JUAinBKK

13 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

So dear tourists, once you are in your quarantine hotel, you will have to be granted permission by an official to leave...

 

I bet that will cost!

 

I bet that will be understood by any possible visitors!

 

I bet that they will not come!

 

It's quarantine Jim, but not as we know it!

I would bet that most tourist, do not know what “granted permission” by a “Thai Official” means.  I was here a year before I learned my lesson that it means you must find a third party with special envelopes that can facilitate your bribe for their kind execution of their job. I would be hesitant  to know what the numbers would be according to the identity politic applied.

2 minutes ago, Benitostacos said:

Just make it retroactive like the original amnesty. Announced in April but dated for March 26th. But I can see IOs trying to pull this off as well. LOL

Oh yes... they personally profit from our fear.  I paid 26,000thb to a “counselor” who took care of my issue and seen the slip of the envelope to the IO in the process.  It’s a scam of major proportions.  If the Govt knew the IO’s were skimming off their profits.... OH My!

5 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

For now everybody who did nothing is on overstay until there is an official announcement.

I read this as YES.  However, make 100% and verify your expectation.  Don’t forget that 90 Day reporting is a Completely separate issue to deal with.

3 hours ago, Airbagwill said:

It isn't the "help" from foreigners that has caused this....tey simply realise it can't happen on time.....so many decisions in Thailand are by "dictum' with no regard for reasoning or implementation.

 

The foreigners in Thailand present little income to the government but also little threat - they certainly don't present a covid threat.......if they start needing healthcare, then they are a threat.....but 150 as a percentage of 70 million is pretty small.

Have you actually done the reserch to empirically support your statement that foreigners “present little income to the government”?  Can you also say that foreigners present little income to Thailand?  If either is yes, please share that supporting data.  I have many people who are anxious to see the evidence so they can make significant changes to their economic modeling systems.  Thank you and we will take No Adequate response with data as you are as your name insists.  Thank you for this opportunity.

19 hours ago, Nout said:

Another self entitled yank bites the dust.lol

Jealous!  Hahahahaha ha. I take it, your not from the U.S.! ????????????????????. And depending on what you are, I’m sure you’ll be outraged enough to try to sue for defamation!????????????????????

16 hours ago, aussiexpat said:

So much for the 1 October STV.

 

Might as well just state borders will be closed for a year as they have no clue how to open back up.

Spot on!  They have No idea.... 

12 hours ago, steven100 said:

This is unacceptable, why hasn't the local mayor contacted his Bangkok counterpart and organized food and water and supplies This is concerning to me and i'm sure if the PM Khun Prayut was made aware of this he would most certainly be annoyed nothing was done, and i'm sure he would act. 

I expect we'll see follow up action later today .... imo

12 hours ago, steven100 said:

This is unacceptable, why hasn't the local mayor contacted his Bangkok counterpart and organized food and water and supplies This is concerning to me and i'm sure if the PM Khun Prayut was made aware of this he would most certainly be annoyed nothing was done, and i'm sure he would act. 

I expect we'll see follow up action later today .... imo

That is the best laugh I have had in weeks!  I’m sure many are confused at your humor, but I know you can’t possibly be that out of touch with reality!!!!!

14 hours ago, aussienam said:

I wish that the Prime Minister would please allow retirees back.  We are not tourists.  Tourists come at their own leisure and convenience.  As expat retirees we are desperate.  6 months stranded abroad.  Still paying rent in Thailand and abroad.  Sleepless nights filled with anxiety and losing hope.  compassion is needed.  Please expand ASQ facilities and help us get back.  

Random Question for my benifit and understanding...  Have you requested a Certificate of Entry, with positive or negative results?  Thx

6 hours ago, Crusader said:

This money thing often crops up in forums...

800k is a paltry amount of money to keep in an account to ensure one can remain in the country.  If people ares truggling to follow this, then surely they are not very well set for retirement.

I want to understand better why you make this comment; please entertain me with answers to a few questions.  Do you earn any profit for allowing this money to sit ideal, and is the profit greater than 7-12%?  How many years have you had the account with the 800k THB sitting, and how long in each bank?  Thanks and I anxiously await your response.

20 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

This is the third time i have posted this, but it is still quite relevant.

 

I think it is time for Thailand to re-evaluate its Virus Response policy.

 

Thailand has been following a 'Zero-Tolerance' policy, but I think it is time to move to a 'Managed-Tolerance' policy. I make this suggestion based mainly on two factors; I think it is inevitable that the virus will return to Thailand and a calm, managed response is more effective than hysteria. Secondly, the economic damage being done to millions is more harmful than the virus itself and needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.

 

We recently saw new cases in Vietnam, and I think that we are going to see new cases in Thailand soon; like most people I take the government's claim of zero cases with a grain of salt, although it seems like they have done a very good job overall. However, I don't think it can last. A better policy is to prepare, both medically and in terms of public opinion/education, for the return of the virus. Is this a radical idea? No, not really. Members will recall the phrase "flatten the curve", but perhaps a reminder is needed that the idea is to manage the virus so that the health system isn't overwhelmed; a policy of Zero Tolerance is incompatible with an open society and/or open economy. It is time to re-enforce the precautions needed, but also to allow for an economic re-start which includes outsiders/foreigners. A final point; humanity's best minds and a boat-load of resources are being thrown at the problem. This global effort, propelled by the power of competition, is expected to produce a vaccine either this year or early next year while treatments are being developed and refined daily; we as a species are going to beat this scourge, and relatively soon.

 

The economic damage being done to Thailand is immense. Yes, I know that we don't hear about it too much, but there is a reason for that. The people talking in the (not quite free) Media are almost all in a 'Virus-Proof' economic situation; they aren't directly affected so they don't feel the urgency of fixing the problem. Firm numbers are difficult to come by, but it seems around 6-9 million Thais are very badly hurt by the economic fall-out of the virus, and those people need to be both helped and heard. The damage done to these people is egregious and growing worse; some government support is being withdrawn, the option of 'Go Back to the Farm' isn't really possible anymore (and not a great idea regardless), and they will soon need more food and rent support to survive. Further, many aren't well-educated and don't have transferable skills, so their options are limited. Finally, even before Covid-19, their economic situation was in decline; it is in free-fall now and they can't be ignored. Simply put, plans for their economic regeneration must to be formulated now and implemented soon.

 

When people are hungry, all bets are off.

 

How to proceed?

 

It is the beginning of August; continue/speed up the current repatriation policy 'as is', but ramp up the public education aspect of change. Announce that by October 1st (perhaps Nov. 1st?) that the airspace around Thailand will be open to commercial air travel, long-term tourists (Snow-Birds who 'winter' here), remaining residents and retirees will be allowed to return with a few restrictions (test before boarding or on arrival, reasonable insurance, self-isolation at home on arrival, etc. BUT no mandatory state quarantine), implement common sense visa issuance (sorry Floridians and Texans!) and most of all prepare the Thai people for the idea that although there will be cases of the virus, they will be managed, and the benefits of re-opening are a risk worth taking. Yes, the end of mandatory state quarantine is essential if this is going to work; I believe that the long-term visitors will respect the self-isolation policy and Thailand's million strong public health volunteers can monitor them, but they won't come if they are going to be locked up. Moreover, the selection of the residents/retirees and 'Snow-Birds' as an initial group isn't accidental; these people already know the Kingdom and understand life within it, are good 'testers' of a new system, have a lot of money to spend, and can be excellent examples of a working policy of re-opening. Finally, allowing these kinds of visitors would build confidence, test whether short-term tourists could actually visit (I think not yet, but...), and help protect the tourism infrastructure from further and/or irreparable damage.

 

There are those who will argue that it is better to keep the borders closed and wait this out, and I honestly have trouble arguing against that idea (I don't want to catch the <deleted> thing). However, those who make that point rarely take the next step; what do you do with the 6-9 million people damaged by the current policy? Will those that advocate for closed borders take in homeless people? If so, how many? One family? Two families? Three? Will those that advocate for closed borders give up a percentage of their salaries/pensions to help? If so, how much? 25%? 35%? 45%? Will those that advocate for closed borders pay school fees and related costs for all the children of unemployed/underemployed parents? How many kids? One? Five? Twenty? The question isn't merely an intellectual exercise, it has real-world implications and consequences. 

 

If you want those 6-9 million people to sacrifice for you, what are you going to sacrifice for them?

 

To sum up, I think that the question of whether or not to keep the border closed is incomplete. The question should be: if you keep the border closed, then what will you do for the 6-9 million people economically-eviscerated by the response to the virus? Opening the Kingdom to visitors in November for the high season would likely see a few cases of the virus, but the Thai medical system can handle that (it did before, right?) until a vaccine is widely available. It would begin the process of re-starting the tourism industry in Thailand (20% of GDP!!!), begin the process of building trust again, re-start the employment of huge numbers, give Thailand a 'leg up' on future tourism business in the region, and alleviate some of the damage done to the poorest in the Kingdom. The alternative is a policy of rot, idleness, atrophy and decline with an indefinite timeline. 

 

History is replete with examples of people hiding behind walls for protection, but it rarely ever works (especially against something the size of a virus); see the 'Maginot Line', the Great Wall of China, the Berlin Wall, and more. History shows that a combination of pro-active tactics coupled with reasonable, layered defenses provides a better outcome to almost any problem.

 

The question is; is anyone listening? Or are public officials just spewing nonsense to get their name in the paper?

 

I've given you an outline on what and how to do it; can you take it from here?

 

 

 

The only thing you are missing, and perhaps may be escaping you, because your intuition conveys it in message, Is that if ALL the other curves are not managed, Mother Nature will manage them for the country, and she will not be polite about doing such.  Easily the 2nd law of thermodynamic physics applies to human behavior.  Already, we have seen the Corna-virus adapt and strengthen, in Vietnam.  Now Thailand has 2 viruses to run from! “Run the mile now, or run 3 in two more days.  Either way it goes, you are going to run your mile a day; unless you are dead.”

16 hours ago, ukrules said:

It's not about the 'dirty farang', it's about the Chinese and what's now happening in Vietnam.

 

Vietnam remains closed, no cases for more than 90 days yet it still got in and it's not the same strain as before. I hear things from Vietnam that suggest it got in from Chinese nationals crossing the border illegally.

 

Now this is quite important because the strain that's going around Vietnam now is the newer strain more common in Europe and the US yet it's believed it entered the country from China.

 

This is the important point, the Chinese did everything they could to keep out this mutated strain which apparently has an R0 of between 5 and 6 as opposed to the original which was much, much lower at around 2 to 2.5. The Chinese have failed and even the illegal border crossers have the European strain.

 

Keep it closed and keep it out.

 

If they plan on opening it in say December then they might as well just open it all up now - the result will be the same. They will know this, it's a matter of waiting it out or opening up.

 

 

Vietnam opened its borders last month, legally.  Many countries came in.  However, there were Many Chinese , and with them brought the new Chinese Covid that has adapted and different.  

12 hours ago, anchadian said:

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2020/08/05/no-immediate-plan-to-permit-more-foreigners-into-thailand/

 

BANGKOK — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday said there is currently no plan to expand the list of foreigners allowed to enter the country, including retirees with homes and families in Thailand.

Press officer Yajai Bunnag said only four groups of non-Thai nationals announced in the latest regulation are permitted into the Kingdom at the moment. They include those holding a certificate of permanent residency, a work permit, those who have a special arrangements with the government, and migrant workers.

Those words come from a journalist who later makes a different and counter statement.  Also, I personally KNOW, and just spoke with, a U.S. Married to Thai, who got the tests, the COF, the flight and is in the Quarentine Now.  So, spouses can come back and ARE still on the Priority List with the MOF.  If I am missing something, please provide reference, from a credible source.  Your post and the journalist are only spreading fear and uncertainty to a large population of viewers here.  Please, do diligent staff work before posting such.  If it sounds bad... reserch more or ask questions of help...

6 hours ago, ryane66 said:

Just my little assessment on the ASQ costs that most think is unreasonable. The cost quoted included two covid-19 tests with the going rate being 5000 baht each. Twice a day visit by nurses would have a cost. Three meals a day delivered to your room. Extra costs incurred by the hotel to meet strict requirements laid out by the health ministry. All of this really makes the 15 day stay fairly reasonable. I am in ASQ right now so speaking from experience not hearsay.

Thanks for the value added feedback.  What are the accommodations like?  Comfortable?  Internet? TV...?  Any members there who have been there for more than 24 days without reason?  Again, thanks for the feedback and any further details are appreciated.

On 7/22/2020 at 4:44 PM, spidermike007 said:

That means zero medical tourism. And how do they check those attending a conference? Rapid testing? Or no testing? Only from bubble nations? Does anyone in the administration have any answers?

 

I guess the husbands of Thai wives category was quickly abandoned? Nice. Compassionate. Of course we all know we are far less important to the nation than an attendee of a conference. 

I was under the impression Spouses were already authorized.  Please correct me if I am wrong.  https://thaiconsulatela.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/VISA-NOTICE-Spouse.pdf

4 hours ago, Michael19641965 said:

Travel bubbles mean that Chinese, Japanese, Korean Tour Groups come into Thailand for 3,4 or 5days. It is the wrong approach. If some of these people bring the virus with them, they can not be tracked, because they have already left, when it is found out.

It would be more wise, to let those foreigners first in, who want to stay for several months. They can be put on a 14day quarantine in their hotels, condos, houses, tested after 12,13 days and when negative are not a risk to Thailand.

Are you saying that Forigners who come in and have homes, condos or rentals can stay at their homes?  I thought you had to stay at a Government Approved facility only.  

39 minutes ago, JeffersLos said:

I don't understand. 

 

 

I have an expired multiple entry non O,with expired entrance stamp. I will apply for a 60 day extension based on Thai wife at the IO before the amnesty expires.

 

So with this new thing, do I have to do it before July 31st, or can I wait until nearly September 26th?

 

I don't know. 

I am in the same category as you (expired Non-O Multi), and I just got my 60 day extension while asking these questions at Immigration this week.  The agent I "delt" with, stated we have until 31 July to either: 1.  Request an Extension of Stay for 60 Days (for this in our category) or 2. Renew ones VISA if you have the required 800K THB Deposit or 400k THB with >40k/mo with supporting Foreign Transaction Report.  She said for this in group 2. never had to wait to renew their VISA's.  

I did regret that I didn't wait until 31 July to get a 60 day extension, but as the agent encouraged me to do as soon as possible if I wanted to avoid the mad onrush this announcement would cause.  

Hope this was helpful, and does not differ to much from what other agents were/are saying/doing.  

On 7/17/2020 at 4:07 PM, MJKT2014 said:

No such thing as a marriage visa, but we have always been able to get a Non O visa without leaving and extend it each year on reason of marriage.

This is providing you have the Banking requirements satisfied (e.g. 1. A 400k THB Deposit in a Thai Bank drawing no interest, and 2. >40k/mo THB deposited with supporting Foreign Transaction Report, Both for a period of 2 months or more, Right?

6 hours ago, Phaser said:

Please post if you get any information on this....I am a Thai National (dual US) going to LA in sept then need to get back home to chiang mai in October. Any information would be helpful - thanks 

I found this on the Thai Dept Disease Control site:  https://ddc.moph.go.th/viralpneumonia/file/guidelines/G23.pdf

It is a format to follow.  However, details I found said to communicate direct with the Thai consulate in your location.  For L.A. the number is 1-323-962-9574.  

I intend to call and will follow up here with details, if any.

7 hours ago, lannarebirth said:

I heard from a Thai friend, whom I'm not able to reach now, that there is an online option, more convenient and cheaper, for receiving the Medical Certificate (fit to fly). Does anyone have any details on where that may be obtained? I didn't see any details on the LA Consulate's website. I'll check the Embassy's website.

Respectfully, I ask, Please keep this link updated with your findings.  I assure you that this very challenge is the key obstacle for MANY of us here, intending to go to or pass through the U.S..  Thank you in advance for your hard work!