Boonchai Chokwatana, chairman of Saha Pathanapibul Plc, one of the country's leading consumer goods companies, has called on the government to reconsider its plan to fully reopen the country in October because of a higher risk of exposure to the coronavirus.
Mr Boonchai said Thailand also risks losing its "good image" if there are reports of a surge in new infections.
"Despite a huge impact the company has felt, the greatest concern of the company right now is the government's plan to reopen the country fully in October of this year," he said. "I'm feeling uncomfortable that the number of infected people may surge."
According to Mr Boonchai, the government should not reopen the country next month if it does not come up with clear terms for reopening the country such as the number of newly infected cases being lower than 1,000 per day or 80% of people getting inoculated.
"Currently, overall consumer spending power remains weak. They only buy essential goods," Mr Boonchai said, adding that he wants the government to have only one central unit to closely monitor and make decisions on a daily basis to cope with the infections.
He also advised the government to continue stimulating local consumption through various stimulus packages and promote alternative businesses to contribute income to the country instead of relying heavily on tourism.
Meanwhile, William Heinecke, chairman of Minor International Plc, said Covid-19 had laid waste to the hospitality industry which employs millions, and the result has been felt in countless upstream sectors that supply the hospitality industry.
"Thailand must strive to re-open as safely and as quickly as possible. Phuket Sandbox is a pilot programme and a pivotal first step that lays the foundation for the rest of the country. The failure of Phuket Sandbox would be a stain on Thailand's global image. Therefore, we must go above and beyond to safeguard the programme and ensure its success,'' Mr Heinecke said.
He said that impetus must come from the very top and flow through relevant ministries in a coordinated fashion, working in concert as opposed to in silos. The Prime Minister's Office, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must work hand in hand to achieve these objectives. If not, vital initiatives would fail due to a lack of leadership and ownership.
According to Mr Heinecke, 100% of residents of Phuket have to receive vaccinations urgently. Without the highest possible level of vaccination, a minority of the population will remain vulnerable to infection and Covid-19 cases will continue to increase, thus spoiling Phuket's image of a safe destination.
In addition, authorities should adjust conditions to enter Phuket for greater convenience since it competes with various world-class destinations in Europe, the Caribbean, the Middle East and the Maldives, many of which make entry visa-free, simple and hassle-free.
"With such a competitive travel market, why must we handicap ourselves by imposing excessive regulations on tourists who are already spoiled for choice?'' Mr Heinecke said, adding that after controlling the spread of Covid in Phuket, the country needs to craft a global campaign to independently brand Phuket as one of the safest places to go on holiday.
Mr Heinecke also requested support from the government for the ailing hospitality industry.
"We need fiscal policy relief in the form of extending a tax loss to carry forward to 10 years, soft loans, waiving/reducing VAT for hotels/restaurants and extending the property tax cut, etc," he said.
