If ever there were a group living in a "bubble," it's the western owners & directors of Thai travel companies. I have a new Covid-driven communications rule; I no longer watch a Webinar if 'experts' are only men. Time to add a subsection: "Avoid caustic statements from white men in Asia."
Hi David. This is Allen & Kat--whom you know from when we had Thaidaho Vista on Koh Mak. We are currently back on the Idaho side of Thaidaho. Thank you for the article: it is great, thoughtful and well-balanced!
The pandemic's impact on Thai tourism can't be overstated, and many Thais have lost jobs, businesses and homes. Many more are in deep debt and have burned through savings. But IMO, this perspective of the 'return to normal' seems both pervasive and unjustified. I wonder if the Thais in tourism who are hurting (or TAT!), take time to think about how many of the pre-pandemic tourists who were visiting and supporting them, are also struggling? How many of them have also lost jobs, businesses and homes, family and friends, and burned through their savings? Once Thailand decides how and when to reopen, will the world will be lined up at the gates waiting to enter? Even if they wanted to be?
The 1% can travel and enter now, and as always, they can largely do whatever they want. But of the 30M to 40M tourists who were visiting Thailand before the pandemic, only about 1% of them were the 1%. Most of the other 99%, the vast majority of travelers, are struggling in this pandemic, too. How soon will this larger more important demographic be financially able to resume their international travels? Reopening is just half of the equation, and I don't see TAT or anyone else talking it. Do you in BKK or traveling around?
David, what has your experience been this past year as a western expat? My experience is that Thais prefer not to sit next to me on the bus or train already, but it never felt like discrimination or xenophobia before now. I expect to get vaccinated in May or June 2021 and was considering starting a long-term visit to Thailand as early as October or November. I'll be happy to quarantine when I arrive too, even if I've already got the jab. But I wonder if based on the information in your article I should delay until early 2022 when a higher percentage of Thais have been vaccinated (or at least had the opportunity) and there is potentially less anxiety about foreign visitors. Even so, it sounds like I might do better at first concentrating in places more frequented by foreign tourists (and where they have been most missed); Hua Hin rather than Ban Krut, for example. Thanks for the thoughtful write up. Cheers.
If ever there were a group living in a "bubble," it's the western owners & directors of Thai travel companies. I have a new Covid-driven communications rule; I no longer watch a Webinar if 'experts' are only men. Time to add a subsection: "Avoid caustic statements from white men in Asia."
getting a jab does nothing getting a test does nothing..its all bs. but fear is more dangerous
Hi David. This is Allen & Kat--whom you know from when we had Thaidaho Vista on Koh Mak. We are currently back on the Idaho side of Thaidaho. Thank you for the article: it is great, thoughtful and well-balanced!
The pandemic's impact on Thai tourism can't be overstated, and many Thais have lost jobs, businesses and homes. Many more are in deep debt and have burned through savings. But IMO, this perspective of the 'return to normal' seems both pervasive and unjustified. I wonder if the Thais in tourism who are hurting (or TAT!), take time to think about how many of the pre-pandemic tourists who were visiting and supporting them, are also struggling? How many of them have also lost jobs, businesses and homes, family and friends, and burned through their savings? Once Thailand decides how and when to reopen, will the world will be lined up at the gates waiting to enter? Even if they wanted to be?
The 1% can travel and enter now, and as always, they can largely do whatever they want. But of the 30M to 40M tourists who were visiting Thailand before the pandemic, only about 1% of them were the 1%. Most of the other 99%, the vast majority of travelers, are struggling in this pandemic, too. How soon will this larger more important demographic be financially able to resume their international travels? Reopening is just half of the equation, and I don't see TAT or anyone else talking it. Do you in BKK or traveling around?
David, what has your experience been this past year as a western expat? My experience is that Thais prefer not to sit next to me on the bus or train already, but it never felt like discrimination or xenophobia before now. I expect to get vaccinated in May or June 2021 and was considering starting a long-term visit to Thailand as early as October or November. I'll be happy to quarantine when I arrive too, even if I've already got the jab. But I wonder if based on the information in your article I should delay until early 2022 when a higher percentage of Thais have been vaccinated (or at least had the opportunity) and there is potentially less anxiety about foreign visitors. Even so, it sounds like I might do better at first concentrating in places more frequented by foreign tourists (and where they have been most missed); Hua Hin rather than Ban Krut, for example. Thanks for the thoughtful write up. Cheers.