Anutin in Samui: PM has told us to get ready for foreign tourists

[webfact]

Anutin in Samui: PM has told us to get ready for foreign tourists

 

Picture: Siam Rath

 

An upbeat Anutin Charnvirakul - Thailand's health minister and DPM - told the media in Koh Samui that he had been instructed by the Thai premier Prayut Chan-ocha to ready the holiday island and Phuket for an influx of foreign tourists. 

 

Anutin was at the airport on Samui yesterday evening to receive the prime minister who flew in from a military base near Don Muang. As part of a mobile cabinet meeting yesterday and today the entourages will be inspecting facilities at both Samui and Phuket international airports. 

 

Anutin revealed that it was all systems go for foreign tourists to fly directly to Koh Samui from abroad. There they would be met by a barrage of tests and checks of documentation making sure they had insurance, alternative local quarantine bookings and such like.

 

They would have their hands and feet and luggage all cleaned. 

 

They would be given two applications: Saim Rath said these were a "Samui Health Pass" and something called "COSTE". 

 

After immigration formalities were accomplished a shuttle bus would pick up the tourists directly from the international terminal and take them for 14 days ALQ.

 

At least 3 Covid-19 checks would be made and if anyone was found to have Covid they would be treated at the hospital on Samui entirely at their own expense. 

 

He said that everyone could have confidence in the Thai abilities to handle foreign tourists in this manner and mitigate problems if anything untoward transpired. 

 

He said that the airports had been fully kitted out with equipment and medication to handle the situation, as per the PM's wishes.

 

Thaivisa notes that it now seems only a matter of time before foreign tourists on the STV (special tourist visa) scheme arrive in both Samui and Phuket.

 

How long remains the question as so far "stop start" has characterized the process. 

 

Both islands have seen their tourism industries devastated by the pandemic but while the industry is desperate to get it started again the authorities have been mindful of local opposition. 

 

It was of note that the Siam Rath article did not mention the reduction in quarantine from 14 days to ten as has been mooted in recent days.

 

Source: Siam Rath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-11-03

 

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[Shuya]

Another day, another nonsense

[colinneil]

18 minutes ago, webfact said:

An upbeat Anutin Charnvirakul - Thailand's health minister and DPM - told the media in Koh Samui that he had been instructed by the Thai premier Prayut Chan-ocha to ready the holiday island and Phuket for an influx of foreign tourists. 

Always said Anutin was a useless waste of space, and him coming out with that stupid comment( influx of foreign tourists) just proves it.

[soi3eddie]

...and still no way to return for those on NON-O Retirement Visas or Extensions. Tourists welcome but those of us who have homes or family in Thailand are barred from re-entry. No way to renew extensions whilst out of the country either. 

[ThailandRyan]

Release the Hounds, I mean the Virus Anutin said, as he greedily rubbed his hands together with the knowledge of more money lining his pockets.  As he laughed while putting his pinky up to his lips, and laughingly said "1 Billion Baht".  With that being said and done he looked at his friend Fat <deleted> err I mean little fattie the watch man, and they walked away while simultaneously looking at their Patek Phillipe watches and laughed.

[AlfHuy]

Where is your mask?

 

Nice jacket.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

and if anyone was found to have Covid they would be treated at the hospital on Samui entirely at their own expense

 

So the 100.000 USD insurance is another Thai scam? 

[JusticeGB]

It will be predicted that at least 1,000,000 tourists will be flying into voluntary overpriced quarantine prison hotel rooms in Phuket before the end of this year. However there may be a mistake with the number of zeros after the number 1.

[Thailand]

????

[khunPer]

1 hour ago, soi3eddie said:

...and still no way to return for those on NON-O Retirement Visas or Extensions. Tourists welcome but those of us who have homes or family in Thailand are barred from re-entry. No way to renew extensions whilst out of the country either. 

I you have family – i.e. wife and/or children – you have been able to enter for long time. Your extension of stay based on "retirement" has nothing to do with permission to enter.

[khunPer]

Positive news, it might however only help little, and a few, but it's a move forward...

[petermik]

7 hours ago, khunPer said:

Positive news, it might however only help little, and a few, but it's a move forward...

sideways actually.....I cannot imagine any "tourists" putting up with all the restrictions/regulations that have been put in place.......

[GeorgeCross]

2 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

...and still no way to return for those on NON-O Retirement Visas or Extensions. Tourists welcome but those of us who have homes or family in Thailand are barred from re-entry. No way to renew extensions whilst out of the country either. 

 

crazy isn't it. it's almost like they don't want single old men to come back to Thailand.

 

o-a can come back?

 

 

 

[pokerface1]

1 hour ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

 

So the 100.000 USD insurance is another Thai scam? 

Well the fine print in the covid insurance policy may say that it's voided as Thailand is in a State of emergency. Any excuse not to pay out.

[ThailandRyan]

10 minutes ago, GeorgeCross said:

 

crazy isn't it. it's almost like they don't want single old men to come back to Thailand.

 

o-a can come back?

 

 

 

Yes O-A can return, check with the consulate in your country for the requirements.

[sammieuk1]

It will sure COSTE a lot that's the guarantee ???? 

[soi3eddie]

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

I you have family – i.e. wife and/or children – you have been able to enter for long time. Your extension of stay based on "retirement" has nothing to do with permission to enter.

Agreed, of course yes if natural children of the foreigner but many expats are not married to partners with children who are not related to the foreigner but live as a family. They still don't qualify.

[soi3eddie]

58 minutes ago, GeorgeCross said:

 

crazy isn't it. it's almost like they don't want single old men to come back to Thailand.

 

o-a can come back?

 

 

 

 

Yes, O-A Visa holders are currently permitted to enter subject to Covid test, CoE, quarantine etc.

[PETERTHEEATER]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

They would have their hands and feet and luggage all cleaned. 

 

They would be given two applications:

Good. Gotta make sure those appendages are clean. Kudos to a nut in Samui.

[Deli]

How pretty in light pink.

[ronaldo0]

And just how many countries have direct flights into samui ? Singapore and ?

Also what happens if you do ASQ in Bkk and then decide to go to samui for a holiday ? Do you still get tagged like a leper ?

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Anutin revealed that it was all systems go for foreign tourists to fly directly to Koh Samui from abroad. There they would be met by a barrage of tests and checks of documentation making sure they had insurance, alternative local quarantine bookings and such like.

Yeah right, wait for the stampede of people wanting to do that.

[outsider]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

"... they would be met by a barrage of tests and checks of documentation... insurance, alternative local quarantine bookings and such like.. hands and feet and luggage all cleaned... they would be given two applications... 14 days ALQ... at least 3 Covid-19 checks would be made... " 

 

I wonder which foreign tourist would look at an itinerary like that and say "Yes, I want to go to Thailand now!"

 

Circus animals have less hoops to jump through than arriving tourists in Thailand.

 

[paulikens]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

and have seen their tourism industries devastated by the pandemic but while the industry is desperate to get it started again the authorities have been mindful of local opposition. 

yes lets remember that. the posters on here who feel sorry for the thais, when even the ones who work in tourism industry don't want us back. dont just blame the government when the thais dont want us back.

[holy cow cm]

How does he even breath with his head so far up el Fat head's rear end?

[PumpkinEater]

IMHO they are targeting the Chinese, with "special" Chinese Airlines/Bangkok Air/Thai Air flights to bring them in and out...

[Tropicalevo]

35 minutes ago, outsider said:

 

I wonder which foreign tourist would look at an itinerary like that and say "Yes, I want to go to Thailand now!"

 

Circus animals have less hoops to jump through than arriving tourists in Thailand.

 

There are different types of 'tourist'.

Friends wih a villa here on Samui have purchased elite visas and are due in Samui 22/11. They are currently in Germany waiting for their flight to Bangkok.

Other friends, again that have villas here, are waiting for STV's when they can get to either Phuket of Samui. They do not want to be in Bangkok for quarantine.

The last group that are trying to get here are 'snowbirds' who come to Thailand every year for the winter. They stay in hotels anyway But not 5* ones.

Obviously, the mass tourists who only come for 2 weeks or less - forget them

[ThailandRyan]

29 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Obviously, the mass tourists who only come for 2 weeks or less - forget them

Is that your opinion or, is it how you think Thailand feels about them. You have to remember that those are the 2 week millionaires who save all year and spend big on their only 2 weeks of vacation.  My daughter and her boyfriend, after 3 years with their companies get 3 weeks off. They spend an Average of 20k usd when they come and visit for 2 weeks but they stay with us so no hotel costs associated.  Still they spend over 500,000 baht while here. They do save all year.  They do not go out to bars but rather enjoy visiting Khao San, And going to the rooftop locations to have dinner and drinks with a view. But I do understand with quarantine, they will not be coming so yes you can forget them.  Yet this group does spend money.

[BritManToo]

42 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Obviously, the mass tourists who only come for 2 weeks or less - forget them

They're the only tourists the government want.

How long a holiday do you think they get in China?

[Tounge Thaied]

5 hours ago, khunPer said:

I you have family – i.e. wife and/or children – you have been able to enter for long time. Your extension of stay based on "retirement" has nothing to do with permission to enter.

Soieddie the OP was referring to the extension of stay based upon retirement obtained here within the Kingdom, not a Non-Immigrant O based upon family or marriage. Currently the Non-immigrant O extension based upon Retirement is not being admitted to Thailand. To return, the retiree now must apply for the Non O-A to be eligible to proceed for the COE. So the permission to enter based upon a non-immigrant O based upon retirement does absolutely have everything to do with it. Soieddie has a legitimate grievance. If they are letting the Non O based upon marriage in and the Non O-A based upon retirement, why are they not letting the Non-immigrant O based on retirement in? There can be only one answer for this. They are discriminating against this category for whatever reason.