News Forum - BREAKING: Thailand ENDS Test & Go and Sandbox, changes for unvaccinated travellers

[tezzaaa]

The thing is it does not change much... people will still have to get ripped off getting an insurance that is not even valid if you test positive and end up locked up...

[BIGGLES]

The money markets are not impressed with this news. The Baht just nose dived about the same time as this hit the news. The Baht has lost most if not all the recent gains. Long, long way to go yet. I don't believe you'll see an end to this just yet. I believe the Thai government are in face saving mode at the moment. They will run with this for a while, and hopefully open up fully and scrap all the restrictions in time for 2022/23  High Season. 

Of course, the Elephant in the room is China.

Why is China locking down the way that it is?

They know full well that they can not evade the Omicron strain. Very strange, unless there is something else going on.

Who knows?

[Thaidup]

I am happy for all that are waiting for these easing of restrictions, Big thumbs for you all that want come to Thailand, Feeling happy for you.

[Thaidup]

13 hours ago, BIGGLES said:

The money markets are not impressed with this news. The Baht just nose dived about the same time as this hit the news. The Baht has lost most if not all the recent gains. Long, long way to go yet. I don't believe you'll see an end to this just yet. I believe the Thai government are in face saving mode at the moment. They will run with this for a while, and hopefully open up fully and scrap all the restrictions in time for 2022/23  High Season. 

So tourists will get an extra bang for the dollar, win win situation for visitors to Thailand.

[PapayaBokBok]

So what if a "tourists" says i stay only 2 days and then decides he loves LOS so much he stays "long time"???

[Nathan]

1 hour ago, tezzaaa said:

The thing is it does not change much... people will still have to get ripped off getting an insurance that is not even valid if you test positive and end up locked up...

And how many people are going to be testing positive when testing is not required.

[Dmitrii]

Good news

[oldschooler]

9 hours ago, Mamachigawa said:

Vaccination does not stop one from catching covid-19 or spreading it. Where should the unvaccinated be treated differently?  Might as well drop all requirements if there is no pre-flight test. Insurance is a joke who sells 10,000 policies? A very small amount would hardly pay for a decent motorcycle accident and surgiry

So much ignorance in such a short post. 

[oldschooler]

1 hour ago, Nathan said:

And how many people are going to be testing positive when testing is not required.

Unvaxxed idiots must test on arrival.

how are they even allowed to fly ? 

[oldschooler]

1 hour ago, Nathan said:

And how many people are going to be testing positive when testing is not required.

Still required for the unvaxxed idiots.

can’t see how they can even fly ? 

[oldschooler]

1 hour ago, PapayaBokBok said:

So what if a "tourists" says i stay only 2 days and then decides he loves LOS so much he stays "long time"???

Initial entry stamp is always minimum 15 or 30 days , subject to status, which can be extended by local immigration.

[Guphz]

11 hours ago, Mamachigawa said:

Vaccination does not stop one from catching covid-19 or spreading it.

That is not entirely correct. While vaccines do not stop it 100%, it does offer some protection from getting infected in the first place, and therefore also spreading it.

[Skip]

13 hours ago, Mamachigawa said:

Vaccination does not stop one from catching covid-19 or spreading it. Where should the unvaccinated be treated differently?  Might as well drop all requirements if there is no pre-flight test. Insurance is a joke who sells 10,000 policies? A very small amount would hardly pay for a decent motorcycle accident and surgiry

I agree that a vaccination does not stop one from catching covid-19 or spreading it... but perhaps the unvaccinated are being treated differently  because the rate  and intensity of the infection is higher for that category of people.

Also $10,000 not 10,000THB... pretty good coverage here in Thailand

[Mamachigawa]

14 minutes ago, Skip said:

I agree that a vaccination does not stop one from catching covid-19 or spreading it... but perhaps the unvaccinated are being treated differently  because the rate  and intensity of the infection is higher for that category of people.

Also $10,000 not 10,000THB... pretty good coverage here in Thailand

I didn't write  ANYTHING about dollars. You must be an American. But $10,000 USD would still be a pittiful coverage my main inslutance is unlimited. The travel insurance I was forced to buy is $250,000 DOLLARS and cover covid 19 like any other ailment or accident.

[Skip]

Just now, Mamachigawa said:

I didn't write  ANYTHING about dollars. You must be an American. But $10,000 USD would still be a pittiful coverage my main inslutance is unlimited. The travel insurance I was forced to buy is $250,000 DOLLARS and cover covid 19 like any other ailment or accident.

No one forced you to buy $250,000 insurance... you chose to buy the unlimited coverage... I choose to buy the minimum required coverage and I self insure for anything beyond that.

[KhakiShorts]

My wife and I are coming into the country on a retiree visa in June and we've been waiting on this news for a while now. So glad they've decided to drop the tests on arrival as well as the SHA+ hotels. I'm hoping they do away with the Thailand Pass on June 1 but not getting my hopes up. 

I also hope they do away with outdoors mask mandates. I don't mind wearing one inside or around a bunch of other people but having to wear one walking down the street by yourself is ridiculous. 

[Metoo]

4 hours ago, Guphz said:

That is not entirely correct. While vaccines do not stop it 100%, it does offer some protection from getting infected in the first place, and therefore also spreading it.

I had my booster jab 1 month before catching it.....so would have been maxxed out on defenses, but I still caught it.

The vaccines just keep the infection at bay, they do not stop you from catching it.

[Artemis080]

8 hours ago, tezzaaa said:

The thing is it does not change much... people will still have to get ripped off getting an insurance that is not even valid if you test positive and end up locked up...

In fairness, it changes everything. You don't need to get tested before you fly, or on landing. If your home country doesn't require it, you're never getting tested or risk quarantine unless you really are ill. 

Most international travel insurance policies include covid medical insurance and meet the requirement for the Thai Pass. Unless you were the sort of person that doesn't buy travel insurance, which is pretty dumb since this is SE Asia and have you seen our roads...

Sure, Thai Pass is more onerus than just rocking up with your passport, but really it's now a minor administrative annoyance, and less hassle than a visa.

[oldschooler]

11 hours ago, tezzaaa said:

The thing is it does not change much... people will still have to get ripped off getting an insurance that is not even valid if you test positive and end up locked up...

Er, No. Thai Pass changes are a significant relaxation so are “ much”.

[oldschooler]

9 hours ago, Guphz said:

That is not entirely correct. While vaccines do not stop it 100%, it does offer some protection from getting infected in the first place, and therefore also spreading it.

Yes. Vaccines DO STOP it though, Just in less than 100% of population. Even if infection were stopped by vaccines in just 1% people, the vaccines still “Stops” the Covid infection ( from entering cells). 

When not stopped from entering human cells the infection is battled and often destroyed within the cells by the vaccine- boosted T / B cells.  

Only around 3% of western hospital Covid deaths are Vaxxed ( people with serious conditions). That’s 97% such deaths are Unvaxxed. 

 

[Faz]

The topic is: 'Thailand ends Test and Go/Sandbox changes for unvaccinated travellers'.

Posts about China and Russia are irrelevant to this topic and have been removed, as well as the replies.
 

[Saltire]

Obviously good news for many, but I can't figure out why Thai Pass is stil needed when it seems all it's doing is submitting vaccine status and insurance cover. Seems like a redundant process now when all you need to do is show your papers on arrival, which by some accounts, some airports still ask for anyway despite having a Thai Pass QR code.

Anyway this gives me hope that I can make a UK trip sooner rather then later now.

 

[Faz]

21 hours ago, Mamachigawa said:

Insurance is a joke who sells 10,000 policies? A very small amount would hardly pay for a decent motorcycle accident and surgiry

It's 10,000 USD, that's about 340,00 THB.
If you want cover for motorcycle accidents, then you should have a separate policy in that regard.
General Health Insurance policies often exclude motorcycle/motor vehicle accidents.

[oldschooler]

6 hours ago, Mamachigawa said:

I didn't write  ANYTHING about dollars. You must be an American. But $10,000 USD would still be a pittiful coverage my main inslutance is unlimited. The travel insurance I was forced to buy is $250,000 DOLLARS and cover covid 19 like any other ailment or accident.

$10k =320,000 baht.
Good Personal Accident Insurance ( not Health) for Thailand Only gives 300,000 baht cover per accident per person. In my case aged 65 for 15,000 baht yearly from quality intl insurer CHUBB.
 

Good certainly for broken arm + leg or short illness privately or just needing stitches and cut treatment where premium paid back with one incident. Hospital get paid Direct by Insurer so no out of pocket costs.
 

Simply DONT Drive or so Extreme Sport here if Tourist to avoid wrecked holiday / insurance claim. Walk or Use Good Saloon TAXI. 

My Lady aged 40 and son aged 8 cost is 7,500 baht yearly each for same PA cover. No Excess / Deductible.

Important though in MAJOR accident carrying ONLY PA or 10k Health Ins. to get to Govt. Hospital ( write on carry card !) whose Emergency / Basic Service often uses same Doctors as Private and whose Tariff is one third / quarter of Private Hospital Price List. 300k goes much further. 
 

minor motorbike spill needing stitches but no broken bones might cost 20,000 baht privately or 7,000 baht public so go Nearest Private Hospital as well within limit. paid direct to hospital by insurer. No out of pocket payments.

Most serious accidents with say broken arm & leg would be covered at Public or Private Hospital by the 300k PA or Health limit. Exercise tight money control at Private though …..price list check for ALL before proceeding. 

NOT Brain / Heart / Lung major treatment / ops though. You wouldn’t want Public Only Private !

 

 

 

[Faz]

4 minutes ago, Saltire said:

Obviously good news for many, but I can't figure out why Thai Pass is stil needed when it seems all it's doing is submitting vaccine status and insurance cover.

It's a pre-check to ensure you meet the requirements and don't get refused boarding.