Big fish, small fish, and Thailand
Why won't Thailand open its borders?
1. Money and power runs the world, not virtues and concerns.
2. If health and safety was the main issue, the HIV and AIDS epidemic would have closed Thailand way back when. But it didn't. See #1.
3. Thailand is a medium fish in a big pond.
4. USA, UK, China, Japan, Germany, and India. Those are big fish.
5. Thailand's economy is dependent on exports (over 2/3 of GDP).
6. China, USA, Japan are the biggest Thai trade partners.
7. Tourism is based on "bilateral" agreements between countries that offset with trade incentives. Go back to #1.
So does anybody really think that the Thais control their international "tourism" industry and borders during these times? The bigger fish are not going to let Thailand lure their citizens, their wallets, and their money with the Asian mystique, when their own countries' economies are in a recession. (See what the UK did with Spain). The bigger fish will punish Thailand with penalties on their exports, which is 66% of their GDP. I hate to tell people, but this is the real world. Not Disneyland, with everyone skipping in harmony and holding hands, while whistling "Mary Had a Little Lamb. " Thailand is not the pod boss in this prison. Good news is that they are self sustaining when it comes to food and making those smoothies, especially for Lithuanians. End of the world.