Preparing to depart but not far - advice sought

[Jack Hna]

I am in prep mode and I cannot return to my home country it's just not a good option for me right now.

 

I am not thinking about how to re-enter thailand, I realise re-entering at present is very expensive so I am prepared to wait it out close by and pray for change to come. Reading the costs of re-entry made me actually consider the elite card. So I think waiting is the best option for up to 3 months. 

 

The question I have is where exactly can you go at present that is not so difficult?

 

Surely people have considered this and if so please share your ideas?

 

I would like to ask participants to keep this thread focussed on the exit options and create a useful space of options for all those who have come really stuck as a result of border closures.

 

 

 

 

[BritTim]

There is no nearby location you can go to wait. Further, you are being extremely optimistic if you think entering Thailand is going to be easy any time this year.

[Jack Hna]

Yeah I look on travelbans.org. I don't think it will be easy to enter but I am sure it will be easier as time goes by. 

 

 

[Jack Hna]

Bali reopening 11th September.

Source: Wego

[DrJack54]

2 hours ago, Jack Hna said:

Bali reopening 11th September.

Source: Wego

Actually no. In fact many AU in particular are in trouble and stuck there. Indonesia wants tourists out.

Think you can fly to Turkey without quarantine.

[Phillip9]

4 hours ago, Jack Hna said:

Bali reopening 11th September.

Source: Wego

They have recently said this will probably not happen in September.  In any case, it will only be for a select few countries and they haven’t mentioned Thailand among those.

 

The best nearby option is maldives, but you can only stay 30 days.  It’s very expensive but there are some incredible deals now.  And then onto Turkey or Tanzania.

 

Seychelles is also open and you can stay up to 90 days which can be extended up to one year.  It’s also very expensive and you will need insurance.

[Grusa]

Try the Samaritans!

[dsf9]

Bali isn't completely out the window, but they do require some country-wide leglisation or something or other to pass/lax to allow the Bali governor to proceed with the plan, which by the language is looking less likely - but like Thailand and knee jerk logic lacking reactions and changing directions on a whim - it's looking more improbably but certainly not impossible - maybe playing their cards close to their chest to rake in tourist $ whilst other SE asia countries drag their feet over the fear. 

 

Sri Lanka is another candidate but it looks like approved hotels (read: expensive due to corruption kickbacks) and multiple tests, this was meant to be 15th august but pushed back, I'd expect that before 26th September. 

 

There's a few places in Europe open but be careful with transit, Thailand may be on the green list but you transfer through some desert craphole you may be subject to quarantine if the transit place isn't on the greenlist. There's also Turkey, Ukraine, Albania etc..

 

https://www.traveloffpath.com/countries-reopening-their-borders-for-tourism-the-complete-list/

 

 

[JackThompson]

Nepal is scheduled for re-opening Sept 1st.  Might need PCR test - might be allowed coming from only certain countries - not yet clear. 

Edited August 19, 2020 by JackThompson

[AlfHuy]

Burkina Faso

[JackThompson]

9 minutes ago, AlfHuy said:

Burkina Faso

Africa has several options - also the Caribbean - but far away / very expensive flights.  Nepal is the best option I've seen, though tentative - is ahead (in my list) of the fall-back options, Turkey or E-Europe.  Some Euro-zone are open to some passport-holders (not me).  Also keeping an eye on Sri Lanka's policies.

Edited August 19, 2020 by JackThompson

[lazygourmet]

6 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Actually no. In fact many AU in particular are in trouble and stuck there. Indonesia wants tourists out.

Think you can fly to Turkey without quarantine.

Correct..

And Turkish lira is at its lowest level.

[TSF]

Stay put here in Thailand as long as you can. If you exit the country the door will slam shut behind you and it may well be 1-2-3 or more years until the average Joe Blow can easily enter again. 

[AlfHuy]

Participate in the buffalo supporting campaign and you get a special visa.

[JackThompson]

8 minutes ago, TSF said:

Stay put here in Thailand as long as you can. If you exit the country the door will slam shut behind you and it may well be 1-2-3 or more years until the average Joe Blow can easily enter again. 

Unfortunately, for many of us, immigration is foreclosing that option with their corruption/extortion practices - denying legit-extensions for those who clearly qualify.

 

Others earn less than the min 40K/mo required to stay with their Thai families - though are sole-supporters of those families (especially due to covid-lost jobs).  They formerly relied on Non-O "Visas" from the MFA to stay/support their families, with their 30K/mo or so (what many govt-pensions pay).  That income will now be used-up to live somewhere else, leaving those Thai-families destitute. 

 

Immigration do not care.  Overstay is not an option, so ... here we are.

[JackThompson]

2 minutes ago, AlfHuy said:

Participate in the buffalo supporting campaign and you get a special visa.

If you mean supporting a thai family - no - Immigration make that much more difficult/expensive to get than those on the 'retirement' option.

[gearbox]

6 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Actually no. In fact many AU in particular are in trouble and stuck there. Indonesia wants tourists out.

Think you can fly to Turkey without quarantine.

The winters in Turkey are too cold for me...

 

And I got this for Indonesia today in email:

 

Indonesia

Indonesia’s Directorate General of Immigration (DGI) will no longer automatically extend expired visas or stay permits under COVID-19 emergency arrangements. To confirm your stay permit's validity and renewal procedures, contact DGI before 20 September 2020. If you're outside Indonesia with an expired stay permit, contact both DGI and your nearest Indonesian embassy or consulate. Overstaying your permit may result in fines, detention and/or deportation. Flight options to Australia are very limited and may reduce further (See 'Travel').

COVID-19 is widespread in Indonesia with continuing transmission across the country. Domestic travel restrictions and social distancing measures are in place for many locations. Follow the advice of the local authorities and monitor media for the latest update.

We advise:

Do not travel to Indonesia, including Bali.

 

 

[gearbox]

1 hour ago, JackThompson said:

Nepal is scheduled for re-opening Sept 1st.  Might need PCR test - might be allowed coming from only certain countries - not yet clear. 

I've been a few times in Nepal...believe me, you don't want to get seriously sick there. Their covid cases are surging and I suspect very few tests are done there. I was also considering it but it looks too risky and if stuck there it would be a long wait.

I'm currently outside Thailand and also looking for a warm country to stay during the European winter.  So far nothing to look forward.

[JackThompson]

4 minutes ago, gearbox said:

I've been a few times in Nepal...believe me, you don't want to get seriously sick there. Their covid cases are surging and I suspect very few tests are done there. I was also considering it but it looks too risky and if stuck there it would be a long wait.

I'm currently outside Thailand and also looking for a warm country to stay during the European winter.  So far nothing to look forward.

Given my age and health-profile, I am more likely to die from a falling piano on a Bangkok sidewalk, than from covid.  I realize that others, with different age/health profiles, have a very different calculation/odds.
 

I haven't seen snow in years, and never minded it when I lived in it.  I stayed in Thailand for the culture/people -> wife, to spite the awful, hot/humid weather.  I can 'dress warm', but no way to deal with the heat here - forced aircon-indoors much of the time, as a result.  Snowy mountains would be a fantastic change of climate for me, personally - not so much for my Thai wife, though.

[Bangkok Barry]

11 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Snowy mountains would be a fantastic change of climate for me, personally - not so much for my Thai wife, though.

You might be surprised. Thais hate the hot weather as much as we do, and my wife loved her time in the snow when in Europe. Her sister is currently in Hungary and enjoyed the snow there last winter too.

[Fairynuff]

2 hours ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

400k on a bank could have you here forever (lol)

 

500k i gone in the garbage after 5 years

 

unless you have money to burn

Here we go again, just because you don’t want it doesn’t mean others shouldn’t consider it.

[tomazbodner]

Most of EU has Thailand on green list, which requires no quarantine on arrival, from what I've read in European media. Not sure whether it's wise to stay there over the winter though...

[Sheryl]

13 hours ago, BritTim said:

There is no nearby location you can go to wait. Further, you are being extremely optimistic if you think entering Thailand is going to be easy any time this year.

 

Actually IF you can get the Embassy to give you a business/general visa, you can go and wait in Cambodia. But there are conditions: insurance, COVID tests, initial quarantine and $2,000 refundable deposit on arrival to cover COVID tests, quarantine etc. And as there are no direct flights and the land border is closed, you might have to take an expensive flight routing.

 

I have no idea how readily they are issuing visas these days. They definitely are not issuing tourist visas, you would have to get an "E" visa. If you are over 50 you can then get a 6 or 12 month extension for retirement. https://cambodiaembassyinthailand.wordpress.com/consular-services/visa/e/

 

I would definitely not go anywhere on the assumption it is just for 3 months, it could easily be much. much longer.

[rumak]

12 hours ago, Jack Hna said:

Yeah I look on travelbans.org. I don't think it will be easy to enter but I am sure it will be easier as time goes by. 

 

 

yes..............but how much time ??????    no evidence that it will be soon.   And if just 2 people and

a chicken get the dreaded C ..... better find a new home

[kingofthemountain]

1 hour ago, gearbox said:

I've been a few times in Nepal...believe me, you don't want to get seriously sick there. Their covid cases are surging and I suspect very few tests are done there. I was also considering it but it looks too risky and if stuck there it would be a long wait.

I'm currently outside Thailand and also looking for a warm country to stay during the European winter.  So far nothing to look forward.

Maybe Greece (Islands), south of Italy (Sicily), south of Spain (Islands can

be an option, Baleares, Canaries) there are all EU countries without a hard winter

the cost of living is relatively low, nice food and wine, good medical infrastructures

and afaik no quarantine if you are coming from Thailand

Edited August 19, 2020 by kingofthemountain

[geisha]

15 hours ago, Jack Hna said:

Bali reopening 11th September.

Source: Wego

No, news yesterday was probably 2021 , being reviewed December.

[dsf9]

5 hours ago, kingofthemountain said:

Maybe Greece (Islands), south of Italy (Sicily), south of Spain (Islands can

be an option, Baleares, Canaries) there are all EU countries without a hard winter

the cost of living is relatively low, nice food and wine, good medical infrastructures

and afaik no quarantine if you are coming from Thailand

Don't forget transit points (if you get off and on another plane) are considered as part of quarantine waiver for most european countries - that means you can rule out Qatar Airways and some of the others. FinnAir is a viable option for most european destinations - it's somewhat a cross between a low cost carrier though and a normal carrier - one alcohol drink with meals, limited amenities etc.. but new planes

Edited August 19, 2020 by dsf9

[audaciousnomad]

Nothing's open nearby. Nearest for a Western passport would be Turkey.

[FlyingThai]

9 minutes ago, audaciousnomad said:

Nothing's open nearby. Nearest for a Western passport would be Turkey.

Maldives but that will be $$$ after a few weeks. And boring too.

[audaciousnomad]

 

1 minute ago, FlyingThai said:

Maldives but that will be $$$ after a few weeks. And boring too.

Yup. And also, less 'onward' options.  With Turkey, you can go onward to Croatia, Serbia, even UK as long as Turkey doesn't get added to the 'restricted' list like what happened to France.