Caught at work - Can't get back in

[Aussieroaming]

Who else was working off-shore or in another country when this happened and now can't get back to their family, if their P.O.H. was in Thailand? I'm stuck, not sure when we will get back like everyone else. Last saw my wife in January, suppose it will be a few more months before the way is clear to get home. Hope you are all well and surviving until you can get back to your homes and families.

[AhFarangJa]

Have several friends in your position. One guy works on drilling ships off Africa. His wife had a baby in April, he is stuck in Scotland, Emirates would not fly him to Thailand, only back to his home country, now no travel, no work. Several others stuck in Thailand and cannot get back to work. Is going to have big impacts in the future I think. Stay safe, and hope you get back soon.

[mauGR1]

Unfortunately there seem to be quite a few TVF members in that position.

To all of you my deepest sympathies.

[PerkinsCuthbert]

Many thousands of us, I should think, with varying degrees of difficulty and distress. I used to think July was a possibility for return, but with the present regime's risk aversion, even at the low level of one death in a million from CV19, I'm thinking last quarter of the year now.

[bkk6060]

What a bummer.

It is sad sorry to hear that.

Unfortunately, they probably will not be making any special consideration for this.

 

 

 

 

[new2here]

My guess here - my guess only, is that we will see some type of readnussion process in June.

 

Why?  A few parts...

 

i think the time since they first closed inbound flights to ALL, except for Thai nationals, this time has been what I call the “repatriation” window.
 

While there’s still a steady stream of Thai national repatriations occurring - my guess is that by months end (more than 20 days away) the vast majority who wanted to repatriate would have done so by that point in time..

 

Next part... 

 

Remembering that all these repatriated passengers are being housed for a full 14days at a state-controlled facility, by the time June 1 rolls around, I’d guess that the number of Thais still at some point in their 14 day quarantine would be low — thus, there’d be capacity for new people to enter/start the 14-day process..

 

Next part...

 

Remember that when the very first round of inbound passenger restrictions did come into effect (thus was before the total ban on foreigners) there was a narrow exception made for foreigners with with permits and SMART visa holders...  so this kind of tells me that there is some level of recognition that there are some types of foreigners that the government wants to admit before the masses.

 

therefore, my guess is that June 1 or so, we will see something put into place that allows for select classes of foreigners to enter/return - because there would be/should be sufficient quarantine space for them and the government has already signaled these foreigners are the ones they’d like back earlier.  I’d guess it would  start with WP holders and SMART visa holders because the assumption would these folks contribute more directly to the economic picture of Thailand. (This does not say other class like retirees/married to Thais etc don’t contribute, only that based on earlier restrictions, the government has already shown a preference for WP/SMART visa holders over others)

[holy cow cm]

Yeah it is a little bit over kill not allowing foreigners back in to be with family or to your home if live here.

[Aussieroaming]

15 hours ago, new2here said:

My guess here - my guess only, is that we will see some type of readnussion process in June.

 

Why?  A few parts...

 

i think the time since they first closed inbound flights to ALL, except for Thai nationals, this time has been what I call the “repatriation” window.
 

While there’s still a steady stream of Thai national repatriations occurring - my guess is that by months end (more than 20 days away) the vast majority who wanted to repatriate would have done so by that point in time..

 

Next part... 

 

Remembering that all these repatriated passengers are being housed for a full 14days at a state-controlled facility, by the time June 1 rolls around, I’d guess that the number of Thais still at some point in their 14 day quarantine would be low — thus, there’d be capacity for new people to enter/start the 14-day process..

 

Next part...

 

Remember that when the very first round of inbound passenger restrictions did come into effect (thus was before the total ban on foreigners) there was a narrow exception made for foreigners with with permits and SMART visa holders...  so this kind of tells me that there is some level of recognition that there are some types of foreigners that the government wants to admit before the masses.

 

therefore, my guess is that June 1 or so, we will see something put into place that allows for select classes of foreigners to enter/return - because there would be/should be sufficient quarantine space for them and the government has already signaled these foreigners are the ones they’d like back earlier.  I’d guess it would  start with WP holders and SMART visa holders because the assumption would these folks contribute more directly to the economic picture of Thailand. (This does not say other class like retirees/married to Thais etc don’t contribute, only that based on earlier restrictions, the government has already shown a preference for WP/SMART visa holders over others)

I agree, the Thai policy will likely be staggered return based on what they need, fair tap to them. My multiple entry visa expires in mid June, so it would have been preferrable to renew rather that get a new one because I suspect that initially they might not have visa on arrival, which would be a challenge for me if I had to get to a Thai Embassy to apply.

[Sakeopete]

I have been stuck in Angola since mid February. I know how you feel. Hoping everyone  makes it home soon. The Covid19 certificate and special insurance will make it very difficult for travelers. Hopefully the Thai government comes to their senses and removes them I am guessing the Chinese will be allowed in without them. 

[new2here]

18 minutes ago, Sakeopete said:

I have been stuck in Angola since mid February. I know how you feel. Hoping everyone  makes it home soon. The Covid19 certificate and special insurance will make it very difficult for travelers. Hopefully the Thai government comes to their senses and removes them I am guessing the Chinese will be allowed in without them. 

Unless some form of a universally recognized test certificate and one that can be had in one day or less from test date is widely available — I doubt they’ll drop the test mandate for foreign returnees... insurance I think will also still be a mandate.

 

what I wonder is IF there is a rapid test option available - like Emirates apparently now does for some Dubai departures - then I can see them dropping some of these requirements, but then mandating all foreign returnees must agree to undergo the rapid test option  (and pay for it as well) immediately upon arrival and IF it is negative test, then they’re free to go...

 

what I’ve wondered is if they keep the 14-day quarantine in place, given we’re now talking about foreigners, I would expect that the foreigner be required to also pay for their accommodations/food for that 14 day period.

 

 

[cornishcarlos]

Yup, lots of people in the same boat/rig (pun intended)...

Another similar thread already running here.

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1162178-how-many-of-us-are-stuck-outside-thailand-due-to-virus/page/6/?tab=comments#comment-15385219

[cornishcarlos]

8 minutes ago, new2here said:

what I’ve wondered is if they keep the 14-day quarantine in place,

 

If there is a mandatory 14 day quarantine, then there should be no need for a Covid test prior to arriving.

I've been tested (antibody/antigen) twice in the past couple weeks and both came back negative.

If the virus was so infectious, then I would have expected at least a few of our crew to have been exposed to it prior to lock downs, but all negative.

[vermin on arrival]

47 minutes ago, Sakeopete said:

I have been stuck in Angola since mid February. I know how you feel. Hoping everyone  makes it home soon. The Covid19 certificate and special insurance will make it very difficult for travelers. Hopefully the Thai government comes to their senses and removes them I am guessing the Chinese will be allowed in without them. 

My understanding from @ubonjoe was that with the closing of air travel those requirements are no longer in force. Of course, once they start things up again it is anyone's guess what the requirement will be. Mandatory 14 day quarantine makes sense.

[Keyser Soze666]

I'm really not convinced that the Thai gov will make the effort to set up some kind of system to allow 'special case' farangs back in before joe bloggs is allowed. Why should they really care? Will other countries that have closed their borders do anything similar?

[Cricky]

4 hours ago, Sakeopete said:

I have been stuck in Angola since mid February. I know how you feel. Hoping everyone  makes it home soon. The Covid19 certificate and special insurance will make it very difficult for travelers. Hopefully the Thai government comes to their senses and removes them I am guessing the Chinese will be allowed in without them. 

Geeze, where Luanda? 

Only 1 place worse Saudi Arabia. 

 

You working offshore on a rotation or stuck in a hotel/house? 

[grobec]

Sure.

canada, for example, citizens, permanent residents, husbands/wives of citizens ( including common law)

[maprao]

On 5/6/2020 at 1:49 PM, holy cow cm said:

Yeah it is a little bit over kill not allowing foreigners back in to be with family or to your home if live here.

I agree with you. Thailand is my home also. Luckily I have been caught outside Thailand with my family in "tow".

 

It has also served to remind me how precarious and temporary my position in Thailand really is.

Stay safe.... wish everyone in this situation the best of luck.

[holy cow cm]

32 minutes ago, maprao said:

I agree with you. Thailand is my home also. Luckily I have been caught outside Thailand with my family in "tow".

 

It has also served to remind me how precarious and temporary my position in Thailand really is.

Stay safe.... wish everyone in this situation the best of luck.

Good for you having your family with you. Yeah, we are really only a second away from being tossed out. If I could get residency I would but the xenophobic <deleted> o's just don't change. Maybe it is the small thing between their leg complex. I am in lock down here in CM with my family but it is just amazing selfish pig headed male Thailand again that never changes. OK for a western gal to get all because she is owned by the Thai male.

[sateeb07]

5 hours ago, Sakeopete said:

I have been stuck in Angola since mid February. I know how you feel. Hoping everyone  makes it home soon. The Covid19 certificate and special insurance will make it very difficult for travelers. Hopefully the Thai government comes to their senses and removes them I am guessing the Chinese will be allowed in without them. 

I am stuck in Angola too since February.  I am onshore in Luanda.  Another guy from Algeria is waiting to fly home tonight but he had to get a medical certificate to prove he tested negative for covid19.  He did the test yesterday and got the results today.  I am thinking that a lot of the airlines will insist on these certificates.  I know Thailand were asking for these before the lockdown but then it was difficult to get tested.  Just waiting to see if Thailand open up for international flights and make it mandatory for travellers to produce medical certificates at check in.  4 weeks off and spending 2 of them in quarantine is not appealing.  Good to know we can get tested in Luanda though if needed for travel...

[cornishcarlos]

$30 here in Singapore !! Not sure they are reliable but should do if they ask for proof of testing to fly...

[SiSePuede419]

On 5/6/2020 at 3:44 AM, Aussieroaming said:

Who else was working off-shore or in another country when this happened and now can't get back to their family, if their P.O.H. was in Thailand?

 

Must be a complete surprise to you?

 

If only the media could have warned us. ????

[Cricky]

8 hours ago, sateeb07 said:

I am stuck in Angola too since February.  I am onshore in Luanda.  Another guy from Algeria is waiting to fly home tonight but he had to get a medical certificate to prove he tested negative for covid19.  He did the test yesterday and got the results today.  I am thinking that a lot of the airlines will insist on these certificates.  I know Thailand were asking for these before the lockdown but then it was difficult to get tested.  Just waiting to see if Thailand open up for international flights and make it mandatory for travellers to produce medical certificates at check in.  4 weeks off and spending 2 of them in quarantine is not appealing.  Good to know we can get tested in Luanda though if needed for travel...

Good luck, keep away from the fish. 

 

I ate dinner one night coming of the rig, stayed in a hotel as the house was full waiting for the flight home the next day, I got sick, went to the SOS facility and my company tested me for drugs. 

I spoke to the doctor, he asked what I ate, told him fish. He said never eat fish in Luanda, its full of Mercury and lots of other chemicals. 

 

Are you getting paid, I'd be expecting twice the day rate, 

 

Hope you get out of there soon. 

[sateeb07]

8 hours ago, VYCM said:

Good luck, keep away from the fish. 

 

I ate dinner one night coming of the rig, stayed in a hotel as the house was full waiting for the flight home the next day, I got sick, went to the SOS facility and my company tested me for drugs. 

I spoke to the doctor, he asked what I ate, told him fish. He said never eat fish in Luanda, its full of Mercury and lots of other chemicals. 

 

Are you getting paid, I'd be expecting twice the day rate, 

 

Hope you get out of there soon. 

Wow, good advice about the fish.  I like fish but not seen much that appeals to me.  I like fish in Phuket but its gone crazy expensive.  I work onshore so getting paid but they want me to take weekends off now without pay.  Like its my choice to be here, they saving money by not flying me home each time....not happy...

[dode57k]

Yep, stuck in Aberdeen. Haven't been home or seen the wife since February. Every time I do a trip offshore I think "maybe next time I'll get home" Emirates keep pushing their expected first flight dates out, currently 1st July but who knows?

[ross163103]

On 5/7/2020 at 2:05 AM, Keyser Soze666 said:

I'm really not convinced that the Thai gov will make the effort to set up some kind of system to allow 'special case' farangs back in before joe bloggs is allowed. Why should they really care?

Feel the same based on the govt's statements that come out so often. Long term farangs are the same as two week farangs in their small minds.

I told a coworker, our Thai families and friends need to get together and try to change things for our benefit--and theirs, we can't do anything about it because the Thai govt won't listen to us.

[Keyser Soze666]

1 hour ago, ross163103 said:

Feel the same based on the govt's statements that come out so often. Long term farangs are the same as two week farangs in their small minds.

I told a coworker, our Thai families and friends need to get together and try to change things for our benefit--and theirs, we can't do anything about it because the Thai govt won't listen to us.

I'll be honest with you, I've been here 20 yrs and don't expect any special treatment from the Thai gov at all. Why should they give a hoot about me when they have 60 million Thai's to look after? If we had some kind of residency like foreigners have in HKG after 7 years, and similar in other countries,  then maybe, but we are just here winging it year by year. We are not special. Get over it.

 

Good luck with the get together lol.

[guzzi850m2]

I am not stuck yet but have my time onboard in a week (2 month on/off).

 

I really hope they will open 1st June and I am fairly optimistic that they will.

 

All over the world, they are very keen to get the wheels spinning again, it's just too expensive for the countries being shut down like that.

[DDBKK]

It amazes me that anyone who is not a Thai national would ever contemplate that the Thai government (of all the worldwide govs out there.....) would give a flying <deleted> about them or their personal situation. It's Thailand <deleted>. They barely give two <deleted> about the Thais. ????

 

Everyone has the choice to obtain residency should they so wish. It's not easy, granted, but the option is there.

 

If I was stuck in a situation where I was forced to be separated from my mrs (which I have previously been) I would use this as a lesson to make plans and implement them in due course in order to improve my future situation so YOU have the advantage. 

 

This may ultimately mean moving your mrs and family to your home land so they can obtain a passport in due course (not to mention far superior public funded eduction and opportunity) and you can use the security of your home country should such as situation occur in the future by way of pre-emting the lock down. 

 

If you've got a bit of cash, which I suspect most do on this forum, it's really that simple. 

[ross163103]

19 hours ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

Why should they give a hoot about me when they have 60 million Thai's to look after?

I expect a tiny bit of consideration from the govt since I've lived in Thailand for approx 27 years and during that time have taken care of 5-6 of THEIR citizens--my Thai extended family, and spent millions of baht IN THAILAND while doing it. I would just like to be considered something different than a "two week zero dollar" tourist. Other countries recognize the difference, no reason Thailand can't.

[madmen]

On 5/6/2020 at 5:49 PM, holy cow cm said:

Yeah it is a little bit over kill not allowing foreigners back in to be with family or to your home if live here.

Farang are brutally harsh and critical against thais, they are all idiots apparently. 

Is there really any surprise expats are treated this way?