anchadian

As you were: PRESS RELEASE: The Tourism Authority of Thailand would like to clarify that Thailand continues to welcome all international tourists under the fully-reopen-to-tourism policy that was introduced on 1 October, 2022. Full story: https://www.tatnews.org/2023/01/thailand-maintains-fully-reopen-entry-rules/

How many ruined holidays....I've lost count? It’s all very well Mr. Anutin saying that the requirement for vaccination certificate is dropped immediately, but in the real world foreign tourists are still being refused boarding as CAAT still hasn’t informed airlines. And when they do it takes time to circulate https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1612360746498936834

Thailand U-turns on COVID vaccination rule for visitors BANGKOK, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Thailand on Monday rescinded a policy announced at the weekend requiring visitors to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination, its health minister said, citing sufficient immunisation levels in China and globally. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thailand-rescinds-entry-requirement-proof-covid-vaccination-minister-2023-01-09/

I wasn’t able to attend the press conference as I have Covid, but I would have asked Mr. Anutin, the guy in the photo not wearing a mask, who will compensate the tourists whose holidays were ruined by his flip-flopping. This fiasco has done immense damage to the tourism industry. https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1612347222292828160

Some people told me they were refused boarding by AirAsia for flights to #Thailand for not being vaccinated. This person said he’s vaccinated but didn’t have his documents on him. Meanwhile in Thailand, no-one is checking documents on arrival. Who will compensate these tourists? https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1612339501673906176

Thailand rescinds entry requirement for proof of COVID-19 vaccination: Health minister https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/thailand-rescinds-entry-requirement-proof-covid-19-vaccination-3192236?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter BANGKOK: Thailand has rescinded a policy announced at the weekend requiring visitors to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination, its health minister said on Monday (Jan 9). A summary of events: Wed: Anutin says all arrivals will be treated “equally” Thu: “No special measures” for arrivals from China, vaccine proof for all arrivals but no details Sat: CAAT guidelines make airlines responsible for checks Today: Anutin u-turns https://twitter.com/SaksithCNA/status/1612341082842632192

THAI NEWS REPORTS: First group of Chinese tourists arrived in #Thailand this afternoon. There were 286 tourists who traveled from Xiamen. The Minister of Public Health was there to welcome them. No news whether their documents for vaccination and insurance were checked. https://twitter.com/ThaiNewsReports/status/1612336533557903360

According to firsthand reports from people arriving at Suvarnbhumi airport and other international airports in #Thailand there’s no checking for insurance or vaccination documents and certainly no testing. However, this doesn’t mean this will not happen later. https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1612321340807319554

Lots of useful firsthand experience being posted on my Facebook page about new entry rules for #Thailand. Some airlines are not asking for documents. Others are being very strict such as refusing boarding to vaccinated people who didn’t have their certificate on them. https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1612313645811396609

Let the games begin: According to @sakamoto_kappei about 15 tourists on his Turkish Airlines TK64 flight that left Istanbul last night were refused boarding. They didn’t know about the sudden entry rules change. He added there were no checks on arrival in Bangkok. So they could have come. However some passengers (around 15) could't board in Istanbul as they had no vaccination proof. https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1612306035662032902

President of Thai Tourism Marketing Association Opposed to New Vaccine Requirements for Tourists, Meetings Scheduled with PM Thai Tourism Associations and groups are planning to meet with the #Thai Prime Minister Tuesday and Wednesday of this week to urge him to repeal new vaccine entry requirements for tourists. https://thepattayanews.com/2023/01/08/president-of-thai-tourism-marketing-association-opposed-to-new-vaccine-requirements-for-tourists-meetings-scheduled-with-pm/

URGENT UPDATE: Unvaccinated tourists can now fly to #Thailand without being refused boarding due to a last minute update to the latest Notice to Airmen (Notam). See Point 5 in THREAD for full details. https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1612043311380062218 But, they will have to test on arrival. https://twitter.com/ThaiNewsReports/status/1612048638930477056

BREAKING: Transport Minister Saksayam on Sun amended Civil Aviation Authority regulation requiring foreigners entering #Thailand who will return to a country with COVID screening to possess #COVID19 insurance for their stay plus 7 days with coverage worth 10,000 US dollars. #KE https://twitter.com/KhaosodEnglish/status/1612033467415687169

Still no news from deputy government spokesperson @ttraisuree why she deleted this tweet about the new entry rules for flights landing in #Thailand tomorrow morning. Has the order been revoked? Is it being amended? There’s still no word from the TAT about what is going on. https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1612011340608176129

Thai Business Operators Submit Complaints Against New Tourist Covid-19 Vaccine Entry Requirements Tourism business operators and associations are directly petitioning the #Thailand Prime Minister and Health Minister to change or repeal new vaccine documentation requirements for all tourists, claiming it will heavily hurt tourism. https://thepattayanews.com/2023/01/08/thai-business-operators-submit-complaints-against-new-tourist-covid-19-vaccine-entry-requirements/

https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1611950330740371457 Letter from the Phuket Tourist Association highlighting complaints from tour agents from around the world about new entry rules: [1] There should have been advance notice because most customers are already travelling and may not have brought a vaccination certificate.. [2] There is concern that customers who are not vaccinated will not be able to travel and the travel agency must refund. [3] There is no official announcement from the Thai government. Travel agencies tried to find information from the official website but couldn’t find anything [3] There is no official announcement from the Thai government. Travel agencies tried to find information from the official website but couldn’t find anything [4] Travel agencies are unable to notify customers in time for vaccination certificate checks. It was announced on Saturday and takes effect on Monday. [5] The Thai government's new measures do not allow tourists to request a refund from the airline if they are denied travel. This has caused problems for travel agencies and their customers. [6] The tour operators want to obtain the official documents and regulations from the government rather than from reading about it in the media, which can often be confusing and misleading.

Certain airlines are not checking. It's all in the latest tweets above.

Another fine mess you've got me into Anutin. 555

Further info from Barrow and Head: Almost certainly there will be no checks. If there are, it will be just for the cameras when Anutin goes to the airport on Monday afternoon. A senior government official assured me that no tourists will be deported if they are missing a document on arrival. https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1611942335792951296 I get the sense that the government is going through this charade as a last-minute response to public concern over the anticipated wave of Chinese tourists - while avoiding singling out the Chinese. Not clear what the new ‘requirements’ would do to curb covid anyway. https://twitter.com/pakhead/status/1611943083582840832 IMPORTANT SUMMARY of what we know so far about the entry requirements for #Thailand for flights landing on Monday. I’ve added insights from a senior government official and what we think will happen next and more importantly which rules they will drop soon. 12 further tweets: https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1611935556270952448

Thailand expects to see arrivals from China rise from about 50,000 this month to 90,000 by March. https://www.thaipbsworld.com/will-chinese-arrivals-overwhelm-thailands-healthcare-sector/

A typical angry comment on the TAT’s Hong Kong page: 泰國官方可否賠償因為政策突變而構成嘅機票、酒店以及因此而浪費之金錢及時間之損失 (Can the Thai government compensate for the loss of air tickets, hotels, and the money and time wasted due to policy changes?) https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1611903206766018563

Thais and foreigners can get vaccinated at the Institute of Dermatology in #Bangkok on these dates: 12, 13, 16, 17,18, 19, 20 January from 9:00am - 3:00pm. Book appointment here (Thai language) https://covid19.iod.go.th/vaccine or try walk-in. Map: https://bit.ly/IODmap

Breaking? This news has been out for 6 hours now and there are several other threads on this subject.

THE NATION: The long-awaited return of Chinese tourists maybe more of a surge, as the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has already given permission for 15 Chinese airlines to fly from major cities in China to Thailand https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/tourism/40023809

Thai Public Health Minister, Transport Minister and Tourism and Sports Minister will be at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport on Monday to welcome the first group of Chinese tourists to visit Thailand post COVID pandemic. https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thai-ministers-to-welcome-first-group-of-chinese-tourists-on-monday/