International flights to Thailand won't resume until September, says aviation authority

[rooster59]

International flights to Thailand won't resume until September, says aviation authority

 

Image: Thai Rath

 

Thailand Civil Aviation Authority (CAAT) has said it will be September before international flights to and from the country resume.

 

Even then manager Jula Sukhmanop said it would only be a minimal service if airlines offer one at all. 

 

He was speaking after the CAAT met with Thai and foreign airlines to discuss the way forward after Thai airspace is expected to be fully opened and further restrictions eased. 

 

Jula said much of the uncertainty comes because the Thai government and other governments around the world are yet to make up their minds about their regulations when it comes to the industry and matters such as quarantine. 

 

Airlines are reluctant to resume operations before they get clear guidance. 

 

Jula also said that even if airlines do start it will not be before September of this year and only then at a fraction of full capacity. 

 

He expects most flying in Thailand to be on domestic routes, not international.

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

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[DrJack54]

Geezus. Glad I'm not stuck out..

Feel bad for guys stuck outside.

 

[Misterwhisper]

Perhaps I should consider renting a container on a freighter to visit my family back in the "old country to arrive right in time for Christmas.

[Keyser Soze666]

15 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Geezus. Glad I'm not stuck out..

Feel bad for guys stuck outside.

 

Why, what are they missing??

[DrJack54]

Just now, Keyser Soze666 said:

Why, what are they missing??

Perhaps family.

[cardinalblue]

I thought ones with Thai family members will be given an exception to enter following strict protocol 

[Keyser Soze666]

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Perhaps family.

Perhaps, perhaps not. 

[Justgrazing]

Will T A's proposed " rehabilitation " be affected by this .. very uncertain times for the Aviation industry full stop .. and for the tourist industry in Thailand who have been banking on some sort of restart judging by some of the statements being made .. 

[ThailandRyan]

14 minutes ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

Why, what are they missing??

There homes and family here.  It has been hard for guys that left for work off-shore to get back here to there home and families, as well as those who had to return either to the UK, Europe, or the US for work or out of necessity.  Glad I did not leave in February, as I would also be stuck out and my family here would be separated from myself just as well.  Some folks might think its funny but having been separated from the family before it is not fun and is stressful on all.

[NanLaew]

16 minutes ago, cardinalblue said:

I thought ones with Thai family members will be given an exception to enter following strict protocol 

The overseas Thai embassies and consulates are already accepting applications from foreigners with Thai spouses to re-enter Thailand with exactly the same criteria as WP holders.

[skorp13]

In other words at least hundreds of thousands if not millions will still be out of work with no government relief, i'm sure they are jumping for joy at the news ????

[Keyser Soze666]

6 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

The overseas Thai embassies and consulates are already accepting applications from foreigners with Thai spouses to re-enter Thailand with exactly the same criteria as WP holders.

Sounded a bit vague though didn't it.

 

What if you are only married 'Thai style' would that count?

 

What if you have children but not married?

[ThailandRyan]

11 minutes ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

Pure speculation. We don't know for sure about 'guys' outside and each ones situation, do we.  If any are genuinely stuck, they had plenty of time to come back when it was obvious that the borders were going to be closed at some point, so why didn't they?? And please don't list a load of weak excuses, if they were that worried they would have come back, end of story,

You forgot to add "If your looking for Sympathy, you'll find it between <deleted> and Syphilis in the Dictionary"  pretty much sums it up I think from reading your reply, but then what do I know. 

[Pattaya46]

10 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

The overseas Thai embassies and consulates are already accepting applications from foreigners with Thai spouses to re-enter Thailand with exactly the same criteria as WP holders.

Uh? You must be lucky. This doesn't happen at the Thai embassy in Paris! In fact a WP is not even a guaranty for return at that embassy. Many people being refused with this embassy deciding that their job is not an "essential job"... ????

[Bluetongue]

Second time this week for this story

 

[Phaser]

The Thai economy is devastated but opening the borders allowing COVID to come back could also result in further harm. Need a vaccine - absent that this may be the new normal. I am scheduled to fly to the US in Sept for 5 weeks, not get sick, and then get back home to Thailand - even with my Thai passport this may be a challenge. 

[SaamBaht]

This is confusing as they just said foreigners with spouses in country can come back in. Strange. 

[vinny41]

16 minutes ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

Sounded a bit vague though didn't it.

 

What if you are only married 'Thai style' would that count?

 

What if you have children but not married?

Not vague, Contact the Thai embassy They will ask you for a updated copy of your Khor ror 2 

[PMinThailand]

This is called "management by abdication". When you do not know how to deal with a problem, just ignore it and keep the airport closed!

[JCP108]

This is a bummer. I must travel to the U.S. from Thailand, soon, for family matters. My Thai wife is several months away from getting her marriage visa esp since the U.S. has slowed/stopped that process. So, I'm going to be stuck in the U.S. That bogus fit to fly certificate is going to be impossible to get in the U.S., anyway. 

[vermin on arrival]

So no travel bubbles

[spiekerjozef]

27 minutes ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

Sounded a bit vague though didn't it.

 

What if you are only married 'Thai style' would that count?

 

What if you have children but not married?

What if you have children but not from your wife?

[NanLaew]

43 minutes ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

Pure speculation. We don't know for sure about 'guys' outside and each ones situation, do we.  If any are genuinely stuck, they had plenty of time to come back when it was obvious that the borders were going to be closed at some point, so why didn't they?? And please don't list a load of weak excuses, if they were that worried they would have come back, end of story,

So you don't figure that many are "genuinely stuck"? When was it "obvious that the borders were going to be closed at some point"?

 

In Q1, I was working offshore Africa and then took a short UK vacation upon my demobilization. In early March, there was no evidence of any countries completely closing their borders, only limitations on, or scrutiny of flights and pax originating from China. I made it back into Thailand on 6 March but within 9 days (5 consular working days), Vietnam stopped issuing visas UNANNOUNCED and then closed their borders. Around 19 March, Thai embassies and consulates stopped issuing visas unless one had a Covid-19 health certificate UNANNOUNCED. They started closing borders around 23 March UNANNOUNCED and then zipped it all up when they called the SoE on 25 March UNANNOUNCED. In layman's terms, the stuff hit the fan in March and not a whole lot of warnings were issued by anyone.

 

The guys that took over offshore Africa included some guys from Thailand and they have become "genuinely stuck" on the vessel after it transited to work in the North Sea. Of course they were worried but they had work to do and food needed putting on the table. BTW, you can't just say "I want to go home now" and flag down a passing helicopter.

 

Right now, there's an estimated 450,000 mariners who are "genuinely stuck" on boats and ships all around the world because of border closures, quarantine regulations and lack of flights. In my particular industry, there's probably several hundred guys that have completed their assignments, have disembarked and are now holed up in a hotel in a country that may not have consular services for their home or chosen destination and have no easy flight options either.

[SODS]

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

The overseas Thai embassies and consulates are already accepting applications from foreigners with Thai spouses to re-enter Thailand with exactly the same criteria as WP holders.

UK Embassy link?

[i84teen]

u really mean flights will resume after the court decides on Thai airways bankruptcy claim on AUG 18.

[NanLaew]

6 minutes ago, SODS said:

45 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

The overseas Thai embassies and consulates are already accepting applications from foreigners with Thai spouses to re-enter Thailand with exactly the same criteria as WP holders.

UK Embassy link?

Nothing to do with UK embassies. Foreigners with a Thai spouse wishing to be considered for re-entry to Thailand need to contact their nearest Thai Embassy or Consulate.

[spiekerjozef]

12 minutes ago, vermin on arrival said:

So no travel bubbles

They can come, there are just no flights.

A boat perhaps...

[i84teen]

6 minutes ago, spiekerjozef said:

They can come, there are just no flights.

A boat perhaps...

yeah, just go hire yourself a long tail boat loaded with beer and chicken and rock on.

[verticalift]

Employed as a Helicopter Pilot flying to the offshore rigs in Abu Dhabi, I’ve been unable to get back home to Phuket since early March... despite having a 10yr O-X VISA, Thai I.D. Card and Yellow Book Tambian Baan with my name in it. None of it matters. If I can get back home to Phuket in October, great. I’ll submit my resignation here in Abu Dhabi and burn my suitcases. Int’l travel for the next 5 yrs will be too painful.

[NanLaew]

45 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

59 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

The overseas Thai embassies and consulates are already accepting applications from foreigners with Thai spouses to re-enter Thailand with exactly the same criteria as WP holders.

Uh? You must be lucky. This doesn't happen at the Thai embassy in Paris! In fact a WP is not even a guaranty for return at that embassy. Many people being refused with this embassy deciding that their job is not an "essential job"...

A British guy in the same line of work as myself with has been "genuinely stuck" on the beach in Brunei after completing his work assignment there. Having a Thai spouse back here, he's already been in contact with the Thai embassy and working on his repatriation. Right now he has flight options between 19 and 48 hours long with the best shot via Warsaw next week. It isn't easy but it is possible.