Karma80

In fairness, none of this is Thailand's problem with the visa. It's your particular tax residency and business structure which might mean that this isn't suitable for you as a sole trader/potential sole director. Even then here's something to consider. Spoiler alert - you may not like it. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/broken-flag-theory-taxation-digital-nomads-thailand-dr-ulrich-eder/

Indeed. I'll add that chorus. An elite visa doesn't cut it since I work remotely. Best you can get is vagueries regarding the legal status of that. Most remote workers/consultants/freelancers I know are shielded by their own incorporated structure. The certainty of a 10-year visa with WP that isn't reliant on a third party or Thai employer organisation provides a more stable platform to live here and build a life.

Here, I corrected it for you. Less that 10,000 people can now be arsed to go get tested. Everyone else decided they had enough and maybe, if they feel unwell, go pick up a test. If you're lucky they might stay home for bit.

Tell me you are Australian, without telling me you are Australian ???? You are right, of course. But, it's not good news for any country, as much as we would wish upon a star that inflation is "transitory".

My company is global manufacturer. Our costs are going through the roof. But when you look at the average "headline" inflation figures around the world Canada 6.7%, USA 8.5%, Australia 5.6%, it's grim and those figures are well below what the average person actually experiencing. Add in interest rates rising, housing crises, fuel, food shortages and negative real income, as just some primary concerns, there's a lot to be very worried about and we're only just getting started. Thailands economic policy is run by the military. How will it navigate the next couple of years? Very badly, I suspect.

I mean heavens forbid that you could just show your vaccination credential on arrival. Not that it even matters. Guess 3 Sinovac shots over a year ago means you're all set! This is just pure garbage at this point.

Prepare for another flip flop in the morning, then another just after lunch. Malaysia just scrapped testing pre-departure and on arrival for vaccinated travellers. No masks outdoors. No tracing app. Thai Pass is a ridiculous block for people to come and go freely at this point. It's meant to now just confirm vaccination status and insurance. Except you don't just scan a QR code and on your way. Nope. You'll be showing all the documents you needed to apply for Thai Pass and the Thai Pass.

Joint 110 languishing at the bottom of the world corruption index. It's cultural and systemic in Thailand. Nothing can possibly change. Every now and again, put the head on a spike of cop actually filmed murdering someone and driving back home to his fleet of Lambos. Job done. https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2021

Exactly. Gazette or it isn't real.

I agree. And, also pfizer kocked me about. I imagine by the end of year the governments around the world will have moved from vaccination checking as it transitions into a matter of personal health choice, like a flu shot. It's going to cost them money to keep populations vaccinated they will likely want to offload that burden back to the public, at least to some degree.

Then you are up for a hard life travelling anywhere basically.

Still paid quarantine on the way back for Taiwan citizens. https://covidcontrols.co/restrictions/taiwan -Undergo a 14-day hotel quarantine at their own expense and complete a subsequent 7-day self-health management programme; or -Undergo a 10-day group hotel quarantine at their own expense, 4-day home quarantine and complete a subsequent 7-day self-health management programme; or -For fully vaccinated passengers - undergo a 7-day quarantine at a government quarantine facility at their own expense, 7-day home quarantine and complete a subsequent 7-day self-health management programme -Passengers must undergo COVID-19 testing upon arrival, before completing the quarantine period

China is not about to drop "dynamic zero" anytime soon, We're 54 days into a war of superpowers by proxy, the supply chains are back to square one, inflation is roaring and the global economy threatened. There's an awful lot more "if then, but's" to go before reach the one about chinese bus loads of tourists.

Exactly. Completely garbage story. What poor reporting. Hotels do not have the staff to cope with that spike anyway right now. After this mini break, everyone will go back to life support.

Cue magically lower case numbers than projected and declarations that Thailand is the safest country in the known universe defeating covid. Bows by Anutin, and off to the bar restaurant before lunch.

I'm surprised Anutin hasn't suggested they make it with weed.

I was just thinking that. How do you go from 10,000 a day to 110,000. It's Easter, not an evacuation ????

I look at insurance for Thailand slightly differently. Get a policy that will cover you in the event you are wiped out on a road while riding or driving, but just happens to cover you enough for a Thai Pass. You'll see actual value in that.

I use my APEC card a lot in normal times. Only available to APEC economy citizens and employees/business people that meet the criteria of their citizenship country. 90 days automatic business visa waiver on entry into Thailand and can use the APEC/VIP/Premium lane for immigration. BKK, Phuket and Chiang Mai have lanes too. https://airlines-airports.com/apec-business-travel-card/ Canadian citizens can apply for an APEC card at the same time as a Nexus card, but both the US and Canada are only transitory APEC scheme members, so you won't get any visa benefit at all, but can use express entry lanes in Thailand and other APEC economies. They are relatively easy for Canadians and US citizens because of the limited usefulness, but for the full members it can be a trial and take several months to get. Worth it, though.

Same. Friends have tested positive and stayed at home not reporting anything. A couple of people couldn't afford to take time off work and didn't bother testing even after feeling a bit unwell....(selfish pr**ks) Inconsistent health care/procedures following testing positive. Just too risky.

Our statistics have always been a fabrication, by design or convenience. We limit testing, change the criteria to suit and by extension any reasonable person would conclude there is probably outright political intervention at a spreadsheet level. The result is case numbers which has departed the model of every single other nation of earth. Amazing Thailand indeed.

Let's open a franchise of decaffeinated coffee shops! Then we can be the hub of coffee tourism!

It also is airline dependant, not just the IATA rules. Especially if there is a connection involved. Just add spice to the uncertainty of it all. Keeps your heart racing eh? ????

Easter holidays and Songkran. What a shock, travel is up. I mean, who would have guessed? Clearly it's all because a PCR test before you get on a plane is gone. Everyone enjoys the enhanced (no longer Russian) roulette of a PCR test on arrival....????

Too many global impacts. Asian omicron first peak not rached yet, inflation smashing into discretionary spending and consumer confidence, war and wide sweeping impacts of sanctions, China with no exit ramp for covid keeping the largest travel base for Thailand locked at home, just to name a few. Great time to go on holiday... Dropping all restrictions tomorrow of course will help, but the fundamentals may have changed for for the medium term. Meanwhile, the TAT just bangs the drum of "quality tourism", but actually does completely nothing in any practical terms to drive into new segments like remote workers and longer term travellers.