Thousands Waiting Anxiously To Return To Thailand

Reader Submission:

I have seen several people comment on various articles that Thailand won’t see tourists return for months, or even years.  As someone who is on the outside looking in, I think their predictions are a little off.  There are still PLENTY of us “tourists” out here that typically spend half of our year in Thailand that are more than ready to come back.

I am on nearly every social media platform (aside from Facebook. Too many rules) and I can see what people are talking about when it comes to Thailand travel.  It is something that I look at day in and day out whenever I am not there.  If Thailand opened tomorrow, there would be some of us that return tomorrow.

I’m not sure if it is the fear of COVID-19 or a hatred of Thailand but there are many out there who are still acting like this is the end of the world.  If you haven’t noticed, there are tens of thousands of Americans in the streets right now doing whatever it is that they are doing and none of them are dropping dead in the streets, not from COVID anyway.

Some of the doomsday pushers out there believe that the “new normal” restrictions that Thailand has in place will deter travellers from coming.  Considering EVERY country is likely going to have some form of mandatory health regulations that travellers must adhere to, Thailand is going to stand as much chance as any other country of getting tourists in.

Let us not forget that there are thousands of foreigners that left Thailand (even though they live here) because of the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic and/or needing to go back to make sure family members were okay and to spend the time with them should they happen to fall ill as everyone expected.  Those people are ready to come back home to Thailand now.  Many regret ever having left (especially my American friends).

Before folks that are in Thailand 24/7 start making assumptions about what travellers will do when the borders open, try talking to some of the people that are chomping at the bit to get back to Thailand.  I think everyone is going to be pleasantly surprised when the floodgates back to the Land of Smiles have been opened again.

Remember, the naysayers will find something to complain or be negative about, no matter what the situation is.  Stay positive and in an optimistic frame of mind.