What if You Can Never leave Thailand?

[david555]

1 hour ago, oldhippy said:

will farangs be vaccinated? At what price?

 

Price would not be my first concern .... but more  which vaccine available for us in Thailand ....Embassy's could work out something ....on condition they are concerned for their citizens ....(?? ???? )

 

And for the O.P. answer , leaving is not a problem on condition no relatives wife or any relation leaving behind ...., so no need of coming back . I couldn't leave last June as planned visit E.U home country ,and don't risk the second planning 2021, but no problem as half 2022 i leave then anyway after 13 years here , as planned also so never made a long stable relation because of that . 

 

But i understand for other situation it could be a headache or worry thing.

Edited November 30, 2020 by david555

[djayz]

5 hours ago, Techno Viking said:

I answered the (misleading) thread title.

 

Everybody else understood Pilotman perfectly well. Don't see what's misleading about the title.

 

Edited November 30, 2020 by djayz

[Led Lolly Yellow Lolly]

6 hours ago, Pilotman said:

Covid 19 and associated return Visa issues,  make leaving Thailand, to plan to return  later, problematic at best , especially for those of us of advanced years, I have actually reconciled myself to maybe never leaving Thailand again, at least not for a number of years. Considering all the advantages of living here, I am happy with that future, provided my kids can come and visit occasionally. I don't expect to see them in person  any time in the next one to two years, which is sad, but WhatsApp helps a lot. Most of my friends here are equally happy to contemplate never leaving.  I wonder how wide spread that feeling in among longer term expats? 

 

I'm very fortunate that I live and work here with my wife and kids. I'm really, REALLY lucky actually. Covid hasn't really affected my life at all, I have more in my intray than ever. My current TM.6 card has been stapled into my passport for 7 years. I can whinge and moan somewhere else, or I can whinge and moan here. Here seems fine for whinging and moaning. I'll whinge and moan here.

[VBF]

6 hours ago, Phillip9 said:

The Thai PM has already said the quarantine will remain in place for everyone until the Thai population is vaccinated.  That will probably not be for another year or two.  Until then, whether you are vaccinated or not will be meaningless.

Might I correct you....

Until then, or until he changes his mind whether you are vaccinated or not will be meaningless.

So give it a week....... ????

[VBF]

6 hours ago, ukrules said:

Of course they will, it will follow the same well charted course that happened this year, massive drops in infections during summer months followed by a resurgence in the colder months.

 

The only thing that's going to shorten the number of years that COVID is a problem is widespread vaccination and that's not going to be widespread enough for quite a while, in some countries they might make a big dent in it by winter 2021, in others it's going to be 2022 and onwards....

I think you're being pessimistic with that timescale provided the various vax get full approval...... If not....back to square 1!

 

But then amusingly, you sort of contradicted yourself a few posts later saying "I suppose it will be available privately for less than a couple of hundred pounds."

I happen to agree with that latter comment but I seem to have read somewhere (???), that in UK at least, private vaccinations won't be allowed - which remains to be seen.

 

Edited November 30, 2020 by VBF

[parallaxtech]

15 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

I have said quite a few times on threads like this and (not anything to do with C19)  When I first came here from England I blew up the bridge as well as shut the door. 

My family come here to see me. 

I am happy here full stop and in another 100 years my ashes will stay here. ????

 

I did the same 16-years-ago from the US, never to return, and haven't seen a relative since then.  I've lived/worked in 30 countries and never felt contentment like I do here.  If you have a nice house/condo and a beautiful young lady, what else do you need?

[ChakaKhan]

Just stay away from the Hotel California.....some say you can never leave.....

[Phillip9]

9 hours ago, VBF said:

Might I correct you....

Until then, or until he changes his mind whether you are vaccinated or not will be meaningless.

So give it a week....... ????

A very valid correction.   I think he may change his mind.  Eventually.  But I see no hope of that in the near term.  But maybe in 6-9 months.

[quake]

15 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

I have said quite a few times on threads like this and (not anything to do with C19)  When I first came here from England I blew up the bridge as well as shut the door. 

My family come here to see me. 

I am happy here full stop and in another 100 years my ashes will stay here. ????

 

I did the same 20 years ago.

10 years latter, i started to fix the bridges and open the doors again.

( the winds of change had come about )

lucky for me i left the lions share of my dosh outside of Thailand back then, ( channel islands)

spent the last 10 buying property in the UK. now near ready to move away from the land of frowns.

21 months, 5 day, 18 minutes, ( covid 19 permitting ) 

and then i'm  off to the happiest place in Thailand.

joy, jubilation, dancing,  sing, drinking,   yes you guest it

departure lounge Suvarnabhumi  (swampy).  i'm not bitter at all LOL. 

I will miss the weather and the very accommodating rental ladies, but that's it.

 

Ps Anyone thinking they have a guaranteed permission to stay in Thailand for ever,  is off there rocker,   also people thinking Thailand will change in the next 50 years for the better     for us is mentality deranged. 

There are many expats with stock home syndrome in Thailand now days.

 just remember your a guest here !!!!!!!!!! Get up against the wall, Papers , Papers now.   

 

 

 

Edited December 1, 2020 by quake

[polpott]

3 minutes ago, Phillip9 said:

A very valid correction.   I think he may change his mind.  Eventually.  But I see no hope of that in the near term.  But maybe in 6-9 months.

I think that as soon as citizens of other countries have a valid Covid vaccination "passport" then the Thai government will bring in new rules to accomodate them. Makes no sense to quarantine someone who has had the vaccine.

 

Thailand is desperate to keep Thailand Covid free but is also desperate for tourists to return.

[VocalNeal]

I'm worried now. When i came to Thailand my first thoughts were "when can I leave"

[Inala]

13 hours ago, Sujo said:

Thats enough for herd immunity which only works with a vaccine, not without it, as some seem to believe.

 

The 1918 Spanish Flu went away after roughly two years without any vaccine for it ever being developed. It took 500 million to be infected out of the world's 1.8 billion population at the time for it to fade away in Oct 1920. This was attributed to herd immunity. 

[Phillip9]

23 minutes ago, polpott said:

Makes no sense to quarantine someone who has had the vaccine.

Why does it make no sense?  Even assuming a vaccine is 90% effective, that means it doesn't work for 1 in 10 people.  With Thailand trying to maintain zero local cases, they would never take that risk.  

 

Other countries that already have covid infections will probably open to vaccinated people, but it makes no sense for thailand to open.

 

 

[Farang99]

I haven't left Thailand since May 2003 when I took the Thai family to UK for a month's holiday, and have no intention of leaving again - too old, too fragile and too much hassle. As long as I can keep on renewing my marriage visa expension I will be content and safe.

[ChipButty]

Me and the midget was about to go off on a 3 month Jolly to Turkey and over to Northern Cyprus and everyday Im thinking what should we do, At that time the boarders where still open.

In my case being English what would be the worst case scenario so we just cancelled we would have been stranded in Turkey ok the midget could have got back to Thailand but not me.

I often think about it, would I have been better in Northern Cyprus or go back to the UK.

Stay here in Phuket surrounded by the ocean and a couple of beers and with the midget,

[Jingthing]

5 minutes ago, Phillip9 said:

Why does it make no sense?  Even assuming a vaccine is 90% effective, that means it doesn't work for 1 in 10 people.  With Thailand trying to maintain zero local cases, they would never take that risk.  

 

Other countries that already have covid infections will probably open to vaccinated people, but it makes no sense for thailand to open.

 

 

I see it differently. 

Thailand itself must widely vaccinate its own population. 

That's the only way they can really fully open up.

Yes at that point which would be well over a year from now Thailand would need to accept some local transmission.

But if everyone coming in is vaccinated and the majority of Thais are vaccinated local transmission will never escalate exponentially. 

Its not about no cases. Its about a manageable number of cases with no risk of more than that.

Why is Thailand so concerned about isolated local cases now?

Because they know with a vulnerable population they could easily become another Europe, USA  or Brazil.

Bottom line is vaccinate locally. 

[Phillip9]

18 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I see it differently. 

Thailand itself must widely vaccinate its own population. 

That's the only way they can really fully open up.

 

Sure, thats what I meant.  They must maintain no local cases until Thais are vaccinated.  After that, they will open, and a few local infections won't matter. 

[tomazbodner]

17 hours ago, Pilotman said:

Covid 19 and associated return Visa issues,  make leaving Thailand, to plan to return  later, problematic at best , especially for those of us of advanced years, I have actually reconciled myself to maybe never leaving Thailand again, at least not for a number of years. Considering all the advantages of living here, I am happy with that future, provided my kids can come and visit occasionally. I don't expect to see them in person  any time in the next one to two years, which is sad, but WhatsApp helps a lot. Most of my friends here are equally happy to contemplate never leaving.  I wonder how wide spread that feeling in among longer term expats? 

Well... if you never leave, you'll die here. If you die here, you'll be reborn here. So in your next life you'll be Somchai ????

[nickmondo]

17 hours ago, Techno Viking said:

My home country has not banned the return of citizens so I assume I can leave when I want, flights permitting.

that aint the problem, its the getting back into Thailand bit

[nickmondo]

17 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I disagree. Your question made it clear that you failed to get the gist of the issue even if the issue doesn't concern you.

stop bickering.

you are behaving like a couple of spoilt brats.

grow up!

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, nickmondo said:

stop bickering.

you are behaving like a couple of spoilt brats.

grow up!

It had already stopped. Are you trying to beat a dead horse?

[ivor bigun]

Thailand is my home ,half my family live here ,i will die here ,i just wish i could make one last journey to my daughters home town for a few weeks ,if not i hope she and the family can come here to visit.

thank goodness for line and whatsapp etc where we can talk free and see each other .i remember when i first washed up on these shores ,the massive cost of even a telephone call ,

[Henryford]

At my advanced age i have done most of the travelling i want to do. Happy to stay here in the sun in God's waiting room. Tough for the younger ones though.

[Grusa]

18 hours ago, Jingthing said:

For now, it's very good considering what's happening in the world but I would hate the feeling of being "stuck" here for life if I needed to leave temporarily for any reason. There are many reasons that long term expats might want to or really NEED to leave temporarily. 

I have an urgent need to visit one of KL, Singapore, or HK. Before Covid I could do Singapore and back in a day, no problem.

 

Because I can not, my British issued European PPL is expired and no way to revalidate it for the foreseeable future. To get a Thai PPL would cost nearly 1m baht, no concessions for experience! 

[The Theory]

18 hours ago, Pilotman said:

leaving is easy enough, but if your life is here, returning is the issue. 

No worries, the vaccine will be there sooner than what you think. Vaccine made in Thailand. What else could be a better news. 

[George Aylesham]

18 hours ago, pixelaoffy said:

What torture to be stuck in the madness of the 3rx world dump called T*****

 

18 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Yes, you did do that. Enough of this. 

Yes, awful - to be stuck in a Land of Smiles with decent medical treatment, superb landscapes, endless historical interest, good food, friendly people - I hate it and can't wait to stay another 46 years!

[DaLa]

4 hours ago, ChakaKhan said:

Just stay away from the Hotel California.....some say you can never leave.....

With mirrors on the ceiling and Champers on ice I’d be happy not to leave. But I don‘t know whether they do ASQ.

[wwest5829]

Hope to make a trip to U.S. in 2023 to meet my Grandson’s for the first and likely only time. My only residence is Chiang Mai so I would need to return “home”. Da and Beer are to travel with me but as Thai nationals they would have a right to return. I am on a retirement Visa Extension, 75 at that time and pre-existing conditions (and cost) make health insurance a non starter. I am retired in Thailand in major part due to being better able to live a working middle class retirement comfortably here (65k baht a month).

[Saltire]

I had a trip home to the UK booked for last May but thankfully I cancelled it. On and off I have lived outside the UK for about 12 years and never really felt homesick. The last trip home was 3 years ago and was neccessary to lay my mum to rest, otherwise i'd not have left. I have a British Airways voucher valid till April 2022 but even at that I am not sure if I will get to use it. The global unpredictability in many areas is now a massive problem.

 

I have only a twin brother and an older sister back home, and it would be good to get home some time but the risk and uncertainty of a return entry just plain puts me off.

 

I definetely feel trapped in Thailand now but I can think of many worse places to feel stuck to be honest.

[Old Croc]

My reply is based on the thoughts , experiences and the question raised in the first post, not just the 7 words of the title. 

The OP specifically talked about travel difficulties, and particularly in returning to Thailand, for long term expats of advanced years.  

I've been living here for 10 years and as someone in my 70s with health issues, would not contemplate leaving again as much as I would like to travel again. If travelling outside the border returning is becoming very problematic.  Even before the pandemic made travel impossible, the Thai government has been signaling an intent to tighten controls over entry of older retirees with the implementation of bogus compulsory health insurance. I suspect it will get worse when they work out it is a relatively safe market for scams. 

So. I wont be leaving again and expect my ashes to be cast to the local waters, hopefully many years hence.