Thailand recovery will take at least THREE-YEARS

 

Thailand’s tourism industry will take at least three years to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels even as it prepares to ease restrictions on vaccinated travelers starting next month, according to Standard Chartered Bank Plc.
The slow recovery for the sector that accounts for about 15% of Thailand’s gross domestic product means growth in Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy will remain weak over the next two years, Tim Leelahaphan, an economist at Standard Chartered’s Thai unit, wrote in a report Friday.

“The Thai economy will struggle to recover without an improvement in the tourism sector,” he said. “This may keep economic growth weak in 2022-23, although a low base should provide support.”

Thailand plans to end a mandatory quarantine for visitors to holiday destinations including Bangkok from Nov. 1 as it seeks to jump-start its economy and transition to a “living with Covid-19” strategy.

The reopening plan may be disrupted if the ongoing improvement in the pandemic situation in Thailand changes course, Tim said.

Thailand saw foreign tourist arrivals plunge to 73,932 in the first eight months of this year, from almost 40 million visitors in 2019 who generated more than $60 billion in revenue.

Standard Chartered said 6 million tourist arrivals are needed to erase the current account shortfall that stood at $8.5 billion in the eight month through August.

Next year, arrivals of 4 million could help generate revenue equal to 1% of GDP as overseas visitors often spend about $1,500 per person during a trip to the Southeast Asian nation.

Travelers from China, who made up 28% of Thailand’s foreign arrivals in 2019, are unlikely to return in large numbers soon due to travel restrictions, while arrivals from India are expected to increase next month during the Diwali festival, though they’re unlikely to match number of Chinese holidaymakers, Tim said.

The Bank of Thailand in August cut its forecast for tourist arrivals to 150,000 visitors this year and 6 million in 2022.

Source - BangkokJack

Our VISA AGENT

#Thailand eases up on social distancing requirements for domestic travel

The requirement for Thailand’s airlines to leave every second seat empty, as part of the conditions under which domestic services could resume, is being done away with. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand says carriers can now sell every seat on a flight (whether or not airlines manage to do so is another matter).

However, the CAAT says airlines must upgrade their in-flight ventilation, replacing high efficiency particulate air filters regularly. In addition, the wearing of face masks for all passengers and crew for the duration of the flight remains mandatory, with the CAAT saying passengers must be advised they may face prosecution if they fail to do so.

In a further easing of the conditions governing domestic travel during this Covid-19 era, Thailand’s Transport Minister says from July 31, members of the same family may sit together on Bangkok’s electric train network, as journeys take less than 50 minutes. A report in Thai PBS World says Minister Saksayam Chidchob says this relaxation of the rules is being implemented to reduce costs for the capital’s MRT service and to reflect Thailand’s ongoing recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.

The minister was busy handing out free face masks on the MRT network yesterday and it’s anticipated that a million masks will be distributed between now and August as part of the operator’s “Healthy Journey with BEM” program.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World

#Cambodia - Kep tourism to receive facelift as two islands are pegged for development

 Kep provincial officials are planning to improve 1,800m of shoreline and develop two islands which are less than 10km from the coast.

 The government is studying the development of the beach in Kep province, in southwestern Cambodia, to assess its tourism potential.

Kep province is a coastal area located more than 175km from Phnom Penh and the government believes it has tourism potential thanks to its beaches, national parks, mangrove forests, corals and seagrass.

Kep provincial Department of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction director Vao Sokha told The Post on Thursday that his team is studying improvements to the nearly 3,000m Kep Beach to turn it into a public beach to attract more tourists.

Upgrades will be developed from the Crab Market to the mangrove community area in Prey Thom commune, in Kep town.

“We have already designed the beach and are studying the socio-environmental impacts on the communities living along the coast,” he said.

Kep province now has only one official beach with a length of 350m, and it is yet to meet the needs of tourists. He said the beach is too narrow and needs to be upgraded, including road construction.

The government is studying improvements to another 1,800m of the beach from Kep beach to the Vietnamese coast. “Kep province has great potential for tourism. If we do not develop it, how can we attract tourists?” Sokha asked.

In addition to the coastal area, Kep province has 13 archipelagos that are attractive natural tourist sites. Two of the islands have been granted by the government to a private development company – Koh Tonsay Island (also known as Rabbit Island) and Por Island.

Koh Tonsay Island is a beautiful island that is only 4.5km from Kep beach. Por Island, which lies 7.5km off the coast, has not been developed so far, said Sokha.

At a meeting to prepare the Kep provincial Tourism Development Master Plan in May, Ministry of Economy and Finance undersecretary of state Ni Phally said the master plan would make Kep province an attractive destination for local and global tourism.

“The draft will be completed by the end of July and will be submitted at the Inter-Ministerial Commission meeting in August,” he said.

A Ministry of Tourism report said Kep province welcomed about two million international and domestic tourists last year – up 4.24 per cent from 2018.

Source - Phnom Penh Post

Visitors Must Now Register to Visit Thailand’s National Parks

“One of the certain measures is that visitors to national parks must make a reservation first. They cannot just walk in.”

Visitors to national parks in Thailand must now make reservations before entering, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment says. National Parks are expected to reopen before the end of the month. “However” park visitors must now register to visit amid new post covid-19 rules.

“Online reservations will be required for health reasons,” Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa said.

The government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) is expected to lift many remaining lockdown measures next Friday.

All Covid-19 vulnerable sites including; concert events; pubs and karaoke shops; massage shops; amusement parks and national parks are expected to be reopened.

Mr Varawut said restrictions need to be in place at parks to help visitors to follow social distancing policies.

“By next week, we are going to announce what visitors can and cannot do while visiting the parks,” he said. “One of the certain measures is that visitors to national parks must make a reservation first. They cannot just walk in.”
Controlling the number of national park visitors

He said the Department of National Parks (DNP) will use a sophisticated reservation system to control the number of park visitors. The minister said visitors will be required to check in via the “Thai Chana” mobile application.

“I understand that there will be problem at the early stage of implementation so we are going to have a hotline to provide information for those who are in need,” he said.

He also said the reservation and check-in system is likely to be implemented until Covid-19 is under control.

The DNP will also consider using both measures in a bid to keep the number of park visitors at an  safe level. Even more so the ecological system will not be strained.

He said the two-month lockdown of the Covid-19 crisis has also allowed time for ecology in national parks to recover. The ministry is also considering new land zoning plans for national parks.

According to the Bangkok Post each national park in Thailand will have zoning regulations based on public accessibility.
Health Department Wants Tracking for Beaches and Tourist Spots

Thailand’s health department has made calls for limiting the number of visitors to tourist spots to prevent a possible surge in Covid-19. The concerns also come as Thailand’s government prepares to allow more businesses and activities to reopen ahead of schedule.

Dr. Panpimol Wipulakorn head of Thailand’s health department has said that even though some restrictions on domestic travel have been relaxed, travelers should adopt “new normal”.

People need to continue to practices and maintain social distancing and safety precautions. And above all continue wearing masks and sanitizing their hand wherever they go.
Face Masks on Beaches

For the next phase of lockdown easing, it may be necessary to curb the number of visitors to tourist spots. Similar to limiting the number of people going to shopping malls, Dr Panpimol said.

She added that local governments should control the number of visitors to beaches in their respective provinces. Above all to prevent overcrowding and improper social distancing. Tourists and workers in the service industry should also be required to wear masks while on the beaches, Dr Panpimol said.

Hand sanitizer should also be provided for visitors while toilets and bathrooms on beach fronts should be cleaned every two hours, she said. She also believes visitors should have to check in and out at beaches.

Source - The Chiang Rai Times

Flights from Cambodia to Thailand not expected until July

Thailand’s move to extend its ban on passenger flights for another month to June 30, citing the need to contain the spread of the corona-virus disease, puts another  dent in Cambodia’s efforts to kick-start its economy and tourism.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand, no passenger flights originating outside the country may land at Thai airports until June 30.

The extended flight ban has led to speculation that the state of emergency decree may also be prolonged beyond May 31, although the number of new Covid-19 cases has remained steady for two weeks, even falling to zero on two days this week.

Currently, several international airlines have resumed flights, albeit on a lesser frequency such as Korean Air and Aseana Air which fly two times a week between Seoul and Cambodia.

China Air and Eva Air all reinstated flight routes into Phnom Penh International Airport at the start of this month.

Other major airlines such as, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, Thai Airways and Emirates are also scheduling for flights to resume to Cambodia in June and July this year, coinciding with their main departure points also planning to reinstate international flight paths.

However, airlines that have decided to restart routes have also implemented strict biosecurity conditions during the flights to follow with reports of passengers having to undergo “on the spot” blood tests, as well as, wearing personal protection wear with staff seen dressed in full bio suits. 

Source - Khmer Times/Bangkok Post

Vietnam considers partial resumption of international flights

The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) is proposing a partial lifting of the suspension on international flights starting June 1.

It has mentioned the need to revive the hit-hard aviation industry in rationalizing its proposal.

Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The has asked CAAV and the ministry's Department of Transport to study the resumption of international flights with limited frequency, giving priority to foreign experts and investors, while ensuring strict maintenance of anti-pandemic measures.

The move comes after Vietnam has gone 22 clean days without coronavirus community transmission and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has allowed resumption of more "non-essential" businesses except karaoke parlors and discos.

The PM has also asked localities to accord top priority to economic recovery.

Vietnam has banned entry of foreign nationals since March 22 and international flights have been suspended since March 25. In certain special cases, as in those with diplomatic or official passports, or coming for special economic projects, foreigners are allowed entry, but they need to present a Covid-19 free certificate from a recognized authority in the country of embarkation and must undergo a 14-day quarantine.

Vietnamese carriers on Thursday were allowed to remove social distancing restrictions on aircraft and limitations on the number of passengers. Passengers were previously required to sit one seat apart, except for families and people booking tickets together.

Dinh Viet Thang, director of CAAV, said local market and international market would recover by the middle of 2021 and the end of 2021 respectively. According to the transport ministry's estimate, the number of air passengers this year could fall by 46 percent to 43 million.

Due to the international flight ban, Vietnam received 3.7 million foreign visitors in Jan-April, a 38 percent drop year-on-year and the tourism industry earned revenues of VND7.9 trillion ($337 million) during the period, down 45 percent.

Vietnam’s infection tally rose to 288 after 17 Vietnamese repatriated from the UAE were confirmed positive on Thursday night.

The country has more than 16,500 people in quarantine, those that have returned from abroad and those who have come in contact with the returnees. Of these, 162 are quarantined at hospitals, 6,600 are staying at centralized camps and the rest at home or other accommodation facilities.

Source - VN Express

Four provinces move up in Covid-19 colour coding

Prachinburi and Phatthalung provinces moved up to light orange (no cases in 14 days) from orange in the colour coding created to distinguish provinces based on their Covid-19 situation.

Meanwhile, Ratchaburi and Mukdahan provinces moved up from light orange to light green (no cases in 28 days), Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s spokesperson, said on Saturday (April 25).

Under the colour classification:

Green provinces, where no Covid-19 cases have been found, are: Nan, Kamphaeng Phet, Chainat, Trat, Phichit, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Bueng Kan, and Satun.

Light green provinces, where no Covid-19 patients have been found in the past 28 days, are: Phetchabun, Phrae, Sukhothai, Mahasarakham, Yasothon, Roi Et, Chanthaburi, Lop Buri, Uthai Thani, Udon Thani, Ratchaburi and Mukdahan.

Light orange provinces, where no new Covid-19 patients have been found in the past 14 days, are: Phetchaburi, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Nayok, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Rayong, Samut Songkhram, Saraburi, Suphanburi, Sa Kaeo, Trang, Chiang Rai, Kalasin, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Mae Hong Son, Tak, Phitsanulok, Surin, Nong Khai, Nong Bua, Lampang, Lampang, Lamphun, Uttaradit, Amnat Charoen, Si Saket, Sakon Nakhon and Ubon Ratchathani, Prachinburi and Phattalung.

Orange provinces -- those with cases in the past 14 days -- are Chachoengsao, Nakhon Sawan, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Phayao, Loei, Nakhon Phanom, Surat Thani, Phang Nga, and Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Red provinces, where Covid-19 patients have been found in the past seven days, are Khon Kaen, Krabi, Bangkok, Chonburi, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phuket, Yala, Songkhla, Narathiwat, Pattani and Chumphon.

Thailand on Saturday saw a sudden spurt in Covid-19 patients with 53 new cases confirmed over a 24-hour period, and one death.

Source - TheNation