wasabi

My wife and I flew from BKK-NRT-SFO on May 18th. We both got PCR tests at Bangkok Hospital in Bangkok. Not sure if that was necessary but these were readily accepted and as I sit here now we have had both of our Pfizer vaccine shots already so well worth it.

Imagine if Thailand had joined Covax like all the other countries in SEA and was receiving millions of free doses rather than planning, discussing, expecting to get vaccines at the far back of the queue. None of these apps would be needed to "slow the tide"

US agrees to buy 500m Pfizer vaccine doses to distribute to 100 countries | Joe Biden | The Guardian

The temperature checks are without value other than theater. They have none in the United States because they are futile and purely for show and they are nearly on the other end of the pandemic. How did they possibly manage without those and QR scans?

The need to either get close to someone to check and/or form a line while waiting to get scanned probably infects dozens more people than the very, very few they have ever detected with Covid and prevented from entering. That said if you get the vaccine I'd have enough food to stay home for a few days. There is no plan in place for this situation.  I could see a case where you get vaccinated > Show up to various venue with a high temperature > hospitalized. > infected with a Covid variant.  Unlikely but always fun to imagine the possibilities.

Just got my 2nd Pfizer jab for free in California.  Hopefully they have enough cleaning solution to wipe down the dirty Farang vaccine vials they'll be receiving to meet Thai standards of cleanliness and care. 

12 minutes ago, Elkski said:

So assuming ice can keep the virus healthy which sounds highly likely.  So any food at the market that had ice on it, drinks, coolers, all suspect.  For how big of region.   Did they test the delivery drivers?   I can't imagine Thailand back to anything like  normal until late 2022.   Tourist numbers will never hit 40  million in the next 20 years.  Unless it becomes a bit more defacto China state.  

There are no reported cases of catching Covid-19 by eating food or drinking including using ice in drinks. The closest thing is someone touching an ice machine in a hotel where someone with Covid previously touched it but that is not what's being discussed.  If I am wrong I would love to see the proof.

The rest of the world is playing major league baseball against the virus while Thailand is still playing T-Ball. Shall we clap when they bunt the ball and walk to 1st base?

Let me fix their plan for them trimming it a little.

a) Fully vaccinated tourists are welcome in Thailand. up to mid 2022

b) Thereafter all tourists are welcome in Thailand

The End.

I won't be going back to Thailand until it's at least a) I don't have expectations that'll happen anytime soon since they put so much thinking into this boneheaded plan and have to at least pretend it worked.

5 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

100% Money Grab trying to scam people.

 

The US has given away millions and millions of doses free.

 

The injection takes one second, why would there be additional fee's and health checkups?

 

Leave it to the Thai's to profit on anything they possibly can, even a pandemic.

 

 

LOL I know. I got my Pfizer shot in a supermarket. No need for blood pressure or temperature checks. Complete buffoonery but that is also why we love Thailand.

It not only is required to have two jabs with the appropriate multi-week wait between them but also to wait an additional 2 weeks for the full efficacy of the vaccines. So cut these numbers in half and and then in half again and you're probably closer to the real number of fully vaccinated.

Also fully vaccinated doesn't mean covid free it means the virus will be less virulent less people in hospitals.

4 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

I think you are the one who doesn't get it.  It is obvious that it just means the driver has been vaccinated, they are not promoting the taxi as an impenetrable Covid fortress where the disease can't exist.  That claim is only in your mind.  The rest of us can make logical assessments quite easily.

I agree with the previous poster. The taxi drivers are hurting bad. There is no reason for them to pay money for a sign unless they think it'll increase business. The Vaccine sign is meant to make people feel safer and increase their revenue. However there is no guarantee the sign means the driver has been FULLY vaccinated nor that if they are it'll protect you if you weren't. The sign is another Covid folly like temperature checks and check in apps. The vaccination drive in Thailand is currently random and insufficient so better to wear a mask in taxis if you personally are not fully vaccinated.

1 hour ago, madmen said:

<deleted> Are you talking about? 

They have a new scheme for tourists to come to the Phuket Sandbox that involves myriad documents, checks and apps as well as restrictive travel. It's overburdened with rules and steps. 

As usual too much paperwork, rules and bureaucracy. If 70% of Phuket will be FULLY vaccinated as they say. Why not limit the requirements for entry to a negative PCR test for fully vaccinated tourists? The trust and confidence in their grand reopening only goes part of the way and the remaining distrust evident in too many rules and requirements causes chaos and confusion. They can't keep dipping their toes in the water. Either let them in or keep them out.

I don't think Tourism will reach the levels pre-Covid for a long time. I saw estimates that they expect it to take 5 years but I would not be surprised if it takes a decade or more. The deck has been shuffled and Thailand appears to be pulling cards from the bottom of the deck. I say this because many other countries have started Digital Nomad visa schemes. Ease of long term stays, ease of entry and exit without any covid restrictions other than vaccination. Once people get a taste of these other countries like Vietnam and Maldives they may give Thailand a miss and by the time Thailand relaxes all rules the die may be cast and tourists won't care. There always will be tourists who want to visit Thailand and expats who want to live here, but the swarms of Chinese and Indians may go elsewhere. Then again this might be wishful thinking on my part.

Nearly every announcement like this requires an asterisk. As others have said this surely does not mean "Fully vaccinated" which requires both vaccinations for Sinovac plus another 2 weeks for the immune response to fully trigger. A bit of marketing spin in every one of these forward looking statements, but Covid itself won't care about anything but the cold hard science of the matter.