News Forum - Test & Go registration back on, travellers can apply for entry starting February 1

[CharlesW]

Here in U.K., Omicron is everywhere, many of my friends and neighbours have had it, some in their 80’s. None have been seriously ill ...it’s just like a cold but very contagious. I can’t help feeling that in the next few weeks it will rip through Thailand. My great fear is not from the virus, but the strong possibility of catching it from Thai people during the five days before the 2nd test. As it spreads so rapidly the increased cases will rise exponentially. I predict that within a month at least 10% of travellers will test positive on the 5th day, the situation could become farcical and do even more damage to Thailand’s image. The images of tourists being hauled off to detention centres, families split up and extortionate fees being charged would make headlines throughout the world. As vaccines don’t stop people catching the virus what is the point of testing at all ? Just let vaccinated tourists in test free.

[lukasi]

if anyone could tell me, whats the difference between sandbox and T&G apart from being free to book another accommodation (not sha+) on day 2,3 and 4 !??

I mean WTF is wrong with this people!!???

 

[ace035]

2 hours ago, Freeduhdumb said:

Excellent Point! Now four test opportunities to come up positive and ruin your "holiday"

Test before allowed on the plane

Test on arrival

Test on the fifth day

Test before you can leave. 

My suggestion is on "test before you can leave" you have to isolate for at least 5 days before the PCR Test on departing Thailand to where ever the country you from. Too many "false positives" that went to hospital or hospitel , I've seen ending up spending more money & getting scammed.

[Marc26]

7 minutes ago, lukasi said:

if anyone could tell me, whats the difference between sandbox and T&G apart from being free to book another accommodation (not sha+) on day 2,3 and 4 !??

I mean WTF is wrong with this people!!???

Well that's the difference

 

And it's a pretty significant difference, IMO

 

I don't think the new T&G is that attractive 

But it is quite different 

 

People were complaining that they have to stay too long in Sandbox.

 

This allows them to not have to

Albeit the cumbersome 5 day stay 

[ace035]

13 minutes ago, lukasi said:

if anyone could tell me, whats the difference between sandbox and T&G apart from being free to book another accommodation (not sha+) on day 2,3 and 4 !??

I mean WTF is wrong with this people!!???

Because the Thai government is playing dumb f**k with us, being in the SandBox which means you can book to their Approved SHA+ hotel for 7 days & still can roam around after the first PCR Test upon arrival only if negative, then can isolate for 5 days for the 2nd PCR Test, if negative, you can travel anywhere in Thailand. The T & G is a cluster f**k can Day 1 & Day 5, they don't care what you do between Day 2-Day 4, for me not a good idea.

[Vince]

10 hours ago, Pompies said:

This will not encourage people to visit Thailand. Potential tourists are sick of the constant change and confusion & tour operators would rather deal with countries that can deliver consistent policies. All my EU friends had their plans to spend months here ruined by the sudden cancellation and have gone to other destinations for their 4 months of sun. So any predictions by TAT et al are even less believable than before because they fail to factor in how pi**ed off market is. And a failure to ease all the fanatical restrictions on restaurants, bars etc will be the final nail in the coffin.

Yes and no. 

Maybe they don't want the flood of tourists back ? 

"Mass tourism" got a black eye: 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=78xdMXOx7Rw

Maybe Thailand is tired of being called racist because an expat is charged an extra THB80 to see a waterfall? 

Maybe they're trying to figure it all out like every other country in the world?

[Somchai]

When will Agogo bars and soapies open?  Without them its so boring in Thailand .

[ace035]

1 minute ago, Somchai said:

When will Agogo bars and soapies open?  Without them its so boring in Thailand .

Yeah, man, I'm about to ask that question, possible mid April by Songkran since the State of Emergency is extended until end of March

[Somchai]

24 minutes ago, lukasi said:

if anyone could tell me, whats the difference between sandbox and T&G apart from being free to book another accommodation (not sha+) on day 2,3 and 4 !??

I mean WTF is wrong with this people!!???

The major difference is that now you can go to direct  Pattaya or Bangkok, and you can stay anywhere, even in your own condo  from the second night.

Otherwise, if you only want to go to Phuket and stay in a large, certified hotel anyway, there is no difference for you.

 

But it will help businesses in BKK and Pattaya.

[Somchai]

9 hours ago, TomSabai said:

The third PCR test (2nd in Thailand) is the show stopper. It means you cant be releaxed until 5th day of your holiday.

Plus  you will need another PCR when you fly home, 72 hours before departure.

 

Most airlines and countries equire that.

 

 

[Marc26]

12 minutes ago, Somchai said:

The major difference is that now you can go to direct  Pattaya or Bangkok, and you can stay anywhere, even in your own condo  from the second night.

Otherwise, if you only want to go to Phuket and stay in a large, certified hotel anyway, there is no difference for you.

But it will help businesses in BKK and Pattaya.

Pattaya being a sandbox is huge 

So you can fly into BKK

 

I don't love Pattaya but I do like the Dusit Thani there so may possibly do that 

 

Or T&G for 5 straight days in BKK

[Vince]

39 minutes ago, Somchai said:

When will Agogo bars and soapies open?  Without them its so boring in Thailand .

I think I heard they will be closed forever. 

They are being replaced with farang food restaurants with double prices to punish and humiliate expats and Cheap Charlies into leaving. 

Nothing to do in Thailand anymore.

Might as well go to Mexico or Columbia instead. 

 

[Mox]

I'm just curious, as I see some people complaining about the amended T&G. If this new rule about a prepaid hotel and prepaid 2nd PCR is now necessary to apply for Thailand Pass, and this is seen as a risk to potentially ruin a holiday, should I understand that previous Thailand Pass holders (before 22nd December) can eventually cheat the system and choose not to take the 2nd PCR?
I have a Thailand Pass under T&G issued before 22nd December. I will take the mandatory PCR on the SHA+ hotel upon arrival, but how the Thai govt knows if someone didn't take the 2nd PCR on day 5-6? It could pose a problem when leaving the country?
I'm curious because even if the new rules are more explicit about the 2nd PCR, I don't know if the rules about that for "old" T&G holders are somewhat less enforced or left to people's criteria.

[Dmitrii]

Taking into account how catchy is omicron, there is a very high risk of being tested positive on day 5 or before the departure flight just because of being infected in Thailand itself.

Looks like we need to wear N95 mask in Thailand

So, what fun I am supposed to have under such circumstances?

Really, if I have not already had a flight ticket to Thailand in February, I would think thrice before deciding to participate in this T&G program...

[Vince]

4 minutes ago, Dmitrii said:

Taking into account how catchy is omicron, there is a very high risk of being tested positive on day 5 or before the departure flight just because of being infected in Thailand itself.

Looks like we need to wear N95 mask in Thailand

So, what fun I am supposed to have under such circumstances?

Really, if I have not already had a flight ticket to Thailand in February, I would think thrice before deciding to participate in this T&G program...

Relax and have some Kratom. 

You'll be fine. Things are improving day by day. 

[Bert]

Thanks but no thanks ... Maybe next year

[Vince]

4 minutes ago, Bert said:

Thanks but no thanks ... Maybe next year

Its just as well. They need more time to print the new farang menus with even higher prices. Cheers. 

[Vince]

3 hours ago, lukasi said:

if anyone could tell me, whats the difference between sandbox and T&G apart from being free to book another accommodation (not sha+) on day 2,3 and 4 !??

I mean WTF is wrong with this people!!???

It's huge. 

With Phuket sandbox you can wander all over Phuket freely and pay farang double pricing. But you cannot leave Phuket. 

With T&G you get to your farang priced hotel, take a test, if negative you can go anywhere freely to pay farang double pricing. 

If you want to stay in Phuket only there is no difference. 

If you want to leave Phuket T&G opens up Thailand. 

I could be wrong but that's my impression. 

[Lawyers_Guns_and_Money]

6 hours ago, jaymi said:

There maybe other policies available now yes, but typically travel health insurance would not cover an enforced particular hotel stay that involved no sickness or treatment.  You would need to be very very careful with the policy chosen to make sure it covered being assigned to a hotel outside of your control that involved no sickness or treatment.  You can actually continue to test positive for up to 90 days after "recovering" from covid, so again, what if after ten days quarantine you still test positive in that 5 star 12,000 baht a night hotel?  Again you would need to make sure this was explicitly covered.

If I worked for the Insurance company my response would be "you were going to be paying to stay somewhere anyway". Most tourists will be paying for a hotel or condo for their stay. From the point of view of an Insurance company, why should they have to pay for something you need anyway. Not their problem that you can't leave it. A separate travel insurance policy may cover it, but not a medical policy.

[GES]

This really is stupid, Surely someone has it wrong !!

A second hotel booking for a PCR test !

We live in Thailand, happy to do the first night and then go to our home but then have to go and book into a hotel again on the fifth day  just for a test ?

Surely someone has it wrong

[Vince]

1 minute ago, GES said:

This really is stupid, Surely someone has it wrong !!

A second hotel booking for a PCR test !

We live in Thailand, happy to do the first night and then go to our home but then have to go and book into a hotel again on the fifth day  just for a test ?

Surely someone has it wrong

Arent you not staying in a hotel anyways? 

You can switch it up from your Khao San Road $4USD/THB120 fan only hostel bunk bed and enjoy a nice mid-range private hotel with a view, a bath tub, and AirCon.  It might even have a breakfast included!!! 

 

[steven.tay]

Vince,

Stop being a _ick, I'm sure you perfectly understand what the poster was meaning. 

I'm in the same boat, I live in Thailand but currently working overseas. If I enter on a T & G after Feb the 1st, I can go home to Prachuap Khiri Khan after the the 1 night stay in hotel and I have my PCR test result back. I stay in my own home for day 2, 3 & 4, going about my business as usual but when day 5 arrives, I need to check in to a hotel, take another PCR test and isolate in that said room until I get my result back the next day.  It's just complete madness. 

[Vince]

16 minutes ago, steven.tay said:

Vince,

Stop being a _ick, I'm sure you perfectly understand what the poster was meaning. 

I'm in the same boat, I live in Thailand but currently working overseas. If I enter on a T & G after Feb the 1st, I can go home to Prachuap Khiri Khan after the the 1 night stay in hotel and I have my PCR test result back. I stay in my own home for day 2, 3 & 4, going about my business as usual but when day 5 arrives, I need to check in to a hotel, take another PCR test and isolate in that said room until I get my result back the next day.  It's just complete madness. 

I appreciate your frustration. On behalf of the Thai government*, and from me personally, I offer my apologies for any inconveniences. 

Please try to understand it is a difficult situation for us all. 

(* I am not affiliated with the Thai government in any way) 

[ace035]

2 hours ago, Dmitrii said:

Taking into account how catchy is omicron, there is a very high risk of being tested positive on day 5 or before the departure flight just because of being infected in Thailand itself.

Looks like we need to wear N95 mask in Thailand

So, what fun I am supposed to have under such circumstances?

Really, if I have not already had a flight ticket to Thailand in February, I would think thrice before deciding to participate in this T&G program...

Instead of being pessimistic or negative, whatever wanna call it. If I was you, wait at least a month to see if things improving in the LOS since we are still in Omicron variant outbreak, I can tell you that there will be many false positives asymptomatic or mild symptoms in the T & G on Day 1 & Day 5, assess the situation first. Lot of tourists will be flustered and stressed out because nobody wants to be COVID-19 positive on Day 1, it's insane. I'll wait before planning to make sure there will be only few cases or surges plus things could get change in a matter of seconds again after Feb 1st.

[Vince]

3 minutes ago, ace035 said:

Instead of being pessimistic or negative, whatever wanna call it. If I was you, wait at least a month to see if things improving in the LOS since we are still in Omicron variant outbreak, I can tell you that there will be many false positives asymptomatic or mild symptoms in the T & G on Day 1 & Day 5, assess the situation first. Lot of tourists will be flustered and stressed out because nobody wants to be COVID-19 positive on Day 1, it's insane. I'll wait before planning to make sure there will be only few cases or surges plus things could get change in a matter of seconds again after Feb 1st.

Uncertainty is definitely not a good thing. 

Waiting seems wise.