New flight rules cause confusion among Thais overseas wanting to fly home

[simple1]

12 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

What the heck good does it do to tell a Thai citizen overseas who's trying to board a flight headed back home that they can get their certificate (before boarding?) from a Thai doctor.... Huh???

More to the point, since when does a government ban the return of a citizen if they are ill?

[bluesofa]

5 minutes ago, Chazar said:

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

The student asked not to be named for fear of repercussions.

says  it all

Must be a music student.

[newatthis]

11 hours ago, Arkady said:

Entry by foreigners should have been curbed early on but placing this nearly impossible restriction on Thais is rather tough. I would think that most Thai tourists travelling overseas are back home by now. So these people must be mainly workers and students whose jobs and schools are being shut down. It is also unconstitutional as the constitution gives all Thai citizens an absolute right to enter the Kingdom without exception. It may be better to test them as soon as they touch down and drag the positive ones off into isolation.

 

"It is also unconstitutional as the constitution gives all Thai citizens an absolute right to enter the Kingdom without exception."

But it is the right of every airline to refuse passage.

 

"It may be better to test them as soon as they touch down and drag the positive ones off into isolation."

Yes, that would make certain that all the positive ones were on the flight home in that cigar-shaped space (with the previously negative ones).

 

Edited March 21, 2020 by newatthis

[alex8912]

13 hours ago, CGW said:

555, desperation setting in? Tank against which currency - there are no strong ones at this time!

The USD is very strong now. 

[samsensam]

50 minutes ago, simple1 said:

More to the point, since when does a government ban the return of a citizen if they are ill?

 

since when? since yesterday. ????

[Burma Bill]

I see the list does not include the one case recently reported in Khon Kaen (from THE boxing tournament) - maybe not COVID-19 after all?

[wotsdermatter]

15 hours ago, DrTuner said:

By the looks of it the only way you could fly in soon would be with your own plane.

After reading the current requirements, that is exactly what I did.  I made my own paper plane but having trouble getting any wind in Canada that will take me to Thailand.  Pity because today is Saturday in Canada and I have an appointment an appointment on Sunday, Thai date.

'nuf sed

[wotsdermatter]

2 hours ago, simple1 said:

since when does a government ban the return of a citizen if they are ill?

On Monday, Canadian date, Justin Trudeau, aka the PM, announced that all airlines are to ensure that ALL passengers, even Canadians, show no symptoms or they will not be allowed to board any plane heading for Canada, even if they are having to make a stop-over and change planes as part of their journey.  Just as bad as Thais trying to get home under the conditions now being enforced and before that they wondered why we made negative comments about their government and immigration system.

'nuf sed.

Edited March 21, 2020 by wotsdermatter
added info

[natway09]

So Thai Doctors in every Embassy ?

The virus can be in the body with no visible signs & (or) of temperature increase,

So I could issue the certificates

[marko kok prong]

They should do as Australia and NZ have done,no one allowed in except Thai nationals or residents,this should include expats who live here but maybe overseas.They really have to start getting serious ,of course difficult with TAT whispering in their ears,30milliom tourists this year,they as usual in their state of delusion and self denial,be lucky if they get 30,and why would you want to come,just about everything is shut down,i was just in Pattaya doing my visa,not one taxi would use a meter,even a baht bus charged us a hundred baht for a short trip,then the day before they left they closed all bars,only one that serve food allowed open,but i have now heard that you can't sit in them and drink,have to eat have a drink with meal then leave.

[anchadian]

Thai Air Asia (FD flights) has announced a temporary halt of ALL international flight routes from 22 March - 25 April 2020 in order to comply with the epidemic control measures of #COVID19 #Thailand

Quote Tweet

 

[scorecard]

Have a booking on AirAsia departing Sydney on 5 April for LOS, and return to Sydney departing LOS on 12 April.

 

Just saw a news item in the other paper dated today (21 March 2020 at 11.53 am):

 

"Thai AirAsia suspends international flights

Thai AirAsia will suspend all international flights from Sunday to April 25 in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak."

 

How can I contact the airline to re-book or whatever, they seem to have stopped / blocked all methods of customer calling them by normal phone call, and they don't answer e-mails. Only way to contact them is their automated 'Ava' chat line which goes around in circles with no conclusive answer, then a message that one of their 'customer stars' will join for a live chat, but it never happens. 

 

Anybody have any 'hidden' phone numbers or whatever for AirAsia?

 

Please share.

 

 

Edited March 21, 2020 by scorecard

[ian carman]

I am here on a tourist visa returning may 7th on Thai airways

I can only hope that enough Thais manage to travel ,from uk, here so that the routes stay open 

I would not be surprised if Thai airways closes its routes and gives me maybe a week to leave or else

[ian carman]

I am due to return to the uk on Thai airways on may7th but I seriously believe these new restrictions will leave all the outcoming flights empty

I can see Thai airways and ba and Eva cancelling all flights and I may be given a 2 week notice to leave the country or else be stuck here (with no pay)

 

[Skeptic7]

It ain't only the Thais whom are confused! But then again...nearly every rule, regulation, law, directive, etc here leaves everyone confused, so nothing new here really. SOS/different day. 

[thailand49]

23 hours ago, YetAnother said:

i see, so incoming flights from overseas are suggesting see a thai doctor, overseas; great plan; typical thai

Right like they are everywhere overseas!  Land of Stupid!

[GreasyFingers]

3 hours ago, scorecard said:

Have a booking on AirAsia departing Sydney on 5 April for LOS, and return to Sydney departing LOS on 12 April.

 

Just saw a news item in the other paper dated today (21 March 2020 at 11.53 am):

 

"Thai AirAsia suspends international flights

Thai AirAsia will suspend all international flights from Sunday to April 25 in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak."

 

How can I contact the airline to re-book or whatever, they seem to have stopped / blocked all methods of customer calling them by normal phone call, and they don't answer e-mails. Only way to contact them is their automated 'Ava' chat line which goes around in circles with no conclusive answer, then a message that one of their 'customer stars' will join for a live chat, but it never happens. 

 

Anybody have any 'hidden' phone numbers or whatever for AirAsia?

 

Please share.

 

 

Your flight should be on Air AsiaX, not Thai Air Asia and if you are routed through KL you are in trouble.. You should have received an email on how to change but you do have to go through AVA. That will require a lot of patience unless you are a BIG member that makes it easier.

 

Sorry but cannot help any further as I am waiting on an AVA response.

 

But

[natway09]

Just close the airports for 3 weeks.

3 weeks pain now may save 30 weeks pain later

[connda]

On 3/20/2020 at 5:15 PM, snoop1130 said:

One Facebook poster, Sirada K. Ning, said that the Embassy he visited was crammed with Thai citizens asking how and where they can get health certificates at affordable prices.

They complained that the sudden implementation of the new restriction caught them off-guard and has caused confusion among ordinary Thais and embassy officials alike.

"Sudden implementation of new restrictions", "caught off-guard", "caused confusion?"
They should try navigating the Thai Immigration bureaucracy if they think their Embassy is bad.

[scorecard]

10 hours ago, GreasyFingers said:

Your flight should be on Air AsiaX, not Thai Air Asia and if you are routed through KL you are in trouble.. You should have received an email on how to change but you do have to go through AVA. That will require a lot of patience unless you are a BIG member that makes it easier.

 

Sorry but cannot help any further as I am waiting on an AVA response.

 

But

 

Their latest announcement is '... all international flights cancelled... from 21 March to 21 April 2020.

 

Yes my booked flight was Sydney to KL then KL to Chiang Mai. But the dates of this travel are within the ''' all international flights now cancelled until 21 April. 

 

Yes I did get an e.mail from AA indicating that where booked flights are cancelled they will give the customer a credit can be used for new bookings for 365 days.

 

On Monday morning 23 Mar I will start 'the journey' to contact them and get a reference number for my credit.

 

Good luck...

 

 

[beano2274]

No Health organisation in any other country will test you for the Virus, without you first having the symptons, so how the hell are you going to travel to Thailand, if you need to as the Thais in other countries do, or if you want to get out of where you are and have at least some kind of life.

 

You can only go to the doctor and get a certificate to say that you do not have any symptons, Thai Ministry of Health and Immigration wake up!!!

 

For instance the Robert Koch Institute in Germany has given strict instructions who should be tested, and it is not those who want to travel, it is those who have been to a doctor and have the symptons and have been in contact with someone who has positively tested, or those who have symptons and have come from another country with a higher risk than Germany.

 

High Risk countries (as per the Robert Koch Institute) are:

 

• Italien
• Iran
• In China: Provinz Hubei (inkl. Stadt Wuhan) 
• In Südkorea: Provinz Gyeongsangbuk-do (Nord-Gyeongsang)
• In Frankreich: Region Grand Est (diese Region enthält Elsass, Lothringen und Champagne-Ardenne)
• In Österreich: Bundesland Tirol
• In Spanien: Madrid 
• In den USA: Bundesstaaten Kalifornien, Washington und New York

 

Sorry that it is in German, but am sure you know which countries are listed.

 

Oh and if you have to pay for the test it costs 200Euros, in Germany the Health Care pays for it, but if you are a tourist and you have been told to have a test than pay upfront!!!

Edited March 21, 2020 by beano2274

[smudger1951]

Leaving UK on 23rd next week and no certificate. My doct at Health Centre refused to issue one. So If I'm allowed to board a flight, what happens if I'm refused entry at BKK. ? ?

[scorecard]

22 hours ago, GreasyFingers said:

Your flight should be on Air AsiaX, not Thai Air Asia and if you are routed through KL you are in trouble.. You should have received an email on how to change but you do have to go through AVA. That will require a lot of patience unless you are a BIG member that makes it easier.

 

Sorry but cannot help any further as I am waiting on an AVA response.

 

But

Below is a snip of the top of my booking document. It says AirAsia rather than AirAsiaX, and yes there's a stopover on both journeys in KL.

 

Would you please share why you mentioned that routing thru KL is a problem. Thanks.

[sjaak327]

On 3/20/2020 at 11:28 AM, flyingtlger said:

This has thrown "All and anyone" that had plans to travel to Thailand.

 

The only silver lining here is hopefully the Thai Baht will tank...

I was planning to go to Thailand in about three weeks, of course with these requirements I will have no choice than to stay home, no way I could get a covid-19 free certificate anywhere in my home country, doctors have better things to do. 

[GreasyFingers]

14 hours ago, scorecard said:

Below is a snip of the top of my booking document. It says AirAsia rather than AirAsiaX, and yes there's a stopover on both journeys in KL.

 

Would you please share why you mentioned that routing thru KL is a problem. Thanks.

Air Asia is actually several different companies for each country. AAX is their international flights

 

You should have received this email from them. I believe, but not confirmed, this included transit passengers as well.

 

Notification

Dear Valued Guest,   The Government of Malaysia has issued a directive for a movement control order in Malaysia effective 18 March 2020 to 31 March 2020.   A travel ban is also imposed on all Malaysians traveling overseas and foreign visitors entering Malaysia effective 18 March 2020 to 31 March 2020.

 

 

 

[scorecard]

9 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

Air Asia is actually several different companies for each country. AAX is their international flights

 

You should have received this email from them. I believe, but not confirmed, this included transit passengers as well.

 

Notification

Dear Valued Guest,   The Government of Malaysia has issued a directive for a movement control order in Malaysia effective 18 March 2020 to 31 March 2020.   A travel ban is also imposed on all Malaysians traveling overseas and foreign visitors entering Malaysia effective 18 March 2020 to 31 March 2020.

 

 

 

Thanks for all the details, good information to have.

 

I'm hoping of course that:

 

1. AirAsia (whatever subsidiary) offers flights Sydney to CM or BKK again soon.

 

2. The ban on entry (which obviously includes transit passengers) is lifted or eased after 31 March, however press reports of the current Covid 19 situation in Malaysia are not good and it seems doubtful they would lift the restrictions.

 

But all wait and see

[GreasyFingers]

25 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Thanks for all the details, good information to have.

 

I'm hoping of course that:

 

1. AirAsia (whatever subsidiary) offers flights Sydney to CM or BKK again soon.

 

2. The ban on entry (which obviously includes transit passengers) is lifted or eased after 31 March, however press reports of the current Covid 19 situation in Malaysia are not good and it seems doubtful they would lift the restrictions.

 

But all wait and see

My application for a refund is "in progress" so hopefully it will happen. They warn you that it will take up to 30 days.

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, GreasyFingers said:

My application for a refund is "in progress" so hopefully it will happen. They warn you that it will take up to 30 days.

I already paid by CC for a flight departing Sydney on 5 April to Chiang Mai on AirAsia (booking confirmations just shows AirAsia and doesn't mention any of their subsidiary companies, but flight since cancelled by the airline.

 

I received an e.mail from AirAsia separately indicating that for flights cancelled by the airline they would be offering either a refund or a credit not to be used within 365 days, the 365 crdit is what I'm looking for.

 

So far no further contact after they cancelled the flight. I've tied to contact them using their 'Ava assistant' but no response, their chat line just keeps saying it doesn't understand, then says my chat will be transferred to a live star agent, but I've waited around 6 hours twice, nothing happens. I've tried to find a direct telephone number but no luck.

[ThaiBunny]

5 minutes ago, scorecard said:

I already paid by CC for a flight departing Sydney on 5 April to Chiang Mai on AirAsia (booking confirmations just shows AirAsia and doesn't mention any of their subsidiary companies, but flight since cancelled by the airline.

 

I received an e.mail from AirAsia separately indicating that for flights cancelled by the airline they would be offering either a refund or a credit not to be used within 365 days, the 365 crdit is what I'm looking for.

 

So far no further contact after they cancelled the flight. I've tied to contact them using their 'Ava assistant' but no response, their chat line just keeps saying it doesn't understand, then says my chat will be transferred to a live star agent, but I've waited around 6 hours twice, nothing happens. I've tried to find a direct telephone number but no luck.

If you want the "valid 365 days" credit that's up to you. I doubt that things will return to "normal" much before then. I'd simply log on to your bank's web site and dispute the credit card transaction giving "service cancelled" as a reason; they'll then return you the money after directly contacting Air Asia themselves

Edited March 23, 2020 by ThaiBunny

[GreasyFingers]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

I already paid by CC for a flight departing Sydney on 5 April to Chiang Mai on AirAsia (booking confirmations just shows AirAsia and doesn't mention any of their subsidiary companies, but flight since cancelled by the airline.

 

I received an e.mail from AirAsia separately indicating that for flights cancelled by the airline they would be offering either a refund or a credit not to be used within 365 days, the 365 crdit is what I'm looking for.

 

So far no further contact after they cancelled the flight. I've tied to contact them using their 'Ava assistant' but no response, their chat line just keeps saying it doesn't understand, then says my chat will be transferred to a live star agent, but I've waited around 6 hours twice, nothing happens. I've tried to find a direct telephone number but no luck.

Their computer systems, AVA, cannot cope with all of the inquiries. I had not been able to check on "my case" until this morning, trying for 2 days.

I need to go back to Oz for an operation when everything is clear but I went for the refund as AA or some of their subsidiaries may not exist in the next 365 days. They say the money will be credited back to the CC.