Is mass tourism a thing of the past in Thailand?

Is mass tourism a thing of the past in Thailand as the streets of the most popular tourist destinations are unnervingly quiet.
Along Chaweng’s Beach Road, a usually raucous party area, shuttered shops stretch into the distance.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, it was buzzing with traffic. Now, taxi drivers sit on the roadside, with little hope of finding customers.

Where bikini-clad sunseekers once browsed souvenir shops and drank at neon-lit bars, a lone street dog stretches on the pavement.

Elsewhere, swathes of Samui’s idyllic, sandy white beaches are almost entirely free of people.

About 40 million tourists flocked to Thailand last year, drawn by its spectacular coastlines, ornate temples and famous cuisine.

In 2022, the country will struggle to attract even a quarter of that number, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

Tourism ground to a halt in April, when Thailand imposed a ban on all incoming passenger flights. The country – which has so far managed to contain Covid-19, recording 3,255 cases and 58 deaths – is discussing travel bubbles with low-risk neighbouring countries, but no one knows when these might be established. Borders remain shut to almost all foreign tourists.

The travel sector has survived devastating crises before, including the 2004 tsunami, bird flu and Sars outbreaks.

But the impact of the coronavirus pandemic is beyond comparison, says Tanes Petsuwan, deputy governor for marketing communication at the TAT.

During previous crises, revenue dropped by around a fifth, he said. This year, the coronavirus pandemic is expected to cause a 80% fall in revenues. “It’s a huge impact,” he said.

To make matters worse, Thailand’s economy has become even more reliant on tourism, accounting for almost 20% of GDP, according to Tanes. About 4.4 million people are employed across the industry – in transport, travel agencies, restaurants and hotels.

In Samui, many have gone for months without work. Before coronavirus, Jarunee Kasorn, who works in a local massage parlour in Chaweng, says her colleagues would welcome up to 90 clients a day.

They’re one of the few businesses to reopen on Beach Road, but a whole day can go by without a single customer. “If there are no tourists, then there’s no business,” she said.

Most of the shop’s 20 staff have left the island altogether, and returned to their family homes elsewhere in Thailand.

Though modest social assistance payments were offered to workers during lockdown, this is no longer available.

“Many people say we won’t die from Covid, but we will die because we are not able to eat,” says Ta Sasiwinom, who has just reopened her stall at an outdoor market in Fishermen’s Village, known as the walking street. The past few months have been a struggle for her and her two daughters. “We cook more cheaply – eating egg and rice, rice and egg,” she says.

Parts of the market, and the nearby beach, have begun to return to life. There are groups of visitors and locals peering at the discounted stalls, but it is still nowhere near as busy as it would usually be.

Among those shopping are tourists stuck abroad, foreign residents living in Thailand, and Thais – who the government has encouraged to travel domestically through a stimulus package that offers subsidised hotel bookings.

The scheme, and a looming long weekend, has provided a welcome boost, says Lloyd Maraville, general manager of Nora Buri resort and spa.

Of the hotel’s 144 rooms, about 100 are empty, though this will fall to 85 over the holiday.

Government measures, he adds, “might sustain hotels for a while but it will not be a long-term [solution].” Rooms have been booked at far below the usual rates. “Profit is out of the question at this moment, we just want to maintain the resort,” he says.

Tanes believes that when tourism is able to begin again, the industry will be altered completely.

He hopes for positive change. “I think this is a good time for Thailand to upskill the human resources of the industry to move Thailand [away] from [being an] overcrowded tourist destination,” he says. Mass tourism, and the dependence on large tour groups, he argues, will be a thing of the past.

In Samui, businesses are focused on survival for now. Just last month it was announced that nearly 100 local hotel owners had been forced to sell. Many more remain shut indefinitely.

“I’ve lived here for 20 years and I’m shocked, I never thought it could be like this,” says Rattanaporn Chadakarn, who runs a stall at the walking street.

No one knows if the Great Panic will continue. For now, she adds, everyone is just waiting for the skies to reopen.

Source - BangkokJack

VISA AGENT

#THAILAND REOPENING TO TOURISTS: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

The Thailand Tourism Authority has said that tourists will have to wait a few more months before visiting.

The Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand said that tourism could return in the fourth quarter of this year.

Here is everything you need to know about Thailand reopening to tourists and what to expect when one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world opens their border.

Even then, there will likely be restrictions on who can visit and where they can go said Yuthasak.

“We are not going to open all at once,” he adds. “We are still on high alert, we just can’t let our guards down yet. We have to look at the country of origin [of the travelers] to see if their situation has truly improved. And lastly, we have to see whether our own business operators are ready to receive tourists under the ‘new normal’.”

Similar versions of this strategy are already being looked at in the region — referred to as “tourism bubbles.” Basically, a country will open borders reciprocally with destinations that also have their coronavirus situation under control.

Once Thailand does open to international tourists, they’ll likely only be able to visit certain spots, says Yuthasak.

“We have studied a possibility of offering special long-stay packages in isolated and closed areas where health monitoring can be easily controlled — for example, Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Samui. This will be beneficial for both tourists and local residents, since this is almost a kind of quarantine.”

Yuthasak says they’re finishing up a framework to restart tourism, but much of the decision-making lies in the hands of the CCSA — the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration — which will decide when is the best time to open the border.

Phuket-based Bill Barnett, managing director of Asia-focused consulting firm C9 Hotelworks, says “baby steps are needed” to reignite international tourism.

“The next step is bilateral agreements between countries,” Yuthasak told CNN.

“Thailand’s good standing in the face of the crisis with China, along with strong pent-up demand, make it a logical short-term solution for overseas tourism to return to the Kingdom.”

For now, Thailand isn’t taking any chances and the country’s borders are firmly shut.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has issued a temporary ban on all international commercial flights into the country until June 30, excluding repatriation flights. The Thais who do return on these flights are put into quarantine facilities for 14 days.

Meanwhile, on May 26, the Thai Cabinet agreed to extend the nationwide state of emergency until June 30.

Thailand has seemingly managed to avoid the ravages of the virus experienced by many other nations around the world.

When this story was published, the country had recorded 3,042 Covid-19 cases and 57 deaths. It’s reporting only a handful of new Covid-19 cases each day — occasionally even zero. Instances of local transmissions are low, with most recent Covid-19 infections discovered in quarantined returnees.

Thailand is now focused on reopening to domestic tourism in June, says Yuthasak. Resorts and hotels in some tourism destinations throughout the country have already been given the green light to reopen, including in Hua Hin, a popular beach resort about 200 kilometers (124 miles) south of Bangkok.

Nationwide lockdown measures put in place in late March have been easing in stages throughout May.

Malls, markets, museums and some tourist attractions have already reopened and more are slated to follow. Bangkok’s Grand Palace, for instance, will reopen June 4.

National parks, theme parks, stadiums, spas, massage shops and cinemas remain closed, but local media reports some will likely be given the go-ahead reopen in June.

Restaurants — limited to offering only delivery and take-out services in late March — can now allow customers to dine in but are banned from serving alcohol and must adhere to strict social distancing measures. Pubs and night clubs remain closed, and a curfew is in place from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Local transport networks are increasing services, including rail and bus lines, while airlines are upping the number of domestic flights.

Phuket International Airport, however, remains closed until further notice.

Thailand’s most popular tourism island emerged as a coronavirus hotspot in March, facing the highest infection rate per capita out of all of Thailand’s 77 provinces.

As a result, Phuket officials imposed strict lockdown measures and embarked on an intensive drive to test residents.

But with cases slowing to a trickle in recent days, embattled travel industry players question the continued closure of the island’s airport when the rest of the country is opening to domestic flights.

“The Phuket tourism sector at the moment is sad, stunned, annoyed and dismayed at the lack of a defined plan to reopen the airport,” says Barnett.

“The recent 24-hour notice by CAAT of a sustained closure was a hard pill to swallow for a damaged industry. There is no point to open hotels, while the airport is the trigger for reopening. The vague notice and lack of a clarity on when the airport [will reopen] makes it impossible for businesses to plan forward actions.”

Even with domestic tourism starting to kick off in some provinces, it’s only a drop in the bucket.

In 2019, nearly 40 million tourists visited Thailand, according to government data. The TAT estimates only 14 to 16 million will visit this year.

Financially stressed hotels in need of cash flow have already started aggressively selling hotel rooms and vouchers, says Barnett, while also looking to the local market to provide some relief.
“Staycations and road trips are being touted but in a country where tourism represents 12 to 14 percent of the GDP, these small bites are not going to bridge the road to recovery,” he says. “Broader ASEAN bilateral agreements and getting airports open and airlines back in the air is what’s needed.”

Bangkok’s Chatuchak Weekend Market, one of the city’s most popular shopping destinations, reopened on May 9. But though Thais and expats have returned, it’s simply not enough foot traffic for vendors to make a sustainable living, says shop owner Tassanee Larlitparpaipune.

“International tourists make up about 50 percent of my customer base,” she says. “Most are from Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia.”

Before the Lunar New Year holiday in January, Tassanee owned four clothing shops at the market. She has since closed two and is now considering shuttering a third and shifting her focus to online orders.

But the Covid-19 pandemic hasn’t had completely negative consequences. As seen in other once busy global destinations, Thailand’s wildlife has benefited from the global shutdown — particularly marine animals.

Marine biologist Dr. Thon Thammawongsawat says the changes he’s witnessed have been remarkable, with animals returning to destinations once crowded with humans.

“For example, pink dugongs were spotted around Ban Pe, in Koh Samet and green turtles laid eggs for the first time in six years at Koh Samui beaches,” he says.

More than 200 of these turtles were born on the secluded beach of the Banyan Tree Samui resort, with three nests hatching between April 4 and 24, according to hotel staff.

Other species of turtles have returned to Thailand’s shores to lay eggs, too.

“The most crucial indicator of positive side effects from this crisis is that we’ve seen leatherback turtles lay eggs in the highest amount since we began recording statistics eight years ago,” says Thon.

“Last year, we recorded that there were about 100 leatherbacks hatched. This year, up until now, there are more than 300 hatched and returned to the sea.”

The country’s national parks officials say they hope to preserve some of these gains.

“The department has decided to close national parks — both land and marine parks — every year between two to three months a year,” Sompoch Maneerat, director of information for Thailand’s Department of National Parks, tells CNN Travel.

“Durations and dates will be varied depending on the nature of each location. The purpose is to achieve sustainable tourism, where nature can rest during the low season.”

As for popular Maya Bay, where the 2000 movie “The Beach” starring Leonardo DiCaprio was filmed, Sompoch says it will remain closed until at least 2021, as the ecosystem has not yet fully recovered to an acceptable level.

The bay has been closed since June 2018 part of a rejuvenation program aimed at reviving the area’s decimated corals.

Source - Pattaya One News

#Cyprus beaches reopen as new virus cases hit zero

A new form of beach life, spaced apart, emerged Saturday on the Mediterranean holiday island of Cyprus after more than two months of coronavirus-imposed curbs were lifted on freedom of movement.

The relaxation coincided with the first day of zero new cases of corona-virus in Cyprus since the first were declared on March 9.

"The people are good, the water's good, the weather's good, things are cool," said Georgios, a young gym trainer.

"We're here, we're having a good time... we're taking our safety measures."

The lifting of a swimming-only decree in force on the beaches brought sunbathers back out on the seashore -- but under social distancing rules.

The health ministry has issued directives on the placement of sunbeds and parasols. Also, only members of the same family can jointly take part in water sports.

"We've put the tables two metres (six feet) apart," said Panayiotis Neokleous, owner of the normally bustling Ammos beach club near the airport in the southern resort town of Larnaca.

"All the staff have taken the (COVID-19) test, they are all negative. Now we are all wearing protective masks, gloves and we disinfect our hands many times," he said.

The US-educated Neokleous acknowledged that the summer season was "going to be not so good because tourists are not going to come, or if they come, it'll be late".

"We are going to see a lot of restaurants and hotel businesses not going to make it and will have to close down," he said.

But for personal trainer Vanessa, a regular at the club, Saturday was a time to celebrate, even if a heat wave earlier in the week had given way to strong wind and choppy waters.

"I am very happy to be back ... And this is my favorite place to be... Anyway I'm glad it's all over and I hope it's going to be better," she said.

On Saturday, Cyprus also reported zero new corona-virus cases after the daily number of infections since the start of the month were down to single figures.

And on Friday the east Mediterranean holiday island announced a phased reopening of its airports to commercial flights from June 9.

But its two largest tourist markets, Britain and Russia are not on the initial lists, amid concerns over infection levels in the two countries.

The Cypriot government ended a strict stay-at-home lockdown on Thursday, reopening outdoor restaurants, barber shops as well as beaches, although hotels remain closed for now.

Since mid-March people could only go outside for exercise and essential trips which needed to be approved by text message while a curfew was enforced every night.

Source - TheJakartaPost

Indonesia - Borobudur, Prambanan temples to reopen in June

Borobudur, Prambanan and Ratu Boko temples in Central Java will be reopened for tourists in June after the popular tourists destinations were closed for the past three months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We plan to reopen the temples on June 8,” said Edy Setijono, director of PT Taman Wisata Candi (TWC) Borobudur, Prambanan and Ratu Boko, as quoted by kompas.com.

He said the reopening of the temples would comply with the COVID-19 protocols suggested by the government, in particular by the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry.

“When the temples are reopened, they will be run in accordance with the 'new normal' tourism,” Edy said.

He said that the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry had recommended tourist destinations implement a “cleanliness, health and safety” (CHS) program.

“This program is crucial as the pandemic has changed our habits. The public now cares more about cleanliness, health and safety, including in tourism,” he said.

In compliance with the protocols, the management of the temples will require visitors to wear face masks and go through temperature check posts. They will also be required to practice physical distancing.

“We will provide hand washing stations every 100 meters as well as signage and information boards explaining the COVID-19 protocols,” Edy said.

To reduce interactions between visitors and staff, the management will use cashless ticketing.

Source - TheJakartaPost

Surviving lockdown in my Thai paradise

Opera singer and producer Niall Morris has found himself stranded in Bangkok with his husband Woody during the coronavirus pandemic

Back in 2010, along with my friend Terry from London, I visited Thailand purely by chance. We were on a winter holiday in Penang, Malaysia where Terry was less than impressed with the weather.

“Darling, it’s cloudy again,” he said one morning, in his disapproving Princess Margaret voice. “I can’t possibly go back to London without a tan to annoy my work colleagues.”

“It’s 35°C and sunny in Thailand,” I replied casually, looking at the weather forecast on TV.

Terry’s face lit up.

“I’m already packing, darling,” he gushed, in a flurry of hatboxes.

And with that spur of the moment decision, the future trajectory of my life was changed.

We took a one-hour flight from Penang to Bangkok and checked into a twin room on the 23rd floor of the Shangri-La hotel, with stunning views over the Chao Phraya river. That evening we went to Telephone Bar in the vibrant Silom district and got chatting with a group of friendly locals.

One of them, called Woody, had a dazzling smile and offered to take me on a motorbike tour of Bangkok by night. I ran the suggestion past Terry whose reply was “off you go darling!” And so, in a moment of Shirley Valentine spontaneity, I was whisked off on a scooter down a labyrinth of hot, steaming streets, where tall glass skyscrapers towered over makeshift wooden shacks and spicy chicken soup was being cooked at every corner. It was a thrill to the senses and from that first sultry, humid night in Bangkok, I was hooked.

When I got back to my hotel in the early hours of the morning, I was very surprised to find that Terry, along with all his hatboxes, had left. All that remained was a brief note on my bed: “Gone to Koh Samui. I want to be alone.”

Suddenly, I found myself 10,000km from home, all alone in a foreign country where I knew no one. I’m sure the sensible decision would have been to go back to Ireland and forget about the whole experience but, instead, I reached into my pocket and took out a little piece of paper with a neatly written telephone number and the words: “Call me! – Woody.”

Over the next few days, Woody and I visited some of Bangkok’s most famous tourist attractions. First, we went by motorbike taxi to the Grand Palace, the official ceremonial residence of the king. Built in 1782 by King Rama 1, it’s a huge complex on the west bank of the river and includes the renowned Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Some of it is open to the public, as long as you are well covered and have appropriate footwear (no flip-flops). Next, we took one of the frequent river boats down to Sathorn – a great way to see the towering skyline of the city – and disembarked at Saphan Taksin right next to the Shangri-La hotel. By early evening we were sitting in a side street outside a little restaurant that served the best fish in Bangkok for about €3.50 a main course.

Later that night, Woody brought me to App Arena Club to see his friend Coco, a sensational drag artiste, who lip-synched flawlessly to Whitney Houston – and looked very like her too. It was a whirlwind sightseeing tour which I would never have experienced if Terry hadn’t made his dramatic dash to Koh Samui.

A year later, Woody came to live with me in Ireland and we entered into a civil partnership in 2014. Ever since, we have made a trip each year to Thailand and we’ve built a little house in the rice fields near where he grew up, about 500km north of Bangkok.

In March, Woody and I arrived for our annual holiday in Thailand but now, like the rest of the world, we are caught in the grip of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Thai government has responded swiftly with draconian measures to contain the spread of the virus.

The beaches of the south are closed, patrolled day and night by drones; Phuket is in total lockdown (no one can enter or leave the island) and the bright lights of Bangkok’s world-famous nightlife have been turned off.

Throughout the country, there’s a strictly enforced curfew and anyone caught outside after 10pm could end up with a hefty fine or, worse still, a year in the Bangkok Hilton!

Controversially, there has been a total ban on the sale of alcohol since April 1. Thais are very sociable people and love nothing more than to gather at a friend’s house for a game of cards over a bottle of local whiskey but, in general, they are law-abiding and compliant and these strict measures have been highly effective.

To date, there are just 2,969 coronavirus cases in Thailand and while, sadly, there have been 54 deaths, in a country of nearly 70 million, these numbers are extremely low.

One of the other key tactics here has been to radically reduce international travel.

All foreigners have been banned from entering Thailand and Thai citizens returning from abroad must quarantine for 14 days at an appointed place.

Our return flights to Ireland on KLM have been cancelled, leaving us somewhat stranded here.

But at least we are not accidental tourists shipwrecked in an strange land. We are staying at Woody’s sister’s house in a private gated community in a leafy suburb of Bangkok. I start each morning with coffee in the garden, after which I teach English to our gorgeous nephew Hummer who is almost four years old and already nearly bilingual.

Woody’s sister and her husband both work in the property and construction business and, in a typically Thai gesture where family is paramount, they’ve told us we can stay as long as we want.

Since May 3, Thailand has started taking tentative steps towards getting its economy moving again. Outdoors markets are opening up, along with some cafes and restaurants and, for the first time in nearly two months, little Hummer has been released from the confines of his garden to play at the local park. Last week, we all visited the nearby King Rama IX Park and watching him whizzing around on his little green bicycle was pure joy.

In those early days, when I first visited Bangkok, I used to wonder what it would be like to live in Thailand – but I always lacked the courage to give it a try.

Now, with my classical music career on hold and a global pandemic forcing us all to rethink our lives, I have found myself here more by chance than by choice.

But what a blessing it is.

As restrictions are easing, our next plan is to all go up to our village house to help harvest the rice fields and mango and banana trees. These dazzling days in Thailand are a long way from Mozart and Puccini – but the joyous connection with family and nature is like waking up each morning to an unexpected paradise.

Source - Pattaya One News

Thailand’s Tourism Likely Won’t Improve Until Vaccine Found

The Tourism Authority of Thai land (TAT) has said a vaccine for covid-19 is needed to help reverse the plunge in Thailand’s tourism. Tourism numbers are set to tumble 60% to only 16 million tourists this year. Almost halving foreign tourism income.

Furthermore those numbers could go even lower as the world waits for an inoculation or if a second wave of infections materializes, according to Bloomberg.

“Everyone is waiting on a vaccine,” TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said in an interview April 24. “People are expecting that it will take at least 18 months. Which also means we’ll have to remain in a state of fear and worry.”

Thailand has been particularly reliant on tourism spending, especially by Chinese visitors. The lack of Tourism leaves Thailand with one of Asia’s  bleakest economic outlooks.

Yuthasak said the tourism industry needs to restore confidence in the safety of leisure travel. Predicting that October is the earliest he expects holidaymakers from China to return.

“We must all enter into a new normal after Covid-19,” he said. Also estimating foreign-visitor receipts this year may amount to only 1 trillion baht. Down by almost half from the 1.9 trillion baht in 2019.
Tourism will look again to Chinese Visitors

Yuthasak said “There could also be an opportunity within the crisis for us to improve. So in the future revenue will be more sustainable and wealth can spread to smaller communities.”

Meanwhile, The Thaiger reports Thailand’s tourism recovery trajectory is expected to be initially centered on domestic and local corporate travel. Before radiating back into into international and regional travel.

When borders open and international travel bans are lifted, China will almost certainly resume its dominant role in Thailand’s inbound tourism sector. How this major feeder market for Thailand is expected to begin travelling again will offer strategies for those suffering through today’s crisis.

Findings by Chinese travel giant Trip.com have long ranked Thailand among the first outbound destinations Chinese travelers want to visit post-coronavirus.

Source - Chiang Rai Times

New Mickey and Minnie Mouse-themed attraction opens at Disney's Hollywood Studios

Disney's first Mickey and Minnie Mouse-themed ride-through attraction has opened to the public at the Hollywood Studios park in Florida.

Aboard "Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway," guests board a train that "derails" from the tracks and takes them through a cinematic adventure that includes a trip to cowboy country in the Wild Wild West, a bustling fun fair and an underwater adventure.

The attraction also features classic Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts for fans of vintage cartoons.

Attractions Magazine has a full preview of the experience, which begins by inviting guests to step into the movie screen and ends with a picnic under the stars. 

Source - TheJakartaPost

Southeast Asia feels the burn as virus keeps Chinese tourists at home

Elephant parks unvisited, curios at markets unsold as tuk-tuks sit idle: Southeast Asia is facing billions of dollars in losses from a collapse in Chinese tourism since the outbreak of a deadly new coronavirus.

From Luang Prabang in northern Laos to Pattaya in Thailand, Hoi An in Vietnam and the Cambodian casino town of Sihanoukville, takings have plummeted as Chinese travelers find themselves subject to a host of restrictions at home and abroad.

"We haven't had any Chinese for 10 days since they closed the road from Yunnan," says Ong Tau, 47, from behind her stall of fruit shakes in the temple-studded Laotian colonial town of Luang Prabang.

"Business is down 20-30 percent... it will get worse."

Tour guides, mall workers and restaurant staff are all feeling the burn as Chinese -- the world's biggest travellers -- stay at home in the middle of a global health crisis.

"My friend has lost four or five big tour groups... they would have paid for his low season," said Tee, a guide in Luang Prabang, giving only one name in the tightly-controlled communist country, a mass of tuk-tuks standing idle behind him.

But in one of Southeast Asia's least well-resourced countries, there may be one bright side to the sudden economic pain.

"We don't know how to protect ourselves," he added. "The government doesn't tell people anything... so maybe less Chinese is a good thing for now."

Loans and job losses

The slump is being felt sharply in Thailand, where tourism authorities say arrivals from China -- usually close to one million a month -- have plunged by 90 percent so far this February.

At the Chang Siam Elephant Park in Pattaya, a few hours south of Bangkok, owner Nantakorn Phatnamrob fears he will soon be pressed into debt to float a business which has lost nearly $65,000 since the outbreak.

"People are afraid to visit," he told AFP. "If it stays like this, I will have to get a loan from the bank."

Crocodile farms and tiger sanctuaries -- controversial tourist beacons where visitors can pet the animals -- are also deserted, leaving owners to feed expensive star attractions.

The outbreak has also spooked western tourists at the height of peak season in what has already been a tough period for Thai tourism thanks to a strong baht.

Thailand anticipates shedding five million tourists this year, taking with them "250 billion baht (over $8 billion) in revenue", according to Don Nakornthab, director of economic policy at Bank of Thailand.

"Our hopes that the economy will do better than last year are very low... it's possible it could grow below 2 percent," he added.

That will spell bad news for the untold number of Thais working in the tourism sector.

Ma Mya, 22, who sells trinkets in Pattaya, says she may soon have to return to her home in northern Thailand.

"There's no more profit -- everything has gone bad."

Things can only get better

With so much riding on the seasonal influx, some Mekong countries are desperate not to deter those Chinese still traveling.

Thailand offers visa on arrival for Chinese tourists despite having one of the highest numbers of confirmed infections -- 34 -- outside of the mainland.

At least two of those cases were Thais who contracted the virus after driving infected Chinese passengers, raising fears that the economy was taking priority over tackling the health crisis.

For staunch Beijing ally Cambodia, where only one case of the virus has been confirmed so far despite a large Chinese presence, strongman leader Hun Sen has repeatedly played down the risk to his country.

Still, Cambodian tourism is taking a hammering.

Ticket sales at the famed Angkor temple complex in Siem Reap have fallen between 30 and 40 percent this year, while in Sihanoukville, a southern beach resort notorious for its casinos, the tourist take has shriveled.

"I used to make $100 a day," said Chantha Reak, a ride-hailing driver. "Now it's $10."

Businesses are praying for a bounce back if and when the virus is controlled.

With 10 million Chinese visitors each year, Thailand hopes the pain will ease in a few months.

Regular visitor Yen Ran, 25, from Chengdu, came to Pattaya despite the health warnings.

"I am a little concerned how other countries perceive us," she told AFP. "But when there's a cure, things will get better."

Source - TheJakartaPost

5 Secret Destinations to Visit in #Myanmar (Burma) in 2020

A land with a troubled past, Myanmar has only recently begun to open up to international tourism — and for many travellers, it still passes well below the radar.

 Yet, with its great expanses of unexplored jungle, extensive shoreline, diverse culture, atmospheric incense-filled temples and countless minority groups inhabiting even the most far-flung corners, Myanmar is a sleeping giant. This is a place for those who want to leave the usual tourist trail far behind and tread where few others set foot. Don’t expect travel there to ever be easy, but for the most adventurous and determined explorers, here are 5 secret destinations to visit during your trip to Myanmar in 2020.

1. Keng Tung (Kyaingtong)

.

.

Tucked away in the north-eastern corner of Shan State where Myanmar meets Thailand, Laos and China, Keng Tung, remote, inaccessible and, until recently, off-limits to tourists, is a place to visit before word spreads. The only practical way of reaching it from the rest of the country is to fly in— although it’s also possible to arrive by road from the Thai border crossing at Mae Sai. The town itself has several attractions of interest, including a large standing Buddha, a distinctive monastery and some hot springs, but the main thing to do here is to enjoy the ample opportunities for trekking out to the minority villages in the surrounding area. As one of the most important towns of the Shan people, it’s also a great place to sample Shan food, reputedly the best in all of Myanmar.

.

.

Chin State, bordering India and Bangladesh in the west of Myanmar, is the epitome of ‘off the beaten track’. It is one of the country’s poorest, least developed and most sparsely populated areas and has very little in the way of infrastructure. However, for intrepid explorers who make their way there the potential rewards are great. This is an area with a patchwork of tribes speaking myriad languages and with lush forests and remote mountains to discover. Trekking into minority villages around the town of Mindat is possible, and the region’s best-known peak, Mount Victoria, offers sublime views of the surrounding countryside— sometimes even as far as India on a clear day. Nearby Kanpetlet, a laidback town with decent accommodation, is a good place to base yourself before tackling the mountain.

.

.

In the north-west of Myanmar, bordering the tiny Indian state of Nagaland, lies the Naga Self-administered Zone, home to various tribes sharing broadly similar culture and traditions that make up the loosely-defined Naga people.

This is another of Myanmar’s poorest and most inaccessible areas, and the tribal groups there maintain their age-old customs through their lively festivals, their distinctive dress and their traditional way of life, remaining largely untouched by the outside world.

 Some of these tribes may have been active head-hunters as recently ago as 1969, but nowadays they are more welcoming and friendly, and a trip to their little-known homelands will be one of the most unforgettable experiences of any trip to Myanmar.

4. Dawei
.

.

This port town on Myanmar’s south-western Andaman coast, in Tanintharyi Region, is for those who have grown tired of the overcrowded, overpriced beaches and resorts of neighbouring Thailand and who are searching for something fresh. The town of Dawei itself can be reached by land since the road is now open to international visitors — or if you want to save some time, you can fly in from Yangon. Once there, you will have access to a good range of accommodation, pristine stretches of sand, simple beach restaurants, a handful of pagodas to visit and a secret place of your own to chill, safe from tourist hordes across the border just a little further south.

.

.

5. Mergui Archipelago

.

 .

If you’ve ever studied a map of Myanmar, you may have noticed the fractured coastline of the deep south and wondered what undiscovered island paradises lie hidden there. However, the breathtaking beauty of the unspoiled beaches and transparent, turquoise seas of the Mergui Archipelago is likely to be far beyond anything you ever imagined. Try picturing the most perfect Thai islands before the arrival of mass tourism — or any kind of tourism at all — and you might be somewhere close. These islands have only been open to foreign visitors since 1997, and this is a destination you need to see before it hits the mainstream.

Although it is gradually opening up, Myanmar is still largely terra incognita to most international travellers, and even the most popular destinations like Bagan, Mandalay and Inle Lake receive relatively few tourists. However, if you want the chance to discover some of Southeast Asia’s last truly secret destinations, this is a country that should be on your holiday list.

Source - MM Times

#Russia suspends visa-free tourist travel to and from China over virus

Russia said on Saturday it was suspending visa-free travel for tourists to and from China to help contain the outbreak of a new coronavirus that emerged in China.

A bilateral visa-free regime for tourist groups agreed on in 2000 will suspended from Feb. 2, a government decree said.

Russia will also temporarily stop accepting and issuing documents for work visas to Chinese nationals.

Russia reported its first two cases of coronavirus on Friday and restricted direct flights to China, its biggest trade partner.

The Russian military is to start evacuating Russian citizens from China due to the outbreak. 

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Sydney to ease drinking rules to boost nightlife

Sydney's lackluster nightlife received a long-awaited boost when officials announced an end to rules severely limiting where and when people can drink alcohol.

New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian announced pubs' trading hours would be extended and laws curbing after-midnight drinking would be eased in most of central Sydney.

"We need to ensure we have a strong and vibrant night-time economy that reflects our position as Australia's only truly global city," said Berejiklian.

For a city famed for its New Year's Eve parties and weaned on alcohol -- rum was the currency of choice among early settlers -- Sydney is surprisingly dead at night.

Under famed "lock-out laws", bar doors close at 1:30 am, there are restrictions on serving cocktails, shots or "drinks in glass" after midnight, and bouncers and police hover over proceedings.

The measures were introduced in early 2014 to limit alcohol-related violence.

The laws have thrown up some tragicomic results -- with Madonna and Justin Bieber famously unable to attend their own after-parties because they arrived too late from gigs.

A TimeOut.com survey placed Sydney the 39th best city in the world in 2019, largely because residents ranked "our city worst in the world for nightlife".

The new laws take effect on 14 January

Source - TheJakartaPost

Sustainable tourism in #Vietnam being pushed through travel influencers

Secretary general of the Asean-Korea Centre Lee Hyuk announced today that the Vietnam leg of the Asean Community-based Tourism Programme 2019 is now taking place in Mai Chau Valley.

.
Community-based tourism (CBT), an emerging form of sustainable tourism, empowers local residents by allowing their participation in developing tourism products and returns the profits to the community.
.

The Asean Tourism Strategic Plan (ATSP) 2016-2025 suggests invigorating community participation as a way to encourage sustainable and inclusive tourism among member states. In continued efforts to promote community-based tourism, Asean has set up the Asean CBT Standard and grants Asean CBT awards to local communities that achieves the high standards of excellence.
.

To support this effort, the Asean-Korea Centre (AKC) has organised the “Community-based Tourism Programme: 2019 in Vietnam, following the success of previous programs in Malaysia (2015), Brunei (2016), Thailand (2017), and Indonesia (2018).
.

The programme aims to promote Vietnam’s CBT and introduce its hidden tourist attraction to the South Korean public and international tourists.The trip, in which journalists, youtubers, travel essayists and other content creators are participating kicked off yesterday and runs through Friday.
.

 The visitors will get to experience Vietnamese traditional culture, including the daily lives of the different ethnic minorities.

.
At the end of the programne, their first-hand experience of traditional housing, batik and paper making of the H’mong ethnic group, traditional cuisine, and outdoor activities such as hiking in Pu Luong nature reserve and kayaking on the Da Reservoir will be introduced to the Korean public in feature articles and videos.
.

“Mai Chau Village, situated about 75 km from Hanoi in Hoa Binh Province, received the Asean Community-based Tourism Award in 2017, in recognition of the community’s efforts to protect the natural environment and develop sustainable tourism in the region. I hope this programme enhance understanding of CBT and thus advocate for sustainable development in Asean.”

Source - TheNation

China's Terracotta Warriors exhibited in Thailand

China's renowned Terracotta Warriors have been brought to Thailand for the first time for an three-month exhibition at National Museum Bangkok that started from Sunday.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition "Qin Shi Huang, The First Emperor of China and Terracotta Warriors", was held on Sunday afternoon, after which many Thais flooded into the Siwamokkhaphiman Throne Hall to take a glimpse of the over 2,000-year old Terracotta Warriors, or funerary sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang.

Held jointly by Thailand's Fine Arts Department, Ministry of Culture and China's Shaanxi Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage, the exhibition collected 86 items of artifacts from 14 leading museums around Shaanxi province, said Qian Jikui, deputy director of the Shaanxi Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage, during the opening ceremony.

Qian told the audience that the exhibition is divided into four parts, Before the Qin Empire, Qin Empire: Unification and the Birth of China, Terracotta Army: Its Discovery and Mystery, The Prosperous Empire of Han with Terracotta Army being the core part.

"We are trying to show people the history and culture of Qin Empire, from its beginning to its impact on the later history of China," Qian said.

Wissanu Krea-ngam, deputy prime minister of Thailand, told the opening ceremony that it is a very rare chance to see Terracotta Warriors and other Chinese artifacts of great value in Bangkok and he encourages Thais to take the chance to learn more about China's history and culture.

China has a long history and Qin Shi Huang is a prominent figure, the deputy prime minister said, adding, "We called China Chin in Thai and it is assumed to derive from Qin, the name of Qin Shi Huang's empire, which reveals how influential Qin was."

He also hailed Thailand-China exchange and friendship for hundreds of years and said the exhibition came at a great year which marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 44th anniversary of the establishment of Thailand-China diplomatic relations.
.


 .
Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Lyu Jian said during the opening ceremony that the exhibition marked that China-Thailand friendship have reached new height.

The Terracotta Army, discovered in 1974, reveals the sophistication of ancient Chinese civilization and its conservation demonstrates the development of Chinese technology, the Chinese ambassador noted, adding that the exhibition would further promote mutual understanding between Chinese and Thai peoples and their friendship.

Thai Minister of Culture Itthiphol Kunplome told Xinhua after the opening ceremony that the exhibition proves how close Thailand-China relations are and it would become a great chance for Thais to learn about history and also to attract tourists.

Itthiphol said it is expected that 200,000 visitors would come to the event during the 3-month long period until Dec 15 this year.

The exhibition attracted many Thais' attention on social media as many commented they would go to visit it for sure and thanked the efforts of both governments to make it happen.

 Rakchaneewan, a Thai visitor told Xinhua that she was moved after seeing those artifacts as she can see and feel the ancient Chinese civilization just here, and she hopes the friendship between Thailand and China would last forever. 

Source - TheJakartaPost

Bangkok tops in 2018 for international visitors: Report

Bangkok ranked first in 2018 for the fourth straight year as the city with the most international visitors, according to an annual report by Mastercard released Wednesday.

With almost 23 million international visitors last year, the Thai capital outpaced both Paris and London, which were second and third with just over 19 million visitors. 

Other top cities in order were: Dubai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, New York, Istanbul, Tokyo and Antalya, Turkey.

The report pointed to broad increases in international travel, with the total number of international visits up 76 percent since 2009.

Nine of the top 10 cities saw increases in 2018 compared with the prior year. London was the exception, with a drop of four percent.

Dubai topped the list as far as consumption, with travelers spending an average of $553 per day and visitors spending a total of nearly $31 billion. Mecca, Saudi Arabia and Bangkok were second and third as far as spending.

Established in 2011, the Global Destination Cities ranks 200 cities based on visitor arrivals and cross-border spending.

Source - TheJakartaPost

 

#Thailand named in top 10 places in the world to retire

Thailand has again been named in the top 10 retirement destinations in the world and No 2 in Asia.

The list is part of an annual report published this month by International Living magazine and names Panama as top retiree destination. Malaysia comes in fifth but Thailand sneaks into the top 10 at No 9, pushing evergreen retirement favourite Spain into 10th place.

Nestled between Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia, Thailand enjoys the warm-water coastlines of both the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. The Kingdom has never been colonised by foreign powers, so Thai culture is untouched, rich and ancient. What’s more, it’s ideal for expat living, reckons the International Living report.

The list considers factors such as culture, weather and living conditions. There are lots of options in the countries named in the top 10 for living in coastal as well as mountain areas. 

Reasonable rents and the choice of living both the high life and a more modest existence were other main factors.

.

 .

For Thailand, the report lists the many choices for retirees on both the Gulf and Andaman coasts, ease of travel to bordering nations as well as the interesting culture.

Tourism Authority of Thailand chief Yutthasak Supphasorn says it is a deserved award pointing to all the reasons Thailand is wonderful for those in retirement.

“It is great news. Really there are many provinces where retirees decide to settle in Thailand”.

He pointed to Chiang Mai, Nakhon Panom and Nong Khai in particular, where the attraction of wonderful nature, quiet surroundings and the possibility of economical living all make for fantastic retirement opportunities.

Source - TheNation 

Top 10 Retire Destinations

1/ Panama

2/ Costa Rica

3/ Mexico

4/ Ecuador

5/ Malaysia

6/ Columbia

7/ Portugal

8/ Peru

9/ Thailand

10 / Spain

Click to enlarge

5 marathons off the beaten path for 2019

Whether you're a seasoned runner looking for something a little different this year, or trying to find the motivation for your first ever marathon, these five unusual marathons should help get you running in 2019.

Marathon du Medoc, France

If you like to train hard as well as play hard, then the Marathon du Medoc might be for you. As well as ticking a marathon off your bucket list you'll also get to enjoy the 26.2 miles with a glass of wine in hand, thanks to the many points along the circuits handing out glasses of French wine.

Takes place September 7, 2019. Registration opens in March.

Big Five Marathon, South Africa

Running in the African Savannah is the chance of a lifetime, although the location is as challenging as it is impressive. But, with the chance to run with zebras, giraffes, antelopes and even lions, and enjoy a mini holiday after your marathon is done, the training will all be worth it.

Takes place June 22, 2019. Registration open now.

.

.

 3 Laender Marathon

  If you want to take in three countries with just one run, then try the 3 Laender, or 3 Country Marathon. Runners will start on Lindau Island, Germany, pass through Austria and Switzerland before heading back to Austria to finish at Casino Stadium in Bregenz. The route also provides a beautiful backdrop plus a flat ground for those who might be aiming for a personal best.

Takes place October 6, 2019. Registration open now.

Great Wall Marathon, China

Those looking for a real challenge can not only run a marathon, but run it alongside one of the most famous monuments in the world. Be prepared for plenty of uphill climbs and steps, but the payoff is a fantastic view, the chance to run through local villages, and of course to say that you've completed the Wall's 5,164 historic steps.

Takes place May 18, 2019. Registration open now.

Run Disneyland Paris Weekend, France

Unleash your inner child by running through the most magical place on Earth, Disneyland. Like its American counterpart, Disneyland Paris organizes a weekend of running events to get the whole family involved, from kids' races and a 5k right through to a marathon. The course will take you through the Disneyland parks, with Disney entertainment provided throughout the course to put some extra fun into the run.

Takes place September 19 to 22, 2019. Registration open now.

Source - TheJakartaPost 

 

#Sydney breaks ground on new airport

Sydney-bound holidaymakers will soon have more options to reach Australia's largest city, which on Monday broke ground on a new US$3.6 billion airport. 

"Western Sydney Airport" is scheduled to open in 2026 as part of an effort to deal with booming air traffic numbers.

"It's great to see this happening," said Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the opening. "This issue has been around for longer than I have been living on the planet," he added, joking about long-running planning delays.

The number of air passengers globally is projected to nearly double to 7.8 billion by 2036.

,

FOR THE BEST GLOBAL HOTEL & FLIGHT BOOKINGS

.

 Sydney is expected to double passenger numbers within the next two decades, with low cost airlines continuing to provide much of the growth -- driving down fares on longer routes and stimulating demand.

Supporters of the project say that even if flight restrictions on Sydney's current airport were lifted, it would not be able to handle expected passenger numbers.

In the first phase Western Sydney Airport will be able to handle around 10 million passengers a year, around a quarter of the current total landing at the present facility.

Source - TheJakartaPost

Thailand - Learning from the economic giant next door

Most Thai students tend to pursue studies abroad either in the United States or Europe, which are regarded as open societies and champions of freedom. But some Thai students are walking a different path.

They are choosing China as their educational destination to learn how this developing country has transformed itself in four decades from a poor country to an economic powerhouse and the world’s second-largest economy.

[Related story: Why so many foreign students are flocking to China]

“I’m impressed by how fast China is growing. I want to learn how to do business with Chinese people,” said Patcharamai Sawanaporn, 25, a postgraduate student at the Faculty of WTO, Law and Economics at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) in Beijing.

When China kicked-off its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013, the UIBE launched a BRI scholarship programme last year. Patcharamai is one of 17 international scholarship students benefiting from the BRI scholarships sponsored by the Chinese government.

Patcharamai likes the Chinese language because she is familiar with it. Her family traces its roots to China hence she studied the Chinese language since her childhood. 

After graduating in international relations on China’s foreign policy from the Faculty of Political Science at Chulalongkorn University, she worked for two years before applying for the BRI scholarship last year.

Unlike Patcharamai, Nalin Phongpuksa, 26, a postgraduate MBA student, Chinese programme, at the UIBE, was forced to learn Chinese. But it has all been worth it for she has now fallen in love with the country and its language. 

Nalin said she was not interested in studying the Chinese language but 10 years ago, her mother – a Thai diplomat – forced her daughter to learn the language before her diplomatic posting for four years, as she wanted Nalin to prepare for life in Beijing. Nalin did her high school in China’s capital and later returned to Thailand with her mother.
.
FOR THE BEST GLOBAL HOTEL & FLIGHT BOOKINGS
.
 After she graduated from Mahamakut Buddhist University and worked for two years in the field of logistics she came back to Beijing.

“China is growing rapidly as an economy and I think I could learn more from them. So last year I applied for a scholarship to come back to study here,” she said.

Both students found life in China was not very difficult, although in the beginning the language barrier was a problem as well as restrictions on accessing social media. But the Thai students have finally settled down and are enjoying the conveniences the country allows foreign students. 

They have no problem with their host country’s restricted access to certain websites and social media such as Facebook and Twitter. They have managed to find a way to bypass the restrictions and access online information and social media.

They rely on a VPN or Virtual Private Network, a secure tunnel between two or more devices, which enables them to keep in touch with the world outside China, as well as their families and friends in Thailand.

 READ CONTINUE

PS.
Another point is, almost the whole Thai youth is addicted on playing games, and prefer to sit in the to many Internet-cafes.
Almost the can not write there own name in a common language. 
''SHAME''
Who want employ these addicted youth