Maybe We Don't Travel

[reader]

From Bangkok Post

SIA extends most flight suspensions to June 30

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) has said it will cancel most of its flights until the end of June. The announcement comes just four days after it said it would extend its near-shutdown until the end of May.

About 96% of scheduled flights will be cancelled, and the airline will fly only to 15 cities in that period, it said in a statement on its website. They include six Southeast Asian cities, Tokyo, London and Los Angeles.

Out of SIA Group’s fleet of approximately 200 aircraft, only about 10 are now in operation to serve a limited passenger network. 

Singapore confirmed an additional 618 coronavirus cases on Saturday, bringing the city-state’s total to more than 12,600. A majority of the cases have occurred in dormitories that house foreign labourers.

===================================================================================================

Thailand logs 53 new cases

The government on Saturday reported one Covid-19 death and 53 new infections — 42 of them migrant workers in Songkhla — bringing the total to 2,907 and fatalities to 51.

The death was a 48-year-old Thai man who had been in contact with a previously reported case. His brother worked at an entertainment place and was infected, Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said on Saturday. 

The 53 new cases were the most reported in a single day since April 9. Forty-two of them were migrants who had been detained at the immigration centre in Songkhla for illegal entry. They were from Myanmar (34), Vietnam (3), Malaysia (2), Yemen (1), Cambodia (1) and India (1). The infections were discovered during active case finding. 

[vinapu]

Still after Jun 30 comes July 1st, sooner or later sun will shine on us again

[reader]

From Bangkok Post

Incoming flights ban extended to May 31

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) on Monday decided to extend the ban on all incoming flights for another month, on continuing worries about the coronavirus pandemic.

The aviation regulator announced the extension ahead of the scheduled expiry date, April 30, on the grounds that the situation was worsening. The ban was also in support of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration's battle to control the pandemic outbreak in Thailand, it said.

The announcement did not explain why CAAT believes the situation is getting worse, with many countries now looking to relax some restrictions. 

Thailand reported nine new cases and one more death on Monday, when it was also announced the government was extending the Emergency Decree for one more month, to May 31.

The flight ban, also extended to May 31, exempts state and military aircraft, ands aircraft making an emergency landing or a technical landing without disembarkation.

It also spares humanitarian aid, medical and relief flights as well as repatriation and cargo flights.

 

[reader]

From Khaosod English

Bars, Cinemas, Salons, and Sport Stadiums Among Last to Reopen

BANGKOK — The government is expected to reopen businesses at a different pace depending on the level of coronavirus risks associated with the venues, according to a proposal submitted by the pandemic taskforce.

In the proposal by the Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration, businesses are categorized into white, green, yellow, and red codes. White code implies no danger associated with the venues, while red is the last to reopen.

The red-code businesses include pubs, internet cafes, karaoke bars, theatres, movie houses, and trade exhibitions. Parties with gatherings of a large number of people, tutorial school, sports stadiums, and air-conditioned sports venues are also included.

The center said people tend to spend a lot of time with little physical distance in these closed spaces, and some of them tend to attract multiple from different areas, which could pose an infection risk.

The center’s guideline cited Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, a known cluster of infections, as a proven evidence that such a place is too risky to reopen.

On the opposite pole of the classification is code white. This category includes vendors and open-aired stalls. Operators need not register to reopen the businesses as they are exempted due to low risks involved.

Code green is low-risk businesses. They must register online and abide by the government guidelines before reopening their businesses.

The group includes small air-conditioned shops such as bookshops, clothing stores, general goods stores, and construction material shops. Public parks and opened-air sports fields such as tennis courts are also included.

Yellow-code businesses are those classified as moderately risky. Operators of these businesses must not only apply online before reopening their businesses but require an approval by the government first.

They include flea markets, fresh markets, shopping malls, food courts, beauty and hair salons, and medical and dental clinics. Some sports facilities such as swimming pools and badminton courts are also listed in this category.

The center added that the classification can be altered if the pandemic situation changes in the coming days.

======================================================================================

NOTE -- The Pattaya News has published an article that attempts to clarify the reported extension of the national government's lock down period through May 31. Readers are advised that the situation is subject to day-to-day changes. Local governors appears to have greater latitude in determining when and how individual businesses and facilities can reopen.

Extracted from Pattaya News

Many businesses allowed to gradually re-open

The announcement has caused confusion among some who believe that the Emergency Decree means that nearly all businesses will have to remain closed and all current strict restrictions, such as public parks and beaches closed, will not be lifted for another month. This is not true.

The Decree primarily allows for the Thai Government and the CCSA to easily control and manage the overall situation in the country and help stop the spread or a second potential wave of the Covid-19 Coronavirus.  Restrictions in place can, and have, been eased and strengthened on a daily basis as the order allows for fluidity based on the overall situation. In addition, many orders and restrictions have the ability to be adjusted or lifted based on the decisions of the local Governor. Without this order, these restrictions can not be applied (or removed) easily on a National level.

Provincial Governors also have significant leeway in making decisions about openings for their districts and areas, as much of easing local business measures are, as stated above, guidelines and not hard rules. In Chonburi, for instance, where Pattaya is based, salons (Which are a red item on the National chart for opening) have been opened for weeks with no problems or reported issues based on the Governor’s discretion. Additionally, electronic stores, also closed in nearly every other province in the country except Nan, have been open for several weeks in Chonburi. The success of opening salons in Chonburi helped implement guidelines on a national level. It is highly possible that other “red businesses” will be given a trial run in Chonburi as well.

Orders such as beach and park closures, alcohol sales restrictions, etc. will be based on the decision of the Governor, which is expected this week in Chonburi.

[Boy69]

 

State of emergency extended

 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1909360/state-of-emergency-extended

[CurtisD]

Bangkok Guy thinks he will return to Bangkok in a couple of weeks. Line video chat is amusing. He answers, has connection problems and when the connection is re-established his hair looks better. Like us all he is suffering from coiffure deprivation. I have trimmed my hair from the front so on Zoom and Line it looks fine, but from the side and back it must appear risible.  

[Guest]

On the last few days of my trip to Thailand, I invested 100 baht in a hair cut and it was cut much shorter than I intended at the time.  

That's worked out rather well.  Having not been cut since, it's now approaching a normal length.

[Boy69]

Tourism sector will only start recovering next year, say experts

 

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/business/30387799

[reader]

Not too encouraging excerpt from above link:

"Most foreign nationals will not be allowed to enter Thailand for most of this year, though it is believed that Chinese tourists may be allowed into the country by July as the number of infections in the country is under control. Operators believe there will be a large influx of Chinese tourists because they are not able to travel anywhere else."

[vinapu]

Those days any doom and gloom works for 'expert advice" . I think by August we should be able to travel, you have this in writing here.

[zoomy02]

On 4/22/2020 at 12:26 AM, zoomy02 said:

In 2019 the weekly death toll in Thailand from road accidents was 230 people. (Academics caution that this figure only relates to those who die at the scene, and the actual death toll is far higher when when all all data is collated, and when victims succumb to their injuries after leaving the accident scene.) According to the John Hopkins site the deaths so far from Covid 19 in Thailand stand at 48, as of 22nd April. As in all countries I expect the real C19 death numbers are higher. But the Thai government has not shut down the economy, introduced a curfew and made alcohol sales illegal to stop road deaths. Is this logical?

The official numbers for C19 deaths in Thailand are 57, as of May 30th. Call that 2 days road deaths. They have done very well. In the uk, where I live the official numbers are 38,571 deaths and nearer to 44,000, according to ONS figures. 

[traveller123]

Speaking personally I feel much safer here in Thailand than I would in the UK

My partner and I many months ago booked tickets for a one month holiday in England beginning 28th May, which we cancelled. We  accepted vouchers from Emirates in the hope we can safely travel next year

[CurtisD]

Bangkok Guy has been back in Bangkok since early in the month.

His hair looks good, his smile is the same as ever and to me he looks paler than usual, which will make him happy.

'You look white'.  He gives me a strange look. Not the eye-squint of 'What you say?' but the startled expression of 'What on earth you say!'

'No, brown.'  He turns his phone around so I can see the large light fixture above him. 'Is light'. 

Still, he is happy I am paying attention. 

This is the week he thinks he will reopen his sister's market stalls. 

His room is full of racks of stock, very smart sports shirts. If I lost a couple of decades and a similar number of pounds I'd quite like one. Bangkok Guy has good taste.

In common with everyone I know I have put on weight in these months of confinement. 

This will have to be lost before Bangkok Guy and I next meet. If I don't, I know what to expect.

With a look of cheerful insouciance he will put his hand on my stomach -  'baby healthy!'

He likes his falang in shape.

[CurtisD]

No travel this year

Over the last few weeks flight cancellations have resulted in the termination of all my travel plans through December 31^st. Every. Last. Trip.

No travel with Bangkok Guy.

He is entirely unfazed when I tell him. His expectations of the consequences of Covid have been consistently more realistic than mine and he did not expect we would be traveling this year.

“When Covid over, where you want to go? Tokyo or Paris?”

Slight smile. ‘When Covid over” - now I am talking sense.

A pause to think and then a big smile ‘Tokyo’.

Given his dream of visiting Paris, I thought he would go for Paris. However, knowing him, Tokyo makes sense. He is orderly and Tokyo was next on the list. He is realistic and he does not need a visa for Japan, so Tokyo is a more certain bet.

“Business good?”

He shows me boxes of merchandise in his room. Good quality items for hair and facial care and robotic floor cleaners. He and a couple of friends have moved from selling goods in the market (‘Market still sell egg, small money’) to an online platform.

After the call he sends a screen shot of the web platform – in Thai and professional looking – and pictures of more products.

“You sell many things”   “Yes, with friend, cannot afford by self”

Ah, a small hint to attentive ears that financial help would be appreciated.

In June when he re-started the market stalls I sent him money under our agreement that if he prays for my business and it does well I will share. Surprisingly in all this mess I have picked up a couple of new accounts. In June it was time to share: if you are the guy with cash at the start of a recovery, there are usually good opportunities. It was a nice surprise for him.

On the basis of new business to date I had intended to give him another cash infusion in September.

However I want to maintain a clear distinction between the allowance and anything more. The allowance he can rely on. Anything more depends on my business earning extra, so no guarantee.

Also I do not want to create the impression that if he hints he gets.

I have a new account in development, so I tell him if I land this then I can send him money for business. He has to go to temple and pray that I land account.

Back comes a happy sparkly-bunny sticker.

A few days later he lines me. This is unusual so soon after last talking.

The protocol is that when he sends a text by line I video call back.

His face has the uncomfortable look it registers when he is going to discuss something serious, which can be either personal or financial. Personal is only face-to-face, so this must be financial.

It is.

He has been paying for a tractor for his grandfather. With Covid he has had to tell grandfather that he is short of money for the payment. Tractor will be his when grandfather die.

I have heard about this tractor before.

“When grandfather die you farm?”  A pause indicating this answer is not straightforward.  “Yes, when old”.

“Until old stay Bangkok do business?”  Big smile “Yes”

“So what do with tractor until old?”   After a lot of testing words we hit on ‘Rent’.  He will hire it out.

Having indicated that money might be on its way, Bangkok Guy is checking to see that I meant what I said and to drop a hit about the amount that would be helpful.

“How much need?”

He sends a pic of what looks like a loan statement.

He tells me this is the sixth year for which he has been making payments on this tractor. Later I check tractor prices and the outstanding balance is in the right ballpark.

His face is so damned earnest and I had intended to send money anyway.

“Ok, I send (the same amount I sent in June) but you need go temple pray double-hard for my business”

 “Yes, I pray” and then his face breaks into an emotional look of happiness and he hunts through his English vocabulary to find the right words which, a word here and a word there, he does. He is very happy that I pay attention and I help him when he has problem. His emotion is very real.

And there it is, the first of the three legs of our thee-legged stool relationship: my role. I listen, I pay attention, I help. Each is valuable to him.

The second leg is our friendship. We get on well together, we travel together, we are happy in each other’s company.

The third leg is his role. When we are together he watches over me continually. He is very alert to my safety. He checks in that I am ok. Unobtrusive but constant. For six weeks after returning from my last trip I had the feeling that something was missing. Finally I worked out that what I was missing was the sense of being watched over.

Hopefully my early 2021 trip to Thailand will go ahead. I need watching.

If I land the account, I will pay off the loan balance on the tractor for him next year to celebrate our joint birthdays. It is not so much money. I think it will be a weight off his shoulders. My suspicion is that the tractor is something his family has loaded onto him, even if it will eventually be his. The family obligation to pay off the tractor may be the reason we met.

[GWMinUS]

We all need to realize that we white men are so much better off than our Thai or PH guys. Many of my friends in the PH have no work now and still Family and other expenses to shoulder.

I have tried to send some money to my several friends in the PH. I have been using a Mobile Wallet, GCASH. Works well for them to have money for  food, utilities, or mobile load. Not sure what is the same there in Thailand.

[orson]

40 minutes ago, GWMinUS said:

I have tried to send some money to my several friends in the PH. I have been using a Mobile Wallet, GCASH. Works well for them to have money for  food, utilities, or mobile load. Not sure what is the same there in Thailand.

Hi, does the recipient pay additional remittance fee when receiving money through gcash? My ph friend, whose farang bf sends money through western union is complaining about the extra charges.

[Londoner]

Western Union is particularly expensive, not just because of the fees but because the exchange rate offered is so low. The recipient doesn't have to pay anything; the cost is born by the sender. An arrangement through the bank is cheaper but -in my case- takes four days to arrive. W.U is good for an emergency because it is instantaneous.

Has anyone tried Paypal?

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Londoner said:

Has anyone tried Paypal?

I've tried Paypal and have made a note to avoid it in future.  

1 The last time I sent a small sum of money abroad with Paypal, it cost me over 5% to send.  There was another charge on the receiving side of almost 5%.    The latter charge was not at all obvious at the point when I sent the money.

2 Receiving some money from abroad with Paypal, there was a £25 charge for RECEIVING the money, which amounts to 5.5%. I presume the sender was screwed out of about 5%, so just over 10% in charges.

For comparison, I'm typically paying 0.5~1% with Transferwise, depending on the size of the transaction.
 

Also, if I go to Transferwise,  it's possible to establish the full extent of their charges within a few seconds, then compare with mid-market rates.   

In contrast, Paypal try to obscure the extent of their charges.     The link below shows charges for RECEIVING money.   You will note that this is 4% for Thailand and some other Asian countries.   However, the small print shows it's a fee on top of their base rate.  When I sent money to Asia, the receiving charge was nearer 5%, so they charge a fee AND a margin on the exchange rate.    

That's just the receiving side, so there are similar charges on the sending side on top of this.      Paypal make it really difficult for you to establish the total cost of a transaction in advance. 

https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/cross-border-and-conversion-fees#fixedfee

[JimmyJoe]

TransferWise seems like the best value option in my case. I use it all the time to transfer to my Thai account. But I don't know a good solution to send money to a boy I am sponsoring. He's fallen on hard times due to Covid and I like him very much anyway. But he's not Thai and has no bank account. Western union transfers are expensive and I can't use transferwise as he has no bank account. Does anyone know of another method? Line maybe? 

[spoon]

1 hour ago, JimmyJoe said:

TransferWise seems like the best value option in my case. I use it all the time to transfer to my Thai account. But I don't know a good solution to send money to a boy I am sponsoring. He's fallen on hard times due to Covid and I like him very much anyway. But he's not Thai and has no bank account. Western union transfers are expensive and I can't use transferwise as he has no bank account. Does anyone know of another method? Line maybe? 

Its a risk but a middle man might help. Someone who has a bank account you can send the money to, and will give it to your boy. Finding one that is trustworthy is the risk. Maybe your boy have one, or maybe forumer who live near your boy area can help out. I know a few indonesian who work here make this as a side business to help other indonesians to send money from malaysia to indonesia. 

E-wallet might be an option but usually, for you to start use it, you would need bank account too. If i recall, some e wallet have voucher/topup that can be purchased at 7-11 where u can send the topup code to your boy and he will have the money. Not really familiar with this myself though, just read about it. But yeah without bank account, its really hard for transfering money.

[CurtisD]

3 hours ago, z909 said:

1 The last time I sent a small sum of money abroad with Paypal, it cost me over 5% to send.  There was another charge on the receiving side of almost 5%.    The latter charge was not at all obvious at the point when I sent the money.

2 Receiving some money from abroad with Paypal, there was a £25 charge for RECEIVING the money, which amounts to 5.5%. I presume the sender was screwed out of about 5%, so just over 10% in charges.

This surprises me.

Bangkok Guy and I use Paypal. The fee is 1.5% to me and there is no fee at his end. I use the 'friends and family' option. 

[vinapu]

4 hours ago, CurtisD said:

This surprises me.

Bangkok Guy and I use Paypal. The fee is 1.5% to me and there is no fee at his end. I use the 'friends and family' option. 

that's my experience too, I did not sent money that way to Thailand but use if often to settle between me and friends and family members.

There's an additional small fee  of 50 cents to  transfer money from my pay pal account to my bank account but this may vary from country to country I guess

[Guest]

5 hours ago, CurtisD said:

Bangkok Guy and I use Paypal. The fee is 1.5% to me and there is no fee at his end. I use the 'friends and family' option. 

Is that an international transfer ?        I think the fee for domestic payments is somewhere in the 1.5% ballpark.    

I've never seen Paypal get anywhere close to 1.5% for international transfers, particularly after checking the total cost, including their not very clearly declared charges. 

[anddy]

I've not seen the excessie paypal fees @z909 mentions, however their exchange rate is very poor, amounting to several percent cost. So I avoid it too for cross border transfers (unless the amounts are negligible).

9 hours ago, JimmyJoe said:

Does anyone know of another method? Line maybe? 

Line has Rabbit LINE pay with a "wallet" so it might be possible. I have never looked at it, so other than that it exists I have no idea who it works, how to top up and if and how you can transfer from one wallet to another.

Another option might be the SuperRich Cash Card: https://www.superrich1965.com/visitThailand.html

Your Thai friend can apply for it, and even though in the FAQ in the link above it says "top up in SuperRich branches (useless for the intended purpose) apparently it is also possible to top it up using the accompanying smart phone app: http://ztidev.com/VisitThailandCard/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/VisitThailand_MobileAppliaction.pdf

Obviously this card would only make sense for longer term and regular support, not one off "donations"

 

[CurtisD]

2 hours ago, z909 said:

Is that an international transfer ?        I think the fee for domestic payments is somewhere in the 1.5% ballpark.  

Yes, international.

55 minutes ago, anddy said:

their exchange rate is very poor, amounting to several percent cost.

Yes, that is where they get you. Bangkok Guy uses Paypal so it is convenient, but not frictionless.