News Forum - Phuket tourism operators want COE process reformed, other rules amended

[Thaiger]

Tourism operators on the southern island of Phuket are calling for the certificate of entry process to be reformed in order to attract more sandbox visitors. And, according to Bhummikitti Ruktaengam from the Phuket Tourist Association, they would also like to see changes made to other entry criteria. “Simplifying the certificate of entry process is the first and foremost key to bringing back more international arrivals along with further relaxation in other settings.” According to a Bangkok Post report, Bhummikitti is not calling for the COE to be cancelled, as he describes it as a useful screening tool. However, he […]

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[Griff1315]

A new day another whine from the Shatbox Phuket. Just open everything let them do what they want but close the bridge coming out keep the rest of Thailand safe...

[Bob20]

I suggest that tourists who arrive double vaccinated and PCR-negative demand a certificate from the Phuket and other Thai authorities: 

The certificate of high level of vaccination of locals with a decent vaccine!

So that the tourist can actually have an enjoyable holiday without nonsensical restrictions that are in place because of the shortcomings in Thailand. Perhaps then they will come.

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

13 minutes ago, Griff1315 said:

A new day another whine

Just not in bars or restaurants! 

[farang]

im glad to hear of thailand to open.thats great.i also hope they will drop the insurance requirement also.im like a few 100.000  to 250,000 guys who are ready to return,but the insurance  deal has up stuck.if 75 or over you cant buy it.so what do you do? i wish they would drop it and just require everyone who comes on a 30 day stay pays on arrival $100 usd that goes into a thai medical fund.60 day stay pay $200 usd.90 day stay pay $300 usd.for 6 months  make it $500 usd and a year visa  $800 to $1,000 usd.if this was collected from every visitor coming to thai on arriving it would more than offset any  expence.most will never use it and most coming already have their home country insurance that will pay them anyway.same for me,i have insurance in usd that pays world wide but the visa section dont accept it.i hope someone will look at this soon.ive been staying in thai on an o/a visa for 18 years and wanting to return now to be with my gf of 12 years.missed this last winter all together.now im only blocked by this insurance .hope its changed soon.hopeing to be there in nov  as soon as possible please.thanks thaiger news.

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

28 minutes ago, Thaiger said:

. “Simplifying the certificate of entry process is the first and foremost key to bringing back more international arrivals along with further relaxation in other settings.”

Either keep it or scrap it. Please don't go down the "simplifying" road, it'll only end up being even more complicated!

[Bob20]

5 minutes ago, farang said:

...im like a few 100.000  to 250,000 guys who are ready to return......

You work for TAT maybe?

[farang]

5 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

You work for TAT maybe?

bob 20, i wish i did ,maybe i could lift these restrictions!!

[HolyCowCm]

28 minutes ago, Griff1315 said:

A new day another whine from the Shatbox Phuket.

But not enjoying a wine.

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

2 minutes ago, farang said:

bob 20, i wish i did ,maybe i could lift these restrictions!!

Then you would need to work for the CCSA.

[Bob20]

2 minutes ago, farang said:

bob 20, i wish i did ,maybe i could lift these restrictions!!

Nah, TAT can only dream up ridiculous numbers for PR (and our forum entertainment ) but have no power to change anything...

[HolyCowCm]

23 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

I suggest that tourists who arrive double vaccinated and PCR-negative demand a certificate from the Phuket and other Thai authorities: 

The certificate of high level of vaccination of locals with a decent vaccine!

So that the tourist can actually have an enjoyable holiday without nonsensical restrictions that are in place because of the shortcomings in Thailand. Perhaps then they will come.

What is your definition of a decent vaccine besides Pfizer, or the non existent Moderna or the non existent J&J that is actually approved here? Just had to ask.

I do agree that holidays should be fun if they have decent checks and balances that work for the safety of the unvaccinated folk. So far the don't have a clue, but how hard could it be if you really had a bubble and then pinned it to a 2km by 2km closed area.

 

[Tanuki]

I, {like many others) are primed & ready to return, BUT...I really do not want to jump thru all those hoops..Here in the UK a very large percentage of us are all 'jabbed-up', and have some form of proof of this. I for one are staying in my little village home till the Thai's drop the CoE, Drop their new visas in favour of their original ones, revise their insurance stipulations, and sort out once and for all if we need quarantine or not. They always change their rules every damn week !

 Added to that I would be bringing cash with me, that at the moment in the LoS I am unable to spend..(I am NOT in the habit of paying 'Falang prices to see a waterfall, or making donations to temples.)

Also, my regular (adventure sports) insurance company will not cover me while Thailand is on the UK's red-list... Is it really so hard for the powers-that-be in Thailand to realise WHY tourists/long-stayers are NOT booking to return..?

[Bob20]

12 minutes ago, HolyCowCm said:

What is your definition of a decent vaccine besides Pfizer, or the non existent Moderna or the non existent J&J that is actually approved here? Just had to ask.

I do agree that holidays should be fun if they have decent checks and balances that work for the safety of the unvaccinated folk. So far the don't have a clue, but how hard could it be if you really had a bubble and then pinned it to a 2km by 2km closed area.

It was meant ironically.

We know what gives protection with minimal risk. The problem is that they obviously don't have the amounts they claim or they would experiment with 20% doses. And all jab-locations still closed in CM since Friday says enough.

What you are proposing won't work either. You can't pin people down unless there is a border and even then they "escape". Besides, it activates the Thai movement with airports, trains and buses and other transport and services, which is what moves the virus around.

Again it was meant ironically. Tourists need to be assured that Thailand has its house in order before they return. And we're a long way off.

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

20 minutes ago, AdvocatusDiaboli said:

Then you would need to work for the CCSA.

Or if he beats prajut to become PM? A disguise set from Lazada and learn some Thai. The rest must be easy.

[Bob20]

3 minutes ago, Tanuki said:

I, {like many others) are primed & ready to return, BUT...I really do not want to jump thru all those hoops..Here in the UK a very large percentage of us are all 'jabbed-up', and have some form of proof of this. I for one are staying in my little village home till the Thai's drop the CoE, Drop their new visas in favour of their original ones, revise their insurance stipulations, and sort out once and for all if we need quarantine or not. They always change their rules every damn week !

 Added to that I would be bringing cash with me, that at the moment in the LoS I am unable to spend..(I am NOT in the habit of paying 'Falang prices to see a waterfall, or making donations to temples.)

Also, my regular (adventure sports) insurance company will not cover me while Thailand is on the UK's red-list... Is it really so hard for the powers-that-be in Thailand to realise WHY tourists/long-stayers are NOT booking to return..?

It's not you we're worried about.

We're worried the virus spreads to all corners of the country through all the movement that tourism creates, both by you (because you can pick up and spread the virus here) and the locals, while too many Thais will suffer disease and death while they are still unprotected. 

The country is not ready for it as we are long behind the west with vaccinations.

[EdwardV]

“an end to the policy of moving tourists to alternative state quarantine hotels” - good first step to help take some of the  risk out of the trip. Testing positive is one thing, being sent to quarantine because someone else did it too much. 

[Stonker]

1 hour ago, Thaiger said:

He would also like to see officials adopt an automated system for checking vaccine certificates, pointing out that the current manual checks will not be sustainable once tourist numbers increase.

How?

[Stonker]

19 minutes ago, Tanuki said:

Is it really so hard for the powers-that-be in Thailand to realise WHY tourists/long-stayers are NOT booking to return..?

Is it really so hard for wannabe tourists to realise why they're not wanted here yet?

[HolyCowCm]

18 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

It was meant ironically.

We know what gives protection with minimal risk. The problem is that they obviously don't have the amounts they claim or they would experiment with 20% doses. And all jab-locations still closed in CM since Friday says enough.

What you are proposing won't work either. You can't pin people down unless there is a border and even then they "escape". Besides, it activates the Thai movement with airports, trains and buses and other transport and services, which is what moves the virus around.

Again it was meant ironically. Tourists need to be assured that Thailand has its house in order before they return. And we're a long way off.

Yeah, I figured as much, but had to ask. It wouldn't work but I keep on trying to think of a real way they could do it so people could come from abroad and have fun. For open or boxed domestic tourism, forget it as there is nothing that would work without spreading the virus..

 

[Jackson]

There is absolutely no way I’m returning while there is a possibility of being thrown into an ASQ simply because I was on the same flight as another passenger who happened to be infected. I will not return while this practice is active.

[MrStretch]

1 hour ago, farang said:

most coming already have their home country insurance that will pay them anyway.same for me,i have insurance in usd that pays world wide but the visa section dont accept it.

That, to me, is the most pressing change that needs to be made.  If the traveler has a letter from his insurance company verifying that he was Covid coverage in Thailand, with the amount, then it needs to be accepted.

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

14 minutes ago, Stonker said:

Is it really so hard for wannabe tourists to realise why they're not wanted here yet?

They don’t call themselves tourists now ….. they call themselves Influencers.

[Stonker]

1 hour ago, MrStretch said:

That, to me, is the most pressing change that needs to be made.  If the traveler has a letter from his insurance company verifying that he was Covid coverage in Thailand, with the amount, then it needs to be accepted.

The problem is, what's to stop them typing it themselves?

The approved policies can all be easily verified by Immigration - letters can't.

[AlexPTY]

i think Phuket should form a sovereign country. They are such a whiny little bit#$s