News Forum - Easier entry for foreign tourists: CCSA approves ATK for on-arrival screening

[stevenkongju]

This is what I sent....this is what I got.

 

Hello,

 

I am waiting for my Thailand Pass approval. I submitted all documents 4 days ago.

 

As there are again new rules regarding testing and hotel stays, I want to make sure that all is OK. I don't really care if I don't need the room, so, while a partial refund would be great if I don't need the room or the more expensive PCR test, I still wish to use your services.

 

Are there any changes? If, for example, the antigen test is somehow positive, is there a back up PCR test?

 

I understand that the rule changes make things difficult for the hotels as well. I just want our communication to continue. As I said, I was very satisfied with my June quarantine at --------- and I have now used your hotel multiple times. I hope to continue our good relationship!

 

Regards,

 

There return...  UGHHH!

Greetings!

Yes, a refund will be made a 5% fee will be charged upon refund.

Kindly send your front page Thailand bank account for faster refund if any


Please advise

Thank you

[marksss]

iv booked a stay over nite at test and go hotel in bangkok inc PCR test ,have to say wasn't cheap but will be happier to keep to that and rather do PCR  test anyway and wait longer , with this new variant too now think its better idea surely??!

[marksss]

[Stonker]

8 hours ago, JackIsAGoodBoy said:

The competitor countries are happy Thailand screwed up big time.

What "competitor countries"?

Just asking ... not really expecting a reply ...

[Soidog]

Just as Thailand announces a move to ATK testing on arrival, the U.K. has just reintroduced mandatory PCR testing for all arrivals with isolation until a negative test is obtained. This along with a reintroduction of mask wearing in shops and public transport as a result of the latest Omicron variant. 

[Stonker]

1 hour ago, stevenkongju said:

This is what I sent....this is what I got.

Hello,

 

I am waiting for my Thailand Pass approval. I submitted all documents 4 days ago.

 

As there are again new rules regarding testing and hotel stays, I want to make sure that all is OK. I don't really care if I don't need the room, so, while a partial refund would be great if I don't need the room or the more expensive PCR test, I still wish to use your services.

 

Are there any changes? If, for example, the antigen test is somehow positive, is there a back up PCR test?

 

I understand that the rule changes make things difficult for the hotels as well. I just want our communication to continue. As I said, I was very satisfied with my June quarantine at --------- and I have now used your hotel multiple times. I hope to continue our good relationship!

 

Regards,

 

There return...  UGHHH!

Greetings!

Yes, a refund will be made a 5% fee will be charged upon refund.

Kindly send your front page Thailand bank account for faster refund if any


Please advise

Thank you

I don't understand what the "UGHHH" is for.

You told them that "a partial refund would be great" and they've told you that they'll refund the excess charges less "a 5% fee", and the details they need to expedite that.

What else do you expect them to tell you?

It's way beyond any hotel's remit to explain government policy, particularly when you're apparently not even going to be staying there but are only paying them to collect you from the airport and for an antigen test. 

[Stonker]

37 minutes ago, Soidog said:

Just as Thailand announces a move to ATK testing on arrival, the U.K. has just reintroduced mandatory PCR testing for all arrivals with isolation until a negative test is obtained. This along with a reintroduction of mask wearing in shops and public transport as a result of the latest Omicron variant. 

... and while anyone coming to the UK from S Africa has to pay 100,000 baht to be quarantined in a hotel, even if testing negative, anyone-else testing positive for the Omicron variant can self-quarantine at home totally unsupervised !

[Soidog]

29 minutes ago, Stonker said:

... and while anyone coming to the UK from S Africa has to pay 100,000 baht to be quarantined in a hotel, even if testing negative, anyone-else testing positive for the Omicron variant can self-quarantine at home totally unsupervised !

Yes, because those countries are on the red list. Hence seen as a higher risk. Rather like blue Zones, red Zones Etc across Thailand. Different rules for different zones. 

[JackIsAGoodBoy]

1 hour ago, Stonker said:

What "competitor countries"?

Just asking ... not really expecting a reply ...

All Caribbean islands, Malta, Canary Islands to name a few. If you are going to take 6-10 hour flight either from Europe or US, those islands are very much competitors.

[stevenkongju]

2 hours ago, Stonker said:

I don't understand what the "UGHHH" is for.

You told them that "a partial refund would be great" and they've told you that they'll refund the excess charges less "a 5% fee", and the details they need to expedite that.

What else do you expect them to tell you?

It's way beyond any hotel's remit to explain government policy, particularly when you're apparently not even going to be staying there but are only paying them to collect you from the airport and for an antigen test. 

I want them to say, "Yes, since you paid us and did not demand any refund, we will be picking you up at the airport and giving you the required antigen test. " 

 

They did NOT say "we will refund the excess charges". Am I being picked up at the airport as required? I don't know. At least not until they clarify.  I have asked for clarification and said I expect to be picked up. Hopefully I shall get another email.

Edited November 27, 2021 by stevenkongju

[terence]

On 11/26/2021 at 7:18 PM, Dicko77 said:

Hello all, 

I will be arriving in Bangkok on the 13th December from Australia and have booked the sha+ Hotel for a night with the quarantine package. $230 spent but now it seems this won't be required? Can anyone confirm this before I try to get a refund? 

 

@NatapanuN

From 16 Dec, Test&Go arrivals (Exempt from Quarantine, vac from listed countries) required to do ATK test only, not RT-PCR as per previous requirement, then book transportation, no hotel stay. To clarify for accuracy and confirm from today's brief---effective 16, not 1 December.

8:27 PM · Nov 26, 2021

 

[Marc26]

10 hours ago, JackIsAGoodBoy said:

All Caribbean islands, Malta, Canary Islands to name a few. If you are going to take 6-10 hour flight either from Europe or US, those islands are very much competitors.

People don't get their asses kissed as much in those countries

So a  lot of fellas wouldn't feel as special as they do in Thailand 

So not really competitors   

[Stonker]

10 hours ago, stevenkongju said:

I want them to say, "Yes, since you paid us and did not demand any refund, we will be picking you up at the airport and giving you the required antigen test. " 

They did NOT say "we will refund the excess charges". Am I being picked up at the airport as required? I don't know. At least not until they clarify.  I have asked for clarification and said I expect to be picked up. Hopefully I shall get another email.

I hadn't realised that the extra e-mail asking for clarification irked you so much.  Clearly my mistake.

[Stonker]

11 hours ago, JackIsAGoodBoy said:

All Caribbean islands, Malta, Canary Islands to name a few. If you are going to take 6-10 hour flight either from Europe or US, those islands are very much competitors.

 

1 hour ago, Marc26 said:

People don't get their asses kissed as much in those countries

So a  lot of fellas wouldn't feel as special as they do in Thailand 

So not really competitors   

Not just their "asses" kissed.

If they were competitors in any way, those in Europe would be going to Malta and the Canary Islands, and those in the US to the Caribbean, every weekend for a far cheaper holiday.

But they're not. I'm not saying they're any better or any worse, just simply not competitors over anything - or at least over very little.

[Stonker]

12 hours ago, Soidog said:

Yes, because those countries are on the red list. Hence seen as a higher risk. Rather like blue Zones, red Zones Etc across Thailand. Different rules for different zones. 

I'm finding it hard to understand why that would mean that anyone testing positive for the Omicron variant could self-quarantine at home, with no supervision or checks ... I wonder how that would go down in Thailand, with PCR or ATK testing - particularly with tests only being made on the second day, under your own arrangements ...

I'm not in favour of ATK testing at all here, for any number of reasons, but going down that route for on-arrival screening would seem to be absolute madness.

[Marc26]

8 hours ago, Stonker said:

Not just their "asses" kissed.

If they were competitors in any way, those in Europe would be going to Malta and the Canary Islands, and those in the US to the Caribbean, every weekend for a far cheaper holiday.

But they're not. I'm not saying they're any better or any worse, just simply not competitors over anything - or at least over very little.

I agree with you 

 

People who go to the Caribbean from US and Europe don't really overlap with people that go to Asia, IMO

 

Well except me of course