TerraplaneGuy

On 8/12/2021 at 4:51 PM, JackGats said:

No it would be dated and timed 72 hours before. The date and time of issuance is of practical importance for your arrangements but it is not relevant for the test validity. 

 

P.S. I think Thais have no idea what "issue" means in English. I mean "issue" is thaiglish for "carried out". Surely what matters is the date and time indicated by the lab on your covid test certificate. That date and time will be the date and time they stuck the swab into your nostrils. That will be the date and time airline staff will see on your covid test certificate. I am ready to stand corrected but in the meantime I prefer to err on the side of safety.

I can't agree with your interpretation.  Admittedly translating from Thai can be tricky.  But this is the official requirement in English:  "Medical certificate with a laboratory result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected, using RT-PCR test, issued within 72 hours before departure."  I think it's clear that "issued" refers to "Medical certificate", not "test".   The drafting and grammar are perfect, no ambiguity at all (note the commas around the "using RT-PCR test", which separates it from the main clause), and the way you're reading it is really twisting it.   Certainly if this language were published by an English-speaking government there could be no doubt that it's the certificate that sets the timing.

I'm in Canada, have an extension of stay (retirement) based on Non-OA visa, good until next February.  Also have a multiple re-entry permit.  Applied for COE to head to Phuket Sandbox, haven't yet got pre-approval and with the bad news about Covid in Phuket threatening the Sandbox program, and Qatar Airways constantly canceling/changing my flight to there, I'm considering forgetting about Phuket and heading to BKK.  But I've heard some people are having trouble getting COE's for BKK (possibly because of the pandemic but unclear).  Any recent experience out there?

42 minutes ago, khunPer said:

I use Thai International (opposite Tesco-Lotus), same procedure as every year, no X-ray, 250 baht, done in 15 minutes; last time was October, and they did kindly ask if I satisfied and would refer others for their service...????

Is that in Samui or Koh Phangan?

17 minutes ago, lom said:

Thai International Hospital doesn't do any X-ray and it is not required by Samui Immigration.

Interesting.  Was that hospital in Chaweng (Samui)?  In January I did my extension in Samui.  I live in Phangan so I got my medical certificate from Bandon Hospital there.  They wanted me to have an Xray and I didn't want that so they insisted on a blood test (I believe this was to check for TB) which cost me an extra B220.   Otherwise they were not willing to sign the certificate.

4 hours ago, dxrdxr said:

3) I had all of the paperwork that is described on this thread. I got a medical at Thai Inter (quick, just seem to need to be alive to pass) and immigration checked for it. 

 

 

For your medical did you need to get an X-ray?

It's official:  "The cabinet on Tuesday approved the Phuket sandbox tourism scheme that sees the island reopen on July 1, followed by a trio of destinations in the Gulf of Thailand -- Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao -- on July 15, allowing in fully vaccinated tourists from some countries."  BKK Post June 22

45 minutes ago, geisha said:

I don’t think you’ve read the above replies. Samui is not on the sandbox list yet, and the Phuket sandbox has not yet been approuver officially ! 

I think I've read them.  You're right that Phuket has not received final approval but all the reports indicate they're going to proceed on July 1.  You're also right that Samui is not scheduled to be a sandbox on July 1 but there have been many statements that if Phuket works, Samui will join the list.  And TAT has announced that on July 15 "the Samui Plus (Surat Thani) for Samui-Phangan-Tao Sealed Routes"  will start.  https://www.tatnews.org/2021/06/thailand-confirms-reopening-plan-from-1-july-2021/  The same has been widely reported elsewhere.

So I think it's fair to say there is a high chance they will go ahead with Phuket on July 1 and see what happens; if it's successful, Samui will follow.  Of course, you never know ...

39 minutes ago, treetops said:

 

The plan was for Concourse E in BKK to be sealed off for this purpose so no mixing with other passengers.  Details are here:

 

https://www.caat.or.th/en/archives/56377

 

Interesting, thanks.  I don't see anything in the link about transferring from an international arrival flight to a domestic flight (e. g. to get to a "sandbox" destination like Phuket or Samui).  Do you know if that is supposed to be possible?  And has any of this been implemented? (I note you say the plan "was" ...).

Udate:  I was just informed by one of the ALQ resorts in Samui that their sandbox does not work for foreign arrivals because you DO have to fly direct to the sandbox from abroad and (possibly with the exception of Singapore?) there are no such flights into Samui.  They say if you arrive in BKK you have to do ASQ there.  But they caution that the rules may change.  It seems they'll have to if this sandbox is to work.

Has anyone looked at whether, in order to make use of the upcoming "sandbox" Alternative Local Quarantine (in Phuket or Samui or wherever), you have to fly direct to the sandbox location from abroad or can change planes in BKK? For example if flying in from the U.S., when you apply for your COE do you have to show the embassy an air ticket going directly to Phuket (maybe via Hong Kong or another hub) or can you go via BKK, and if the latter, how long can the stopover be? Obviously with Samui it will be next to impossible to fly directly in from abroad.  So you would think they would allow connecting in BKK. But my concern is that at Suvarnabhumi they may not want you wandering around for hours waiting for your connection when you're supposed to be in quarantine.  

On 5/20/2021 at 11:32 PM, Jumbo1968 said:

Correct, I did my COE 5/6 weeks before we travelled, just make sure your insurance coincides with your travel dates and length of stay.

Thanks.  And then what happens if, once you're approved, you change your flight date?  Do you have to start the process all over or (if the insurance is still good) is there a way to just amend the travel dates on the COE?  In my case, I'm in Canada now and have a return flight to Thailand booked for October.  But I might want to head back to Thailand in July or August - I'm uncertain now exactly when.  I already have Covid insurance for the whole year.  I'm wondering when is the best time to start the COE application.

18 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

You can start whenever you want.

I applied for my latest CoE 5 weeks before my planned travel date. 

 

...

 

You will receive an e-mail of ‘Pre-Approval’ which includes a 6 Digit Code. 

 

Within 15 days you have to log back into the the CoE website using the 6 Digit code and submit:

- Flight Ticket

- ASQ Booking

...

 

 

 

 

 

 

So do I understand correctly that you can start the process whenever you like BUT you have to be ready to submit a flight ticket and ASQ booking within 15 days?  In other words, the actual flight date could be well in the future but if you're not ready to book it you'd better not start the process?

12 hours ago, daejung said:

In fact they asked for my passport only once.

 

When I bought my BTS Rabbit card, it could be bought anonymously, so they didn' ask for my passport. They changed their rules later (there was an annoucement at BTS stations) and when they did it, they asked only once for my passport but after that first identification they never asked for it again.

 

Thai people must show their ID too when they first buy their rabbit card, but not when the top it up.

 

 

Are they willing to accept a pic of your passport rather than the real thing?  I always have a pic in my phone which has got me through at least some such situations.  

I should add, they accepted my pre-printed scans of their blank forms (from the pdfs posted in this string above), NOT double sided (two separate pages for the TM7.)

Here’s the current Samui document list for retirement extension. 

3 hours ago, khunPer said:

Covid-19 test 

According to news article today, it seems like Covid-19 test will be mandatory from January 24th for extension of stay...

Source: Khaosod English, 19th January 2021: "COVID-19 TEST WILL BE MANDATORY FOR ALL VISA EXTENSIONS".

The article you link does not say that. I suspect they updated it since you saw it.  It now says that the official soon backtracked his statement.  ““I apologize for the misunderstanding,” Maj. Gen. Archayon said. “It will only apply to certain types of visa, most likely the permanent resident visa.”

Just finished my retirement extension in Samui.   No Covid test required (maybe I just got under the wire).  Paperwork went smoothly.  Arrived today about 9:30 AM, left the office about 10:30 AM.    I had expected to have to come back from Koh Phangan (where I live) in a week to pick up my passport with the new stamps but they told me I could pick it up the next afternoon (tomorrow).    When I asked if it was possible to pick it up tomorrow morning they said no problem, can even come back today (same day) at 3 pm. Went back at 3, everything done.  Extension, multiple re-entry permit and even my 90 day report, which they did entirely themselves without asking me to fill out the usual form.   Very impressive service!

Do they insist that your bank book show a transaction on the day you apply?  (Bangkok does.) My bank letter and statement will be as of the day before.  

47 minutes ago, lom said:

To ease your worries I suggest that when arriving to Samui Immigration you go to the last small office on the right hand side just 10 meter before the main building. Give the guy there a purple and tell him that what remains of it afterwards is his tip. He will take your photo and print it on photo paper, make all copies needed of your bankbook and other docs, he will print out a google satellite map with your condo x-marked  and a road only map of the way to get there. He will also fill in the application form for your extension to stay and then sort the papers in the right order and make sure that nothing is missing before you take the short walk up to the immigration office.

Sounds good.  By a purple you mean B500?   But I already have my photos and photocopies made so the main thing he could do is fill in the form and sort paper etc.  Maybe I should give him B300?

35 minutes ago, khunPer said:

In the beginning, when the hand drawn map-demand was new, I was handed a paper, a ruler and a pen, and was demanded to draw the map on the spot, i.e. sitting on the floor. Next year I draw one from home (to avoid the "floor work"...), which was accepted, but not with a smile, and only after I could explain exactly the directions to my house, and all landmarks in the map.

Before I went to the immigration office I had however scanned my otherwise perfectly fine drawing (I'm an excellent cartographer...????), and the following year I handed in the scanned copy, which were looked at like "not at all acceptable", but after checking all documents again two-three times it was accepted with the words: »I like you are so organized!«

 

Last October, the second time I used a print of the scanning, there were not bad face, all was Okay...????

How ridiculous that they even demand this map at all.  But good to hear you didn't have to sit on the floor and draw it ????  By the way, do you know how much detail they expect?  In my case, in Koh Phangan, there is really only one road that goes from the main town (Thong Sala) all the way to my place on the north coast, which is just on a beach.  After drawing the island, the map to my home would really only require two or three lines.  And they aren't straight lines so I don't know what I would use the ruler for.   Is this simple map enough for them?

40 minutes ago, khunPer said:

You might well be correct – I wrote "might" – but Samui Immigrations is one of the few immigration offices (if not the only one) requiring a medical certificate (of which "syphilis" has been discussed if included or not) for extension of stay based on retirement, and the demand for that certificate seems to be in accordance with what Richard Barrows says (my bold)...

However, time will show.

Maybe I don't understand you but the Bandon certificate for Samui that I posted above does mention syphilis but does NOT mention Covid-19.  So it's not in accordance with what RB said.  Where did you see C-19 mentioned on a Samui certificate?

About the hand-drawn map they require:  do you have to draw it right there in front of them or can you bring one done before?

8 hours ago, khunPer said:

Five of the six items are on TIH's form, they don't include Syphilis, which to my knowledge is needed for extension based on work permit. Nor do TIH make X-rays of take a blood test.

The "big medical check" for WP at Samui Hospital (government's in Nathon) include blood test for drugs, and it costs around 800 baht a few years ago, and was said to take half a day.

Be aware that from 25th January Covid-19 test might be included in the medical report, it's a new Law published in Royal Gazette the 25th December, starting after 30 days. All foreigners shall show negative Covid-19 test. It might rock the price for the medical certificate up, probably in level of some thousand baht, if not Covid-19 test has become cheaper.

Richard Barrow in Facebook...

 

This is uncertain and a lot of people think it’s an incorrect interpretation of the new regulation. The Covid test requirement may not apply to most kinds of visas and extensions.  See this chain:

59 minutes ago, PoorSucker said:

That Bandon certificate is for work permit. 

The six items are nation wide requirements for WP. 

 

Well I told them clearly it’s for a retirement extension and they said it’s the same certificate for all uses at Immigration.  They don’t have other forms.