DrPhibes

There was another recent announcement that Thai Airlines would be flying from BKK to England to repatriate foreigners and I believe to then bring back Thais wishing to repatriate back to LOS.  Makes sense to use a national company for these flights rather than airlines from other countries for the repatriation flights.

6 hours ago, Gee Ku said:

You can't own a house in Thailand, Dutch farang! So don't bs the Thai immigration about owning a house here.

You can own the house, you just can't directly own the land.  Many here built a house on a long term lease that extends much farther than our projected remaining life span.

4 minutes ago, fraggleRock said:

Why would I need 100k insurance to fly to my home country which has a national health service? Why would I need a Covid certificate? Ive not been out the Country since Feb.... ... what is your source of information for these requirements to leave this condemned to hell dammed place.

Yes, this is not correct.  These requirements are about getting in, not out.

1 hour ago, Claudio54 said:

Good luck with the COVID-19 test. It takes a minimum of 7 to 10 days to get a result, if you are lucky. I'd like to know where you can get a test with results in 72 hours. By the way, even if you get it in 72 hours, it would be considered expired by the time you get there. On top of that, you need to schedule a doctor appointment AFTER you get the test for the fit to fly certificate. How is that possible? Why this requirement, since you get tested when you arrive and then you are transported to the alternate state place where you get an additional 3 tests within the 14 days? I could get all of the paperwork, but not the test in 72 hours. I haven't been able to see my wife for 7 months now and I can't find a solution to go see her. It's maddening!!!!

The requirements to get back are quite exhaustive and somewhat expensive.  The problem is that there is domino effect of things that have to happen in short order once you get a repatriation flight reservation with a chunk of money on the line.  For those of us that have been separated from our families for 6 months (like me) it is a test of just how much your family means to you.  The very thing right now I am having a tough time nailing down is the COVID-19 RT-PCR test.  While I am not looking to get back until the end of August (if lucky) trying to find a facility that can get you that test in 48 hrs (72 is not correct since your having to be at the airport many hrs ahead of a normal flight) has been impossible no matter the price.  I have spent 2 days calling hospitals and labs and basically unless your really sick, 48 or 72hrs is impossible.

15 hours ago, Cali farong said:

I’ve seen comments that said that this insurance is unavailable.

has anyone been able to find in the U S ?

I am waiting in SoCal for the August flights.  The flaming hoops you have to jump through are daunting and require burst of activity once you get a seat on a repatriation flight.  I had to purchase extra health insurance for Thailand because my US policy is one that only shows you what it does not cover, not specifically what it does cover so you can't get show that it covers COVID-19 per se.  Comes out to about $300/month at 62yrs old and can be cancelled at any time.

DKSTUNTS, has to be a repatriation flight.  I am in SoCal trying to get home.  PM me and I'll fill you in on all the details.  Am awaiting the August flight schedule to be published which, if you get a tentative reservation, will start a whole cascade of actions that has to be done in very short order to make going home (for me) able to take place.

16 hours ago, unheard said:

1. Have you filled out the application form and submitted it? If yes then

2. Wait for their response. If your documents are in order they'll send you an email telling you to proceed with flight/hotel bookings via the designated by them agency.

3. Check for the available for August flights/seats (when published), note the dates but don't book yet - find an available on those dates ASQ room, most are refundable if cancelled within a certain period of time before the check-in date, book the room for the date of arrival and only then book the repatriation flight seat on the same date. The flight tickets changes are heavily penalized unless cancelled within 24 hours.

It's a fast moving process and requires tons of phone calls, waiting and more calls to find an acceptable and available ASQ room.

Yup,

I have all the gears greased, just waiting for the August flights to be posted and get a seat reserved which then sets into motion all kinds of actions!  That reservation is not a perm reserved seat until you have a COE and ASQ reservation, then you can pay and actually have the seat).  Quite daunting here in the US as you can not go to the Consulate, all done by mail.  Made a recommendation that they at least post with the flights which airport the flight is going out of since all they do is post the airline and date it arrives in Thailand.

On 7/21/2020 at 5:23 PM, ubonjoe said:

Seats are available on some repatriation flights. Thai nationals are the first priority and it is first come first served after that.

 

I have cleaned out some troll posts and replies.

Thanks Joe, I have the info for all of this.  The original question was have any non-Thai citizens been able to get on a flight from the US on an repatriation flight.  That has not been answered.

The Consulate in LA and Embassy have now started to post flights (as of day before yesterday).  However, it looks like that posting for August won't happen until the beginning of the month of August.  Considering that you have to have a confirmed flight to make an ASQ booking and that both of these are required for submitting a COE to be issued (online COE application wants a confirmed flight with e-ticket uploaded or will not finish out) and a confirmed flight for the non-O Visa couple with the fact that you can not go to the Consulate, must all be done by mail.  It leaves almost no time once you even get a reservation for the last flight of the month to get the rest of the paperwork in to get the COE and the Visa which you need not just to get into Thailand but to pay for your seat (where you could lose your reserved spot until paid).  I have posed this very question to the Consulate and am awaiting a response.

The only people I have seen get in as non-O based on marriage on TV have been able to go to their Consulate or Embassy to facilitate the process first hand and were given a lengthy heads up on a flight.

Thanks again for reading.

Does anyone know of a US citizen (non-Thai citizen) actually getting a seat on a repatriation flight from the US?  I have had two e-mails, one from the Embassy and one from the Consulate in LA that said they were not allowing non-Thai citizens on the repatriation flights any time soon.  That was 3.5 weeks ago.  Recent e-mails on the same subject are now not being answered.  I am willing to go through the process of getting insurance (have great ins in the US but only covers life threatening situations and max 6mo out of the US), making a reservation for ASQ, getting the COE, all that.  But if I can't get on a repatriation flight what is the point?  Coming back on a non-O based on wife.  Have a family with a 2yr old in Chiang Mai I have not been with since Jan12th, work just ended so trying to get back.  I'd chuck everything and have them come to the US but I have teens doing very well in private HS and don't want that interrupted by moving them.

Thanks in advance.

I am finally able to begin the process of obtaining a COE and all the uploads as well as obtaining my Non-O multi-entry visa when I ran into this on the US Embassy website:

The Embassy/Consulates-General has received the latest Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and is currently updating our Online Application for Thailand Visa and Certificate of Entry (COE). The form is not available at the moment and please check back later.

 

I also have not heard back on an e-mail I sent 4 days ago to both the Embassy and the Consulate in Los Angeles concerning the availability of getting a seat on a repatriation flight looking forward the next few months so I can get back to my family in Chiang Mai.  There has been no response to the e-mails.

10 hours ago, Time to grow said:

Holding out for tourism to resume is a loosing bet. There is increasing evidence that humans are susceptible to contracting Corona Virus more than once. Apparently, antibodies only last six weeks, give or take. This means there will be no herd immunity or vaccine due to the loss of antibodies. This virus is not going away which will have truly profound implications worldwide. We are in a new paradigm and the sooner the masses figure this out, the better off they will be. Hotels, restaurants, airlines, cruise ships, and supporting industries are finished but the list will be much bigger. What was, is not coming back, ever...

This is true, here is an article on the antibodies sticking around for a short time https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/studies-report-rapid-loss-of-covid-19-antibodies-67650

Part of the problem is testing is not that great at the moment, false positives, false negatives, one persons antibodies against the virus may have a slightly different structure than the next guys antibodies.  While the site on the antibody that is effective against COVID-SARS-2 is there, the site on the antibody that binds for testing to show positive or negative may vary from individual to individual.

I kind of look at this like polio.  The world did not shut down because of it.  It was accepted that it was part of the risk of being alive and the world soldiered on until a real vaccine was finally found and thoughtfully deployed.  Common sense hygiene of a mask, hand washing/sterilizing, stay home if you are sick, etc.. will go a long way to keep the hospitals from being overloaded until a true and verified vaccine is ready.  Yes, there will be casualties.  But we should not shut down the world because of it.  The cat is already out of the bag.  It is now part of the world environment like the flu and probably should be looked at the same way.  I for one would not want to be the first to try an under evaluated rapidly deployed vaccine and no one else I have spoken with will either.

On 7/11/2020 at 9:07 AM, Tounge Thaied said:

We've got a pretty good thread going here... you may find your answer there. A copy and paste from one of the posts. 

"

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."

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1172056-certificate-of-entry-process-for-spouses-of-thai-citizens/?do=findComment&comment=15601914

Has any non-Thai been able to get a repatriation seat reserved on a flight out of the US?  I had an e-mail response from the Thai Embassy 2 weeks ago that so many Thai citizens are waiting to get back, there were no seats available for the rest of us to go home and no idea when any would be available.

On 7/11/2020 at 7:48 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

The island that sold its soul for greed got its comeuppance!

I for one have no sympathy.

I stopped going there last century when it went trendy and expensive. Kicked the cheap places out ( like Charlie's hut ), destroyed the old Ark bar and built horrid concrete places everywhere.

Couldn't believe it last time I sailed past on the ferry to Phangan- concrete villas destroying every hillside. Used to be a great place to holiday- Chaweng is one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen, but ruined by greed and aircraft.

Only people to blame are the Thais that destroyed it to get rich.

Used to stay at White Sands Bungalows with buddies in the late 80's early 90's right on Lamai Beach.  Have not been back since 2007 when I saw all the places with character being destroyed to put up "Boutique" hotels.  When my buddies and I get together we still retell those stories of dancing 'till dawn at Green Mango, the crazy fun people we met, the great and cheap food and drinks, the great books we happen to pick up in the lobby library, and of course the ladies.  One night in '92 a buddy and I got really high and went to one of the places where you lay around in bean bag chairs and watch a movie and eat delicious snacks.  We went on the wrong night and instead of watching Wayne's World they showed In the Name of the Father.  We were seriously freaked out.  Good times, good times...

20 hours ago, mjakob007 said:

very valid point.

 

Even with all the docs and $$, if there are not sufficient critical mass of Thai's wanting to evacuate, i am afraid our effort will be in vain.

Or too many.  I was told two weeks ago by the Thai Embassy in WA D.C. that I could not apply for a repatriation flight through them or make any reservation for a flight months out and that they had no idea when spots would become available to non-Thai citizens.  So even if I jumped through all the logistic hoops, there is not a flight from the US at this time to get back to my family in Chiang Mai.  I've set my sights to revisit this in about 2-3 weeks.

4 hours ago, Patts said:

You need to chance your username because you are no genius.

 

Flu mortality is on average 0.01% Corona virus Mortality varies depending on geographical location but on average is considered to be in the region of 3.5% (although it could be lower). Many of those who serve have long term complications including Renal failure and/or diabetes. Hardly comparable to seasonal flu!

And now add this:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-brains/scientists-warn-of-potential-wave-of-covid-linked-brain-damage-idUSKBN24837S

On 6/30/2020 at 2:23 PM, unheard said:

I don't think there's a waiting list now as in "really wanna go now but can not get a seat therefore must wait".

Could that statement be interpreted as the flights are reserved exclusively for the Thais, but if there's a spare capacity it could be re-assigned to the returning foreigners?

As I understand the work permit holders are already flying back on the same flights as the repatriating Thai Nationals.

There are approximately 7 flights each month out of LAX.

Each flight carries around 200 seats and they seem to be filling up as normal flights during the normal times - by selecting the flights you like on the date you want.

They don't arbitrarily assign the seats as if there was a waiting list.

They allow the returning Thais to select and book any available flight on the list.

Straight from the e-mail dated 6/25/20:

"Unfortunately, due to the number of Thai citizens that are still in the US,  the repatriation flights are for Thai citizens only at this time. However, you may now submit for the Certificate of Entry (COE).
Please check  https://thaiembdc.org/visas/  for more information."

5 hours ago, Max69xl said:

There are a very few repatriation flights left. That's why they start with the 11 groups,but according to news today, they haven't really decided if all 11 groups will be accepted from a few (at the moment) high risk countries. Forget about tourists and expats with extensions based on retirement. Even "travel bubbles" are questioned at the moment. 

The Embassy here in the US has stated (in an e-mail to me) repatriation flight seats from the US are available only to Thai citizens period.  They are way backed up trying to get citizens home.  I have to find my own flight home to the family once the dust settles on really how it is done.  I'll look at it again about the end of July beginning August.

If you go to post #188 of this Thread you can see my recent interaction with the Thai Embassy in WA D.C.

On 6/25/2020 at 10:38 AM, DrPhibes said:

Under the Declaration of an Emergency Situation, which is effective from 26 March 2020 to 30 June 2020, all foreigners are not allowed to enter Thailand, except for (1) Diplomatic, Consular or International Organization representatives, (2) Those with a valid work permit or those who have been given permission to work in Thailand and (3) Those given special exception by the Thai Government for urgent medical or humanitarian reasons. Please click here for more information.
 

Those given special exceptions by the Thai Government for urgent medical or humanitarian reasons.

- Those with urgent medical needs should contact your Embassy/Consulate in Thailand to request permission to enter Thailand directly from the Thai government. The Embassy cannot issue visas unless it has been given permission from the Thai government.

- Foreigners who are married to Thai nationals or foreigners who are children of Thai nationals with an urgent need to travel to Thailand may fill the information online to request a Certificate of Entry and visa. Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account urgency and humanitarian reasons

 

https://thaiembdc.org/2020/06/22/foreignerswithnono/

 

So, you have to make all kinds of money payments to then apply and maybe get in.  Have flight paid for, have 2 weeks quarantine lodging arranged and paid for, have you visa paid for, with no guarantee you will get in.  It is not the given the article makes it out to be.

 

Given they need a paid flight and it says to contact the Embassy for repatriation flights, I have contacted the Embassy on what flights are available.  Will let you know.

 

Just received an e-mail from the Embassy, only Thai citizens get on repatriation flights here in the US.  I have also just e-mailed the the Embassy to confirm that you need a flight and quarantine accommodation already paid for before you even know if you will get your COE approved (enough speculation on what I am reading).  When you follow the links to the application, it is the online Visa application site which, for non-O, requires flight details meaning you have to have a flight booked.  I stopped at that point and sent the e-mail.  Will keeps all informed.

18 hours ago, DrPhibes said:

I am posting my experience with the COE in this Thread:

My last response is #170.  No response back yet on if we need flight and quarantine lodging already paid for to get the COE since the link they gave me for the COE is to the online non-O Certificate online application here in the US.  Will post in aforementioned Thread if I hear anything.

 

 

 

Embassy in WA DC just replied, no confirmed flights or lodging needs to be submitted with the online COE which is part of the Visa application for non-O that you fill out, embassy sends to BKK (probably to see if you have been a bad boy) and once BKK approves it, you then have to upload the required docs and such before the Embassy actually issues you the COE.  Here is the actual e-mail response:

I am posting my experience with the COE in this Thread:

My last response is #170.  No response back yet on if we need flight and quarantine lodging already paid for to get the COE since the link they gave me for the COE is to the online non-O Certificate online application here in the US.  Will post in aforementioned Thread if I hear anything.

Here is my experience so far with trying to get info on this, post #170. Will continue to post any updates on this aforementioned thread.

12 hours ago, DrPhibes said:

Just got this 5 min ago from the Embassy in Wa DC:

 

Under the Declaration of an Emergency Situation, which is effective from 26 March 2020 to 30 June 2020, all foreigners are not allowed to enter Thailand, except for (1) Diplomatic, Consular or International Organization representatives, (2) Those with a valid work permit or those who have been given permission to work in Thailand and (3) Those given special exception by the Thai Government for urgent medical or humanitarian reasons. Please click here for more information.
 

Those given special exceptions by the Thai Government for urgent medical or humanitarian reasons.

- Those with urgent medical needs should contact your Embassy/Consulate in Thailand to request permission to enter Thailand directly from the Thai government. The Embassy cannot issue visas unless it has been given permission from the Thai government.

- Foreigners who are married to Thai nationals or foreigners who are children of Thai nationals with an urgent need to travel to Thailand may fill the information online to request a Certificate of Entry and visa. Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account urgency and humanitarian reasons

 

https://thaiembdc.org/2020/06/22/foreignerswithnono/

 

So, you have to make all kinds of money payments to then apply and maybe get in.  Have flight paid for, have 2 weeks quarantine lodging arranged and paid for, have you visa paid for, with no guarantee you will get in.  It is not the given the article makes it out to be.

 

Given they need a paid flight and it says to contact the Embassy for repatriation flights, I have contacted the Embassy on what flights are available.  Will let you know.

Just received an e-mail from the Embassy, only Thai citizens get on repatriation flights here in the US.  I have also just e-mailed the the Embassy to confirm that you need a flight and quarantine accommodation already paid for before you even know if you will get your COE approved (enough speculation on what I am reading).  When you follow the links to the application, it is the online Visa application site which, for non-O, requires flight details meaning you have to have a flight booked.  I stopped at that point and sent the e-mail.  Will keeps all informed.

Just got this 5 min ago from the Embassy in Wa DC:

Under the Declaration of an Emergency Situation, which is effective from 26 March 2020 to 30 June 2020, all foreigners are not allowed to enter Thailand, except for (1) Diplomatic, Consular or International Organization representatives, (2) Those with a valid work permit or those who have been given permission to work in Thailand and (3) Those given special exception by the Thai Government for urgent medical or humanitarian reasons. Please click here for more information.
 

Those given special exceptions by the Thai Government for urgent medical or humanitarian reasons.

- Those with urgent medical needs should contact your Embassy/Consulate in Thailand to request permission to enter Thailand directly from the Thai government. The Embassy cannot issue visas unless it has been given permission from the Thai government.

- Foreigners who are married to Thai nationals or foreigners who are children of Thai nationals with an urgent need to travel to Thailand may fill the information online to request a Certificate of Entry and visa. Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account urgency and humanitarian reasons

https://thaiembdc.org/2020/06/22/foreignerswithnono/

So, you have to make all kinds of money payments to then apply and maybe get in.  Have flight paid for, have 2 weeks quarantine lodging arranged and paid for, have you visa paid for, with no guarantee you will get in.  It is not the given the article makes it out to be.

Given they need a paid flight and it says to contact the Embassy for repatriation flights, I have contacted the Embassy on what flights are available.  Will let you know.

9 hours ago, unheard said:

https://thaiembdc.org/onlinevisaapplication/

 

Got it, thank you VERY much!