new2here

Hi,

I can’t seem to dig it up anywhere, but what is the validity window for the Health Certificate when used for a WP renewal?  i thought was 30 days prior to *application* date, but maybe i am not remembering correctly and it’s 60?

My PCP is taking a short “leave” from her hospital practicing position to be a one-term university academic lecturer; so Id like to get my HC done before she leaves... but of course, there’s no value in doing so if I get it too early and ends up getting rejected at MoL when I renew.

Anyone know the formal rule?

I have one with Kbank (Main Ratburana branch) and have had it for a few years now. I do recall when i opened it, there was a bunch of additional paperwork required (as well as having a WP which I did/do have) and I recall I had to post a “deposit” of a few thousand (I recall they called it a key deposit) in order to open it. At that time i was new to the bank, but was (and still am) a Wisdom-level customer.  Sometimes I’ve found that the level of assets you hold with them changes what can and can’t be done.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they restricted boxes to non-citizens or put some added levels of restrictions/requirements to get one.

South Sathorn, B65/mo Sq m2.  In in a new build so it’s waived for the first 18 mos, but the current schedule is B65..  we have several pools, fitness, etc etc, so a fair share of common use stuff and space 

Most of the ASQs will offer you the ability to do a bank transfer (not paper currency, but bank-to-bank) for the deposit (if they don’t require full payment initially plus a credit card “hold” upon arrival). However, IF they do allow for a initial partial deposit and final payment at check-out, I know a few (my ASQ as well) DID allow the final bill to be settled in cash - THB only...

You might want to clarify with the ASQ in question for their policy. 

As far as the issue of "do I need a flight before I can get the CoE" is concerned...

It is not uniform.. I will say that IMHO, **most** Thai Embassies either mandate that you have made, paid for and can show a flight (that meets their standards such as being a repat#) BEFORE they will actually issue the CoE...   but there are some that, I suspect due to the lack of any organized Thai repat flights from that specific country, do issue CoEs without the need to show a paid flight... they effectively let their CoE holders find their own way back...  but again, this appears to be very much the exception to the rule..

In most countries, the Thai Embassy will want to see that you: a) have made, paid for and can show the ticket booking for a qualified flight, b) a booked, paid ASQ and the booking must show name, C/I and C/O dates, c) have insurance that meets the prescribed standards. The biggies are the value (US$100K or equiv) and that it specifically addresses C19 cover...

So long as you have these 3, the "big 3" then you'll most likely be eligible for and ultimately approved for a CoE

# The issue of repat flights also appears to be less-than uniform... As example, the Thai Embassy/Consulate in Wash DC/LA/CHI/NYC makes it absolutely clear that you can ONLY travel back to BKK on one of the specifically organized flights that operate from 4 major US cities.. and... you need to book it via one of the approved sales channels.. that means no using expedia.com or the like..  The booking letter you get shows the sales channel used, so they'll know if you used an unapproved agent and if you didn't use one of the approved flights, that too will be obvious..  These flights carry *mostly* Thai nationals, but providing you have your CoE, all the documents, a foreigner can also book passage as well.. There is apparently some level of balance in that reports are Thai nationals can not book ALL seats on any flight, thus allowing for a portion (unknown what that ratio is to me) to be booked by non-nationals who qualify... but again, the whole flight issue is very localized and what one Embassy authorizes or does can vary widely from what another one does.

Here’s the problem with trying to book a non-repat flight out of the US..
 

When you are approved, they will ask you to please upload 4 documents—- 1) flight booking, 2) ASQ paid confirmation that matches your flight arrival date, 3) fit2fly cert and 4) c19 test. (Note: 3 & 4 cant be older than 72hrs/3days than the date/time your repat flight leaves the US (first flight, not second/connection)

so.. let’s say you do try to book a non-repat flight... let’s say you try booking LH via FRA.... when you upload docs #1 #2 (usually done at the same time/day) the embassy will see you didn’t book a repat flight as they require (at least now in July) and until you do, they won’t issue your CoE.

So, there is no way to really circumvent around a repat flight (at least from the US in the month of July)

What *might* be possible is to book a repat flight, upload the other docs 2,3 and 4... get the CoE, THEN try to fly out on a non-repat ... but since you had to book the repat flight to even get the CoE (and repat flights appear to be non-refundable) in the first place, you’d probably be stuck with a useless repat flight ticket that may or may not be refundable, and you might not be allowed to board at the origin or connection point by airline staff.

from the US at least for July, you have to use repats.

8 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

There have been some updates today. The most signicant of which is that the MFA has relinquished its ‘approval’ responsibilities to the Individual Embassies (for the UK anyway). 

 

The requirements are now as follows: (Copied from the Thai Embassy, UK Web Page).

 

For family members of Thai nationals (spouse/child/parent)

While Thailand still puts in place travel restriction, spouse or child or parent of a Thai national can apply for the Certificate of Entry to go to Thailand.  

Required documents, which must be submitted by email to [email protected] : 

1. Your passport copy and your spouse's or child’s or your parent's passport copy
2. A copy of your Thai visa (if already expired, you have to apply for a new one)
3. Copy of marriage certificate or birth certificate
4. Copy of health insurance policy which covers COVID related medical treatment and coverage of no less than 100,000 USD
5. A copy of a hotel booking for Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) at one of the hotels approved by the Thai authorities 
6. Other supporting documents (if any), such as if you own a property in Thailand
7. Declaration form, duly completed and signed

If you already have valid visa or re-entry permit, please send your documents for the Certificate of Entry by email to [email protected]

If your visa has expired or you do not have visa, you have to apply for both the Certificatea of Entry and visa at the same time. 

* Documents in 4-7 cannot be uploaded in the e-visa system, so you have to provide hard copies when submitting your passport.

http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/en/services/7742/84508-Non-Immigrant-visas.html

What you need to present at airlines check-in counter and upon arrival in Thailand:

1. The Certificate of Entry 
2. Declaration form 
3. Fit to Fly health certificate (within 72 hours before departure) 
4. Medical certificate with a laboratory result indicating that COVID -19 is not detected (COVID test must be by RT-PCR method), issued within 72 hours before departure
5. Copy of your insurance policy which covers COVID and no less than 100,000 USD
6. Copy of your confirmed booking at an ASQ hotel
7. T.8 form 

 

This is the same thing that the DC Embassy told me today verbally.. Essentially the MFA will no longer make a "case-by-case" determination (as they really have been doing so for the past 1.5 months).. but rather the MFA has; 1) set forth several "groups" of non-nationals that are presently eligible to apply for reentry and 2) the documents required for approval under each of the groups...

Therefore, so long as you qualify under one of the existing groups AND you have all the documents required for that group, the Embassy may now issue the CoE directly, without having to send anything to or seeking the MFA's approval in BKK before hand.  This should, in theory, speed up the overall process..

Also, relative to the US only, the Embassy has been clear that the only option for transport (in July at least) is via one of the scheduled repat flights that are currently planned.. They operate almost weekly, usually on Saturdays, and usually from LAX, JFK, ORD and IAD..  Korean Air and Asiana are the most common airlines used, but there are some Cathay Pacific flights and JAL as well.. Each day fights do operate, there is a daily cap of 200 total people - spread across all the repat flights that operate on that day (not 200 per flight)

In most cases, if you don't live in that city where your repat flight departs from (ie LAX, JFK, ORD, IAD) you have to buy a separate ticket and make your own way to the departure gateway city - and at your risk if the flight/bus/train etc that you chose, is late and due to their lateness you miss the repat flight.  Most people have been given a list of travel agents to contact to arrange, choose and pay for their repat flight... Once you have done so, you get a receipt and that's one of the 4 documents you'll need to upload before the CoE is cut... the ASQ paid booking, covid test and fit2fly being the other 3.

Most people here are being called to tell them they have been approved, then an email shows up with the instructions on how to proceed.. the actual CoE is not issued (by email attachment) until ALL the documents - including your Covid test and fit2fly certificate - have been uploaded and processed. Given the covid test and fit2fly can't be more than 3days/72hrs old by departure time, you really won't get the actual CoE until sometime within 3 days of flight date/time.

Some folks have been told to send their original passports to the embassy as well, together with a pre-stamped express mail envelope... whats not clear is why- as some of these people don't need a new visa as they have a valid extension or visa in their passports already.

I think there's room for some government regulations -- be that around issues of minimum service levels, rights to refunds etc in case of failures, etc.. On the pricing side, I tend to agree that so long as there is no monopoly or other cartel-style pricing climate, that the government really should stay out of the price-side of it.  While food delivery and overall delivery services (ie B2C) has massively expanded their reach, I'm not sure their impact reaches that of motor fuel, cooking fuel, cooking oil, rice and other items that have fairly strict pricing caps/controls on them.

I think there is/was a near zero chance of the Songkran holiday days being simply taken away... that wasn't going to happen.. those days have to be "paid back" somehow..   Sure, the intention of those days won't be the same since Songkran is a consecutive holiday and now moving to a 1-1-1 format greatly diminishes their value -- but again, to me, its all about "pay back" after those days were taken away earlier.

True, 3 days out of an average 260 "work" days isn't massive -- barely over 1.1% -- i think its more about giving back what is seen a being taken away.

Its really hard to say...

Some counties have used one of two different standards..  that being; a) anyone who has BEEN to/through X, Y or Z countries -- or what I call the "proximity" standard... and b) anyone who holds a PASSPORT of X, Y or Z countries -- or what I call the "nationality" standard.

The problem or risk here is that they might use the nationality standard... or they might use BOTH...  So it might turn out that you are in Vietnam with the the idea that when/if VN is granted entry ability to TH, but when the rules come out, that the new relaxed rules only apply to nationals of VN... that means you're not eligible...

So, to me, there's a risk and it's hard to know what they'll use.. I might suggest you go back to their previous rules and see if they've shown a past practice of using one standard over another... of course, past practice is no guarantee of future actions, but I do think it gives some insight.

I myself wouldn't do the direct cash -- I get why its the most popular option -- but if you ask me, I think it depends on what the real goal is...  As example, IF the goal is to increase formal (as defined here as jobs that put people within the Thai income taxation programme) employment, then I'd probably go for a combination of employer tax credits, reduced employee payroll deductions and other forms of salary subsidies for newly hired staff... IF the goal is to increase domestic spending, then I'd do something non-convertible credits (since most all Thais have a national ID, credits can be pegged to individual numbers) that can be used to offset purchases made at stores and for selected types of goods -- say food, staples, and other items, but exclude luxury and other purely discretionary items/services.

Direct cash can be "saved" and that would, IMHO, go against the idea of the funds creating domestic economic activity.. So I'd go with a program that doesn't provide for traditional cash, but allows for immediate consumption and for goods/services that the government deems to be in line with the stimulus goal... Kind of like some US states run their EBT (electronic benefits transfer) process.

If I recall, you need a form WP3 from the Labour office to qualify. You'd also need to get the relevant visa as well.  However, the visa part is really just a matter of having the right paperwork .. the hard part for most, is getting the WP3 - which your prospective employer in Thailand would have to secure on your behalf then forward to you.

Several of my friends work in OBEC schools and they are all moving to this 6-days system with MWF/TUTHSA rotation.  The way they are being managed is that not all of their classes meet each time (ie upper level on MWF may not have class with them on each of the 3 days)..

so, it’s *sounds* like although students will come 3 days for half and 3 days for the other half, some of the teachers may still be on a more traditional 5-day schedule.

i have not personally seen their schedule, but they have both said it was discussed and arranged with the administration and academic units.

Perhaps this might be a way forward for some.

Hi,

Just to add, I applied for a special permit to enter (Certificate of Entry) and I was told that I'd need to have arranged for my state quarantine facility prior to arrival.  While I have not received my CoE yet, it was made clear at the time I filed my application at my local Embassy, that my quarantine facility issues (which I assume to mean having a confirmed booking, however, it sounds as if some hotels permit payment at time of arrival and others require advance payment) would have to be finalized prior my departure flight.  I have seen nothing that seems to indicate that any mandatory quarantine will be allowed at private residences - I've only seen reports of it being allowed at state-controlled/owned facilities or privately-owned facilities acting operating under special permit.

But, as others have noted, there isn't a whole lot of clear, verifiable guidance on the matter right now.. The earliest it looks like that may come would be near the end of June - as several important governmental actions are set to end at that time..  So we will all have to wait for more..  Right now, the above seems to only apply to the narrow category of non-Thais who are eligible to apply for a CoE at this point in time.

On 5/28/2020 at 8:23 PM, canopus1969 said:

Yes as the likes of the CC companies are international

I think there one of the issues will be how much does Thai have in “hold back” funds.. normally with airlines they get 100% of the ticket value right away.. but... if a bank starts to see risk, they may put a holdback into place which means Thai wouldn’t get 100% up front anymore — but a lesser amount, with the balance paid to them after travel occurs.. so if Thai had been a subject to a hold back, there could be funds there to partially fill this void - bankruptcy court ruling provided.

Overall it sounds very civilized... as much as can be given the realities and perceived risks... I like the fact that detainees can receive some type of outside “care package” type material... I wouldn’t have thought that would be allowed... 

I totally understand his logic on leaving.. I think given how fast relatively speaking the issue came up and the amount of unknowns there were/are plus all the various logistical, financial and associated risks and variables, I can easily see why he chose to return.

simply speaking you have to make the best call you can “right then and there” and with the little/incomplete information you have... good on him for making it and appearing to have come out “well”... 

2 hours ago, Dazinoz said:

One thing I have done and suggest if you get a credit card is to scratch off the CVV on the back of the card (after you have written it securely somewhere). It is only needed for online purchases and stops a sales person who you hand the card to writing it down and making a purchase on your card later.

I've heard that before, and I've done it as well.. One issue that I have run into - albeit very infrequently, is that I've had stores refuse to accept the card (before even putting it into the chip reader) under the grounds that it was "damaged" or "defaced"... again, very rare, but I have had it happen. I called Citibank (US) and they issued me a new card. but informally told me that I'm not allowed to scratch off or otherwise modify the card.

I'm not so against the appointment of the former PTT Pcl CEO.. In part because businesses like PTT and TG share a fair bit of similarities in terms of size, scope transnational operations, etc... so, on the surface of it, I can't say that someone with the credentials of having run PTT (and to be fair, PTT does appear to operate fairly well from a performance basis alone) would overtly be a bad choice... but.. having come from PTT does not alone mean he will be a success.. but I do think that someone who did have that type of background would be more probable to success than not. 

Others I think may be more debatable..   What I think they really need is a true "operations" guy/gal.. either at the COO or at minimum SVP/EVP level... someone who has come up from the ranks with a carrier or carriers or has at least some true operational experience with carriers of Thais size and network organization.

9 hours ago, Mulambana said:

The article is frightening. It seems Thailand is bracing for no entry for most foreigners for at least  year, may be more. It keeps talking about untill a vaccine is found or the virus disappears. It may take few years before the virus disappers. Spanish flu took 3-years to disappear. What the perpetual tourists would do? Their days are numbered. All the efforts TI put to deny entry for years was achived by China by unleasing this virus. Dreams of Issan girls for winning a lottery by finding a foreign husband are dashed. Dreams of foreigners for finding a bride and a marriage visa in Thailand are shattered. Dreams of countless people engaging in sex orgy in Thailand would remain dreams only. Now people have to learn to live in their home lands and find brides in their own country or engage in sex orgy with native sex workers. Issan girls have to get education or work in fields or sell chickens. Is that going to be the "new normal"? Sad sad sad.

I agree.. it IS frightening... but.. I think (my opinion only) is that what this person is really speaking to is not the reality (or will not be the reality) in the next few months or the very short term.. but more in the medium to longer term.. that is until when there is a verifiable and widely obtainable true vaccine for COVID19... I think in the short term it's all going to be about testing at the point of initial entry, then 14-days state-confinement and finally retesting before release into the general public... to me, I don't see any other way to do it with what resources are currently available on the ground, combined with the costs and finally the logistical process and scope of the people that would be involved.

12 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

AFAIK you are not allowed to enter Thailand under current incoming passenger flight ban (but that hopefully will end before you have to return).  Only pax currently allowed are returning Thai with Embassy documentation on special flights.  Scheduled flights come in empty of pax and take out paying customers.

Yup,

I've asked friends who work for KE at ICN and they said that it is true, they DO have and fly one flight to Bangkok.. but their one flight that operates TO Bangkok usually goes out empty on the passenger side but tends to carry a fairly heavy cargo load (all ULD) -- occasionally there will be some pax - but they are usually Thai nationals or a random Thai government official, sometimes Thai or Korean medical personnel... but that's about it.. Their one flight, KE 651, shows all "zeroed out" in the GDS', (ie Y0 B0 M0 S0 H0 E0 K0 L0 U0 Q0 N0 T0 G0 ) so its not even bookable on an outside platform as I see it.   So while there may be the ABILITY for those with WP's to return/enter Thailand, it seems there is no FLIGHT available to do so.

I also see a wholesale "zero-out" for most other Asia origins to BKK.. Such as TG643 (NRTBKK) among many others...  So, while they (the CAAT or larger Thai government),  may not have explicitly barred WP-holding non-nationals from reentering via one of past few orders, there appears to be no way for such a person to actually get to Thailand in order to avail of such reentry ability in the first place.

1 hour ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Your needs are obviously different from those of others.

I own several properties, vehicles, watches etc. having considerable assets here in Thailand security is a priority for valuables. As I mentioned earlier having a Thailand credit card was the only way I could get a safety deposit box within the Kasikorn bank's vault, some things are just too precious to be stored in the home safe.

My Thai credit card gives me lots of local privileges as well as free visits to Airport Lounges worldwide, this is very useful as I've been working offshore for decades, travelling to many cities around the world the Lounges have become a very needed place when crew changing.

When visiting a Kasikorn branch I go to the front of the queue each and every time, over the many years jumping the queue has saved me a lot of time. Time is so dearly welcomed when working offshore as you're away from your family 4 weeks at a time.

 

The list goes on and on as to why I need a THAI CREDIT CARD
 

I agree.. while I think it's fair to say that, on the whole, most of the Thai bank issued credit cards (here I am speaking to truly unsecured cards or credit cards that are issued in the foreigners name, based solely on their own credit merit, without the need to deposit any type of funds/assets as a precondition or to offer up any assets as collateral) don't really have any >>major<< benefits that far exceed what can be found on many "western" bank issued cards -- call me lounge access, cell phone loss coverage, primary/secondary auto rental coverage, etc..  and it's my opinion that the market within Thailand is quite small with only about two dozen issuers in total (compared to thousands in the US and I'm sure well into the hundreds for many other nations outside of Asia) and it's this issue, in part, which is what stifles the need to really offer up a more competitive product.

For me, a US national, who is working (thus work permit holder) and with documented monthly salary in excess of B100,000 going back four years plus, I initially chose BBL and KBANK largely for two reasons:  I wanted to build a local credit file with the NCB and I wanted to access some of the local "perks" that are mostly dining offers... both of which essentially require you to hold a locally issued Visa/MC credit card from a Thai bank.

So, I can agree that, IMHO, for the "typical" non-working, non-national, who has fair access to their "home" credit system, there probably isn't a whole lot of real need if you will, to have a Thai-bank issued credit card -- but I think that IF you can get one, I can't see a whole lot of downside either.. While using the dining perks on my BBL/KBANK cards haven't materially changed my finances for the better, I can say that from time-to-time, I've managed to save a few hundred baht here and there off what I would otherwise normally otherwise had spent while dining anyway.. I've also managed to save a few hundred or few thousand off some domestic hotels when doing some long weekend trips.

I think, and have said for some time, that the Thai government - regardless of what one thinks of them, past actions or whatever - isn’t blind to the realities inside and outside of the Kingdom.. I am absolutely sure they watch and talk to neighboring countries about their plans and such forth.. I am also sure that at some level “discussions” are had with major business entities like the department store/mall operators, airlines, hotels, manufacturing, agriculture, etc.. after all, those entities represent a fair percentage of the economy.

To me, I think the government has already laid out if you will, their initial plans.. right now, it’s all about getting/allowing nationals (Thais only) to come “home”... and I myself think that’s the right thing to do...

.. and since the clear plan is to put ALL returnees into 14-day forced quarantine, that’s most likely what any non-national will have to do as well.

so, my guess is that once most of the Thais have come home, then they’ll start with foreigners... and given there is a limited amount of quarantine space, it makes sense to allow for a few days to as much a week or two, to “clear” space to allow a new group to start their 14-day stay.

.... and I think - based only on what they did with the first of the several stages of inbound travel “bans”, (I’m referring to those out into place by the CAAT), that those non-nationals in the first group allowed back will be work permit, SMART visa and diplomatic... again- just based off what they showed as being the priority earlier.

i do agree with an earlier comment that I could see it managed somewhat like the have done for Thais.. a foreigner who qualifies for group 1 reentry would have to get a re-entry type permit from their Thai embassy.. and to get that, you’d have to show the local embassy a COVID test and heath insurance... since the embassy would be “local” it would be easier for the embassy to verify documents; then issue a permit or assign a return date.... again, that’s how I could see it managed. 
 

What I’m somewhat dying to know is how much will be the change be for the forced quarantine be? as example, Korea is over $1K I recall for the 2-weeks.. part of me can easily see this has having the added “benefit” to local hotels as a means of income generation during the lockdown/no-tourist period.