sghanchey

3 hours ago, fulhamster said:

I think you will need to get this at a private hospital.

It won't be free

BPH Hospital has a paper at their registration desk recommending Samitivej Sriracha Hospital and Pattaya Memorial Hospital, where i got mine done for 3500 bahts (not free anywhere that I know). BPH main hospital and Jomtien Hospital do not do the tests anymore.

On 1/8/2022 at 6:16 PM, sezze said:

While it is never smart to forget "official paperwork" , if you still get 1 , it does show "good intend" . I mean if it is within certain time frame , not after 3 weeks , when should be 5-7 days . I always believe that even officials do show compassion if a person does try to do the right thing , even after they done "wrong" in the 1st place . You can always have a bad officer , but i believe the chances of having a easier system after does rely on 2 sides , especially if you do have something not right .

So , go to test center as soon as possible and get yourself tested , you are too late , but if it is only a few days , you can get away with it .

I would be curious to know which hospital the poster contacted about getting the 2nd Covid test. I was unable to schedule mine and decided not to go to the big government Banglamung Hospital as it was crowded with thousands (yes, 1000s) of waiting patients milling around in close proximity, so I went to a private hospital (Pattaya Memorial) and paid 3500 for an official test. The problem is I can't upload the test result to the Communicable Disease Center's website because I don't have a "laboratory number", and so I can't submit. I haven't figured out how to get around this issue, so technically I am in non-compliance. Anyone have any ideas? 

Does anyone know what would happen if someone never gets the second PCR test under Test and Go? I can't find anywhere in Pattaya that has testing available. The best private hospitals (ex Bangkok Hospital Pattaya) have cancelled testing and the others are all booked up indefinitely. I would be willing to pay instead of opting for the government's free second test offer, but none have availability and were unhelpful in suggesting alternatives. I am going to check out Banglamung Hospital this morning, but am extremely anxious about waiting around in a large public hospital with potentially hundreds of sick people. 

12 hours ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

Yes, it does have a basis in science. Not only has the principle of using a heterologous prime-boost regimen already been shown effective in numerous other vaccines, specific studies with CoViD-19 vaccines also support its use.

 

From Nature Magazine:

 

Mix-and-match COVID vaccines trigger potent immune response

 

From The Lancet:

 

Heterologous prime-boost COVID-19 vaccination

Thanks very much for the Lancet article. I'm heading to the U.S. next week with one jab of Astra-Zeneca received last week, and want to follow it up with a Pfizer jab in 2 weeks after I get back, but no health professionals in the U.S. have much information about A-Z because it's not approved or used there. 

On 7/12/2021 at 6:43 PM, brewsterbudgen said:

The 7 motorway between Bangkok and Pattaya is only closed during the Bangkok curfew times (9pm-3am) and, presumably, only the entrances and exits within Bangkok.  However, it is open during the day.  No-one knows for sure yet (it's only Day 1 of the new restrictions) what the requirements are for leaving Bangkok during the day, other than for "necessary" travel.  There's a lot of business travel between Chonburi province and Bangkok, so I would think legitimate business reasons will be allowed, and travelling for a vaccination sounds "necessary" to me.  We should know more in the next few days, as more people report back.

I thought the freeway closure was 4 AM, not 3 AM.

14 hours ago, dsmiththailand said:

The law firm just stated that they will visit immigration tomorrow and confirm what the latest requirements is around the 65,000.  I will keep you updated.

Please do. I was under the impression that a Non-O required the 800,000 bank method only. 

3 minutes ago, nchuckle said:

Is there any point going (are you excluded) if say 69 like myself. I could drive there with my wife 47 but obviously a risk travelling to a red zone if likely to be turned away 

They checked my passport at the entrance and again at every station inside. Several of them didn't think I was 76 (I am), and looked carefully at the year of my birth (1945).

Close restaurants for dine-in customers but leave the big shopping malls open. Gee- I wonder why? It couldn't be that the malls are owned by powerful hi-so oligarchs, could it? No? I didn't think so. 

Argentina is a financial basket case. Almost impossible to get funds transferred to or from the country, and ATMs dispense very limited amounts of cash (and that's if you don't get mugged after your transaction). Petty crime in Buenos Aires is rampant, although if a bandit is armed, I don't call it "petty", but bag snatching and phone grabbing are pretty common. Half the population is in  therapy with a psychiatrist, and this was long before the financial crisis. Beef and wine are great. Not so many pretty girls interested in gringos as in Colombia (for ex), and much more expensive. Think again, Wyoming cowboy. 

The insurance requirements that keep changing for Non-OA extension are making me less and less confident that I will be able to meet those as a 76 year old U.S. passport holder. I have the current minimum insurance with $100,000 + 40,000 baht outpatient coverage that also includes Covid, but if they change it to 3m THB, I am screwed. I intend to apply for the annual renewal soon (it expires Sept. 15), but my insurance is valid until March 15, 2022, so that's as long as I will get. Then I will leave for the U.S. as quickly as possible to get vaccinated there, and return only after the quarantine is no longer required. What are the chances of changing from a Non-OA to a Non-O? Single, not married to a Thai. Thanks in advance.

On 6/17/2021 at 4:11 PM, JTXR said:

I registered at the Chulabhorn Academy.  A few days later, their whole program was stopped. 

I registered and got an appointment at the Thailandintervac site.  It was cancelled ("postponed").

 

Enough is enough.  I'm taking my chances with a flight to the U.S.  At least I KNOW I can get a next-day appointment at my local pharmacy and actually get the shot(s).  And top-line vaccines, too.

Me too. Depending on how soon I can get my Non-OA annual extension done, I'm outta here as soon as I can get the PCR test and get on a plane. People are signing up for 4000 baht Moderna jobs in October at Pattaya Memorial Hospital, but I'll get mine the day after arriving in the U.S. 

22 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

It did work for smarty pants. Here is what it showed:

 

For Asian destinations, the airline will operate:

 

–          5 flights a week on the Bangkok-Hong Kong route;

–          3 flights a week on Bangkok-Tokyo (Narita), Bangkok-Osaka, Bangkok-Taipei and Bangkok-Manila routes;

–          2 flights a week on Bangkok-Tokyo (Haneda), Bangkok-Nagoya, Bangkok-Seoul and Bangkok-Lahore routes; and

–          1 flight a week on Bangkok-Dhaka route.

 

For European destinations, it will operate:

–          3 flights a week on Bangkok-Frankfurt route;

–          2 flights a week on Bangkok-London and Bangkok-Copenhagen routes; and

–          1 flight a week on Bangkok-Paris and Bangkok-Zurich routes.

 

For Australia, THAI will operate 2 flights a week on Bangkok-Sydney route.

Many thanks for the details.

3 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

So hard to click on link?

https://tna.mcot.net/english-news/line-today-english-news-714131 does not work for me. Maybe it did for you, smarty pants. 

5 hours ago, Nojohndoe said:

Has anyone noted that the information provided states that the site is  functional  between the hours of 2 pm (14.00 hrs) and 6 pm (1800 hrs) ?

That might explain why so many have had problems?

I had no problem registering, but the calendar of availability (still only BKK hospitals) shows zero dates available from now through January 2022. Will that change on June 14?

What are the European routes? 

7 minutes ago, andygrr said:

Jomtien is normally max 45 days before.

That would work perfectly for me. I hope they agree. Thanks. 

Thanks everyone. Sounds like I have some chance if I catch them on the right day. My next 90-day report is July 15, so I will look into early extension possibilities then. 

My current O-A extension expires September 15, so normally I would go in 30 days in advance to renew, but I'd really like to leave for the U.S. earlier than that. I have a ticket for August 9 booked with airline points, so it's flexible and can be advanced or delayed. Would they be likely to consider 45 days before the expiration, and how could I ensure this without recourse to an agent- if possible. Thanks in advance if anyone has experience or advice to offer. 

On 5/1/2021 at 7:04 AM, Swiss1960 said:

 

When I said "same as the Thai people" I did mean same as the Thai people who don't have a smart phone and therefore will walk into the next hospital (for Pattay probably Pattaya City on Bhuakow / Sai Saam, Memorial on Pattaya Klang / Sai Song or Bangkok Hospital on Sukhumvit) and start to ask. As you said yourself, if the app currently requires a Thai-ID, then you are out of luck using it. Going into a hospital for registration is the officially proposed second way by the Thai government - except of course, when you are too busy with other things?

 

For your point about specific info for Pattaya: Since the government ist currently tightly controlling the vaccines / vaccine programs and since they clearly announce that registration starts in May and vaccination starting on 7 June for people older than 60 or with medical conditions.  Registration for people 18-59 starts in July with vaccinations starting August. There CAN NOT BE any Pattaya specific information, as all is currently "under construction" by the central government. 

 

With regards to vaccine, the government also clearly outlined, that currently they import vaccines for health workers / tourist area workers and those people mainly will receive CoronaVac (from Sinovac), as the 50'000 imported Astra Zeneca shots would have been used by "other" people. According to government info, June is the availability date for the first shots of Astra Zeneca from Siam Bioscience.

Someone I know when to Pattaya City Hospital today to "manually" register but was turned away with "not know" when or if expats can register there. 

3 hours ago, kokesaat said:

It's a shame so many discussions get so derailed:

The op asked about living here in old age.  My wife and I have lived in Udon for 24 years.  We've known lots of 80's and young 90's (if there is such a thing) guys who have served out their final days here.  Many needed a nursing assistant at the home to help out.  If you have the money, you can do it.....and it's not that expensive.  I've known a few who were legitimately bedbound for a few years and didn't renew their extension/90 day report and no one bothered them.  

I've looked into the Chiangmai retired home.....just for info.  For around $2000 a month, you get what appears to be excellent facilities/care.  Maybe more if you're truly bedbound.  A vet friend of mine recently was admitted to a small nursing home in Udon.....not the best care/facility in the world, but 24 hour care for around 15,000 baht per month.  

Given the sad state of affairs with nursing homes in the US, I'd gladly pay $2000+ for the care in a Thai facility, if'n'when the day comes.  

As for hospitals, we've been marooned in the US for one year, due to go back in 2 days.  We've talked with several people who have had the same problems with misdiagnosis.....including our son-in-law (then) who had leukemia and was diagnosed with bronchitis.....for 2 months.....before the right hospital determined his problem.  Thanks to the efforts of people like Sheryl on this forum, you can find many first class doctors/hospitals in Thailand.   

 

 

Excellent point. I wish someone would publish a list of the assisted living facilities or nursing homes available to elderly expats here in Thailand. It's a great business opportunity for those Thais whose hotels are shuttered but could be converted. 

On 2/15/2021 at 5:31 PM, Andy from Kent said:

Pretty much the main issue of remaining in Thailand is not being able to maintain the 28,000 Thai Baht in a bank account for the required amount of time.    Other  than that  issue, there really are few obstacles to remaining in  Thailand.

 

I think you mean $28,000, not bahts.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-55900680

For months Tanzania's government has insisted the country was free from Covid-19 - so there are no plans for vaccination. The BBC's Dickens Olewe has spoken to one family mourning the death of a husband and father suspected of having had the disease. The fear is that amid the denial, there are many more unacknowledged victims of this highly contagious virus.