5 hours ago, johng said:

But now they will all be tested  immediately... right ??

If if they do get tested will you eat your words along with a side of crow? your attitude is highly inappropriate. This is no joke. Everywhere I've been in Thailand traveling since I came back from Cambodia 17 march shows me that every necessary step and precaution possible is being taken. I have seen nothing but professionalism and dedication on the part of Thai government and people, and that includes the police and immigration offices where I've been personally. So if you've got nothing helpful to say just zip it and go away.

14 minutes ago, Jonathan Swift said:

I have seen nothing but professionalism and dedication on the part of Thai government

 

No

 

15 minutes ago, Jonathan Swift said:

people

 

Yes

They all eat, shop and go to the bathroom in the same places so there is absolutely nothing to worry about is there? ????????????????????

New requirement for visa applications.

 

3 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

 

I/O: It is either you come in, or we fine you and put you in the IDC as you can not follow our rules....who cares what God has put in front of you

Caller: I See, then you can come and drive your new BMW across the flowing lava to pick me up..... 

I/O: We can't send the BMW, the driver have viral pneumonia.

I'm just wondering how accurate their information is. It starts with the tests.

 

Question: Rapid diagnostic tests for SARS-CoV-2 causing COVID-19 are in use worldwide ( True, or False?)

The right answer is false. 

 

There are now some tests. Some are FDA, CE-IVD approved, mostly for emergency use only. Many others are in development and many are just on the market without regulatory approval. Many are out of stock due to global demand. We do not yet have good data available on which ones work well (written 26.03.2020).

 

But I'm certain that Thailand has the right equipment. Perhaps not. 

         

19 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

New requirement for visa applications.

 

Nope. Not for me. 

2 hours ago, ETatBKK said:

stupid me I didn't check and I was there last Wednesday, for picking up the stamp for finalising the non-O VISA extension.  it took 30 minutes queuing into the building, then my queue number was 21xx, that took 5 hours before I could go into the office.

if 3000 foreigners queuing up there everyday, and hardly anyone keeping 2m apart, it would be surprised if everyone safe ! 

This picture should go to the world press or Facebook viral etc to show just how important immigration due process is to Thai authorities clearly out trumps common sense or health and safety........hoorah team Thailand leading the way protecting tourists, western residents and your own valued government staff!

Edited March 31, 20206 yr by sapson

1 hour ago, Jonathan Swift said:

If if they do get tested will you eat your words along with a side of crow? your attitude is highly inappropriate

If they do get tested then that's good...my "attitude" is that there has not been enough testing

( in Thailand)..and a complete disregard to foreigners in "forcing" them to  report themself at overcrowded immigration offices..other countries have  declared "immigration amnesties"     with only online reporting being required remember Thailand 4.0 ?

2 hours ago, tethered goat said:

This seems relevant to this thread. Drivers whose Thai licences are about to expire are being told not to report to relevant offices to renew as this will endanger staff.They can renew 15 days after emergency decree is over.

I saw this today on Pattaya News Fabulous 10 on this website

Fabulous 10? Until you get stopped by police who say that your licence has expired and you should not be driving, Ha!

4 hours ago, Jackcwba said:

I have to go in 2 days. I’ve been told that as of this moment they are still enforcing fines for overstay..

 

if these cowboys end up testing positive surely that’s the last straw. People’s health is more important.  I am sh***ing myself thinking about going there in 2 days being so close to thousands of different nationalities. 

 

when’s this announcement about foreigners potentially being allowed to stay until June 30? 

As I've commented elsewhere government offices, including Immigration, will have to close. It's only a matter of time before Immigration personnel at all their offices will become symptomatic, not just asymptomatic as many probably slready are, exposed as they are to the public and up close too.

 

Documents being passed back and forth, pens being shared, keyboards being shared. We've been told the virus can stay transmissible on all these for hours. I saw all this yesterday in Kalasin where I went to obtain an extension to my permission to stay because it's about to expire. Masks? Absolutely; sanitiser ? Yes; every other seat taped off? Great. But that left the public milling about in a small office and corridor, filling up forms with shared pens,  handing over documents, having them handed back , no gloves for staff or public, and just waiting in clumps nowhere near safe distancing. Whilst staff although behind makeshift screens were working far too close together and passing passports and dossiers back and forth.

 

Its not the fault of the staff they are doing and required to do their job, nor the public stuck in Thailand and required to attend in person often with wives, children and family members. The fault is at management level and of course  mostly with the policy makers above them.

 

It's well past time as procrastination abounds,  but never too late, to implement an amnesty for all with expiring visas, extensions and permissions to stay until this is over and then allow a reasonable period for them to get themselves sorted or leave when they reasonably can without paying extortionate ticket prices. 

5 hours ago, Tropposurfer said:

Given that no one knows if they are carriers until it’s either too late and you’re fully blown and ill, or may be a carrier and non-asymptomatic it is appropriate to assume everyone is a carrier and act accordingly. 

So far I have seen nil I repeat nil disinfecting of common area surfaces in the government buildings on Phuket I have visited in the last week or so (designated as essential for me to do by Thai Law) e.g. Disinfectant - wiping of doors, door nobs and handles, handrails, benches, chairs, desks and counter tops, and spraying and wiping down of all walls and floors.

This needs to be done a few times a day in busy areas with lots of traffic.

Surely basic disease and general health procedure like this need to be put in place across the country.

I have seen scant promotion of such hygiene protocols (used in all

hospital facilities in the West other than the exception of wash your hands, and very late in the day to wear masks at all times when out of the home) by world leaders and press.

A national program of disinfecting everything everywhere needs to be rolled out and continued until the virus peak has tapered well off.

The condo complex in which I live has made absolutely no provision to daily clean common areas with disinfecting solutions nor provide antiseptic gel at entrances of lifts and stairs, no signage to direct residents to practice safe protocols, and reception area which to me seems lax and negligent.

Yeah I know, folks will say ‘oh this is how it is here.’

 

I have been twice at 2 government offices yesterday and today in Chiang Mai. DBD and tax office.
Both complexes with facilities to wash/desinfect hands, both places check temperatures.
DBD moved all chairs out of the office and works through 2 windows. Every second chair is blocked with tape for social distancing, no cash flow only paying by card is possible.
Yesterday around 4:30 they began to desinfect the complex with 3 big blowers.
Staff in the offices is nice, friendly and very helpful. Biggest respect to all of them !!!

3 hours ago, tethered goat said:

This seems relevant to this thread. Drivers whose Thai licences are about to expire are being told not to report to relevant offices to renew as this will endanger staff.They can renew 15 days after emergency decree is over.

I saw this today on Pattaya News Fabulous 10 on this website

I was listening to Fabulous 103 FM Pattaya about an hour ago. They mentioned the Drivers License extension, and alluded to a low cost multi month automatic extension for foreigners who are stuck here being announced soon.

 

Fabulous 103 recommend not going to Immigration even if your visa is expiring until the announcement.

 

The OP situation could have been what finally got them to do something. 

Edited March 31, 20206 yr by ftpjtm

5 hours ago, Cabradelmar said:

The dirty foreigner, but really now everyone is responsible for spreading

Why you said everyone is responsible, you could see the queue on the photo, it's only farang.

1 hour ago, ftpjtm said:

I was listening to Fabulous 103 FM Pattaya about an hour ago. They mentioned the Drivers License extension, and alluded to a low cost multi month automatic extension for foreigners who are stuck here being announced soon.

 

Fabulous 103 recommend not going to Immigration even if your visa is expiring until the announcement.

 

The OP situation could have been what finally got them to do something. 

 

I hope you are right and that immigration make an announcement this week - this idiocy needs to stop until the lethal pandemic has passed.

 

Edited March 31, 20206 yr by NightSky

They should have automatically extended everyones visa until this is over and closed Immigration ages ago. How long before an Immigration officer gets the virus and farangs get the blame?

 

Just done my 90 day report by post and refuse to set foot in the place.

7 minutes ago, DaRoadrunner said:

They should have automatically extended everyones visa until this is over and closed Immigration ages ago. How long before an Immigration officer gets the virus and farangs get the blame?

 

Just done my 90 day report by post and refuse to set foot in the place.

 

What would you do if you needed an extension though?

 

I did my 30 day renew today at the second site as my WP expired and I cannot do marriage permit because of this, it was chaos - the immigation had no idea and in the big scheme of things my 10 year old daughter could have managed it better.   We arrived at 5am and many white folks at the front... 7am they moved the Q in Thai so all us folks ended up at the back.. in the blazing sun... 9am they closed again to trick people.... so bad ... then they started new lines via country --- then herded s to point 4, then broke the lines again and started stacking people in the car park  - toilets had no sanitizer soap or basics... and water + food was at cost... after 8 hours I got to the final line -- again document check number 6! I made it into the main hall - 12 stations and only 6 opertational ... my VISA ran out on Sunday,  came yesterday but they closed at 11am .. so I come again today... when I got to the desk they say I overstay by 2 days! REALLY - The British Embassy said I would be OK - THis lies again to my Country and they deined my marriage 60 day request as they only do 30 days... I could not do on Sunday and yesterday they shut --- I complain, they as usual nasty immigration said pay or go away  -- get lost ..  kinda makes you think why people of the new generation only come once... I have been in Thailand 10 years and based on this person and 1000 Bhat I am going to leave and pull millions out - stupid is - stupid does... idiot immigration China virus is a money spinner for this lost country now as no one want to be here...Thailand needs to die badly now and thank immigration clowns it will .-- Philippines is better anyways by a huge margin.. I have video also of todays fun ???? - and before you old timers (been here since the 70's etc) gripe on me - I'm 40 years old and retired but Thailand only recognizes 50+ ? ... .... On the soft side :::: --- The thing that broke my heart today as all the people stranded... One German gent broke our hearts... stuck here.. 2 cancelled flights.. CC expended.. and had to sleep on the field outside the immigration office  ---- No one gives a <deleted>

Edited March 31, 20206 yr by fraggleRock

hahaha best news I've heard all month. ????????????????

The empire strikes back. You cannot harass thousands of foreigners with a totally antiquated and absent-minded immigration system whereby thousands of alien (or, to put it in the health minister's terms "dirty farang") have to show up IN PERSON for absolute nonsense like 90-days reporting etc. etc. 

The three infected cases, just to put the record straight, does not automatically mean, that they fall over and are dead with immediate effect ...........

Stop with harassing all those guests and let all of them go whenever they want; once the government officially declares that the crisis is over, they have to leave the country within, say 15 days, OR go and get proper visas again. Simple as that and not a single person would fall sick at this monster of a government building! 

The Department of Land Transport managed to do exactly that; all driving licenses expiring now remain valid until 15 days after the official announcement that the crisis is over. Same government but two completely different approaches ...

Edited March 31, 20206 yr by Sydebolle

8 hours ago, Crossy said:

It may not affect the immigration office, but I'm glad my extension isn't due until November.

How doesn't it affect them? Explain to me how. This will be good LOL 

8 hours ago, Jackcwba said:

I have to go in 2 days. I’ve been told that as of this moment they are still enforcing fines for overstay..

 

if these cowboys end up testing positive surely that’s the last straw. People’s health is more important.  I am sh***ing myself thinking about going there in 2 days being so close to thousands of different nationalities. 

 

when’s this announcement about foreigners potentially being allowed to stay until June 30? 

as long as they die rich, is all they care about. LMAO

1 hour ago, NightSky said:

What would you do if you needed an extension though?

Use an agent or even do nothing and pay a fine later. That would still cost less than the hospital bill if you get the virus through being in close confines with hundreds of others at Immigration.

 

I would also complain to Immigration that they are being irresponsible in unnecessarily exposing us and their own staff to the virus.

6 hours ago, ChomDo said:

It was already outrageous to force people to go there to extend their visas before this news. If they don't shut it down now, the Thai Immigration should be charged with crimes against humanity!!

yes, for real. they are lower than scum 

3 hours ago, Ketyo said:

There is only one person to blame for this antifarang propaganda and hatred that is growing in Thailand ... Prayut and his sidekick Anutin

 

Together, they are the Donald Trump, Jair Bolsonaro and Domenic Cummings of Thailand...  though I don't know which is which

Wait when corona virus finished they will be begging for farangs to come back

I think they don' have any health procedures in the  USA and European countries. These countries are out control and have caused a world wide pandemic due to their people's arrogancies, their Dunning Krugger syndrome and their leaders incompetancies. Even a poor country like India is doing far better than these rich countries. What a shame.

Edited March 31, 20206 yr by Mulambana

16 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

They will spin it to blame the foreigners

Rather than admit to making a mistake asking all foreigners to report in person to extend their visas.

From day one it should have been an automatic 30 day extension, no need to visit.

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8 hours ago, DaRoadrunner said:

I would also complain to Immigration that they are being irresponsible in unnecessarily exposing us and their own staff to the virus.

Best of luck with that

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

Best of luck with that

Sadly we know that they wouldn't care much. We can only hope that this nonsense gets some attention in the national or even international media so that some "higher authority" would tell them that this is WRONG and inhumane! There was already one article about the topic in Bangkok Post some days ago but no mention about the new revelation about infections at the CW offices.