jimn

Everyone should just carry on as normal and if you get sick stay home. This virus is not going anywhere in the short or medium term. As soon as people realise this and accept it we can move on. I predict by the summer that the UK will be treating Covid the same as the yearly endemic flu virus.

Some good stuff, great humour but way too long. I got bored halfway through and stopped reading.

Ok thank you Tony. We live together in Thailand and travel together to the UK. I do not give her a set amount just money in cash when she needs it once a week 1000 baht. I pay for all our bills from my account and shopping in Lotus etc on my card. Its non complex works for us, I just hope UKV1 understand.

Its no worse than a bad flu season https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59909860

Thank you for the prompt detailed response. Just a follow up if I may. I have my company pension paid into my bank account monthly and come April my UK State Pension. About £2,500. How much money are they looking to see in a bank account? I prefer not to leave large sums in my account. I can if necessary arrange for a sum of money to be deposited in my account but I dont want to do that and it could be counter productive. I can show about £3,500 in a savings account, £15,000 in UK Shares and available credit on my cards of about £30,000. I own my house in the UK outright, no mortgage. Thanks again

I am not I am just correcting you. In fact most of the critical incidents are now under control.

I am just helping my wife with her next UK Standard visit visa application. She has previously be granted 3 x 1 year visas and the last one a 5 year visa. As we visit and travel together once a year to visit my young family she is going to apply for a 10 year visa as she has a good reason and a good travel history. This is her fist application via the new process since the last application was over 5 years ago. I am sponsoring her visit and have previously submitted many photocopies etc to prove finance ie bank statements etc. My question is. What exactly are they now asking for from me to provide proof of finance. The guide notes say 4. If you have a sponsor If someone else (your sponsor) is providing your travel, maintenance or accommodation you should provide evidence showing: what support is being provided and whether it extends to any dependent family how this support is being provided Do they want me to send bank statements? If so how many months? or is it batter to enclose other proof such as (1) I can provide separate proof of income (2) I can provide proof of State Pension (3) I can provide proof of outright home home ownership in the UK Your thoughts please @Tony M@theoldgit@7by7 Thank You

No test and go hotels in Koh Chang. They probably went to Koh Chang after testing negative on arrival test. Took the day 6 test in Koh Chang. Probably caught the virus in Thailand.

Dont make things out to be worse than they actually are. The critical incidents in a few hospitals have been declared due to staff shortages, ie having to self isolate after close contact with someone over Christmas and the New Year. This will soon pass. Dont also forget that the 17,988 people in hospital are not all there because of Covid. Only some are. The rest are in hospital for other reasons and just happen to have covid. Of the 17,988 people in hospital only 875 are serious and on Ventilators. 90% are unvaccinated

To those of you who type out an answer about alcohol without engaging you brain. Of course alcohol does not directly cause a surge in covid infections. However its the environment that alcohol is consumed in that is the problem. Before you jump on me and say I am anti alcohol. I enjoy a good drink. I live just outside Pattaya and enjoy visiting the Pattaya bars and gogo's when open. The problem is and its the main reason I am staying out of them at the moment is peoples drunken behaviour. Shouting, hugging everyone, much too close contact with fiends and imposing themselves on other people. Its no wonder that covid is now rife in the Soi Baukau and Tree Town areas. Dont get me wrong I feel its time to move on from covid and start getting things back to normal, a path the UK now appears to be on. What worries me however is the Thai authorities attitude to Covid, admitting people to hospital with no symptoms and being landed with a big hospital bill. I have been in and out of Thailand twice in this pandemic and done quatantine twice. Waiting in the hotel room for the results of the 2 PCR test lottery each time is not something I wish to do again.

100% correct

Visit immigration and ask to consider a change to your visa status. @ubonjoewill confirm if this is possible.

FACT Nothing has been agreed to change or reinstate the Thai Pass. There aee rumours around the January 10th date but only rumours. A full decision will be published after the full CCSA meeting on Friday 7th. FACT At this time all issued Thailand Passes are valid, yes even beyond 10th January, although that may change on Friday 7th. If you change your flight to arrive before the date on your Thai Pass you will either be denied boarding or entry. There is a 72 hour window to arrive after the date on your Thai Pass to allow for delays or cancellations, but not for before.

Thats where you are totally mistaken. It is the non Thai insurances that are refusing to pay because they will not cover non essential hospital care ie sent to hospital where you are asymptomatic. Many many people are taking out Thai Insurance policies from Luma and AXA Sawasdee who both cover asymptomatic hospital costs and will pay the hospital direct rather than paying yourself and having to try and claim the money back as is with most non Thai policies.

Some incorrect posts here. Requirements are. 1. A PCR or Lateral Flow/Antigen test 48 hours before flight. The result shown in a medical certificate. 2. If fully vaccinated a day 2 or before PCR test ordered and paid for online. If unvaccinated a day 2 and 8 test. 3. The Passenger Locator Form (PLF) completed, with the reference number from the day 2/day 2 and 8 test.

Yep agree with that

I really feel I have to comment to put right the many incorrect assumptions and comments in this thread. The fact is that the BA flights which are cancelled are the BA09 and BA10 direct route LHR BKK and BKK LHR. This route has not flown passengers since April 2020 but has been carrying Cargo. The cancellation is just an extension of the current suspension. BA will still operate Codeshare flights to Bangkok through DOHA with Qatar and through Honk Kong with Cathy Pacific. I hope this is clear.

That was a codeshare flight using Qatar

I completely agree. The New York Underground is not the safest place for anyone travelling alone, especially a young woman. This is a mugging pure and simple, no racial overtones at all. It just so happened that the victim was asian.

Lol you are well over the top. You come across as a scared little boy. Do not travel if you have concerns, its as simple as that.

Lol, dont you just love it when you realise you are totally wrong.

Sounds like to me that you are giving up too easily and making excuses not to come. You have many options. (1) Despite what you think you have been told, your money only needs to be in your NZ bank account when you apply for the OA, this is the rule, no seasoning required. (2) You can enter on a 30 day visa exempt entry that can be extended by 30 days or converted into an extension of stay. (3) You can apply for a Non O based on marriage or retirement 90 days. This can be converted into an extension of stay for 12 months with money in a Thai bank. You can also extend by 60 days, visit Thai wife, if a marriage extension. (4) You can apply for a Tourist Visa 60 days that can be extended by 30 days. Just get your backside in gear and stop accepting defeat at the first hurdle. What was stopping you coming before now? Was it restrictions from NZ, it surely cannot have been Thailand, I have been in and out twice now.

Its not getting better anytime soon. The number of delivery drivers is increasing everyday here in Pattaya. Lazada, Grabfood, LineMan etc etc. All of them receiving their next job whilst driving, calling back to base, calling the customer all whilst driving one hand. Add to this the total lack of road sense from most Thai drivers and many many using the phone and not paying attention whilst driving. Plus the underage kids in the everywhere driving a motorbike. What else do you expect from this uneducated country.

Disagree 100% on that. Years ago they were aweful now I find them excellent especially in Macro