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Jonathan Fairfield
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Immigration at Blu Port is closed so you will need to go the main office.
I was there on Tuesday and waited less than an hour for 90 days. I've waited longer pre COVID!
It was pretty well organised. Make sure you are wearing a face mask.
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How Covid-19 can have a longer term impact for Expats in Thailand
By Dan Cheeseman
I cannot remember in my lifetime a situation as grave as this across the world. Our daily lives have been ground to a halt and we are now self-isolating. When I read about what the future landscape could look like even the experts are just making best guesses. They have never had to deal with such an uncertain pandemic. From everyone I speak to online from expats across Thailand to my friends and family back in the UK, we are totally consumed with what will happen now.
From a working point of view, like many, I no longer go to my office in Pattaya. Life has very quickly morphed into something very different. I see a meme online joking ‘what day is it now?, and that feels about right. What’s interesting is how my family and I have adapted to ‘a new way of life’ with ease. In just a week we have a new routine.
Sometimes it is easy to be extremely worried for ones health, but it does appear those with pre-conditions are most at risks. Being in Thailand, although nothing seems to be confirmed, there was hope that the high temperatures were impacting the ability of the virus to spread. Rates being reported at this time do suggest that at very least it is helping. But, and a large reason for such fear among people is, we just don’t know. Hence why we are hanging on to any news report we can read online.
Thaivisa.com is currently operating around the clock on reporting the latest news and I would suggest you follow this site on Facebook to be kept up to the minute on updates – click here.
The big issue is no one knows just how long this issue will go on for. I am certainly in no position to comment, but would recommend an excellent article by a New York science writer, ‘How the Pandemic will End’ (click to read). It’s as interesting and informative as it is chilling.
Where does that leave us Expats?
For now as an Expat in Thailand we are in the same boat as people world over, when will this end or at least when will we be able to get a degree of normality back?It has been a tough time for many Expats even before the coronavirus with tightening of visa regulations for retirees and a strong baht impacting on pensions. In turn the Western Expat market shrunk and put more pressure on business targeting that segment. Western business needed to increase their share on a declining pie or adapt and diversify. For many of these business though they don’t have the know how to do this, it’s not easy.
Full story: https://danaboutthailand.com/2020/03/29/how-convid-19-can-have-a-longer-term-impact-for-expats-in-thailand/
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This is in response to the government's announcement of the emergency decree according to the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situation, B.E. 2548 (2005) to be enforced nationwide from 26 March to 30 April, 2020 to control the COVID-19 outbreak, with the Centre for Resolution of Emergency Situation or CRES set up at the Government House.
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Airlines still offering flights from Thailand to the UK as of 30 March
???? As of 30 March, the following airlines still offer flights from Thailand to the UK. As the situation changes very rapidly, please confirm the status of your flight with the airline.
Although most of the flights are fully booked, there is a chance for passengers to stand by at the airport as seats are usually available due to no shows. Please notify the check-in staff at least 2 hours before the counter closes so that you have sufficient time to get the tickets issued.
????Airlines with direct flights to the UK:
✈️ Thai Airways
TG916/TG910 BKK-LHR will be temporarily suspended from 1 April 2020 until further notice. TG910 departs tomorrow morning at 0315hrs known as the night flight. All classes are overbooked with waiting lists. For standby, contact standby counter at J18-19 round 2+hours to add names on the list before departure time. This is the last flight operating directly to London.
www.thaiairways.com/
Contact number: +66 2-356-1111, +66 2-356-1122, +66 2-137-4605
✈️ EVA Air
30-31 Mar : No flight operates
www.evaair.com
Contact numbers: +66 2-302-7288, +66 2-134-2521-5
✈️ British Airways
BA10 BKK to LHR no longer operates until further notice.
www.britishairways.com
Contact numbers: +66 2-1342201-8
????Airlines with non-direct flights to the UK:
✈️ Lufthansa (new route)
LH773 Bangkok (BKK) to Frankfurt (FRA) departs tonight at 2300hrs arriving local time at 0600hrs.
Onward connection from Frankfurt (FRA) to Heathrow (LHR) is Lufthansa flight LH900 departing at 0800hrs.
Other transit destinations in the UK are available too from Frankfurt (FRA).
www.lufthansa.com
Contact numbers: +66 2-264-2400, +66 2-134-2213, +66 2-654-6800 (call centre)
✈️Thai Airways (new route)
TG920 Bangkok (BKK) to Frankfurt (FRA) departs at 2345hrs tonight, arriving at 0615hrs local time.
Again there are many transit connection possibilities to the UK from Frankfurt (FRA) as above.
www.thaiairways.com/
Contact number: +66 2-356-1111, +66 2-356-1122, +66 2-137-4605
✈️SWISS (new route)
LX181 Bangkok (BKK) to Zurich (ZRH) departs at 1245hrs today arriving in Zurich at 1935hrs.
Transit connection (overnight transit) with British Airways flight BA713 leaving at 1325hrs next day is available.
Onward connections available to Manchester is available too.
Fully booked but good chance for standby passengers. Contact counter G24.
Please note that 31 March will be last flight to Zurich on this route.
www.swiss.com
Contact number: +66 2-134-2095-6, +66 2-654-6800, +66 2-654-6800 (call centre)
✈️Korean Air
There is 1 flight from BKK-ICH daily. KE652 BKK-ICH, departs BKK at 2330hrs arriving at ICN 0655hrs+1
Connecting to LHR:
KE907 ICH-LHR departing ICH 1320hrs arriving LHR 1725hrs (operates only on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday)
BA18 ICH-LHR departing ICH 1035hrs arriving LHR 1430hrs (operates only on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday)
www.koreanair.com
Korean Air Regional Office in Bangkok: +66-2-620-6999
✈️Qatar Airways
Currently 3 flights per day departing from Bangkok to Doha. Next available flight BKK-DOH today is QR833 departing at 2110hrs. There are 10 seats available. All other Qatar flights to DOH today are cancelled.
From Doha, there are 1-2 flights per day to Heathrow (LHR), Manchester (MAN), Birmingham (BHX), Edinburgh (EDI) and Cardiff (CWL). For more information, refer to www.qatarairways.com
All flights are over booked. However, there are always no shows.
Tomorrow the flights have limited availability, 3 flights again: QR837 at 0210hrs, QR831 at 0905hrs and QR981 at 1940hrs.
Standby - available to passengers who already hold previously issued Qatar Air tickets. 10% discount for one way travel here, use promo code TRAVELHOME. All bookings must be made online.
www.qatarairways.com
Contact numbers: +66 2-1341021-23, +66 2-6180499, +66 2-134-3517-8
✈️Finnair
Flight AY142 BKK to HEL departed this morning at 0900hrs and is operating as normal. All of their flights are fully booked on the reservation system at present but high chance for standby passengers. On previous flights, after closing the counter, there are several seats available on each flight.
Tonight the AY144 BKK to HEL will depart at 2325hrs.
A connecting flight would be the AY337 from HEL-LHR tomorrow at 1600hrs and could enable passengers to transfer to Heathrow.
The final flight on this route from BKK to HEL is the AY142 departing on Tuesday 31 March at 0855hrs. After that, operations will cease.
www.finnair.com
Contact number: +66 2 134 2431-2
✈️KLM
KL876 departing from Bangkok (BKK) to Amsterdam (AMS) is scheduled to leave at 2230hrs tonight.
There will be 2 flights a week. The next will be the KL876 departing on Saturday 4 April at 2230hrs.
At this moment the flights are full but standby is always an option.
For onward transfer in Amsterdam (AMS) to the UK, there are a lot of flights with KLM to larger airports and KLM Cityhopper to regional airports.
www.klm.com
Contact number: +66 2-6100800
✈️Ethiopian Airlines (new route)
Next flight available from Bangkok (BKK) to Addis (ADD) is the ET609 on 31 March departing at 0150hrs.
This would connect with ET710 from Addis (ADD) to Heathrow (LHR), departing at 1115hrs.
They will maintain weekly flights available on 4, 11, 18 and 25 April 2020.
www.flyethiopian.com
Contact number: +66 2-134-3061-5, +66 2-653-4366-8
✈️Emirates
Flights now suspended.
✈️Etihad
Flights now suspended.
????Regional flights:
✈️ Air Asia
Operate as normal. Today there are 13 scheduled flights available from Phuket (HKT) to Bangkok (BKK) departing every hour until 2335hrs with good seat availability.
There are also 12 flights from Chiang Mai (CNX) to Bangkok (DMK), again every hour until 2330hrs with good seat availability.
Domestic flights will be temporary suspended from 1-30 April. They plan to resume again on 1 May 2020.
✈️Bangkok Airways
Flight from Phuket (HKT) to Bangkok (BKK) : There are 7 fight daily scheduled today, for bookings please contact 1771. The PG272 at 1020 is cancelled.
Please note that there are 5 flights available today; PG276 at 1215hrs, PG274 at 1440hrs, PG286 at 1610hrs, PG284 at 1710hrs and PG278 at 1910hrs.
There are 3 flights scheduled from Chiang Mai (CNX) to Bangkok (BKK) today; PG216 at 1010hrs was cancelled, PG226 at 1640hrs and PG220 at 1905hrs.
Social distancing : they have marked points in the lift and waiting queues for checking in. Please observe these.
✈️Thai Smile Air
4 flights remaining today from Chiang Mai (CNX) to Bangkok (BKK). These are WE105 at 1040hrs, WE111 at 1510hrs, WE117 at 1920hrs and WE121 at 2050hrs.
Very good seat availability on all flights✈️Thai Airways
No regional flights from Phuket (HKT) are operating.
✈️Nok Air
Operating 7 flights today from Chiang Mai (CNX) to Bangkok (DMK) – departing until 2115hrs. Good seat availability at present.
Tomorrow (31 March), 8 flights are scheduled, again with good seat availability.
Phuket (HKT) to Bangkok (DMK) – 3 flights remain today.
✈️Finnair
They operated their last flight on 28 March from Phuket (HKT) to Helsinki (HEL) on this route. Flight number AY152. Flight will resume on 7th November 2020.
✈️Qatar
Phuket (HKT) to Doha (DOH) flight QR841 departs at 2040hrs.
On Monday 30 March, 2 flights; QR843 at 0855hrs and QR841 departing at 2040hrs.
Chiang Mai (CNX) to Doha (DOH) flight QR823 departs at 0830hrs daily.
All of these with possible onward connections to the UK from Doha (DOH).
❗️Please note that this information is correct at the time of publication. The operational situation changes hourly. We will continue to update our #TravelAdvice for #Thailand. Check our page https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/ regularly and sign-up to email alerts.-
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How the Pandemic Will End
The U.S. may end up with the worst Covid-19 outbreak in the industrialized world. This is how it’s going to play out.
Three months ago, no one knew that SARS-CoV-2 existed. Now the virus has spread to almost every country, infecting at least 446,000 people whom we know about, and many more whom we do not. It has crashed economies and broken health-care systems, filled hospitals and emptied public spaces. It has separated people from their workplaces and their friends. It has disrupted modern society on a scale that most living people have never witnessed. Soon, most everyone in the United States will know someone who has been infected. Like World War II or the 9/11 attacks, this pandemic has already imprinted itself upon the nation’s psyche.
A global pandemic of this scale was inevitable. In recent years, hundreds of health experts have written books, white papers, and op-eds warning of the possibility. Bill Gates has been telling anyone who would listen, including the 18 million viewers of his TED Talk. In 2018, I wrote a story for The Atlantic arguing that America was not ready for the pandemic that would eventually come. In October, the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security war-gamed what might happen if a new coronavirus swept the globe. And then one did. Hypotheticals became reality. “What if?” became “Now what?”
So, now what? In the late hours of last Wednesday, which now feels like the distant past, I was talking about the pandemic with a pregnant friend who was days away from her due date. We realized that her child might be one of the first of a new cohort who are born into a society profoundly altered by COVID-19. We decided to call them Generation C.
As we’ll see, Gen C’s lives will be shaped by the choices made in the coming weeks, and by the losses we suffer as a result. But first, a brief reckoning. On the Global Health Security Index, a report card that grades every country on its pandemic preparedness, the United States has a score of 83.5 — the world’s highest. Rich, strong, developed, America is supposed to be the readiest of nations. That illusion has been shattered. Despite months of advance warning as the virus spread in other countries, when America was finally tested by COVID-19, it failed.
“No matter what, a virus [like SARS-CoV-2] was going to test the resilience of even the most well-equipped health systems,” says Nahid Bhadelia, an infectious-diseases physician at the Boston University School of Medicine. More transmissible and fatal than seasonal influenza, the new coronavirus is also stealthier, spreading from one host to another for several days before triggering obvious symptoms. To contain such a pathogen, nations must develop a test and use it to identify infected people, isolate them, and trace those they’ve had contact with. That is what South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong did to tremendous effect. It is what the United States did not.
Full story: https://medium.com/the-atlantic/how-the-pandemic-will-end-c6200beea706
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Phuket’s six new COVID-19 cases all from Patong, total hits 53
All six new cases came from Patong. Image: PR Dept
PHUKET: All six new confirmed cases of COVID-19 announced by the Phuket Communicable Disease Committee today (Mar 29) were from Patong. teh six new cases bring the total number of officially recognised cases of people infected with the virus in Phuket since the outbreak began to 53.
Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1156533-phuket’s-six-new-covid-19-cases-all-from-patong-total-hits-53/
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Phuket’s six new COVID-19 cases all from Patong, total hits 53
All six new cases came from Patong. Image: PR Dept
PHUKET: All six new confirmed cases of COVID-19 announced by the Phuket Communicable Disease Committee today (Mar 29) were from Patong. teh six new cases bring the total number of officially recognised cases of people infected with the virus in Phuket since the outbreak began to 53.
So far 944 people have been put under observation for possible infection of the virus. Of these were six “new cases”, the committee reported.
Of the 944, 143 remain in hospital under observation. Of those 143 still in hospital, 97 are waiting for test results to confirm whether they have COVID-19, and 46 are currently undergoing medical treatment, but classed as in good condition with no severe symptoms.
Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-six-new-covid-19-cases-all-from-patong-total-hits-53-75491.php
-- © Copyright Phuket News 2020-03-29 -
Clipped wings
Plenty of grounded aircraft can be seen at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports after a steep fall in the number of flights due to the Covid-19 situation in Thailand and other countries worldwide.
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Clipped wings
Plenty of grounded aircraft can be seen at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports after a steep fall in the number of flights due to the Covid-19 situation in Thailand and other countries worldwide.
Thailand's total number of Covid-19 patients on Saturday (March 28) rose to 1,245 with 109 new cases, while total deaths were six.
On Friday (March 27), Thai AirAsia announced that it would suspend its domestic service from April 1 to 30, while passengers can change their flights with no limit.
Thai Airways International (THAI) had earlier announced that it was suspending flights to 30 world cities in March and eight European cities from April 1.
Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30385004
-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-03-29-
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Load 10 times beyond capacity crashed website to register for cash handouts
The website created for registration of those eligible for government cash handouts during the Covid-19 crisis crashed because it was overloaded when it opened, Ratchakit Deachanetirat, assistant to the Prime Minister’s Office chief, said on Sunday (March 29).
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Load 10 times beyond capacity crashed website to register for cash handouts
The website created for registration of those eligible for government cash handouts during the Covid-19 crisis crashed because it was overloaded when it opened, Ratchakit Deachanetirat, assistant to the Prime Minister’s Office chief, said on Sunday (March 29).
The government is offering Bt5,000 per month for three months to those who are affected by the business shutdown due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
Ratchakit said the website www.เราไม่ทิ้งกัhttp://xn--q3c.com/ was capable of registering two million people at a time but 20 million people accessed it within five minutes of the website opening. This exceeded its maximum capacity of 3.48 million per minute, leading to the website crashing.
KTB, the administrator, had to temporarily close the website. Some 9.6 people had registered as of March 29 (6am). They will receive an SMS to show if they had registered properly and if they meet the criteria to receive the handout. The money will be transferred within seven days to their bank account or PromptPay.
He added that fraudsters or opportunists were likely to take advantage of people who had already suffered from the Covid-19 outbreak. At least 44 websites have registered similar addresses to lure personal information. There are also middlemen who target the elderly by claiming to provide easier ways to get the money in exchange for a commission.
He warned that such acts of fraud will face prosecution under the penal code, and the offender shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or a fine not exceeding Bt60,000, or both.
Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30385015
-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-03-29-
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MRT Blue Line set to launch full service from Monday
The MRT Blue Line will be fully operational from March 30, officials said on Sunday.
Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1156528-mrt-blue-line-set-to-launch-full-service-from-monday/
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MRT Blue Line set to launch full service from Monday
The MRT Blue Line will be fully operational from March 30, officials said on Sunday.
They said that with the arrival of 35 new trains, all 54 Blue Line trains will be operated covering all new stations.
The line is 48 kilometres long and Tha Phra Station will serve as an interchange station.
MRT said it expects the service to enable better and faster travel for Bangkokians.
Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30385018
-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-03-29 -
Attempted breakout at Buriram prison
Inmates at a prison in Buriram province were reportedly involved in a shootout with prison officers on Sunday.
Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1156527-attempted-breakout-at-buriram-prison/
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Attempted breakout at Buriram prison
Inmates at a prison in Buriram province were reportedly involved in a shootout with prison officers on Sunday.
At 11.45am, people heard the sounds of gunfire from the prison and eyewitness accounts said smoke could be seen at 12.20.
There are reportedly about 100 convicts inside and a number of officers were trying to prevent a breakout.
Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30385020
-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-03-29-
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This could have been to do with 'Earth Hour 2020'.
I noticed some hotels in Hua Hin (and I guess around the world) were turning all their lights off for an hour on Saturday evening.
Edit to add -
Just spotted this on their FB page:
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Passengers at MRT Purple Line stations given mandatory health questionnaires
The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) and Bangkok Expressway and Metro (BEM) have prepared health questionnaires at MRT Purple Line stations located outside Bangkok, since Saturday (March 28), as a measure to control Covid-19 infection in Thailand.
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Passengers at MRT Purple Line stations given mandatory health questionnaires
The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) and Bangkok Expressway and Metro (BEM) have prepared health questionnaires at MRT Purple Line stations located outside Bangkok, since Saturday (March 28), as a measure to control Covid-19 infection in Thailand.
The stations have also provided areas for people to fill the document, which passengers should carry in case government officials ask for checking.
MRTA governor Pakapong Sirikantaramas explained that providing the questionnaire was in line with the Department of Rail Transport’s measure announced recently.
“The document has been provided for those passengers travelling across provincial borders,” he said. “The information filled by the passengers would help control communicable diseases at stations outside Bangkok limits."
Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30384986
-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-03-28 -
Website for cash handouts 'can process 3.48m transactions a minute'
Charnkrit Dejwituk
The new website catering to those eligible for government cash handouts can serve 3.48 million transactions in one minute and would not overload, the vice minister to the prime minister, Charnkrit Dejwituk, said.
Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1156409-website-for-cash-handouts-can-process-348m-transactions-a-minute/
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Website for cash handouts 'can process 3.48m transactions a minute'
Charnkrit Dejwituk
The new website catering to those eligible for government cash handouts can serve 3.48 million transactions in one minute and would not overload, the vice minister to the prime minister, Charnkrit Dejwituk, said.
"Rao Mai Ting Kan" is a registration channel for people affected by the Covid-19 situation who will receive Bt5,000 from the government for three months. The registration will open from Saturday (March 28), 6pm.
“The website can serve 58,000 transactions at the same time, and 3.48 million per minute,” he said.
“Krungthai Bank will use artificial intelligence to screen the eligible persons, in line with the government’s criteria, from total registration, preventing permission to criminals,” he added.
The vice minister, moreover, said that the Finance Ministry would seek a bigger budget from the government if the number of eligible people is higher than the estimate.
Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30384981
-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-03-28-
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Notarial services suspended at British Embassy from 6 April
in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits
Posted
Notarial services will be suspended from 6 April 2020 until further notice. For an emergency, please call 02 305 8333.