Covid-19: Chaos as Thais stranded abroad - hundreds couldn't get on Bangkok bound plane from NZ claims industry insider

 

Picture: The Bangkok Insight

 

A member of Thai airways aircrew who was formerly a deputy in charge of staff/company relations has gone on Facebook to say that the plight of Thais abroad trying to return home is getting increasingly desperate. 

 

Aaron Puranasamriddhi (a Thai man known as Krissanarat) posted calls to the CAAT to sort out the problems as a matter of urgency.

 

Thais need documentation to get on planes home, he said, including a "Fit to Fly Health Certificate" and a letter from the Thai embassy or consulate where they are announcing their intention to return home. 

 

Many people are unable to get this documentation. 

 

He said that on TG 492 from Auckland to Bangkok there were 280 people who wanted to board. 

 

Only six were allowed to do so as they had the required documentation. 

 

Some 274 people were arguing to be allowed to board but were left stranded at the airport, he said. 

 

Source: The Bangkok Insight

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-03-25

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Wow - guess the stupidity swings both ways....

Perhaps theyre better off away from Thailand 

Edited March 25, 20206 yr by Oziex1

A troll post and a reply to it have been removed.

I wonder if the New Zealand immigration authorities will fine them for overstay or put them in detention centres?

7 minutes ago, Oziex1 said:

Perhaps theyre better off away from Thailand 

... but better get off the Runway first! 

 

 

What, wait... What... So a Thai passport can't get you in here safely now... Wow ???? 

You really couldn’t make this stuff up.
 

Thai bureaucracy reminds me of the Vogons, only minus the god awful poetry.

 

Oh freddled gruntbuggly,

Thy micturations are to me

As plurdled gabbleblotchits on a lurgid bee.

Groop, I implore thee, my foonting turlingdromes,

And hooptiously drangle me with crinkly bindlewurdles,

Or I will rend thee in the gobberwarts

With my blurglecruncheon, see if I don't!

 

2 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

I wonder if the New Zealand immigration authorities will fine them for overstay or put them in detention centres?

New Zealand has automatically extended all tourist visas until late September. 

Theres a special level of bureaucratic a$$#holery involved in this one... 

 

I get the need for a health certificate, that makes sense. 

But for Thai’s to need a letter from their Embassy to travel home involves a degree of dumbfv<kery usually reserved for the requirements placed on foreign retirees in Thailand.

 

And now how much has it cost this airline to fly a nearly empty plane ?

Thais do like letters from Embassys 

Same for me stuck here in the UK it was the Thai fit to fly cert that did for me to who the hell is going to fulfill that criteria in this crisis????

3 hours ago, webfact said:

He said that on TG 492 from Auckland to Bangkok there were 280 people who wanted to board. 

 

Only six were allowed to do so as they had the required documentation. 

 

I bet they still did not upgrade them

3 hours ago, Oziex1 said:

Perhaps theyre better off away from Thailand 

I could think of worse places to be stranded.

4 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

I wonder if the New Zealand immigration authorities will fine them for overstay or put them in detention centres?

Health wise they will be safer here. Just unable to work. They should still qualify for Government assistance if they were in paid Employment.

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Theres a special level of bureaucratic a$$#holery involved in this one... 

 

I get the need for a health certificate, that makes sense. 

But for Thai’s to need a letter from their Embassy to travel home involves a degree of dumbfv<kery usually reserved for the requirements placed on foreign retirees in Thailand.

 

And now how much has it cost this airline to fly a nearly empty plane ?

they are effectively passing responsibility for Thai citizens over to other countries and disowning their own citizens 

 

forgive them for they know not what they do

2 hours ago, LNKDES1 said:

I could think of worse places to be stranded.

JAFA is one of my favorite Scrabble words.

 

Rooster

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Some 274 people were arguing to be allowed to board but were left stranded at the airport, he said.

Som nam na....

Thousands of foreigners stranded in Thailand having to get ridiculous paperwork and embassy letters to extend visas which could so easily be done another way.

Welcome to the nut-house.

 

3 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

I bet they still did not upgrade them

You mean, like this Thai Airways flight from Oslo to BKK?

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1155740-video-good-afternoon-ladies-and-gentlemen-welcome-to-your-private-aircraft/

52 minutes ago, smedly said:

they are effectively passing responsibility for Thai citizens over to other countries and disowning their own citizens 

 

forgive them for they know not what they do

This can never be forgiven, what a huge blunder this is...the only thing Prayuth can do now is to send a plane and pick them  up, when they arrive he should be on his knees next to the landing strip prostrating himself to all those citizens and ask them for forgiveness...

I'm not sure who or what these Thais are but if they are in NZ legally i.e. with work permits, visas etc., why bother with the rush home? I could be wrong, but I'd venture NZ is probably a better place to be in while sitting out this pandemic.

55 minutes ago, Jane Dough said:

JAFA is one of my favorite Scrabble words.

 

Rooster

Thanks - I had to look it up 

Refusing your own citizens! Isn't that against international law? Take your people home you _=) ': %%%. ???? (. What a country. 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

a letter from the Thai embassy or consulate where they are announcing their intention to return home. 

 

This part I totally don't understand. A Thai national wants to travel back to their home country. Why should they haved to get a document from the Thai Embassy/Consulate wherever they're staying confirming that they want to return home...

 

What's the point, other than needless bureaucracy...

 

How dare these Thais be allowed overseas to seek a better life or improved earning opportunities. They should be punished and not allowed to return to their home nation under any circumstances (including global pandemics)!  Thai Rak Thai?

Just remember Thai officialdom treats most Thais almost equally as bad as Foreigners 

Thai bureaucrats are world class. Hubba hubba.

Thai clearly dont love Thai

I wonder if the poor Thais are being force to run between NZ immigration and the Thai embassy to get letters requesting that the Thais stuck in NZ to be granted a 30 day extension of stay.  And force to stand in long lines potentially exposing them to Covid-19.  And forcing them to travel when they should stay put.  You know, like Thailand does to NZ citizens stuck in Thailand. Talk about being stuck between a virus and two bureaucracies.

Edited March 25, 20206 yr by connda

20 minutes ago, connda said:

I wonder if the poor Thais are being force to run between NZ immigration and the Thai embassy to get letters requesting that the Thais stuck in NZ to be granted a 30 day extension of stay.  And force to stand in long lines potentially exposing them to Covid-19.  And forcing them to travel when they should stay put.  You know, like Thailand does to NZ citizens stuck in Thailand. Talk about being stuck between a virus and two bureaucracies.