What stories to watch for in Thailand in the upcoming week: Songkran rules still undecided, pressure rising from tourism industry to lift Covid restrictions, and more
The following is our weekly feature in which we take a look at the top developing stories and things to follow over the next week. We are focusing on what is happening for the second week of March 2022, ending March 12th, 2022.
As we publish dozens of stories a week, this allows our readers to get a quick glimpse of the most important stories taking place in Thailand and Pattaya and to monitor and follow for the week ahead, as chosen by our editorial team. Let’s get right into it with the biggest news of the week and what important stories to follow and look for this week that are likely to see further developments.
1. Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) still mulling Songkran rules
Last week the CCSA was reportedly set to meet to discuss “rules” and guidelines for Songkran this year, the Thai New Year and Water Festival that falls in April. However, the decision was delayed and will likely be brought up again this week.
The festival, Thailand’s biggest holiday, is normally world-famous for its water fights, parties, and celebrations but is also equally important for being the single biggest migration of people across the country yearly in their longest holiday to visit friends and family, especially for those working in Bangkok who are from Issan provinces in the Northeast.
The festival was canceled in 2020 entirely, including travel restrictions, alcohol bans, and the closure of nearly all businesses. Even religious and ceremonial activities were canceled in 2020.
In 2021, all “fun” activities, like water fights, concerts, festivals, parades, and parties were canceled and bars were shuttered just before the event nationwide. (Technically, they are still closed, although allowed to be converted restaurants.) However, travel was allowed as were religious and ceremonial events which some critics said helped spread Covid-19 across the country. Thailand had just barely begun its vaccination campaign last year at this time.
This year, the country is highly vaccinated in many areas, especially tourist zones like Pattaya and Phuket, and tourism associations are urging for the event to be given a green light, even if water fights are banned, at the very least to allow concerts, parades, food markets, and some festivities like beauty contests or sandcastle building competitions along with religious and ceremonial events.
The CCSA has already said there will be no travel restrictions and that the holidays will take place in terms of “days off” but it is unclear what, if any, other activities will be allowed. The event is typically the single biggest week of domestic tourism yearly, with tourism destinations like Pattaya and Hua Hin pushing for allowances for events.
The CCSA, however, is concerned with vaccination levels in rural provinces (not in tourist areas where many areas, like Pattaya and Phuket, sit above 80%) and an estimated 2 million elderly and vulnerable people in Isaan who have not been fully vaccinated or boosted against Covid-19 for various reasons. The concern of people attending massive events and bringing the virus back to these at-risk individuals is what is, in many people’s opinion, likely to see major Songkran events canceled for a third major year and leave the event once again a “relaxed and quiet” affair.
Currently, the CCSA said they are in a “race against time” to get those who need to be vaccinated taken care of in rural areas vs. Songkran and a current surge of Covid-19 cases driven by the fast-spreading Omicron variant. The CCSA still aims, however, to declare Covid-19 endemic by July, but that would be far too late for any Songkran festivals this year.
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2. Pressure rising from tourist industry to lift Covid-19 restrictions, especially around travel and in tourism areas
Speaking of declaring Covid-19 endemic by July as a goal, the tourism, hospitality, and entertainment industry have been pushing the Thai Government and CCSA on a near-daily basis in the past two weeks to lift restrictions they say continue to stifle tourism and their industries overall.
These restrictions include pre-arrival paperwork in the Thailand Pass system, on-arrival testing in the Test and Go program, and the legal closure of the bar and nightlife industry which has been given a “grey” area permission to open as “restaurants” in the meantime, but still have a legal closing time of 11:00 P.M., ban dancing, pool, and other items….officially, anyways.
As discussed in the Songkran point above, tourism areas like Phuket and Pattaya have been leading the way to push for the lifting of restrictions, driven by high vaccination rates, hospital capacity, and a young population working in the tourism industry. However, the same concern as Songkran remains, primarily the estimated two million vulnerable that could be exposed to Covid-19, especially if many tourism workers go home for Songkran.
Despite the push from big-name players in tourism across the country like AirAsia, Minor, Dusit, and more it’s likely the restrictions stay until at least after Songkran, but we will see.
That is all for this week, although it is worth keeping an eye on any statements Thailand makes in the continuing Ukraine/Russia conflict and any more information about the death of famous Thai Actress Tangmo (Watermelon) who has dominated Thai media after falling from a boat in Bangkok over a week ago under questionable circumstances.
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