When can we return to Thailand?

[rickthailand]

just been announced borders closing extended till 30th june

 

rick

[Mulambana]

On 5/15/2020 at 3:59 AM, sandyf said:

In post No 59 you truncated what I had said and distorted the context which can be seen from post No 57 was a reply to this comment

"Simple really, right now the airports are closed to international flights"

 

I stand by what I said as "most foreign nationals" are faced with entry restriction due to their immigration status.

Are not outbound flights still going on? Or they stopped that also?

[keemapoot]

17 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Quarantine plus total ban on arrivals from some lications is my guess which would unfortunately would include USA

 Due to the country's size it will be many months before incidence starts to drop there.

 

I could live with quarantine if it were at hime but quarantine in a govt selected facility -- likely a small hotel room with a bed hard as cement -- gives real pause. 

You bring up an interesting point. I think we can expect total bans on USA for a considerable time, but what about US passport holders who do not live in the US. I suspect they might just ban anyone originating from there and maybe anyone carrying a US passport as well (or stick them in government quarantine on arrival).

 

My wife and I live in both Thailand and Japan, but are currently in Japan. But, I am a US passport holder, and wife has a Thai passport. Her Thai passport will expire in a few months and would like to return to Thailand ASAP to renew this, and because she has important visas in there, she will have to spend time in Bangkok visiting embassies for that. We are waiting for her to be able to return to Bangkok to do this, but evidently and unfortunately the Thai government has already announced 3 origins (Hong Kong, S. Korea, China) that will be among those that will allowed to have originating flights from there land in BKK. Because Japan is not on that list, at least for now, we do not believe my wife can return yet, and there is little hope of my being able to return in the near-medium future. Luckily we have long-term arrangements for house sitters and car and house maintenance.

 

Obviously, this will become messy when you have people who originated in non-cleared countries via connecting flights, code-sharing, layovers and other situations, and we might see some tourists getting thrown in quarantine for their entire holiday if those situations.

[ubonjoe]

3 hours ago, Mulambana said:

Are not outbound flights still going on? Or they stopped that also?

The are a few flights that transit through and are able to accept passengers.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, keemapoot said:

Her Thai passport will expire in a few months and would like to return to Thailand ASAP to renew this, and because she has important visas in there, she will have to spend time in Bangkok visiting embassies for that.

She could apply for a new passport at the Thai embassy in Tokyo or the conulates in Osaka or Fukuoka.

In most cases a visa issued in a passport that has expired or been canceled remain valid and can be used by showing the new passport to use the visa in the old one.

The only way she can travel to Thailand until June 30th is if she was able to arrange a repatriation flight.

[hereforgood]

 

19 hours ago, laosnative said:

Laos Govt issued a presidential order yesterday.

Due to the fact that there have been no new cases for over 1 month, several restrictions were eased, and interprovincial travel is allowed again.

hoping this happens soon here in Thailand want to get on the bus and train and explore

[khwaibah]

July at the earliest.

 

Edited May 17, 2020 by ubonjoe
removed unneeded post content

[ubonjoe]

35 minutes ago, khwaibah said:

July at the earliest.

 

No need for a link to info about it.

Aready posted here in a topic.

 

[khwaibah]

13 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

No need for a link to info about it.

Aready posted here in a topic.

 

Did not see it. Not enough coffee????

[ChakaKhan]

19 hours ago, EricTh said:

 

Not sure about that but I think it's only for Chinese citizens.

 

Anyway, you have to be quarantined for 14 days in China first before coming to Thailand if they allow.

 

Dang....(gets out scuba gear)

[mtls2005]

It will be interesting to see what "real" airfares look like after a re-opening.

 

With limited supply, componded by potential blocked seats, and pent-up demand (including re-patriation flights for Thais back to Thailand), my gut says customers will be steered towards full fare buckets (Y/J/F).

 

Already seeing this on some carriers (QR and TG, for example).

 

Suspect it will take many, many, many, many months to ramp back up (aircraft, staff, pilots, fuel, ground support, catering et al.) to anything even approaching 50% of previous capacity.

 

And supply-demand will affect prices.

 

Other potential factors like new, special visas, fit-to-fly certs, quarrantine will affect arrivals as well.

 

Probably a lot of foreigners leaving, and Thais returning for the foreseeable future?

 

 

[Mr Natural]

Anyone know details about a 2 week quarantine they might require for awhile?  With a decent internet connection and my laptop it might be worth holding up in a room for a couple of weeks.  Depending on details,  including the bill they would require you to pay.

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, Mr Natural said:

Anyone know details about a 2 week quarantine they might require for awhile?  With a decent internet connection and my laptop it might be worth holding up in a room for a couple of weeks.  Depending on details,  including the bill they would require you to pay.

Only Thai's are entering the country at this time and are being quarantined for 14 days and are required to pay the bill. But they would of already known about it since it would be a repatriation flight arranged through a Thai embassy.

[ChakaKhan]

11 minutes ago, Mr Natural said:

Anyone know details about a 2 week quarantine they might require for awhile?  With a decent internet connection and my laptop it might be worth holding up in a room for a couple of weeks.  Depending on details,  including the bill they would require you to pay.

With the 14 day lockdown would I be able to go back to my old apartment building for that 14 days? or an airbnb?

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, ChakaKhan said:

With the 14 day lockdown would I be able to go back to my old apartment building for that 14 days? or an airbnb?

No

8 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Only Thai's are entering the country at this time and are being quarantined for 14 days and are required to pay the bill. But they would of already known about it since it would be a repatriation flight arranged through a Thai embassy.

 

[Mr Natural]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

Only Thai's are entering the country at this time and are being quarantined for 14 days

That's NOW.  But later,  any opening may very well involve restrictions like a quarantine.  In fact the sooner they open back up the more likely to see various restrictions like quarantines,  tests,  insurance etc.  I'm stuck in the USA hoping to get back in August,  but I wouldn't be surprised at all to see restrictions on anyone coming from here for the remainder of the year.  Kicking back for a couple of weeks in a livable space might be worth it to accelerate that time frame.  On the other hand if it's anything like a Thai jail and an enormous cost then never mind.  So it depends.

[Captain Monday]

On 5/15/2020 at 10:30 AM, DrJack54 said:

Think if you look at countries such as AU, NZ etc you will find Thailand has been in lock step behind rules such as quarantine, allowing only nationals to return etc.

The one they came up by themselves is booze ban. Brilliant.

I was at Saigon airport on March 16 and Singapore started 14 isolation for new entries. Thailand was very slow regarding inbound flights from China. In fact China stopped all tour groups to Thailand well before Thailand eventually closed its borders. 

It is an extremely nationalist policy that is not in lock step AU, NZ or most  countries regulations.

Keeping out people whos homes, businesses, families, and lives are 

centered here is backward and medically unsound. The virus does not discriminate.

[ChakaKhan]

13 minutes ago, Mr Natural said:

That's NOW.  But later,  any opening may very well involve restrictions like a quarantine.  In fact the sooner they open back up the more likely to see various restrictions like quarantines,  tests,  insurance etc.  I'm stuck in the USA hoping to get back in August,  but I wouldn't be surprised at all to see restrictions on anyone coming from here for the remainder of the year.  Kicking back for a couple of weeks in a livable space might be worth it to accelerate that time frame.  On the other hand if it's anything like a Thai jail and an enormous cost then never mind.  So it depends.

You and me brother...im regretting coming back here in march..hindsight is 20/20...blah

[ubonjoe]

16 minutes ago, Mr Natural said:

That's NOW.  But later,  any opening may very well involve restrictions like a quarantine. 

You didn't mention later. Nobody knows what will be needed later.

I think it will be restricted and have certain requirements to enter the country.

From what I have read it is not exactly like being in jail during the quarantine.

[Captain Monday]

I have given up hope until Loy Khrathong 2020.

Might be unemployed by then anyway.

Perhaps it will be possible to enter Thailand following an intermediate 2 week stay in

China, Korea, or another country that will allow US travelers 

Edited May 17, 2020 by Captain Monday

[Hanaguma]

I am wondering about this as well. Hoping to sneak over for a holiday at the end of August (I live in Japan).  Hoping that Asian countries get their restrictions lifted before Europe and North America.

 

The state of emergency was just lifted for most of Japan, Tokyo is getting something like 20 new cases a day, it's over except for the paranoia hangover. 

 

[Mr Natural]

As the months go by there will be more and more pressure from the lack of tourism money to open,  at least somewhat.  They can't stay completely closed down for too much longer.  That's why at least for awhile,  there will be opening but restrictions (countries and conditions).  Things like tests and insurance are manageable,  but quarantine is the big one.

[uhuh]

1 hour ago, Captain Monday said:

I have given up hope until Loy Khrathong 2020.

Might be unemployed by then anyway.

Perhaps it will be possible to enter Thailand following an intermediate 2 week stay in

China, Korea, or another country that will allow US travelers 

As of now,  there is no country in Asia that lets in tourists from toxic countries,  ie the West.

It is possible in some countries to get a business visa,  eg Korea.

[uhuh]

1 hour ago, Hanaguma said:

I am wondering about this as well. Hoping to sneak over for a holiday at the end of August (I live in Japan).  Hoping that Asian countries get their restrictions lifted before Europe and North America.

 

The state of emergency was just lifted for most of Japan, Tokyo is getting something like 20 new cases a day, it's over except for the paranoia hangover. 

 

But countries aiming at complete eradication (eg Taiwan,  NZ, Macao) don't let in Japanese. 

 

BTW countries like Japan (thinking 20 cases in a metropolis is something we can handle) obviously run the risk of a second wave, maybe in autumn. 

[keemapoot]

1 minute ago, uhuh said:

But countries aiming at complete eradication (eg Taiwan,  NZ, Macao) don't let in Japanese. 

 

BTW countries like Japan (thinking 20 cases in a metropolis is something we can handle) obviously run the risk of a second wave, maybe in autumn. 

I'm in Japan too, but I'm not Japanese, I'm American. But, for sure both American and Japanese are not going to be the first in the door to Thailand. Even if things to do open provisionally, I'm not realistically thinking it's attractive to return to Thailand until maybe end of the year - if then. Having to travel with all the hassles of masks, wiping down, and then the potential risks of an outbreak that might make it difficult to either get back out of the country or enter back to your own country makes the whole value proposition not worth it. For sure, the danger is everywhere of a 2nd wave until a vaccine. 

 

 

[Sheryl]

15 hours ago, rickthailand said:

just been announced borders closing extended till 30th june

 

rick

I saw announcement re international flights but not re land borders, do you have a link?

[uhuh]

31 minutes ago, keemapoot said:

For sure, the danger is everywhere of a 2nd wave until a vaccine. 

There is no risk of a second wave if a country has completely eradicated the virus and keeps borders closed until there is a vaccine.  

Taiwan has said they will do exactly this. 

(Taiwan has had zero cases for 9 days and zero local transmissions for more than a month)

[ubonjoe]

30 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

I saw announcement re international flights but not re land borders, do you have a link?

Nothing about border crossings yet. But I think it may be the same as by air.

[spidermike007]

There have been multiple sources that have quoted July 1st, as an opening date, for incoming international flights. But, nobody knows if that is certain, and nobody knows what the requirements will be. A Covid free letter may be required, and I know for a fact those cannot be obtained in the US, at any price. Also, there may be a requirement of health insurance, without a pandemic exemption, which will be quite costly, and who knows what else.

 

Though Thailand wants, and desperately needs international tourism, it must be very careful, as the country has done a great job in keeping the number of cases and the death rate low, and it has to be very vigilant against a second wave. If that second wave is going to happen here, it will not come from within. We have beaten Covid into the ground here. It is DOA. Thailand is one of the safest places on earth right now, in terms of Covid, in my opinion. But, it is raging throughout the world, and much care has to be taken to prevent it from slipping back in. 

 

Will nations be rated, depending on the number of cases, the number of deaths, how recent the curve flattened, etc? If so, it will be quite difficult to get in from the US (the most radioactive people in the world in terms of tourism in the near future) Spain, Russia, UK, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany, Turkey, Iran, India, Canada, and quite possibly China. The world leaders. In Covid. 

Edited May 17, 2020 by spidermike007

[visarunner]

On 5/14/2020 at 3:11 PM, DrJack54 said:

There won't be a source to Laos opening on the 18th May. Mainly because it isn't.

It will be very interesting to see how the opening of borders will happen in the future. Both sides need rules that can work. Thinking quarantine, medical etc won't work. 

As member posted above, my guess that initially it will be freed up for selective countries. Obviously China #1 on that list. 

USA,UK, ect nationals traveling from their home countries will be in for long wait to enter Thailand, especially without quarantine. 

Australia only today had one state announcing that despite country moving to relaxation of restrictions that its own borders are closed to any travel from other states (provience). 

Buckle up.

 

 

http://www.vientianetimes.org.la/freeContent/FreeConten_no_16.php a nice summary, no opening to the outside world.