Phuket governer reviews rules, new details for July 1 arrivals

[bushav8r]

6 hours ago, Jimmy said:

Can someone please post a link to the list of LOW RISK COUNTRIES?

Thank you

No.  I was going to post a link, but it no longer exists.  It wasn't a very big list.  I am sure the list and the requirements will change soon. 

[AlexPTY]

12 minutes ago, Tjampman said:

Domestic flights? Did Thai Air start flying into phuket already?

I heard if you want to go to phuket from Bangkok you need to go by bus! Don't know if that is true.

The "bah koh soh" bus...

There are 37 flights scheduled, according to airportthai website for today to arrive in Phuket, mostly AirAsia, VietJet, Lion, Thai, Smile, Bangkok Airways, all cancelled, there was 1 flight landed yesterday and 2 day before.

I am trying to see how many flights and from where will be landing after sandbox will be opened.

There was leaked info for June 1st with 5 flights arriving with Qatar Air from Doha being a first "red carpet" arrival. I assume this will be a dog-and-pony show for the media.

[JamesE]

8 hours ago, EdwardV said:

"After the 2 week arrival period, those wishing to travel to other parts of Thailand would be tested again before exiting." - Wait does that mean a 5th test? First is a pre flight test, second upon arrival, third at day 6 or 7, fourth at day 12 or 13, and a fifth after your 14 night stay and before you will be allowed to leave the island? In effect day 15 or later. Clearly someone in Thailand is making money on testing.  

And all of these are on your dime (or whatever the currency-equivalent saying is where you come from...). For me it would be US$90 before I leave and then 4x US$100 in Thailand plus 1x US$100 before I come home. That's almost 20KBaht just in testing. Plus you're going to pay for high-priced hotel food for 3 days and buy all your food elsewhere for the remainder (if you're let off property without an escort, which will cost more) and add your hotel package and transport on top of that.

All of a sudden a 60KBaht ASQ in Bangkok in a suite with a balcony and all your transport, food, and testing included doesn't sound like too harsh an experience.

[triplebogey]

this may be a little off topic, but if you are an expat or returning Thai with a home in Phuket. You arrive and check in to hotel. you received your negative test. you now go to your home do not check out of hotel and do not return until your next test did you violate rules. you have not left the island and I have not read about any curfew to be back at hotel.

 

just curious

[bushav8r]

1 hour ago, AlexPTY said:

in the meantime all flights to Phuket today, June 24th, are cancelled, i fonder for how long the airlines will cope with this bull$#%t?

 

5 hours ago, Bonanzo said:

Up to now nobody has been able to register with the embassies for this scheme.

Unless they get their finger out and announce the scheme on the entrythailand website, there will be absolutely nobody arriving on 1st July

Where did they put their finger?  Must be in the stink and not the pink.

[AussieBob]

I have been saying for a while it is a cluster phark in Thailand - and it is certainly heading in that direction - and that makes me feel sad for the ordinary Thai people who believe all the rubbish their Govt is saying and are hoping to get some business from tourists.  I do like that the PM said 120 days and they will be open no matter what - and I hope he rams it through them all. In fact if he does that and gets the people to agree then he might just save his political career. Thailand people are suffering and they need business - they dont get welfare like in the west.  The Thai Govt needs to get the people vaccinated faster, and then in October open it all up and let it happen - vaccinated yes - then come on in - it is up to the tourists whether they come or not. 

Here is Aust they are going to maintain lockdown and we cannot travel overseas without prior approval for 'special reasons'. But they will one day also have to bite the bullet - C19 aint going away - ever.  Tests and quarantine do not work - there is no cure - it just has to be managed.  Aperson here in Aust caught C19 (delta) from someone in the same quarantine hotel that was 4 floors below - - - via a fully vaccinated worker who tested negative every day until 3 days after that person had left the hotel. Meanwhile that person who tested negative in the quarantine hotel and also tested negative twice, then travelled around and gave C19 delta to others.  She was fully vaccinated had tested negative twice and had no symptons ever (still does not) - many times it has been proven - you cannot stop a virus !!

 John Rahm was leading a Prop golf tournament 2 weeks ago by 6 shots with 1 day to go ($1million winning purse) - but because he was tested positive he had to withdraw. 2 days later he tests negative.  Another 3 days later he tests negative.  After 10 days and another negative test and no symptoms he was allowed to rejoin the Pro golf circuit -  he just won the US Open last weekend. False positives and false negatives are everywhere - they are unreliable - the time has come for Thailand to just bite the bullet - because the cure is worse than the disease.  October or bust. If tourists are vaccinated then let them in - a test on arrival - and then no tests no quarantine and no conditions.  Test positive on arrival and then sorry, but you have C19 and Travel insurance to pay for the hospital quarantine and other tests and loss of money paid for hotels etc. 

[AussieBob]

11 minutes ago, triplebogey said:

this may be a little off topic, but if you are an expat or returning Thai with a home in Phuket. You arrive and check in to hotel. you received your negative test. you now go to your home do not check out of hotel and do not return until your next test did you violate rules. you have not left the island and I have not read about any curfew to be back at hotel.

just curious

you must return to the hotel each night (not sure exact time) and each morning you can leave. dont ask.

[bushav8r]

10 minutes ago, triplebogey said:

this may be a little off topic, but if you are an expat or returning Thai with a home in Phuket. You arrive and check in to hotel. you received your negative test. you now go to your home do not check out of hotel and do not return until your next test did you violate rules. you have not left the island and I have not read about any curfew to be back at hotel.

just curious

They will be tracking you.  Either by your phone or a wrist band.  Maybe even an exploding neck band.  If you venture out of the sandbox your head will pop off!  

[triplebogey]

7 minutes ago, bushav8r said:

They will be tracking you.  Either by your phone or a wrist band.  Maybe even an exploding neck band.  If you venture out of the sandbox your head will pop off!  

time to invite ex wife

[KaptainRob]

7 minutes ago, AussieBob said:

~

 John Rahm was leading a Prop golf tournament 2 weeks ago by 6 shots with 1 day to go ($1million winning purse) - but because he was tested positive he had to withdraw. 2 days later he tests negative.  Another 3 days later he tests negative.  After 10 days and another negative test and no symptoms he was allowed to rejoin the Pro golf circuit -  he just won the US Open last weekend. False positives and false negatives are everywhere - they are unreliable - the time has come for Thailand to just bite the bullet - because the cure is worse than the disease.  October or bust. If tourists are vaccinated then let them in - a test on arrival - and then no tests no quarantine and no conditions.  Test positive on arrival and then sorry, but you have C19 and Travel insurance to pay for the hospital quarantine and other tests and loss of money paid for hotels etc. 

Excellent post Bob and I totally agree with all points made. 

I have been saying/wondering similarly since Songkran, how many +ve tests put people into quarantine field hospitals.   

At one stage the massive convention centre and Mae Jo Uni hall were thought to be full, only to see a high percentage all discharged 14 days later.  Obviously a lot of false positive tests, believed to be ~50%, and others with whom the virus held little or no consequence.  However, ALL those false +ve's were counted in the stats of a./ infected and b./ recovered.

[KaptainRob]

43 minutes ago, JamesE said:

And all of these are on your dime (or whatever the currency-equivalent saying is where you come from...). For me it would be US$90 before I leave and then 4x US$100 in Thailand plus 1x US$100 before I come home. That's almost 20KBaht just in testing. Plus you're going to pay for high-priced hotel food for 3 days and buy all your food elsewhere for the remainder (if you're let off property without an escort, which will cost more) and add your hotel package and transport on top of that.

All of a sudden a 60KBaht ASQ in Bangkok in a suite with a balcony and all your transport, food, and testing included doesn't sound like too harsh an experience.

The testing requirement and fees are ridiculous.  Price checked a Novotel Kamala hotel room for 14 days looks like ~ 17k baht, maybe plus add-ons.  It's a nice hotel at the far northern end of the beach so a reasonable walk to go anywhere for a cheap meal.  Scooter hire is inexpensive and almost essential.  Good thing about Kamala is the large resident population there which ensures a high proportion of businesses are open.  Unlike other beach areas, Kata, Karon, Rawai etc which are dead quiet.

[Best accom in Kamala, as previously noted, is in my opinion the centrally located Sunprime resort with accom from ~33k for 2 weeks incl taxes]  

Yes, I agree, a Bangkok ASQ deal isn't such a bad way to go when you add up the sandtrap costs and potential for lockdown/hospitalisation.

[bushav8r]

1 hour ago, JamesE said:

And all of these are on your dime (or whatever the currency-equivalent saying is where you come from...). For me it would be US$90 before I leave and then 4x US$100 in Thailand plus 1x US$100 before I come home. That's almost 20KBaht just in testing. Plus you're going to pay for high-priced hotel food for 3 days and buy all your food elsewhere for the remainder (if you're let off property without an escort, which will cost more) and add your hotel package and transport on top of that.

All of a sudden a 60KBaht ASQ in Bangkok in a suite with a balcony and all your transport, food, and testing included doesn't sound like too harsh an experience.

Exactly.  That is my plan.

[321BOOM]

10 hours ago, Vwwv said:

5 tests? What do those cost in phuket? Could see one maybe 2 but 5.GTFO Thailand. Are any if the hotels there owned by govt members as well? looks like it's gonna have about as much response as that stupid STV plan they tried last time. How many showed up for that after all. About 150 I recall.

As far as I remember a PCR test on Phuket is minimum 3.000 THB, so around 100bucks. Its a complete rip off, in Dubai for example they are less than the half. Its nothing else than another legal way to scam foreigners.

My recommendation to everyone is to stay away from LOScam. There are other places to visit, nicer, cleaner, friendlier and more civilized.

We left LOScam for good 3 weeks ago after 7 years living on Phuket and we not regret it one second that we left. Actually we should have left earlier.

 

[Spinner]

My wife who is Thai and is based in Hong Kong but has sold up and planned to join me at our home in Chalong . She has been refused a COE to join me in Phuket as part of the Ridiculous Sandbox .

 

We have had a house in Chalong for 20 years andI have lived here on a retirement visa for many years .We both had 2 Sinovac injections in April .

I have already completed my quarantine.

If she was a Farang she would get the COE 

Is there any justice left in Thailand ? 

 

 

 

[321BOOM]

1 hour ago, KaptainRob said:

Excellent post Bob and I totally agree with all points made. 

I have been saying/wondering similarly since Songkran, how many +ve tests put people into quarantine field hospitals.   

At one stage the massive convention centre and Mae Jo Uni hall were thought to be full, only to see a high percentage all discharged 14 days later.  Obviously a lot of false positive tests, believed to be ~50%, and others with whom the virus held little or no consequence.  However, ALL those false +ve's were counted in the stats of a./ infected and b./ recovered.

Absolute correct. I remember me searching the internet around 1 year ago when all this started searching for information about reliability of PCR tests.

What I found was a pdf of a leaflet where it was written that if your are tested negative this is no guarantee that you are not infected with the Virus as the test is only 70percent accurate and you should consult a doctor anyway if you have symptoms. This means that also if you are tested positive you can be actually negative but this surely would not be mentioned in the leaflet.

The whole virus threat is completely exaggerated benefiting the pharma industry and used by governments all around the world to gain more control over citizens with apps, tracking modules etc..

One good example are cashless payments which are now more and more advertised and promoted with being save as no physical money is exchanged. People fall for it - more and more - not understanding that the target of the governments is to track cash flows instead of taking care of the peoples well being.

Its actually astonishing to see the stupidity of the majority of the world population. Seed fear and rule through it works more good than ever.

 

 

[RayW]

Sandbox good luck. Just one question .

Who pays for all the tests ?

Ray

[KaptainRob]

@321BOOM - getting a bit off-topic here but in essence I agree with your post.  Governments enjoy greater control and more avenues for taxation, less black money etc. 

As Australians may recall, an Ansett levy was added to Departure taxes in 2001 in order to pay off staff entitlements following the airlines demise.  As far as I know this was never removed, Gov't. citing increased security measures etc, and surplus billions have been raised over the past 20 years.  A 3 hour flight across the Tasman will often cost more in taxes than actual airline charges.

[KaptainRob]

10 minutes ago, RayW said:

Sandbox good luck. Just one question .

Who pays for all the tests ?

Ray

The 'tourist'.  If there is ONE :)

[King Cotton]

12 hours ago, Gyldholm said:

Funny that Thai airways fly from copenhagen to Phuket, when Denmark is not on the low-risk country list???

Fair point!

 

Hello, Gyldholm and welcome to Thaiger Talk

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[King Cotton]

11 hours ago, TerryC said:

A lot of money if they manage to get many tourists . Ireland is an expensive country that I live in. Yet the PCR test pre travel IS €70... much cheaper that the proposed charge for the test in Phuket.. where the admin costs are far less that those in Ireland ... it's a scam .. 

Absolutely! The nearer we get to 1 July, the messier it's looking.

 

Hello, TerryC and welcome to Thaiger Talk

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[King Cotton]

10 hours ago, Adam said:

After reading the updated requirements put in place by the Thai government regarding tourists arriving July 1 my response is “Good Luck” for they will need it. Personally I don’t see many if any Americans or Canadians willing to travel 10,000 miles for the “pleasure” of visiting Phuket. Quite honestly the Caribbean islands as well as Central & South America offer value for money with less travel time and less restrictions. Thailand may see North Americans in late 2022 at the earliest. 

Yeah . . . good luck, indeed!

 

Hello, Adam and welcome to Thaiger Talk

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[King Cotton]

8 hours ago, Pat said:

So there will be 5 PCR Tests!?! Bangkok Hospital charges 3.800 THB for one, this means 19.000 THB.

And that's a lot of mazuma!

 

Hello, Pat and welcome to Thaiger Talk

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[King Cotton]

6 hours ago, Jackson said:

I’m happy to see people are finally openly questioning what will be the procedure if one receives a positive result on a covid test. Many articles state what will happen when a negative result is encountered but then never continue onto the procedure of what happens when a positive result is encountered. One can assume a positive result would land you in a hospital, but for how long? Will you be there for 14 days? Will you be tested daily and released immediately upon a negative result? This a key gating issue that the government really should address.

Some fair questions asked here.

 

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[King Cotton]

6 hours ago, Claymore said:

“We”  need put this all into perspective.

1) Lots of  people would be feeling insecure in relation to there employment and may not wish to take holidays 

2) Disposable income is now more important than even and there may not be many who wish to spen on holidays 

3) The potential risk of getting “stuck’ in Thailand is not unrealistic 

4) Once in Thailand what exactly is there to do, what will be open what will be closed 

5) upon returning to ones home country, there will be a good chance 2 weeks isolation will be required, as such this means in most cases where people get 4 weeks of holidays per year, 50% of which will be in isolation.

6) when or if this all goes bad, the resulting fallout will be significant.

I actually can not see this being a success, however l am most probably wrong.

Cheers

Excellent debut post that will keep your 'inbox' busy, for sure!

 

Hello, Claymore and welcome to Thaiger Talk

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[Steven]

12 hours ago, BIGGLES said:

Why on earth would you put yourself through this?

They already require you to have been fully vaccinated.

They require you to have had a negative PCR test 72 hours before departure/arrival.

 After taking these precautions, what happens if you test positive? How do we know if it is not a false positive? Will you be taken off to some field hospital, (tent on the outskirts of a swamp)? How  much is this going to cost $ 100,000?

Then what happens if they reach their low target of 90 new infections (close the whole place down again)?

Even if you're desperate enough to go through all this, for what?

The place looked better after the 2004 Tsunami. Tropical Paradise, its a dump!

They really need to get the infrastructure cleaned up and in tip top condition. Why would travel 6000 miles (20 hours or so), spend a huge amount of time and effort to be in a dump, surrounded by people who, at best, have had some Mickey Mouse vaccine. They need to remember that they live in a third world country and we don't.  Ergo, we are better vaccinated than they will ever be, unfair I know, but hey hoe!

Nuts!

Completely nuts to subject ourselves to this!

Yeap, this is ridiculous.

They are very desperate. Their country economic outlook isnt illustrating not even a flat line for next 4Qs. It is diving. The average Joe's and Janes have most certainly depleted their savings and now propably living on credit. The worst is, they dont have reserve or credit facilities to back up this vital industry. 

And they are trying to minimizing risk. Directly, they just shifted risks and liabilities to their customers AKA tourists. They want to take ZERO risk while hoping retardily for a sizable tourism revenue that would keep them afloat from a total credit driedup. There is no such thing as ZERO risk. 

Well, Just canceled my trip to Phuk-it! And Phuk-em!