moojar

On 2/4/2022 at 5:08 PM, moojar said:

The [Phuket] PCR website is https://www.thailandpsas.com/ .  It told me when my day 5 is, I wasn't able to choose.  I arrive after 8pm and that is day 1 according to that booking website.  So I made my bookings around that.   

Update for anyone in the same boat - our Thailand Passes have been approved.  We arrive at Phuket just after 8pm, and that is counted as 'Day 1'.  

May be different in other provinces, or because Phuket PCR test are done at the airport.  No idea. 

On 2/4/2022 at 4:55 PM, moojar said:

We had wanted to do Day 5 at a Buriram hotel.  Contacted two of the leading (most expensive) SHA extra+ hotels there and they both said "not participating in Test & Go".

 

I don't know if that means no Buriram (province) hotels are in the scheme.  This booking website only has the more touristy provinces listed, so maybe only those are in the Test & Go scheme?  Don't know, but we decided to stay in Phuket for five nights and do both tests there.  Less hassle.  

Update for anyone that finds this whilst doing their research.  

One of the Buriram hotels (the Amari Buriram United) replied to my Agoda enquiry four or five days later to say they only do the Test & Go stuff via direct bookings, not bookings thru a booking website such as Agoda.  The reply came too late - the same day our Thailand Passes were approved with the five-night Phuket stay.  

So it is possible to T&G upcountry.  Make your enquiries well in advance though.  

If you are arriving at Phuket you usually book the PCR tests yourself.  At least that's what the four hotels I contacted told me, but perhaps your hotel budget and my hotel budget are different.  ????    

The PCR website is https://www.thailandpsas.com/ .  It told me when my day 5 is, I wasn't able to choose.  I arrive after 8pm and that is day 1 according to that booking website.  So I made my bookings around that.  

Thailand Pass has been submitted, I'll find out soon enough if the booking system got 'day 5' wrong.  I haven't made any onward bookings, just in case.  Easy enough to add an extra night in the hotel and resubmit the application.  

FWIW we will arrive at Phuket and do both our PCR tests there - day 1 and day 5.  

We had wanted to do Day 5 at a Buriram hotel.  Contacted two of the leading (most expensive) SHA extra+ hotels there and they both said "not participating in Test & Go".

I don't know if that means no Buriram (province) hotels are in the scheme.  This booking website only has the more touristy provinces listed, so maybe only those are in the Test & Go scheme?  Don't know, but we decided to stay in Phuket for five nights and do both tests there.  Less hassle.  

4 hours ago, placeholder said:

The Luma covid insurance is travel insurance. They just make sure to explicitly cover covid expenses in their policy order to satisfy Thai Immigration's requirements.

While it is travel insurance, covering more than I initially thought, the problem I have with it is that cover only commences once I clear Thai immigration.  So if I'm turned back over a technicality with my paperwork, as I have heard of with others, I'm not yet insured.  Likewise if some emergency stops me travelling at all, or I have issues in transit, etc.  

I shall probably shop around for the least expensive basic policy that satisfies the Thai Covid insurance requirement, bought from a Thai company for ease of entry, and also get regular TI from my home country.  Annoying to face the extra costs, but the travel environment we knew is gone. 

My (Thai) wife and I (Australian) will be spending around half of each year in Thailand after we retire in mid-2022.  I'll either do tourist visas or spouse visas and rely on regular travel insurance, as I have always done. 

I have switched off following Thailand events during the pandemic, not being able to visit.  So I'm not much across the entry requirements.  Just starting to look at it now, and hoping ASQ / sandbox / CoE requirements will be much reduced by the time we visit in six or seven month's time. 

One thing I don't expect to go away for a few years is the 'USD$1,000,000 COVID insurance'.  

I understand this can be purchased from a non-Thai company, but as it seems to be a farang-wallet-lightening scheme they ... prefer we use Thai companies.  On this first visit I'll probably just suck it up and pay the tax for ease of entry.  

Will I need regular travel insurance on top of the COVID insurance though?  I am mostly concerned about being repatriated to my home country should I be badly injured / ill.  The COVID insurance I have looked at would only repatriate my ashes; I'd rather not let it get that far.  

Edit: Luma covers repatriation, costs THB27k for 6 months tier 3 (THB3m for repatriation.)  Seems a bit steep, and only covers "as soon as you pass Thai immigration".  Might be worth getting a basic COVID policy + regular travel insurance then. 

The premium table shows 30, 60, 90, 180, and 365 days.  I'll need to find out of they cover for, say, 190 days without having to pay for 365 days.  Best do that before I book my return flight. 

59 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

You do not need the COVID test to get the COE. You will need it before you can check in for your flight. It is the last step in the process.

 

Did you really mean to say after Easter?  Quite likely things will have changed substantially by then. If if you meant to say Christmas, still good chance requirements will be different by then.

Thank you, that makes more sense.   

Yes, after Easter.  I know things are likely to change, I just hope in the right direction!  

I have been putting off retiring, because Covid.  So we bought flight tickets, locked in my retirement date.  If there is no longer a requirement to "sandbox" in Phuket we shall have a week at a quiet beach anyway, sort of ease into retirement.  ????  

Thanks again.  

I'll just hijack the post a bit, quick question.  

We are coming back to Thailand via the Phuket Sandbox after Easter, and I'm just beginning to look at the process - sounds like fun.  

Two embassy websites I have looked at have the steps involved, with the RT-PCR test step 3, apply for the CoE step 9.  This cannot be right?  If the RT-PCR test must be within 72 hours of departure that leaves SFA time for the CoE application / approval.    

Surely they mean the list to be point form, not in any particular order.  

Cheers.

https://sydney.thaiembassy.org/en/content/requirements-under-phuket-sandbox?cate=5d847bbc15e39c21b8005f2c

12 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I never worry about being sick or medical service.

Happy to die when called, but hope it won't be dragged out.

Whenever I read this sort of BS I always imagine these are the people that will be crying and begging and pissing their pants when the gun is pointed at their head. 

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

You only have your own greed to blame.

In hindsight yes, so very kind of you to point that out.  This was to be a four week campaign with an auction at the end.    

2 minutes ago, elgenon said:

I wish my situation was like that. This could bankrupt me. Selling the places would be a fire sale right now. Same thing as usual, the rich will scoop the properties up at a bargain price.  Yes, also no rent increases. The politicians know there are more renters than owners. So more votes.

Yeah to sell now would be disastrous.  We put our (Sydney) home on the market first weekend in March when COVID-19 was something vaguely happening in far away lands.  Fifty-two parties thru the door at the first open home. We had three offers, the realo said not good enough, let's make them sweat.  

The second weekend was good, but COVID-19 was beginning to enter the picture.   

Last weekend was dead quiet, and our best offers have been withdrawn.  (One of those people snapped up a place for $1.65m that had been listed at $1.9m)  

This week it is just sharks circling, sensing blood in the water - cashed up pr!cks trying to take advantage.  People seem to think the market has already dropped 15% - 20%.

We were due to go to auction on Saturday but those are now banned.  Reolo has asked for 'best offers', I expect we will reject them and sit back licking our wounds, try again in a year or two.  But if you were in desperate financial strife if would not be a pleasant time. 

8 minutes ago, murraynz said:

same same in NZ , renters cannot now be evicted for not paying rent, no rent increases.

im grateful that most of my tenants are good, are beneficiaries or have secure jobs.

 

I would expect rent decreases, at least in Oz.  Newly-unemployed moving back home, plus all those Airbnb places flooding back into the regular rental market.  

Sucks to be separated from family, but I'd honestly rather be in Oz over the coming months.  You read about Italy taking life-giving ventilators away from the over 65s, and in Spain from the over 60s, and then wonder who are they going to take them away from first in Thailand if the <deleted> hits the fan?

These are the planned Thai suspensions according to Blue Swan Daily, an aviation news site is owned by 'CAPA', a reputable aviation analysis company. 

Quote

Thai Airways announced (24-Mar-2020) plans to suspend services to the following destinations in response to the coronavirus outbreak:

 

Asia from 25-Mar-2020:
Hong Kong, Taipei, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Seoul, Kunming, Xiamen, Chengdu, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Karachi, Kathmandu, Lahore, Dhaka, Islamabad, Colombo, Phnom Penh, Vientiane, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Yangon, Singapore, Jakarta, Bali, Karachi;

 

Australia from 27-Mar-2020:
Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth;

 

Europe from 01-Apr-2020:
London, Frankfurt, Paris, Brussels, Copenhagen, Oslo, Moscow, Stockholm.

https://blueswandaily.com/thai-airways-to-suspend-services-across-network-from-25-mar-2020/

I'd be interested to see how that compares to flights bookable on the Thai website. 

15 hours ago, Olmate said:

Yep best to do that and my mithtake...thanks your most kind!

No worries Olmate - honest mistake, the wording is not clear.  I think the Routes Online people probably have a lot going on right now!  

For those that haven't heard,  Australians are banned from overseas travel from midday today (Wednesday.)

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-25/coronavirus-travel-ban-overseas-australian-citizens-midday-start/12087818

Fair enough IMO -as the PM said, there are still people travelling for leisure under the current 'do not travel' advisories, and they pose a threat to the rest of us when they return. There's a lot of that 'posing a threat to the rest of us' going on actually - I'm not loving the 'boomer remover' nickname for this virus!  

NSW alone has over 1000 detected cases now, <deleted>'s gettin' real.  

I posted this elsewhere, will post here as well FYI. 

All Thai flights to Australia & New Zealand are suspended from ~30 March to 30 June, then reduced flights after that.  

Qantas and Jetstar cease international flying at the end of March. 

Etihad and Emirates have stopped flying for at least two weeks - UAE borders are closed, not even transit passengers allowed.  

Singapore borders are closed, not even transit passengers allowed. 

'Routes Online' is a good place to see schedule changes, you can sign up for a daily email listing schedule changes which is handy at a time like this. 

Here are Thai's most recent filings, but bear in mind first they initially reduced flights from late March, then they cancelled them until 30 June and pushed back the reduced schedules.  So the wording is a bit confusing.  

Quote

Bangkok – Auckland
29MAR20 – 30JUN20 Service cancelled
eff 01JUL20 Reduce from 7 to 3 weekly, 787-9 operating

Bangkok – Brisbane
30MAR20 – 30JUN20 Service cancelled
eff 01JUL20 Reduce from 4 to 3 weekly, 777-200ER operating

Bangkok – Melbourne
31MAR20 – 30JUN20 Service cancelled
eff 01JUL20 Reduce from 14 to 3 weekly, A350-900XWB operating

Bangkok – Perth
30MAR20 – 30JUN20 Service cancelled
eff 01JUL20 Reduce from 7 to 3 weekly, A330-300 operating (Service cancelled 30APR20 – 16JUN20)

Bangkok – Sydney
01APR20 – 30JUN20 Service cancelled
01JUL20 – 24OCT20 Reduce from 7 to 5 weekly, 777-300ER replaces 747-400

https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/290449/thai-airways-international-cancels-australia-new-zealand-service-in-2q20/?highlight=thai

2 hours ago, Olmate said:

Best not to BS, Open the link and see Thai flights reduced...Not cancelled...of course you may be right about the rumours!

Best to open the link and actually read the <deleted> thing.   All flights cancelled until June 30, all flights reduced (compared to today) from July 1.  

The wording is not that clear, the cancellations are an update to original (now rescheduled) service reductions filing.  I left out the service reductions part so as not to confuse those with comprehension difficulties. 

Quote

Bangkok – Auckland
29MAR20 – 30JUN20 Service cancelled
eff 01JUL20 Reduce from 7 to 3 weekly, 787-9 operating

Bangkok – Brisbane
30MAR20 – 30JUN20 Service cancelled
eff 01JUL20 Reduce from 4 to 3 weekly, 777-200ER operating

Bangkok – Melbourne
31MAR20 – 30JUN20 Service cancelled
eff 01JUL20 Reduce from 14 to 3 weekly, A350-900XWB operating

Bangkok – Perth
30MAR20 – 30JUN20 Service cancelled
eff 01JUL20 Reduce from 7 to 3 weekly, A330-300 operating (Service cancelled 30APR20 – 16JUN20)

Bangkok – Sydney
01APR20 – 30JUN20 Service cancelled
01JUL20 – 24OCT20 Reduce from 7 to 5 weekly, 777-300ER replaces 747-400

https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/290449/thai-airways-international-cancels-australia-new-zealand-service-in-2q20/

13 hours ago, AussieBob18 said:

Think.  It is not about that. It is less likely that 'troubled' young male Thais will start trouble if you are with a Thai girl. Common sense really. You should try to get some - may save you trouble one day.  As they say - only fools rush in where angels fear to tread.

I think it more likely you will paint a target on yourself if with a Thai girl.  Fear, anger and all that repressed resentment at the "rich" old farang taking Thai women... 

Is this where I should add some passive-aggressive insult to finish my post?  Nah, couldn't be arsed.

Well if it wasn't already too late to leave, it very soon will be:  

Quote

Thai Airways International cancels Australia / New Zealand service in 2Q20

Bangkok – Auckland
29MAR20 – 30JUN20 Service cancelled
Bangkok – Brisbane
30MAR20 – 30JUN20 Service cancelled

Bangkok – Melbourne
31MAR20 – 30JUN20 Service cancelled
Bangkok – Perth
30MAR20 – 30JUN20 Service cancelled
Bangkok – Sydney
01APR20 – 30JUN20 Service cancelled

https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/290449/thai-airways-international-cancels-australia-new-zealand-service-in-2q20/

Qantas and Jetstar cease all international flying from "the end of March".  Rumour has it Jetstar will also cease domestic flying. 

Singapore has closed their border AND banned transit passengers as of today.

Etihad and Emirates stop flying from 25 March for at least two weeks - the UAE has closed their borders. 

Good luck all. 

4 hours ago, White Christmas13 said:

I just can't understand why no infection in Pattaya (or not reported ones?

Aren't they being reported as "lung infections" rather than COVID?  

9 hours ago, tifino said:

in alignment with the smarttraveller adviceupdates through the last week...

- reconsider travel...

- do not travel

- if you are overseas...pack up and come home

 

 

 

It seems to be the federal government is focused on the economy, and in a bit of a bind after their never-ending criticism of the other side's (successful) economic stimulus during the GFC.  The <deleted>-off states that run the hospitals and must try to keep people alive are getting frustrated over the lack of federal leadership.    

Italy has frightened the <deleted> out of everyone - the hospitals are overwhelmed, they don't have enough ICU ventilator resources.  Ambulance staff are having to decide who goes to hospital, who stays home to drown in their own phlegm.  Australia is battling to "flatten the curve" so the hospitals don't get overwhelmed.  With the number if IC beds we have and the % of infected needing one, I think we cross the line at around 45,000 infections.  We're at 1400 and that is doubling about every three days...  

Countries are turning their car manufacturing to produce ventilators.  But that idiot Joe Hockey allowed our vehicle manufacturing industry to die.  

39 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Thank you, very helpful to a mate who is toing and froing over to go or not. Do you or anyone else know as of now the situation with flights out of Australia eg back to bkk. They are still showing available end of May. Can flights out of Oz be blocked by current travel directives..eg level 4 Thanks again!

Flights won't be totally blocked - there is still freight to be flown and some returning residents, and government types on official business.  Most of the airlines seem to be maintaining minimal flights, into Sydney mostly.  Singapore is down to one flight a day, so is Cathay, so are Etihad/Emirates/Qatar.  Seems pretty typical.   Qantas has freight aircraft and is stopping all international passenger flights.  Jetstar also stopping all international flying.   I expect Thai will make further cuts before long. 

Also read somewhere Singapore - the country - is not allowing foreigners in, not even to transit.  So that's another road block to get around. 

The Oz 'do not travel anywhere in the world' advisory means most of us just cannot get travel insurance.  Nothing apart from that stopping us travelling if we really want to. But as I believe Thailand won't let you in without $US100K "coronavirus travel insurance" as of a day or two ago, I don't think you could get back anyway? 

People are crowd funding their flights home, stranded all over the world - read of a guy participating in a noisy protest in Morocco when the border were closed, a young couple stranded in Paris on their honeymoon with all their flights cancelled.  TV here is of course going to full-on COVID coverage, filling airtime with tales of stranded travellers, reports today of $5000 fares on offer back from South America on LATAM - the border wherever they fly from is not (yet) closed.  

Oh, and it's not just Thailand - foreigners are being shunned all over, the locals considering them carriers.  Backpackers are being tossed out of hostels, the embassy telling them "we can't help you, but make sure you wash your hands".  LOL.  

It is sounding like the bushfire advisories - "too late to leave".