Adelphi

I have only been once but I loved the place, the people and the food.   Once the pandemic is over I will be visiting again.  I have been wondering if I might rather live in Louangphabang rather than Thailand.

Hi I flew to London about two weeks ago.  I arrived at the airport 9-00pm.  In the public area as you come into the airport there were some cafes open.  I was not paying much attention - sorry.  I chcked in and went airside and everthing was closed except a Kiosk selling coffee/bottled water - absolutely nothing to eat.  The most irritating thing was that we were not warned about this before we went airside.   Maybe take some sandwiches with you.  Good luck.

Like many others I recently returned to my home country due to the rising Covid infections and the remote possibility of getting vaccinated in Thailand.  Those left in Thailand might want to consider their position.  It seems unlikely in the extreme that the Government can sort this problem.   You might want to think of leaving very soon as there is a clear risk that not too far in the future there could be a stamped for the exits and the planes would book out very fast.  Thailand then would also likely to be put on other countries"red lists".   I can't see me getting back to Thailand this year due to the risk of living with a failing health system.   I will miss Thailand very much and will return when it is safe to do so and the country has opened up again. For those of you staying on good luck.

I don't think that you can get it from the UK Embassy. Not sure if you are talking about Government State or Occupational pension.  Either way what I suggest is you take along Bank statments showing money paid in by the Government and any award letter or payment notification from the Government that you have or can get scanned and sent to you from th UK.  Good luck.

It feels to me as if the options for non Thais to use the private hospitals or the Thai health system to get vaccinated seem to be receding.  I hope that I am wrong.  

3 hours ago, Tony M said:

Adelphi, when you say that all of those who work in the UK Embassy in Bangkok have been vaccinated as well as the employees of the British Council, do you mean UK-based staff only (those sent out from UK to work) or do you mean all staff including locally - employed Thai staff ? 

Sorry Tony I don't know if Thai staff have also been vaccinated.  I would guess yes as they would have a rather grumpy and resentful Thai staff group if they were excluded.   

Hi.  Can anyone recommend somewhere in Pattaya to get a battery replaced on an iPhone 7.  An indication of cost would also be helpful.  Thank you in advance for all helpful responses.    

Hi.  I live in Pattaya and I have a UK driving licence for car and motorbike but no International Driving Licence.  I wish to make first time applications for Thai driving licences.  I would be grateful based on recent experience if any one can advise on any of the following questions regarding my proposed applications.   Thank you very much in advance for any advice you can give.

1. Does the local Land Transport office insist on you having an International Driving Licence?

2. Is there any way for me to get an International Driving Licence in Thailand.  I have looked on the net but found no helpful information.

3. Can anyone based on their own experience recommend a reputable agent who could assist me?

1 hour ago, Greenhill said:

Presumably, they are flying on a domestic flight and quarantine is not an issue?

Yes flying back from Ubon Ratchathani.

My partner is due to fly back to Suvarnabhumi Monday and has a taxi booked to bring then onto Pattaya.  Does anyone have recent experience of this journey or of just entering Pattaya.  I am interested in what checks problems may be encountered.  I am seeing mixed and confusing reports in the media.  First had reports would be very helpful,  Thank you.

On 11/12/2020 at 7:06 PM, daejung said:

Insurance is checked at embassy to get COR. Is insurance checked too by immigration when arriving in Thailand ? or do they only check passport and COE ?

When I came back about four weeks ago all that was checked at Suvarabhumi was my Passport and CoE.  It was amazingly quick and very well organised at the airport.  

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Last week, Thai Bil (age 52) dropped almost dead in the street (in a coma) ........ forgot his BP medicine, burst blood vessel.

Last month, auntie (age 72) dropped dead in her garden, suspected heart failure.

3 months back, cousin (late 40s) died of cancer, they'd be whittling her away for the past 5 years.

Last summer my best pal (aged 59) died of AIDS, he'd been in hospital for a year.

A bit further back Dave2 (age 70) a member on this forum found rotting in his room, history of strokes.

 

If you want to expand your 9 months to 5 years, I could probably list 20 deaths of people I know.

As you get older (60+) its a race to the graveyard.

 

I'll probably die of cancer in the next year, doubt I'll last another 2.

 

How many deaths do you need?

My nephew had Covid 19 as did two very good friends in the USA.  All three said it was the worst thing that they had ever had and that they would not wish it on anyone else.  None of them are the sort to exaggerate.  Thankfully all three have made a full recovery.  

Complete rubbish.  I returned to Thailand last week.  I just used my ordinary travel insurance which finishes in  December.  My visa runs until February next year.  The only thing that the London Embassy insisted on was that my policy stated explicitly that it covered me for up to $100,000 for emergency health treatment due to Covid 19.  No special certificate etc.  

3 hours ago, 86Tiger said:

Well, did you touch a door knob after you tested?  Ride in taxi or train? touch a piece of money?  Touch a hand rail on stair or escalator? Elevator buttons? Touch the counter at the check in counter?  Touch a bin for your bag going through security? Touch anything on the plane?

 

The point, there are 100's of vectors for acquiring any of the 1000's if not tens of 1000's of viruses or bacteria out in the world that can cause harm we come in contact with every day.

 

 

Unless the person sitting beside you is coughing, spitting, sneezing on you then you are no more at risk of being infected than by any of those other vectors.  Because that person is wearing a mask and we all know a mask is magic against virus......

 

 

Simply untrue.  People who are asymptomatic can spread the virus even though they are not coughing or sneezing.  I know we can not eliminate risk entirely but we can reduce it.  If everyone getting on the plane has tested negative for Covid, wears a mask and hand sanitises then that will very significantly reduce the risk of getting the virus.  Lets not make the mistake of making an idealised notion of 100% safety the enemy of good practice.

4 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

They apparently have not updated their list yet.

I think i would use this one. 

That it the one that I used to get my Certificate of Entry from the London Embassy.

25 minutes ago, Jesse123 said:

I assume you already had the in/out patient insurance issued by a Thai Insurance Company on the approved list.

No when I applied for my A-O visa the insurance you referred to was not a requirement but I will have to obtain it to get my visa renewed in February.

I was quite irate when the policy regarding insurance was introduced and I had decided that when my existing O-A was due for renewal that I would do a visa run and come back with a O visa.  The fact that it looks like my O-A visa is going to get me back into the country had made me decidedly less grumpy.  

3 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Thanks for excellent detailed report. I must say I'm extremely surprised. 

What this also means is that anyone over 50 can obtain a non O-A and subsequently a COE in order to entry Thailand. 

I think that there might still be a problem for those who have an extant permission based on an O visa as the Embassy may not be willing to issue an AO visa while the original O visa is still in play.  If that's the case it might be ok, if for example, you had "accidently" left your old passport in clothing which was ruined in the washing machine (the passport being ruined not the clothing) and so you had to get a new blank replacement passport.  

Thanks for your reply.  When you get a rely mlkik maybe you would be kind enough to share it with us.  

I can not find anything on the Thai London Embassy site or on their Facebook page.  Has anyone else seen anything regarding people in the UK?

1 hour ago, hlj said:

starting to get desperate for tourist's.

If they really wanted some tourists back they would have had the new tourist visa in place three or four months ago to give people time to plan their high session visits.  This visa will only appeal to a limited group of better off snow birds who normally overwinter in Thailand - but those people have probably made alternative plans by now.   They also are deliberately keeping out people who have made a long term commitment to the country e.g. people who have retirement visas/bought homes.   I suspect those who were working in the tourist industry are getting desperate but everything that we have seen and heard suggests to me that the High Command like things just the way they are.