Departing Suvarnabhumi Caution

[JohnAtSea]

I want to warn those planning to fly from Suvarnabhumi airport about COVID testing requirements. My travel plans required I get a COVID test within 72 hours of departure showing a negative result. I obtained this at a university hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima and had the paperwork with me at check in.

 

I presented originals of the "medical certificate", a receipt and a lab result letter specifying the details of test type and results. On all the paperwork was my full name, sex, and age. The counter personnel very closely examined all of this and argued that my date of birth was required.

 

In the end I was eventually allowed to board but I would caution any travelling that you might ask your testing facility to add date of birth and passport number would probably be good too. I came very close to being turned away. This was an ANA flight as part of a United itinerary to the US.

[bunnydrops]

What did the test cost you and how long do have to wait for results. I am planning to return to the US some time in May and live just north of Korat.

[HashBrownHarry]

if the test is taking at a hospital your passport should be on any paperwork along with DOB.

[Aomelia]

9 hours ago, JohnAtSea said:

I want to warn those planning to fly from Suvarnabhumi airport about COVID testing requirements. My travel plans required I get a COVID test within 72 hours of departure showing a negative result. I obtained this at a university hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima and had the paperwork with me at check in.

 

I presented originals of the "medical certificate", a receipt and a lab result letter specifying the details of test type and results. On all the paperwork was my full name, sex, and age. The counter personnel very closely examined all of this and argued that my date of birth was required.

 

In the end I was eventually allowed to board but I would caution any travelling that you might ask your testing facility to add date of birth and passport number would probably be good too. I came very close to being turned away. This was an ANA flight as part of a United itinerary to the US.

How are flights ? Are there customers? Are flights expensive and empty I have to go back in May , Thanks for answers 

[TPI]

I've been trying to organise a flight to Oz, one way about AUD$3-6,000 no seats available as only a couple of flights a week! bloody nonsense!

[tso310]

14 hours ago, HashBrownHarry said:

if the test is taking at a hospital your passport should be on any paperwork along with DOB.

My wife arrived back in the UK on 7 Feb. Test done at Buriram government hospital. About 2500bht I believe. Passport and ID photos on the paperwork. No problem at Swampy or Heathrow.

[Puccini]

21 hours ago, JohnAtSea said:

...I presented originals of the "medical certificate", a receipt and a lab result letter specifying the details of test type and results. On all the paperwork was my full name, sex, and age. The counter personnel very closely examined all of this and argued that my date of birth was required...

The check-in staff was wrong in requiring the date of birth on your Covid-19 test report.

Edited February 22, 2021 by Puccini

[StevieAus]

8 hours ago, TPI said:

I've been trying to organise a flight to Oz, one way about AUD$3-6,000 no seats available as only a couple of flights a week! bloody nonsense!

I have an Australian friend who has being trying to return to Perth for several months with no success.

Considering the Australian government  recently reduced the number of incoming flights due to alleged lack of quarantine facilities it’s no surprise.

I read in the the Australian newspaper last week that a third of those who have been allowed to return were not even Australian citizens.

However you may criticize the Thai government they certainly give priority to their own people.

[HashBrownHarry]

2 hours ago, StevieAus said:

I have an Australian friend who has being trying to return to Perth for several months with no success.

Considering the Australian government  recently reduced the number of incoming flights due to alleged lack of quarantine facilities it’s no surprise.

I read in the the Australian newspaper last week that a third of those who have been allowed to return were not even Australian citizens.

However you may criticize the Thai government they certainly give priority to their own people.

I'm sure there is 1000's that would disagree with you of the many Thai's who were trying to get back to Thailand from UK on the repatriation flights. Many were also waiting months, no system in place at all for a que etc.

 

I'm sure Thai's in many other locations were in the same situation, wanting to return home but unable due to lack of flights or hotels.

[madmen]

10 hours ago, TPI said:

I've been trying to organise a flight to Oz, one way about AUD$3-6,000 no seats available as only a couple of flights a week! bloody nonsense!

And then pay for your own quarantine 2.5k. 

They are idiots going from free 5 star to the total opposite 

[jimn]

1 hour ago, HashBrownHarry said:

I'm sure there is 1000's that would disagree with you of the many Thai's who were trying to get back to Thailand from UK on the repatriation flights. Many were also waiting months, no system in place at all for a que etc.

 

I'm sure Thai's in many other locations were in the same situation, wanting to return home but unable due to lack of flights or hotels.

Nonsense. Flights have been able to be easily booked on the Thai Airways weekly flight for Thai's wishing to go into free State Quarantine since last November. Or if they wanted to pay for ASQ, then on any of the daily flights with Emitates, Qatar, Etihad, KLM, Lufthansa etc. There was only a waiting list to fly in the very early days when you had to book the flight through the embassy, now its direct with the airline.

[HashBrownHarry]

1 hour ago, jimn said:

Nonsense. Flights have been able to be easily booked on the Thai Airways weekly flight for Thai's wishing to go into free State Quarantine since last November. Or if they wanted to pay for ASQ, then on any of the daily flights with Emitates, Qatar, Etihad, KLM, Lufthansa etc. There was only a waiting list to fly in the very early days when you had to book the flight through the embassy, now its direct with the airline.

Nonsense.

 

There were ( at the time, April thru Oct i think ) only 3 repatriation flights per month for Thai nationals ( with 50 farangs per flight who met the criteria ) to return to thailand, let's say 300 Thai's per flight time 3, that's 900 per month, you don't think there was more than that trying to get home?

 

I think the commercial flights started about October, since then it's become straight forward.

[Kalasin Jo]

6 hours ago, HashBrownHarry said:

I'm sure there is 1000's that would disagree with you of the many Thai's who were trying to get back to Thailand from UK on the repatriation flights. Many were also waiting months, no system in place at all for a que etc.

 

I'm sure Thai's in many other locations were in the same situation, wanting to return home but unable due to lack of flights or hotels.

Back in December my wife, a Thai, needed to return. Thai repatriation flight from Paris, only 2 a month then, but no difficulty booking, same with SQ and Certificate of Entry from Paris Thai Embassy was quick once we had the flight and the SQ. PCR test done and accepted at check in. She returned to Thailand on 9 January. She had no issues with her SQ hotel. The government even offered transport home from BKK but she flew to Khon Kaen at my expense!

[treetops]

32 minutes ago, Kalasin Jo said:

Thai repatriation flight from Paris, only 2 a month then, but no difficulty booking, same with SQ and Certificate of Entry from Paris Thai Embassy was quick once we had the flight and the SQ.

 

You (or your wife) had to book the State Quarantine?  I thought it was allocated by the Thai authorities and you didn't know where you would end up until you got there.

[jimn]

8 hours ago, HashBrownHarry said:

Nonsense.

 

There were ( at the time, April thru Oct i think ) only 3 repatriation flights per month for Thai nationals ( with 50 farangs per flight who met the criteria ) to return to thailand, let's say 300 Thai's per flight time 3, that's 900 per month, you don't think there was more than that trying to get home?

 

I think the commercial flights started about October, since then it's become straight forward.

Thanks for confirming that my post was correct. I said from November. If you read it correctly it was in a different way exactly what you just put in your reply. 

Edited February 23, 2021 by jimn

[pookondee]

21 hours ago, TPI said:

I've been trying to organise a flight to Oz, one way about AUD$3-6,000 no seats available as only a couple of flights a week! bloody nonsense!

Why would you want to go back to Oz

anyway?

A good deal of people are angry about not being allowed to travel out of Australia at this time.

 

How outbound travellers are a Covid threat to Australia is beyond me, but it looks like they are intending to keep us locked up here, 

LONG after all other countries will be opening up international travel ????

 

[HashBrownHarry]

5 hours ago, Kalasin Jo said:

Back in December my wife, a Thai, needed to return. Thai repatriation flight from Paris, only 2 a month then, but no difficulty booking, same with SQ and Certificate of Entry from Paris Thai Embassy was quick once we had the flight and the SQ. PCR test done and accepted at check in. She returned to Thailand on 9 January. She had no issues with her SQ hotel. The government even offered transport home from BKK but she flew to Khon Kaen at my expense!

Where in the UK is Paris?

[HashBrownHarry]

1 hour ago, jimn said:

Thanks for confirming that my post was correct. I said from November. If you read it correctly it was in a different way exactly what you just put in your reply. 

Well noted.

[tso310]

18 hours ago, HashBrownHarry said:

Nonsense.

 

There were ( at the time, April thru Oct i think ) only 3 repatriation flights per month for Thai nationals ( with 50 farangs per flight who met the criteria ) to return to thailand, let's say 300 Thai's per flight time 3, that's 900 per month, you don't think there was more than that trying to get home?

 

I think the commercial flights started about October, since then it's become straight forward.

Correct on all counts. Flight information was communicated via the Facebook page of the embassy, which is the principle method for them to communicate with Thai nationals on what's going on generally. There was some serious comments, in Thai, about the whole system being a lottery and a joke. My wife talked to a woman, at check-in, who had been trying to get back since March from Ireland.

Not sure about the precise number of Thais in the UK but the general estimate that its between 50k to 75k and this would include students. 2021 is census year in the UK and I believe its still due to go ahead.

[HashBrownHarry]

6 hours ago, tso310 said:

Correct on all counts. Flight information was communicated via the Facebook page of the embassy, which is the principle method for them to communicate with Thai nationals on what's going on generally. There was some serious comments, in Thai, about the whole system being a lottery and a joke. My wife talked to a woman, at check-in, who had been trying to get back since March from Ireland.

Not sure about the precise number of Thais in the UK but the general estimate that its between 50k to 75k and this would include students. 2021 is census year in the UK and I believe its still due to go ahead.

I was very lucky to get a seat ( September ) there was several occasions where the systems crashed when it went live to go online and try to secure seat.

 

It was not a good system at all and yes many Thai's tried unsuccessfuly for months to return.

[Olmate]

On 2/22/2021 at 10:00 PM, TPI said:

I've been trying to organise a flight to Oz, one way about AUD$3-6,000 no seats available as only a couple of flights a week! bloody nonsense!

Pal going singapore airlines to Canberra sunday aud 1600.

[DerbyDan]

You may want to wait 2 weeks after you get your vaccine to try it. Not a pleasant trip at all.

[HAPPYNUFF]

Im told  Singapore Air departs BKK daily  for Singapore.   a few hours layover there,  and if your  travelling on to Perth. WA,  its a change to Air Asia.   Only 30 persons allowed per flight,  cost well over A$3000  each..  Booking being accepted,  but  usually two to three months wait list. and  14 day   compulsory quarantibe   on arrival.   No choice of hotel allowed.   No  alcohol  or cigarettes allowed in  any hotel, meals  are basic, no menu provided.  This from a mate  who just did his time,,,,bloody hard labour he called it.