taxin

26 minutes ago, Moo 2 said:

You are definitely spot on! they are also looking at opening the borders for general tourism, and no alcohol would not give the Land of Smile a bad image. 

Really ? They will also open the borders to general tourism on Feb 1st, I didn’t see any mention of this.

All Prab’s heroic efforts in helping the people of Patong get through the last  9 or 10 months will no doubt pay off, he fully deserves what is coming to him, even though he is using his brother as a front.

The current mayor Kebsup has done absolutely nothing for the Thai people since the lock down crippled Patong. Most of the people that voted for her last time will be long gone. She doesn’t stand a chance this time round.

3 hours ago, sallecc said:

 

Totally agree with you... but confusing part is that one family of foreigners reported that, after they registered on apps on arrival, nothing happened for a week, and then on 7th day, 8 (EIGHT) workers visited them to check if they follow home quarantine, after that every day worker came to check their temperature...

 

Yes but this was only because they downloaded and registered on the app prior to arrival, they could have simply done nothing (as many did). I’m not disputing the system didn’t work, it was simply not enforced.
 

I personally know 3 people who flew from Bangkok to Phuket last week and were not asked to do anything more than a temperature check, one was not even asked to do this. I also know one person who entered by land (car) and was not even stopped.

What we are seeing now from the Phuket authorities is a u-turn, they realised pretty quickly that most people are not stupid and can see it was all an act, putting on a show that nobody was buying.

2 hours ago, stubuzz said:

Why is there such a high number of positive cases in quarantine?

Possibly because Bangkok is where people arriving from overseas are being asked to quarantine, they are probably catching it from the Burmese cleaning staff in the hotel, rather than importing it.
 

I’m amazed hotels in Bangkok are still advertising ASQ packages, but unfortunately the government don’t wish to lose face, they do not want to admit they were wrong by doing a u-turn on Phuket.
 

If there was going to be a 2nd outbreak it was always going to be in Bangkok with 1,000’s of immigrants being smuggled in daily, and not in an empty Phuket with zero immigrants crossing the border.

10 hours ago, sallecc said:

I thought Phuket quarantine for BKK arrivals was scrapped altogether now? (as reported in BP and TG, with only requirement to install those 2 apps)... But here Phuket News says that hotel quarantine is now replaced with home quarantine... who is right? TG also reported that previous BKK arrivals (during "hotel quarantine" rule) were surprised that nobody asked them to quarantine at all... and this was during old rule which is supposed to be scrapped now... Crystal clear, as always ????

It is very simple, the Phuket authorities were merely putting on a show, looking for a media opportunity to show people they are fighting the virus and keeping the virus off the island.

As many people have reported on this forum, no quarantine was required when they arrived in Phuket, it was all completely false.

7 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Also removed from the list of mandatory quarantine areas for arrival in Phuket is Samut Prakan. Yet there are community cases there daily and they've just announced the opening of a new field hospital to cope.

 

Phuket's going to see its first cases in weeks very very soon. All the effort on closed schools and alcohol bannings etc will have gone to waste. Poor decision by the Governor 

Right, so all the minimum wage factory workers in Samut Prakan are going to flock to Phuket and spread the virus. Yeah OK.

1 hour ago, XJPSX said:

Not sure if the Thai govt have allowed for the 28 days of quarantine Chinese face when returning. Several of my Chinese staff in Thailand have not contemplated a return because of this...then 2 weeks back in Thailand.

Maybe this is because the Phuket authorities are not focusing on overseas Chinese, maybe it’s the domestic market they want to open up for ?

You are aware that Chinese New Year is now a public holiday in Thailand ? It also lands on a Friday, so it will be the first long weekend of the year, as the last holiday was a washout (the new year holiday that was practically cancelled) there will be a lot of people keen to travel.

15 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

It would be interesting to know which politicians/army generals/police chiefs are the owners of these golf courses ....

Me too, seems they don’t own any in Phuket..

Looks like the south has been snubbed again.

1 minute ago, Jeffr2 said:

That's what these people thought last time and were stuck either off or on the island.  No reason to think it 'could' be the same now, especially as we're having way more infections than earlier in the year.

 

As they say, all's well...until it isn't.  Not to mention they are asking people to NOT travel to help control the spread.  Kinda hard to argue with them.  Though some do.

The OP’s initial query was in relation to any such difficulties in leaving Bangkok and heading to Phuket, he was not asking about the possibility of being stuck there, this is a separate risk and I’m pretty sure anyone with a memory will be aware of this.

So in answer to the OP’s question, currently there is no problem leaving Bangkok and entering Phuket, no paperwork required, no quarantine, no Covid tests required prior to or on arrival.

Those who are considering a shorter road trip south to Hua Hin I can also confirm there are no requirements, no paperwork required, no checkpoints. This can also be said for travel in the opposite direction, no problems leaving Hua Hin and entering Bangkok.

6 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

Many had problems last time there was a checkpoint in place.  With many being stuck either on or off the island.  So, no BS.  No lie.  And yes, a huge inconvenience.

 

https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/mass-exodus-as-40000-people-leave-phuket-this-morning
 

 

That was last time, we are talking about now. andbod has just shared his experience with us and made it very clear, no swab test, no quarantine, no questions asked, only a quick temperature check.
 

This is enough proof for me that entering Phuket is about as difficult as visiting your local shopping mall.

7 hours ago, andbod said:

I was on a plane from Bangkok to Phuket yesterday night.

The rules state that you should register online on gophuket.com before boarding, confirm your quarantine place and personal data on the same site, download Mor Chana application, always wear mask and follow strict distancing, quarantine for 14 days once in Phuket,.

The reality was really different : at departure no one at the airport informed us about the new rules, no advice of any kind, ground staff was not aware of anything.

Social distancing was respected while boarding. After arriving in Phuket everything started to go in a very different way : we disembarked from the plane with no distance at all and the ground staff used a single overcrowded bus to get us inside the terminal (about 25 people in a small bus).

At the terminal after a very quick temperature check (no swab available at all and no one asking if we visited any high risk zones) and a lot of AOT employees helping to register on Mor Chana app,

Most of the passangers just skipped the line and ignored the registration..

Before the registration zone the latest Phuket Governor order annuncing quarantine and other rules was clearly visible (in Thai only).

I asked why they do not scan the QR code generated by gophuket.com website and and AOT emplotee replied that the system is still not working and Mor Chana is enough. Asked how should I register my quarantine address since gophuket.com is not working they had no idea, just told me : go ask at Ob Or Tor (would it not be breaking quarantine rules?). I told them I had already downloaded Mor Chana app and they let me go without even checking my QR code.

 

Brilliant ! Why am I not surprised about your experience. The whole thing is complete BS, a lie.

I really would like to hear from anyone who experienced the slightest inconvenience in entering Phuket, I expect nobody will.

I just drove from Bkk to Hua Hin, no checkpoints. I would say if you have a car you can pretty much go anywhere.

1 hour ago, Agusts said:

I'm guessing all this can be controlled and checked via flight and airport but how about via land...!? Any different restrictions on land entry as of today...?

 

So far they had just checked temperature and waved you through at Sarasin checkpoint, let's see if that changes...(though hard to know where the vehicle is coming from really, can always say I was in Phang Nga...!!!).

 

The same can be said for someone traveling from Bkk airport, the person could have driven his car to Bkk from a province not listed as high risk, with his only time in Bkk being the walk from the car park to the departure lounge, do they have to quarantine when in Phuket ?

For land entry the first thing they will check is the number plates, I’m currently in Bangkok where I have been for the last 3 weeks, my car has Phuket number plates, the chances are I will be waived through and not even stopped.
 

Again I’m suspecting they are putting on this show for reasons other than protecting the island from a 2nd wave.

Interesting how only Phuket has these strict restrictions in place, why only Phuket and not other provinces ? After all there will be many more provinces that Thais (particularly Bangkok Thais) will be planning on traveling to, provinces more important to them such as the north/north eastern provinces.

My initial thought was Phuket was simply putting up a barrier to the Bangkok/Pattaya crowd who can’t find a place for a beer after 9 or 10pm, a way of saying “don’t come here”; but now I’m thinking there is more to it than this.

Phuket was initially touted as the gateway for returnees coming back to Thailand, eventually losing out to Bangkok, now the tables may have been turned.

Is Phuket about to make a 2nd bid to be that gateway which was virtually promised to them before ? After all the ASQ program has proved to be very lucrative for the Bangkok hotels.

4 minutes ago, zzzzz said:

i'd say 75% of the "tourist" that have visited phuket in the last 6 month have visited for less than 5 days

Look at the number of flights everyday

 

This thread is not about how long a tourist spends in Phuket, it is about entering Phuket and the need to quarantine should a returnee/visitor come from a covid red zone.
 

So back on topic. My question was, how easy would it be to lie about where you have come from ? Would they ask for proof if you were entering Phuket in a car with Bangkok number plates, but you have stated you have come from Samui ?

5 hours ago, zzzzz said:

they stop and check every car and take ur temp.  For sure they will ask where you are travelling from

Flying,  ur id, ur boarding pass
you really think someone wants to get to Phuket for a 4 day weekend will fly first to CM and than down to Phuket??  

 

YOU chose your ASQ hotel, lots of options in various beaches,
unlike Cambodia where you have NO choice of which hotel you will stay 14 days

Of course they will ask where you have traveled from, but how would they know you have come from Bkk if you tell them you have come from Samui ? OK your ID card night say Bangkok but that person may have spent the last 3 months in Samui.

No I do not think anyone from Bkk will want to visit for 4 days, but there are many people in Bkk who are considering a month or more to get away from the lock down. I know this as I own property in Phuket and I have had inquires from people in Bangkok, all were for minimum one month.

If arriving in Phuket by land, with the exception of entering Phuket in a car with number plates from any of the 28 provinces, how will the authorities know you have come from one of these places ? What is to stop people from lying and saying they have just come from Samui ?

Same goes for flying, if you are a resident in Bangkok you could easily access Phuket by going via an airport not listed as one of the 28 provinces, for example fly from Bkk to Chiangmai and then on to Phuket ?

3 hours ago, Ian C HH said:

Live in Hua Hin. Arguing with wife that certificate WILL be needed for any travel to Bangkok ( passes through Samut Sakhon) even for her medical appointment in Bangkok. She says not I say absolutely. Am I correct or ( God forbid) is she? 

I would say your wife is correct, as you say you are merely passing through Samut Sakhon, it’s not like you will be stopping off at the seafood market to grab some prawns. Also the likeliness of the virus making its way through the vents in your car and infecting you is about zero. 
 

Any roads that branch off the main highway into Samut Sakhon will be closed off, or will have checkpoints preventing unauthorised access, the gas stations along the perimeter road will be closed or they will not be accessible from the highway, so you will not be able to fill up with gas or take a pee.

Interesting you say “God forbid” if your wife is correct ? 

Just shows how heavily reliant Thailand is on migrant workers, it is prepared to vaccinate the majority of its population so it can continue to import these workers.

Hopefully this will tip the government in to also opening its borders to mass tourism. We can dream.

15 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

 

Hard lockdown now, then vaccinate all the VIPs, open up again and let the virus cull the rest of us at will.

The virus has a 99. something % recovery rate, so not likely to be much of a cull. 
 

Personally I would welcome your suggestion, even if I was not one of the VIP’s. The recovery rate is proven and I’m prepared to take the chance.

My life is hell at the moment, and that’s not because I’m unable to fondle bar girls while sipping my Chang. If I was told my life would be back to normal but I have a 1% chance of dying I would welcome it. I’m probably not alone in this thinking.

8 hours ago, bino said:

I am expecting that the number of cases will explode nationwide over the next two weeks, caused by the sheer number of people who traveled to gatherings and parties with family and loved ones over the New Year, with little regard for social distancing.

 

Expect tougher restrictions and more lockdowns coming soon. I'm imposing them on myself already.

Yes but IMO it’s not likely to be the same as the 1st outbreak, this time there are no international travellers in the country who have imported the virus.
 

For example there are no tourists in Phuket Samui etc right now, the 1st outbreak these places were crawling with Chinese & Italians who imported the virus, not many Thais in Bkk will have traveled south of Hua Hin over the new year, most will have traveled north.
 

We could well see a north/south divide here in terms of cases, with a big variance in restrictions.

1 hour ago, sungod said:

Seems they are trying to find a way to get 'digital nomads' working from Thailand to pay tax.

Or they are simply tracking these Digital Nomads by luring them into believing their skills are welcomed. 
 

Once they apply these people will be flagged in the immigration system as working in Thailand, making it very difficult to re-enter the country on a tourist visa or visa exempt.

The real smart ones will be saying “no thanks”.

This must be old news as they are already here, seen it with my own eyes in Aonang (Krabi) this morning.
 

There was at least 4 (possibly 5) double deck coaches parked up by the beach, I’m guessing approx 50 people on each bus so maybe at least 200 of them, they were scattered all over the beach, surprisingly there was quite a few kids amongst them.