Thailand approves quarantine waiver for tourists, orders more vaccines

[LouisdariPhuket]

What I want to say is that Singapore Airlines have been flying to Phuket twice a week since February.  So it is patently untrue that there are no international carriers serving Phuket. 

[polpott]

5 minutes ago, Xonax said:

As a domestic traveller from Bangkok, where can I get my vaccine, before travelling to Phuket?

Khao San Road.

[John Drake]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

five million more doses procured from Sinovac Biotech's, the health ministry said on Friday.

 

Wasn't there a story on TVF last week that the Chinese would only send more of their vaccine if the Thais gave priority to vaccinating Chinese in Thailand first?

[khunPer]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

"If we can inoculate 50% to 60% of the population we can open the country safely and move the economy and tourism forward," senior health official Kiattiphum Wongraijit said.

I seem to read that everywhere else they talk about that 70 percent need to be vaccinated to achieve mass immunity...????

[hioctane]

The only problem with this is “after 70% has been innoculated.” Essentially this means next year!

[pentagara]

50 minutes ago, superal said:

It seems that ordering the AZ vaccine is one thing but getting the delivery is another , not to mention that as you say the current vaccines will offer little protection to the forthcoming variants of the virus . So Thailand has to be more proactive and on the front foot as it would appear that the current vaccines will only be effective for the best part of this year . 

One good point is the UK will be manufacturing the updated vaccines in the UK , so look out MR. E.U. 

Not sure how that would affect the EU. So far the EU shipped more than 10 million (!) doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to the UK plus the UK continues to receive Pfizer BioNtech shipments from the EU, while the UK shipped exactly 0 vaccine doses to EU countries. On top of this, Johnson does now its best to annoy the EU politicians by basically telling them they are idiots. It might be smart to benefit from others, it's a bit dumb to advertise it though and laugh at them. What impact do you think this will have on future vaccine shipments from the EU to the UK, specifically the AstraZeneca one? Anyway, not my problem.

 

For Thailand it would be interesting to know, how much change effort is needed in the Thai factory to produce the updated vaccine. Hopefully its easy and ideally they already plan to produce the AstraZeneca/Oxford version 2 in the Thai factory from Q3 as well. That would be great, actually, it would allow Thailand (and other countries) to catch up and gain better protection to prepare for the Q3 travel season, when the new variants should be quite prevalent globally.

 

There's a risk that the current vaccine versions won't offer sufficient protection come December to lift quarantines in most countries. It could even lead to retightening of travel restrictions like we have seen this January for UK, Brazil and South Africa, where flughts were stopped. It's still a huge headache to get to Hong Kong from the UK for example, vaccinated or not. So Thailand would benefit heavily if they could carry out mass-innoculations in the country with an already updated AZ vaccine from the Thai factory... Let's see. Vaccinations clearly are more of a marathon, not a sprint.

[polpott]

AZ vaccine shown as safe and effective for over 65s. Virtually everyone over 65 has now been vaccinated in the UK and Covid deaths are now down to double figures (65 latest)

[polpott]

4 minutes ago, pentagara said:

Vaccinations clearly are more of a marathon, not a sprint.

Not in the UK. Over 50% of adult population already vaccinated. The rest will be offered the vaccine by end of July. US is also catching up fast.

[brianthainess]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

"If we can inoculate 50% to 60% of the population we can open the country

IF If if ????

[superal]

3 minutes ago, pentagara said:

Not sure how that would affect the EU. So far the EU shipped more than 10 million (!) doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to the UK plus the UK continues to receive Pfizer BioNtech shipments from the EU, while the UK shipped exactly 0 vaccine doses to EU countries. On top of this, Johnson does now its best to annoy the EU politicians by basically telling them they are idiots. It might be smart to benefit from others, it's a bit dumb to advertise it though and laugh at them. What impact do you think this will have on future vaccine shipments from the EU to the UK, specifically the AstraZeneca one? Anyway, not my problem.

 

For Thailand it would be interesting to know, how much change effort is needed in the Thai factory to produce the updated vaccine. Hopefully its easy and ideally they already plan to produce the AstraZeneca/Oxford version 2 in the Thai factory from Q3 as well. That would be great, actually, it would allow Thailand (and other countries) to catch up and gain better protection to prepare for the Q3 travel season, when the new variants should be quite prevalent globally.

 

There's a risk that the current vaccine versions won't offer sufficient protection come December to lift quarantines in most countries. It could even lead to retightening of travel restrictions like we have seen this January for UK, Brazil and South Africa, where flughts were stopped. It's still a huge headache to get to Hong Kong from the UK for example, vaccinated or not. So Thailand would benefit heavily if they could carry out mass-innoculations in the country with an already updated AZ vaccine from the Thai factory... Let's see. Vaccinations clearly are more of a marathon, not a sprint.

Could it be we are only on the fist chapter of War & Peace  ( analogy )

[Surelynot]

6 minutes ago, pentagara said:

On top of this, Johnson does now its best to annoy the EU politicians by basically telling them they are idiots.

....and turds don't forget......what a leader!

[Bangkok Barry]

Am I reading this right? As long as the foreigners have been vaccinated they can come and mix with the locals, of whom only around 50 percent outside of Phuket or in the case of Phuket 70 percent will have been vaccinated? If I was a foreigner planning a trip over I'd be a bit worried about that and give the place a miss, thanks.

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, Xonax said:

As a domestic traveller from Bangkok, where can I get my vaccine, before travelling to Phuket?

this applies only to arrivals from abroad. People already in Thailand do nto require vaccination or anything else special to travel to Phuket.

[Sheryl]

Big question is: what will be the rules re travelling onward to other parts of Thailand from Phuket? And how will they enforce them?

 

If it is possible to (perhaps after a specified time period) then travel elsewhere in the country I can see virtually everyone needing to come to Thailand opting to take a Phuket holiday first, certainly beats being in quarantine.

[bimmerbob]

2 hours ago, John435 said:

Will this apply to people who live in Thailand and just want to get away for 4-6 weeks?

1) which countries have tourist 'travel air-bubbles' with Thailand in right now?

2) where will you get your covid jab in order to be excused from quarantine when you get back to Thailand?

[hioctane]

 

On 3/27/2021 at 11:36 AM, Bangkok Barry said:

Am I reading this right? As long as the foreigners have been vaccinated they can come and mix with the locals, of whom only around 50 percent outside of Phuket or in the case of Phuket 70 percent will have been vaccinated? If I was a foreigner planning a trip over I'd be a bit worried about that and give the place a miss, thanks.

 

All vaccines prevents 100% hospitalization/death. They are all relatively safe. The efficacy refers chance of getting a mild infection.

[polpott]

5 minutes ago, bimmerbob said:

1) which countries have tourist 'travel air-bubbles' with Thailand in right now?

2) where will you get your covid jab in order to be excused from quarantine when you get back to Thailand?

I will be getting mine in the UK. Problem is what kind of proof is required?

[polpott]

5 minutes ago, hioctane said:

 

 

All vaccines prevents 100% hospitalization/death. They are all relatively safe. The efficacy refers chance of getting a mild infection.

And latest evidence suggests that immunisation is only a slightly lower percentage than efficacy.

[Emdog]

"...a new order for five million more doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine."

big difference between ordering and having. Seems there are squabbles going on currently over ordering and delivering in various parts of the world.

[bimmerbob]

On 3/27/2021 at 11:13 AM, pentagara said:

Not sure how that would affect the EU. So far the EU shipped more than 10 million (!) doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to the UK plus the UK continues to receive Pfizer BioNtech shipments from the EU, while the UK shipped exactly 0 vaccine doses to EU countries. On top of this, Johnson does now its best to annoy the EU politicians by basically telling them they are idiots. It might be smart to benefit from others, it's a bit dumb to advertise it though and laugh at them. What impact do you think this will have on future vaccine shipments from the EU to the UK, specifically the AstraZeneca one? Anyway, not my problem.

 

 

 

1) The UK made contractual agreements with the Pharma companies, which happen to be independent of the EU, for vaccine supplies which are being met, and the EU (which has been late in making contracts) was threatening to control shipments to outside the EU originally, as well as put out scaremongering rumours that the AZ vaccine is not efficient for the over 65's and later on jumped on the 'causes clots' bandwagon. Both claims countered by the EMA & WHO. Cynical view should be that if the EU really believed in the inefficacy of the AZ vaccines, why would they have wanted to block exports outside the EU?

 

2) The UK has also created 2 major vaccine manufacturing plants in the last year.

3) As for exports out of the UK, the question is whether the UK population should be innoculated first or not.

4) You may be aware that the UK happens to be the most charitable in the world, and there is no doubt that once production at the UK plants exceeds the rate of daily jabs administered, then the first thing UK will do is get the 'concerted' proposals of vaccinating the entire world underway.

 

[shdmn]

3 hours ago, vandeventer said:

So, what About the J%J vaccines are you going to order any or was the just words to make us feel good?

They are having production problems unfortunately.  So don't expect much availability anytime soon.

[bimmerbob]

19 minutes ago, polpott said:

I will be getting mine in the UK. Problem is what kind of proof is required?

"vaccine passports" are being looked at for later in the summer.

Do you remain registered as 'active' within the NHS, in order to qualify for the vaccine?

Also look into any quarantine requirements if you travel to the UK.

[Saltire]

A few days ago the village chief over his tannoy, announced the local clinic would start taking names from those who wanted vaccinated.

 

Thai only need apply.

 

My village is 70% non-Thai and many of the Laos/Myanmar neighbours got quite angry, quoting the PM as everyone will get the vaccine. No mention of 'Thai first'.

 

More good news came when many asked when, to be told '2 to 3 months'.

 

This is simply not good enough IMHO.

 

As for me, the only farang in the village, I am happy to wait for the first private hospital anywhere in Thailand to sell the Pfizer or something other than the communist one.

 

Someone needs a swift kick up the ar$e.

 

 

 

 

[Chelseafan]

43 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Am I reading this right? As long as the foreigners have been vaccinated they can come and mix with the locals, of whom only around 50 percent outside of Phuket or in the case of Phuket 70 percent will have been vaccinated? If I was a foreigner planning a trip over I'd be a bit worried about that and give the place a miss, thanks.

 

Why ? If you're vaccinated then your chances of contracting Covid are greatly reduced.

 

[polpott]

4 minutes ago, bimmerbob said:

"vaccine passports" are being looked at for later in the summer.

Do you remain registered as 'active' within the NHS, in order to qualify for the vaccine?

Also look into any quarantine requirements if you travel to the UK.

If I come via a non red country I need to do 10 days at home quarantine, shortened to 5 days with a private PCR test (not really practicable). Registered with a GP at a UK address, get regular repeat prescriptions sent on to me. Government has already written to me inviting me for a vaccination.

[Surelynot]

4 minutes ago, Saltire said:

My village is 70% non-Thai and many of the Laos/Myanmar neighbours got quite angry, quoting the PM as everyone will get the vaccine. No mention of 'Thai first'.

Think yourself lucky there isn't a large Chinese population.......it will be interesting see what happens in Bangkok when China Town is being vaccinated and the Thais have to wait their turn like second class citizens in their own country.

[bermondburi]

2 hours ago, British Bulldog said:

My family and I have been desperate to get down to Phuket where we rent a Catamaran Yacht for a week or so every year, we live in Vientiane but get a direct flight from Udon to Phuket, as the rules are starting to relax, we see the light at the end of the tunnel, however, the one thing we did forget is .... trying to get back into Laos when we return, borders are still close, OK for my Lao wife and kids, but it still means 14 days in quarantine ... so unless we have a 'pass' to get back in, our trip and contribution to the Thai economy is a no go ... the point is; How many of these 100,000's or tourist that Thailand is trying to get to visit Phuket and alike, are in the same boat in their respected Countries ... trying to get back in and avoid a quarantine !

Not too bad for me. 48 hours stay at home, then test. Results next day and free to go. Far more sensible then Thailand's idiotic requirements.

[bermondburi]

2 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

 

No it's seasonal like influenza. Look what happened to the rates in the last wave, they fell even though there was no vaccine. Human intervention has had no appreciable effect otherwise the second wave would have never happened as we already had masks/lockdown etc...

No you're wrong there. If you look at the change in death rates for different age groups in the UK, you can clearly see how death rate for older groups already vaccinated has gone down in recent months.

[newnative]

19 minutes ago, Chelseafan said:

 

Why ? If you're vaccinated then your chances of contracting Covid are greatly reduced.

 

Right. Be worried about the locals who haven't been vaccinated.

[mickymouse1]

4 hours ago, HerewardtheWake said:

For crying out loud, when will the shorter quarantine become effective? The ASQ hotels say it is still the 14-day quarantine. 

As we heard on international news this morning,  fully vaccinated individuals will be permitted to enter the kingdom but subjected to 7 days quarantine as from April. For me, I wouldn't waste even 1 night, thus ,will remain outside till such time no quarantine.