News Forum - March 1 changes to the Test & Go program have been officially approved

[Thaiger]

Changes to the Thailand Pass, which take effect on March 1, will allow travellers to arrive in Thailand with only one pre-paid day of accommodation and PCR test. The Day 5 PCR test and accommodation has been scrapped but you will still be required to do a self-ATK test on Day 5 and upload the result onto the Mor Chana app. The other main change was the Covid Insurance, required by foreign travellers. The exception is foreign workers who have a valid Work Permit and the social security deductions. The insurance now has to cover treatment up to a value […]

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[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

April 1, the other rules will be scrapped, it's not a joke.

[BBY]

Just a point to be aware of.

To cut a long story short, because there were a lot of problems initially due to it being such a new process. I finally succeeded with the application and a problem free visit (only one night was needed then, as now).

However, since returning, I receive a scam email at least a couple of times a week, telling me there are problems with my application (that I don’t currently have).       “YOUR DATA IS NOT SAFE”

 

Most importantly, if you have an application in place. Be aware of these scam mails and check the validity of what you are being asked, before responding. 

 

 

 

[Ben_Tallchief]

About time.

[Chatogaster]

34 minutes ago, BBY said:

Just a point to be aware of.

To cut a long story short, because there were a lot of problems initially due to it being such a new process. I finally succeeded with the application and a problem free visit (only one night was needed then, as now).

However, since returning, I receive a scam email at least a couple of times a week, telling me there are problems with my application (that I don’t currently have).       “YOUR DATA IS NOT SAFE”

Most importantly, if you have an application in place. Be aware of these scam mails and check the validity of what you are being asked, before responding. 

 

 

Could just be backlog... 

.... I'm kidding. Thanks for sharing!

I'm assuming the emails don't go into details as how to rectify the situation, other than to urgently contact some phone/email address. Could you post the mail contents (redacted to exclude your personal info!) so that others can see the scam in action and recognize it for what it is if/when it happens to them?

 

[Freeduhdumb]

The day 5 ATK test remains a show stopper in my opinion. Your vacation as a "tourist" is still ruined if you come up positive on pre-arrival, day 1, day 5 and then yet a another test to go home (if your country requires it). No typical tourist would risk it? Sure the unusual "tourist" meaning the one that frequents/is a regular traveler to Thailand will appreciate the less expense and ease of day 5 testing, but the tourist coming for a two week or even a one month vacation would be foolish to risk all of your planning and expense with these odds. 

[AussieTony]

Even if you were home in your own country, if you test positive you should be doing the right thing by everyone else and isolating. Why should there be any difference when overseas. You don't risk the locals with your stupidity sharing the virus. It is just bad luck if you catch it, you could be at home and have the same thing happen. Either take the risk (with the acceptable requirements) or don't come, it's as simple as that. If you happen to catch it, it is bad luck, nothing else but don't be selfish and give your bad luck to others.

[Graham]

1 hour ago, AussieTony said:

Even if you were home in your own country, if you test positive you should be doing the right thing by everyone else and isolating. Why should there be any difference when overseas. You don't risk the locals with your stupidity sharing the virus. It is just bad luck if you catch it, you could be at home and have the same thing happen. Either take the risk (with the acceptable requirements) or don't come, it's as simple as that. If you happen to catch it, it is bad luck, nothing else but don't be selfish and give your bad luck to others.

Yes, isolate and take care of yourself,  agree 100% but unfortunately Thailand want to quarantine you in a facility at your cost when you have no symptoms, there lies the issue.

[SirPixAlot]

3 hours ago, BBY said:

However, since returning, I receive a scam email at least a couple of times a week, telling me there are problems with my application (that I don’t currently have).       “YOUR DATA IS NOT SAFE”

I received the same Mails, to each address I use for a TP application.
Perhaps they sold our personal informations to these obnoxious indian scammers 

[Guest1]

That won't stick with tourists, me think!

Looking around on the west coast, there are more and more, running around without masks. 

And last weekend, the 7/11 in Koktanod road was 3 days closed for desinfection,  right now the big one on Patak Road, opposite the fresh market in Kata, is!

So there is a surge in local infections. Which they hide in the "only ATK tested" cases, methinks! 

[Guest1]

Oh, forgot this picture: 

Google:

 Dear - All customers, sorry for any inconvenience of the shop (07081 Mae Somchit Market) Shop is temporarily closed for cleaning and disinfecting according to the safety measures of the Ministry of Public Health. The shop is closed from 27/02 /  2022-01 / 03/2522 Open for service on 02/03/2565 091-0027081 091-18856786 

 

[Soidog]

58 minutes ago, Guest1 said:

So there is a surge in local infections. Which they hide in the "only ATK tested" cases, methinks! 

Agreed. The real case numbers are likely between 50,000 and 100,000 a day. The good thing though is that fatality rates are still relatively low and each and every day another 50,000-100,000 are gaining natural immunity. I think things will improve in terms of case numbers by end of March. However the authorities are not following obvious steps to return the country to normal and so I think it will be July or August before life starts to feel a little more normal here. 

[Guest1]

4 minutes ago, Soidog said:

each and every day another 50,000-100,000 are gaining natural immunity

Perhaps, just science in the west is not really confirming that. People get twice infected with omicron, not only unvaccinated but  also fully vaccinated plus 1 or 2  boost shots- people.

The good thing is the even smaller percentage of dangerously sick cases.  And still, it is the 70+ age group, that is most at risk. Ok, BMI 35+ and other health issues are the problem, too. But mainly 70+

[Soidog]

8 minutes ago, Guest1 said:

Perhaps, just science in the west is not really confirming that. People get twice infected with omicron, not only unvaccinated but  also fully vaccinated plus 1 or 2  boost shots- people.

The good thing is the even smaller percentage of dangerously sick cases.  And still, it is the 70+ age group, that is most at risk. Ok, BMI 35+ and other health issues are the problem, too. But mainly 70+

Agreed. When I said immunity, I didn’t mean against catching Covid. More that it would give you protection against serious illness should you catch it again. I know someone who has caught Covid 3 times. Fully vaccinated and boosted. She’s had Delta once and Omicron twice. Can only assume her immune system is weakened or just plain unlucky. She works in a hotel and so in close contact with many people each day. 

[JJJ]

4 hours ago, Freeduhdumb said:

The day 5 ATK test remains a show stopper in my opinion. Your vacation as a "tourist" is still ruined if you come up positive on pre-arrival, day 1, day 5 and then yet a another test to go home (if your country requires it). No typical tourist would risk it? Sure the unusual "tourist" meaning the one that frequents/is a regular traveler to Thailand will appreciate the less expense and ease of day 5 testing, but the tourist coming for a two week or even a one month vacation would be foolish to risk all of your planning and expense with these odds. 

Just went to Singapore recently. Tested pcr positive at an extremely high threshold after having Cron in January. Under their protocol self isolate in same hotel room (and same rate) for three days with negative (had the infection been hospital confirmed wouldn’t have needed to isolate at all). Of course Singapore has now ended pcr on arrival recognizing it is overly sensitive and has little relation to infectiousness. 

Thai system is a complete scam as well as the entire pcr system. I would advise tourists to go to other vacation spots rather than spinning the Thai covid roulette and getting stuck in a pointless isolation at your own expense. 

[BBY]

9 hours ago, Chatogaster said:

Could you post the mail contents (redacted to exclude your personal info!) so that others can see the scam in action and recognize it for what it is if/when it happens to them?

As requested guys, here is a photo of the Scam mail I received. My actual email replaced with (my email was here)

despite it saying it was from THAILAND PASS. The actual E-mail it came from was 

support@team-thpass.online

hope this helps

[leannesavvas]

Does anybody know if you test Negative on day 1 PCR arrival, but you are a CLOSE  CONTACT on a flight to Bangkok, what happens? I read you had to isolate for 7 days also and test every 3 days ??? Is this true?

[leannesavvas]

1 hour ago, BBY said:

As requested guys, here is a photo of the Scam mail I received. My actual email replaced with (my email was here)

despite it saying it was from THAILAND PASS. The actual E-mail it came from was 

support@team-thpass.online

hope this helps

Oh no I replied to this 

[ace035]

1 hour ago, BBY said:

As requested guys, here is a photo of the Scam mail I received. My actual email replaced with (my email was here)

despite it saying it was from THAILAND PASS. The actual E-mail it came from was 

support@team-thpass.online

hope this helps

Thanks, I'll be aware of that in the next 3 months.

[Koen]

Tourists will except need of vaccination certificate and a negative test before departure, but will stay away if they need tests when arrived . As simple as that. The health insurance is complicating matters (must also explicitely state that it covers covid, man need all that translated to english, ..). 

[alphaDog]

Do the new rules apply to those who arrived in Thailand during the last few days of February (under Phuket Sandbox) and have their day-5 test on or after March 1?

[BBY]

1 hour ago, leannesavvas said:

Oh no I replied to this 

I don’t think you will be alone in this, You probably need somebody with much more knowledge than me to guide you, but I think It might be worth creating a new email address and change any financial accounts that are linked to your existing email account to the new one you created.

I don’t quite understand why they want the last four digits of your passport number, unless they have lots of numbers and lots of passport information that they are trying to tie up with email addresses. I.E. trying to pull two or three separate lists together.

it might be that with the email address, (that they already have) a date of birth and the last four digits of the passport number, they can somehow pull all the relevant info together. 

As an absolute minimum I would change the passwords to very strong ones on all your financial accounts and E-mail accounts.

I believe the latest advice for passwords is, three completely random words unrelated to you. For example  skyfridgetree  could be any three totally random words. It’s very hard for hackers to crack because it doesn’t relate to you. I.E. it cannot be guessed looking at your social media. 

I am sure there are others on the forum with much more knowledge than me, that may be able to add or advise you.

good luck

 

[Soidog]

2 hours ago, BBY said:

I believe the latest advice for passwords is, three completely random words unrelated to you. For example  skyfridgetree  could be any three totally random words. It’s very hard for hackers to crack because it doesn’t relate to you. I.E. it cannot be guessed looking at your social media. 

This is not an area I would claim to have expertise on. However, there are some fantastic new tools and Apps to help. Things like 1Password which will randomly choose a complex 8-12 or more digit/character password for you when you register on a site. Each time you visit the site it will automatically fill in the complex password for you. It relies on either Face ID of a master password. Then there are things like iCloud+ which will allow you to hide your real email address and hence protect you from giving out your actual email. It stops spam and protects your identity. The use of a permanent VPN will also add another layer of protection. While all of the above have limitations, the idea is to make you less of a target. It’s rather like installing an intruder alarm in your home. Not foolproof, but at least the opportunist burglar may move to a softer target. Equally the level of protection in your home and costs are a balance. The more you pay, the better the security.   
 

There are many many more options. A little research and being prepared to pay a little and you can significantly enhance your online security. 

[Chatogaster]

6 hours ago, BBY said:

As requested guys, here is a photo of the Scam mail I received. My actual email replaced with (my email was here)

despite it saying it was from THAILAND PASS. The actual E-mail it came from was 

support@team-thpass.online

hope this helps

 

Yep, that's got phishing written all over it...

• The sender (thpass-team.online) uses a domain that was created on Feb 21 this year. 
• The owner of the email domain is supposedly located in the US, not TH. 
• GDPR masking is used to hide further details about the identity.
• The mail is badly written (funny how this is this always the case).
• The mail contains a threat ("being held responsible by the government" sounds ominous).

Replying will probably result in a follow-up email asking for copies of documents that contain sensitive data (stuff like a bank statement confirming a hotel booking).

Again, thanks for sharing. I hope it helps some people who would otherwise have taken the bait.
 

 

[Chatogaster]

1 hour ago, Soidog said:

[...] Then there are things like iCloud+ which will allow you to hide your real email address and hence protect you from giving out your actual email. It stops spam and protects your identity. [...]

Good tips. A free yet reputable alternative for iCloud+'s email address privacy is DuckDuckGo. It also offers web & app tracking protection (again: for free).