gearbox

Wait for the Samui sandbox numbers in a month or two...looks like it would be again 1000 visitors coming with 100 flights.

There would be a few half baked tweaks soon, only to demonstrate activity, without any tangible results. The northern winter is more than half through, soon the Mediterranean resorts will start opening. Australia just abandoned pre and post flight PCR tests completely, they need to do this and more to attract any meaningful numbers.

Aura Lamai....there was a previous thread with the cost of the Covid isolation there: Interesting how much they would charge a couple. And what's "correct treatment" - they don't seem to need any treatment at all, just isolation.

Just try not to get seriously sick there or have a major accident...AFAIK the insurers were transporting patients to Thailand before but now it could be a problem.

Nowhere...same as the beach road in Chaweng, Samui. Pandemics. Most of the tourists to Sihanoukville in recent years were Chinese and they are not allowed to leave China.

Most likely not. The Chinese are not known for high quality agricultural products, at least from what I've seen in Australia. Probably the best quality produce here is coming from New Zealand but is pricey. Haven't seen many imports at all from EU.

Chinese tomatoes at 20 baht a kilo - bring them in! Last time I was in Makro Samui the tomatoes were between 70 and 140 bahts a kilo. The Chinese tomatoes are probably as crappy as the Thai tomatoes, but at least are way cheaper.

And how it handled China? https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/sinoindia-trade-at-record-125-billion-amid-border-tension-deficit-widens-101642180809440.html Record mutual trade and record trade deficit.

True but it brings business page views and comments. It is better for the business to post news which contain: * China * Anutin (this one scores high) * Prayut (not as good as Anutin) * Sinovac (guaranteed 3 pages of comments and slurs) * 4 Indians, 4 Straws, one beer ( sounds like a western movie title) * Rude Russians * Arabs (these seem not to get much into the news lately) * Nigerians ( they are all into scams) * Refugees in boats taking over * Somchai misbehaving and not respecting the Big Boss - this one is a generic and always available

Sihanoukville destroyed? I don't see any destruction in this video: There would be also a new expressway from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville later this year.

Before 22nd of December the second test was of that type - ATK/RAT test. They switched back since then to a PCR test. There would be more changes once they realize this is not working - should be renamed "Fail to Go" program.

I'm flying out of Thailand end of the month and need to do a PCR test 72 hours prior to departure. Does anyone know a reliable clinic near the airport which works 7 days a week and can deliver tests within 24 hours? I need a clinic which works Sundays as my flight is late Monday. If that is not available my second choice would be Phuket Town.

That's actually not a bad price if it includes multiple reentry permit and doesn't require 90 days reporting.

There are talks to reinstate the test & go system, hopefully it happens as the Samui Sandbox is going to be another disaster similar to Samui+. Looks like the alcohol ban after 9pm for clubs is going to stay for the time being, I'm surprised that it is properly enforced, some of the night clubs and live music venues seem to be well connected.

In Samui...and not for the vulnerable, more or less whoever wanted wanted the 4th shot got it. The 4th shot was Pfizer, my gf has 4 shots now and is definitely not vulnerable.

Whatever Thailand has done seems to be working OK, it is about time to remove the travel and other restrictions.

Thailand is not landlocked like Laos, so probably there is not enough urgency to link the rail systems. Still there are opportunities for the exporters from the North East, provided that Laos would not charge exorbitantly to use the rail, the Thai agricultural goods may get more competitive than say Indonesia or Malaysia.

Not enough passenger capacity? That's a lot of people at both ends of a single railway track.

The rules are rules, we are all equal, but some are more equal than others. https://www.9news.com.au/national/australian-cricket-players-to-arrive-in-sydney-after-india-evacuation/71e88d72-c7e2-41eb-b5bc-442a528ed267 " The NSW Government conceded it did lift its strict cap of 3000 returned travellers to cater for the cricket players." So the strict cap was not so strict for some more equal. And some people like me are not able to go back for nearly two years...not a problem for me, but desperate people were bumped out of flights multiple times and forced to pay significant amounts to secure tickets.

Normal people....tourists are not allowed in Australia yet, and the Aussies can't be deported, can only be fined. The travel declaration targets mainly Aussies.

End of Thailand Pass and no alcohol after 9pm.....Samui is dead as Dodo in regards to tourism again. Looks like the high season is over.

No he didn't. The visa application and the covid-19 travel declaration are completely different things. The most important documents for visas are financial means and a police check. The Australian visa application process is the same as pre covid, as is the Thai process - if one wants to get 2 months Thai tourist visa there are no covid paperwork requirements. Many people get their Australian visas cancelled at the border because it looks like they don't have enough means, are likely to overstay, or come to work on tourist visas. For example the Thai covid requirements are applied later via the CoE/Thailand Pass, which would be the equivalent of the Australian travel declaration. In fact you have to declare for the Thailand pass your travel history in the last 21 days - similar to the Australian travel declaration. You may or may not need visa to enter(e.g. visa exempt). There is another Australian travel declaration ("Incoming passenger card") and people lie there all the time, but usually the penalties are fines. I doubt the Aussies living in the Isaan villages tick "yes" to the question "Have you ever been in contact with farms etc in the last 30 days".

Application for a visa can be made months before travel and has absolutely nothing to do with covid, there are no declarations and documents required which are covid related. Djokovic didn't lie in his visa application, his travel declaration is not truthful, but there are no visa cancellation penalties for that. https://visaguide.world/australia-visa/requirements/ Hence his visa was cancelled on "health and good order grounds", not for incorrect travel declaration.

You are mixing the visa with the travel declaration form...they have nothing in common. Same with Thailand - you can get a visa regardless of the Thailand pass or vaccination status.

The travel declaration form doesn't mention visa cancellation or deportation as a penalty: https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/australia-travel-declaration Penalties and enforcement The ATD requests critical health information. You must be able to provide evidence that the critical information was completed before boarding the aircraft. This is an enforceable requirement. A person who fails to comply with the requirement may be liable to a civil penalty (fine) of 30 penalty units (currently $6,660 AUD). This is set out in section 46 of the Biosecurity Act 2015. Giving false or misleading information to the Australian Government is a serious offence. If convicted, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 12 months. States and territories may also apply penalties in order to enforce compliance with public health orders. This may include COVID-19 testing and self-isolation or quarantine requirements. If you do not comply with requirements including pre-departure and post-arrival testing, you may face serious penalties, including jail time or significant fines. Requirements may change at short notice. Jokovic can get 30 penalty units ($6600) which he can easily afford. They can also prosecute him for imprisonment but that won't go very well with his access to lawyers. I wonder how the events would unfold if Jokovic as No 1 was an EU or US citizen...