News Forum - Test & Go suspension results in mass cancellations for remainder of high season

[Thaiger]

Thailand’s high season looks to be over already, with tourism operators reporting a surge in cancellations and plummeting hotel occupancy. The development follows the government’s decision to suspend the Test & Go entry scheme amid concerns about the highly-contagious Omicron variant, which is rapidly spreading around the world. The Bangkok Post reports that tourism operators are reporting a rise in cancellations as a result of the decision. Pongsakorn Ketprapakorn from the Tourism Council of Phang Nga says around 60% of the province’s January bookings, at 36 hotels, have been cancelled. He says hotel losses already run to more than 100 […]

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[TheDirtyDurian]

"Phisut Sae-Khu from the Thai Hotels Association says tourists should still be allowed to pre-register under the Test & Go system and obtain their Thailand Pass for a future date, even if they can’t currently enter under the scheme at the moment. He says this would at least allow people to book future trips and arrive when the Covid-19 situation is under control."

 

what an idiot.. when you apply for TP you have to put your flight info, hotel booking, insurance etc.

no one shells out for all that in the expectation that things MIGHT change at some UNSPECIFIED time in the future that allows them to enter on the dates registered in the system. 

Amazing Thailand indeed....

[HolyCowCm]

And the water is not going to fall off those idiot decision makers backs.

[gundam0315]

5 minutes ago, TheDirtyDurian said:

"Phisut Sae-Khu from the Thai Hotels Association says tourists should still be allowed to pre-register under the Test & Go system and obtain their Thailand Pass for a future date, even if they can’t currently enter under the scheme at the moment. He says this would at least allow people to book future trips and arrive when the Covid-19 situation is under control."

what an idiot.. when you apply for TP you have to put your flight info, hotel booking, insurance etc.

no one shells out for all that in the expectation that things MIGHT change at some UNSPECIFIED time in the future that allows them to enter on the dates registered in the system. 

Amazing Thailand indeed....

he should of said the ones already approved for Test and Go should be allowed in until the last one.

what an idiot indeed....

[mediagator]

47 minutes ago, TheDirtyDurian said:

"Phisut Sae-Khu from the Thai Hotels Association says tourists should still be allowed to pre-register under the Test & Go system and obtain their Thailand Pass for a future date, even if they can’t currently enter under the scheme at the moment. He says this would at least allow people to book future trips and arrive when the Covid-19 situation is under control."

what an idiot.. when you apply for TP you have to put your flight info, hotel booking, insurance etc.

no one shells out for all that in the expectation that things MIGHT change at some UNSPECIFIED time in the future that allows them to enter on the dates registered in the system. 

Amazing Thailand indeed....

That's exactly how my parents lost their money. They had to book it all to apply. The insurance from AXA is non refundable and very expensive.

[PohTou]

I think many many tourists would cancel now because with the cancellation of Test and Go there will be many fewer flights to Thailand and therefore many fewer flights leaving TGhailand to take them home. Welcome to chaos.

[ace035]

Make sense, nobody wants to do quarantine anymore only to be treated like a prisoner and slave or be at a torture chamber, that's the reason. In case of a false positive, nobody wants to get scammed and be locked in a hospital even asymptomatic.

[Geo]

Good night to the high season, until there is no quarantine and sillyness. It would have made more sense to limit domestic travel during the holidays ... The government haven't shot themselves in the foot, they've blown Thier leg off

[Somchai]

The interesting fact is that many other similar holiday destinations had totally different approach, the Dominican , Kenya, Zanzibar, Seychelles, Maldives, Dubai , etc had their borders and entertainment venues fully open in the past 18 months, and guess what, the number of covid deaths per population is not higher in these countries than in Thailand.

 

It indicates that the severe overreacting in Thailand did not really have any effect, and most probably the covid situation would be about the same even if Thailand didnt have any restrictions and closures.

[Cabra]

This is exactly what government officials knew and wanted to happen. End test-and-go, and stop the inflow of people. This half-baked idea of "allow[ing] people to book future trips and arrive when the Covid-19 situation is under control" is just the tourism industry spokesman trying to save face with pissed-off tourist. No tourist in their right mind should consider THA until omicron runs its course... 1Q2022 is a washout. 

[Thommo]

36 minutes ago, Geo said:

Good night to the high season, until there is no quarantine and sillyness. It would have made more sense to limit domestic travel during the holidays ... The government haven't shot themselves in the foot, they've blown Thier leg off

would have to agree with you even though I am one of those domestic travellers, no different from April when they let the songkran holiday go ahead withour restricitons. 

[PapayaBokBok]

Vietnam slowly smirks, puts together a logical plan...as thais flip and flop like a fish out of water...

[gundam0315]

3 hours ago, PapayaBokBok said:

Vietnam slowly smirks, puts together a logical plan...as thais flip and flop like a fish out of water...

wait until there is an outbreak in vietnam, let's see how they respond....

[Marc26]

15 hours ago, mediagator said:

That's exactly how my parents lost their money. They had to book it all to apply. The insurance from AXA is non refundable and very expensive.

AXA premiums are refundable 

And I would think them ending the program would qualify as your visa/pass being rejected 

 

So I don't know if your parents contacted AXA but I would contact AXA and give this info that is on their website 

 

You can cancel the policy and get full premium refund if the Royal Thai Embassy/Royal Thai Consulates reject your visa or COE. Customer must provide the rejection letter or any proof from Royal Thai Embassy/Royal Thai Consulates and notify AXA before policy start date.

[riclag]

15 hours ago, mediagator said:

That's exactly how my parents lost their money. They had to book it all to apply. The insurance from AXA is non refundable and very expensive.

Please come back and inform this forum in your parents fight for a refund .

 

[FTF020]

4 hours ago, PapayaBokBok said:

Vietnam slowly smirks, puts together a logical plan...as thais flip and flop like a fish out of water...

 

1 hour ago, gundam0315 said:

wait until there is an outbreak in vietnam, let's see how they respond....

 

Was there ever not? They have been above ~10k daily cases since half november. Their population is only a bit larger than Thailand, and they had very strict lockdowns until then. Of course they might just be testing more. 

That said, I had my eye on them as a possible 2022 destination for at least half a year now, and it's pretty clear not much is going to happen until late Q2 in the best case scenario.* Even if numbers drop, their govt doesnt seem the time to accelerate such things.

Yes they have flights, but those are mostly for returning vietnamese, family reunions and business purposes. Other than that they have a few 'sandboxes' which I think you can only go to in package deals? (aka you'll be stuck in the sandbox your whole trip). Visitors of those have been in the triple digits!!

*last full report on the complete reopening plan was a while ago, pre-omicron days... 

 

[Pauly]

To be expected, we are told there are still in excess of 200 K Thai Pass holders who have had the door shut in their respective faces. Imagine the money these people would have brought with them, money that benifits Thai people at all levels, businesses etc etc.

Open the Thai Pass, people have paid to get into Thailand,open the gates.

[DesperateOldHand]

Well, I guess that's that.

We can press on and explore more relevant and important items such as the possibility of early local and national elections. 

[Canadianonthego]

7 hours ago, gundam0315 said:

wait until there is an outbreak in vietnam, let's see how they respond....

Omicron effects are mild and thats now being announced all across N America . Originally the US and Canada locked down for a few days but reopened as they knew it would really hurt the economy 

 Tonight they say the only ones really being affected are those unvacced and those with single dose . Those with double have mild symptoms and those boosted have little if any symptoms .Omicron also does not last as long . 

The Thai government totally over reacted on this one causing some pretty serious damage to their economy . They panicked without knowing all the facts .... 

[Grumpish]

The cancellations so far are likely just the tip of the iceberg, by the end of the month cancellations and no-shows are probably going to see numbers fall off the edge off the edge of the cliff. I am due to be back in  Thailand at the end of January and have decided to take the quarantine hit as I have two months to play with, but that is not a reasonable option for most visitors, with only two or three weeks at the most.

[Brownie]

@Pauly"Imagine the money these people would have brought with them, money that benifits Thai people at all levels, businesses etc etc." - Well, a lot of money these people would have brought with them is quite likely hoing to be forfeited by the airlines, hotels, pre-booked PCR tests etc

[PapayaBokBok]

21 hours ago, gundam0315 said:

wait until there is an outbreak in vietnam, let's see how they respond....

*clutches pearls*