Paphamon Arayasukawat

BANGKOK (NNT) - State quarantine for both Thai and foreign arrivals will be shortened to 10 days from 14 starting April 1, as part of the government’s plan to reopen the country from Oct 1.

Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) spokesman Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin said from April 1 to Sept 30, arrivals without a vaccination certificate (VC) and Covid-19 free certificate (CFC) would be quarantined for 10 days, and be tested for the disease twice.

Arrivals with complete 14-day VCs and CFCs would be quarantined for seven days and tested once. Those with VCs but without CFCs would be tested twice.

He said the 14-day quarantine period would remain in places for arrivals from countries where the Covid-19 virus has mutated, which is a global concern.

From Oct 1, quarantine will not be required for some areas in the country under the condition that that over 70% of health workers in the area have been vaccinated and people who are likely to be in contact with at-risk people have received the vaccine.

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-03-21

 

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Well this is certainly good news.

1 minute ago, SmartyMarty said:

Well this is certainly good news.

-Is 'Covid-19 free certificate (CFC)' the same as a negative swab test report?

-'Arrivals with complete 14-day VCs and CFCs'  What does ' 14 day' mean in this subject?

Thanks.  

20 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

From Oct 1, quarantine will not be required for some areas in the country under the condition that that over 70% of health workers in the area have been vaccinated and people who are likely to be in contact with at-risk people have received the vaccine.

That is where the program falls flat on it's face in my view.  Of course if it worked you would be quarantine free only in certain Areas.  So much for traveling the country as a tourist would.  They must think that only those areas are special, well to put money in someones pockets I bet they are.

Just now, ThailandRyan said:

That is where the program falls flat on it's face in my view.  Of course if it worked you would be quarantine free only in certain Areas.  So much for traveling the country as a tourist would.  They must think that only those areas are special, well to put money in someones pockets I bet they are.

The majority of tourists coming to Thailand with money in their pockets go to these certain areas tourist traps, always have. The free-roaming backpacker that wants to wander through Loei or lie on a beach in Satun are an insignificant contributor to the state coffers.

In other words........

 

Within 3 months many countries in the world will be "no quarantine" for all tourists..........all you need is either a vaccine certificate or a negative PCR test.  Nothing more........either of them is ok.

 

So forget Thailand and spend your time and money in countries that are not Xenophobic.

 

And where government ministers don't call foreigners "DIRTY".

 

Thai health minister blames ‘dirty’ Western tourists for country’s coronavirus cases | South China Morning Post (scmp.com)

 

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Well despite the usual doom and gloom that pervades every thread. I personally think it's an awesome step in the right direction.  Even a jump from 10 days from 15 is sensational. 

I will reserve further judgement till 1st April but at this point I'm excited by this positive news

6 minutes ago, RR2020 said:

In other words........

 

Within 3 months many countries in the world will be "no quarantine" for all tourists..........all you need is either a vaccine certificate or a negative PCR test.  Nothing more........either of them is ok.

 

So forget Thailand and spend your time and money in countries that are not Xenophobic.

 

And where government ministers don't call foreigners "DIRTY".

 

Thai health minister blames ‘dirty’ Western tourists for country’s coronavirus cases | South China Morning Post (scmp.com)

 

.

Christ on a bike! Get over it can't you?

12 minutes ago, RR2020 said:

In other words........

 

Within 3 months many countries in the world will be "no quarantine" for all tourists..........all you need is either a vaccine certificate or a negative PCR test.  Nothing more........either of them is ok.

 

So forget Thailand and spend your time and money in countries that are not Xenophobic.

 

And where government ministers don't call foreigners "DIRTY".

 

Thai health minister blames ‘dirty’ Western tourists for country’s coronavirus cases | South China Morning Post (scmp.com)

 

.

Most countries are still “xenophobic.”

Do we still need COE and Covid insurance?

I wouldn't take anything for granted when it comes to those talking heads coming up with new announcement every other day...

Quote

 

 

12 minutes ago, hioctane said:

Most countries are still “xenophobic.”

Most people don't know what xenophobic means either.

11 minutes ago, hioctane said:

Do we still need COE and Covid insurance?

Yes. And yes.

53 minutes ago, scorecard said:

-'Arrivals with complete 14-day VCs and CFCs'  What does ' 14 day' mean in this subject?

I believe it was something like they have to have had their second jab at least 14 days ago, but not less than 3 months.

10 days of golf instead of 14.  Probably will be the same price still okay, better then being stuck in box.

50 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

That is where the program falls flat on it's face in my view.  Of course if it worked you would be quarantine free only in certain Areas.  So much for traveling the country as a tourist would.  They must think that only those areas are special, well to put money in someones pockets I bet they are.

Its all about $$$ and little to do with the virus.

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

That is where the program falls flat on it's face in my view.  Of course if it worked you would be quarantine free only in certain Areas.  So much for traveling the country as a tourist would.  They must think that only those areas are special, well to put money in someones pockets I bet they are.

I'm back may June and happy with 7 days with vaccine and making a beeline for Pattaya because it's very very special. 

The quarantine has two impactful components : time and money. There are three large expenses : flights, insurance and ASQ. They opened to commercial aviation and did away with the charter flights full of untested Thai nationals at greater expense. Well done. They are limiting ASQ and competition has seen declining rates. They have not moved on the insurance.

The concerns I have are that they do not follow the science. Insurance against hospitalization is an unnecessary expense with vaccines at 98% and 99% efficacy against serious illness in the Israeli real world studies. They should do away with this expense component and allow travelers to use the airline's coverage or regular travel insurance. No requirements.

The science also would support a quarantine of 3-5 days for fully vaccinated individuals. Anutin even mentioned shorter times in his talks with the Chinese. I know I'm returning to family and we've already discussed no airport reunions even if there were no quarantine. I'd want to wash and do laundry after traveling through a bunch of airports. So a few days is in line with my personal view as well.

As from 1 October, we will let you dirty foreigners in, but you can only go to places in Thailand that we say so.

Yeah sounds awesome

7 minutes ago, madmen said:

I'm back may June and happy with 7 days with vaccine and making a beeline for Pattaya because it's very very special. 

I hope that what they are proposing actually goes thru and is working.  I want to return to the US to visit, as it has been almost 2 years, get my vaccination there, take care of some family business and then return here before my extension of stay and re-entry permit expire in November, so that I do not need to obtain a new Visa while in the US, and continue to jump through the hoops of ASQ.

53 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

I believe it was something like they have to have had their second jab at least 14 days ago, but not less than 3 months.

Based on the initial proposals before they were ratified, I think it's not less than 14-days and not more than 3 months prior to travel.

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

He said the 14-day quarantine period would remain in places for arrivals from countries where the Covid-19 virus has mutated, which is a global concern.

Well given that most countries don’t have facilities to test for mutations, how will they know?

Hopefully the UK will not be on the list as I may want to go back in summer to get vaccinated and take care of stuff

Good positive compromise.

7 days is no panacea but it's a step in the right direction.

Moreover it provides an incentive for the reluctant class to be vaccinated.

11 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Based on the initial proposals before they were ratified, I think it's not less than 14-days and not more than 3 months prior to travel.

Haha.  Yes.  That's what I meant, but I really mangled it.

Bad news disguised as good news, with a mountain of documents to fill in if I were a tourist Thailand would be a country to avoid until the country becomes free to travel but I am convinced that in the meantime I would have found other places closer and less painful to do long hours of flight.

36 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

I hope that what they are proposing actually goes thru and is working.  I want to return to the US to visit, as it has been almost 2 years, get my vaccination there, take care of some family business and then return here before my extension of stay and re-entry permit expire in November, so that I do not need to obtain a new Visa while in the US, and continue to jump through the hoops of ASQ.

My situation is almost exactly the same. Kaiser is ready to give me the shots, but I may have to get something here to even get on a plane to SFO. My Non-O by reason of retirement rolls over in December. I need to do some estate planning in person in CA (because I'm 81 and this is no joke), see grandkids I've never seen in person, ideally do a stopover in Europe on the way back here (though that is probably a dream at this point). And the insurance requirement?

Alternatively I could stay right here in Bangkok till next year. Might not be the worst thing. This town is never going to be so empty or accommodating again.

8 minutes ago, ICELANDMAN said:

Bad news disguised as good news, with a mountain of documents to fill in if I were a tourist Thailand would be a country to avoid until the country becomes free to travel but I am convinced that in the meantime I would have found other places closer and less painful to do long hours of flight.

I will be convinced you've "found other places closer and less painful to do long hours of flight" when you actually go and do it.

A total of six of my friends have re-entered Thailand in the past six weeks, three from the UK, two from the US and one from Indonesia. They all commented how easy it was to organize and especially how efficiently they were processed on arrival. No whining, gloomy, Thai-bashing ball ache involved.

I already have my vaccine, but they need to approve a list of vaccines after that the 7 day quarantine can start, if no vaccine list it will be 10 days (11days)  +2 tests

17 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

I will be convinced you've "found other places closer and less painful to do long hours of flight" when you actually go and do it.

A total of six of my friends have re-entered Thailand in the past six weeks, three from the UK, two from the US and one from Indonesia. They all commented how easy it was to organize and especially how efficiently they were processed on arrival. No whining, gloomy, Thai-bashing ball ache involved.

I think your friends lived just in hell at their house so every place was great to escape, weird my friends don't have too cozy their prison in Bangkok

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

Based on the initial proposals before they were ratified, I think it's not less than 14-days and not more than 3 months prior to travel.

Seems to me:

- Wait 14 days after 2nd jab OK.

- But enter LOS before 3 months after vaccination completed not OK. I wonder where Anutin or whoever it is gets this concept from?

I realize that there may be a need for a booster and not surprising, and this has been mentioned by the global researchers etc., several times, along with comments like '...after 1 or 2 years'.  But not 3 months.  

In the detailed media report yesterday the 30 days aspect wasn't mentioned, I hope someone in authority has cancelled this concept. 

59 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Seems to me:

- Wait 14 days after 2nd jab OK.

- But enter LOS before 3 months after vaccination completed not OK. I wonder where Anutin or whoever it is gets this concept from?

I realize that there may be a need for a booster and not surprising, and this has been mentioned by the global researchers etc., several times, along with comments like '...after 1 or 2 years'.  But not 3 months.  

In the detailed media report yesterday the 30 days aspect wasn't mentioned, I hope someone in authority has cancelled this concept. 

This is one report on 3 month validity. Likely to be more similar reports.

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/health/2021/03/05/covid-vaccine-immunity-wont-last-forever-but-doesnt-need/4595171001/