Bars & GoGo’s Could Stay Closed Till After New Years!

https://bangkokherald.com/living/ent...posal-to-ccsa/

The Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration on Friday will consider a proposal to keep Thailand’s bars, nightclubs and other entertainment venues closed thrugh the new year, with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha admonishing operators not to be “selfish”.

Thai media reported today that at the weekly Cabinet meeting, ministers discussed the idea of keeping entertainment businesses, including karaoke clubs and soapy massage parlors, shuttered until 2022 in order to prevent another major coronavirus outbreak over the holidays.

"prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha admonishing operators not to be selfish."

You must be kidding me! How selfish is it to want to make a living?

Just for comparison purposes:
1 England allowed pubs and bars to open for outdoor serving in April. Admittedly bollock freezing cold weather would cap demand at that time of year.

2 England allowed full unrestricted opening of pubs and bars on July 19th, at a point where in the UK as a whole, 82.6 million doses of vaccine had been delivered. I suspect the vast majority of the UK population would support this.

Thailand will probably reach the same 82.6 million doses today or tomorrow (reported one day later).

My daughter, who's only been to Thailand once, said to me last week..."Dad, just looking at the U Tube feeds it's obvious that nothings going to be open until after the holidays anyway - so I'll hold off on my next visit until March."

So much common sense. She must have inherited that from her mom.

Nightlife expected to begin Jan.16. https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/ban...reopen-jan-16/

I wonder what hoops the bars will have to jump through to comply with the CCSA assessment criteria (whatever that is).

I also how it will effect the Cambodian and Laotian working boys. If the CCSA requires bar staff to be vaccinated this could present a real challenge.

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Originally Posted by goji

Thailand will probably reach the same 82.6 million doses today or tomorrow (reported one day later).

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I guess that only matters if the Thai authorities ACTUALLY believe their own vaccination numbers AND believe that the Sinovac? vaccine they gave out ACTUALLY works to the level they expected AND that they believe their hospitals can with stand any surge in cases if either of their above calculations are / were wrong perhaps !?

I wouldn't be surprised if entry s reserved for vaccinated punters and steps taken to enable tracing if there's an outbreak.

I recall a hi-so bar in Bangkok being adjudged responsible for a serious cluster a few months ago. Or was it last year?

Will staff be required to be vaccinated? And I wonder if offing will be as straightforward as it once was. I suspect many of those who wish to take someone to a hotel may wish to know of their potential partner's status..

I know loads of people that have had 4 shots (sinovac and AZ, sinopharm X 2) as part of 2 unconnected and not computerised Vaccination schemes. So I would imagine that the actual number of people Vaccinated is far lower than reported.

As far as the Cambodian and Laos bar workers, seems from FB posts that the majority of those that I know bin Pattaya seem to have been done, and got the western vaccines

While Im guessing many faring may feel a bit devastated if bars dont open on time for Christmas, do perhaps remember that aside from it losing them income the average Thai person could care less about celebrating "Christmas" as it's a total non event to them anyway,

Also if we then were gutted about missing out on the actual twinkly lights of the festive season I guess we can also console ourselves in our knowing that there are still plenty of Thai bars dotted about that we can enter say in June or July and still see a Christmas tree up in the corner and Christmas music being played on the music system complete some cute guy shouting Merry Kissmasssss to us on arrival.

As to why it works and faring tend to give them money at the end of December they have NO idea of course but as they certainly connected that "Christmas cheer" means they may get some money out of us - , but they just KNOW it WORKS so it's worth a shot - so all is not lost after all it seems so Happy Christmas to one and all - in June to come !:-))

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Originally Posted by colmx

As far as the Cambodian and Laos bar workers, seems from FB posts that the majority of those that I know bin Pattaya seem to have been done, and got the western vaccines

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Some of them are apparently getting 2 month extensions in their passport, possibly covid extensions, although I don't know what the rule is. If they are in Thailand legally, it makes sense to try to get whatever vaccine they can get, as there is no downside risk. If there illegally, perhaps there is some risk in showing up and presenting a passport.

Having said that, even with no vaccine, many of these lads will be at less risk than some of us with a vaccine.

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Originally Posted by Nirish guy

While Im guessing many faring may feel a bit devastated if bars dont open on time for Christmas, do perhaps remember that aside from it losing them income the average Thai person could care less about celebrating "Christmas" as it's a total non event to them anyway,
)

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If the opening is delayed until mid January as implied in another thread it would be disastrous in many ways.

Although Thais may not celebrate Xmas they do realise that it represents the beginning of the New Year celebrations and as you say time for money making. Many Thais will have been banking (excuse pun) on the promised December opening, and like us, made arrangements to return to tourist areas.

The delayed opening will be devastation for them as it represents the cancellation of yet another high season and continued destitution.

It’s ludicrous that Thailand (or any other country) would go through a reopening process, with all that it involves, to attract tourists and then leave them high and dry with all their entertainment closed for the peak holiday period.

It doesn’t bode well for the reputation of Thailand at all.

TiT

You are right of course there and I certainly wasn't trying to make light of the continued devastation that an ongoing bar closure might make to many peoples lives there. Having been through exactly that here in the UK myself and seeing dates come and go and my trying to plan multitudes of planning for "ok if this happens we'll do this or if that happens then this" only to see almost ALL of those time consuming stressful (and costly) plans to go right out the window, over and OVER again as the months rolled on I do feel for the people there.

It does beg the question of course that is this perhaps a case of the various Thai departments simply just not speaking to each other to ensure that one cohesive message is being sent out to the world re their ACTUAL reopening plans. It does sound like madness for the to advertise to the worlds press a fairly definite re-open date and for them to keep reinforcing that PR message worldwide and THEN, after people have taken them at their word and perhaps booked to visit for them only THEN to announce they actually might effectively re-close the entire place for a few more weeks yet after everyone's arrival. It just doesn't make any sense.

It does make you wonder though what the Thai authorities know (or suspect) is the TRUE picture of what might happen if they fully open again and makes you concerned that what their modelling figures are saying that are fuelling their concerns as they must be painting quite a bleak picture still or surely you'd think that they'd just be cracking on now and at the very least just hoping for the best.

Maybe Songkran and their failure to lock down properly then when they SHOULD have has scared them so much that no one in authority is willing or preapred to put their neck on the line this time round by signing the "ok to open" order this time round perhaps !???

It is foolish to promote a reopening and keep bars etc.closed however, as someone here I think it is better to error on the side of caution.

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Originally Posted by gerefan2

It doesn’t bode well for the reputation of Thailand at all.

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For any government the most important approval/reputational rating comes from their own populace. Factor in also that this isn't a unified democratic government acting with a unified approach to most issues. The dynamics of Thai government are instead dictated by factional self interest which extend way beyond the government. 'Nuff said as Trink used to write.

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Originally Posted by goji

2 England allowed full unrestricted opening of pubs and bars on July 19th, at a point where in the UK as a whole, 82.6 million doses of vaccine had been delivered. I suspect the vast majority of the UK population would support this.

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And look what happened! The number of cases since then has continued to be high with the 7-day moving average presently around 34,000.

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Originally Posted by Armando

And look what happened! The number of cases since then has continued to be high with the 7-day moving average presently around 34,000.

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Now we've all had the opportunity of a vaccine, most of the UK population are quite happy with this.
All the restrictions on freedom due to covid belong firmly in the pre-vaccine era.

Even with covid and no vaccines, the age standardized mortality rate in 2020 was better than 2008 and all preceding years.
With vaccines and no restrictions, it's likely to prove far better & barely any different to pre-covid. Particularly if the NHS ever get their act together with the booster programme.

Got this Notification on FB from Moonlight...

The Thai government announced the postponement Open for entertainment on 15th January 2022 and may change depending on the situation at that time. We will inform you in all social media and sorry for any inconvenience.

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Originally Posted by GWMinUS

Got this Notification on FB from Moonlight...

The Thai government announced the postponement Open for entertainment on 15th January 2022 and may change depending on the situation at that time. We will inform you in all social media and sorry for any inconvenience.

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God, if this was floating around on Facebook it must be true.

Here’s the latest official view according to the Bangkok Post. Subtext - January 16 isn’t definite:

The Public Health Ministry and local organisations said the operators of entertainment venues had not registered compliance with the Covid-19 control standard, known as Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration Plus (SHA+), Dr Apisamai said.

The standard was mandatory for reopening, she said.

"Please improve your premises ... Whether reopening will happen or not does not depend on the decision of CCSA, but on the readiness of the premises themselves," Dr Apisamai said.

Covid-19 vaccination of staff of entertainment venues was among the criteria of the SHA+ standard. Details of the standard were available from the Department of Health, she said.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2218367