Covid-19 test before flying

[drenddy]

Need some help and clarification here. 

 

I decided to book my thai wife on a semicommercial flight, from Denmark, via Qatar, to Bangkok. 

Need ASQ, no confusion here.Hoping for 10 days quarantin. 

Fit to fly, as well, crystal clear. 

 

But things get pretty confusing about Covid-19 test.I talked with Thai Embassy in Copenhagen and they made it clear, that negative Covid-19 test is not their requirement, but it is(or it might be) a request from the airlines. 

At the moment Qatar does not require Covid-19 test for travellers from Denmark. 

Embassy encouraged me to check it with Qatar Airways, which I did, and the guy said, indeed, there is no such requirement, they follow Governments guidelines, but I got the feeling, that it would be a good idea to be able to present such test. 

 

To make things even more complicated, I asked the guy, whether reference for the 72 hours timeframe would be boarding time in Copenhagen or Doha? 

He said, boarding time in Copenhagen, but mentioned arrival time in Bangkok as well. 

 

What a clusterf..k.

[Salerno]

8 minutes ago, drenddy said:

What a clusterf..k.

 

True, but the bottom line is, being Thai, there is no requirement for a test.

[sammieuk1]

Check with the first airport your flying from as a private company at Heathrow is testing with a one hour turnaround fo £80 for just this type of situation ????

[Upnotover]

21 minutes ago, drenddy said:

To make things even more complicated, I asked the guy, whether reference for the 72 hours timeframe would be boarding time in Copenhagen or Doha? 

 

I think it's complicated because you were asking him for details of something that doesn't exist, so he would only be guessing.  If you really want her tested then why not apply whatever rules would apply to you if you were travelling, i.e. the COE requirement for non-Thai's.

[thelasthornet]

I have just been in contact with Thai airways about my partner's repatriation flight. She needs a fit to fly certificate but doesn't need a covid test. I have contacted her doctor and they will not have anyone in the surgery so what do we do?  Also we have to get a online thing done with the Thai Embassy but they have not replied for 3 days already so we don't know if they are processing it or not. This is crazy. Any advice please. 

[farang51]

2 hours ago, drenddy said:

To make things even more complicated, I asked the guy, whether reference for the 72 hours timeframe would be boarding time in Copenhagen or Doha? 

He said, boarding time in Copenhagen, but mentioned arrival time in Bangkok as well. 

This is for non-Thais: The 72 hours timeframe is for boarding in Copenhagen; however, if the test is more than 72 hours old when arriving in Thailand, they may want a new test which may cost 5-10.000 baht. Again, this is for non-Thais.

[thelasthornet]

Have you managed to get a fit to fly certificate without having to do a covid test. This is the part that is confusing me. My partner doesn't need a test but needs a fit to fly. I can't get one without the other and it's £145. 

[drenddy]

double post

Edited November 8, 2020 by drenddy

[drenddy]

On 11/5/2020 at 5:30 PM, thelasthornet said:

Have you managed to get a fit to fly certificate without having to do a covid test. This is the part that is confusing me. My partner doesn't need a test but needs a fit to fly. I can't get one without the other and it's £145. 

 

Apparently, being Thai, she does not need covid test.Just fit to fly certificate 72 hours before flight.

 

For further information on entry procedures, for passengers who wish to return to Thailand, kindly contact the nearest Royal Thai Embassies or Consulates in respective countries.

Passengers are required to present a Fit to Fly Health Certificate and a medical certificate* with a laboratory result indicating a negative COVID-19 test, using a RT-PCR test that is issued no more than 72 hours before departure.

(*Thai Nationals travelling to Thailand on Qatar Airways are exempted from presenting an RT-PCR test medical certificate. Subject to change without prior notice. Kindly check the regulation before travel.)

Edited November 8, 2020 by drenddy

[durhamboy]

My Thai wife and I (farang) are going through these procedures right now. Before we started we rang the Thai Embassy in London and hung on for an hour with nobody picking up so that was a waste of time. I booked us on Thai Airways LHR to BKK on 20th. December. It was quite easy to book the flight and we have to go Thai Airways to get free state quarantine for my wife in Thailand. With this ticket we managed to get her COE (Certificate Of Entry) and it was a reasonably straightforward procedure. I can't get my COE until I get my Thai visa, covid insurance and ASQ (Alternative State Quarantine) bookings.

 

The problems will be with the covid test and Fit To Fly certs 72 hours before flying. As I understand it, she needs a FTF cert but not a negative covid cert. Problem is where do you get a FTF cert without having a covid test? It seems to me that she has to get a covid test in order to get a FTF cert. Anyone know different?

 

Regarding the covid test it has to be the RT-PCR test.  The PCR bit stands for Polymerase Chain Reaction. However there are 2 types of RT tests - Reverse Transcription and Real Time. Thai Airways website just says RT-PCR test - that means that the new tests being done at Heathrow (as someone suggested above) are not valid because they are LAMP not PCR tests. Anyone know for sure what tests are required and their validity? Thanks.

[SGD]

17 hours ago, durhamboy said:

My Thai wife and I (farang) are going through these procedures right now. Before we started we rang the Thai Embassy in London and hung on for an hour with nobody picking up so that was a waste of time. I booked us on Thai Airways LHR to BKK on 20th. December. It was quite easy to book the flight and we have to go Thai Airways to get free state quarantine for my wife in Thailand. With this ticket we managed to get her COE (Certificate Of Entry) and it was a reasonably straightforward procedure. I can't get my COE until I get my Thai visa, covid insurance and ASQ (Alternative State Quarantine) bookings.

 

The problems will be with the covid test and Fit To Fly certs 72 hours before flying. As I understand it, she needs a FTF cert but not a negative covid cert. Problem is where do you get a FTF cert without having a covid test? It seems to me that she has to get a covid test in order to get a FTF cert. Anyone know different?

 

Regarding the covid test it has to be the RT-PCR test.  The PCR bit stands for Polymerase Chain Reaction. However there are 2 types of RT tests - Reverse Transcription and Real Time. Thai Airways website just says RT-PCR test - that means that the new tests being done at Heathrow (as someone suggested above) are not valid because they are LAMP not PCR tests. Anyone know for sure what tests are required and their validity? Thanks.

 

My understanding is that free state quarantine is only available via the repatriation flights and that if you book your own flights, she will have to book and pay for ASQ.

 

As ever with Thais, the rules could have changed but that was our understanding a couple of months ago when looking into this.

 

As to timing of tests, every post has a different answer. Time from test, time of report, time of boarding, check in, arrival etc. all useless and not set in stone. I would get a test that was done within 72 hours of the intended arrival time if possible as that way you are definitely covered.

[durhamboy]

Thanks SGD, regarding the free state quarantine you can book your own flight but it must be Thai Airways and one of the dates specified by the Thai Embassy. Ours is one of those dates and on her COE it says free state quarantine (in English).

[jaizan]

1   According to the rules, it appears that a RT-PCR test is required with the CERTIFICATE ISSUED 72 hours before flight DEPARTURE.   

 

2  Some of the ASQ hotels refer to rules that require an RT-PCR test, with the TEST done 72 hours before ARRIVAL at the hotel.      I have not found a source for the original ASQ rules.

 

Obviously #2 is much more strict than #1.   

By my reckoning, it is easy to satisfy #1 as I can get a test 4 days before the flight, pick up the certificate the day before and all is OK.  I haven't seen any companies in London offering a service that's guaranteed to satisfy #2.

 

Has anyone seen the actual Thai ASQ RT-PCR test rules ?   

Also, what are they actually asking for on arrival at the ASQ ?

[farang51]

1 hour ago, jaizan said:

By my reckoning, it is easy to satisfy #1 as I can get a test 4 days before the flight, pick up the certificate the day before and all is OK.

No can do, it is the time of the test that is important, not when you get the answer.

[nong38]

Where do you a get a "fit to fly" from any doctor?

[farang51]

57 minutes ago, nong38 said:

Where do you a get a "fit to fly" from any doctor?

You can get the form here: https://ddc.moph.go.th/viralpneumonia/file/guidelines/G23.pdf

[nong38]

Thanks for that but if I were in the UK trying to get back here, then the same form would be ok but I need a UK doctor to sign it is that right?

[farang51]

27 minutes ago, nong38 said:

Thanks for that but if I were in the UK trying to get back here, then the same form would be ok but I need a UK doctor to sign it is that right?

The form is for people flying to Thailand, and you would need a doctor to sign it within 72 hours of departure. If you're in the UK, then yes, a UK doctor.

[nong38]

Thanks  I hope that i useful information for others who may not liked to ask.

[jaizan]

The following is cut and pasted from my correspondence from the UK Thai Embassy.      These quite clearly refer to document issue within 72 hours of departure.   No reference to test timing.   Other Thai embassies seem to specify the same.

"Fit to Fly health certificate, issued within 72 hours before departure 

Medical certificate with a laboratory result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected (COVID test must be by RT-PCR method), issued within 72 hours before departure"

 

The following is cut and pasted from correspondence off one of the ASQ hotels.   This is typical of any ASQ hotel that has any reference to the RT-PCR test.   

"Important note:     All non-Thai passport holders/international guests are required to get a certificate of COVID-19-free, 72 hrs before arriving in Bangkok.  The 72 hrs. is counted by the sample receiving date, not the result reporting date."

Edited November 12, 2020 by jaizan

[drenddy]

So... Did anyone have a thai wife/friend on a semicommercial flight yet? 

Just to confirm, there are no issues regarding NO requirement on Covid-19 test prior flying for thai nationals? 

 

I must be very stressed... It says clearly on Qatar Airways homepage, thai nationals are exempted for presenting Covid-19 test, but I am afraid, some staff would get too zealous... 

[smylee52]

11 minutes ago, drenddy said:

So... Did anyone have a thai wife/friend on a semicommercial flight yet? 

Just to confirm, there are no issues regarding NO requirement on Covid-19 test prior flying for thai nationals? 

 

I must be very stressed... It says clearly on Qatar Airways homepage, thai nationals are exempted for presenting Covid-19 test, but I am afraid, some staff would get too zealous... 

 

I will skip the total absurdity of exempting Thai Nationals from testing only to say please get her tested as a courtesy to the non Thai Nationals who may be on the flight and have jumped through all the hoops only to risk exposure on the flight . After all they tested to make sure her risk exposure was greatly reduced .

[drenddy]

1 hour ago, smylee52 said:

 

I will skip the total absurdity of exempting Thai Nationals from testing only to say please get her tested as a courtesy to the non Thai Nationals who may be on the flight and have jumped through all the hoops only to risk exposure on the flight . After all they tested to make sure her risk exposure was greatly reduced .

She got tested few days ago, by own initiative and a rather unpleasant experience. 

She wears mask since March, when nobody here could even imagine it will become a requirement.

She is extremely cautious.

 

Just confirmed with Qatar, they actually don't request PCR test for most of the nationalities. 

Regarding Covid-19 test before entering Thailand, this applies only to non thais and, as I understand it, it's a requirement from thai authorities. 

Edited November 26, 2020 by drenddy