‘A step in the right direction’: Thai tour operators accept special visas for foreigners

BANGKOK: Thailand’s tour operators and hotels have welcomed the government’s new stimulus measure that will allow foreign tourists to visit the country on a special long-term visa amid the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The Special Tourist Visa or STV is expected to be available from October to September 30 of next year. Its holders will be able to stay in Thailand for 90 days and extend the visa twice at a cost of 2,000 baht (US $ 63) each time.

The scheme was approved in principle by the Cabinet on September 15 as part of the government’s efforts to boost the sluggish economy and the tourism sector hit by the global health crisis.

“Each and every visitor to Thailand will help stimulate the hotel sector that goes beyond physical stores into an industry that supports suppliers, from fishermen and farmers to tour guides and small businesses,” said Daniel Simon , General Manager of Anantara Siam Bangkok. Hotel.

“The special tourist visa program planned by the Thai government is a step in the right direction, but we look forward to further measures that will quickly but safely open the kingdom to international travelers once again,” he added.

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The new visa is aimed at wealthy tourists who are willing to undergo a 14-day quarantine upon arrival. Once the country reopens, the Thai government expects to receive 1,200 foreign tourists per month from one to three international flights per week. He also expects the plan to inject 12 billion baht ($ 380 million) into the economy within a year.

“Obviously, there is no magic formula to open the country immediately. Therefore, the STV scheme is a step forward with many more to come. It also allows Thai residents to get used to the idea that there is a way to start bringing tourists back to the country safely, albeit with a fairly challenging application process, ”said Nick Downing, General Manager of The Siam Hotel .

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Thailand hard, especially its tourism and hospitality sectors. Its GDP contracted 12.2 percent in the second quarter of 2020, and total tourism revenue fell 97.1 percent, according to the Office of the National Council for Economic and Social Development (NESDC).

Last month, NESDC revised the expected contraction of the Thai economy in 2020 to between -7.8 percent and -7.3 percent due to several factors, such as a sharp decrease in the number and income of foreign tourists, and “the severe global recession in the economy and merchandise trade.”

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Although the STV scheme is widely welcomed, small tour operators doubt that income from foreign tourists can reach them.

“I think the benefits may not go to small entrepreneurs. As long as the government cannot control the gap between us and the capitalists, I think the plan will hardly benefit the small operators, ”said Pornpak Rakjan, manager of the Phuket Tour Holiday travel company.

The company did not receive any help from the government amid the current health crisis, he added.

“I want the government to come here and take care of us. I want them to establish provincial units that specifically manage the impact of COVID-19 on entrepreneurs, especially the small ones ”.

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HOW TO APPLY FOR THE THAILAND SPECIAL TOURIST VISA

Foreign tourists who wish to apply for the special tourist visa must do so with a travel agent, who will work with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to obtain approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.

Applicants will need to indicate on the application form an alternative state quarantine hotel in Thailand for the mandatory 14 day quarantine upon arrival. According to the COVID-19 Situation Management Center, there are 74 such hotels across the country, including 69 in Bangkok and another five in Burirum, Chonburi and Phuket.

To complete the application, foreign tourists will also need to provide flight details, identify their post-quarantine accommodation, and purchase medical insurance for their stay in Thailand with a minimum coverage plan worth USD100,000.

If successful, they can pick up a Certificate of Entry (COE) from the Thai embassy in their country. They must also obtain a travel-friendly health certificate and medical certificate stating that they are not infected with COVID-19, issued no more than 72 hours before departure.

Upon arrival in Thailand, foreign tourists will have to undergo medical examinations. If they test positive, they will be transferred to a hospital. Otherwise, they will be granted a special tourist visa and will proceed to the quarantine facility of their choice.

After the quarantine is over, STV holders can travel to Thailand. But they will need to install a COVID-19 contact tracing app.

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Despite the 14-day quarantine requirement, hoteliers hope the stimulus will benefit the accommodation sector, given the potential for long-stay European visitors.

According to Bruno Huber, General Manager of Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort Bangkok, European tourists tend to spend a few months in a row in Thailand and therefore are likely to be fine with the quarantine period.

However, the fact that they need to organize their own trip to Thailand, either on a chartered plane or on a private plane, could dampen interest and affect revenue target.

“Purposely chartered or private flights would be too expensive and would greatly reduce the number of potential guests. A working and achievable commercial flight solution is critical to any success, ”Huber told CNA.

If commercial flights return, he added, the revenue figure projected by the government is “achievable.”

“WILL THERE BE A SECOND WAVE?”

The STV scheme may be well received by the hospitality and tourism sectors, but there are concerns among operators about potential health risks.

Thailand has reported more than 3,500 COVID-19 cases since the outbreak began, with 59 deaths. Currently, 117 remain in hospitals. But once the country reopens to foreign tourists, the situation could change.

“I think this scheme would help improve the economy because tourists are one of the factors that help circulate income in Thailand. But I’m also worried, ”said Pichanan Kongchana of Roast8ry Lab, a cafe in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand.

Will there be a second wave?

Before the pandemic, most of his clients were foreign tourists. So when the international travel ban went into effect, the cafe lost most of its customers and was forced to close for three months. Although it has recently reopened to local clients, the business is still seeing a significant drop in revenue.

“We want tourists to visit us,” Pichanan said. “But I want the government to issue them some kind of document that they can show us. This way, we won’t have to worry. “

As of September 25, Thailand has conducted 977,854 COVID-19 tests across the country, according to Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesperson for the COVID-19 Situation Management Center. He told a press conference on Monday (September 28) that the country needs to relax its disease control measures to allow the economy to recover before urging the public to remain vigilant.

“Although our country needs to relax, the people must be disciplined,” Taweesin said. “If each person is disciplined, relaxation will continue to work and our economy will strengthen.”

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