Thailand cancels visa on arrival for 19 countries, visa exemptions for 3 to limit virus spread

[TheFishman1]

I think Thailand and government and their policies are just too late and will have no real affect the virus is already here it’s just a matter of time for more people catch this virus TIT 

[ExpatOilWorker]

17 hours ago, gerogero7 said:

 

Look at the numbers, total cases per 1 million population as of March 11, 2020 (https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/) :

 

Italy: 167

S.Korea: 151

Switzerland: 58.7

Denmark: 58.7

China: 56.1

Spain: 36.3

Sweden: 35.2

Singapore: 28.4

France: 27.3

Germany: 18.7

HongKong: 16.1

 

UK: 5.6

Australia: 5.0

Japan: 4.6

 

It's already getting a lot safer to stay in Japan than other countries.

Do you have a direct link to that list?

Must be a sub link from that site.

[BritTim]

14 minutes ago, Hugh Jarse said:

Where is Burma/Myanmar on the list of positive cases?

So far, they have not reported any cases. That is not a guarantee that there are none. Some border areas of Myanmar have extremely limited health services.

[BritTim]

3 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Do you have a direct link to that list?

Must be a sub link from that site.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/, and scroll down for the master country list

[animatic]

19 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

They are not on the visa exempt or visa on arrival list. They have to apply for tourist visas that can be denied when the application is done.

Maybe Thailand does not consider people from there as being a big risk.

Or maybe they consider people there as being too RICH.

As well as USA.  The one surprise on the list is Singapore, which is heavily invested here.

Edited March 12, 2020 by animatic

[AlienHermit66]

13 hours ago, EricTh said:

That's because Japan refused to add Diamond Princess into their head count which other countries did so it's not fair for other countries.

 

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

 

Taiwan only has 48 cases but Japan has at least ten times more at 587 cases so why is Japan's visa not suspended?

The death ship does not belong in the Japan numbers. That's why. The infection of those people had nothing to do with Japan at large. The ship was infected before it got to Japan, and the people on the ship were left on the ship to infect each other some more. Then, finally, they started sending the people home. Any Japanese people who got off the ship and entered Japanese society and/or died, are in the Japan numbers. When Japan was sitting at a level of 6 deaths for quite some time, 3 of those first six deaths were old Japanese who were on the death ship. Thus, your statement is not true. Japanese victims of the death ship are counted in the Japanese numbers, but the ship as a whole and all the people that were on it that had nothing to do with Japan, are not in Japan's numbers. 

 

Also, comparing bare numbers is meaningless. One has to talk in terms of cases or deaths per thousand or per million. Japan has a case rate of 5 per million people, in contrast to Italy that has a case rate of 206 per million. Also, Japan's death rate is EXTREMELY low both in terms of total numbers and as a percentage of cases or total population. Taiwan's infection rate is also low, so who knows. Maybe Thailand does not want to <deleted> off China by treating Taiwan better than it is treating China. It keeps China happy when other states treat Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau as "China." 

[geriatrickid]

18 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

When the dust settles, everyone will wake up and see that it was just another flu which spread much easier than the normal flu, and killed those who were much older, had weaker immune systems and those with pre-existing conditions that weren't in the best of health, but the damage worldwide will take years if not a decade to fix.

 

 

 

This is not another  "flu" it is a  Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome virus,  called SARS CoV-2.  In addition to  killing chronically ill people it kills on its own. It inflames the lungs people are asphyxiated  because they cannot breathe.  It  is demonstrating a 10% ICU utilisation rate  in western countries and hospital systems cannot cope. This means other patients are denied  medical care and they die.  The death rate from this pandemic must be measure din its total impact and collateral damage.

 

 

[AlienHermit66]

3 hours ago, Virt said:

In Thailand atm and not sure how to react after WHO now call it a pandemic and the numbers of infected in Europe are going through the roof. Is there a chance Thailand will stop all flights to Europe so we get stranded here in Thailand? 

I'm from Denmark. 

 

Not sure if to break off the vacation and take first flight home or if they will continue to fly people home, but not bring new tourists to Thailand 

 

Or am I overreacting? 

I'd say your concerns are legitimate. Whether you cut your vacation short or not might depend on whether you would enjoy being stranded in Thailand and whether you could afford to be. If one's home country/city gets locked down, it might be just as exciting/boring/stressful whether one is at home or in Thailand. Also, there might always be a "backdoor" to get home - like fly to Russia and then home to Denmark. 

[Millcx]

19 hours ago, Raymonddiaz said:

Things are going south it seems...

How can it be .. There are only 59 cases .. Thailand has proven that the fear of Songkran and bright sunshine has put fear into the virus itself .. Well done Gov .... Leaving open borders and the vaccine of “Keep spending” has worked

[ExpatOilWorker]

11 minutes ago, BritTim said:

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/, and scroll down for the master country list

Thanks. Found it.

Norway, Qatar and Bahrain have just joined the near 100/million countries.

Denmark nearly doubled their number in 1 day.

[Millcx]

3 minutes ago, AlienHermit66 said:

I'd say your concerns are legitimate. Whether you cut your vacation short or not might depend on whether you would enjoy being stranded in Thailand and whether you could afford to be. If one's home country/city gets locked down, it might be just as exciting/boring/stressful whether one is at home or in Thailand. Also, there might always be a "backdoor" to get home - like fly to Russia and then home to Denmark. 

They will keep you here until you can spend no more

[jaiyen]

19 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Starting to wonder, if and when I return to the US, as I was supposed to do in June for a daughters college graduation, if upon my return I will require a doctors certificate the way things are going.  However, a doctors certificate does not ensure one is not a carrier nor does it ensure one can not still be in the incubation period......

A doctor does not have the equipment to test for Corona virus. Also many doctors are refusing to issue any certificates in case of someone getting infected after the certificate is issued and sueing the doctor for negligence and more,  something they love to do in USA

[orchis]

1 hour ago, brianthainess said:

First report; No VOA for 19 countries then from ANY country then, second report 18 countries, as usual all as clear as mud, from what I've gleaned  UK is not on the list yet. my daughter is coming soon so some clarity would be useful.

The UK doesn't even need VOA, never did. 

Edited March 12, 2020 by orchis

[poohy]

A higher authority than the NHS has banned me from arriving in Uk and staying at my elderly fathers or sisters house.

Resulting in possible loss of rtn ticker BKK BHX as it expires in May.

The higher authority is of course MY SISTER

 

<deleted> families 

 

 

[Mikeasq60]

LOL, I swear this is going to be great for travel in Thailand. Im loving it.

[visarunner]

20 hours ago, Max69xl said:

Even if they cancel VoA for these countries,they can still apply for tourist visas at home. They had to pay ฿2000 for the VoA at the airport. Better pay for a 60 days Visa instead of a 15 days VoA. 

You really not up to date, they gave the VOA away free of charges, since a while up up to April 2020. Looks like they will extend that further. 

 

[ubonjoe]

11 minutes ago, visarunner said:

You really not up to date, they gave the VOA away free of charges, since a while up up to April 2020. Looks like they will extend that further. 

 

The visa on arrival has for all intents and purposes has been canceled since all countries that could get them are listed as not being able to get one.

[ubonjoe]

I have had to remove at least a page of off topic, inflammatory, troll posts and etc.

If it keeps up this topic will be closed. If you want to discuss covid19 you can do it on one the many news articles about it.

[sweatalot]

China is on the list. That's a surprise

[Eibot]

" Bulgaria, Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Malta, Mexico, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, and Vanuatu"

 

Most of these are poor countries where there isn't much of a problem....Mexico? Saudi Arabia? Papua New Guinea? Woud the f came up with this nonsense?

 

Meanwhile you still let in Germans, Spanish, French and Dutch nationals? Thailand should revoke the whole EU and UK. Clearly the virus is affected in colder countries, yet you still let them come??

[Jimbo2014]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

ncluding Bulgaria, Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Malta, Mexico, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, and Vanuatu, according to a list provided to reporters by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

That would be fiji, Papua New Guinea with their zero cases and better health care than Thailand.  Good thing France, Spain, Italy, Germany are not on the list - no Corona cases there ????- would there happen to be another criteria being applied?  ????

[jacko45k]

3 hours ago, CH1961 said:

The virus do not like high temperatures????

I have yet to see this scientifically confirmed but hope you are correct.

[Derek B]

21 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

a doctors certificate does not ensure one is not a carrier nor does it ensure one can not still be in the incubation period......

Exactly. This will be a show stopper for many people because you have to have symptoms before you can get a test. Do the Thai Immigration Officers get tested without symptoms I wonder?

 

[Guest]

21 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Starting to wonder, if and when I return to the US, as I was supposed to do in June for a daughters college graduation, if upon my return I will require a doctors certificate the way things are going.  However, a doctors certificate does not ensure one is not a carrier nor does it ensure one can not still be in the incubation period......

That is an interesting point  ... by June it will have blown sky high ... so yes, your concern is very logical and a real possibility!

[Gilltom]

21 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Starting to wonder, if and when I return to the US, as I was supposed to do in June for a daughters college graduation, if upon my return I will require a doctors certificate the way things are going.  However, a doctors certificate does not ensure one is not a carrier nor does it ensure one can not still be in the incubation period......

Totally agree

[Iron Tongue]

3 hours ago, ecoscape said:

Thailand needs to tell italy and America its secret Covid prevention strategy. 800 + dead in Italy and yet Thailand has only 59 reported cases despite the vast numbers of Chinese visitors to Thailand in December and January. Or is this the most fatal con trick of all time? Unforgivable

Why attack America?  In terms of infections & dead, it is still among the lowest.  

If you look at TOTAL infected for Europe vs North America, Europe has 20X the infection rate of the USA.

The US was early in halting all travellers from China, which helped greatly but its infections then came from Europeans and Mexico.then

 

[moutamine]

This virus is a joke.  The 14-days incubation period is the time that it takes to overcome a seasonal flu.  Saw on French news today a guy that caught Covid19 that didn't even go to hospital, he taught he had a tough seasonal flu. Stayed home, infected is wife and kids obviously, but everybody got better after a week or two as with any seasonal flu.

Why is the world shutting for something that happens naturally every year.  Is it news to everyone that thousands dies every year from seasonal flu???   It never stopped the world from spinning, why now?

 

[moutamine]

11 minutes ago, Iron Tongue said:

Why attack America?  In terms of infections & dead, it is still among the lowest.  

If you look at TOTAL infected for Europe vs North America, Europe has 20X the infection rate of the USA.

The US was early in halting all travellers from China, which helped greatly but its infections then came from Europeans and Mexico.then

 

What nonesense are you spreading with Mexico.  Mexico has 7 cases.  If anything, it's the US that will be infecting the rest of the continent.

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, moutamine said:

This virus is a joke.  The 14-days incubation period is the time that it takes to overcome a seasonal flu. 

And I just watched a case where an infected guy said he went through 3 stages.... at first, cold symptoms... then started to feel better and then got flu symptoms (aches and fever). Soon after came breathing difficulties, short of breath and crackling in the lungs... this was when he went to hospital with these pneumonia type symptoms. He recovered. Does all this come after 2 weeks of being asymptomatic but contagious?

[ThaiBunny]

2 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Does all this come after 2 weeks of being asymptomatic but contagious?

The reported cases suggest that those people who die do so about 3 weeks after becoming infected