SURVEY: Do you agree with the gov’t plan for the return of expats?

[pineapple01]

Just now, possum1931 said:

Wrong, no Thai or any other foreigner has to have any money in a bank account in my home country. Any foreigner living in Thailand is contributing to the countrys economy, in many cases taking families out of poverty, there is need to hammer them with draconian rules.

So Your Country is Thick,and Thailand is Clever Draconian Rules? do grow up Dear.They dont want Bums here,nothing more.

[DrPhibes]

14 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I feel you. 

This issue has trigged a desire for me to move my family to a country which values the family unit.

I have never expected to be privileged in Thailand or valued for the money I have spent there etc which is infinitesimally minute compared to the bigger picture, even if tens of thousands of expats leave because of this issue, there will be no noticeable dent in the Thai economy as a consequence. 

 

The issue for me is Thailand has failed to value peoples rights to return to their home. Some will argue that we are only guests, fair enough, we are, but we are guests who own cars, condo’s, have Wives and Children.

 

This issue has highlighted how Thailand can shut down at any point in the future and we cannot return home. A precedent has been set whereby families are separated. Thailand even shut out its own nationals over ‘fit to fly’ rules which were initiated quite quickly - hundreds of returning Thai’s were prevented from taking their return flights. 

 

I want to be able to travel to work (over seas) safe in the knowledge that I will be able to return home to my family even if there has been a second wave of Covid-19, or an outbreak of Flu, or another CoronaVirus.... or even if there is social unrest and the government decides to shut everything down.

 

Civilised nations have recognised human rights. Had my family been living in the UK and the situation been reversed, my Wife would not have been rejected entry into the UK. 

 

Now, some will use Thailand's low numbers as a measure of the success of this lockdown policy, however, I don’t believe this to be true. Thailand has just been very lucky that the weather (high UV) has had a significant impact in limiting the spread of the Virus, additionally, Thailand has a government which appears to have a vested interest in keeping the reported numbers low (when someone dies of Pneumonia, if they are not tested for Covid-19, then its not counted as a Covid-19 death, where as other countries, if someone dies from stage 4 cancer and also has Covid-19, its counted as a Covid-19 death). The US for example is employing more and more testing, so naturally it will report more Covid-19 cases, whereas Thailand which is not testing nationwide will not be recognising any new cases as they are only testing those people who are unwell. 

 

Thus, the lock down of Thailand is no longer about protecting the population, but to provide 'confirmation bias’ that the Politicians (Generals) have been making the right decisions - “Look at us, we saved you all from Covid-19”.... and “sorry we killed the economy, but it was for your own good” (and we don’t care because we are rich anyway and a loss of income doesn’t hurt us).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the US, it was never about beating the virus, it is about controlling the rate of infection to not overwhelm the hospitals.  The Thai gov. thinks in terms of not having infection.  That will never happen as long as there are asymptomatic carriers.  I'm going in tomorrow (here in the US as I am locked out of Thailand right now) to get a COVID antibody test for past infection.  May of last year, when I returned to Thailand after working, I was down for a month with respiratory infection that was not influenza A (negative test).  Could it be that there are low numbers in Thailand because of the fact that it has already went through the country or possibly "Don't test, don't tell"?  Will post results.

[Surasak]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

No, it's a survey posed by a member of the Thai Visa moderator team, no connection to the Thai government. Nothing more nothing less.

Sorry about that, I didn't realise I had left my laughing hat off..????

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, pineapple01 said:

So Your Country is Thick,and Thailand is Clever Draconian Rules? do grow up Dear.They dont want Bums here,nothing more.

Absolute rubbish Dear.

[pineapple01]

1 minute ago, possum1931 said:

Absolute rubbish Dear.

You keep playing your Fish or Guitar, and you will never have money to live the Life anywhere. Just finding fault with everything was something most gave up at 17. This is a great place to live for most of us. Be Happy Why Worry!

[Mr Meeseeks]

15 hours ago, Skeptic7 said:

Those with Marriage or Retirement extensions should be in a high priority category...much higher than simply 'anyone who wants to visit'. There are financial requirements and other responsibilities for those types of year-long extensions. Many of us, whether married or not, live there and have lives and families and responsibilities there. It seems rather easy. No clue why this should be so difficult to figure out. Of course have a mandatory quarantine and testing, all at the entrants expense, but for goodness sake...LET US COME HOME. 

Has it ever occurred to you that maybe they are trying to subtly tell you something?

 

If it were me I would be planning my exit strategy not banging louder on the door to get back in. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

13 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

I get so sick of this rubbish. You have temporary permission of stay. What the F does cars and condos have to do with it. What is you're current permission of stay and re-entry permit state.

I live in bkk 7+ year with same partner. Defacto. 

I would have zip chance to bring her to AU right now even if married. That's why I have  extension based on retirement.

Yup, in a nutshell.

 

To all those moaning and whinging about how much money they have spent in the country and not being allowed back in, you must have been repeatedly warned about investing in Thailand, given your temporary status here and other factors; political, economic and cultural?

 

You've only got yourself to blame for not doing your due diligence and buying stuff in a country where you have almost no rights whatsoever. 

 

Now that you are aware of this, what are you going to do about it?

[OneMoreFarang]

I think it's amazing that until now 33% or 73 people selected: No, I think they should simply open it to everyone who wants to visit.

 

Are you all outside of Thailand and you want to get in no matter what?

I understand that people want to get into Thailand. But I also understand that Thailand does not want lots of new infections. Currently life returns to normal - except from all the foreign tourists.

Imagine what would happen if only 100 infected tourists arrive and travel all over the country? Soon everything would be closed again, curfew, etc. Is this really something anybody wants?

 

Thailand did a fantastic job in containing the virus. Make sure it stays like that.

And if you need to see what can go wrong and what happens if incompetent people are in charge then look i.e. at the USA. Is that what we want in Thailand? Sure not!

[Pattaya46]

19 hours ago, possum1931 said:

When I wanted to come and stay in Thailand about 14 years ago and was told I would need 400.000 or 800,000 Bt in my bank account, although I could easily afford it, I would not have stayed, and just went somewhere else.

So you should complain to the Administration of Your country! It's Not as if Thai Immigration was refusing Embassy Income Letters, so unfair to complain against Thailand.

(Not the place to debate about that though. Many long threads on that already.)

Edited June 22, 2020 by Pattaya46

[Don Mega]

3 hours ago, Farmerkev said:

Why required to stay in quarantine? Once you've received a negative result for covid19 whilst in quaratine and then again with another test whats the reason for continuing with the quarantine?Surely after these tests if negative you should be allowed to get out

Those 2 New Zealand peeps that returned from the UK.

Went into quarantine, tested negative and then after 6 days allowed compassionate release to go visit a dying relative.........

 

they later tested positive.

[garyk]

7 hours ago, pineapple01 said:

So Your Country is Thick,and Thailand is Clever Draconian Rules? do grow up Dear.They dont want Bums here,nothing more

Hahaha

[richard_smith237]

9 hours ago, Don Mega said:

17 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I have permanent permission of stay (life long Thai Elite Visa), but thats beside the point which was Thailand has prevented entry to people who call Thailand home.

 

I thought that long term tourist visa had 5 yearly renewals ?

Valid point: SE Visa rentals every 5 years for life. Ultimately, permission to stay in Thailand for life, unless we are going to get semantic and petty, in which case it could be argued that any foreigner in Thailand is in Thailand with the approval of the government who can change their minds at any time. 

 

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

6 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I think it's amazing that until now 33% or 73 people selected: No, I think they should simply open it to everyone who wants to visit.

 

Are you all outside of Thailand and you want to get in no matter what?

I understand that people want to get into Thailand. But I also understand that Thailand does not want lots of new infections. Currently life returns to normal - except from all the foreign tourists.

Imagine what would happen if only 100 infected tourists arrive and travel all over the country? Soon everything would be closed again, curfew, etc. Is this really something anybody wants?

 

Thailand did a fantastic job in containing the virus. Make sure it stays like that.

And if you need to see what can go wrong and what happens if incompetent people are in charge then look i.e. at the USA. Is that what we want in Thailand? Sure not!

 

 

You write is if every returnee to Thailand will be bringing Covid-19 with them and cause an overwhelming wave of infection. 

 

People wishing to return to Thailand have to take a Covid-19 test. Of course there is a risk of the virus being carried back to Thailand but that risk is small.

 

Test international arrivals for Covid-19 on arrival. Quarantine them until the result is a available (24-48 hrs), or let them self isolate at home until test results are available. 

 

Have the Objectives of Lock-down changed????  What was the reason given for lock down (world wide)??? 

It was to ‘flatten the curve’ so that the Health Services were not overwhelmed. 

 

It seems Thailand is attempting to eradicate the virus from within its borders, which is flawed, as Thailand will have to open up at some point and there will be pockets of Covid-19 as ‘people’ slip through the gaps... Its just important that those who are sick can still get access to medical care (any illness, not just Covid-19) - the inevitable is just being delayed. 

 

 

Quote

Currently life returns to normal - except from all the foreign tourists.

Not really, not for the tourism industry and its employees. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 22, 2020 by richard_smith237

[Sheryl]

I have nto voted as no reasonable response option was provided.

 

E.g: continue to defer tourism until the global pandemic subsides, but allow people with non-tourist visas (all of them) to enter subject to 14 day quarantine.

 

The numbers aren't huge, especially given that the quarantine will deter some of them and most are already inside Thailand. 14 day quarantine should be more than adequate to pick up any COVID cases among them.

[richard_smith237]

10 hours ago, vinny41 said:

Q1. Who are exempt from the overseas arrival ban and can still enter Australia?

All overseas arrivals will be placed in hotel isolation for 14 days at the place of their arrival. For example, a Queensland resident arriving in Australia at the Melbourne Airport will be placed in isolation in a hotel in Melbourne upon their arrival.

https://www.natlawreview.com/article/covid-19-australia-covid-19-migration-faqs

 

Self Isolation in Australia is not an option according to this web site

 

You argued that you would ‘zip’ chance of bringing your Wife to Australia, even if Married. 

The Website shows you are wrong. 

 

  1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

I would have zip chance to bring her to AU right now even if married. That's why I have  extension based on retirement.

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

I have nto voted as no reasonable response option was provided.

 

E.g: continue to defer tourism until the global pandemic subsides, but allow people with non-tourist visas (all of them) to enter subject to 14 day quarantine.

 

The numbers aren't huge, especially given that the quarantine will deter some of them and most are already inside Thailand. 14 day quarantine should be more than adequate to pick up any COVID cases among them.

 

With your medical knowledge I’m interested your opinion regarding ‘Testing on Arrival’.... 

 

Could it be possible to have a Covid-19 test upon arrival at the Airport and await a test results within a reasonable time frame? (20 mins)

 

Or, test results take a couple of days - quarantine for those days until results are available, which means people may only need to be quarantined for a day or two instead of 2 weeks. 

 

How long between exposure to the Virus and testing positive?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

48 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

 

You write is if every returnee to Thailand will be bringing Covid-19 with them and cause an overwhelming wave of infection. 

 

People wishing to return to Thailand have to take a Covid-19 test. Of course there is a risk of the virus being carried back to Thailand but that risk is small.

 

Test international arrivals for Covid-19 on arrival. Quarantine them until the result is a available (24-48 hrs), or let them self isolate at home until test results are available. 

 

Have the Objectives of Lock-down changed????  What was the reason given for lock down (world wide)??? 

It was to ‘flatten the curve’ so that the Health Services were not overwhelmed. 

 

It seems Thailand is attempting to eradicate the virus from within its borders, which is flawed, as Thailand will have to open up at some point and there will be pockets of Covid-19 as ‘people’ slip through the gaps... Its just important that those who are sick can still get access to medical care (any illness, not just Covid-19) - the inevitable is just being delayed. 

 

 

Not really, not for the tourism industry and its employees. 

Thanks for your reply.

 

I criticized "No, I think they should simply open it to everyone who wants to visit."

That option does not include, at least not visibly, any checks and/or quarantine. With checks and possible quarantine it's obviously ok to let people in - like now but on a bigger scale.

 

I think Thailand was and is successful in the fight against Covid because we never had many cases in Thailand. I am not so sure Thailand could handle many thousand of infected people who need hospital treatment at the same time.

 

Tourism is active in Thailand but currently no international tourism. Sure, those international tourists bring money. I think the big question is how much money do they bring compared to how much risk. Personally I think it's better to err on the low risk side. At some stage there will be a vaccine. I guess mass tourism, especially from high risk countries, has to wait a little longer to make sure Thailand won't become one of those Covid problem countries.

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

With your medical knowledge I’m interested your opinion regarding ‘Testing on Arrival’.... 

 

Could it be possible to have a Covid-19 test upon arrival at the Airport and await a test results within a reasonable time frame? (20 mins)

 

Or, test results take a couple of days - quarantine for those days until results are available, which means people may only need to be quarantined for a day or two instead of 2 weeks. 

 

How long between exposure to the Virus and testing positive?

 

 

 

 

 

 

How long it takes depends on type of test they use and where it is performed, anywhere from several hours to several days. And in any case the gap between initial exposure and testing positive can be as long as 14 days, hence the 14 day quarantine.

[RichardColeman]

On 6/21/2020 at 9:06 AM, Bender Rodriguez said:

58 people died, is there a site with statistics about their age, gender, chronic diseases they had before entering the hospital ?

Seems daft to even look at it when compared to 30,000 deaths on the road 

[vermin on arrival]

8 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I think it's amazing that until now 33% or 73 people selected: No, I think they should simply open it to everyone who wants to visit.

 

Are you all outside of Thailand and you want to get in no matter what?

I understand that people want to get into Thailand. But I also understand that Thailand does not want lots of new infections. Currently life returns to normal - except from all the foreign tourists.

Imagine what would happen if only 100 infected tourists arrive and travel all over the country? Soon everything would be closed again, curfew, etc. Is this really something anybody wants?

 

Thailand did a fantastic job in containing the virus. Make sure it stays like that.

And if you need to see what can go wrong and what happens if incompetent people are in charge then look i.e. at the USA. Is that what we want in Thailand? Sure not!

Really I wanted a different kind of no vote with a more nuanced set of qualifications for entry such as travel bubbles based on risk of country, etc. No vote fit my opinion so I just threw that one on.

[Mulambana]

Whatever, the government does it won't satisfy bride seekers, origy seekers and cheap living losers who can neither find a bride or live in their own country with their meager incomes. 

[hotandsticky]

5 minutes ago, Mulambana said:

Whatever, the government does it won't satisfy bride seekers, orgy seekers and cheap living losers who can neither find a bride or live in their own country with their meager incomes. 

 

 

Sounds like the bitter voice of someone who has been burned in Thailand.

 

 

Cheap Charlie lives matter !!

 

 

 

[colinneil]

6 minutes ago, Mulambana said:

Whatever, the government does it won't satisfy bride seekers, origy seekers and cheap living losers who can neither find a bride or live in their own country with their meager incomes. 

Having a bad day dear?????

[faraday]

51 minutes ago, Mulambana said:

Whatever, the government does it won't satisfy bride seekers, origy seekers and cheap living losers who can neither find a bride or live in their own country with their meager incomes. 

Can you please be a bit more direct, as I didn't quite understand?

 

 

[transam]

57 minutes ago, Mulambana said:

Whatever, the government does it won't satisfy bride seekers, origy seekers and cheap living losers who can neither find a bride or live in their own country with their meager incomes. 

Tell us your story......????

[racket]

On 6/21/2020 at 2:44 PM, TrevorC said:

There should be an option to self isolate for those who have accommodation.

True, but how do you monitor someone from not leaving his/her home? We are simply asking for authorities to spy, not good.

[vermin on arrival]

1 hour ago, racket said:

True, but how do you monitor someone from not leaving his/her home? We are simply asking for authorities to spy, not good.

You have quarantine workers who come to their houses everyday to monitor them (maybe stopping by a couple of times a day). Provides jobs for people in the bad economy and allows people to quarantine at home. Probably make them download an app to track the phone. Of course, people can leave phone at home. Maybe call multiple times a day to have them answer to be sure they are there. Levy fines on people who violate it.

[UKresonant]

The Virus shall not know how the person has been categorized, in someones mind.

 

Someone using a tourist visa next visit, because they no longer can get a non-O ME in home country, and visiting for 59 Days rather than say 62 Days as previous custom and practice, will present a proportionally lower risk ????.....