Phuket

Possible delay of foreign tourists arriving to Phuket

Published

Tuesday, October 6, 2020 10:28

PHOTO: Unsplash: Bao Menglong

Thailand is lifting its 6 month ban on international tourists, allowing only those who are on a Special Tourist Visa to arrive on select charter flights, but there are conflicting reports on when exactly they will arrive. Many reports say the tourists should arrive on Thursday, but a recent report from a respected Thai media outlet claims the plans are delayed.

Many reports, including from the Nation News Bureau of Thailand run by the Public Relations Department of Thailand, say a group of Chinese nationals will arrive on Thursday, flying directly from China to Phuket on a chartered AirAsia flight endorsed by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. But a recent report from the Thai language business journal Thansettakij says there has been a delay due to “many points in the process,” but tourists should arrive before October 20.

The Phuket News tried to clarify the reports with Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew, but he was unavailable and the Chief of the Phuket Public Relations Offices declined to comment.

Last week, the governor said during an event that he had not been officially informed about the plans to have tourists arrive at the Phuket International Airport on Thursday.

“I have not received any official information from the CCSA yet, but I have already seen the news in the media.”

According to Thansettakji, the Chinese tourists are actually business travellers entering under tours organised by the Thailand Longstay Company. The Tourism Authority of Thailand, or TAT, is a major shareholder in the company. Thansettakji also says TAT is also organising the charter flight.

SOURCE: Phuket News

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11 Comments

EdwardV

Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at 10:45 am

I had read the problem is the STV doesn’t actually exist yet so immigration doesn’t have the correct paperwork to process the visitors. The fact the first group of tourist is actually a pre-booked groups of businessmen says a lot about the program. At this rate Thailand will lose the high season.

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- Nipral
  
  Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at 10:59 am
  
  its already lost, and not only this one.
  
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Svcoquette

Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at 10:49 am

Stop calling them “tourists”, they are business people coming here to buy up businesses and properties at rock botoom prices. They care little for the Thai people or the Thai experience. Most of the money they make in the future from these purchases will leave the country.

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- som chai
  
  Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at 12:36 pm
  
  Yes, these are businessmen and they are going to INVEST in a winning country with a stable economy. Thailand is now the MOST attractive and safe country for life and investment. Together with our Chinese brothers, we will revive tourism for Thais and our Chinese brothers. The Farangs are offended that they were not invited to the banquet. Sorry guys our country is only for winners
  
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Paulnou

Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at 10:54 am

whatever, 120, 1200 , 12000 or 120.000 will not save the Economy and technically impossible to reopen for 12 millions at a minima needed…..lets go back to the basics, agriculture, fisheries, coconuts and a bowl of rice at every meal. give back housing, cars, bikes and I-phones to the sellers and banks soon

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Nipral

Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at 10:57 am

The soap opera continues ! This government should be ashamed of its moronic international image !!! Poor Thailand !!! Looking lige an utterly under-developed country.
And in the meantime people suffer and starve.

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Ryan Lih

Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at 11:06 am

Nice try covering a lie with another lie. The bubble is bursting. When 20th comes, let’s see if there’s more delayed schedule. What about the Scandinavian tourists? I suppose it’s most embarrassing for the person-in-charge in organizing this STV. A laughing stock perhaps? Even for Chinese businessmen, there’s nothing to buy in Phuket. China doesn’t want to colonize Thailand or rather Phuket. They want to complete building the railroad for the 1 Belt 1 Road project. Why would they land in Phuket? China govt has advised against its citizen’s travelling out of China for any purpose. PERIOD.

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Toby Andrews

Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at 11:22 am

Maybe 1200 tourists arriving was an optimistic estimate, and the Thai big planners will lose face when only 200 turn up.
So they delay until they can attract some big number.
Maybe . . .

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Geoff

Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at 11:56 am

I haven’t been to Phuket fora year. Yesterday I watched a YouTube vlog about Patong sea front made a couple of weeks ago. It looks like a war zone. Hotels, bars and restaurants are derelict. Stripped clean and decaying with damaged buildings and pavements.
I know Phuket does not consist solely of Patong, but a lot of the damage will take a long time to repair or replace.
There were a few places open but not enough to attract tourists.
The only people it would attract would be property developers hoping for bargain deals.

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patty

Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at 12:09 pm

Agree with everyone on here. Prayut and his regime are a joke. He has no clue on what hes doing. Step -down idiot!!!

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Some Chai

Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at 12:27 pm

Mass tourists should only be from China. Other countries, if they want to join the club of winners, must first solve the problem with the coronavirus.
It’s funny to watch the losers who cannot cope with the corona virus in their country condemn the winners. Khun Prayut best PM in the world. Thailand is the MOST SAFE country in the world.We are winners. Entry here will only be available to winners. Losers can go to Spain or Turkey or some other shitty country. They will give you a free coffin 55555

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Caitlin Ashworth

Caitlin Ashworth is a writer from the United States who has lived in Thailand since 2018. She graduated from the University of South Florida St. Petersburg with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and media studies in 2016. She was a reporter for the Daily Hampshire Gazette In Massachusetts. She also interned at the Richmond Times-Dispatch in Virginia and Sarasota Herald-Tribune in Florida.

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