News Forum - BREAKING: Vaccinated travellers from 10 countries allowed to enter without quarantine starting November 1

[kerryd]

So- getting back on topic - a friend of mine just cancelled his trip because a friend of his said Canada wasn't on the list of "10 countries" that would be allowed in.

Typical of a forum user that reads half a headline and then makes up the rest in their own minds.

I had to tell my friend that the "10 countries" were ones that wouldn't have to quarantine when they arrive, and that fully vaccinated people from other countries would also be allowed to come, but would have to stay at an approved hotel for the first week and pay for 2 covid tests.

(And I told him that no one, even the Thai gov't, knows which countries are included in the "10".)

He's also having an issue with the e-visa site as he claims it told him he had to mail his passport (and a money order) to a consulate 1,500 kms away.
Which is wrong as well as the whole purpose of the e-Visa is so that people don't have to mail their passports.

(I even created an account on the e-visa site to try and find more accurate info on the e-visa process but didn't go through with completing an application.)

[HiuMak]

2 minutes ago, kerryd said:

So- getting back on topic - a friend of mine just cancelled his trip because a friend of his said Canada wasn't on the list of "10 countries" that would be allowed in.

Typical of a forum user that reads half a headline and then makes up the rest in their own minds.

I had to tell my friend that the "10 countries" were ones that wouldn't have to quarantine when they arrive, and that fully vaccinated people from other countries would also be allowed to come, but would have to stay at an approved hotel for the first week and pay for 2 covid tests.

(And I told him that no one, even the Thai gov't, knows which countries are included in the "10".)

He's also having an issue with the e-visa site as he claims it told him he had to mail his passport (and a money order) to a consulate 1,500 kms away.
Which is wrong as well as the whole purpose of the e-Visa is so that people don't have to mail their passports.

(I even created an account on the e-visa site to try and find more accurate info on the e-visa process but didn't go through with completing an application.)

10 countries is a start and won't be enough to support the loss tourism. It will have to open up to more countries. Be patience and soon more countries will be added to the list. 

[kerryd]

43 minutes ago, HiuMak said:

10 countries is a start and won't be enough to support the loss tourism. It will have to open up to more countries. Be patience and soon more countries will be added to the list. 

What list ? That's the problem,  there is no "list". All they've done is announce that "10 low risk countries" would be allowed to come in without having to quarantine, without saying who those 10 countries are.

The problem is conflicting information. Like "bars will be allowed to open on 1 Dec but no change to the alcohol policy". So they can open but no matter how many people are in the bar, only 1 can be drinking at a time. Makes perfect sense (to someone).

Or people who spread incorrect information.

Like those who think that only people from those "10  countries" will be allowed to come to Thailand.  Because they didn't read the whole story (or post), or they just "think" they know more than the people actually making the decisions.

So my buddy's friend (who is Canadian) still thinks he will be coming over on 24 Oct even though he told my friend that because Canada wasn't on the "list", my buddy wouldn't be allowed.
(Which makes me scratch my head how my buddy's friend thinks he can come here if the other guy can't.)

[ThailandRyan]

18 minutes ago, kerryd said:

What list ? That's the problem,  there is no "list". All they've done is announce that "10 low risk countries" would be allowed to come in without having to quarantine, without saying who those 10 countries are.

The problem is conflicting information. Like "bars will be allowed to open on 1 Dec but no change to the alcohol policy". So they can open but no matter how many people are in the bar, only 1 can be drinking at a time. Makes perfect sense (to someone).

Or people who spread incorrect information.

Like those who think that only people from those "10  countries" will be allowed to come to Thailand.  Because they didn't read the whole story (or post), or they just "think" they know more than the people actually making the decisions.

So my buddy's friend (who is Canadian) still thinks he will be coming over on 24 Oct even though he told my friend that because Canada wasn't on the "list", my buddy wouldn't be allowed.
(Which makes me scratch my head how my buddy's friend thinks he can come here if the other guy can't.)

Meeting today is to determine the list, and then to also add 16 more for the start of the new year, according to the PM, he just can not wait to get Thailand back on it's feet.

[gummy]

28 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Meeting today is to determine the list, and then to also add 16 more for the start of the new year, according to the PM, he just can not wait to get Thailand back on it's feet.

Well I think many of us are a little sceptical about opening up and I'm sure most hope it can continue but some eminent people are still concerned and rather than "get Thailand back on it's feet" , it may fall flat on it's back. Fingers crossed it does not as millions of people are reliant on the tourist industry.

[longwood50]

16 hours ago, Stonker said:

I write that "the problem ... isn't the individual foreign tourists spreading Covid ... but the TOURISM they bring with them and need: bars, nightlife, travel, relaxed rules on masks and social distancing, etc.",

Yes the evil tourists.  Oh wait.  Thailand has not had any tourists, the bars nightlife, restaurants alcohol prohibition have all been shut.  However Covid continues to expand even with quarantines, mask mandates, social distancing, and curfews.  

Want to try another grabbed out of the air theory that blames the tourists who are not here. 

[longwood50]

19 hours ago, Bob20 said:

Nope, it's both locals and foreigners and by vaccinated and unvaccinated.

If the vaccines are effective than the fully vaccinated tourists present a low risk of being Covid positive.  If that is true without Covid they can not pass it to anyone else.  If the vaccines are as reported upwards of 90% plus effective in preventing Covid they are at low risk of contracting it. 

It you want 100% certainty the only two things are death and taxes.  Is is a certainty that without tourists a substantial portion of the Thailand economy will die and people will also from lack of income.  At some point in time, not just Thailand but the entire world needs to learn to live with Covid as a factor and not try and quarantine itself from it.  

You are far more likely to be injured or killed by another on Thailand's roads than you are from Covid but that does not prevent people each day taking a "reasonable" risk to participate in life. 

[Bob20]

7 minutes ago, longwood50 said:

Yes the evil tourists.  Oh wait.  Thailand has not had any tourists, the bars nightlife, restaurants alcohol prohibition have all been shut.  However Covid continues to expand even with quarantines, mask mandates, social distancing, and curfews.  

Want to try another grabbed out of the air theory that blames the tourists who are not here. 

Just for your education: tourism isn't synonymous with foreigners. Plenty of Thais taking breaks and traveling, spreading the virus. And people are visibly less concerned, showing in no mask wearing and not physically distancing.

Adding to that with foreign tourists, who will travel all over the place and (being vaccinated) asymptomatically and unknowingly still can spread the problem even more.

We've seen this before in lots of places, so how you think it's grabbed out of thin air makes me wonder whether you've just woken up from a very long sleep or just refuse to see reality.

[Bob20]

2 minutes ago, longwood50 said:

If the vaccines are effective than the fully vaccinated tourists present a low risk of being Covid positive.  If that is true without Covid they can not pass it to anyone else.  If the vaccines are as reported upwards of 90% plus effective in preventing Covid they are at low risk of contracting it. 

It you want 100% certainty the only two things are death and taxes.  Is is a certainty that without tourists a substantial portion of the Thailand economy will die and people will also from lack of income.  At some point in time, not just Thailand but the entire world needs to learn to live with Covid as a factor and not try and quarantine itself from it.  

You are far more likely to be injured or killed by another on Thailand's roads than you are from Covid but that does not prevent people each day taking a "reasonable" risk to participate in life. 

I just replied to another one of your posts.

How you fail to have noticed that vaccinated people can still pick up and carry and spread the virus is a mystery to me... I thought everyone knew this by now.

For the people who have not been offered a vaccine yet, movement of large amounts of people is dangerous. Think of Songkran. For the unvaccinated nothing has changed since then!!!

Once all have been offered the vaccine, then the situation is different. The ones that refuse take their own chances.

But everyone should be offered the chance first. The ones who were lucky to get jabbed should not feel privileged and think they can take risks with the ones still waiting.

[Stonker]

59 minutes ago, longwood50 said:

Want to try another grabbed out of the air theory that blames the tourists who are not here. 

You don't seem capable of understanding even the simplest English.

I'm not "blaming" any "tourists who are not here" for the current wave of Covid infections.

What I said, I thought quite clearly, is that if restrictions  (" bars, nightlife, travel, relaxed rules on masks and social distancing, etc.  ") are lifted to attract foreign tourists then symptomatic Covid numbers, hospitalisations and deaths will inevitably rise as a result.

Foreign tourism will be the catalyst, although foreign tourists will not be the direct cause.

I don't know how to put it any more simply.

[Stonker]

1 hour ago, longwood50 said:

If the vaccines are effective than the fully vaccinated tourists present a low risk of being Covid positive.  If that is true without Covid they can not pass it to anyone else.  If the vaccines are as reported upwards of 90% plus effective in preventing Covid they are at low risk of contracting it. 

A very different point, but one which is simply wrong.

The "effectiveness" of the vaccines ("upwards of 90%") varies but it refers to the protection they give from symptoms, hospitalisation and death - not to how much they prevent contraction and transmission.

You're simply confusing two totally different measures.

If you're not aware of that then you really have no idea all of what you're talking about and you're very badly uninformed.

[Stonker]

1 hour ago, longwood50 said:

At some point in time, not just Thailand but the entire world needs to learn to live with Covid as a factor and not try and quarantine itself from it.  

Agreed absolutely, @longwood50, but that "point in time" is when you've vaccinated a reasonable amount of the population, maybe 70 or 80%, not when you're less than halfway there and have only vaccinated a third.

[Mazz11]

3 hours ago, Bob20 said:

I just replied to another one of your posts.

How you fail to have noticed that vaccinated people can still pick up and carry and spread the virus is a mystery to me... I thought everyone knew this by now.

For the people who have not been offered a vaccine yet, movement of large amounts of people is dangerous. Think of Songkran. For the unvaccinated nothing has changed since then!!!

Once all have been offered the vaccine, then the situation is different. The ones that refuse take their own chances.

But everyone should be offered the chance first. The ones who were lucky to get jabbed should not feel privileged and think they can take risks with the ones still waiting.

I agree with you 100% Bob20.

I am desperate to get to Thailand to visit my partner as we have been apart for what seems like a lifetime.

I am fully vaccinated with Astra Zeneca but I am not prepared to come to Thailand at the peril of those who have not had the opportunity to be vaccinated.

[Bob20]

5 minutes ago, Mazz11 said:

I agree with you 100% Bob20.

I am desperate to get to Thailand to visit my partner as we have been apart for what seems like a lifetime.

I am fully vaccinated with Astra Zeneca but I am not prepared to come to Thailand at the peril of those who have not had the opportunity to be vaccinated.

Good to hear, as not many appear to share my view. Of course it's not -you- causing the problem. It's the totality of people traveling and mingling that cause a repeat of Songkran. We see it already now the Thais are starting to move across the country more.

I just hope the vaccination drive gets stepped up. Plenty want the jab but contrary to the ridiculous numbers of doses that are mentioned (178.2m as of today) many just can't get one and the minimum of 1m jabs per day that was promised as of 15 September isn't even met by 50% and those are "official" figures, likely higher than reality.

What many don't understand is that I want the situation to change too, but we're just not there yet.

[ThailandRyan]

3 hours ago, Bob20 said:

Good to hear, as not many appear to share my view. Of course it's not -you- causing the problem. It's the totality of people traveling and mingling that cause a repeat of Songkran. We see it already now the Thais are starting to move across the country more.

I just hope the vaccination drive gets stepped up. Plenty want the jab but contrary to the ridiculous numbers of doses that are mentioned (178.2m as of today) many just can't get one and the minimum of 1m jabs per day that was promised as of 15 September isn't even met by 50% and those are "official" figures, likely higher than reality.

What many don't understand is that I want the situation to change too, but we're just not there yet.

And as you say, it is one of the reasons that as travel has returned to the south that the cases there are also picking up and becoming an issue.

[BikerJohn]

 

 

 

Reopen confirmed

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2197799/quarantine-being-lifted-more-provinces-being-opened

[Bob20]

So the 10 have become 5. You'd think they could count the fingers on both hands without error in one go I guess TAT still had the official government calculator

You just wonder why they add Germany, as it has Thailand on the red-list... Who would come here for a 2-3 week holiday losing time waiting for the PCR result and having compulsary quarantine on return?

And why mention some provinces but not all the ones opening? Why the inbuilt lack of clarity? 

[Griff1315]

5 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

So the 10 have become 5. You'd think they could count the fingers on both hands without error in one go I guess TAT still had the official government calculator

You just wonder why they add Germany, as it has Thailand on the red-list... Who would come here for a 2-3 week holiday losing time waiting for the PCR result and having compulsary quarantine on return?

And why mention some provinces but not all the ones opening? Why the inbuilt lack of clarity? 

What's all the fuss about nobody's coming anyway it's a flop in the making...

[gummy]

9 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

So the 10 have become 5. You'd think they could count the fingers on both hands without error in one go I guess TAT still had the official government calculator

You just wonder why they add Germany, as it has Thailand on the red-list... Who would come here for a 2-3 week holiday losing time waiting for the PCR result and having compulsary quarantine on return?

And why mention some provinces but not all the ones opening? Why the inbuilt lack of clarity? 

Have I missed something that the 10 are now 5 ? which 5 ?

[Bob20]

9 minutes ago, Griff1315 said:

What's all the fuss about nobody's coming anyway it's a flop in the making...

I don't believe the 5k per day either, but there are always some that will use any opportunity. They're not the ones you want either. Usually the ones that take the risk and when it turns sour, shouting because they're caught by "surprise".

Let's hope most are sensible and wait a bit and here a few more can get jabbed first.

[Marc26]

1 hour ago, gummy said:

Have I missed something that the 10 are now 5 ? which 5 ?

US, UK, Germany, SIngapore, China......

 

Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said the CCSA resolved on Thursday to allow in fully vaccinated visitors from Britain, the United States, Germany, Singapore and China if they pass an RT-PCR test before arrival - for an initial period from Nov 1 to Dec 31.

 

[Soidog]

What a dreadfully cynical ploy this is. Only a few days ago it was some grand opening and now look at it. Little more than a small tweak to the sandbox. They’ve added Bangkok which will certainly help with flights for expats wishing to return. What a great time people will have shopping during the day and chilling out in the world famous Bangkok nightlife. Oh wait, not so fast. Not until December 1st and even then possibly until 22:00 or midnight at the very latest. So so cruel to get so many desperate Thais hopes up, only to be dashed yet again. Still, it’s bought them another month and already dangling the carrot for December. 
 

The good news however, is that this backpedaling shows that at least some experts in Thailand know the real situation and hopefully it will avoid further lockdowns in January. 

[vlad]

Wonder how there going to spin the numbers once December is upon them and its just a Trickle. Or as i suspect some official will come out with a stupid figure knowing its just BS again.

[Soidog]

6 minutes ago, vlad said:

Wonder how there going to spin the numbers once December is upon them and its just a Trickle. Or as i suspect some official will come out with a stupid figure knowing its just BS again.

It will be the usual BS and here’s a starter list:

Many of their home countries have restrictions dampening demand. 
 

People need time to adjust their plans. 
 

People are still reluctant to travel but demand for Thailand is high. 
 

Most demand will pick up around Christmas. TAT estimate that the 300 who arrived in November will be 5,000 in December rising to 30,000 in January and 1 Million in February

Foreigners need to understand.

Most foreign governments don’t have the same confidence and control over the virus as we do.
 

People have said they would prefer to come for Songkran when TAT estimate 2 or 3 million visitors will arrive in April  

Blah Blah Blah 

  

[vlad]

Yes Soidog then it will be our fault as TAT made the incredible offer others Country's have not. Look at the Headline on today's headline Soi "  Thailand planning huge Extravaganza costing up to 500 to 600 Million baht for the Re-opening "  Clueless and showing just how stupid they are. Why don't they spend this money on Purchasing Vaccines instead of begging for donated vaccines. On a bright note i suppose all the covid patients can be wheeled out to watch the fireworks.