oldcpu

The February picture is a rather an old picture - definitely not up to date.

39 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Indeed it's all good , so long as one isn't one of those that died after taking a medication that was supposed to stop them dying.

Given no other vaccines were likely available - what do you think they should do ? Take no other vaccine and wait what ? 4 more months? 6 more months? and have another 941 die and not just 5 die? 

I think no one is happy with the 5 dying ...  and we are all saddened by such, but it is a LOT better than 941 more dying, given higher efficacy vaccines were pretty much monopolized by other (wealthier) countries for the first half year in which the vaccines were available.

According to the OP's ThaiPBS world link:

Quote

...  the number of Indonesian healthcare workers dying from COVID-19 has dropped sharply from 158 in January to 13 in May
...
 Indonesia grappled with one of Asia’s worst outbreaks,  ...  its doctors and nurses have suffered a heavy toll of 946 deaths. ...

...

at least five doctors and one nurse have died from COVID-19 despite being vaccinated, according to LaporCOVID-19, although one had only received a first shot. ...

So only 5 died after being vaccinated, and 941 died who were not vaccinated (or who only received one shot).  5 vs 941.

Clearly the vaccine is not 100% effective, and I think it common knowledge there are vaccines with higher efficacy,  but I see a massive difference between 941 deaths (not vaccinated) as opposed to 5 (vaccinated).

23 hours ago, outsider said:

Essentially, they've just turned Phuket into a large quarantine centre, that is all. Then there is the mandatory quarantine back in the visitors' home countries to think about...

 

Taking everything into consideration, having your quarantine on an island is way costlier than in a hotel room!

Phuket is unlikely costlier than an ASQ.  I can't figure out how you calculate that - as there are hotels available in Phuket that are SHA Plus that are much cheaper than the typical ASQ hotel.  There are inexpensive good restaurants in Phuket where one can eat that is FAR less expensive (and tastes much superior) than the jacked up prices for food in an ASQ hotel.

I note an ASQ one is not allowed alcohol.   I have a friend who during his stay in an ASQ hotel, could not even order yogurt for the 1st five days in the ASQ hotel.  In an ASQ one can not bring a guest to one's room.  In an ASQ one can not go to a restaurant. 

Even thou bars will remain closed all across Thailand, it looks very likely in Phuket, restaurants will be allowed to serve alcohol, given Phuket's low daily # of new COVID cases.

As for not leaving the island, over the years, I have had friends visit me in Phuket, who never left the island of Phuket.  So staying on the island is not a show stopper for everyone.

IMHO Phuket is superior to practically any Hotel ASQ in both price and freedom - however - it still is far from ideal. 

As you note, if one comes from a country with strict quarantine requirements, ... as noted, returning to one's country could be difficult.  

I like the 'sandbox' name giving by the Thai authorities to Phuket, as I believe it is intended to be a very cautious 'test' opening - an opening when there is still a global pandemic raging and the successful or failure of Phuket, from a pandemic perspective, will be assessed.

15 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

So I just checked my status again, which was registration received yesterday but awaiting approval...and now it's NO REGISTRATION and a notice that seems to say ONLY WP holding foreigners and business owners are eligible to register at this time. It seems they have gone backwards (likely because of vaccine shortage) and scrubbed prior "retirement" registrations!

If it were me with the above - I would try to register again.   .... Did you have an issue/problem filling in any of the application fields?

15 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

So I just checked my status again, which was registration received yesterday but awaiting approval...and now it's NO REGISTRATION and a notice that seems to say ONLY WP holding foreigners and business owners are eligible to register at this time. It seems they have gone backwards (likely because of vaccine shortage) and scrubbed prior "retirement" registrations!

Strange.  I just checked my registration and its still ok - with the entry that the registration both received and approved and that I need to wait to be contacted by SMS for an appointment.  I wonder if this is specific to your application, or if other's have experienced the same?

6 hours ago, WaveHunter said:

...but a Thai drivers license does all those things just fine. I have used it often in lieu of carrying around my passport.  I use it at the bank, at the post office, at medical services like the hospital, doctor's office, or at the dentist, and many other places where a photo id is required.

...

So, what are the practical advantages for an expat to have a Pink Card over a Thai Driver's license?  None that I can really think of really.  Having one is just not worth the effort, unless you just want a good souvenir of your stay in Thailand.

I also find the Thai driver's license useful ... but the Pink ID has come in handy for me, where the Driver's License did not suffice.

A few months back, my Thai wife and I decided on the spur of the moment, to check into a hotel.  But since it was spur of the moment, I did not have my passport with me. The Hotel would NOT accept the Driver's license, but they DID accept the Pink ID. ... < go figure > ....

A month back I was in the bank doing some banking - unlike you, the bank did not accept my driver's license.  They did accept my pink-ID.

My suspicion is everyone will have different experience here - as many Thai institutes don't know quite what to make of the pink-Thai ID.  

My experience is that if one has already a Yellow Book (and possibly also Thai language translations of one's passport - although that may only be needed for some provinces) then obtaining the Pink-ID can be quick.  

I know the pink-ID has saved me time - but for others it may well be not worth the effort to get.

On 6/10/2021 at 11:10 AM, xcell said:

Can someone pls. explain me why they name the planed tourist quarantine program in Phuket "sandbox"?

A sandbox for me is a children's sandy playground ...

I assume they are adapting the term 'sandbox' from a computer usage.  In computer use, a 'sandbox' is a testing environment in a computer system in which new or untested software can be run securely.

17 hours ago, Polaky said:

not sure if you will be able to buy a beer in 711 or a restaurant,

In a 7/11 - yes you can buy alcohol in Phuket. I did so the other day.

In a restaurant - no you can't.

However if in Bangkok in an ASQ, you definitely can not procure alcohol, and I have even read of foreigners not being allowed to order yogurt to their ASQ room.

wrt quarantine and entry requirements - many countries have far more stringent requirements than Phuket's proposed 'sandbox'. Take a look at Australia and New Zealand ... and they are not alone in having more stringent entry requirements than what is being proposed for 'Phuket'.  I don't think there is a common global standard here - at least not yet.

46 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

I believe you need a yellow book first. Is this easy to obtain? What are the requirements? That is an impossible question. Many districts have different rules.

 

If it were me - i would not get a pink-ID if I did not already have a Yellow Book.  Getting my Yellow Book took some time.  

I don't recall translations of my passport being needed for my pink-ID, but maybe it was. I already had such translations as that was a requirement to register my marriage in Thailand (where I note registering my marriage in Thailand was a requirement as part of an effort to obtain a permission to stay in Thailand based on marriage).  Registering my marriage in Thailand was not so easy.

My view is everyone is different here. 

The pink-ID may save some time and give convenience (for one who already has prerequisite paperwork), and for others the complete opposite and be difficult.

11 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Is that law ever enforced, I've never known anyone to carry their passport in all my nearly 30 years here? 

I've never been randomly asked for mine. 

 

I don't even know if it is a law requiring one to carry their passport at all times in Thailand.   I suspect not - but I don't know.

I do note that most tourist sites, that give recommendations to tourists coming to Thailand, very strongly recommend they carry their passports with them mostly at all times in Thailand.

But more important, over my years either in Thailand, or when I was tracking Thai news from afar , I have read accounts where during a bar raid by police (for what ever reason) the foreigners without passports were separated from those with passports. Those with passports were allowed to go home, those without, marched to the police station (and later allowed to go home, with a requirement to return later with their passports).  Clearly those who had their passports with them, were less inconvenienced. 

Would a pink-ID suffice in a bar raid?  I don't know. My guess is after police copied details from the pink-ID, one would then be allowed to go home (not marched to police station) but required to return to police station later with one's passport.  But that's my guess. It could be 100% wrong in some cases, and right in other cases. I doubt there is much consistency - it may depend on various factors.

Further, I have read conflicting accounts of statements of Thai police officials, where some at one time said in public that passports were required to be carried, and some at other times, other officials said passports not required (but rather in lieu of passport a copy of passport adequate).

After learning my lesson in 1997-to-1999 (where my passport became very degraded due to dimensions (not due to its weight which someone on this forum thinks), in subsequent years in Thailand I carried a laminated copy of my passport with me, and locked my passport up in my hotel room (and later my condo) in a safe.  However the laminated copy degraded with time as its dimensions were awkward. I then tried creating a smaller laminated version of my passport, but then it was hard to see/read (and rejected on few occasions I had to show such).   Further due to degradation of the laminated full sized version, less than every 6-months I had to create a new laminated version. It was inconvenient.

As to whether this Thai pink-ID (which is NOT an ID) will suffice in a bar if police raid the bar, I honestly don't know.   I no longer go to bars, so I am unlikely to find out. 

I do know obtaining the pink-ID was relatively quick (noting I already had all the pre-requisite documents/translations from getting my marriage registered in Thailand and also having my Yellow Book for a condo I own) ... that the pink-ID has saved me time overall.    It has on occasion allowed me to be spontaneous (like when my wife and I checking into a hotel on the spur of the moment, instead of driving another hour to get back home (where my passport was located)). The hotel accepted the pink-ID for me.

I suspect not everyone will experience the same as me.    

Fortunately there is NO requirement for retired expatriates to have such a pink-ID - and that other documents can be used in lieu, albeit without the spontaneity (in my experience) and without the time saving (in my experience). 

2 minutes ago, jackdd said:

There is no such requirement.

Indeed there is not for going to DLT. I was simply repeating what you stated.

But foreigners are required to carry passport (where I have found pink-ID suffices)

3 hours ago, jackdd said:

I'm sure the wear and tear on your passport is negligible if you take it to the DLT once every 5 years.

No - definitely not the case - there is wear and tear on a passport.

Following the Thai requirement to carry one's passport every day is a lot more than to the DLT once every 5 years .

Quote

 

Which again had nothing to do with your pink ID card, you could have presented passport and yellow book and it would have worked in the same way.

 

You were not at the bank.  I was.  They were very grateful to have the pink ID, stated it made their job easier.  .... 

Further - My wife and I often like to do things on the spur of the moment.  Which means with a pink-ID that in some cases (not all) can do the same as what one can with a passport, means I can do such on the spur of the moment, and don't have to drive home to get the passport.  I value that ability to be more spontaneous.  Obviously some don't value such.

1 minute ago, prakhonchai nick said:

If it is not an ID card, does it have any real purpose?

It might stop one from being constantly reminded by one's wife adnausium ????

It also suffices at times (not all the time) when a laminated copy of one's passport is not accepted - and hence it saves wear and tear on one's passport. For me that alone (in addition to the time saved and keeping my wife happy) makes it worth while. 

I consider that a real purpose - but of course some may not.

My wife's sister and her husband, and two children, came to visit in Phuket over the weekend, driving to Phuket from Ranong. All 4 of them have been vaccinated (they stayed in a local hotel in Phuket).   They were not stopped at Sarasin bridge, although they did note some other cars were stopped, .. and they speculated either random checks or 'targeted' checks based on the what the officials saw in the car when it slowed down to pass through.

On the way back to Ranong a few days later, when entering Ranong, they were stopped at a Ranong checkpoint and asked for proof of vaccine or for proof of recent COVID test.  They had their Vaccination proof 'on-line' and the internet connection was horrible at the checkpoint (into Ranong).  It took them a long time to produce their vaccination proof.

So they recommended to my Thai wife (who has been vaccinated - both jabs) that she should place a scanned copy of her vaccination paperwork not only 'online' but also on her local device (tablet or smartphone) - in case Internet connection bad.

Me?  As a retired 67-year old, I'm still waiting for my first opportunity to get vaccinated in Phuket (I prefer not to leave the province to go get vaccinated).  I suspect such an opportunity is over a month or two away for those in my situation (ie not on a work visa- but on a 'retirement' permission to stay) - but I diverge.  Sorry.

3 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Right, it is useful for proof of address, well sometimes. Actually, it is the yellow book that many ask for for proof of address. the pink ID might help once in a blue moon. 

I guess  I have encountered many blue moons then.

4 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Did they not need your passport as well?

I opened up both an account in Thai Baht, and a foreign currency account in Euros. They asked for the passport for the Euro account.  I don't know if they would have asked for it if only opening a Thai baht account - but I would have been surprised had they not asked for it.

My point thou for the bank (I guess I did not make it clear), was the bank accepted the "Pink-ID with the Yellow Book" in lieu of the Immigration COR, for proof of residence.

19 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Is your passport too heavy to carry?

I lived in Thailand from 1997 to 1999 and by the end of 1999, my passport was in horrific shape, having carried it around with me every day. Further, it was an annoyance in my pocket due to its size. Not the weight - the dimensions!

The Pink ID I have today, its dimensions are far far superior.

I wish it was like the EU, where I have an EU ID card, which is accepted in lieu of one's passport (in the EU).  When traveling all around Europe (in the EU only) I never carried my passport with me. Only my EU ID.  It saved massive wear and tear on my passport. 

I am now experiencing the same ease with my Thai Pink ID. Its easy to carry, and saves massive wear and tear on my Passport.  And frankly, replacing a torn up passport, here in Thailand, is something I think i will find a major PIA.  I'm glad I won't need to do such because the ID is mostly sufficing for various activities (in lieu of the passport).

5 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

According to the law, the hotel must see your passport, for sure, there will be some that accept the card instead. 

The problem with this card, unlike the Thai ID card, is that the name is in Thai. Actually, for refugees/stateless people, the pink card is in English.

It surprised me Hotels would accept the ID, because to fill in an on-line TM30, one needs the Passport #.  Now I note both Pink-ID and Driver's License have one's picture, and both have the same address.  Further, driver's license has one's Passport #.  I did show both hotels both my Thai pink ID and my Driver's license, so I guess that gave them all they needed to fill in an on-line TM30 (assuming hotels do such)?   As noted, it surprised me, but they never the less accepted it.

Also (a bit off topic) - a week ago, I opened a bank account with Krungsri (here in Phuket) with the PinkID and my Yellow Book. Immigration COR was not needed.  The Bank found the Pink-ID useful, as it has my picture, with Thai spelling of my name, that matches Thai spelling of my name in the Yellow book - hence picture association with Thai name spelling was useful.  That helped them confirm Yellow Book was indeed my Yellow book.

For certain the Pink ID was NOT by any means necessary.  It simply helped.

30 minutes ago, wozza said:

I have the Pink card ID on my Licence but it doesn't list Restrictions 

Its interesting.  My license is only the 2 year temporary, and I will have it renewed (hopefully) end-July for a longer period of time.  My temporary license has no such restriction (but I did not use the pink-ID to get such). I will find out end-July, if the new license has such when I use the pink-ID.  As noted, DOT told me already, there would be no such restriction - but one never knows.

Still I confess I wonder if there could be more than 'just the pink ID' being the reason for the restrictions - although I have no valid alternate explanation.

46 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

This card is not accepted at most hotels, airlines.

I haven't tried it with an Airline.  I have not tried it with most hotels.  Do you really know the policy of most hotels?

I have only been at 2 Thai hotels since getting the pink-ID. Both accepted it in lieu of my passport. Was I surprised they accepted it in lieu of the passport?  Yes I was surprised.  But they accepted it.

I have only been to 2 hotels, not to most.  I seriously doubt I will ever know the policy of most hotels - and those who do know most hotels policy must travel a LOT to have visited most hotels (or they simply generalize).

45 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Why would you even show them the Pink ID card at DOT and how did it help?

It helped because they were not going to make an appointment for me. Yes - some DOT will make an appointment over the phone, but not Phuket. They wanted to confirm I had all the needed paper work prior to booking an appointment.

They wanted to see a COR (Certificate of Residence) from Immigration proving my address.  My wife and I noted I had a Yellow Book which is an official document of one's residence address, and my Pink ID has the address from the Yellow book.   They asked to see the Yellow Book (so to make the appointment) and I did not have it with me.  I did thou have my Thai Pink ID, and they stated that would be sufficient to make the appointment and told me to bring the Yellow book when I show up for the end-July appointment.

Now they also told me (prior to accepting the Thai pink ID) I could NOT make an appointment, but go immediately to Immigration and get a COR, come back, and they would make an appointment.  Or I could immediately go home, get my yellow book, come back and they would make an appointment.  Or I could argue with them that to make an appointment I should need no document, and waste both their time and mine,  and get no where.

So they accepted the Pink ID.  Did it help?  I think it did help.  You can form your opinion if arguing with them for 1/2 hour, or if going to immigration and back (to get a COR), or if going home and back (to get Yellow Book) helped more. 

Was the ID essential?  Of course not.  No one is saying it is.  Did it help. For certain.  I guess we will disagree here.

23 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

You can make an appointment by phone.

Not in Phuket.