28 minutes ago, khunPer said:

If you read the article I linked to, the other cases were 9 days, and two each after 4 days, so seems like they already test several times, which is also my impression from the news articles. It probably should be the same procedure in all quarantine places. Out of 5 cases, 2 were after 10 days quarantine, i.e. 40 percent. My point is that it seems like 10 days quarantine might not be fully safe; however the persons might have been infected during quarantine, some news articles also suggested that possibility...????

when I checked out of ASQ, I asked the manager if he thought govt would move to10 days. He said no, too many cases still after 10 days. I guess he should know????

11 hours ago, khunPer said:

There were two cases mentioned in the news today that tested positive to Covid-19 after 11 days and 12 days in quarantine...

Under 14 day ASQ you get tested at the beginning and near the end. If they reduced to 10 days, they would test and pick up the positive cases earlier. I read that they would likely test more often

14 hours ago, hydraides said:

 

 

-Can you please state what visa you applied for to get Back into Thailand?

-How much was the quarantine

-Where did you fly from originally?

see my post here

16 hours ago, nchuckle said:

Congratulations- enjoy the freedom.! 
Where did you stay - any recommendations? I would be looking to pay at the lower end given it’s not an experience you can really enjoy facilities of but don’t want to be uncomfortable,or poor wifi which I’d be relying on . 
Ive not seen much in the way of feedback on this front ,so appreciate any tips.

I chose the Movenpick as they have a garden you can walk in every day. It’s at the pricier end, about 60k baht, but good. Internet a bit slow at times

This change is clearly aimed at STV long stayers who can renew up to 9 months or so.

It’s probably also leading to travel bubbles. According to the Bkk Post, they are trying to get a bubble with China before Chinese NY

9 hours ago, nchuckle said:

It is true Thais don’t need a preflight Covid test .It may possibly be because the government cannot deny entry to a national via imposing conditions- although they can insist on quarantine once in the country. An airline however can impose conditions of travel on its aircraft.

However it does mean you have been cleared of Covid but forced to sit in a confined space for 13 hours with those that haven’t ! 

Thais have never needed a Covid test to fly home, but still have to do 2 week quarantine

I was a bit concerned as my flight from Dubai to Bkk was 95% Thai remittance workers from the Gulf going home and it was jam packed. But I’ve just had my last Covid test come back negative so finally get out of ASQ tomorrow. ????

18 hours ago, webfact said:

A 27-year-old Thai male freelancer,

Er... ????

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

No they did nto rule it out. What they did rule out is cross infection between her and 2 other guests who tested positive while they were there.

 

They have not identified the source of infection if she was infected there,  but then neither have they found it anywhere else.

 

Personally, my feeling is that if there was virus on the exercise equipment (indicating sub-optimal cleaning/disinfection) then there might also have been virus in her room when she checked in, from a prior occupant.

 

It pretty well has to be the Quarantine or else a very unusual length of incubation: around 17 days or (if infected after leaving Thailand) only 2 days. Not impossible, but unlikely.

it could be the ASQ hotel. But equally possible  to be an undetected cluster on Samui which they haven’t found because they haven’t looked. Such clusters have occurred months after the last recorded local transmission In both China and NZ. Since Thailand doesn’t randomly test its population and was accepting mass Chinese tourism long after Covid spread in Wuhan and has large numbers of illegal migrants from Myanmar where Covid is rampant, some undetected clusters are to be expected

Anyway we are well off topic now????

2 hours ago, howerde said:

Travel insurance will be sold to anyone, it is up to the individual to make sure they are covered which at the moment they are not due to the government warning about travel to Thailand, i am not sure if the Thai embassy actually check this, as travel insurance is usually 60-90 max per trip with a max 180 days a year so does not meet the requirement, i have been told by a number of people that they have have got to Thailand with ordinary travel insurance

the FCO is not warning against travel to Thailand. It is on the exempted list. I posted the link

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

Or while in Quarantine. Infection control procedures in the hotel (no longer approved for quarantine) were found to be substandard with recoverable virus on equipment in the exercise room, for example. 

 

Infection during quarantine is more probable than infection afterwards given how short the time lapse was before she became symptomatic.

Thai authorities have ruled out her being infected in the ASQ hotel as they say the Covid strain in the gym was different.  Make of it what you will

My ASQ hotel in Bkk is very strict

5 hours ago, howerde said:

Thailand is not on the safe travel list https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/travel-advice-help-and-support

It would be unlikely the you are covered on a travel insurance policy as i have just found out. What i can tell you is that the London embassy do not check(at the moment) the validity of the insurance, such as multi trip annual policies typically only cover 60-90 days per trip and usually 180ish days per year.

 

Thailand remains on the list of 

Coronavirus (COVID-19): countries and territories exempt from advice against ‘all but essential’ international travel

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-countries-and-territories-exempt-from-advice-against-all-but-essential-international-travel

So UK insurance still available, but if the list changes before you fly the insurance would be invalidated
 

The other likely more expensive option is to get Thai health insurance. A list of providers can be found on the Thai Embassy website under the O-A visa guidance

It is worth bearing in mind that insurance will be checked by the airline at boarding, not just by the Thai Embassy for COE purposes. 

1 hour ago, nchuckle said:

It’s still somewhat ambivalent regarding the specific circumstances of the op or returning to Thailand. I’ve just been looking myself and this has thrown a potential spanner in the works. I’m in Manchester and there are 3 approved airlines Etihad,Emirates,Qatar offering daily flights from Manchester to Bangkok and from Flightstats  website appear to actually historically been arriving ok.
I’m concerned that the new uk regulations on no holidays abroad might mean that this effects demand and subsequently causes cancellations just when you have (expensively) coordinated and committed to the other requirements (quarantine etc). I don’t believe ,but am not sure ,whether this carries the same weight as FCO advice against travel (usually to specific areas) ,in that it may invalidate travel insurance. 
On that issue ,as I could obtain (Post office) UK travel insurance which DOES include Covid (for up to a year) whether this would meet the $100,000 criteria stipulated by Thai embassy ?.. I see no specifics would exclude it ..but TIT ? Anyone actually KNOW ?

update : Ryanair just announced they’re not canceling flights so anyone not going on their booked general holiday will lose their fare. Seems a bit of a disconnect 

 

 

Personally, I would book from Heathrow. Less likely to be cancelled than Manchester

Insurance validity is based on FCO travel advice not govt lockdown policy. As of now, Thailand is still on the safe to fly list, so insurable. But as per Thai Embassy website, make sure insurance cover note clearly shows the Covid cover demanded by the Thais or you risk hassle at check in

3 hours ago, ronaldo0 said:

Was around 5 I seen last time , eva , Emirates , Thai and can’t remember others. Where did you fly from and what was cost ? I looked at Thai yesterday and was £630 one way lhr to Bkk .

about £450 one way with Emirates via Dubai with unlimited changes to booking free of charge

The 36 STV Chinese tourists will pick up the slack ????

They can just seal Phuket and other tourist islands off from the rest of the country and let tourists in with no quarantine.

Test on arrival and then monitor remotely.

This approach has worked fine In the Maldives, Jersey and other tourist island destinations

8 hours ago, ronaldo0 said:

But the flights to Thailand are repatriation flights and not commercial so you can’t just book a seat and go , hence hoop jumping competition the Thai gov are running and you have to meet their criteria to get the COE .

This is well out of date. Commercial flights from the UK and elsewhere to Thailand have been allowed for over a month. About 10 airlines are now authorised to land in Bkk. Details on Thai Embassy website.

On the specific recommendation of the Thai Embassy, I booked Emirates and arrived 10 days ago without any problems

11 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Yes there has been 2 recent cases. So your next move is to halt all entries into Thailand including Thai nationals? Please outline your plan moving forward.

Foreigners need 3 consecutive negative tests over 3 weeks to get in. Chances of 3 false negatives are virtually non existent.

With the so called French woman in Samui (actually Thai dual national I gather) nobody knows how she got it, but quite likely from a local undetected cluster. Such clusters have popped up in even the strictest countries such ad NZ and China

9 hours ago, ronaldo0 said:

Have boots pharmacy not started doing 90 minute tests for £120 a time ?

that won’t meet the Thai standard which is for a swab test from an accredited lab.

@Emhed make sure to book on an airline that is not likely to cancel due to lockdown. Emirates probably a good bet. My Dubai flight was half full but went anyway

Just chatted to one of the famous “Chinese tourists” who came in from China on an STV mid week.

He was a European businessman ????????

I used the Hale Clinic in Harley St. Very efficient and results back next day.

 As they provide other medical services, can’t see why they would shut in lockdown.

If he doesn’t have a visa, and Thai Embassy closes to visitors, you would need to apply by post I guess

Good luck

Even without Covid, why go to Phuket? Overpriced, overdeveloped and no Thai culture