News Forum - Talk of Test & Go cutoff date, approved travellers can’t reschedule flights

[Marc26]

4 hours ago, Soidog said:

What business traveler can justify a one or two day meeting but do 7 days quarantine first. That’s a crazy situation and you are thinking like a tourist. 

Most of what you wrote were of family concerns and people with investments in Thailand 

 

If someone is that keen to put new investment into Thailand than they have to put up with travel restrictions these days

 

I'm a  frequent business traveller and my whole biz world has changed 

I decide which travel is absolutely necessary and which I can hold off

 

There are ways to travel to Thailand if you really want/need to go and not just whine 

A week at a hotel in Phuket is not a hardship

[Soidog]

26 minutes ago, DesperateOldHand said:

Actually, it is.

Most of upcountry and outer regions are relatively free from the made up restrictions of BKK Metro and cherished Farang Ghetto type locales. Been of this nature for quite a while.

You would know this if you lived here instead speculating from afar.

I do live there!! I’ve spent 16 years living there. I know exactly what is going on there. Don’t be so ignorant 

[Soidog]

1 hour ago, Thommo said:

Not sure how yu would define "closed". In nov/dec/jan I have traveled by air or car or motorbike from bkk  and return to  hua hin, chiang mai (riding around the nth) phuket for diving then a few days in phuket, kanchanaburi / hellfire pass.  Fully open no I would agree but far from closed.

Yes. As in all BUT closed. Sorry if your first language isn’t English, otherwise you would be expected to understand the phrase !! 

[Faz]

A number of disparaging bickering posts have been removed.

[Thommo]

5 hours ago, Soidog said:

What business traveler can justify a one or two day meeting but do 7 days quarantine first. That’s a crazy situation and you are thinking like a tourist. 

 i am aware of German company who had their Asia mangement meeting in Phuket in Mid December, for a 2 day meeting people flew into Phuket from Germany, Sth Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and India.  The only missing country MD was  China

[Thommo]

1 hour ago, Soidog said:

Yes. As in all BUT closed. Sorry if your first language isn’t English, otherwise you would be expected to understand the phrase !! 

you are correct at least on one point   My fist language is Australian 

[ILovethailand]

Honestly everyone I am in Thailand right now and stayed in Phuket for 7 days. I want to say it was very organized and seamless when I arrived. Well done Thai government honestly not painful test and go. If they are indeed suspending test and go I would honestly wait until next year the country is still not fully open all businesses ext. I have a Thai wife and urgent business in the country but if you don't just a leisure trip I would wait a little till the situation gets better. Worldwide

[TSS]

many warnings about this months ago. Just too much uncertainty on Thailand entry rules, no refunds, etc. Haven't left Thailand for almost 4 yrs. for fear of not being able to return. Prolly eventually not be able to extend my one year visa for some stupid reason or another. Quite sure, they're mulling that over- stepping up the process of getting rid of tourists & retired expats.  Good news is this covid thing should all blow over by 2025

[rockitos]

5 hours ago, Marc26 said:

Most of what you wrote were of family concerns and people with investments in Thailand 

If someone is that keen to put new investment into Thailand than they have to put up with travel restrictions these days

I'm a  frequent business traveller and my whole biz world has changed 

I decide which travel is absolutely necessary and which I can hold off

There are ways to travel to Thailand if you really want/need to go and not just whine 

A week at a hotel in Phuket is not a hardship

I also work to a multinational, and travel frequently. We have office in Thailand, and if i want to enter, they can arrange, some stuff with a invitation, or somethig like that.

I am a correct person, don`t what to do something ilegal.

If they say i am welcome, i come, same like other tourists. I will respect the rules, if will be alchool ban, i dont drink, if restaurant close, i will order food, i will weared mask, like i always do, until the pandemic start. That why i am upsad. I respect all the condtions that they put, they give me thai pass, generated on 22 December, and now they plan to not let me to enter.

Thai Goverment overreact. No other tourist destination close the border, Brazil still completly open, Dominican Republic, Kenya, Dubai, Cambodgia same. They have 3000 cases per day, hospitals empty, and now a few thousands how already have thai pass aproved, become a huge problem to that guys :(

Edited January 6, 2022 by rockitos

[LoongFred]

4 minutes ago, rockitos said:

I also work to a multinational, and travel frequently. We have office in Thailand, and if i want to enter, they can arrange, some stuff with a invitation, or somethig like that.

I am a correct person, don`t what to do something ilegal.

If they say i am welcome, i come, same like other tourists. I will respect the rules, if will be alchool ban, i dont drink, if restaurant close, i will order food, i will weared mask, like i always do, until the pandemic start. That why i am upsad. I respect all the condtions that they put, they give me thai pass, generated on 22 December, and now they plan to not let me to enter.

Thai Goverment overreact. No other tourist destination close the border, Brazil still completly open, Dominican Republic, Kenya, Dubai, Cambodgia same. They have 3000 cases per day, hospitals empty, and now a few thousands how already have thai pass aproved, become a huge problem to that guys :(

Are you a superspreader by any chance. Frequent visiting those places makes you suspicious

 

[riclag]

8 hours ago, DesperateOldHand said:

The learning curve in some resembles more of a corner. 

Personally, I would've waited until they have truly gotten it all straightened out. 

Told ya so, was the call from wiser folks months ago. 

Spot on ! 

[riclag]

2 hours ago, TSS said:

many warnings about this months ago. Just too much uncertainty on Thailand entry rules, no refunds, etc. Haven't left Thailand for almost 4 yrs. for fear of not being able to return. Prolly eventually not be able to extend my one year visa for some stupid reason or another. Quite sure, they're mulling that over- stepping up the process of getting rid of tourists & retired expats.  Good news is this covid thing should all blow over by 2025

Need at least 4 or 5 more variants similar or less severe then the O variant!  In two years there have been alpha,delta and omicron! Imop

Three years of a omicron and other weak variants would totally put the fear of hospitals being  overwhelmed,too rest !

My main  concern are the Covid revenue fee schemes , like insurance ,testing and sha hotel quarantining .

The young lady in the house says Thailand is hurting for money ,hence the Covid  revenue schemes!
 

I think they will be with Thailand beyond 2025

 

[rockitos]

2 hours ago, LoongFred said:

Are you a superspreader by any chance. Frequent visiting those places makes you suspicious

They make soo manny tests now, imposible to be stick and travel :)

[Soidog]

6 hours ago, Thommo said:

 i am aware of German company who had their Asia mangement meeting in Phuket in Mid December, for a 2 day meeting people flew into Phuket from Germany, Sth Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and India.  The only missing country MD was  China

Oh well, if you know of one occasion I guess that proves it. Oh but hang on. I know 20 companies who operate in SE Asia who haven’t been able to visit their supplies and distributors in Thailand for almost 18 months and only restarted visits using the Test & Go. They will stop again if it’s removed. So there

[Soidog]

4 hours ago, ILovethailand said:

Honestly everyone I am in Thailand right now and stayed in Phuket for 7 days. I want to say it was very organized and seamless when I arrived. Well done Thai government honestly not painful test and go. If they are indeed suspending test and go I would honestly wait until next year the country is still not fully open all businesses ext. I have a Thai wife and urgent business in the country but if you don't just a leisure trip I would wait a little till the situation gets better. Worldwide

Thank you for a sensible and rational post. I was giving up all hope

[LoongFred]

1 minute ago, Soidog said:

Oh well, if you know of one occasion I guess that proves it. Oh but hang on. I know 20 companies who operate in SE Asia who haven’t been able to visit their supplies and distributors in Thailand for almost 18 months and only restarted visits using the Test & Go. They will stop again if it’s removed. So there

Same everywhere. That's why zoom is so popular. After this pandemic IMO business travel will not return because technology of zoom etc has shown traveling isn't necessary and adds expense. Why travel for 1 day to and 1 day from for a 2 hour meeting? Not only travel  costs but wasted time

I see this happening all over the world.

[Soidog]

1 hour ago, LoongFred said:

Same everywhere. That's why zoom is so popular. After this pandemic IMO business travel will not return because technology of zoom etc has shown traveling isn't necessary and adds expense. Why travel for 1 day to and 1 day from for a 2 hour meeting? Not only travel  costs but wasted time

I see this happening all over the world.

For sure it will. The technology has been there for sometime, it’s been the will to do so. Covid has pushed the business world in to doing things smarter and I hope it continues. Yes, I’ll miss my all expenses paid trips to Dubai and KL, but it’s good for the company and I suppose good for the environment. 

[LoongFred]

5 minutes ago, Soidog said:

For sure it will. The technology has been there for sometime, it’s been the will to do so. Covid has pushed the business world in to doing things smarter and I hope it continues. Yes, I’ll miss my all expenses paid trips to Dubai and KL, but it’s good for the company and I suppose good for the environment. 

I frequently fly business because it was ok with my company. It used to be pretty full, but lately most of the passengers appear to be tourists. I never enjoyed spending 3 days for a couple hour meeting. For some it was a perk but not mostly for me.

 

[Rain]

10 hours ago, Marc26 said:

I do think we are fortunate in North America where airlines are offering refundable tickets or credits if you cancel at the normal ticket prices

I don't think our friends in Europe and other  places are as lucky 

From talking to people it seems their airlines aren't being as flexible.. 

I currently have credits on pretty much every North American airline   

The much superior Asian carriers have offered such things for quite some time during the Covid era.

[Canadianonthego]

The one thing I'm hearing over and over from the inner workings of the Thai Govt is DO NOT LISTEN TO THE MEDIA !!   I was able to get my Thai Pass changed to an earlier date just in case by my countries embassy so for those of you saying you cannot change it you're 100% wrong . I had a long conversation with the consular in my country and he stated DO NOT LISTEN TO THE MEDIA or people on the internet at this time as they are all guessing and he said there will be some leeway from the 10th 

[Marc26]

8 hours ago, LoongFred said:

Same everywhere. That's why zoom is so popular. After this pandemic IMO business travel will not return because technology of zoom etc has shown traveling isn't necessary and adds expense. Why travel for 1 day to and 1 day from for a 2 hour meeting? Not only travel  costs but wasted time

I see this happening all over the world.

You lose so much of building personal relationships by not meeting in person and building a good working relationship 

 

I would call almost all of my customers my friends. That's been built up over years of meeting with them.

I've been to a lot of their houses, met their wives and kids.

Know where their kids are going to University, what sports they play

 

You can't develop that over Zoom

 

So much business is predicated on trust. 

My business is 100% trust. I can easily do bad for my clients on every transaction.

You build relationships so that those people know they can trust you to look after them and not just the bottom line 

[Thommo]

14 hours ago, Soidog said:

Oh well, if you know of one occasion I guess that proves it. Oh but hang on. I know 20 companies who operate in SE Asia who haven’t been able to visit their supplies and distributors in Thailand for almost 18 months and only restarted visits using the Test & Go. They will stop again if it’s removed. So there

Never said it proves it   but if one compnay has done maybe there a  more ( i dont know )  

[Marc26]

13 hours ago, Rain said:

The much superior Asian carriers have offered such things for quite some time during the Covid era.

I agree that Asian airlines are the best in the world, IMO 

 

And even before covid, their change fees were usually $50, a lot less than the $200 gouging of North American airlines 

[DesperateOldHand]

6 hours ago, Marc26 said:

You lose so much of building personal relationships by not meeting in person and building a good working relationship 

I would call almost all of my customers my friends. That's been built up over years of meeting with them.

I've been to a lot of their houses, met their wives and kids.

Know where their kids are going to University, what sports they play

You can't develop that over Zoom

So much business is predicated on trust. 

My business is 100% trust. I can easily do bad for my clients on every transaction.

You build relationships so that those people know they can trust you to look after them and not just the bottom line 

Alas, some no nothing but the imaginary cyber-electronic-synthetic existence. Rather sad and pathetic. 

I do trust that this is a generational thing.

[King Cotton]

1 hour ago, DesperateOldHand said:

Alas, some no nothing but the imaginary cyber-electronic-synthetic existence. Rather sad and pathetic. 

I do trust that this is a generational thing.

Optimistic trust there, I fear, @DesperateOldHand. Now that Zoom-like virtual meetings and conferences have become the near-normal, I cannot see any future generation choosing to spend hours - days even - travelling to F2F meetings, knowing that that considerable expense may not or can not be justified. Just my view, of course.