Special Tourist Visa: Good news for Scandinavians and Aussies/New Zealanders

[mvdf]

15 hours ago, Lupusthai said:

I can agree to include Finland, Australia and New Zealand.

But why Sweden and Norway?

(included UK and Germany for comparison)

 

Because, as an Asian myself, I would rather have a million Europeans, Aussies and Kiwis as visitors, than even one American. 

 

Edited September 21, 2020 by mvdf

[kiwikeith]

14 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

So they make an anouncement about "Special Tourist Visa" and when the details are released it appears that the hoops and hurdles will be far too great for almost anyone to benefit. i.e. from a country where no covid cases for 28 days, 14 day quarantine, 72 hour advance covid test, $100,000 covid insurance, take a (likely expensive) charter flight with THAI Airways. Even if Aussies and Kiwis can leave their countries chances are they won't be able to return home until late 2021 (AUS) or 2022 (NZ) based on current specualtion of those countries relaxing entry requirements. So really in effect it seems that this non-sense anouncement of a "special tourist visa" is so special that, like the Phuket model, it will fall completely flat when they realise that it will be unworkable and not even attract the miniscule numbers of intended capacity. Also, if you are intending to use it as a route to come back and "live" in Thailand, will the STV be convertible to Non-O marriage or retirement visas for those qualifying? I very much doubt it. Sooner or later countries are going to have to realise that this shutdown of travel will ruin their economies completely for decades. Probably already the case.

If you're returning expat with a current 12 month visa you may be able use it, will phone embassy today. So maybe returning expats can boost the flight numbers. 

 

Other than that the waiting list is 2300 already, made-up of 750 Chinese requiring medical treatment and the rest from Japan and Arab countries also needing to have medical treatment, so this scheme is a hospital tour which now needs the numbers boosted to make flights feasible, I hope it helps stranded expats return as that will be a start to boost the economy 

[geriatrickid]

3 hours ago, Trujillo said:

"Last week (as of Sept 9th), the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control confirmed Sweden’s drop in infection rate, with only 12 cases per million, compared to 18 in neighboring Denmark and 14 in nearby Norway.

"The figures also show that out of 2,500 randomly selected and tested people in Sweden, none tested positive, compared to 0.9 percent positive in April, and 0.3 percent in May.

'We interpret this as meaning there is not currently a widespread infection among people who do not have symptoms,' said Karin Tegmark, deputy head of the Public Health Agency of Sweden.

When compared to the rest of Europe, Sweden’s death rate sits somewhere in the middle. However, officials are confident that playing the long game will see this improve drastically."

 

sweden-close-to-victory-over-coronavirus-never-had-a-lockdown-or-mask-mandate

Your post relies on stale data. In plain language it is out of date. The article is September 8. The data it uses for a period of 2 weeks prior. We are a month after the fact.  One must look at the current trend and there are questions of reliability. This does not mean that Sweden has not posted positive news, just that the data is not accurate for today.

The current trend is an increase in the number of infections. This is a reflection of the end of summer vacation and the return to school of children.  Definitive conclusions cannot be made until October.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 21, 2020 by geriatrickid

[maqui]

12 hours ago, Rockhound said:

Sweden is the first country to put CV-19 behind them.  Give me the name of any one of the 200 or so countries in the world which imposed lockdowns which can say that it was successful?

So Sweden vanquished Covid by - doing nothing? Other countries prolongated the pandemic by masks and social distancing? How did that work: the virus saw that the Swedes just rolled over presenting their soft underbellies, and it thought: "Boring! Let´s make a trip to the UK, where they will at least try to come up with some half-hearted counter-measures. I'm loving it when they act coyly before they spread their trachea for me."

[LeoCesar]

14 day quarantine selected by the maffia gov, be subject to tracing...

Dream on...

[Marco100]

Great Good News ????????????

What are they so afraid about ?

You got to have a CV certificate to board what ever plane who flies to Bangkok ( why charters??? ) . You have do undergo 14 days quarantine in Gov. Licensed Hotel . Take a CV test at arrival . Take other 2 CV test during quarantine at Hotel . So' let people with any visa come back , Retirement Visas , Tourist Visa , Whatever Visa as who undergoes this program what risk can cause after quarantine and all testing ? 0.001% ? 

Don't get it . Why be selective when you let Thai Citizen reimpatriate with 14 days quarantine from where ever ?

????????????????????????????????

[vermin on arrival]

5 hours ago, farang51 said:

OK, so now you accept that they do not have herd immunity. You do realize that people are still dying from the virus in Sweden?

 

I eagerly await for where you will move the goalposts to in your next answer.

Deaths are in single digits, which is sad, but really not a big deal. They are currently in a very good situation. Cases mean little since they are mild and help continue to bring about general immunity. This fear about having any infections is absurd. You just need to bubble wrap the elderly. Next winter they will also be in a very good situation.

 

It's all about hospitalizations, ICU and death and Sweden has that completely under control now. There are 15 in serious condition in the whole country of 10 million which is pretty much nothing to be concerned about.

[GeilGeilertzen]

16 hours ago, Sharp said:

Covid-19 insurance and tracking app people would probably accept but 2 weeks quarantine that's a tricky sell to say the least!!

Plus the needless scaremongering needs to stop from all MSM and alike. 

People for sure are different. I’d be ok 2 weeks in a nice resort.  But a tracing app, no way I would ever surrender to that! 
I am never giving any authorities that to abuse. Never. 
 

[farang51]

15 minutes ago, Marco100 said:

You got to have a CV certificate to board what ever plane who flies to Bangkok ( why charters??? )

Because there aren't many scheduled flights at the moment. A charter flight is simply a rented plane - it may be more expensive than a scheduled flight; however, it often is cheaper.

 

16 minutes ago, Marco100 said:

Take a CV test at arrival . Take other 2 CV test during quarantine at Hotel . So' let people with any visa come back , Retirement Visas , Tourist Visa , Whatever Visa as who undergoes this program what risk can cause after quarantine and all testing ? 0.001% ? 

If you get too many visitors with the virus, you risk overwhelming the health care system. They start with a few people from a few countries and if everything goes well, they can allow more people and from more countries.

 

17 minutes ago, Marco100 said:

Don't get it . Why be selective when you let Thai Citizen reimpatriate with 14 days quarantine from where ever ?

Usually, citizens of a country are always allowed to return to their own country. In many countries it is a right written in the constitution - I believe it is in the Thai constitution as well. Yes, we have seen countries deny entry for their own citizens, especially during the early days of the corona crises; typically, that has been against the constitution.

[jerolamo]

Good news for Guadeloupe, Mali, Botswana, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Sierra-Leone, Yemen, Uruguay, Burkina Faso, Togo, French Polynesia, Comoros, Mauritius, Cambodia, Laos (who has only 23 cases from the very first start of this story...), and all the countries who doesn't test much as Thailand COVID.

Why don't they open also for them who have better result than them ?

 

It is fantastic how stupid all of this is. And much more that they don't understand that almost 90% of the people understand what's happening in reality. It will stay in the history for long.

 

look babies: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

Edited September 21, 2020 by jerolamo

[ChakaKhan]

16 hours ago, redwood1 said:

Sir please dont bring up this point .......It makes the mask wearing sheep uncomfortable.....

Dont forget the NON mask wearers..aka MAGA...such patriotic sheep/ cult ????  

Edited September 21, 2020 by ChakaKhan

[geriatrickid]

12 hours ago, Rockhound said:

Sweden is the first country to put CV-19 behind them.  Give me the name of any one of the 200 or so countries in the world which imposed lockdowns which can say that it was successful?

Sweden has not put Covid19 behind it. Hundreds of people are still falling ill every day.

The use of the term lockdown is misleading. The invention of facts by many on this forum is incredible.  One of the biggest misrepresentations repeated is that Sweden had fewer risk mitigation measures in place.  On the contrary, Sweden has had, and continues to have strict control measures in place. Many of the measures are similar to other countries. The difference is that they are self imposed,  and self regulated with a population which has for the most part complied.  Sweden and other successful countries like Poland have maintained three key risk mitigation measures that those with a problem have not. 

 

1. General population stay at home recommendation still in place.

2. At risk population stay at home recommendation still in place

3. Public space closures still in effect.

These are in addition to ongoing teleworking recommendations /workspace closures  and have kept the adult population from circulating in large numbers, minimizing exposure to at risk groups.

 

Countries with a problem like France, UK, Canada, Australia etc.

1. Dropped the general population stay at home recommendations 

2. Dropped the at risk population stay at home recommendations

3. Opened  public space. (The UK does not enforce the closure.)

 

The countries also loosened  teleworking recommendations. The UK and went even further, telling people to go back to the office. Canadians were told it was safe to go back to the office subject to a lower head count. In the UK and Canada we have seen students gathering in the hundreds in parks and at  packed bars with the result that there are multiple outbreaks in many large cities. 

 

There are some things Sweden did right and better than other countries and that was compliance, and  respecting the stay at home guidelines. The Swedes engaged in responsible social distancing, which is why a mask would not be as helpful as it would be in a big congested city country like the UK.  Canada has had a chronic problem with non compliance; whether it is a packed beach in BC or a 500 vehicle car gathering last weekend in Hamilton. The UK has to  contend with idiot ravers and religious nutters who believe that the social distancing does not apply to them.

 

Look at the risk mitigation measures in effect and it is clear that Sweden is not a wide open country. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[samsensam]

15 minutes ago, GeilGeilertzen said:

People for sure are different. I’d be ok 2 weeks in a nice resort.  But a tracing app, no way I would ever surrender to that! 
I am never giving any authorities that to abuse. Never. 
 

 

 

haha, if being tracked worries you and you own a mobile phone you need to get rid of it now because you can be very easily tracked. you do understand how mobile phones work?!

[jerolamo]

2 minutes ago, farang51 said:

Because there aren't many scheduled flights at the moment. A charter flight is simply a rented plane - it may be more expensive than a scheduled flight; however, it often is cheaper.

 

If you get too many visitors with the virus, you risk overwhelming the health care system. They start with a few people from a few countries and if everything goes well, they can allow more people and from more countries.

 

Usually, citizens of a country are always allowed to return to their own country. In many countries it is a right written in the constitution - I believe it is in the Thai constitution as well. Yes, we have seen countries deny entry for their own citizens, especially during the early days of the corona crises; typically, that has been against the constitution.

Do you have a brain ? If yes, please start to use it.

[farang51]

9 minutes ago, jerolamo said:

Do you have a brain ? If yes, please start to use it.

You could start with a good example by argueing what you disagree with and why.

Edited September 21, 2020 by farang51
Spelling error

[Redline]

Are COVID girls available?

[hioctane]

This is utter ????! Isn't the point of quarantine to make sure you are not infected? 

[kiwikeith]

1 hour ago, LeoCesar said:

14 day quarantine selected by the maffia gov, be subject to tracing...

Dream on...

WEll, Dream on the uninformed, this is standard practice in most countries, including China, Singapore, Aust, NZ and heaps more, not only that ,if you leave your home country voluntarily you have to pay for quarantine on return, so nothing stupid here from the Thai Government.

However, in a list of requirements to enter under this new scheme, overseas media state

 

14 day quarantine on arrival.

C19 Neg test result no longer than 72 hrs b4 dept.

2 negative tests while in quarantine

Proof of funds in the Bank.

Proof that you have not associated with large crowds in the last six weeks

Medical insurance cover for US100k

Proof of pre-paid quarantine b4 tickets can be issued

Visa.

Submit to Thai Embassy

 

Go on waiting list for flight, at present Thailand has approx 2300 on the new visa waiting list, they are made up of 750 from China and the rest from Japan and Arab countries --- all passengers waiting on the list are wanting to have Medical Treatment, so this scheme looks now like a private hospital economic recovery package that now has been brainstormed to include other low risk countries to get enough to fill some planes.

 

If they let expats and repatriation people on board as well the proposed flights may full up, not a show in hell without .

 

 

At present, Thai airways informed me by phone directly with them in Bangkok-- NO flights scheduled until November and these are not certain and subject to cancellation.

Singapore air informed me -- can fly AKL to Singapore, but no connecting to BK , BK is closed from singapore until November or possibly December, but no guarantees.

Upon entering Singapore 14 days quarantine .

 

[FarFlungFalang]

7 hours ago, samsensam said:

 

so they reckon on average each tourist wull

 

so they reckon these tourists are going to spend, on average, 1 million baht per month? good luck with that.

You seem to be forgetting all the hidden charges,scams,ripoffs and fees hidden in the plan.Not to mention the lack of a guarantee that they can go home in the event of another lockdown from a second wave.

[jabis]

I Know I'd rather go thru a literal snakepit, but I'll certainly cheer for anyone willing to have a holiday thru this one

[Farangstyle]

Great news.

So finally I will be able to re enter Thailand to come home to be with the wife for the first time in over 7 months !

Now can someone please have a chat to the cake eaters in Canberra so they allow me to leave Australia.

Much appreciated !

[Kohkah]

20 hours ago, Logosone said:

So Sweden among the most successful countries in containing Covid19, now considered for special visas.

 

No masks, no lockdown. 

 

How did the Swedes do it? Oh that's right, no masks, no lockdown.

Yes Sweden is very successful only 5865 deaths, and 88'237 infected.
Norway 267 death, and 12'645 infected
Finland 339 death, and 8'980 infected

[rumak]

19 hours ago, Logosone said:

Only 1.2 per cent of Sweden's 120,000 tests last week came back positive, data from their national health agency shows, according to The Guardian, that's why.

 

Their 14-day accumulative total of new cases is 22.2 for every 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 279 in Spain, 158.5 in France, 118 in the Czech Republic, 77 in Belgium and 59 in the UK.

 

All those countries imposed lockdowns in the grips of the pandemic in March but Sweden opted for a lighter approach which now appears to be paying off. 

 

It is even outperforming its Scandinavian neighbours, Norway and Denmark, suggesting the Swedish approach may have helped them in the long term. 

 

Amazing how the countries with the strictest lockdowns and mandatory masks have the highest case numbers, whereas Sweden, with no masks and no mandatory lockdown, does not.

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8736063/Sweden-records-lowest-number-covid-cases-March-108-did-not-impose-lockdown.html

 

I'm waiting for all the fervent maskers and lockdown guys (and gals) to post " uhhhh,  maybe there

was another way to handle this feardemic "  

HA !   never gonna happen !       loss of face, and all......... farang style

 

[rumak]

19 minutes ago, Kohkah said:

Yes Sweden is very successful only 5865 deaths, and 88'237 infected.

how about comparing it to some other countries.     and,  now they are through the worst of it, no?

 

the rest of the countries, no matter what they do,  just seem to keep getting more and more cases.

maybe it needs to run its course....?      with harsh lockdowns/ restrictions      or without.

without seems to have worked a lot faster

 

[Estrada]

21 hours ago, Logosone said:

So Sweden among the most successful countries in containing Covid19, now considered for special visas.

 

No masks, no lockdown. 

 

How did the Swedes do it? Oh that's right, no masks, no lockdown.

Sweden has a population of only 10 Million, with 5,865 deaths and 88,237 infections. The largest city has less than 1 Million people. The country is 3 times the size of the UK or Thailand so it is no comparison to Thailand or the UK with >70 Million population and 1/3rd the size in land mass. Contrary to right wing propaganda, the Swedes followed strict guidelines on social distancing, wore masks where necessary and sheltered at home as much as possible. Having said that, if Sweden had a population of 70 Million then its' deaths equate to 41,055 and infections of 617,655, worse than the UK and Thailand. The problem with COVID-19 is that many of those who have been infected will have long term health issues, which is why the Swedish Health Minister is not so happy with the results.

 

Edited September 22, 2020 by Estrada

[holy cow cm]

7 hours ago, honcho said:

while your smart phone is on google can listen to all thats said nearby.... i was talking rugby with an american who is not a rugby fan.... ten minutes later he was getting ads from google re rugby... listening

That’s what I have heard. No pun intended. Even if switched off it retails power so we can be tracked. 

[aussiexpat]

1 hour ago, Farangstyle said:

Great news.

So finally I will be able to re enter Thailand to come home to be with the wife for the first time in over 7 months !

Now can someone please have a chat to the cake eaters in Canberra so they allow me to leave Australia.

Much appreciated !

I've been in contact with my federal member of Parliament who pointed out that I can obtain an exemption if "I have a compelling reason and will remain outside Australia for more than 3 months". He said showing proof of owning a condo and showing previous travel to Thailand (6 months per year) should be enough evidence.

 

In your case, I'm pretty sure seeing your Wife in Thailand satisfies the compelling reason. 

 

Its documented in the "outwards travel restrictions operative directive" document at bottom of link

https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/leaving-australia#toc-1

Edited September 22, 2020 by aussiexpat

[Mywayboy]

Happy I came back to Australia in October 2019 .After 5 years in Thailand completely over all the B S.

[madmen]

2 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

I've been in contact with my federal member of Parliament who pointed out that I can obtain an exemption if "I have a compelling reason and will remain outside Australia for more than 3 months". He said showing proof of owning a condo and showing previous travel to Thailand (6 months per year) should be enough evidence.

 

In your case, I'm pretty sure seeing your Wife in Thailand satisfies the compelling reason. 

Great info as I satisfy those requirements. Was getting a bit worried what would happen after my medical treatments finish around January as after hearing the ceo of air new Zealand saying that there will be no bubble or flights to Australia until at least mid 2021 or possibly longer. If those 2 can't create a corridor then  things are looking grim for trapped expats 

[hotchilli]

22 hours ago, Logosone said:

So Sweden among the most successful countries in containing Covid19, now considered for special visas.

 

No masks, no lockdown. 

 

How did the Swedes do it? Oh that's right, no masks, no lockdown.

And he thinks that after no lockdown at home they're going to come here for 2 weeks in quarantine learning how to make pizza and do yoga?

The guys disillusion.