Particularly at weekends, the major Pattaya roads are crowded with no parking vacancies in sight.
There is great optimism around Pattaya about the prospect of opening up to vaccinated international visitors from 46 countries. Many businesses have their eyes set on December 1 when, maybe, the bars and clubs will reopen. It is even possible that restaurants will be allowed to serve alcohol to diners before then. After all, the "blue zone" of Phuket can already do just that. So why not here?
A popular Pattaya radio station says that the latest entry requirements mean that the arrivals procedure is "almost back to normal." Beach vendors are delighted that there are now many more bottoms on seats than even a month ago. Deck chair concessionaire Khun Oy says, "At weekends, the beach road parking areas are packed on both sides." He adds that the customers are not just Bangkok Thais, but also many expats from the metropolis and beyond.
New businesses are springing up too. Fast food franchises continue opening up as others remain closed. The gay-oriented Jomtien Complex is mostly shuttered, but a large double-unit has already been refurbished and renamed for a grand opening whenever permitted. Dorothy's Showbar, a name reminiscent of the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz, promises on its magic messageboardto offer fair prices and a warm welcome. A chatty taxi driver lounging nearby told me it was named after a drag-show club in Liverpool.
Others are not so sure about the future. Public announcements in Thailand are not always correct as each government agency speaks for itself alone. The country's civil aviation authority recently published achartthat all foreign tourists must buy their Covid insurance specifically from a Thai company, only to be contradicted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Bangkok Post issued an apology after stating that some arriving foreigners did not need any medical insurance – no matter where issued. These mistakes were first publicly noticed by Richard Barrow, a popular Bangkok blogger with his eye firmly fixed on the ball. He rightly points out that high-level mistakes like these are anti-marketing strategies.
Dorothy's Showbar will be the newest kid on the gay block, once alcohol can be served again.
Many details remain to be filled in. Arriving vaccinated passengers will be able to transfer directly to Pattaya to have their RT-PCR test and wait in a pre-registered hotel until the result is known. Some reports say the Pattaya-bound passengers will need to be escorted to the seaside in special buses, others that they are free to make their own independent arrangements to leave the airport. At the time of writing, Thai embassies abroad, the consortia of insurance companies and the government's registration portal have not updated their sites.
The 46 countries whose vaccinated travelers will not require formal quarantine do not include Russia and the Indian subcontinent whose citizens provided around 25 percent of pre-pandemic visitors to Pattaya. China, which provided an even greater percentage, is included in the OK list, but tour groups abroad are banned and individual vacationers face up to 21 days in quarantine on return.
Paradoxically, Thailand in the short term is falling back on its traditional tourist markets: UK, US, mainland Europe, Australia and the Middle East. There has been much speculation in recent years about a future neo-Pattaya, a business and leisure hub, which would look very different from the old. Those plans are now deferred as the tourist-starved city craves cash from any quarter. Expect the go-go bars to be back before Christmas.
During the pandemic, many Pattaya districts have seen the bulldozer including the street adjacent to Sexy Soi 6.
The last week of the month is always busy at Immigration offices.
As expected, Monday morning brought hundreds of customers to local immigration after a four days holiday. By lunchtime over one thousand foreigners had receivedqueuing tickets after considerable waiting in line because of health and safety precautions to restrict numbers inside the building. Jomtien Immigration is the lead office of Chonburi which also includes bases in Sri Racha and Ko Sri Chang.
Apart from routine business such as 90 day reports, the last week of the month also sees the expiration of the special 60-days Covid visas for tourists unable or unwilling to return home. These are currently available until late next month. It is not known if the discretionary permits might be renewable after that time. It could depend on whether the land borders reopen for tourist traffic.
Chonburi announces 295 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 2 new deaths
Highlights:
295 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Chonburi today
476 people recovered and were released from medical care
2 new deaths
The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 295 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 today with 2 new deaths, October 25th.
This makes a total of 99,241 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 6,017 people still under medical care/supervision, and with a total of 699 recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections in early April.
Additionally, 476 people were also released and recovered yesterday in Chonburi. 92,525 people in total have now been released from medical care and recovered in Chonburi since this current wave of Covid-19 began.
As for the two new deaths yesterday, they were close contacts from previous confirmed cases in families according to the Chonburi Department of Public Health. They were elders and had chronic health problems. Neither of them were vaccinated.
The district-level new cases were as follows today:
Mueang Chonburi 80, Si Racha 91, Banglamung (Pattaya) 55, Panat Nikhom 11, Sattahip 18, Ban Bueang 7, Phan Thong 5, Bor Thong 2, and 26 people transferred from other provinces for medical care
The details on the cases are as follows:
Work and stayed in Rayong transferred from other provinces for medical care, 18 cases
Cluster, work camp of Rai Ko Thong Construction company in Si Racha district, 6 cases
Cluster, Sung Il company in Si Racha district, 5 cases
Cluster, GMT Innovation in Mueang Chonburi district, 6 cases
Risky occupation, meeting a lot of people, 5 cases
4 medical staff
Back from risky areas in Rayong, 4 cases and Samut Prakan, 1 case
Close contacts of confirmed patients in 109 families, in 52 workplaces, 9 from close friends and two joined parties
Close contact of a confirmed patient (under investigation), 20 cases
48 cases in general are under investigation as to how they contracted Covid-19
announces 295 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 2 new deaths
Highlights:
295 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Chonburi today
476 people recovered and were released from medical care
2 new deaths
The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 295 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 today with 2 new deaths, October 25th.
This makes a total of 99,241 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 6,017 people still under medical care/supervision, and with a total of 699 recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections in early April.
Additionally, 476 people were also released and recovered yesterday in Chonburi. 92,525 people in total have now been released from medical care and recovered in Chonburi since this current wave of Covid-19 began.
As for the two new deaths yesterday, they were close contacts from previous confirmed cases in families according to the Chonburi Department of Public Health. They were elders and had chronic health problems. Neither of them were vaccinated.
The district-level new cases were as follows today:
Mueang Chonburi 80, Si Racha 91, Banglamung (Pattaya) 55, Panat Nikhom 11, Sattahip 18, Ban Bueang 7, Phan Thong 5, Bor Thong 2, and 26 people transferred from other provinces for medical care
The details on the cases are as follows:
Work and stayed in Rayong transferred from other provinces for medical care, 18 cases
Cluster, work camp of Rai Ko Thong Construction company in Si Racha district, 6 cases
Cluster, Sung Il company in Si Racha district, 5 cases
Cluster, GMT Innovation in Mueang Chonburi district, 6 cases
Risky occupation, meeting a lot of people, 5 cases
4 medical staff
Back from risky areas in Rayong, 4 cases and Samut Prakan, 1 case
Close contacts of confirmed patients in 109 families, in 52 workplaces, 9 from close friends and two joined parties
Close contact of a confirmed patient (under investigation), 20 cases
48 cases in general are under investigation as to how they contracted Covid-19
Thailand's new tourism model IGNORES small businesses
Most are likely to remain closed and empty
The Old City in Thailand's Chiang Mai is a warren of alleys with ancient Buddhist temples sitting cheek by jowl with guesthouses and luxury hotels, bars and restaurants, and other businesses catering to the millions of tourists who typically flock there.
Now, scores of these businesses are shut, and bars mostly silent amid a ban on alcohol sales to curb the spread of coronavirus in the Southeast Asian nation that has been largely closed to foreign tourists since March 2020.
Starting Nov. 1, Thailand will waive quarantine for fully-vaccinated visitors from 46 low-risk countries and gradually more, in a bid to revive its battered economy – but with a focus on premium tourists who authorities say will be more beneficial.
"Instead of relying on 40 million tourists to generate 2 trillion baht ($60 million) in revenue, we will turn to focus on quality tourists who can spend more," said Supattanapong Punmeechaow, a deputy prime minister and minister of energy.
"This will be good for the country's environment and natural resources," he said at a press conference, adding that the nation hoped to draw about 1 million of these visitors before April, without specifying how, or who is a quality tourist.
After a record 40 million foreign visitors in 2019 whose spending made up 11.4% of its gross domestic product, Thailand lost about $50 billion in tourism revenue last year – an 82% plunge – and expects only about 100,000 tourists this year.
But as the country prepares to open in time for the tourist high season from November to March, budget hotels and other businesses reliant on backpackers and those travelling cheap fear being left out with the new focus on premium tourists.
"Chiang Mai has always got all types of tourists, so to focus on just high-spending tourists is not right – what about us, the businesses who cater to others," said Rachana, a manager at a mid-priced guesthouse in the Old City who goes by one name.
"All businesses should have the same opportunities when we reopen," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
TOURISM RETHINK
The coronavirus pandemic grounded flights and shuttered businesses worldwide, and has pushed authorities from Amsterdam to Bali to pledge a more sustainable model that is less reliant on mass tourism that has damaged the environment and angered local residents priced out of homes.
In Bali, which reopened last week to visitors from about 20 countries with a five-day quarantine, authorities will be more selective, said Luhut Pandjaitan, coordinating minister for maritime affairs and investment, who is overseeing the reopening.
"We will filter tourists," he told reporters. "We don't want backpackers to come so that Bali remains clean, where the people who come are of quality."
The island, famed for its sandy beaches and striking Hindu temples, received more than 6 million visitors in 2019 and relies on tourism for more than half its revenue.
But there has been a growing backlash against some visitors, including so-called digital nomads – people who mix travel with work and set up shop any place with an internet connection – who have been lured by countries to make up for a fall in tourism.
Earlier this year, an American was deported from Bali after posting tweets that sparked a backlash over her perceived Western privilege and lack of cultural awareness of Indonesia.
Now, visa requirements including a guarantor and a hefty health insurance, may discourage budget travellers and "finish off" small businesses on the island, said Nyoman Sukma Arida, a lecturer in tourism at Universitas Udayana in Bali.
"We must first clarify the meaning of premium tourism and quality tourism: our government's understanding of quality tourism is simply someone paying a high price," he said.
"But quality tourists are those who care about environmental preservation, respect local cultures and local communities. This is the requirement now – not just money," he added.
TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT
Nearly every country introduced border restrictions to fight the coronavirus's spread, and wide disparities in vaccine rollouts have led to different reopening strategies.
In Thailand, which opened the island of Phuket to tourists from July 1 with some quarantine restrictions, there has been criticism of the government's vaccine programme that initially prioritised tourism-reliant provinces.
Now, the government plans to promote Phuket to "high-quality" tourists as it reopens the country on Nov. 1, even as a majority of Thais oppose the opening, saying it is too risky with only about a third of the population fully vaccinated.
The hiatus forced by the coronavirus was a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to rethink tourism, but the approach of Thailand and Indonesia to reopening "does not suggest they're planning on walking their talk," said Stuart McDonald, founder of Southeast Asia travel website Couchfish.
In prioritising so-called premium tourists, authorities are falsely conflating quality with higher spending and limited environmental impact, he said.
"Of course it makes sense that a country should focus on quality tourists, but that need not mean big spending tourists. High-end tourism has by far the highest environmental impact, and is the most prone to economic leakages," said McDonald.
"While budget travellers often best manifest the trickle-down effect, putting money directly into the hands of locally owned and run small and medium enterprises. They also tend to travel far more widely, and stay far longer in the country."
In Chiang Mai, the absence of tourists is most visible at night, with only a few shopfronts lit, and with none of the bustle that usually fills the city even in the off-season.
"We don't know what to expect – whether regular tourists will still come," said Rachana at her guesthouse that is advertising reduced rates but was nearly empty.
"It is good if tourists spend a lot of money. But we would like all types of tourists to come, as we have already suffered a lot." – Reuters
Some major dams have been told to discharge water to make room for heavy rain expected from an upcoming storm this week, according to the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR).
The ONWR and the Thai Meteorological Department are keeping watch on a storm brewing from a low-pressure front.
If it develops into a tropical storm, it is expected to unleash heavy rain in parts of the country from Oct 29-31, said the ONWR deputy spokesman Thanaroj Woraratprasert.
It would be the seventh storm to hit the country this rainy season. The previous storm, Kompasu, drenched much of the Northeast after making landfall in Vietnam in the middle of this month.
With the latest storm alert, the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has been asked to release some water from large dams in preparation for the forecast downpours, he said.
Rainfall has generally increased throughout the country, Mr Thanaroj said. (continues)
The rainy season is predicted to wind down this month or early next month.
Water in dams and reservoirs nationwide stand at a combined 59,920 million cubic metres, with 17 dams and reservoirs 80% above-capacity. They are being closely monitored.
The ONWR's advance team was out inspecting the water situation in the Tha Chin River through which floodwater was being emptied into the sea.
To alleviate the effects of floods, the RID is diverting excess water from the river to the large Pho Phraya field covering U Thong and Muang district of Suphan Buri, which has been set aside as a water catchment area.
Also, discharges from the Pasak Joasid dam in Lop Buri were being carefully regulated to minimise flooding on downstream residents.
At present, floods remain in 15 provinces: Khon Kaen, Chaiyaphum, Maha Sarakham, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Si Sa Ket, Lop Buri, Sing Buri, Suphan Buri, Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Prachin Buri and Sa Kaeo.
According to the ONWR, floods triggered by the overflowing Chao Phraya River, which receives water from the North, have shown sign of easing in the next few days.
November 1 is fast approaching and with it a major reopening effort all across Thailand. But a few of the target Blue Zone areas that the government has focused on due to their popularity with foreign tourists are struggling, as Chiang Mai in particular has been battling a swell in Covid-19 infections.
Chiang Mai has seen their daily infection numbers jumping since the second week of October and they steadily climbed from under 200 to now in the 350 to 450 range each day. Officials attribute this jump to the uncovering of new infection clusters as the province tests residence for Covid-19 ahead of the reopening in just over a week.
Today's Covid-19 report saw 461 new infections in the province with officials from the Provincial Communicable Disease Office saying just 5 of those infections were brought in from outside of Chiang Mai. Since the beginning of July, the total number of infections stands at 9,660, likely to surpass 10,000 in the next day or two.
A number of big clusters have been uncovered in Chiang Mai in the last few days, according to the head of the Disease Control Unit of the Provincial Public Health Office. They have infected 120 people, with 67 patients alone being infected by a cluster traced to Muang Mai market.
He fears that clusters like this will continue to be found in part because people don't want to admit that they visited illegal nightlife venues, parties, or gambling dens, where are they get infected and then spread Covid-19 among their family and community.
On the plus side, Chiang Mai has 74% of its population vaccinated, over 934,000 people. Almost 300,000 of those vaccinated are vulnerable, either over 60 or with underlying health conditions. And health officials report that the majority of new infections have been categorised in the green group, designated for those who are asymptomatic or experience only very mild symptoms.
Prachuap Khiri Khan, the Western province that is home to tourist magnet Hua Hin, may not be ready for reopening in just over a week. Amid spiking Covid-19 infections, some officials in Hua Hin are calling for a delay, pushing back reopening for the town until December.
The province had 240 infections in today's report, half as many as the day before after experiencing a spike over the last few days. The last 7 days have seen 1,698 new Covid-19 infections, averaging 242 a day. That's nearly 4 times higher than the same 7-day period last month, which saw 457 infections, or an average of 65 infections per day.
But, unlike Chiang Mai that uncovered clusters in markets and suspect spread from illegal gatherings, Prachuap Khiri Khan is tracing their Covid-19 infections to a different source: migrant and immigrant workers. The majority of infections recently have been in Pran Buri district, where 362 of Saturday's 445 reported infections were found.
A good chunk of those infections was traced to 4 factories that produce canned fruit as well as the staff dorms at the construction site of a dual-track railway project underway. Many of those who tested positive for the virus are Burmese workers.
The surges of infections are worrisome as the resort town of Hua Hin is experiencing a parallel surge in hotel bookings this holiday weekend. Many local businesses are fearful that the influx of tourists in the town could lead to big outbreaks with Covid-19 spiking in the province as well as nearby provinces as the tourists return home after a long weekend holiday.
An advisor to the Hua Hin-Cha Am Tourism Business Association expressed the concern of the local businesses and called for the reopening of their city to be delayed until December instead of joining the November 1 reopening plan along with many provinces around Thailand in order to get the Covid-19 infections under control.
Chonburi new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 drops to 289 with 3 new deaths
Highlights:
289 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Chonburi today
455 people recovered and were released from medical care
3 new deaths
The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 373 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 today with 3 new deaths, October 23rd.
This makes a total of 98,946 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 6,200 people still under medical care/supervision, and with a total of 697 recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections in early April.
Additionally, 455 people were also released and recovered yesterday in Chonburi. 92,049 people in total have now been released from medical care and recovered in Chonburi since this current wave of Covid-19 began.
As for the three new deaths yesterday, they were close contacts from previously confirmed cases in families according to the Chonburi Department of Public Health. They had chronic health problems.
The district-level new cases were as follows today:
Mueang Chonburi 56, Si Racha 109, Banglamung (Pattaya) 45, Panat Nikhom 13, Sattahip 14, Ban Bueang 8, Phan Thong 4, Bor Thong 3, Ko Chan 2, Nong Yai 6, and 29 people transferred from other provinces for medical care
The details on the cases are as follows:
Work and stayed in Rayong, transferred from other provinces for medical care, 21 cases
Cluster, Raikothong Construction & Service Co.,Ltd in Si Racha, 5 cases
Cluster, a wooden furniture company in No. 8, Ban Suan Subdistrict in Mueang Chonburi, 5 cases
Risky occupation, meeting a lot of people, 7 cases
2 medical personal
Back from risky areas in Rayong, 2 cases
Close contacts of confirmed patients in 102 families, in 62 workplaces, and 8 from close friends
Close contact of a confirmed patient (under investigation), 26 cases
49 cases in general are under investigation as to how they contracted Covid-19
Thai Returnees Exempted from Insurance Requirement; Foreigners Pay Thousands
Thailand's Covid-19 insurance portal. Not yet updated with lower coveage packages.
The Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration said Thais returning from abroad do not need to purchase health insurance with US$50,000 in coverage.
CCSA spokeswoman Apisamai Srirungson said Thais who arrive from countries and territories whose peoples are exempted from quarantine upon entering Thailand are exempted from the insurance requirement, as Thai citizens are afforded universal health coverage and free treatment of Covid-19.
Foreigners, however, must purchase insurance, which can run into the tens of thousands of baht.
The government's insurance portal has not been updated yet with the lower coverage plans. But a 30-day policy with the previously required $100,000 in coverage is 4,800 baht. Six months of coverage is 23,040 baht.
Presumably those insurance premiums will decrease with the lower coverage provided.
Apisamai said Thais and foreigners who are not fully inoculated against Covid-19 will have to enter quarantine for seven, 10, or 14 days, depending on the conditions met by each individual.
The CCSA has also announced the designation of 17 provinces as pilot areas for tourism. These include Bangkok, Krabi, Phang Nga, and Phuket, in addition to specific localities in Chonburi, Chiang Mai, Trat, Buriram, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phetchaburi, Ranong, Rayong, Loei, Samut Prakan, Surat Thani, Nong Khai, and Udon Thani.
Entries into areas that are piloting tourism programs would need to fall in line with the conditions set in the respective area, such as full vaccination of the entrant and a local capacity to control outbreaks.
Bright lights beckon: The Giant Swing illuminates as dusk falls around one of Bangkok's landmarks. Preparations have begun for the reopening of tourism on Nov 1.
Nov 1 marks the moment of truth for the much-anticipated reopening of the country's tourism with Bangkok billed as the crown jewel of the sandbox scheme amid calls for practical measures to make it work.
Tourism businesses are counting down to the day when they can reopen their doors to fully-vaccinated overseas visitors.
These visitors fall into two categories: those from low-risk countries exempt from quarantine; and individuals from non-exempt countries, whose travels are restricted within the sandbox area for seven days during which they must reserve rooms at the SHA Plus hotels.
The quarantine-exempt visitors must wait for the RT-PCR test results at a hotel for one night or until the test result turns out negative.
Those from non-exempt countries must await their RT-PCR test results at the designated hotels before setting off on their travels.
However, visitors from non-quarantine exempt countries arriving via the country's international airports also must join the sandbox programme.
Bangkok is one of 17 provinces where double-dosed visitors from 46 low-risk countries can visit with no quarantine requirement on Nov 1.
However, the capital is also looking to welcome arrivals from outside the 46 countries under the Bangkok sandbox programme which was discussed jointly by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
A source in the BMA said a follow-up meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday where details of the Bangkok sandbox are expected to be finalised.
Reopening a delight
Stakeholders -- from business owners to vendors based in Khao San Road, a favourite haunt of many foreign visitors -- greeted the Nov 1 reopening with delight.
However, they have cautioned that restoring tourism must not come attached with too many restrictions.
Sa-nga Ruengwatthanakul, president of the Khaosan Business Association, said it was high time the country restarted its tourism engine.
What must be factored in is the reality that many other countries are also reopening their borders to tourists. The better prepared and more resilient countries are likely to get their hands on a slice of the tourist pie first.
"I agree with getting the country back on track. The economy is deep in the doldrums.
"Many owners of three, two-star hotels and guest houses have gone out of business. So have restaurants and entertainment companies. You can imagine what more than a year of closure has done to them," he said.
Mr Sa-nga said the vaccination rate continues to surge with booster shots making inroads. These are indicators of the country's readiness to resume business.
No quick return to normal
Mr Sa-nga said the Nov 1 reopening does not mean an instant rebound to the pre-Covid 19 tourism volumes.
He expected foreign visitors will trickle back in the beginning as their countries have also imposed travel restrictions.
In China, certain areas require up to 21 days of quarantine for foreign nationals, if they are not off-limits altogether.
"We are ready to get back to our trade. Staff at all outlets on Khao San Road have received a double dose. We're at your service," Mr Sa-nga said.
For Khao San Road, Mr Sa-nga put his most conservative estimate of revenue generated by overseas tourists to be around 20 million baht a day before the pandemic.
In the few weeks after Nov 1, he believed the figure would reach one million baht a day as tourists will still be few and far between.
In total, the number of foreign tourists to Khao San will not exceed 500,000 during November and December, substantially down from the 10 million visitors in the same period in a normal non-Covid year.
The association president admitted that not every measure outlined as compulsory would be practical.
For example, the required antigen test for staff and diners who are not fully vaccinated was costly whereas producing proof of a double jab was a lot easier to do.
In Bangkok, most people have received their first dose, according to the TCC. This should at least prevent deaths and make social activities reasonably safe, Mr Sa-nga said.
Turning to the Bangkok sandbox proposal, Mr Sa-nga reckoned it would be no easy task regulating travel as Bangkok borders many provinces.
He said the mandatory double jabs and Covid-19 tests, both before and upon arrival, should form a sufficient defence against infection. These safeguards should ease fears of a return to mass infections post-reopening.
There is no need to launch the Bangkok sandbox, since all authorities have to do is warn visitors which infection-risk areas to avoid, he said.
Mr Sa-nga said he was more concerned about the illegal migrant workers who have evaded tests and other public health safety nets. Recent flare-ups of infections were mostly traced to these workers.
Thai tourists were seldom blamed for spreading the virus because many could be contact-traced through the Thai Chana app, he said.
Limiting entry curbs
Surapong Techaruwijit, a former president of the Thai Hotels Association, said everyone is tourism is eagerly looking forward to Nov 1.
They agreed the key to success lies in keeping conditions of entry down to the bare minimum.
"We shouldn't have the fully-vaccinated undergoing test after test, quarantine after quarantine," he said.
Those with double doses who test negative before landing in the country should be permitted to enjoy a holiday free of further tests once they get here, Mr Surapong said.
"The hotel operators are more than ready for reopening. It's been a painful struggle especially for staff, many of whom were furloughed or faced pay cuts," he said, adding the early stage of reopening could see about 50-60% of staff returning to work.
He said he believed people would decide whether to travel overseas based on re-entry regulations in their home country.
They might put their holiday plan on the back burner if their home countries require them to spend long periods of time in quarantine after returning from destinations rated as Covid-19 high risk.
Mr Surapong said he was confident there would be no resurgence of infections after the reopening, citing the Phuket sandbox programme where the virus did not come from overseas visitors but was transmitted among locals. (continue below)
Warming up: A Korean restaurant reopens on Khao San Road after the strip has been empty of customers for more than a year.
More details needed
Meanwhile, Yada Phonphetrampha, who represents Khao San street vendors, said the government should issue more details about the Nov 1 reopening so people can decide if they want to come and plan ahead.
It was also crucial to explain whether the alcohol ban will continue to apply across the board or in specific areas after Nov 1.
"That is part of getting prepared for the reopening," she said.
The daily caseloads must be brought down in tourism-hub provinces including Bangkok and Chon Buri so people would not be hesitant in making travel plans.
While everyone was upbeat about the Nov 1 reopening, she said some vendor stall owners were still haunted by the "nightmare" when an extension of the emergency decree was declared over last New Year due to a fresh outbreak of Covid-19 in Bangkok.
The stall owners spent a great deal of money buying ingredients for cooking dishes only to see the celebrations abruptly cancelled.
"Some shops and businesses on Khao San Road are reluctant to invest. They don't want to get hurt again," Ms Yada said.
Bangkok sandbox 'key to revival'
Sanan Angubolkul, the TCC chairman, said the TCC and the BMA will champion the Bangkok sandbox as a model for reviving tourism.
The private sector will play its part by promoting Covid-free settings at companies and wider workplaces through adopting Safety and Health Administration (SHA) Plus guidelines.
In Bangkok, every household member registered in the capital has received their first jab while those with double jabs account for 69% of the population. The numbers are conducive to a tourism restart.
The BMA has appointed a steering committee for the Bangkok sandbox to communicate details of the reopening to tourists.
Employees and officials in various sectors regularly take antigen tests while contingency plans were drawn to counter the resurgence of a major virus outbreak.
The TCC also proposed a stimulus project called "Hug Thais, Hug Bangkok" to be launched in conjunction with the TAT's promotions to spur people to shop and eat out.
"The Bangkok sandbox will put the capital back on track and revitalise the city," he said.
For Panisara Adilapnukul, a 60-year-old traditional Thai masseuse, the thought of serving overseas clients after Nov 1 thrills her.
Working at a spa outlet in Don Muang district, she said the "new normal" is the norm in her profession.
She wears a mask at all times during work, practises social distancing, sprays disinfectant in the massage room and regularly undergoes an antigen test.
"I refrain from talking to customers. That I have to make clear with them," she said.
She and others in the profession have vowed to take every possible precaution to prevent a cluster of infections.
"We need to learn to live safely with Covid-19 so we won't have to suffer from another lockdown," Ms Panisara said.
Restored air link urged
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has asked governments to use the commitments reached at a recent ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) High Level Conference on Covid-19 (HLCC) to make progress towards restoring global air connectivity.
"Government-imposed restrictions continue to stop a revival of international travel. It remains 70% down on pre-crisis levels.
The ICAO HLCC commitments show that governments understand what is needed to re-start global connectivity. The task now is implementation," said Willie Walsh, director-general of the world's airlines trade association.
Earlier this month, ICAO published recommendations that will help push along the HLCC declaration.
Known as CART 3 (the Council Aviation Recovery Task Force) roadmap, the recommendations include recognition of testing, recovery and vaccination certificates (including digital formats) and entry of fully vaccinated and recovered passengers including alleviating or exempting such individuals from testing and quarantine measures.
