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Plea to Thai PM to open borders

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BANGKOK, 7 August 2020: A well-known journalist and public relations consultant, Ken Scott, released a video this week presenting an impassioned plea to Thailand’s Prime Minister to reopen the country’s borders to tourism.

In the Youtube video Scott, who resides in Glasgow Scotland, launches into a three and half minute plea saying Thai tourism is dying and that the Thai Prime Minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha, is “unintentionally punishing Thai people” due to the strict restrictions on tourism.

As the founder and managing director of ScottAsia Communications, he presents five critical proposals for the PM to consider.

Open borders to tourism and fix the date clearly with a promise it will stay that way unless there is a significant change in the situation.
Continue to encourage hygiene measure and the voluntary wearing of masks, washing of hands and social distancing.
Abandon the destructive mandatory quarantine rule.
Reduce costs for airlines, particularly at airports.
Embark on a sensitive “welcome back marketing campaign.

Saying tourism contributes 20% of GDP and hires millions of people he points out that only 58 people have died from Covid-19 in Thailand compared with 23,000 in road accidents and 60,000 from heart disease.

“We can’t just stand by and let tourism in Thailand die. It’s 20% of the Thai economy. Millions of Thais are suffering. PM Prayut, please stop unintentionally punishing the Thai people, enough is enough, open Thailand’s doors again” he concludes.

Watch the video:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=gGuuDXvlt5I…

With Thai subtitles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aUhcRMLEZw&feature=youtu.be

Facebook comments
Within moments of posting the video, Facebook registered comments. One expatriate working in tourism said: “Take away the salaries of all who are making the decisions (on tourism) until a solution is found and see how quickly things improve.”

Another said: “Comparatively speaking Thailand is indeed a Covid success story with the stats you mention. I hope they see sense and come up with a strategy to open up as safely as is reasonably possible.”

Managing director of an online booking service in Asia, Brinley Waddell added: “Please support and share our petition to reopen borders under WTTC guidelines. http://ow.ly/ZBm750Aq7N1.”

Within hours of the clip going live on YouTube, it generated more than 1,000 views and climbing.

14 COMMENTS

  1. Am from Switzerland, Get the point, but this comes across more as a self related economic Issue sold on the back of the Thai people. Basically, unlike the West, Thailand has done everything right by epidemiological terms and numbers. Only time will tell the price of the economical fallout for us all. Meddling in other people’s country’s comes across as condescending. People should better limit their focus and write to their own leaders instead of focusing on their own gain and profit made abroad on the backs of others.

  2. I haven’t watched the video yet but I certainly agree with the message. That said, Thailand’s approach is hardly unique. Every other country in the region and indeed the world remains closed or heavily restricted. I understand Thailand is by far SE Asia’s most popular and important country for both expats and tourists, which is why such impassioned pleas don’t surprise me and why there is no similar campaign being made by expats to reopen Laos’ or Myanmar’s borders.

    I hope to see Thailand and the world’s borders swing open again soon, but I have serious doubts it will happen anytime soon. Australian state borders are closed once again, with signs they may remain that way for 18 months or longer. New Zealand is embarking on a new short term lockdown. Da Nang extended its lockdown for a second time and Vietnam overall is now highly unlikely to reopen anytime soon. This is in stark contrast to June, when suggestions were made that visas would become available for applications from July 1. Let’s be patient here and hope this whole virus debacle concludes ASAP, but my hunch is unrestricted travel to Thailand likely won’t resume until January at the earliest, with Q2 or Q3, 2021 being more likely. It’s even possible it won’t happen until 2022. I don’t see Thailand or any other country fully reopening until the rest of the world does. With predictions of Australia remaining in limbo for a long time, that gives us an idea of how long this crisis may still last.

  3. If you put people into a short quarantine on arrival, with a release from quarantine with a negative result from a COVID-19 test, surely that would eliminate 99.99% of potential new infections from visitors arrivals. If you combine it with a negative test result before getting on the plane it would be next to nothing. Am I wrong?

  4. Thanks for the video, you expressed the thoughts of so many expats, tourist and Thais. I have a Thai family and being apart is hard and getting longer each day. My wife and I discuss this subject everyday with hopes that this will end soon with families reunited, jobs and economy’s restored. As soon as borders open and flights resume, I will be one of the first to head home, yes. Thanks again for expressing the thought of so many.

      • John, thanks for the reply and encouragement.Being a spouse of a Thai National does help and would allow me to enter but the road to entry is still complicated with very limited flights as we would say in Thailand, it’s very busy. Meaning a lot of hoops to jump through and the added cost with repatriation flights and quarantine, the wife and I have decided that it is best I wait for now. Thanks again

  5. I agree with Ken Scott. The governments response is hurting Thai people and expats with ties to Thailand wholly disproportionately to the risks involved.

    Thailand can safely welcome back tourists on strict conditions, including covid testing on entry.

    The current regime is doing more harm than good.

    On a personal level I have a home in Thailand abd a Thai partner (but not legally married) that I haven’t been allowed to return to for almost 5 months now.

    I would happily comply with any sensible conditions just to be allowed to return to Thailand, which I now consider to be my home

  6. It’s not just Thailand borders that are shut but other countries as well. Look at the likes of Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, they all have the same issues and if Thailand is open, then those who visit Thailand will be subject to quarantine back in their own countries and who wants to risk this. Your message is confusing Ken and ineffective.

    • Sammy, that’s true. All other regional countries remain firmly shut and most of them, unlike Thailand, are basically not allowing any foreigners in at all, save for a few “essential workers”, a term that has not been clearly defined but probably excludes English teachers and marketing managers. That said, after watching the video now, I think the guy’s plea was very heartfelt and sincere and I agree with it.

  7. This plea sounded more like a teenage son trying to teach his father what life is all about.
    You end with saying Enough is Enough!!!. Again white superior attitude at its best.
    Since youre the self claimed expert what are you going to do if the death rate from 58 rises to 58000??
    I will be the first person taking a plane to Bangkok when it opens but dont teach the Thai Prime Minister how to handle tourism in his country.
    Tourists are going to flood in and for now Covid19 is still at peak in many countries.
    Openings wont be before 1st January.
    Be patient n be polite.

  8. Unfortunately the calll to open borders will put Thailand and all that live here on a collision with a more costly new and harder shutdown.

    Just look at all countries that opened up again and the fallout. Why subject Thailand to a worse outcome for some selfish reasons to accommodate tourists unchecked. Just look daily how many returning Thais have Covid. Use that % and project it on Tourists coming here. Thailand would become no different than the USA, Brazil, etc. A hotbed of infections and death. A faltering economy can be revived, dead people not!

  9. Well said Ken Scott. This border shutdown is killing businesses and livelihoods. We must all pressure our governments responsible to re-open borders under strict safety guidelines. Please support and share the petition to re-open borders under WTTC guidelines. http://ow.ly/ZBm750Aq7N1

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