Thailand closes borders to foreigners

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

16 minutes ago, Tayaout said:

It's closed to foreigners unless you are a diplomat or you fly the plane. 

 

Or have a valid work permit, according to the OP article... even though that detail isn't repeated in the subsequent list of tweet reports by a Thai journalist.

[david555]

21 minutes ago, Tayaout said:

In some article I read they say less than 5 years and over 70 must stay home. 

 

Som Nam na

Advised to stay home 

[ozz1]

Can't wait to see how tat put a spin on this maybe tourists will be up by millions according to them

[RedCardinal]

6 minutes ago, Misterwhisper said:

Foreigners who have been biding their time in Thailand living on visa runs every 3 months and who never got themselves a proper work permit will be able to leave the country next time their visa is up,  but not be able to return.

How, pray tell, will those people be able to leave when there is nowhere to go and no way to get there? Thailand will have a duty of care to those foreigners stuck here.  If they do force people out I think they will pay a very, very heavy future price for doing so indeed.

 

And just for the record, not everyone who has to refresh their permit to stay every 90 days is working here, so the idea that everyone should have a work permit isn't very helpful.

[herwin1234]

11 minutes ago, BestB said:

It’s easy for us armchair experts to pass judgement of what should be or could be . Truth is no one was prepared for this or has ever experienced this . Maybe more could have been done , maybe not but it appears thai government is doing more than some of the western world countries 

well said. positive and constructive. its a unique situation, nobody knows exactly what to do, everybody does their best. very dificult. respect. And ZERO respect for all the farang losers who trash Thailand and the Thai ppl who fight this dificult fight.

[Dazinoz]

48 minutes ago, twocatsmac said:

The Chinese will be the first tourists welcomed back when the virus subsides. 

And thats why they are trying to make Thais believe its white farang that spread it. Direct from a new tins mouth.

[totally thaied up]

Just now, kingstonkid said:

I don't think it will be a decline now but it may happen after the virus panic is over and people go to renew their visas. 

I think it will be after as well. Perfect time to start rejecting visas after everyone is out. Those that are caught here are going to have to leave one day and if they keep on with certain restrictions, you may have trouble if you have a long history of Tourist Visas getting back in. They have been turning the screws up for ages and now is a great time to implement change.

 

Maybe this is little too late, yet if something gets done right now, it is better than not starting at all. I can see after the decree gets implemented, things changing a lot in the next few days. 

[Ventenio]

I feel a little bad that most of the smiles are gone.  They are all terrified, and some farang with a dumb smile doesn't help much.  if they have kids, i get it....protect your kids.  but don't let your kids see you scared.  be strong for your kids.  

 

TV farangs will wait 89 days, pay the 20,000 baht, and go to Laos after three months and keep abusing the system

 

my goal...... get everything down to one backpack.  then i can be mobile.

 

possible???  i don't think so.  lol

[Dumbastheycome]

4 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

That will certainly be an ouch owie for the 90 day in and out visa holders. 

Yes. It  can only be hoped  some clarification  is given.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 minute ago, RedCardinal said:

How, pray tell, will those people be able to leave when there is nowhere to go and no way to get there? Thailand will have a duty of care to those foreigners stuck here.  If they do force people out I think they will pay a very, very heavy future price for doing so indeed.

 

And just for the record, not everyone who has to refresh their permit to stay every 90 days is working here, so the idea that everyone should have a work permit isn't very helpful.

 

I think most countries are still letting their own nationals return back home. The challenge at this point, depending on the home country someone wants to return to, is finding an available air flight that will allow completion of the trip.

 

[from the home of CC]

1 minute ago, brewsterbudgen said:

So how do you expect healthcare and other essential workers to get to work?  

the ball was dropped weeks ago and all you're doing now is making a huge petri dish on wheels..

[Assurancetourix]

14 minutes ago, AlexRich said:

I wouldn’t risk it. They are taking 60 year olds off ventilators in Spain in order to save younger people who need them. 

I guess they will do the same in all countries.
Children have almost no chance of getting this disease, so much the better for them.

 

On the other hand I see an opportunity for all the governments which spend fortunes to pay pensions to those who have sometimes worked more than 40 years in often painful conditions; I think of farmers, truckers (it was my job), construction workers and a lot of others ...
By the time this Covid was invented to remove all the old people ..

There is only one step that ..............I'll not take. 

[Chazar]

10 minutes ago, Assurancetourix said:

what you believe!
I don't smoke and I don't drink alcohol.
I live in the countryside in the middle of rice fields and heveas plantations.
My lung and heart capacities are in excellent condition, according to the last encephalogram and the radio of my lungs made a fortnight ago at the public hospital in Udon Thani.
I am not diabetic or fat, which my bike appreciates, moreover
When I climb Phupalek, 4.8 km at 10% average, I arrive at the top with pulsations at 115/120, so very below my maximum allowed which is, I remind you: 220 minus my age (71 ) = 149

its  not a  matter  of  "belief" why are  people so hooked on "belief"

[Andrew65]

14 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

I don't think it will be a decline now but it may happen after the virus panic is over and people go to renew their visas.  With the borders closed they are definitely going to have an issue if they need to do a border run.

It is going to be interesting to see what the government is going to do for those that re overstay not because they wanted to but because they could not leave.

Up until now we can still leave. I hope to be leaving on Friday, 10 days earlier than scheduled.

I think the next thing will be that airports will start to be shut down around the world which I envisaged a few weeks ago when I rebooked my flight.

Edited March 25, 2020 by Andrew65

[david555]

4 minutes ago, Assurancetourix said:

what you believe!
I don't smoke and I don't drink alcohol.
I live in the countryside in the middle of rice fields and heveas plantations.
My lung and heart capacities are in excellent condition, according to the last encephalogram and the radio of my lungs made a fortnight ago at the public hospital in Udon Thani.
I am not diabetic or fat, which my bike appreciates, moreover
When I climb Phupalek, 4.8 km at 10% average, I arrive at the top with pulsations at 115/120, so very below my maximum allowed which is, I remind you: 220 minus my age (71 ) = 149

???? 

[Slip]

10 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Or have a valid work permit, according to the OP article... even though that detail isn't repeated in the subsequent list of tweet reports by a Thai journalist.

Yes. I have been looking on twitter at that journalist's page and the rachadaspoke account that she is quoting from but I can't find anything that says foreigners with work permits will be allowed.  That would be a relief for me returning from the UK as I will be, so if anyone finds anything official to confirm that please do post. (not that I'm thinking about going anywhere for at least a month before everyone jumps on me)

Edited March 25, 2020 by Slip
will/would

[Dazinoz]

19 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

This fits in with what the US is doing.  If I did not miss my guess they are trying to follow TRUMP and the doctors in the US as there is no medical staff here that fully understand.

 

The closure of the borders is a good thing.  However, what they should do is close all airports  other than Don Muang .  The reason I say DMG should be open is they can then herd anyone coming in to the air base and quarantine them there.  

Every country is running into the same problem that people are to stupid to self quarantine.

 

The pan is sound but just like a lot of big cities and countries the process was lacking.  Before shutting down businesses they c\should have closed the cities and ensured that no one left.

 

OH well Trump seems to think they can get the country back on it's feet again by Easter.  If that is the case Thailand should not be too far behind.

 

As to the economy I am not worried it will bounce back.  There may not be the same players and some shops may close but there will always be someone opening a bar, restaurant or such.  Factories will open and things will get back to normal.

 

This was a snapshot of aircraft in the air over china this morning from flightradar24. Just a few.

[kingstonkid]

2 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

the ball was dropped weeks ago and all you're doing now is making a huge petri dish on wheels..

GF works at a government hospital.  There are accommodations for them there as a lot of them do the 36 hour shifts.  It is not hard to take a part of a hospital and make an area for staff to sleep and eat.  hospitals have kitchens so it is just up to the government to get the food to them.  

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

However, borders will remain open to Thais returning from overseas and to foreigners who are in possession of a valid work permit.

 

I'm not seeing any source attribution for this particular item in the OP article regarding work permit holders supposedly being exempted???

 

[Guderian]

If they'd done this a month ago the number infected would still be in double digits, instead of approaching four digits. Sigh.

[JAG]

18 minutes ago, Andartecca said:

Why you Guys love stay in thailand 

Thailand have nothing 

 

Everything is expensive 

 

I guess how love stay in thailand only people love drunks and ladies

 

I only waiting my country allow flight again then I go back. Never come back thailand

I live here one year I see only rasist 

Well I think it is fair to say that neither most expatriate residents nor the Thais will miss you....

[RotBenz8888]

A decent government would let parents of minor children enter.

[kingstonkid]

Just now, RotBenz8888 said:

A decent government would let parents of minor children enter.

I agree if you have the right visa you should be able to enter and if you have a family it makes sense.  BUT once you enter you should be put into a mandatory controled quarantine area for at least 15 days.

[Matzzon]

Just now, lust said:

No problem with talking as long as you have something to add to the conversation that is intelligent and doesn’t end in LOL or sarcasm.

Yeah, yeah, don´t panic now. Take a beer!

[Kaopad999]

Very wise choice. I am glad to see Thailand taking correct measures. 

[Matzzon]

2 minutes ago, Kaopad999 said:

Very wise choice. I am glad to see Thailand taking correct measures. 

Yes, a little bit to late though. Like 2 month. Otherwise all is Hunky Dory.

[lust]

Just now, kingstonkid said:

No one here thinks the virus is funny,  We all know how serious it can be.  However, we as well as you have 2 choices.

1.  you can take it so serious and worry about it all the time and live in a world of fear and dread

or

You can take the necessary precautions but still find a lighter side in life so that you can enjoy life.

 

Me I take it serious but I also realize that there is nothing I can do that I am not already doing.  Therefore chatting here is a way to beat the boredom of siting at home.

And the people who need information because they are caught between a rock in a hard place have to read through 6 pages of nonsense? Like I said, make a separate thread for incoherent chit chat. 

[CharlieH]

Multiple posts removed from trolling/responses and off topic/ juvenile attempts at humor.

[Lacessit]

33 minutes ago, Assurancetourix said:

what you believe!
I don't smoke and I don't drink alcohol.
I live in the countryside in the middle of rice fields and heveas plantations.
My lung and heart capacities are in excellent condition, according to the last encephalogram and the radio of my lungs made a fortnight ago at the public hospital in Udon Thani.
I am not diabetic or fat, which my bike appreciates, moreover
When I climb Phupalek, 4.8 km at 10% average, I arrive at the top with pulsations at 115/120, so very below my maximum allowed which is, I remind you: 220 minus my age (71 ) = 149

You are very fit, and that is boosting your immune system. Congratulations.

I think you can afford to ignore the 50 yo experts who have been deprived of their usual bar stool perspective.

[herwin1234]

35 minutes ago, Andartecca said:

Why you Guys love stay in thailand 

Thailand have nothing 

 

Everything is expensive 

 

I guess how love stay in thailand only people love drunks and ladies

 

I only waiting my country allow flight again then I go back. Never come back thailand

I live here one year I see only rasist 

i applaud you. you dont like it in Thailand and instead of staying and complaining 24-7, you go back. A good and wise decision.