Chinese Tourists to be Allowed Without Quarantine?

[Manforallseasons]

https://pattayaone.news/thailand-to-accept-chinese-tourists-without-quarantine/


The COVID-19 pandemic has hit tourism hard, and many countries expect tourists all around the world to come as soon as possible.

Thailand is talking with China about a quarantine-free travel corridor by January to rescue its ailing tourism industry, the Bloomberg reported.

Thailand Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said Thailand will reopen to foreign tourists in October with limitation.

In the absence of COVID-19 re-outbreak, Chinese tourists will not have to undergo mandatory quarantine and can use coronavirus testing and a mobile tracking application instead.

According to Thailand’s long-term tourist visa program, the first batch of Chinese tourists will arrive in Bangkok on October 20.

Thailand plans to issue 1,200 visas a month to help ease foreign tourists’ loss over the past five months as tourism is severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the report said.

About 11 million Chinese tourists visited Thailand in 2019, bringing in about 17 billion U.S. dollars in revenue, according to official figures.

“Thais don’t have enough money to boost the industry, so either way we have to find a way to bring in foreign tourists,” Phiphat said.

“If we don’t receive any foreign tourists, our economy will suffer a heavy contraction.”

[Armando]

Thailand Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said Thailand will reopen to foreign tourists in October with limitation.

In the absence of COVID-19 re-outbreak, Chinese tourists will not have to undergo mandatory quarantine and can use coronavirus testing and a mobile tracking application instead.

According to Thailand’s long-term tourist visa program, the first batch of Chinese tourists will arrive in Bangkok on October 20.
Have I been asleep for a few days? Isn't this precisely what we were told about the first Chinese arriving on long stay visas only for the programme to be cancelled 24 hours before anyone arrived. Perhaps I should be more accurateL because no Chinese had actually signed up for the trips.

With China having just locked down 9 million citizens of Qingdao because of a covid outbreak and that city being a popular destination for local tourists during the long October national holiday. who knows how many around China now have the virus. And Thailand is going to let them in without any form of quarantine?

The country is still being run by fantasists.

[Dodger]

We're already into October. No general tourists to date. Special Tourist Visa scrapped.

More unsubstantiated nonsense.

When will PattayaOne learn???

Completely contradicts Pattaya News article below regarding quarantine requirements:

https://thepattayanews.com/2020/10/18/thai-tourism-minister-expects-about-400-foreign-tourists-mostly-from-china-in-total-by-early-november-stressed-protests-should-not-interfere-with-letting-back-in-selective-tourists/

The Tourist Minister clearly has a political agenda. Creating chaos is his specialty...he must have taken lessons from watching Trump.

Political unrest is causing VERY deep concerns in the government. More meaningless articles like this are sure to follow. Pure fantasy to distract the masses.

[Manforallseasons]

We're already into October. No general tourists to date. Special Tourist Visa scrapped.

More unsubstantiated nonsense.

When will PattayaOne learn???

The Tourist Minister clearly has a political agenda. Creating chaos is his specialty...he must have taken lessons from watching Trump.

Political unrest is causing VERY deep concerns in the government. More meaningless articles like this are sure to follow. Pure fantasy to distract the masses.

I totally agree that Thailand at the moment appears to be in a dire political situation however, I doubt that The Pattaya One news in English will have much affect on “the masses”.

[Armando]

I doubt that The Pattaya One news in English will have much affect on “the masses”.
I wonder therefore why you bothered to post the link.

[Dodger]

I doubt that The Pattaya One news in English will have much affect on “the masses”.

Thank God!

[Manforallseasons]

I wonder therefore why you bothered to post the link.

Do you think the Thai masses read this forum?....Lol

[Armando]

Do you think the Thai masses read this forum?....Lol
No. But I often wonder why readers of this forum read and post articles from the Pattaya rags.

[Dodger]

No. But I often wonder why readers of this forum read and post articles from the Pattaya rags.

Ditto.

[Old git]

They keep talking as though they are opening up to full tourism again, and then slip in little things like 'charter flights' and numbers like '1200/month' - when normal high season tourist numbers are in the order of 100,000 per day.

What they are really saying is that they are opening up to their rich chums who have private jets - the rest of us can go hang...

However, there is a wind of change blowing in the LoS, and the next few months look likely to be pretty tumultuous. Most of Thailand's high season tourist trade looks set to head off to Latin America this winter instead. Given that there is hardly a family in Issan that isn't in some way reliant on the hard cash of tourism, it looks likely that the red shirts will kick off again - joining the Bangkok middle classes who are currently braving the water cannon in their clamour for democratic reform..

[goji]

Most of Thailand's high season tourist trade looks set to head off to Latin America this winter instead.

Now there's a good point. Possibly one that deserves it's own thread.
Thailand doesn't seem intent on letting westerners in any time soon, even with effective measures like testing & quarantine. If we are tested before flying and tested during 14 day quarantine, then we're not presenting a Covid risk to Thailand. But still, it seems they don't want tourists at present.

So where do we go instead ?
Some Latin American countries let us in, but last time I looked, they had high Covid infection rates. Now based on earlier mortality data, I'd estimated my own probability of dying if infected by Covid as ~1%. That's from death rates for early 50s age range.
Now it's not that easy to ignore 1%.

However, perhaps I should subtract a bit more for no KNOWN underlying conditions.

Also, I recently saw some death rate v age data with much much lower death rates, nearer 0.3% ? for my range, but cannot find it to post a link.
Also, the average age of people dying from Covid in the UK is apparently 82.4. [google pointed me to a Daily Mail article for that one]. That's about the age where males die anyway.

[arsenal]

"the Bangkok middle classes who are currently braving the water cannon in their clamour for democratic reform.."

The UK, the USA, most of Europe. Be careful what you wish for.

This never ending saga about Chinese tourists being allowed in is an absolute rrd herring.
Skittish at the best of times the Chinese are simply too scared to travel right now. They will remain so until their government tells them it's safe, regardless of any permissions granted by other countries. Recently this old gammer upon noticing yours truly was a foreigner immediately put on her crash helmet to protect her from the foreign disease.

[Old git]

"So where do we go instead ?
Some Latin American countries let us in, but last time I looked, they had high Covid infection rates. Now based on earlier mortality data, I'd estimated my own probability of dying if infected by Covid as ~1%. That's from death rates for early 50s age range.
Now it's not that easy to ignore 1%"

Not sure how you're arriving at that one. My number crunching is suggesting that much of Latin America is fast-tracking towards herd immunity. This bug is only nasty when it infects people who have had zero past contact with it, and even then most are asymptomatic. People who had low level contact with it - too small to generate an infection - are building immunity in response, resulting in a rapid drop, both in cases and mortality, in many countries now.

Of those currently dying WITH Covid (not to be confused with dying OF Covid) the great majority are at life's end already.

If you are in moderately good shape and under 80, you are very unlikely to come a cropper now..

[gerefan2]

Also, I recently saw some death rate v age data with much much lower death rates, nearer 0.3% ? for my range, but cannot find it to post a link.
Also, the average age of people dying from Covid in the UK is apparently 82.4. [google pointed me to a Daily Mail article for that one]. That's about the age where males die anyway.

Here is the info you were looking for...

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/articles/coronaviruscovid19roundup/2020-03-26#Ethnic

You will see they say...quote:
“ the rate of death involving Covid-19 for Black African males is still 2.5 times higher than for those of White background, and 2.1 times higher for Black African females.”

So,your estimate of 0.3% could probably be reduced by at least 50%!

As an aside, I am still waiting to hear from anyone who has had it, or anyone who knows anyone who has had it. And I’m saying that from the UK, one of the places often accused of having one of the highest rates of infection.

[goji]

I've been using a 1% mortality rate for people infected with covid, in the early 50s age range based on data published earlier in the pandemic, such as the graph below. Men have a higher fatality rate than women, but I might gain a bit back for good BMI.
Admittedly, this death rate is probably pessimistic now. And I believe the average age of covid deaths in the UK is 82.4, which is about when we keel over anyway !

As for Latin America, well Brazil currently has about 500 deaths a day from Covid. This has looked bad for months, but with the recent increase in the UK, it's in the same ballpark per capita. However, holidays mean more socializing.

If the trend continues downwards in Brazil, I might be tempted by December or January.

Particularly as the Thai government seems intent on keeping tourists out for now.

[Armando]

As for Latin America, well Brazil currently has about 500 deaths a day from Covid. This has looked bad for months, but with the recent increase in the UK, it's in the same ballpark per capita. However, holidays mean more socializing.
Brazil's daily rate of new infections was 30,574 on Oct. 16. Rates are falling and your chance of dying may be infinitesimal. I assume you are prepared to be infected and have to undergo a very nasty few weeks including possible hospitalisation. Great holiday!

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/brazil/

[francois]

.
Also, the average age of people dying from Covid in the UK is apparently 82.4. [google pointed me to a Daily Mail article for that one]. That's about the age where males die anyway.

What an appalling thought!

[sglad]

No. But I often wonder why readers of this forum read and post articles from the Pattaya rags.

Why not? I mean this forum is hardly The Economist or The New York Times - it's not even Matichon; it is no more than a virtual pub where participants come to whinge, shoot the breeze or, in some cases, pretend to be writers - broadcasting BS from their Pattaya bar stools - which is fine as long as you take it for what it is.

[sglad]

joining the Bangkok middle classes who are currently braving the water cannon in their clamour for democratic reform..

No. The protesters come from across the socio-economic spectrum and are not limited to Bangkokians. Protests are occurring all over the country; the reason why most of it is concentrated in Bangkok is because it is the seat of political power, in particular the institution we're not allowed to talk about. It is also where the major universities and schools are located, where the bulk of the protesters come from but the students are from all over the country. Also having the protests in the capital would attract the most visibility globally and might therefore be more "effective" from the protesters' perspective.

[Nirish guy]

I mean this forum is ...... no more than a virtual pub where participants come to .... in some cases, pretend .

But OH the Irony ! :-) lol

[dinagam]

Some wishing they could cum...

[francois]

If you are in moderately good shape and under 80, you are very unlikely to come a cropper now..

If interested, here is an article of many who died from Covid which was printed in the New York Times obituaries. Some are over 80 and some are younger.

Fact is, if someone is 80 yo, their life expectancy, on average is another 7 or 8 years.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/obituaries/people-died-coronavirus-obituaries.html

[Armando]

Another Pattaya rag story with an incorrect title. Well it does have a question mark, but it is still an old story and it is merely wishful thinking. The first group of 41 Chinese tourists arrived from Shanghai yesterday and are now in quarantine. 147 are due from Guangzhou on October 26. More quarantine.

Why all these stupid Pattaya rag headlines and stupid articles when we know most of them are fictions of fanciful minds?

[gerefan2]

Why all these stupid Pattaya rag headlines and stupid articles when we know most of them are fictions of fanciful minds?

They are posted by the Immigrant Retirees (sorry expats) because the majority gay Gogo bars and host bars are either closed or deserted during the week. And most of the Cambodian and Laos prostitutes have gone home and only a small proportion of Thai money boys are left.

It’s the monsoon season so they cannot get out either. Even if they did they couldn’t talk or hear under that tin roof in Jomtien!

What else is there to do?

[StevieWonders]

They are posted by the Immigrant Retirees (sorry expats)I fear you are mistaken there; the visa class for all retirees is clearly described as “NON-Immigrant”

[Armando]

They are posted by the Immigrant Retirees (sorry expats) because the majority gay Gogo bars and host bars are either closed or deserted during the week. And most of the Cambodian and Laos prostitutes have gone home and only a small proportion of Thai money boys are left.

It’s the monsoon season so they cannot get out either. Even if they did they couldn’t talk or hear under that tin roof in Jomtien!

What else is there to do?
And then post them here to bore everyone else :devilsh:

[Armando]

If interested, here is an article of many who died from Covid which was printed in the New York Times obituaries. Some are over 80 and some are younger.

Fact is, if someone is 80 yo, their life expectancy, on average is another 7 or 8 years.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/obituaries/people-died-coronavirus-obituaries.html
Anyone who can afford to have an obituary in the New York Times is bound to have had one foot in the grave before thhe grim reaper arrived.

[gerefan2]

Fact is, if someone is 80 yo, their life expectancy, on average is another 7 or 8 years.



Exactly...the whole world is going through all this to give a few, very few, a couple of extra years on the planet. And I do not know ANYONE in that age group who does not already have pre existing problems.

In the future they are going to saying..”What were they thinking??”

[StevieWonders]

Exactly...the whole world is going through all this to give a few, very few, a couple of extra years on the planet. And I do not know ANYONE in that age group who does not already have pre existing problems.While that’s a respectable position to hold if the focus is entirely on mortality it fails to take into account the reported physical consequences for far more younger people who’ve had the disease and ended up with scarred lungs and other long-lasting effects. These have been widely reported in the media - although I guess your disdain for the media means you’re simply unaware of this fact.

[francois]

Exactly...the whole world is going through all this to give a few, very few, a couple of extra years on the planet. And I do not know ANYONE in that age group who does not already have pre existing problems.

In the future they are going to saying..”What were they thinking??”

Are you suggesting that older people are dispensable and their lives are worth nothing?

[gerefan2]

Are you suggesting that older people are dispensable and their lives are worth nothing?

Ask an Insurance company that question. You can bet they have a price.

[latintopxxx]

...well abortion is widely accepted...this would just be another version of it...

[StevieWonders]

...well abortion is widely accepted...this would just be another version of it...Your Roman Catholic upbringing is shining through - interesting from a promiscuous sodomite. Why not argue the medieval belief that it’s God’s punishment or - getting really creative - update St Augustine’s theory of the “just war” and claim it’s Creation’s war against humanity’s despoiling of the environment.

I’m still waiting for an explanation why God declined to agree to Pope Francis’ prayers earlier this year to end the pandemic but that begs the question of why the Almighty unleashed it in the first place.

[arsenal]

Well this is now very off topic. I suspect the Red Triangle Baron will be pressing the button and springing one of our Thunderbirds into 'Go'.


Steviewonders wrote.
"Creation’s war against humanity’s despoiling of the environment."

Don't wanna get all moral about things but from a purely scientific reasoning it's impossible that as a species we can treat the planet the way we have/do and there not be some sort of reckoning.

[goji]

I suspect the Red Triangle Baron will be pressing the button and springing one of our Thunderbirds into 'Go'.

The "baron" is actually several different people, some of whom use it very rarely.

I agree that the planet is in severe difficulty.
There is rapid & uncontrolled increases in population in some developing countries, who are burning more fossil fuels. So even though Europe (for example) is moving quite quickly in the right direction, it's not going to make much difference.
Whilst we are moving to unreliable renewable power, even developed countries like Japan are in the process of opening over 20 new coal fired power stations.

[Nirish guy]

I’m still waiting for an explanation why God declined to agree to Pope Francis’ prayers earlier this year to end the pandemic but that begs the question of why the Almighty unleashed it in the first place.

Or begs the even bigger question as to why people still believe in Gods when clearly no such thing exists !

[francois]

Ask an Insurance company that question. You can bet they have a price.

I was asking you that question, not an insurance company.

[Blueskytoday]

Idiots get on topic...

[StevieWonders]

Steviewonders wrote.
"Creation’s war against humanity’s despoiling of the environment."

Don't wanna get all moral about things but from a purely scientific reasoning it's impossible that as a species we can treat the planet the way we have/do and there not be some sort of reckoning.
Too kind arsenal but as always Mother Nature has already shown us how to live with pandemics had we only bothered to ask, as this excellent article shows - https://undark.org/2020/07/22/social-insects-control-disease/

[arsenal]

A superb article. More evidence of what I've long believed. Namely that there is no behaviour good or bad exhibited by humans that is not replicated somewhere in the animal kingdom.

[Dodger]

..Namely that there is no behaviour good or bad exhibited by humans that is not replicated somewhere in the animal kingdom.

Animals don't lie.

[snotface]

Yes, interesting article. I rather liked the French kiss to absorb vaccine from another - as long as I can choose the donor.

[arsenal]

Dodger wrote.
"Animals don't lie."

Yes they do.

https://www.yosemitelakespark.org/killdeer/

[francois]

Anyone who can afford to have an obituary in the New York Times is bound to have had one foot in the grave before thhe grim reaper arrived.

If anyone is interested in the sources of Those We've Lost,here is an article in the NYTimes, the story behind the stories.

Those who remember the Portraits of Grief, which emerged from the Metro desk, will see something quite different here. Rather than vignettes, these are more rounded obituaries, much as we write for heads of state, Hall of Famers and trailblazers.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/16/reader-center/coronavirus-obits.html