Traveling back to the USA over summer-

[Max69xl]

On 5/8/2020 at 12:25 PM, mtflamingo said:

I was more looking for advice or suggestions from others in the same position.  My biggest fear is being locked out of the country and then not being able to return to my current job.

Everything depends on the requirements from the Thai government when entering Thailand. I would be very surprised if they don't ask for an insurance covering at least $100k + a coronavirus free certificate or 14 days self isolation. You just have to wait and see. I would have stayed here instead of leaving. 

[wwest5829]

Valid concern and no one has a crystal ball that is working. Do consider that the US was slow on the draw in dealing with the virus and so, there is a good chance that the virus will be lingering longer there. I am thinking your biggest risk, as regards the virus, is the flights. If not coming into contact, then reasonably safe if family is well. The 2 week quarantine should be fading unless the Thai government marks the US as a danger country. Fact is, no one can predict for that time period. We should see some results of the loosening by then .. for better or worse.

[Lee4Life]

The wife and I have been waiting for things to settle down before we go back to the states, my situation is different than yours in that we can stay in the states as long as needed before coming back, we are actually prepared to stay there until a vaccine is available. (but don't really want to)

     Are you sure your flights are still valid? I have been keeping an eye on flights to America and the pickings are pretty slim right now, and most are really not that great of flights either as far as layovers go.

     I would say if you go, be prepared not to be able to come back for an extended time, if you can't handle that, then don't go.

 

[IAMHERE]

Stay in country as long as you can. Your return timeline looks to be during the 2nd wave.

 

[alyx]

11 hours ago, new2here said:

I empathize with you.  I made the decision to return back in early early April - knowing full well there was risk as to my ability to return timely for work..

 

.. but for me, and this is only me, I made the decision that I was willing to take that risk (ability to return to Thailand timely) in order to be with my parents who are getting up in age. Quite simply, I valued having time with my parents at this stage of their life and mine, over the potential to be able to return timely for work.
 

To be fair, for me, financially, I’m ok- the job in Thailand isn’t essential to my day-to-day survival- I like it, I’m good at it and my employer and I get along very well; so yes, I want to keep it.. but I won’t go hungry or the bills go unpaid without it...  in fact, before I made the call to return, my boss and I discussed it at length.. and we were both in agreement as to what was the right thing to do in totality.

Well that was a sound decision as you are not really worried about when you come back to Thailand. 

So not quite the same situation as the OP's.

The problem does not lay only with the lack of time spent in one's home country if quarantine is applied ( I would not mind that ) but being allowed back in Thailand is the greater worry as conditions might shift to a stricter, or not, regulation.

I do not know the OP's works situation but I would remain here and try to strike a deal with the employers 

[mtls2005]

I canceled my trip back to the U.S. (June 25 - July 10). QR just officially canceled my flight(s); I'm taking the refund, even though I'm taking a loss on Fx, rather than the 110%/2 year voucher.

 

Was mostly worried about being allowed to return to Thailand; quarantine no problem, but fit-to-fly cert and insurance, would be issues I think.

 

I will not leave until I am 99% certain I will be allowed to return.

 

 

[Hans Rayong]

Same situation. Has ticket to Sweden at the end of June. Ticket back to Thailand in mid-August. No problem to go out, but I will be admitted in Thailand. Wife and children who have dual citizenship will be admitted to Thailand (I guess).

[BobbyL]

Good thread. We have booked our summer holiday to California for 2.5 weeks in July. Not been able to do anything with regards to the flights or hotels as they won't deal with it until four weeks before. I think even if we can go we won't. We will try and delay it until Easter 2021 or July 2021. 

[unblocktheplanet]

We go back to Canada & the US for family visiting & salmon fishing every summer. The coming summer was most important because our daughter was graduating university.

 

If this is home, you should stay. Aging parents are the only acceptable reasons for travel; you wouldn't want to infect them or they you!

[mtflamingo]

On 5/9/2020 at 9:40 AM, new2here said:

I empathize with you.  I made the decision to return back in early early April - knowing full well there was risk as to my ability to return timely for work..

 

.. but for me, and this is only me, I made the decision that I was willing to take that risk (ability to return to Thailand timely) in order to be with my parents who are getting up in age. Quite simply, I valued having time with my parents at this stage of their life and mine, over the potential to be able to return timely for work.
 

To be fair, for me, financially, I’m ok- the job in Thailand isn’t essential to my day-to-day survival- I like it, I’m good at it and my employer and I get along very well; so yes, I want to keep it.. but I won’t go hungry or the bills go unpaid without it...  in fact, before I made the call to return, my boss and I discussed it at length.. and we were both in agreement as to what was the right thing to do in totality.

Some of my co-workers opted to flight back to Aus before they shut the boarders down.  I went the opposite route as I have a older uncle who retired to Thailand so I choose to stay here in case anything happened to him.  Also as my school has swapped to online teaching I the time change is a bit much to handle and Zoom classes in the middle of the night sound like a horrible idea to me. Honestly with the ways things have gone in the US the past week I don't think that flying there is even on the table right now.  While my home state has very few cases I would be flying through Seattle and then back home.  Which could possibly make me a vector to bring it back.  Pl

[mtflamingo]

On 5/9/2020 at 10:12 AM, scorecard said:

Perhaps you should factor in the possibility that the airline will cancel your flight, in which case you can probably get a refund of a credit.

 

On the other hand if you cancel your booking, can you get a refund or a credit?

 

Further, what attitude would your employer have to taking leave abroad at this time requiring that you have to quarantine for 2 weeks on return, unless of course, the Bkk 2 weeks quarantine consumes your personal leave entitlement, rather than work time? 

Well seeing as the summer holiday is coming up I have six week of vacation so I wouldn't be taking any leave.

[mtflamingo]

On 5/9/2020 at 1:19 PM, AgMech Cowboy said:

@mtflamingo I would definitely use ubonjoe's info about the US, but... Always a but... After reading a bit more this morning my crystal ball says that Thailand will be looking for the medical certification of no Covid and the 14 day quarantine. I'm basing that on their comments about not really opening up until there is a vaccine (sadly).

Which would be hard to get in America due to the limited amount of tests that my state currently has and has been able to give out.

[fredwiggy]

Planning on visiting family back i Texas also, in early November, with wife and daughter. Not sure if I could get my wife a tourist visa to US by then though, so she might have to stay this year. I'm hoping things will settle down a little,as far as international travel. I'll be staying a month, so quarantine for awhile wouldn't be too bad, as I can stay with family. Just wondering about the returning part for myself and daughter (US citizen).