the duration for an extra 30 days by providing a six-month bank statement, equivalent to at least 500,000 baht, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for permission.
The CCSA also approved a proposal for the Badminton World Federation (BWF) tour in Thailand which will be held on January 2021, said Dr Thaweesin. Source
What's really new and different is what's perceived as a tourist, and the new income in the bank needing to be verified by a bank statement. 500,000 THB on today's exchange is USD $15,800.
It's a far cry and a radical shift from the backpacker tourists of Khao San Road in Bangkok of just last year who thought $50 in thier back pocket was a fortune and have been happily sharing $6 dormitories with shared bathrooms.
So the new 'tourists' need to pay not just approximately USD $2,000 for their 2 weeks of government quarantine and show evidence of their robust $100K covid-inclusive global health insurance, but they ALSO have to have another $15,800 on deposit to be considered for what was previously a $30 visa on arrival tourist visa. On top of flight prices which have gone up about 500%.
Oh my how things are changing!
On the plus side we will have a global badminton event. Oh joy. 😆
For our Thai business friends barely holding on and heavily in debt, tomorrow's announcement will be devastating. For people itching to leave places like the US, it's a shock and suddenly out of reach of most. For the Thai economy, it's a serious piece of hard-to-swallow reality: that there won't be many people here, anytime soon.
Those of us long-termers who live here, when we stop panicking about not having any money and the concerns of visa renewal, actually love Thailand without the tourist hordes. Mother Earth, too, is thrilled and recovering beautifully. The dophins and the green turtles are coming in close to shore again, and the magnificent tropical reefs are regenerating. But people are starving, and in a country with no unemployment benefits or pensions, poor job opportunities and little social infrastructure, it's devastating.
We need to reconsider the idea of tourism and travel. The Why & When & How needs a total rethink.
It WAS unsustainable the way it was, and The Great Pause has given the space to rethink. But turning it off altogether?
The statement from the United Nations put it rather well:
On this World Tourism Day, the COVID-19 pandemic represents an opportunity to rethink the future of the tourism sector, including how it contributes to the sustainable development goals, through its social, cultural, political, and economic value. Tourism can eventually help us move beyond the pandemic, by bringing people together and promoting solidarity and trust – crucial ingredients in advancing the global cooperation so urgently needed at this time. Source
Love to hear YOUR thoughts about tourism and travel: how has it affected you, and what do you think the future holds?
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I guess the assumption is there that this is just temporary, but as it currently stands, I can't help feeling that it's almost devolved back to tourism being only within the reach of the very wealthy. This would even exclude most of the middle class, because they can't be off work for more than a few weeks at a time and with a two week quarantine it would be pointless to go.
Environmentally, it's probably not a bad thing, but it's going to cause a lot of resentment and hurt a lot of people, as you've already pointed out.
For most of my life, travelling abroad was always beyond our reach anyway. Childhood holidays were camping in the rain in Skegness. Even a caravan was a luxury! 😆 Then my mum became a nurse and started earning enough to leave us with our grandmother once a year while they toured the Greek islands, so even those trips stopped.
Australia is a tourist destination in itself, so I've never felt the need to do Bali, like most people here seem to do. I guess I now won't be able to visit you in Thailand, either. Since we've been living off a single income while I homeschooled, we haven't had the spare cash for holidays abroad anyway and the idea of backpacking never appealed to me. I never really enjoyed camping after the experiences of leaking tents and treks across cold soggy fields to the toilet in the night. So I guess the changes won't make too much difference to me personally, but I know a lot of people it would upset.
Sorry for the Thai people and implanted expats, who are now suffering needlessly under the official thumbs of dubious retards presently in positions of power...
Seems to me, that a lot of weird rules have come into existence soon after the King died, about a year ago...???
I really can't comment on your observation about the K&ing since we currently have some serious political rumblings and criticism of the R&yal House & the military government still carries a 25 year prison term here. Arrests are made often. That would be what the unrest is about. Thai government is also taking facebook and youtube to court for not removing gov related content. So forgive me being circumspect in my response. But I think you may have a point. 'nuff said. That said, I think Thailand is a FAR better option than Donald T'Rump who is destryoing the fabric of the US. No place is perfect and I personally prefer my dictators and censorship in plain view and not masquerading as a democracy.
Yes, there IS a lot of needless suffering, stress and hardship. Don't even start me on the whole Covid thing and how we use it to instil FUD to control the masses.
It has been a tough week and the race has barely begun.
!ENGAGE 15
ENGAGEtokens.This is incredible!
Mexico is pretty similar as to being a country with major tourist revenue. Still, you don't hear the government coming up with these kinds of restrictions you've mentioned.
What does this mean for Thailand? Is everyone directly and indirectly employed by the tourist industry expected to find other ways of sustenance? While I believe that the mass tourism does have to be curbed, merely focusing on the rich, and turning tourism into a luxury, will not make it any more sustainable. It just scales it all down to where only a select few will benefit from it.
Do you know much about Bhutan? I have heard that they tried to restrict tourism, but I don't know about the results they've had with it. And yes, I do remember that traveling there is an expensive undertaking, more than anything.
We're not sure what it means yet. A friend of mine politely calls mass tourism neo-colonialism and he's not wrong. It IS a rape & pillage for the selfies mindset. And that needs to stop.
Doing a swap to Bhutan style tourism overnight while local businesses have neither the skills nor the capital to make rapid transition is unreasonable and brutal. But as I say that, last month the government demoilished 113 resorts about 1 hour's drive from here that had encorached on indigenous forest land. They mean business.
I'm not sure people fully grasp yet what is happening locally. All I can say is lawyers and acocuntants are making a fortune and there is a lot of stress, wasted time and wasted resources.
Breathing & taking it one day at a time.
!ENGAGE 25
Oh, that sounds so familiar: It has happened here too, that a resort complex was demolished supposedly for encroaching on a natural reserve. In truth they probably fell out of favor with the greedy politicians who enabled them to build there in the first place. At the same time, another construction was started on the other edge of the reserve... All before Covid, just your usual management of things in Mexico.
But that large-scale 180 turn in Thailand does sound scary... Are there going to be national elections anytime soon?
Let's just very delicately tiptoe around your question and say that a change of government is widely tipped soon, but there are no elections planned or scheduled anytime soon. There is much political unrest. More I can't say.
!ENGAGE 15
Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear... Wishing you peace and stability... which once again means, loving neighbors who are there for each other.
ENGAGEtokens.ENGAGEtokens.Great post with a lot of information. I'm sorry to hear about the Thai, such lovely people with such a passion for hospitality. This entire fear debacle is being taken very seriously - it seems even sovereign states that prize themselves of their independence are being forced to play along. There must be some very big strings being pulled at the very top to cause this kind of global catastrophe. Virus aside - if it was an option not to do this dance, many would take that option - Sweden seems to be one of them that had the courage (but possibly also a land or territory with very little political consequence in light of 'The Great Reset').
For now I have freedom where I am but it is not guaranteed - Perth, Western Australia. Australians are known for being self-entitled - the higher you are the further you fall is the expression, also collectively there is a poor history of social action and where action would re-cement rights, many are sitting down and taking it.
We must like you say in other ways, take courage in the things that we have, in how our needs are met - and learn to adapt to the changing face of society. Yet also to have courage to stand where we know it is necessary and where we know it will make a difference.
Good luck in Thailand!