phills2k1

On the plus side, at least they're not blaming app users for keeping their info on the app

Any update on Koh Tao? Been hearing rumors of more cases there

Hah I literally posted this last night here: I mean, we all knew it would happen, but even at my most cynical I didn't think it would take less than 24 hours

What in the world?

Lower the testing to get better numbers so they can have their "mission accomplished!" moment and once things reopen, they can blame the citizens when they jump back up again It's all so transparent

LOL

Expat twitter really is something else Just saw someone with a pretty prominent presence on there freaking out about his hair dresser taking extra safety precautions (medical taping the lax parts of his surgical mask to his face) and how the problem is that she's been corrupted by the fear mongering of the media (and thus that all of this is overblown) This poor woman is working to support herself (and potentially her family), takes a measure for some sort of safety in the midst of this ultra-contagious and deadly virus outbreak, and gets viciously mocked for it. She could very easily have young children or an older parent that she's trying to protect, and this you know what is too bothered to take the tiniest precaution to help her out. While others mock her! It truly makes me sick to my stomach

Haven't been following as much recently. What's the consensus on the decrease in cases? A true reason for optimism, solely because of fewer tests, or a little bit of both?

This has been one of the most incredible things to watch in the US. When so many people who are grossly anti-vax / covid is a hoax and use their public platform to lie to others have of course caught it and died, a go fund me is almost ALWAYS set up. Yet these are the same people who decry any sort of financial assistance to those less fortunate as being communism and it must be stopped! As if it wasn't obvious to everyone before Covid has show just how many people there are (almost always of a certain political mindset) that are opposed to anything that could help others in need, until they of course need it

Is there any info on what you can actually do your first 7 days of Samui plus? I know you have to stay in the hotel for a few days but what about after? Can you explore the island normally? Eat in restaurants? Beach? I keep seeing "specific routes and destinations" but no actual info on what these are Thanks!

One more question, if people know I'm currently on a 1 year multi-entry visa with a work permit, and returning from the US. Does the requirement of remaining in your country of departure for 21 days prior to flying still apply? Was potentially going to go to Canada within that time frame prior to leaving from the US Thanks!

Yup, in Samui you can't leave your hotel for the first 3 days and then you're limited to traveling in specific routes / tours (but I can't find what that includes, and if you're able to go to restaurants / the beach etc). Phuket definitely seems like the better play for that week, but my end game is Koh Tao so being closer in Samui is certainly a perk (and the flight situation for me is cheaper). IF I were to do Phuket for the first 7 days, what part of the island is currently in the best shape for tourists? Just looking for good restaurants and the beach. Rawai? Thanks!

The ONE time the entire world would've supported their corporate espionage, and they somehow screw it up Unreal

A "lockdown" in perpetuity isn't the answer, but opening everything up (the "whatever will be will be" method) is a surefire way to absolutely destroy the country. That's how you get what happened in India, how you get deaths beyond comprehension, and how you ensure that there's no tourism well into next year. The US reopened without restrictions with a fully vaccinated rate that's exponentially higher than in Thailand (which included vaccines that actually have success against Delta), and thanks to the unvaccinated, it became a nightmare in a matter of weeks. We all want things back to normal, but you don't take a few days of lowered cases (with deaths still high) and just throw in the towel. If they go down that route, I promise you, there won't be much of a country left for tourists to visit when things eventually calm down enough. The vaccination numbers are finally at a positive level. Keep it up for another month or two (where if there was any sort of competent government, they'd pay people to stay closed), SLOWLY remove the restrictions, and hopefully things can begin to truly reopen in time for the season Or you can ignore science and reality, pretend that there aren't many serious cases and just say "to hell with people who are dying, I need the bars to be open!"

Unfortunately for my first 7 nights I'm pretty sure I can only book with the Samui Extra Plus hotels, where the cheapest starts at 35,000 baht https://asq.in.th/samui-extra-plus-alq-sandbox-hotels

One more question When it says that the flight to BKK and flight to Samui have to be purchased on the "same trip", what does that mean exactly? Do I need the airline I'd be flying to BKK to purchase my flight to Samui? Thanks

Also, if I'm coming back in the middle of October, should I assume that the weather in Phuket has a better chance of being enjoyable than Samui? Is looking to post up in Koh Tao through the end of the year a bad idea taking into account the monsoon in October and November? Have heard that it hasn't been so bad there the past few years, but with the way things are going, I'm expecting the worst hah

Thanks. I still can't believe (although it's entirely believable) just how much of a markup the Samui Plus hotels are charging for those first 7 days. Again, I get that they're hurting and need the revenue, but is it really worth souring someone from ever staying with them again moving forward? Just such terrible business So now I'm deciding whether I pay about $1,000 more for my flight to Phuket where the hotels are cheaper (plus flight to Samui later) and I have more freedom for the first 7 days or a cheaper flight (since I can go with my original one to BKK and then transfer to Samui) to pay more for the first 7 days. Guess I need to get the old calculator out!

Thank you. Appreciate the info

So just to be completely clear, if I'm coming back from the US, teh only way I can make the sandbox work (either Phuket or Samui) is to fly an airline that goes directly to one of the Islands after a layover What are some of the airlines that actually do this? From searching, it seems like most flights have me flying into BKK and then transferring to Bangkok Airways

Awesome. Will cost me almost another $1,000 Appreciate the info

Is it 100% that you can't transit through BKK? I want to take a finnair flight but they don't go to Phuket. Can I not fly to BKK and then hop on a local flight?

Still blows me away that an entire nationality is predicated solely on the idea of not admitting you're wrong and people not telling you you're wrong

Oh I'm sure you have to do it through the "samui plus" site and be price gouged like crazy It's just such a terrible business strategy

Appreciate the answers Thanks