I just read about a Thai dentist in Bkk who will be shutting her clinic for a month to fly to the USA to get a vaccine.

[ayahuasca]

4 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

I have thought about doing the exact same thing.  This is because I doubt I can get vaccinated in LOS until 2022?(at least I hope I do not have to wait that long).  I am willing to pay for the vaccine in LOS if private hospitals were to offer them(I would only take the Pfizer, Moderna, J&J or AstraZeneca).

 

i have looked into what it would cost  me to fly back to Los Angeles to get vaccinated and then return.

 

1.  BKK Covid Test                            $100

2. BKK to LAX roundtrip                  $1,000(I can connect in Manila for $650 but might not be a good idea).

3. LAX Rental Car for 21 Days        $1,000(I was shocked at this number but it looks the supply of cars is low for Hertz or Enterprise)

4. LA area hotel, motel or AirBnB  $1500(could be $2,000?)

5. LAX Covid Test before return     $150

6. 7 Day ASQ upon return to BKK   $700-1000

 

Initial total estimate                         $4450

*Not including food and/or wine

 

I already have  the required Health Insurance and the only other thing I would need is a COE from the LA 

Consulate

 

In the end I will wait in LOS and wait for my turn at getting "jabbed".   I just hope my turn comes in 2021? 

Sounds about right. Two caveats: the bloody quarantine upon return. Just today a local attorney (Samui) posted that they are now requiring a 2 week quarantine regardless. And, if you do the Pfizer or Moderna, you'd need to wait 2 weeks to return to be allowed the 7-day quarantine (if that's still possible). 

 

Also, yes the car rentals are now about double, even when using deals, and deal sites. 

 

Another plus of the US is that other vaccines available are generally superior/more current, e.g. their hepatitis, shingles, and HPV vacciness--e.g. Shrigrix vs Zostavax, Gardasil-9 vs Gardasil....

 

It's notable how the pandemic has "turned on the lights" with respect to public health systems globally. E.g. the propaganda about how great the thai health system is starting to fade.....except when compared to say cambodia ;-|

 

(yes skip manila, try JAL if you can BKK-NRT-LAX (or via HND), esp. for economy, and they are allowing multiple changes for free).

 

 

Edited April 29, 2021 by ayahuasca

[mwjanke56]

I’m considering this option too.  My thai wife (dual citizen) and I are both US citizens.  Watching the news about the vaccine in Thailand.  We live in Chiang Mai.  Trying to get my marriage visa taken care of first, due mid July, but read we can do it 30 days early.  I’m 64, she’s  45, so we should be both able to get vaccinated.  Lived in WA most recently, 2018 for a few months, have a PMB there.   But have family in MI and might go there.  I definitely am ready to visit the US and probably want to stay 2 months or so.  So we’re looking at mid to late summer.   So we might be looking at a return to Thailand in September or October.  Seems like fully vaccinated returnees should not have to quarantine by then.  Any ideas, suggestions?  

[mwjanke56]

Forgot to ask about the flights to USA being less than full.  That’s a big plus to me.  Any first hand info about BKK-DOH-ORD flights?   

[jack71]

On 4/29/2021 at 5:27 PM, Kiujunn said:

How does that fit into living in Thailand? 

The private hospitals in bkk will probably all sell the quality vaccines in 6 to 12 months

[OzMan]

On 4/28/2021 at 10:10 PM, treetops said:

The main western produced ones are all being sold at cost until the WHO declare the pandemic over.  Prices may well go up if anything when that happens.

I would not be too sure about that...

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/04/business/pfizer-covid-vaccine-profits.html

 

[mtls2005]

Well she's obviously been to the U.S. before as (I assume) she has a visa.

 

Maybe she studied there?

 

(Assume she's not that Thai dentist who welched on her loan?)

 

I'm a bit conflicted on allowing foreigners to jet in to the U.S. for a vaccine, but there's plenty of inventory and vaccination rates are falling, so maybe "les" conflicted.

 

Good for the dentist. Now what about the other staff in her clinic?

 

 

I've considered returning, but for me I have two major concerns: the time (probably ends up being 2 months, end-to-end) and the changing situation in Thailand, where a lockdown could lead to being shut-out for months, as was the case last year.

 

 

 

 

 

[Heng]

The only deal breaker for me is the quarantine on return.   And surely some vaccine choices will make it to tier one private hospitals some time this year. 

 

BTW plenty of Thais in the 5% have 10 year US visas or dual citizenship.   

[Phillip9]

20 minutes ago, Heng said:

And surely some vaccine choices will make it to tier one private hospitals some time this year. 

Almost impossible now.  They have announced only Moderna will be available at private hospitals.  Moderna has a long backlog of orders and new orders placed recently by other countries will be delivered in Q1 2022.  Thailand hasn't even placed an order yet.

[Heng]

15 hours ago, Phillip9 said:

Almost impossible now.  They have announced only Moderna will be available at private hospitals.  Moderna has a long backlog of orders and new orders placed recently by other countries will be delivered in Q1 2022.  Thailand hasn't even placed an order yet.

 

Well, the situation is fluid, both on the manufacturing side and supply chain side, so I wouldn't be so quick to label anything as impossible. 

 

And the fly to vaccine option is of course still available for all of us who are able to do so if it looks like this might drag on all year.   And it doesn't have to be to the US.... it might end up being a flight to Dubai or Singapore or whatever destination makes it possible.   There's the Maldives option (before the most recent spike) that might become available again, and that's visa free for all Thais (they just need to be able to afford such a vacation).     

 

[Phillip9]

7 hours ago, Heng said:

There's the Maldives option (before the most recent spike) that might become available again

 

Maldives hasn't offered vaccines to tourists yet.  That has just been talk that maybe it might happen in the future.  

[Heng]

14 hours ago, Phillip9 said:

 

Maldives hasn't offered vaccines to tourists yet.  That has just been talk that maybe it might happen in the future.  

 

ah yes, tentatively to start next month according to the marketing.   

[Phillip9]

19 hours ago, Heng said:

ah yes, tentatively to start next month according to the marketing.   

 

I haven't seen any date given.  They have just said it will be after they finish vaccinating their local population (which should be in about 2 months at the current rate).  I would be interested in any link if you have one giving a more specific date.

[Heng]

4 hours ago, Phillip9 said:

 

I haven't seen any date given.  They have just said it will be after they finish vaccinating their local population (which should be in about 2 months at the current rate).  I would be interested in any link if you have one giving a more specific date.

 

https://www.businessinsider.co.za/vaccine-tourism-from-south-african-may-open-to-the-maldives-2021-4

 

Yeah, looks like just a mention of June for resuming some flights, not specifics on vaccine availability. Still holding out hope though...