I know many of my friends and family across the globe are gobsmacked at the amount of travel we are doing in Thailand at the moment. The reality was our lives as Expats have always meant we travel ALL THE TIME!

Bophut Beach Koh Samui

Introducing the Thailand Expat traveller

All we have really done is switched our International travel to support Thailand domestic travel and yes it has become my thing to staycation here in Thailand.

We are going to have completed our 40th staycation this week. Throughout this time we have supported Thai tourism in all aspects. From the highest of top-end travel (at bargain prices so why not?) to smaller boutique two and three-star hotels. With some of our best highlights, being some small independent family-run Thai hotels.

Thailand needs us all to travel and to spend. It is a win-win. We came out of our Thailand COVID lockdown, and somehow, despite doing nothing for 10 weeks, we all needed a holiday!

Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort

I am an Expat, a blogger and world wanderer who became “stranded” in Thailand due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus. Was it by choice? Yes!!!

Why the Expats have remained in Thailand?

Those of us remaining in Thailand have now been here for many months. When COVID-19 came around and borders started to close, we did not flee back to our country of origin. We stayed at personal and family expense, knowing also that if our ageing relatives in far off lands needed us, there would be little we could do except rely on the generosity of others.

Why did we stay? Many of us stayed because of jobs, to provide support and leadership to those who brought us here. Most of us bunkered down for the unknown, trusting Thailand, not knowing what would happen at the time of this deadly pandemic. Although it had lasted longer than many of us had expected, we are oh so fortunate to be able to go about our lives.

Bophut Beach Koh Samui

Amazing Thailand has done us well

Our “new normal” is weird. We can do almost all of the things we used to do, except we cannot easily return to see family and friends in our countries of origin. Or if we do, we risk many weeks of quarantine, huge expense and the stress of trying to return to Thailand.

I recognise I have a very, very privileged Bangkok lifestyle. This is compared with many in the country and compared with my of my friends across the globe. In particular, I am thinking of those in Melbourne still in tight lockdown, I have lost count of the number of people around the world who have said they want my life!

Sunset on Bophut Beach Koh Samui

A fortunate life

I can not say it loud enough, or strong enough, I am so fortunate to be here in Thailand. I am coming to you this week from the Anantara, Bophut on the stunning holiday island of Koh Samui. Yesterday we stayed in a local Thai run hotel on Chaweng Beach. All these photos are from our travels across the island in the past few days.

Accessing the support of Expats in the Thai domestic travel revival

Embrace us, love us and let’s work out together on the domestic tourism front and more,

to help our chosen homeland at its time of need.

We are excited to note that the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced an Expo:  ‘Expat Travel Deal 2020’ aimed at Expat travel. I am pleased that as Thai residents we are being recognised for our potential at this time.

The Thai Government is offering financial incentives to Thais to travel, under the Thailand Together program which have not been currently extended to Expats. We hope Thailand tourism can compensate for this at the expo.

We are here to contribute and are looking to travel for many reasons

• Many people have loads of holiday outstanding,  normally saved for trips back to see the family.
• This is a unique opportunity to explore Thailand without the 40 million tourists that were expected.
• The pandemic is having such a sad impact on the economy.  We want to support tourism in our adopted homeland.

Have a nice flight – Bangkok Airways

We would love to be included in the Thailand Together government-supported travel campaign. We applaud the suggestion made by the President of the Thailand Hotels Association to extend this initiative to grant Expatriates the same residents privileges.

Reports show that typically Expatriates spend considerably more per head than the average Thai traveller.

#AmazingExpatsThailand

Let’s start a hashtag #AmazingExpatsThailand that lets us show our contributions to local tourism and where we have been.

Relax you’re on holiday – Anantara Bophut Koh Samui

Look to the Silver Market!

Thai tourism let’s focus on the ‘Silver Market’ (I detest the word that refers to those over 50). There has been talk of trying to attract the young millennials, believed to be adventurous and the first to return to travel. However, the older population with grown kids at Uni or beyond have a greater disposable income. We also have time.

COVID helped us realise that we need to seize the moment. We, the silver market, are beginning to see – how do we phrase this delicately – that time is pressing!

Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Spa

Look at the Female Traveller Market

All the women I know in Thailand are travelling big time! We are seeing a rise as was forecasted for the solo female travel market. Girls’ trips away to Chiang Mai, Phuket and Nan are all big topics of conversations within the groups I attend. Thailand is ideal for this market, it’s safe, it’s fun and with so much to see and do. 

There is an added benefit when women in Thailand travel. They often return to great places they have found with family and friends.

Once borders reopen we will have a constant stream of family, friends and overseas countryfolk come and stay with us. All will be looking to travel to Thailand on recommendations from us.

Change of attitude

Samui viewpoint

We pay Thai tax, we live here as locals. We enjoy travel, we generally spend well, we have holidays accrued, and we are unlikely to go on any of the overseas family visits and holidays we had planned… We’re looking forward to finding out what’s on offer at Expat Travel Deal 2020

Let us Expats help you maintain and revive the wonderful travel industry and hospitality for which Thailand has been known across the world.

See you at Emquartier folks and happy wanderings!

These photos are all from our stay in Koh Samui. Little Wandering Wren stayed at Sans Souci on Chaweng beach and was a guest of Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort