Removing entry restrictions for foreigners - when?

[gearbox]

 

I'm currently outside Thailand waiting for the restrictions of entry of foreigners to be lifted...including dropping the requirements for covid19 medical certificates and insurance. Of course the blanket entry ban needs to be lifted first. There doesn't seem to be a firm date for this, but 30th of April is mentioned here and there, and the government decided to extend the tourist visas until 30th,  so it probably assumes that some flights will resume and whoever is stuck will go home and won't need visa any more.

 

How realistic is this? I see across the world the lockdowns and quarantines are getting extended pretty much everywhere. My O-A reentry permit expires early September, which doesn't look that far now.

 

Anyone with a crystal ball or hi-so connections? 

 

[jacob29]

I can't see them dropping the need for medical certificates (in addition to quarantine on arrival), or some kind of checks before boarding, for a very long time. It's problematic to turn people away at the border, never mind expose crew and border staff to infection, which means testing has to happen at the country of origin.

 

I'm waiting to enter Vietnam, I have a feeling June is only feasible with medical certificate and quarantine on arrival (not self isolation, as that's too unreliable). Nobody can afford to open the gates for business as usual, and require the whole country to lockdown for a month again due to a spike in infections. No amount of tourist dollars are worth that. I'd be thinking late or next year before relaxed restrictions, with possible early exceptions from designated safe countries. 

[sammieuk1]

Same as me but before they let you in you have to get there first we may all need a piece of string and everyone to run out of money for starters????

[timendres]

30 minutes ago, gearbox said:

How realistic is this? I see across the world the lockdowns and quarantines are getting extended pretty much everywhere. My O-A reentry permit expires early September, which doesn't look that far now.

I cannot remember the exact details. However, the recent decree by the government authorizing immunity for visa holders, also had specific language regarding re-entry permits. If I remember correctly, the re-entry permit will continue to be valid for up to 12 months after it's expiration. The decree is a bit too difficult for my Thai reading ability, so I will try to remember to ask my employee to reread it again tomorrow and post the actual details.

[gearbox]

26 minutes ago, jacob29 said:

I can't see them dropping the need for medical certificates (in addition to quarantine on arrival), or some kind of checks before boarding, for a very long time. It's problematic to turn people away at the border, never mind expose crew and border staff to infection, which means testing has to happen at the country of origin.

 

I'm waiting to enter Vietnam, I have a feeling June is only feasible with medical certificate and quarantine on arrival (not self isolation, as that's too unreliable). Nobody can afford to open the gates for business as usual, and require the whole country to lockdown for a month again due to a spike in infections. No amount of tourist dollars are worth that. I'd be thinking late or next year before relaxed restrictions, with possible early exceptions from designated safe countries. 

The "free from covid19" medical certificate is very hard to obtain, short of impossible in many countries. This may change if new inexpensive test kits are developed, but who knows what's the time frame for this.

 

I see the number of foreigners living permanently in Thailand droping lower and lower, as once you get out, it is now very difficult go to back. And sooner or later many people would need to get out for variety of reasons.

[RichardColeman]

I am on a retirement extension that expires in January . I believe 100% that I will - if they don't give some kind of credit - have to start again sometime next year.I think your September will come and go and be lost in 2nd and 3rd waves. My advice, start planning for summer next year return

[baansgr]

Phuket has just announced a 24 hour lockdown, with house to house temperature checks, those with high temperatures being forcibly isolated....numbers are still increasing worldwide with many airlines canceling flights till October...my guess would be nearer year end at earliest...however..no one really knows.

[Monomial]

You might barely make it by September, but only with significant conditions. Airlines aren't even likely to be running by then.

 

Better plan on this thing going on for a year. The UK has already said as much. They can not normalize until either 90+% of the population has been infected and become immune, they develop a vaccine, or they develop the technology to test and isolate individuals within 24 hours of infection. Any other conditions and the models show you just get another flareup. They might relax lockdown restrictions a little if the numbers drop, but that will simply increase the R value so infections hold steady. They can't allow new infections to enter.

 

6 months of this at a bare minimum. September is a big maybe at best.

 

Even China, who is now declaring business as usual, does not want their citizens returning from overseas. The Chinese in the USA who have lost their jobs and are looking at their H1B's expiring are panicking. They can't get another job in 60 days (as required by their visa) due to the crippled economy, and they can't return home because China doesn't want them bringing the infection back.

 

[jacob29]

10 minutes ago, gearbox said:

The "free from covid19" medical certificate is very hard to obtain, short of impossible in many countries. This may change if new inexpensive test kits are developed, but who knows what's the time frame for this.

 

I see the number of foreigners living permanently in Thailand droping lower and lower, as once you get out, it is now very difficult go to back. And sooner or later many people would need to get out for variety of reasons.

Yes it's hard to see a satisfactory outcome being found. Vietnam has only reported 300 cases but the whole country is locked down. After they fix it, they can't afford to let it get out of hand again. Killing tourism seems the lesser of two evils.

 

 

[RichCor]

This had been posted Tuesday, but no mention on nationalities. Disregard the picture, that was a humor image posted in thread. As always, this may be have been already cancelled, corrected, or does not apply to 'tourists' (read: foreign expats). It also mentions a mandatory 2-week isolation requirement.  

 

Only 200 people to be allowed to enter Thailand each day
By webfact, Tuesday at 02:29 PM in Thailand News

 

 

[ChouDoufu]

40 minutes ago, timendres said:

I cannot remember the exact details. However, the recent decree by the government authorizing immunity for visa holders, also had specific language regarding re-entry permits. If I remember correctly, the re-entry permit will continue to be valid for up to 12 months after it's expiration. The decree is a bit too difficult for my Thai reading ability, so I will try to remember to ask my employee to reread it again tomorrow and post the actual details.

how would that work?

 

re-entry permit usually expires along with the visa/extension, right?  so if we're outside thailand and both our extension of stay and re-entry permit expire, we'll be given up to 12 months after expiration of both to return?  and hopefully no heartache at immigration to do a renewal within one year of expiration?  no need to start over as long as we can provide the standard documents?

[FritsSikkink]

Not realistic at all, as my daughter school messaged yesterday that they won't open before the first of July.

 

[Tounge Thaied]

I say we bust in &(*() ' em!!!! I will lead an expedition across the Makong!!! ????

Edited April 9, 2020 by Tounge Thaied

[Southy65]

I'm in the same boat, on the 25th of March my wife (who is a thai citizen) and I flew back to Thailand from South Africa after visiting our family before leaving we make contact with the Thai embassy in Pretoria and after getting all the necessary documents and tests we get on the plane, when arriving in Thailand they informed us that she may enter but I must go back to South Africa because no foreigners may enter.

After a flying already for 16 hours I must sit and wait another 13 hours for a flight back to South Africa and just land in time some hours to spare before lockdown. So at this moment I have a longstay visa till December but when will I be reunited with my wife and daughter. My life my everything is there in Thailand. So please keep me up to date 

Thankyou

[gearbox]

2 minutes ago, Southy65 said:

I'm in the same boat, on the 25th of March my wife (who is a thai citizen) and I flew back to Thailand from South Africa after visiting our family before leaving we make contact with the Thai embassy in Pretoria and after getting all the necessary documents and tests we get on the plane, when arriving in Thailand they informed us that she may enter but I must go back to South Africa because no foreigners may enter.

After a flying already for 16 hours I must sit and wait another 13 hours for a flight back to South Africa and just land in time some hours to spare before lockdown. So at this moment I have a longstay visa till December but when will I be reunited with my wife and daughter. My life my everything is there in Thailand. So please keep me up to date 

Thankyou

Oh mate sorry to hear that. This is really bad timing. Hopefully they need to work out something for people with families, especially with kids.

The ideal outcome so far I can see is to let us with only "fit to fly" certificate followed by 14 days quarantine. Same what the Thais need to have.

 

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

every country has it's own regulations and style.

for example, hungary just announced a nation wide lockdown for UNlimited time.

that's pretty scary and allmost like psychological war on the citizens.

 

but you mentioned the 30 april as a date that was presented by many airlines as

the time they will resume operations, and i guess thailand is following some 

international guidelines regarding this date.

 

question is, of course, what will be the new regulations in the post corona world.

hard to believe that they will wave the health certificates and even quaranitine

for new visitors.

this situation is very bad for thai tourism.

[ChouDoufu]

oh, doesn't seem to apply to retirement visa extensions at all.  the re-entry language was in article one of the order, for those under section 48 or 50 of the immigration act.

 

that's for those with permanent residency certificates that expire when leaving without re-entry documents.

 

but i could be worng.

[at15]

a lot of doom and gloom here, countries cant just shut down like this. especially thailand. april 30 maybe overly optimistic to come back but i would expect by mid may or late may its at least possible to enter. 

[bkk6060]

Makes sense to keep all restrictions until there is a vaccine.  Which may be never.

[Number 6]

4 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Not realistic at all, as my daughter school messaged yesterday that they won't open before the first of July.

 

Came here to say this.

 

 

They can't keep the boarders closed forever but how they reopen is another matter.

 

No one can speculate with any accuracy. On top of this the government backtracks and changes it's plans often.

 

I think entrance to kingdom with medical certificate, screening, quarantine here to stay forever. Maybe insurance as well.

 

 

Edited April 9, 2020 by Number 6

[cornishcarlos]

4 hours ago, Southy65 said:

I'm in the same boat, on the 25th of March my wife (who is a thai citizen) and I flew back to Thailand from South Africa after visiting our family before leaving we make contact with the Thai embassy in Pretoria and after getting all the necessary documents and tests we get on the plane, when arriving in Thailand they informed us that she may enter but I must go back to South Africa because no foreigners may enter.

After a flying already for 16 hours I must sit and wait another 13 hours for a flight back to South Africa and just land in time some hours to spare before lockdown. So at this moment I have a longstay visa till December but when will I be reunited with my wife and daughter. My life my everything is there in Thailand. So please keep me up to date 

Thankyou

 

Me too... Unfortunately, I don't see the Thai authorities having any compassion for families (foreign/Thai) being separated..

If they did have, then they would be applying similar rules to Thai citizens being able to return.

Seriously now considering it is time to think about going to live in U.K for a while, get the wife her U.K passport at last !!

But that depends on the situation there as well ????

[tomster]

Middle of next month they will find a way to let the Chinese in, it's impossible for this not to happen. Right now they are keeping a lid on things by locking down hard, I reckon there is around another 3-4 weeks before the population kicks off and ignores the bans, just gets on with what is left with their lives. The government knows this and hence the mass Tourist city "cleaning" going on at the moment, at the end of this month they will declare Thailand nearly Covid free.

 

There needs to be a fudge to get around the slight problem that Covid-19 was here many months ago and is already endemic, when they figure out how to do this international flights will be welcomed with open arms.

 

Realistically that does need to be next month before all hell breaks loose, hence the mid May prediction.

[gearbox]

3 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Makes sense to keep all restrictions until there is a vaccine.  Which may be never.

This will kill the tourism forever. Who is going to get certificate and insurance for covid19 and spend 2 weeks in quarantine in order to book 2 weeks holiday in Thailand?

 

As far as I know the revenue from the tourism is around 60 billion $ per year, without this revenue the foreign exchange reserves are going to melt away.

 

[at15]

45 minutes ago, tomster said:

Middle of next month they will find a way to let the Chinese in, it's impossible for this not to happen. Right now they are keeping a lid on things by locking down hard, I reckon there is around another 3-4 weeks before the population kicks off and ignores the bans, just gets on with what is left with their lives. The government knows this and hence the mass Tourist city "cleaning" going on at the moment, at the end of this month they will declare Thailand nearly Covid free.

 

There needs to be a fudge to get around the slight problem that Covid-19 was here many months ago and is already endemic, when they figure out how to do this international flights will be welcomed with open arms.

 

Realistically that does need to be next month before all hell breaks loose, hence the mid May prediction.

right. 

look at Philippines , Duterte has already said april 30 is it, cant go past that. everything gotta go back to normal for their economy to survive.

 

if shutdowns start going into May there will be riots around the world. 

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

3 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

So at this moment I have a longstay visa till December but when will I be reunited with my wife and daughter. My life my everything is there in Thailand. So please keep me up to date 

i read and i cant believe. you are maried to a thai, you flew back with her to thailand,

you do have the long term visa - and they would'nt let you in?

that is cruely recist and brutal.

from the virus point of view there is no difference between human bodies,

so why would the thai authorities allow your wife in - but not you?

makes me think if i ever want to stay in thailand

[cornishcarlos]

4 minutes ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

i read and i cant believe. you are maried to a thai, you flew back with her to thailand,

you do have the long term visa - and they would'nt let you in?

that is cruely recist and brutal.

from the virus point of view there is no difference between human bodies,

so why would the thai authorities allow your wife in - but not you?

makes me think if i ever want to stay in thailand

 

Not sure why I was quoted in your post... Wasn't me who posted that !!!

[phetphet]

Another thing to consider, even if they lift the ban is that there will probably be massive pent up demand for flights by people for all sorts of reasons: getting home, business etc.

 

At the same time, it will take the airlines a long time to get up and running properly.

So high demand for what will probably be few flights at first will cause very high prices and difficulty in booking.

[ravip]

Removing entry restrictions for foreigners - when?

Anyone with a crystal ball or hi-so connections?
Do you honestly think that anyone could predict this date, even with a wild guess, let alone accurately with today's conditions?

Even with balls and connections, it would be a difficult task!

[Tounge Thaied]

1 minute ago, ravip said:

Removing entry restrictions for foreigners - when?

Anyone with a crystal ball or hi-so connections?
Do you honestly think that anyone could predict this date, even with a wild guess, let alone accurately with today's conditions?

Even with balls and connections, it would be a difficult task!

As Tomster pointed out, it can't be too long. Keeping the Chinese out for a long period of time is not likely. 

[ChipButty]

According to my daughter who should have been here yesterday trying to get insurance for CV is nigh on impossible after a certain date that was in the UK I dont know about other countries 

Im also thinking when the airlines are able to fly what will be their prices? bad enough the other week 4000 pound one way to the UK