AlbionBob

Many thanks for your response.  Much appreciated.  I think that I will wait a couple of months to see if the quarantine requirements get relaxed.  Cheers.

Would appreciate your thoughts on my situation.

I have previously (but not last winter) travelled on a Non-O visa (based on being a UK pensioner) 90 days, after which have taken a short trip out of country, before returning on a tourist visa (then valid for 30 days).  This gave me a stay of 4 months.  I am married to a Thai national.  I have not previously had to deposit any monies in a Thai bank account (although I have one) and would prefer not to.  As I am also over 75, insurance issues have become expensive.  Previously, I have not bothered, as I am very fit for my age (OK, I know it's not advisable, but I am willing to take the chance !).  

What would be the best option to repeat my previous trips ?  Many thanks in anticipation.

8 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

They require a COE (certificate of entry) and need a FTF (fit to fly) certificate in order to obtain the COE.

 Not strictly correct.  My Thai wife, returning to Thailand next month, has got her COE certificate already.  She will, however, have to get the Fit to Fly within 72 hours of departure.  But absolutely true that she needs both to get on the plane.  No need for a test.

Many thanks for your responses, Jimn and UB.

Sorry to be a pain, Ubonjoe, but could you just clarify that, if I wish to visit my Thai wife in Thailand, I could go on a Visa Exempt, on which I would get 45 days to include the Quarantine, followed by a 60 day Covid extension, followed by a 60 day extension to visit the wife ?   That would make 165 days in total ?  That seems amazing at this time, but it would be worth going through the hoops for that amount of time.  How long would you have to take out the initial insurance for ?  Many thanks in anticipation.

Yes, Jimmy is correct.  Having registered at Thai Embassy, and submitting all her details, my wife and her daughter got accepted for the Eva Airways flight on 19 July from Heathrow to Bangkok.  Two days prior they had to attend the Embassy for a (basic) medical and to obtain the necessary documentation.  Long queues outside the embassy and long queues at Heathrow to check in !  They had no idea where they were quarantining, but on arrival were bussed to North Pattaya.  Had to separate and had two weeks on their own.  Hotel comfortable but food very basic.   They were happy to survive and have now settled back in their home country.  When I get to see them again I have no idea, probably sometime next year......

My Thai wife has got a repatriation flight back to Thailand via London Embassy on 19 July with EVA.  Cost economy £708. She has to report to Embassy by appointment on 17 July where I am assured she will obtain:

1.  Certificate of Entry

2.  Fit to fly  Certificate

3.  COVID Certificate

i am assuming she will be tested at that time .  Fingers crossed.  Not sure when I will join her... probably January !

I think everything has to be done via the Embassy. My Thai wife and her daughter, due to go back in April have been registered for a repatriation flight since mid- May.  Have just been confirmed places on an Eva flight Heathrow to BKK on 19 July.  Extortionate price £708, and we have to go down to the embassy on 17 July for a Fit to Fly cert.  They are arranging the 14 day quarantine at no cost to the girls.  An expensive solution for me but maybe I’ll get the cost of their cancelled flights from Emirates.  Hopefully I’ll be able to go and be with them later in the year !

I wonder if those enormous new condos being built in Pattaya, ie Panora, Diamond Point and Solaire will proceed, as I cannot imagine that anyone will be buying condos for the foreseeable future !

Anybody have any experience of this, or know anyone who has ??

My Thai wife and her daughter, currently in Uk, were due to go back earlier this week after several weeks, but of course their flights were cancelled.  Emirates have confirmed that they can rebook in due course. 

It seems that they will have to quarantine for 14 days.  Apparently, only 200 a day are being allowed back in to their own country, which means that the quarantine arrangements will need to have 2800 beds available.

Presumably, there must be about 5 buses every day leaving Swampy for the quarantine facility.  My questions are:

1.  Who pays the "hotel" bill ?

2. Where are these quarantine arrangements ?  In Bangkok ?  In the country  ?

3.  Who pays for their food ?

4.  Will they have access to wi-fi to contact family and friends ?

My wife and daughter have been in lockdown England for four weeks with no sign of any symptoms, so that they could only be infected on the journey home, which would not show up on arrival.  This seems to be complete overkill, given the small numbers of infected in Thailand !

Yes, just come back from Hanoi and pollution rife there !  Beautiful Halong Bay spoilt by haze created by air pollution !  Sad !

Returned from a few days in Vietnam last Friday.  Immigration almost deserted, straight through - no questions asked, visa exempt stamped, no heat check !  Amazing  !   If this is what the virus does, long may it last....   only joking....    Going back to Blighty in three weeks - wonder if I'll have any problems.........

In answer to your question regarding my abode, Andrew, I live in the Midlands , so came down M5, M50 and M4.  Horrendous day, raining cats and dogs, and the embassy was not easy to find in Cardiff !  But as I was departing to come to Thailand the next week, it had to be done  !!   I am not sure if I was just lucky, because the website clearly  states that only online applications could be made for a single entry these days  !!  Maybe Cardiff were helping out at a time of overload ?   I must say that they were first class in dealing with me !  Nice people !

I was in fact recently (November) able to phone Cardiff, arrange appointment and go and get the visa without emailing the docs first.  Was in and out in 30 mins !  I had explained to them that I had tried countless times on the useless website to do it online.  I got the impression that I was one of many !  Of course, I had a five hour round trip from where I live in  England, but hey ho, when needs must !

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

According to most report for Jomtien immigration you would need to do a report but unless needed to do something at immigration you could skip doing the report.

Instead of going out for the visa exempt entry you could a apply for a 60 day extension to visit your wife. Your wife would have to be with you when your apply. Copies of your marriage certificate, wife's house book registry and ID card would be needed. 

Umm, that's a thought - will give that a go next year !  Thanks !

Can't wait to see what Rooster makes of this in next Sunday's weekly review !!

Despite all the threads on TM30 recently, I am still slightly confused as to the requirements.  My circumstances are:

Married to Thai lady, jointly own condo in Pattaya.  Come to Thailand twice a year.  Firstly for four months during England's winter, then for four weeks during the summer to see that condo OK and for wife to see family.   For the four month trip, I apply for a Non-O single visa for three months, then we take a trip out of Thailand for a few days, returning for upto four weeks prior to returning to UK in the spring.

OK, I know I have to submit TM30 on arrival for the four month trip, but after going out of country and returning to get a Visa Exempt, do I have to submit a TM30 again for the visa exempt period ?   Again, when I come back for the visa exempt in the summer, do I have to do one then as well, if returning to my own condo ?

Thank you for your response, Ubonjoe (if you're still on here ) !

Many thanks for that info, Joe.  I am assuming that you meant to say "No, you do not need to do it...."

Do you have to do a TM30 if you come in for 29 days on a visa exempt  ?  Sorry to intrude on a different but similar thread.

An interesting read as always.  Some serious and sobering thoughts aired on the holocaust subject !  Not wishing to be flippant, but I always look for a more amusing side to life.  In this respect, the comments on the beer survey subject, reminded me to nominate two posters for The Poster of the Week award (does it still exist ?).

The first was the guy who solemnly stated that  he had given up drinking many years ago.  I was awaiting a pearl of wisdom for the rest of us, but no, he went on to state that it had been a long and thoroughly boring day !!  I didn't see that coming !  Haha !  Nice one !

The second was the guy, obviously a Brit, who stated that he would rather drink himself to death in lovely warm Thailand surrounded by beautiful girls than be back home in a pub moaning about the weather before going home to his fat mess of a wife  !!!   Very succinctly put, I thought !

You've got to laugh !   

And what a great win for England last night in the Six Nations....!!!!

Thanks for the suggestion - definitely worth considering, although I am sure that she would smell a rat and demand half the proceeds  !!   I would then presumably have to get legal assistance to prove that it is 100% mine.  In any event, I am going to seek local lawyers advise for confirmation of her entitlement (if any).  Will post the outcome in due course.

I feel almost ashamed to admit that the expected confrontation has not happened and she has been sweetness and light since my return !   Which has just confirmed my thoughts that Men are from Mars and Women from Venus, and neither will ever fully understand each other.....   However, I am not convinced that this situation will not recur in the future, so I will be armed with the knowledge that has been offered to me on this thread.  Many thanks for your input.

Thanks for all your comments.  

I return to Thailand tomorrow, not knowing what to expect, as she has not answered my Facetime calls !!

It is certainly my intention to seek legal advise from solicitors on my return.

Obviously, I will seek a compromise with her ladyship, but I fear that she is assuming she will keep possession of the condo....

Watch this space !!