News Forum - Thailand is open for tourism again, sort of

[Thaiger]

OPINION The opening you have when you’re not quite open. Quarantine-free arrival, except that you’ll still need to book at least 1 night of stay in an approved hotel or AQ (alternative quarantine). No bars are open (officially) and, in most parts of the country, most shops remain closed. In tourist-dependent places like Phuket, more than 90% of the formerly open shops remain closed. So how ‘open’ is Thailand as it approaches the magic November 1 deadline? It’s certainly more open than most other Asian countries at this time. At least there’s now a determination by the Thai government , […]

The story Thailand is open for tourism again, sort of as seen on Thaiger News.

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[EdwardV]

 

The Bangkok Post reports: “These no-quarantine measures apply to arrivals by chartered flights at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui, U-Tapao and Buri Ram airports. Arrivals on other kinds of flights must enter "sandbox" programs” - chartered flights only? Does that mean I can’t take a normally schedule flight on a major airline? I need to come as part of a group? If so why would Thailand do that? It’s would be like purposely hamstringing it from the start. I thought the idea was to bring in higher spending tourists? The kind that fly in on business or first class. Not those coming in 5 day tour groups. Anyone know what’s going on with the flight requirements? 

 

Edited October 23, 2021 by EdwardV
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[Shade_Wilder]

"The recent flurry of whittling away at Thailand’s Covid restrictions, and the almost daily announcements of new re-entry procedures, is a clear narrative that Thailand’s tourist industry can’t let another high season slip by with draconian border closures."

The quote above is the one for me. I am not sure if Thailand should or should not re-open now because of Covid, but I know a lot of Thais in the tourist business who are hanging on by the skin of their teeth. Barely hanging on.

If you let another high-season go by, you'll need to provide massive economic assistance to a HUGE group of Thai people. And, none of this piddling 2,000-3,000 Baht here and there; you'll need prolonged  and comprehensive assistance.

This is a turning point in Thai history.

 

 

Edited October 23, 2021 by Shade_Wilder
Delling

[KaptainRob]

5 minutes ago, EdwardV said:

The Bangkok Post reports: “These no-quarantine measures apply to arrivals by chartered flights at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui, U-Tapao and Buri Ram airports. Arrivals on other kinds of flights must enter "sandbox" programs” - chartered flights only? Does that mean I can’t talk a normally schedule flight on a major airline? I need to come as part of a group? If so why would Thailand do that? It’s would be like purposely hamstringing it from the start. I thought the idea was to bring in higher spending tourists? The kind that fly in on business or first class. Not those coming in 5 day tour groups. Anyone know what’s going on with the flight requirements? 

That's an incorrect interpretation, disregard the word "chartered" as far as the major airports are concerned.

I don't know why any scheduled or charter flights would come in via Buriram but U-Tapao could see a Russian charter flight.   All other airports will receive mainly scheduled flights.

[NAS]

We travelled in via Phuket sandbox, Coe’d for 14 days but got a simple refund on pcr test 3, decided to stay in Phuket 14 days anyway (with our exceptional hotel offer at the Centara Beach Resort) and then drove down to Hua hin. Simple, enjoyable and efficient! 
 

The new one night hotel stay will avoid testing bottlenecks at the airports as number increase

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

58 minutes ago, Thaiger said:

So how ‘open’ is Thailand? Not fully open but the door is opening wide, quickly.

It's really great for returnees, in particular the ones who travel back an forth due to work etc. But for tourists... I'd say no.

[Robbie_Flyer]

Nobody seems to mention the official announcement says you also need to also take a test on day 6-7 and report the results on the tracking app. Also nobody is saying what happens if a day 1 or day 6-7 test shows positive. Are you then sent to some sort of special hotel or quarantine facility or locked in your room where you are? Or are you sent to hospital even if you don't need treatment? Who pays the costs, as insurance only pays out if you actually need to be treated? Will you be quarantined if someone else sitting near you on the flight tests positive, as happened to some unfortunate tourists in Phuket?

When you go on holiday you don't want worries. Thailand might be opening the door slightly more than their neighbours, but that's not going to be enough.  SE Asia isn't the only beautiful place to go, for instance places in central America and the Caribbean make it very easy and worry free as long as you've been vaccinated...

[Tim]

it's another small step in the right direction, but when you look at it, a pass instead of a coe, a 50k insurance instead of 100k, it's all same same but different...

[longwood50]

I still have not heard what Thailand thinks the end game is.  Lets assume that somehow Thailand got to zero cases of Covid.  Then What?   As soon as the country permits entry either by land, sea, or air into the country the cycle of infection starts again. Consider, covid started because 1 single person got infected and it passed to millions around the world. 

The sooner Thailand recognizes that it needs to learn to coexist with covid rather than try to isolate itself the better.  I live here in Thailand and don't want to leave and return because of the hassle and expense.  Do they really think that true tourists who wish to vacation in Thailand for one or two weeks will.  Certainly some, but it will be a small fraction of the former tourist traffic and not enough to keep the tourist dependent businesses open.   The more of them that go bankrupt and close, the less reason foreign tourists have to choose Thailand to visit. 

 

[Dragan]

22 minutes ago, Tim said:

it's another small step in the right direction, but when you look at it, a pass instead of a coe, a 50k insurance instead of 100k, it's all same same but different...

True

[riclag]

My wife, “ for sure ,this year ,not go holiday “ . Na!

[Bob20]

Similar here in CM. The market that was closed two weeks ago because of a Covid outbreak, opened again today. However, there is a thermometer check at entrances and vendors must have proof of vaccination.

As nearly nobody was vaccinated, the market is now "open" but 95% of stalls are closed. It can take a while before infected sick vendors have recovered. And it takes even longer for those who were in the clear to be double jabbed, while the government for now is only "considering" sending the vaccines.

Same as with the south, you wonder why they haven't sent them earlier with the massive number of 178.2m doses they throw around. Or why they now have to "consider" it.

And then the 1m donated Pfizer and 3m donated Moderna that they are delaying with paperwork on the Thai side.

If there isn't a vaccine shortage, they are wilfully negligent by not providing them. And if despite their bragging with big numbers they're still short, then it's pure incompetence not to get on with getting the donations to Thailand quicker.

[riclag]

1 hour ago, Robbie_Flyer said:

Nobody seems to mention the official announcement says you also need to also take a test on day 6-7 and report the results on the tracking app. Also nobody is saying what happens if a day 1 or day 6-7 test shows positive. Are you then sent to some sort of special hotel or quarantine facility or locked in your room where you are? Or are you sent to hospital even if you don't need treatment? Who pays the costs, as insurance only pays out if you actually need to be treated? Will you be quarantined if someone else sitting near you on the flight tests positive, as happened to some unfortunate tourists in Phuket?

When you go on holiday you don't want worries. Thailand might be opening the door slightly more than their neighbours, but that's not going to be enough.  SE Asia isn't the only beautiful place to go, for instance places in central America and the Caribbean make it very easy and worry free as long as you've been vaccinated...

All of those Cons you mentioned are very concerning and worthy of a stressful holiday ! No sarcasm!

What will Thai officials do with travelers if covid shows up on a test and what about your travel companion,if they come up positive,both individuals will be affected .

[Jason]

The thing I find most unusual is the list of countries. I'm not quite sure how the country you come from makes any difference. You have to be PCR tested. You have to be fully vaccinated. So why does it matter which country you come from? Is this some kind of "safeguard" to make the Thai People feel better? .....It's ok, it's ok Thai People! We won't let anyone in from countries that have high case numbers. The real elephant in the room is the vaccination numbers in Thailand. First dose, second dose in each province as a percentage of the population. Thais don't want to catch Covid...neither do I. 

[Jason]

The other consideration is how hospitals in Thailand would cope with an uptick in cases. Not from tourists coming in, but because of the low vaccination rate and the use of Chinese vaccines, so widespread in Thailand.  

[Jason]

PS Tim...you really do look like Werner Klemperer's stunt double! If you start wearing a monocle......

[geriglines]

Chinese are not coming yet !

[Poolie]

12 minutes ago, geriglines said:

Chinese are not coming yet !

More's the pity.

[TomBoe]

To be honest... Its worse right now as it was before... Coe registration isn't working anymore, thailand pass still not online.... You still need any of those? Nobody tells! I want to travel on November 1st from a "save country" and its a big gamble. Its highly possible i burn thousands of chf... Thailand wants/needs tourists but the whole process is really unpleasant und unsave. I really think i have to cancel all my bookings

Edited October 23, 2021 by TomBoe

[Rookie]

6 hours ago, Robbie_Flyer said:

Nobody seems to mention the official announcement says you also need to also take a test on day 6-7 and report the results on the tracking app. Also nobody is saying what happens if a day 1 or day 6-7 test shows positive.

If the test on Day 1 is positive, then you going to Hospital, you'll stay there until you have at least 1 negative PCR.

You'll be given the Antigen test to carry out yourself on day 6-7 or when you have symptoms. Then it's up to you to upload the result to mor chana app. If you upload a positive result, it's a trip to the hospital.

[JamesR]

6 hours ago, Bob20 said:

Similar here in CM. The market that was closed two weeks ago because of a Covid outbreak, opened again today. However, there is a thermometer check at entrances and vendors must have proof of vaccination.

As nearly nobody was vaccinated, the market is now "open" but 95% of stalls are closed. It can take a while before infected sick vendors have recovered. And it takes even longer for those who were in the clear to be double jabbed, while the government for now is only "considering" sending the vaccines.

Same as with the south, you wonder why they haven't sent them earlier with the massive number of 178.2m doses they throw around. Or why they now have to "consider" it.

And then the 1m donated Pfizer and 3m donated Moderna that they are delaying with paperwork on the Thai side.

If there isn't a vaccine shortage, they are wilfully negligent by not providing them. And if despite their bragging with big numbers they're still short, then it's pure incompetence not to get on with getting the donations to Thailand quicker.

All the Thais I know living in the Surat Thani area have had both vaccines already.

[Marc26]

8 hours ago, Robbie_Flyer said:

Nobody seems to mention the official announcement says you also need to also take a test on day 6-7 and report the results on the tracking app. Also nobody is saying what happens if a day 1 or day 6-7 test shows positive. Are you then sent to some sort of special hotel or quarantine facility or locked in your room where you are? Or are you sent to hospital even if you don't need treatment? Who pays the costs, as insurance only pays out if you actually need to be treated? Will you be quarantined if someone else sitting near you on the flight tests positive, as happened to some unfortunate tourists in Phuket?

When you go on holiday you don't want worries. Thailand might be opening the door slightly more than their neighbours, but that's not going to be enough.  SE Asia isn't the only beautiful place to go, for instance places in central America and the Caribbean make it very easy and worry free as long as you've been vaccinated...

Robbie

You are forgetting those other places don't make you feel "special"

Like a big shot

So they are ruled out 5555

 

But you are 100% correct about worries 

I mentioned going to Mexico and worrying the last few days that my wife or I would test positive and be stuck in Mexico 

After we got our negative results my wife admitted the same worry

 

So it put a damper on part of our holiday 

I wouldn't do that again......

[Guest1]

"Quarantine-free arrival, except that you’ll still need to book at least 1 night of stay in an approved hotel or AQ (alternative quarantine)" 

I can't see anything wrong on that: They wanna know where you are, till the test result is available. Also the SHA Transfer to the one night acco is still part of that. 

Just an address to find you. In case you are positive. Or your seat neighbor tested positive

Just wondering: Right now, Russia is having increased infection numbers. Is the "Bubble" still coming?

[Brownie]

8 hours ago, Jason said:

It's ok, it's ok Thai People! We won't let anyone in from countries that have high case numbers.

Other than those that are big spenders 

[Lawyers_Guns_and_Money]

11 hours ago, Tim said:

it's another small step in the right direction, but when you look at it, a pass instead of a coe, a 50k insurance instead of 100k, it's all same same but different...

I did some initial research on insurance, and all the policies I found started at the base of 100k. I was unable to find a 50k policy. I imagine the price difference would be minimal.