drbeach

On 7/19/2020 at 12:05 AM, Calvin1976 said:

Just curious... 

Do you consider Cambodia confirmed cases reasonable/trustable since you are there? 

As seems like quite a few people don't think Thailand numbers trustable. ????

Cambodia has done VERY limited testing, far less than Thailand. Hence more testing = more cases. No wonder the more developed/populous a country is, the more cases detected.

I ordered a package from Ubuy a couple of weeks ago. Arrived in Thailand 3-4 days after sending and took another 4-5 days (including the weekend) for customs clearance. DHL wanted some more info on the product and a copy of the receiver's ID card or passport, but after that it came through quickly.
 

There is a reason I didn't order anything from overseas between late March and the beginning of July. I am starting to order now since there are more flights, Thai Post is operating to more countries but DHL should never really have been affected from the beginning.

Still, I'd prefer to use the normal postal system except for very small packages sent by DHL mainly because of the customs issues already referred to. Still, my experience with DHL was very positive so I'm glad it worked out.

3 hours ago, khunjeff said:

From what I've read in the press, the emergency decree just gives the central government powers to implement nationwide policies that would otherwise have to be put in place by individual provincial governors. As far as I know, quarantine for passengers arriving from abroad can still be required even without the emergency decree, since policies regarding people entering and departing the country are always under the control of the central government (in pretty much every country, not just Thailand).

Precisely.

I think that even when the emergency decree is lifted, quarantines could still be required for some time thereafter, or they could do what Malaysia is doing and eventually switch to self-quarantine at home using a tracking app and tracking bracelet.

4 hours ago, brianp0803 said:

If a person felt healthy and was told to self quarantine for two weeks, what percent of the people would stay home? if they had a family, would they stay away from the wife and children for two weeks?

My guess would be less than 15% would obey the self quarantine.

 

My hope is for a test that is reliable that can detect the virus within 3 to 5 days of infection and reduce the time of quarantine. Hi

Ever heard of wrist bracelets? Tracking devices? Very easy to comply if you're forced to wear one for 14 days. Other countries are doing exactly that.

On 7/7/2020 at 8:57 PM, ThailandRyan said:

NO, all returning Thais and anyone else lucky enough to have jumped through the hoops are mandated to go into the Governments 14 day quarantine, be it either at a government location or one of the new AQS locations.  Thais have not been able to quarantine at home for quite awhile.  

True. If anything, foreigners can be trusted to quarantine at home more than Thais. Either way, the government wants as much control as it can get, hence no more option to quarantine at home.

That being said, maybe a few weeks down the line they may switch to home quarantine (apparently Malaysia has been doing this for a few weeks) with a tracking bracelet before removing the requirement altogether.

On 2/27/2020 at 6:48 PM, rabang said:

I have been there many times and always in winter (December to early March). Although it does feel chilly sometimes especially compared to most of Thailand it is usually not that bad and often very pleasant. Most of the time I don't need to wear more than a long sleeved shirt outside even though the locals wear heavy coats. For Europeans and North Americans their "cold" is nothing. Average day time tops are a bit above 20 degrees I think, and although it is not often sunny, winter is the dry season. I would rather go in winter than in summer. I don't know what it is like from experience but I assume hot and wet are the key words then.

Winter isn't the dry season in that part of Vietnam at all. It's actually quite wet. December to February is when it's cloudy and drizzly, sometimes you even get torrential rains (in Danang). Hanoi is drier, but still tends to see some drizzle during this time of year. It's dry south of Nha Trang though.

Yes of course it's not cold by European or North American standards. But if you're used to Thailand temps, where even in January up in Chiang Rai the thermometer usually reaches close to, or above 30 in the afternoon, Danang with it's 17-21 or 19-23 temperature range can feel downright chilly.

When I last went to Danang in December 2018, a period of torrential rain had just passed. A few days earlier they had record breaking flooding and I was very lucky that the worst was over, although the seas were huge and there was regular rain throughout the 3 days I spent there. Things started improving once we hit Nha Trang, although there was some rain the next morning there too. Only south of Phan Rang did the heat and sunshine return.

On 4/26/2020 at 11:51 AM, sanemax said:

Mom &Pop shops are not always fully stocked , sometimes that have what you want , sometimes they dont .

  Sometimes they are open sometimes they are closed .

Sometimes the drinks are cold , sometimes they are not .

Although there are an abundance of Mom & Pop shops in Vietnam , thy all seem to sell the same limited items 

  Items have no price on them , so you may get overcharged , especially when youve just arrived and you dont know the price of things 

   Its a complete opposite in 7/11's 

And like in Thailand, these mom and pop stores will eventually be driven out of business by the equivalent of 7-11 in Vietnam. Speaking of 7-11, I understand CP Thailand is interested in expanding into Vietnam. If they're successful it will be game over for many of the mom and pop shops over there.

lemon farm or an online organic/health food retailer

6 hours ago, innosiem said:

same here,
but seems can now get a 60 day extension in September
which should see you/me through til November
at which point borders may be open and flights may have resumed
(hopefully September more than November)
if not then the 1 year extension then becomes the road to take

I'm in the same boat as you. This presumed extension until September allows me to breathe a little easier. yes I can meet the requirements for the 1 year extension already I think, but I'd prefer to go the 60 day extension route first (in mid September) then by November I can do the 1 year extension if need be (because borders still aren't open, or are only open with heavy restrictions which I don't want to face). I'd rather spend another 6 months in Thailand to wait out the initial re-opening of neighboring countries, if only so i don't need to take covid tests and other nonsense. Anyway who knows how things will look like by September let alone November.

My plan is not to travel anywhere until the world is mostly back to normal. I have a lot of travel lined up but it's just going to have to wait until 2021 by the looks of it.

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Yes, dumped 4 kids in the UK back in 2009.

Came to Thailand and made some more ........ surprisingly easy as it turned out.

You seem to have a penchant for "dumping" kids. Says a lot about your character.

Ever thought about bringing your family to whichever country you think is best for their future? The UK seems pretty good to me.

13 minutes ago, hottrader77 said:

so if i have until september 26th to leave without overstaying , then they must open the borders and start flights , also if i want to leave by land the borders must open ? i dont have wings 

No, you may be able to remain for another 30 days beyond that date with proof of being unable to depart.

12 hours ago, JackThompson said:

A "proper" extension, which for many of us who fully-qualify on the numbers (have the proven income), can only be obtained with a very Im-Proper payment through an agent (~35K Baht at Chiang Wattana), thanks to how immigration operates.

 

Yes, some may want to stay with their family - especially those with small children - and make a risky-decision based on emotion.

 

Fortunately, all countries are not behaving this way in response to this virus (which is only dangerous to a small % of the population) - though all in the region are.  Turkey is open to many right now, and was going to be my destination when the "automatic-covid extension" ended July 31 (extended by the "get out" 7 days). 

 

Hopefully, we will have more/better options by the end of September - maybe even Laos or Vietnam, so we can get Non-O Visas, and stay with our Thai families. 

 

Imagine a land where no one needed to do them, because immigration behaved honestly - and used logic and reason in their decision-making processes - instead of creating "carve outs" of portions of legit-applicants, forced into paying massive agent-laundered bribes or breaking up their families.

I think it's better just to pay the 35K to get your visa extended than spending far more going to other so-called "open countries" and trying to get back later.

I emailed an agency and they can easily extend any visa stay. It's all about the $$$$

59 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

Agreed and it seems the decision to keep it closed is from the Thai side. The questions is why. Does nto seem credible that it is related to COVID.

Who knows. Last year the Cambodian side closed the border to prevent a well known opposition figure from entering. I don't think we can say for sure which side is more hesitant at re-opening, but generally speaking, the Thais are more open for lack of a better term. This time may or may not be different.

Since no regional borders are really "open" as such, we'll just have to wait a few more months...and yes it's due to covid. Since some limited border crossings have been allowed, I don't see the border as being "fully shut" anymore. Still, I can't see Thailand re-opening it's borders before any other country. Myanmar said: no tourists until October, Malaysia, no foreigners until at least Sep 1.

It isn't just Thailand dragging it's feet, trust me...

On 7/17/2020 at 7:41 PM, JeffersLos said:

We went to the department of labor, throughout about half a day (mostly waiting around) we were sent up various levels.

 

We were told to set up a Tax number for paying annual income tax, and that remote online work for a non-Thai company that doesn't involve Thais or Thailand doesn't fall under the Thai labor laws, so no need for a work-permit. So then to the tax office to register, and pay annual income tax through them.

 

why would you pay tax if you're not working in Thailand? Doesn't make any sense to me.

On 7/18/2020 at 11:32 AM, cleopatra2 said:

I am reading statements made by the immigration person , that the amnesty extension is for persons who cannot leave .

They are to be granted a 30 day special extension on a case by case basis with documented evidence provided.

 

It is my understanding at present people ate not getting an extension  but are given a period of time after 31 July to either leave or apply for special 30 day extension/visa.

 

You're only partially correct. Don't dwell on the terminology too much. This is a final amnesty. It means you have the following choices depending on your circumstances:

1) do nothing if you plan to leave on or before Sep 26 and have a flight out (which hopefully won't be cancelled)

2) seek a normal extension you are eligible for, anytime between now and Sep 26

3) seek a 1-week "get out of Thailand extension" if you have firm travel plans within 7 days after Sep 26

4) seek a 30-day extension, with necessary proof that you are stuck and unable to leave by Sep 26

15 hours ago, Jackcwba said:

Surely if you get until the 26th September to get a new visa then most people in the right mind would look to maximise the ‘free days’ they have been given... because as mentioned above somewhere, your visa starts form the day you apply... 

 

meaning 25th 26th will be busy as hell... might be silly for some people to leave it until last minute you might say but enough people do it.. dare I say 90% of people

Up until now, they've been starting it on the date of application. Might be silly/risky to go on the 25th of September, but waiting until Sep 18 or 20 would make sense. That gives you 60 days from that date so takes you until November. That's the way I intend to do it, but will wait until Tuesday when an official announcement is made to be 100% sure.

7 hours ago, Caldera said:

I don't think that's a reasonable interpretation; nothing I've read indicates that they would "backdate" an overstay as insinuated by you. As things stand, I assume that one's overstay would start on September 27th.

 

I also don't think that you cannot apply for an extension late into the grace period. But you obviously do so at your own peril - if the application is rejected, you might need to leave in a hurry and there might not be enough time to fix whatever is amiss. So applying early seems like a good idea, if possible.

 

Correct. The wording is obvious and clear. Sort out your affairs between now and Sep 26. The whole idea of this "grace period" which is another word for amnesty is to allow enough time to process all the foreigners who may need extensions.

For a non-O multi holder who hasn't used their 60 day extension...it would seem like it's best to wait until closer to that date to do the extension since it starts on the date of application. If done now, it wouldn't even take you to Sep 26 so would be pointless...except if used to season money for an eventual 1-year extension. Even in that case, best to wait until as late as possible to get more time.

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

How do you presume that. 

If you have not used your 30day extension to visa exempt or setv etc then sure apply for extension. Also  ME married guys can apply 60 day to visit wife.

Otherwise party over.

No more embassy letter in my thinking.

That's exactly what I stated. The wording in the Bangkok Post article is clear. You have until Sep 26 to get your affairs in order. Since 30/60 day extensions are starting on the date of application as long as you apply within the extended amnesty (because that's what it is) you'll be allowed to stay until October/November, respectively, if done in the month of September.

Embassy letter - required for extending a tourist or other visa stay where no other option for extension exists. Such as if you can't find a flight out. For 30 days at a time.

3 hours ago, Burma Bill said:

Great news for us here in Cambodia - prevents potential coronavirus infected persons from ENTERING the Royal Kingdom of Cambodia from Thailand!

 

Cambodia

Confirmed   171 +5

Recovered   133

Deaths 0

 

 

Thailand

Confirmed 3,239   +3

Recovered 3,096

Deaths 58

Infection numbers in Cambodia are slowly picking up again. They were at around 120 cases for a long time and have now already increased to 171 in a relatively short time. Probably repatriated Cambodians...but just saying.

5 minutes ago, 86Tiger said:

In my experience Thailand is the only country to put any requirement of action on other national embassies for visa.  It is kinda screwed up like they can't make a decision themselves.

It's far from the only one. Vietnam requires something similar. And so many others.

9 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I think the only folk obtaining extension late September will be those that did not used a 30 or 60 day previously. There won't be any emergency extension available with embassy letter. Au embassy gave a useless non useable support to it's citizens. 

Publicity stunt. Pack of whimps.

The way I understand it is, an embassy letter will be issued for the purposes of extending one's stay beyond Sep 26, if you can't extend it through existing Thai immigration options (like a 30 or 60 day extension you've already used, or you aren't eligible for a 1-year extension of stay).

Seeing that it won't be easy to travel to Australia until they remove the restrictions on incoming passengers, quarantines and current lack of direct flights (THAI is planning to resume service to Australia on Sep 1, assuming they can actually resume flights on that date), these letters will definitely come in handy for some.

I presume one can go in any time between Aug 1 and Sep 26 to get this initial 30 day extension using an embassy letter.

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

•  
•  

Posted 12 minutes ago (edited)

  21 minutes ago, ncc1701d said:

Aussies have created a 20 min covid 19 blood test. Testing will be getting better and better, so hopefully making it easier to board flights etc.

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-research-idUSKCN24I0OR

yes, and they also indicate this: "Hundreds of samples can be tested every hour".

If it is true, that's a very good news, and sure, a very good job done.

Edited 12 minutes ago by jerolamo

 

Agree, good news.

 

Seems to me there will be more and more pressure across the globe for numerous reasons to restart international flights, therefore generating a need for different structures in regard to tests and quarantine etc.

 

Perhaps first it's the testing and surely there are different ways to structure this. As mentioned a credible 1 hr result, hopefully inexpensive, could bring a change to the current 72 hrs before check-in system. 

 

Until there's a virus I doubt many folks would object to arriving at a departure airport a little earlier to have the test, and with a 1 hr result. And perhaps also with an inexpensive easily available  negative test result 3 or 5 (?) days before check-in.

 

Then a test immediately on arrival. Again with result within 1 hour. Then, is there a way to structure a final test 3 days later and very easily available, perhaps with very heavy penalties for folks who don't follow the rules. 

 

A new/different approach to quarantine is I guess the harder item but folks with experience in this area surely can develop different systems.

 

 

 

 

I think a lot of people would object. I for one do.