GCIRCUIT’S SK2020 Parties Cancelled, an I'm So Bummed

[numazu]

I was expecting for this to happen, but waking up right now, this news was first in my FB feed. Actually, it was my Brazilian BF who told me the news first, and he is equally bummed:

Quote

Due to the current bleak situation of the COVID-19 outbreak, GCIRCUIT has decided to make the difficult decision to postpone SK2020 to next year. 

As much as we’re saddened to make this announcement, we know that it’s the socially responsible thing to do. We can’t take any risk of this virus to infect our guests and spread at our event; and the subsequent dire consequences it may cause. 

It’s truly been a tough month for us. We’ve been closely monitoring the infection statistics worldwide, and at the same time making preparations to follow the guidelines from the government to prevent infections. However, there’s no guarantee that even the best measures will keep our parties safe from this deadly virus. We, therefore, had to make the hard decision to postpone our event.

I was set to spend a week in Bangkok for Songkran with the BF, but with this news, I am not sure.

There are options to get the tickets I already bought to be refunded, or the money already paid to be applied for next year's parties. I have to think about what to do next. Maybe just agree to not to get refunded and just have tickets for SK2021, since I still want to go for Songkran.

The BF has been especially nervous with traveling all the way to Bangkok (from Brazil) during this COVID-19 scare. Last week while I was in Rio de Janeiro with him during carnaval, Brazil reported their first ever case of someone getting COVID-19, and the Brazilian media went crazy with the coverage and scare-mongering. While there is of course cause for major concern, I tried to assure him it was not that bad, and we both can manage this together when traveling.

But with this GCIRCUIT cancellation, it might be the last straw for the BF, and the BF is asking me to cancel our plans Bangkok altogether. I mean, we could still salvage the week in Bangkok over Songkran right?

So what do you guys think? How does it feel nowadays in Bangkok? At tourist sites, boy bars and shopping malls? Should I cancel my plans for Songkran? Will Songkran be scaled back or cancelled, and maybe the BF's first taste of Bangkok should be postponed to a time when everything is back to normal?

[Cheshirecat]

Still goin to PattAya songkran fun will be still there 

[anddy]

Yeah it sucks big time. I am all booked to go to a big rave in Germany early April, but I expect to see it suffer the same fate any day now  

But bugs me most about all this is that grossly overblown risk everyone cites. Like gCircuit saying this:

Quote

However, there’s no guarantee that even the best measures will keep our parties safe from this deadly virus. 

Well no, it's not really that "deadly", especially not for the young crowds going to such a party. SARS, MERS, Ebola are really really seriously deadly (and yet they stopped vaccine research into those, as the immediate danger had passed. So smart...). 

I'd say still come to BKK. It's not the same as most (all?) Songkran public events have also been cancelled. But maybe things have calmed down a little by then and fun can still be had. Who knows if you'll book a new trip to BKK with the bf if you cancel this one, so it would be a missed opportunity to show him this part of the world. 

As for the general situation in BKK: apart from less people in many places, especially tourist spots, and alco-gel dispensers in malls and other places, daily life is business as usual. Gogo bars are open as normal, albeit obviously suffering from a lack of (Chinese) customers. 

 

[spoon]

2 hours ago, Cheshirecat said:

Still goin to PattAya songkran fun will be still there 

https://thepattayanews.com/2020/03/06/pattaya-city-cancels-all-non-religious-official-songkran-activities-and-wan-lai-festival-due-to-covid19-concerns/

I wouldnt be so sure about that. But i still think songkran isnt everything and there is plenty of fun around still. With much less tourist around, bars and boys will pay more attention to you in bars. 

[Guest reader]

I’d hold off making plans for Songkran because of the government’s lack of a clear policy regarding possible quarantine on.arrival. Maybe it will gets It’s act together soon but until then it’s a crapshoot.

But if you can tolerate the uncertainty then you’ll find the town business as usual.

Since you’d be coming with you boyfriend, I assume you wouldn’t be looking to do a lot of offing anyway.

[DivineMadman]

There's the health risk to yourself (+1) - young healthy guys probably not something to worry about, but up to you.  How safe is it to stay in any of our home countries these days?  

The health risk to others - the risk that you (+1) are exposed, get it and are asymptotic or minor ignorable symptoms ("just tired after all that partying"), in good faith go home and uniwttingly expose others back home.  A legit concern.  That's the whole point of the blanket travel restrictions.  As in any communicable disease situation like this, the potential impact on others is surely as important (or more) than on one's self.  But right now Thailand isn't on the bad lists and the number of people with COVID-19 is very low.  [yes - some people say the reported numbers are suspiciously low.  Who really knows?]   My plan is to be in home quarantine when I get back to the states regardless, just to be safe for others.  Impossible to quantify this one?  

The inconvenience risk that Thailand goes on a high risk list in the week that you are here and you (+1) are put on some sort of home quarantine when you go home.  Maybe not that much of an inconvenience at all.  hehehe

Presumably you're checking your respective travel health insurance policies for coverage in case you are stuck here.  

Bangkok isn't empty.  Still lots and lots of people around.  I just saw a friend's vid from DJ last night and it quite looked reasonably busy.  Perhaps a bit more comfortable to dance.   

I would expect lots of your fellow circuit guys to cancel, but surely not all.  So you won't be alone in BKK.  Still, when I looked a couple of days ago tickets were available at the early-bird price, which makes me wonder if the event was cancelled for lack of bookings.  

With Pattaya and Khon Kaen cancelling main Songkran activities, despite the Tourism Minister saying all will be normal-ish,  I think it's 50-50 that Bangkok does the same and cancels the main Songkran water events.  So far nothing about Fake Club having its usual outdoor Songkran party.  Hmmmmm.  Still, I think it's very, very, very hard not to have lots and lots and lots of fun in BKK.  

 

[speedoo1]

5 hours ago, DivineMadman said:

Bangkok isn't empty.  Still lots and lots of people around.  I just saw a friend's vid from DJ last night and it quite looked reasonably busy.  Perhaps a bit more comfortable to dance.  

 

A few observations from my visits to BKK over the last 2 weekends.

BKK is by no means deserted. Still many tourists in town. However, there are fewer than for normal for high season. It seems that in particular Chinese tourists stay away. Hotel rates are down. Stayed at Le Siam hotel, Executive room at a very reasonable rate - very happy to stay there. As reported before this hotel has quest-friendly policy - no issues.

I was at Dj St. 3 times over the last 2 weekends (Fri + Sat and Fri). Entrance is THB 400 incl. 2 drinks. The other soi 2 venues/bars are still very busy/crowded with local/Asian quests but at DJ St. you can actually move around now; much fewer quests upstairs; downstairs still quite busy. It was indeed much more comfortable as in the past DJ St would get incredibly crowded Fridays and Saturdays. I would say that the number of guests during my recent weekend visits were like a weekday or Sunday visit in normal high season.

 

[Cheshirecat]

It’s everywhere so just enjoy life

[Cheshirecat]

We’re all goin to die anyway might aswell die happy x

[vinapu]

4 hours ago, Cheshirecat said:

We’re all goin to die anyway might aswell die happy x

Rose's mother from Golden Girls once said ' fear of dying should not stop me from living "

[GoldMember]

If you can cancel up to the last minute, keep an open eye and wait. A lot can change in a month. Just think how things looked only a month ago. I'm doing the same for my Rio trip in Easter. Although it seems there is very little chance of it happening under today's circumstances. 

Also, if I remember correctly, you are American. There is a good probability that USA will enter the quarantine list since it seems things are escalating there really quickly. Israeli media states we will start banning USA citizens entry in a couple of days so Thailand might decide doing that as well. 

[Guest reader]

If this becomes a pandemic, bans and quarantines lose any effectiveness they may—or may not—have had. The virus at that stage is spreading within the native population without assistance of foreigners.

Thailand currently has not banned citizens of China or any other country experiencing infections. If the announced quarantines actually are put into effect, tourism from northeast Asian countries that have traditionally supplied the bulk of Silom’s business will all but dry up. 

At the moment you can still see small groups of young Asians and solo older ones In and about the entertainment areas. Some of them patronize the bars we discuss here. It will be a shame to see them turned away by a muddled policy that says you’re welcome to come but spend your first two weeks in splendid isolation.

[numazu]

So after 24 hours, and from 14 respondents, the vote is neck and neck:

which is kind of surprising, since I thought people would be more upbeat about Bangkok here, regardless of the circumstances.

Thank you for the great advice so far. I've had a long conversation with the BF yesterday, and he is still leaning towards not going. I am on the fence, leaning a little towards going, but I would hate that the first time the BF sees Asia is through the fog of COVID-19 complications. One thing has been clear, the virus itself is more or less not the issue here, us being relatively young and healthy, but its the other complications of the pandemic (quarantines and airline cancellations and travel bans and media hysteria, not to mention my parent's worry) that makes it a complicated matter.

On 3/6/2020 at 10:03 AM, anddy said:

Yeah it sucks big time. I am all booked to go to a big rave in Germany early April, but I expect to see it suffer the same fate any day now  

A number of music festivals and conventions have already been cancelled here in the US, which makes it even more of a bummer. I guess we were lucky that carnaval in Rio was not scaled down last week due to this mess. 

22 hours ago, spoon said:

But i still think songkran isnt everything and there is plenty of fun around still. With much less tourist around, bars and boys will pay more attention to you in bars. 

21 hours ago, reader said:

Since you’d be coming with you boyfriend, I assume you wouldn’t be looking to do a lot of offing anyway.

Offing for me is a solitary activity. I wouldn't dare do this with the BF, or if with "regular" friends with me in Bangkok, which happens once in a while. But, the BF is keen on at least seeing a boy bar and the seediness attached to it (and a girlie bar or two as well). He is Brazilian after all.

21 hours ago, reader said:

I’d hold off making plans for Songkran because of the government’s lack of a clear policy regarding possible quarantine on.arrival. Maybe it will gets It’s act together soon but until then it’s a crapshoot.

But if you can tolerate the uncertainty then you’ll find the town business as usual.

Ugh this is just one of many things that complicates things. It would be OK if it were just me, seasoned traveler, having seen everything, but not with the BF with his first time in Asia.

On 3/6/2020 at 10:03 AM, anddy said:

I'd say still come to BKK. It's not the same as most (all?) Songkran public events have also been cancelled. But maybe things have calmed down a little by then and fun can still be had. Who knows if you'll book a new trip to BKK with the bf if you cancel this one, so it would be a missed opportunity to show him this part of the world. 

I'd dare say even if we cancel there will be other chances for sure. Knowing me though, it might be with a different BF lol.

17 hours ago, DivineMadman said:

There's the health risk to yourself (+1) - young healthy guys probably not something to worry about, but up to you.  How safe is it to stay in any of our home countries these days?  

The health risk to others - the risk that you (+1) are exposed, get it and are asymptotic or minor ignorable symptoms ("just tired after all that partying"), in good faith go home and uniwttingly expose others back home.  A legit concern.  That's the whole point of the blanket travel restrictions.  As in any communicable disease situation like this, the potential impact on others is surely as important (or more) than on one's self.  But right now Thailand isn't on the bad lists and the number of people with COVID-19 is very low.  [yes - some people say the reported numbers are suspiciously low.  Who really knows?]   My plan is to be in home quarantine when I get back to the states regardless, just to be safe for others.  Impossible to quantify this one?  

The inconvenience risk that Thailand goes on a high risk list in the week that you are here and you (+1) are put on some sort of home quarantine when you go home.  Maybe not that much of an inconvenience at all.  hehehe

Thanks for laying all this out. It's the infinite permutation of complications that makes it almost not worth it. But lol yes getting home quarantined is actually a positive. At work this week, people were paranoid, and one sneeze has everyone look at you weird, and HR has been quick to recommend people to just work from home.

4 hours ago, GoldMember said:

If you can cancel up to the last minute, keep an open eye and wait. A lot can change in a month. Just think how things looked only a month ago. I'm doing the same for my Rio trip in Easter. Although it seems there is very little chance of it happening under today's circumstances. 

Also, if I remember correctly, you are American. There is a good probability that USA will enter the quarantine list since it seems things are escalating there really quickly. Israeli media states we will start banning USA citizens entry in a couple of days so Thailand might decide doing that as well. 

I am American yup. The BF is Brazilian. I didn't realize there are countries putting Americans in a quarantine list. I don't blame them. We do not have our shit together yet. 

The mercy with our airfare is that they are awards booking through United, so if we cancel last-minute, it is only $50 to redeposit the miles we used. The Crowne Plaza Bangkok booking can be cancelled without penalty. The issue is not the Bangkok bookings, the issue is more making other travel plans because he and I have the time off already planned with our respective work. If we cancel BKK, I may just spend that easter week in Brazil (like you!), or maybe somewhere closer like Mexico. 

9 hours ago, Cheshirecat said:

It’s everywhere so just enjoy life

9 hours ago, Cheshirecat said:

We’re all goin to die anyway might aswell die happy x

5 hours ago, vinapu said:

Rose's mother from Golden Girls once said ' fear of dying should not stop me from living "

Amen to all of this. Dying is not my worry though. We are not gonna die from this. It's the other complications that this confusion has brought that I am worried about.

[hank75]

I have had to travel extensively for work even during the virus escalation. While I had the same thoughts as you (relatively “young”...well at least not close to retirement! healthy etc..) with good hygiene I thought I would be fairly relaxed about it all. Let me tell you. Long haul travel is zero fun. Other people’s paranoia and tension starts to rub off especially in airports and places with crowds. 
 

I don’t doubt you could have a good time in Bangkok proper especially if you picked the right hotels and activities, but the actual commute through flights and airports is a complete pain in the a**. My friend just returned from Bangkok, he had an average time but said he felt leery everytime he got into a taxi because a number of known cases were via passenger-driver transmissions and he doubted the drivers were properly sanitizing their vehicles. Tuk tuk suddenly felt like a very attractive option. The situation changed significantly once the first death was recorded, far more panic, so it depends also if another death occurs or things remain stable.

On SK2020, this is a tremendous financial loss for the organisers. I heard they are very appreciative if ticket holders opt for SK2021 instead of refunds as this helps to keep the event going for next year. 

[ggobkk]

Reluctantly my vote went for cancelling.  

Numazu has wide and ongoing experience of Bangkok.  As I understand his post, he wanted to show his BF Bangkok and participate in Songkran and GCircuit.  

Well, the GCircuit is not happening, Songkran will be tempered if not closed down as the date draws near to reduce chances of exposure to the virus.  So the Bangkok expereince might be a disappointment to Numazu and leave his BF wondering what all the fuss was about.

Another concern based on my own planning for a visit is that I cancelled my February trip, have planned a visit in late May instead...BUT am finding that flyng from the wet coast of the US creates complicated travel planning which is subject to alteration by the airlines.  I have an internal trip in the US in April flying from SFO to Washington DC booked on United (whose miles Numazu is using for his trip).  At least once a week, United informs me that my flights have been changed to another time /airport.  

When I look for a booking for the May / June period almost every flight involves flying though Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, or Taiwan.  Each of which might raise an eyebrow or two at immigration in Bangkok, not to mention in the US when I return.  I have, I suppose, the option of flying to the east coast of the US and flying via the Middle East or taking Singapore airlines or Qantas...all these options add extra hours which Hank75 points out means more time cooped up with the paranoid sanitizing seats, tray tables, screens, and one another.

It's a quandary... I know I'll get back to Thailand but don't know when, just that I will.  I also know that Numazu will go back to Thailand, but for  his BF, well the full-on Numazu in Thailand experience is something to behold...but next month all of the piece may not be there.

Numazu, let me/us know what you decide.  If it is a "go", I'd be interested in the routing.

[floridarob]

On 3/6/2020 at 10:22 AM, numazu said:

The BF has been especially nervous with traveling all the way to Bangkok (from Brazil) during this COVID-19 scare. Last week while I was in Rio de Janeiro with him during carnaval, Brazil reported their first ever case of someone getting COVID-19, and the Brazilian media went crazy with the coverage and scare-mongering. While there is of course cause for major concern, I tried to assure him it was not that bad, and we both can manage this together when traveling.

900 people get Coronavirus and the whole world wants to wear a surgical mask,  30 million people have AIDS but still nobody wants to wear a condom  

[Guest]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/09/tourist-sites-asia-hit-coronavirus-fears-before-after-pictures

[DivineMadman]

39 minutes ago, z909 said:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/09/tourist-sites-asia-hit-coronavirus-fears-before-after-pictures

Wow

I was in Chinatown Sunday night for a street food tour.  It was busy but not really crowded.  The tour included a couple of the more famous vendors - a few are in the Michelin guide - and there was no line to get food and some well-known stalls just a had a few customers, mostly local.  

[DivineMadman]

Bangkok "state-sponsored" Songkran activities cancelled.  https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1875224/virus-axes-songkran-festivities

Maybe worth noting that even though the water splashing on Khao San Rd. was officially cancelled last year (in the lead up to the coronation), it still happened.

[numazu]

After a few days, 23 respondents have now spoken, and it looks like the pro-BKK crowd is pulling away:

I am still on the fence, and still keeping an eye out for any news positive or negative, but it seems that the conditions are a little bit worsening, at least in the USA. Still no adequate testing, still a lot of confusion, and the stock market tanking. It makes me just want to stay home and hide. But I am keeping positive and I haven't cancelled anything yet.

12 hours ago, ggobkk said:

Well, the GCircuit is not happening, Songkran will be tempered if not closed down as the date draws near to reduce chances of exposure to the virus.  So the Bangkok expereince might be a disappointment to Numazu and leave his BF wondering what all the fuss was about.

4 hours ago, DivineMadman said:

Bangkok "state-sponsored" Songkran activities cancelled.  https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1875224/virus-axes-songkran-festivities

Maybe worth noting that even though the water splashing on Khao San Rd. was officially cancelled last year (in the lead up to the coronation), it still happened.

On 3/7/2020 at 5:26 PM, hank75 said:

I don’t doubt you could have a good time in Bangkok proper especially if you picked the right hotels and activities,

4 hours ago, DivineMadman said:

I was in Chinatown Sunday night for a street food tour.  It was busy but not really crowded.  The tour included a couple of the more famous vendors - a few are in the Michelin guide - and there was no line to get food and some well-known stalls just a had a few customers, mostly local.  

This is the crux of the issue. I've probably experienced every permutation of Bangkok a Westerner could ever experience, and I continue to enjoy Bangkok to my heart's content, but this trip's main objective is me seeing Bangkok through the eyes of my BF, who has never been outside of South America. I want to show him the messy Songkran water fights, the full-strength stable of boys in Lucky Boys, the hubbub of Chatuchak Market, the amazing variety of the street food, and everything else that made me fall in love with the city. I want to see the wonder in his eyes, similar to what I had during my first time 6 years ago. A muted version of the Land of Smiles, partially obscured by a face mask, and unfortunately sterilized by hand sanitizer, is less ideal for anyone who visits the city expecting more, and even less ideal for a first-timer who has heard so many wild Bangkok tales from me. 

On 3/7/2020 at 5:26 PM, hank75 said:

I have had to travel extensively for work even during the virus escalation. While I had the same thoughts as you (relatively “young”...well at least not close to retirement! healthy etc..) with good hygiene I thought I would be fairly relaxed about it all. Let me tell you. Long haul travel is zero fun. Other people’s paranoia and tension starts to rub off especially in airports and places with crowds. 

My latest long haul was last week, a 12 hour flight from Sao Paulo to Los Angeles fresh off Carnaval. The flight was 2/3 full and a lot of middle seats were empty, but I didn't get an inkling that COVID-19 had made the flight any worse. It was the next flight - Los Angeles to San Francisco - that showed signs of the paranoia and tension you're talking about. Some passengers were giving their seat a thorough wipe down using Clorox wipes, and even more showed up in face masks. And the flight was half-full, which made "social distancing" easier.

I have a flight to the east coast in a few days, and then it is another long haul back to Brazil next week. Let's see how things have deteriorated. It might make my conundrum here easier if the flights are horrible.

12 hours ago, ggobkk said:

When I look for a booking for the May / June period almost every flight involves flying though Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, or Taiwan.  Each of which might raise an eyebrow or two at immigration in Bangkok, not to mention in the US when I return.  I have, I suppose, the option of flying to the east coast of the US and flying via the Middle East or taking Singapore airlines or Qantas...all these options add extra hours which Hank75 points out means more time cooped up with the paranoid sanitizing seats, tray tables, screens, and one another.

Numazu, let me/us know what you decide.  If it is a "go", I'd be interested in the routing.

I can share my routing with you now. Since I was booking for me (coming from California) and the BF (coming from Brazil), I had to be creative. I wanted to meet him at a connection, since I thought it would be nice to fly with him on a long-haul, on the second leg.  After playing around with some itineraries on United's pretty good award bookings site, I chose a routing that had us meeting in Zurich, with him leaving Sao Paulo to a direct to Zurich, and me leaving San Francisco direct to Zurich as well. We would meet in Zurich at the layover, and we would fly together, seated together, as we make our way to Bangkok.  This is my booking. I booked last December, and they still had business class saver for 75k points:

I feel so bummed if I have to cancel this (I was mistaken, award points redeposit fee is free with 1K status), because I like the Swiss business class lounge in Zurich airport, and that's where I will meet the BF during the layover, and also I was able to book seats next to each other in the leg going to BKK. It's a great romantic getaway, but if we shall arrive at an abbreviated version of Bangkok, then it might not be worth it. Who knows. I know that Puerto Vallarta is great this time of year.

But back to routing, @ggobkk if you want to stay with Star Alliance and skipping the asian cities, you can go through Swiss Airlines through Zurich, Lufthansa going through Frankfurt or Munich, or a United-Austrian Airlines combo through Heathrow and Vienna. This will tack 2 hours or more to the usual 20 or so hours going through Asia, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

The updates and advice have been awesome so far. Keep them coming!

[spoon]

A dumb down version of songkran and bangkok in general is still a lot better than no travel at all. As your BF has never set foot out of south america, he will get to enjoy everything bangkok has to offer minus the crowded tourists, which to me is a plus. As mentioned by few who are already in bangkok this past few weeks, there is no short of boys, with the latest visit of lucky boys reported 50 boys on stage. Moonlight bangkok had advertised their songkran special show is still going to be as planned. And you also said next year, you might come with a diff BF, which if its true, your current BF might not get to enjoy thailand with yoh at all then. No big tour groups around tourists places is a huge plus in my book. 

Now, your reality check is also valid. If there is a chance that thailand decided that you needed to be quarantined, then its not worth it. Now, there is already a policy to provide medical cert stating you are free from covid-19 and have been tested negative in the last 48 hours if you are from heavily affected countries. So if u still decides to go, ensure you will keep updated with requirements by thai gov, which seems to change with short notices. Saudi had cancelled visa for muslim to visit makkah with short notice as well and lots of people who already on their way there stucked at their transit airport unable to continue their journey. All the best numazu!

[EricV]

Because you want to make this special for the BF, I'd cancel even though the health risk may not be bigger in BKK than the US. 

BUT I'm currently traveling in Asia and flights to Asia are a mess. LH Group (incl. SWISS) is cancelling about 50% of their flights, so your carefully planned itinerary may fall apart before you get to BKK - and using UA miles makes it more difficult ... Even though you'll get there, it might not be together or your bf might get stuck on his own for a day or so in Zurich...

And flight restrictions are getting more complicated, with countries banning different countries of flight origin every day... Vietnam just cancelled visa-free travel from several EU countries, Qatar banned Asian countries, nobody knows what's next...

As an experienced traveler, you can work it out. A First-Timer might be frazzled...

Hopefully, the situation will be better by summer and the hysteria over, so you can show your BF the true Bangkok, not the masked one with fewer smiles...

[floridarob]

OMG, Coach...what kind of BF are you.....I'm going to Brasil Thurs btw

[ggobkk]

I received an update  morning from a travel newsletter I trust that Lufthansa which operates Swiss may cut its schedules by up to 50%.

United changed its terms and conditions that allow it to offer a schedule change that can be as much as 20+ hours different than original flight without needing to refunds  rule used to be 2 hours.  I’ve now had 3 changes on departure times for a round trip to DC in mid April  

I have a strong hunch that precise planning based on current schedules will be hindered  

‘

[anddy]

34 minutes ago, ggobkk said:

I have a strong hunch that precise planning based on current schedules will be hindered  

to put it mildly  

speaking of Luthansa: they have grounded their entire A380 fleet for the time being. Qantas is rumoured to do the same.