4 hours ago, SchuetzRob said:

High risk vs low risk countries, I get it. But possible 'tourists' to Thailand have to quarantine 14 days before travel, do covid tests during this time, have to have a confirmation that they are not infected - and do the same procedure in Thailand. So why the differentiation between high- and low risk countries? 

Because a higher percentage of people from high-risk countries may turn out to have covid after arriving even though they tested negative before travelling compared to the people from low-risk countries. That may lead to more covid hospitalizations in Thailand and a higher burden for the hospitals.

2 hours ago, 5ilver said:

Yes I think we're all better off going direct with the embassies (if the option is available), I just don't see why one would want to pay an additional fee to Longstay Co. when so far they've not proven that they can add significant value to this process...

They can arrange flights. For instance, there are no flights I can book from Copenhagen to Phuket.

4 minutes ago, farang51 said:

Because a higher percentage of people from high-risk countries may turn out to have covid after arriving even though they tested negative before travelling compared to the people from low-risk countries. That may lead to more covid hospitalizations in Thailand and a higher burden for the hospitals.

When married to a Thai national or on a Non Imm O-A Visa, you can apply for the COE at the Embassy in your home-country.  Doesn't matter where it is low or high-risk.

The 'low-risk country' excuse is only applicable for the STV category (which will be quite limited anyway, because very few 'tourists' will want to start their holiday with a 14-day quarantaine).

It is once again an example of Thai (il)logic and not thought-through schemes, like the returning Thai citizens that do NOT need a covid-test before departure to Thailand.

58 minutes ago, treetops said:

Longstay don't appear to have the financial requirements which is an obstacle for some.

If applying via Longstay, and one would face less onerous requirements to apply in return for a fee - I think that makes sense. If not, I just can't see how going with Longstay is beneficial unless one has to use them to help charter a flight for your area which isn't serviced by the new approved semi-commercial flights.

22 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

When married to a Thai national or on a Non Imm O-A Visa, you can apply for the COE at the Embassy in your home-country.  Doesn't matter where it is low or high-risk.

The 'low-risk country' excuse is only applicable for the STV category (which will be quite limited anyway, because very few 'tourists' will want to start their holiday with a 14-day quarantaine).

It is once again an example of Thai (il)logic and not thought-through schemes, like the returning Thai citizens that do NOT need a covid-test before departure to Thailand.

I am usually not the first in line to defend the decisions of the Thai government; however, in this case, it makes perfect sense. The non-testing of Thai nationals is because a Thai has a right to enter his own country. The same goes for citizens of most countries in the world.

 

They have accepted the extra risk for more covid patients with certain visas; however, they decided not to that with the new STV. That, to me, is logic as they want to open up for more people with as little extra risk as possible.

 

 

 

30 minutes ago, 5ilver said:

If applying via Longstay, and one would face less onerous requirements to apply in return for a fee - I think that makes sense.

I got an e-mail yesterday from Longstay that they do not know all the requirements yet. However, I hope you are right that there will be different requirements compared to applying at the embassy.

 

The current listing at the Longstay website mentions health insurance, while the embassy in Denmark mentions health insurance from a Thai insurance company; the latter will be of no value to me because of deductions. That would mean that I would have to get an additional insurance policy from my usual insurance company.

11 minutes ago, farang51 said:

I am usually not the first in line to defend the decisions of the Thai government; however, in this case, it makes perfect sense. The non-testing of Thai nationals is because a Thai has a right to enter his own country. The same goes for citizens of most countries in the world.

...

Of course Thais have the right to enter their own country, but the waving of the requirement for Thai nationals to show a negative covid-test before embarking on the plane to Thailand (full of 'dirty farangs' that tested negative on such test) imo does not make 'perfect sense'.

13 minutes ago, farang51 said:

...

The current listing at the Longstay website mentions health insurance, while the embassy in Denmark mentions health insurance from a Thai insurance company; the latter will be of no value to me because of deductions. That would mean that I would have to get an additional insurance policy from my usual insurance company.

Yes, on the TGIA website, you will find the list of IO-approved insurers for the 400K/40K in/out patient coverage health-insurance requirement.

The TGIA website-page of approved Thai insurers to provide Non Imm O-A and STV compliant policies is identical, with the one difference that the link to the Foreign Insurance Certificate which can be used when applying for the Non imm O-A has been removed on the STV webpage!

This is DOUBLE strange as the Non Imm O-A is a 1-year Visa and the policies provided by those IO-approved Thai insurers are ANNUAL policies.  While the STV is limited to 3 months (can  be extended twice), which means that you would not be able to fully use that mandatory health-insurance policy.  A nice earner to force applicants to subscribe to an annual policy which they can only use for 3, 6 or 9 months...

 

32 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Of course Thais have the right to enter their own country, but the waving of the requirement for Thai nationals to show a negative covid-test before embarking on the plane to Thailand (full of 'dirty farangs' that tested negative on such test) imo does not make 'perfect sense'.

I agree regarding the mixing of Thai citizens and foreigners; that does not make sense.

21 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

No point. The SRV is a wet dream. At very best will be available only to Chinese. 

That group will not accept the ridiculous requirements. The handful that might will be scheduled onto repat flighs

The country that gave the whole world their virus is one of the "low rate" countries, and they may travel to Thailand while many others on real retirement visas with re-entry can not come?

 

The hot climate can't be the reason for the few infections in China; it's getting pretty cold there as well. What's wrong with the whole virus story that they don't tell us?

 

  That's insanity pure and if it makes Chinese people even more popular these days. 

32 minutes ago, teacherclaire said:

The hot climate can't be the reason for the few infections in China; it's getting pretty cold there as well. What's wrong with the whole virus story that they don't tell us?

It is very simple, and it is no secret; they contained the virus. The western countries and the countries in South America, where the virus is now rampant, even had much more time to react than the Chinese had. We may not have wanted to use the same effective measures that China used; however, we could have limited the virus considerably with earlier and more effective actions.

Edited October 20, 20205 yr by farang51

On 10/20/2020 at 9:21 AM, SchuetzRob said:

High risk vs low risk countries, I get it. But possible 'tourists' to Thailand have to quarantine 14 days before travel, do covid tests during this time, have to have a confirmation that they are not infected - and do the same procedure in Thailand. So why the differentiation between high- and low risk countries?

Because the high risk ones are..... riskier......

Who says they are in quarantine before they travel? Tests done outside of the country are not to be trusted.