samtam

The time to learn to live with Covid is when 70% are inoculated. Only 35% are fully vaccinated, ergo 65% are not. China has been "successful" because it has a muzzle on its press, and because it has strict international quarantine, of 21 days. Internally there are doubtless many restrictions. It is effectively closed and will remain so until after the 20th Party Conference in October 2022, when President Xi may be named president for an unprecedented third term, or for life. International quarantine will not even be reduced for the Beijing Winter Olympics in February 2022.

...or anywhere not approved by MHRA, (The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency), so only those vaccinations administered in UK, EU and USA.

Understood. From what I read this week, they are bringing in "Vaccine Passports" for want of a better description, for events with large numbers of people; the article cites "nightclubs, mass events and large venues"....just to be clear as mud..."by the end of September".

I'm not sure how one defines "opened up". As far as I know, Hua Hin is open to domestic visitors already. Two friends went at the weekend, and stayed in an hotel. AFAIK they have only had one jab.

What it means in practical terms is that if you are vaccinated in Thailand with whatever brand, (currently Sinovac, Sinopharm, AstraZeneca, Pfizer), if you are a British National you will have to undergo 10 days quarantine in an hotel designated for this purpose, (costing approximately GBP2k plus). If you are not a British National, you cannot currently enter UK at all, with any of the above vaccines administered in Thailand.

That's not nearly complicated enough.

No is the short answer. Not currently approved by MHRA is the reason why. It's not the brand, it's where it was administered. So Pfizer administered in Thailand is not acceptable either. (AZ is made in Thailand - no relevance. Pfizer is made in USA - no relevance.)

As noted, the Vaccine Passport is only useful if the destination country has joined the Vaccine Passport Agreement. As I don't use Facebook, I don't know any further information given in the links. But in the case of the two countries I wish to visit in the immediate future: 1) Hong Kong does not recognise any Thai administered vaccine, (and you can only enter if you are a HKID holder, which I am). So currently I am barred. 2) UK does not recognise any Thai administered vaccine, and even prior to Thailand going on the red list, you would have to self-quarantine for 10 days. Now, because it's on the red list, you have to quarantine for 10 days at a registered facility. My partner, who is not a British National, is currently barred from entry to UK. So in my limited examples, the Vaccine Passport is currently about as useful as a chocolate teapot. UPDATE: As of today the HKSAR Government has said that effective 8 September it will now recognise vaccines administered in Thailand. (Plus those from: India, Malaysia, Pakistan and South Korea). Unclear about what the "proof of vaccination" is, but a Vaccine Passport is not mentioned. It states HKSAR Government will "recognise vaccination records issued by their authorities".

Vaccines given in Thailand, (of whatever brand) are not recognised upon entry to Hong Kong. Even with a vaccine passport. Does anyone know which countries accept the Thai Vaccine Passport?

I was just checking longer term (by year's end), the outline of my requirements for travel to Hong Kong, with its 21 day quarantine for those fully vaccinated and with a Hong Kong ID/PR. And low and behold, vaccines given in Thailand are not recognised by the Hong Kong Government. Actually, the only countries in Asia which has recognised vaccines are Japan, Indonesia & The Philippines*. Surprisingly, not even Singapore, where I thought they were talking about a travel bubble (twice cancelled). Also, Phuket (and Thailand generally) allows travellers from Hong Kong, but not the other way round. So that certainly puts the boot into my plan to travel to Hong Kong. No can. *I think it's no coincidence that domestic helpers in Hong Kong come predominantly from The Philippines.

Oh, that SID. Gotcha.

You must have gone through a lot of passports. I was forever having to renew or add pages because of the full page re-entry permit, (when I lived there). I loathed the airport going out and coming in; always such a tense process, like Midnight Express in my mind; except there were of course no drugs or alcohol involved.

Detached or semi detached? As long as the neighbours are quiet and friendly. I find a condo can be much more anonymous: anything I want addressed I get the manager to deal with it.

Sounds great. Condo living is not for everyone, but there are important factors to consider when choosing which one, (as with your house location), but also management, maintenance (24/7), security (24/7) and facilities. I enjoy it because I value the views from my 35th floor, which is a boon, living as we do in a flat delta area. As I'm on the committee I have been lucky enough to influence, (and indeed instigate policy) regarding the factors aforementioned.

A house in Bangkok is unlikely to afford you noise abatement unfortunately, even if you have several acres of grounds.

Don't know a Sid. Is he related to Jeff? (Mutawa).

Fine, but vaccinate people FIRST. Apply the electronic devices after that. Cart before horse an' all.

Reminds me of when I lived in Riyadh.

Like so many regulations, and even laws, and given the national trait of ignoring those that "don't apply to me", these too will be ignored, if they are not flip-flopped by the week's end. 13.71% fully vaccinated, 34.85% one dose, as of today. Or to put it another way 86.29% not vaccinated. Unless you're fully vaccinated, you're not vaccinated. Even with the much better rollout statistics in the last week, and possibility of getting 70% fully vaccinated by "mid December", why not wait until we've achieved that milestone? There is an insane belief that Thailand is on a par with countries that have high vaccination percentages. It is not. Not even close yet.

Yes, I had the same issue. Registered the Mor Prom @Line using my Pink ID 13 digits, but the hospital registered my vax using my passport, so they had to issue a 13 digit vax ID.

Not clear whether under 2. you have installed the app, (different from Mor Prom @ LINE). I had Mor Prom @LINE and my Thai staff downloaded the app. If you do that and add your mobile number and the 13 digit Vax ID, you will get an OTP and once entered, it will provide you with your dose history. Certificate is not available until after second dose. This one: I had three goes at it, or rather my Thai staff did, as first off I didn't have the 13 digit vax ID, (and had to ring the hospital to give it to me), and then for my partner, the hospital gave the wrong ID, (they used the 13 digit Pink card ID). Anyway, got there in the end. My Thai staff has had both his doses, (AZ and he's 24 naturally), and his certificate shows all his details, including QR code and passport number, so I presume this will be an acceptable certificate for international travel. (It's in English and Thai.) But that sounds too logical, so scrub that. Unless you read Thai you will need someone who does, to translate the messages that pop up, (or to do it for you), when you're installing your details.

Has anyone actually travelled internationally without the so-called vaccine passport? With the recent introduction of the Mor Prom App showing all your details, (name, passport number, vax ID, brand, batch number etc etc) and a QR code, wouldn't this be an acceptable form of vaccination proof for international travel, as it's in Thai and English and is issued by the MoPH? There seems to be a wide variety of "proof of vaccination" documents/apps worldwide, including the very simple (US) CDC handwritten paper with details. In UK the NHS app is accepted, (for entry to UK), but also it appears acceptable for those travelling worldwide. If anyone has experience of showing "proof of vaccination" for entry into Hong Kong, and/or UK from Thailand, I would be very interested in knowing about it.

I hope you managed the swim and haircut separately, although I know some barbers like to cut hair when it's wet.

Yes, there are many fine examples of high quality IT systems in place in the wonderful world of Thai bureaucracy????

I am one of those who did my visa extensions for 12 years in person at Chaengwattana. The last 3 years of the 12 were such a pain, taking me about 7 hours or more door to door, for an extension plus re-entry permit. This, on top of going to pick up the bank letter from my branch the day before. After these increasingly irksome experiences I thought the services of a good agent, particularly during covid, (the first time was last year, the second this year), were an investment I was prepared to make. The service also takes care of my 90 day report, (either online if it works, or in person, if it doesn't, as with the last one). My visits to CW are now reduced to about 20 minutes face time with the IO. Like so many things in Thailand, it is often better to have a gofer; I use different ones for picking up undelivered parcels from the post office/customs, getting me items for household maintenance, a personal shopper for groceries and mall items, and a tame motocy for pick up and delivery of various items. Some of these have become essential during Covid, and my desire to isolate as much as possible, until I get my second vax. When in Rome...