Expats getting a Covid-19 vaccine in Pattaya for dummies with emphasis on expats outside the Thai system

[WaveHunter]

32 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

 

Oh boy, another online registration scheme for expats is in the works, according to the CCSA Spokeswoman...to be released at an "undisclosed time".  Where have I heard that before?

 

Also stated, in the classically vague sort of way that we've all come to expect from the CCSA, Inter-provincial travel through deep-red zones will now require "prior authorization", whatever the hell that means.  Of course they did not elaborate.  Does anybody have a clue what that means specifically?

 

I wrote an email to PhyaThai asking if they could elaborate or provide some sort of travel document and am waiting to hear back from them.

 

Edited July 19, 2021 by WaveHunter

[Jingthing]

12 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

Oh boy, another online registration scheme for expats is in the works, according to the CCSA Spokeswoman...to be released at an "undisclosed time".  Where have I heard that before?

 

Also stated, in the classically vague sort of way that we've all come to expect from the CCSA, Inter-provincial travel through deep-red zones will now require "prior authorization", whatever the hell that means.  Of course they did not elaborate.  Does anybody have a clue what that means specifically?

 

I wrote an email to PhyaThai asking if they could elaborate or provide some sort of travel document and am waiting to hear back from them.

 

Could it be this?

 

https://covid-19.in.th/move

 

Thai ID number required, ha ha.

[Guderian]

This is not a good portent. The GF drove home to Laem Chabang 2 hours ago and this was the scene on Suk, at the Banglamung checkpoint I assume. Now multiply that delay by the number of checkpoints between Pattaya and Phayathai2 hospital. 

 

 

[WaveHunter]

7 minutes ago, Guderian said:

This is not a good portent. The GF drove home to Laem Chabang 2 hours ago and this was the scene on Suk, at the Banglamung checkpoint I assume. Now multiply that delay by the number of checkpoints between Pattaya and Phayathai2 hospital. 

 

 

NOT what I wanted to see ????. Was it indeed due to the checkpoint?  I'm assuming she had to go through it.  What was her impression?  What kind of delay did she have?  Give us all the details you can please.

 

[Ohyesuare]

8 minutes ago, Guderian said:

This is not a good portent. The GF drove home to Laem Chabang 2 hours ago and this was the scene on Suk, at the Banglamung checkpoint I assume. Now multiply that delay by the number of checkpoints between Pattaya and Phayathai2 hospital. 

 

 

I'm leaving at 10AM for a 2PM appointment, do you think that's enough time from Pattaya to Bangkok?

[The Hammer2021]

8 minutes ago, Ohyesuare said:

I'm leaving at 10AM for a 2PM appointment, do you think that's enough time from Pattaya to Bangkok?

Is interprovincial travel allowed?

[WaveHunter]

For those of you with appointments at Phyathai Hospital this week, you need to contact them to get a "travel  certificate". 

 

Here is the email they sent me.  Contact them by email at [email protected] and they will send you the form. to fill out so that you can get the travel certificate.

 

 

Note in their email that they say "...please note that we cannot guarantee that this will be sufficient to travel out of your province. Please take the necessary measures to ensure a safe and hassle-free travel to/from Bangkok by contacting the local authorities for information on any other travel requirements..."

 

So the question is, who are the "local authorities" we need to contact?  Can Anybody answer that?

[Skallywag]

19 minutes ago, Guderian said:

at the Banglamung checkpoint I assume.

Did she say how long it took to get past the checkpoint?

[Guderian]

1 hour ago, WaveHunter said:

NOT what I wanted to see ????. Was it indeed due to the checkpoint?  I'm assuming she had to go through it.  What was her impression?  What kind of delay did she have?  Give us all the details you can please.

 

I've asked but she's being very vague. I don't think it was the checkpoint in Banglamung from what little she's said, maybe just normal rush hour traffic in Laem Chabang. 

[WaveHunter]

1 hour ago, WaveHunter said:

For those of you with appointments at Phyathai Hospital this week, you need to contact them to get a "travel  certificate". 

 

Here is the email they sent me.  Contact them by email at [email protected] and they will send you the form. to fill out so that you can get the travel certificate.

 

 

Note in their email that they say "...please note that we cannot guarantee that this will be sufficient to travel out of your province. Please take the necessary measures to ensure a safe and hassle-free travel to/from Bangkok by contacting the local authorities for information on any other travel requirements..."

 

So the question is, who are the "local authorities" we need to contact?  Can Anybody answer that?

I'd really love it if somebody on here knows specifically what "local authorities" we need to contact, as suggested by Phyathai Hospital?  Anyone???

Edited July 19, 2021 by WaveHunter

[Jingthing]

11 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

I'd really love it if somebody on here knows specifically what "local authorities" we need to contact, as suggested by Phyathai Hospital?  Anyone???

Assuming we can get there, what about coming back?

 

I'm feeling pessimistic about these trips again.

 

What are the chances that we can get jabs locally in August?

[Harry2]

1 hour ago, Ohyesuare said:

I'm leaving at 10AM for a 2PM appointment, do you think that's enough time from Pattaya to Bangkok?

I did the PTY to Pyathai 3 weeks ago today. I used the coach but would now obviously use a car hire company now. My experience was they started taking people up to 1.5 hours before their appointment, I was there for a 14.00 but was called in just after 12.30. Given that, I would aim to get to Pyathai at least 2 maybe 2.5 hours early, if there are delays you have that 2-2.5 hour buffer, if no delays you can try to get processed earlier & make it back to PTY earlier. Incidentally I don't think they are 'difficult' at the hospital, so if you arrived late & they were still administering vaccines I reckon you would be OK.

 

I would book via a good local car hire company who know the ropes, probably know the likely delays on different routes & can give good practical advice as its their livelihood & they want their driver back safely in PTY that day.

[Harry2]

29 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Assuming we can get there, what about coming back?

 

I'm feeling pessimistic about these trips again.

 

What are the chances that we can get jabs locally in August?

If its humanly possible to get your first Astra jab in BKK, I would go for it. PTY seem to be particularly hopeless in obtaining any vaccine supplies whatsoever, those they have got often seem to be Sino*** & they also seem very happy to discriminate against non-Thais when they can. All in all not a rosy outlook for obtaining anything locally before autumn/winter.

[The Hammer2021]

Now that Pattaya has been declared a deep red zone is there reason to believe vaccine distribution will start here too as it did in Bangkok?

[shortstop2]

Today a friend and I went to Pattaya City Hall on Pattaya Nua to request a travel document.  At City Hall we were told to go to what is perhaps the amphur on Sukhumvit; I had been there twice before.  We paid a small amount of money, maybe around 40 baht each, to get a multi page photocopied document in Thai that did not have our names on but we were told it might help us with travel.  Looked like they were setting up a Covid roadblock on headed from the north on Sukhumvit, a bit north of Pattaya Nua.

 

My friend's appointment is on the 21st and mine on the 26th but we decided to go up there today just in case travel is difficult starting tomorrow,  Took Tom's Taxi, thanks Wave Hunter, and I would highly recommend them,  Hit no traffic at all and made it into Bangkok in record time.   

 

 

Edited July 19, 2021 by shortstop2

[Guderian]

False alarm on the traffic queue, it was caused by work on a new bridge. 

 

Still, the situation seems a bit clearer now. All we need is a certificate of appointment from the hospital, a QR code from that Covidinth website, and some form or other from an office on Sukhumvit. And even then nobody seems sure that these will be enough. Dispirited doesn't begin to describe how I feel. 

[Skallywag]

10 minutes ago, Guderian said:

...All we need is a certificate of appointment from the hospital, a QR code from that Covidinth website, and some form or other from an office on Sukhumvit. And even then nobody seems sure that these will be enough. Dispirited doesn't begin to describe how I feel. 

B Positive (my Blood type BTW) 

Stay cool and let your driver talk at roadblocks if needed

Have your appointment SMS 

Be safe

You'll be glad you got the vaccine

Peace

[fredscats]

11 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Assuming we can get there, what about coming back?

 

I'm feeling pessimistic about these trips again.

 

What are the chances that we can get jabs locally in August?

I'm with you on this one Jingthing,for one you have to get there,printed English form the cop at the block would simply throw away,could not understand,...then if you did get thru the block ,getting back?  no chance,..you would be reduced to a wondering ghoul in BKK, a vaccinated one tho,in that diseased cess pit

 

 The more enterprising ones tho in Pattaya would get on a boat, sail it up river to centre of BKK to reach the holy grail

 

The unfortunate ones left behind ,simply make do with 10% off at Witherspoons for take away,girls left behind too may end up doing a sliding scale of charges,bad luck is Hungry Hippo 40 baht for 700 cc bottles of ale now finished

 

Whatever the outcome Jingthing God speed to you,we all have to die sometime,I'm booked in for this one

[Ohyesuare]

15 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Is interprovincial travel allowed?

For vaccination and other exemptions, yes.

 

Spoke with my taxi company and she says there will be no problems to go from Pattaya to Bangkok and back. I can show the appointment proof if needed. 

Edited July 20, 2021 by Ohyesuare

[WaveHunter]

14 hours ago, shortstop2 said:

Today a friend and I went to Pattaya City Hall on Pattaya Nua to request a travel document.  At City Hall we were told to go to what is perhaps the amphur on Sukhumvit; I had been there twice before.  We paid a small amount of money, maybe around 40 baht each, to get a multi page photocopied document in Thai that did not have our names on but we were told it might help us with travel.  Looked like they were setting up a Covid roadblock on headed from the north on Sukhumvit, a bit north of Pattaya Nua.

 

My friend's appointment is on the 21st and mine on the 26th but we decided to go up there today just in case travel is difficult starting tomorrow,  Took Tom's Taxi, thanks Wave Hunter, and I would highly recommend them,  Hit no traffic at all and made it into Bangkok in record time.   

 

 

Thanks for the info; very helpful, particularly about the suggestion of showing up early.

 

Questions:

• DId you get the travel document from Phyathai Hospital?
• Can you provide a google map link to the amphur office you got the travel document from, and do you think it would really be helpful or just if the one from the hospital serves the same purpose?
• What hotel did you book in Bangkok?

 

Also, if you wouldn't mind, can you document your friend's experience today, like what time he/she showed up ahead of time, how long the wait, etc.

 

Thanks again.

 

Edited July 20, 2021 by WaveHunter

[WaveHunter]

13 hours ago, Guderian said:

False alarm on the traffic queue, it was caused by work on a new bridge. 

 

Still, the situation seems a bit clearer now. All we need is a certificate of appointment from the hospital, a QR code from that Covidinth website, and some form or other from an office on Sukhumvit. And even then nobody seems sure that these will be enough. Dispirited doesn't begin to describe how I feel. 

"a QR code from that Covidinth website"?  What website is that?

 

"some form or other from an office on Sukhumvit"?  Anything more specific?

[WaveHunter]

15 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Assuming we can get there, what about coming back?

 

I'm feeling pessimistic about these trips again.

 

What are the chances that we can get jabs locally in August?

Same pessimism here too as of 11:30am 20 July. 

 

There has been no "actionable" information from the CCSA about what to expect about intra-provincial travel for a doctor's appointment / vaccination, other than to say that prior authorization is required, without saying specifically what that is.  So DAMN typical of the CCSA!

 

Phyathai Hospital said pretty much the same thing; that their "travel certificate" may not be enough to ensure traveling success. 

 

NOTE: I asked Phyathai if I could re-schedule my vax to August due to the travel uncertainties, and they say that will not be possible...basically use your present appointment or lose it.

 

The reason I'm concerned is that this restriction scheme is unlike previous ones that will not really that strict.  This time there is huge pressure to make these travel restrictions VERY strict, and the real problem is that those tasked to enforcing it are probably as uncertain how to do it effectively and fairly as we are to understand it!  You just know it is going to wind up being a huge clusterf*ck like nothing we've ever seen before!

 

Your concern about getting back to Pattaya is warranted IMO!  I think getting into Bangkok will be incredibly time consuming due to checkpoints, but shouldn't be a problem with the travel certificate from Phyathai.

 

BUT getting back to Chonburi could be VERY problematic since the whole point of the check points is to prevent people from Bangkok crossing into adjoining provinces (especially that little bit of 

Chachoengsao Province you have to pass through, that is not deep-red), even if you are only trying to get back to your home Province. 

 

So, what happens if you are stopped at a checkpoint and not allowed to proceed?  OMG!!!  What does that mean...you're forced to turn around and go back to where you came from?  Or worse, detained!

 

I don't mean to sound all "doom & gloom" but if there's even a change of that worst-case scenario, I will not go...PERIOD!

 

I am strongly thinking of just letting passing on this vax opportunity, and waiting for my appointment next month at MedPark when travel restrictions may have ended, or at least be more orderly.

 

Also, since Chonburi has now been re-classified as Deep-Red, and considering the HUGE growth of daily cases, I think the government is going to be forced to re-direct massive amounts of vaccines to our Province VERY SOON, so we expats may actually be able to FINALLY get vaccinated right here. 

Edited July 20, 2021 by WaveHunter

[shortstop2]

35 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

Questions:

• DId you get the travel document from Phyathai Hospital?
• Can you provide a google map link to the amphur office you got the travel document from, and do you think it would really be helpful or just if the one from the hospital serves the same purpose?
• What hotel did you book in Bangkok?

 

Also, if you wouldn't mind, can you document your friend's experience today, like what time he/she showed up ahead of time, how long the wait, etc.

I sent an email for the Phyathai travel document around midnight and as of noon I have not received a response.

 

The government office is a couple of kilometers north of Bangkok Pattaya Hospital same side of Sukhumvit, it is the Banglamung Government Office.  Will try posting a map link.

 

https://goo.gl/maps/2GPTzj5KyAKn78SH6

 

My friends appointment is tomorrow.

 

I am quite pleased with the Alt UHG Nana.   Value For Money.

Alt UHG Nana

 

 

[VaccineHunter]

16 hours ago, WaveHunter said:

I'd really love it if somebody on here knows specifically what "local authorities" we need to contact, as suggested by Phyathai Hospital?  Anyone???

I wouldn't get overly concerned, this is Thailand bring your vaccine appointment slip as a printout and I am pretty sure you will be fine at any checkpoint as you have a valid reason to travel - in addition I had a friend drive to South Sathorn Road in Bangkok and back this morning from Pattaya via Highway 7 and there was not a single checkpoint. And even if they setup some its highly unlikely they would lead to these doomsday traffic jams that some proponents here are forecasting... Get Waze and plan ahead and you will be fine in my view.

[WaveHunter]

3 hours ago, Ohyesuare said:

For vaccination and other exemptions, yes.

 

Spoke with my taxi company and she says there will be no problems to go from Pattaya to Bangkok and back. I can show the appointment proof if needed. 

It will be more complicated than that.  Phyathai Hospital is sending me a "travel certificate" as proof that I have a doctor's appointment for vaccination HOWEVER they made it clear that this would not guarantee that my trip would be "hassle-free" and that I will probably encounter singnificant travel delays and even the possibility of being refused passage. 

 

Unlike previous travel restrictions, there is a lot of pressure this time around for officials to ensure that people traveling from Deep-Red zones will be heavily scrutinized at numerous road checkpoints, and that no doubt will lead to massive traffic delays and a lot of illogical actions taken by those tasked at enforcing the restrictions.

 

And don't forget that to get to/from Bangkok you need to travel through a Province that is NOT Deep Red (Chachoengsao Province...unless they have now been classified deep-red too), so I think the chances of a hassle-free trip are not sounding too good at this point.

Edited July 20, 2021 by WaveHunter

[Jingthing]

9 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

It will be more complicated than that.  Phyathai Hospital is sending me a "travel certificate" as proof that I have a doctor's appointment for vaccination HOWEVER they made it clear that this would not guarantee that my trip would be "hassle-free" and that I will probably encounter singnificant travel delays and even the possibility of being refused passage. 

 

Unlike previous travel restrictions, there is a lot of pressure this time around for officials to ensure that people traveling from Deep-Red zones will be heavily scrutinized at numerous road checkpoints, and that no doubt will lead to massive traffic delays and a lot of illogical actions taken by those tasked at enforcing the restrictions.

 

And don't forget that to get to/from Bangkok you need to travel through a Province that is NOT Deep Red (Chachoengsao Province...unless they have now been classified deep-red too), so I think the chances of a hassle-free trip are not sounding too good at this point.

I think Chachoengsao is also deep red.

[WaveHunter]

6 minutes ago, VaccineHunter said:

I wouldn't get overly concerned, this is Thailand bring your vaccine appointment slip as a printout and I am pretty sure you will be fine at any checkpoint as you have a valid reason to travel - in addition I had a friend drive to South Sathorn Road in Bangkok and back this morning from Pattaya via Highway 7 and there was not a single checkpoint. And even if they setup some its highly unlikely they would lead to these doomsday traffic jams that some proponents here are forecasting... Get Waze and plan ahead and you will be fine in my view.

I'd like to believe that, and you may indeed be proved correct, but the restrictions only go into place today so it's really anyone's guess what will happen. 

 

Remember, that unlike previous travel restrictions, there is enormous pressure on officials this time to be much more strict, and this will involve a whole host of officials from different provinces, each with the power to interpret restrictions  as they see fit, which can lead to massive traffic delays and inappropriate enforcement.

 

I'm not so concerned with getting TO the doctor's appointment as I am in getting back home to Pattaya.

Technically, you are not traveling to a doctor's appointment now.  In the eyes of some half-baked enforcement officer, he sees you as only traveling out of Bangkok and into his province, which he has been tasked with not allowing to happen unless you are headed TO a doctor's appointment.  I know it sounds unlikely, but tell me such screw-ups don't happen here on a regular basis...ya know?

[WaveHunter]

4 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I think Chachoengsao is also deep red.

You're correct; I just checked, but still every province between Bangkok and Pattaya are going to have checkpoint enforcement that is very wary of anyone coming out of Bangkok and into their province, even if they are only transiting and trying to get back home.  

 

I just think that this time, unlike in the past, travel restriction enforcement is going to be on an unprecedented level and as a result there are going to be massive traffic delays, and probably a lot of questionable enforcement actions being taken.

 

Bottom line, I just don't know if it will be worth the potential hassles to try and travel this week.  Next week will probably be a whole lot more hassle-free.

[mahjongguy]

2 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

Next week will probably be a whole lot more hassle-free.

It is likely to be better organized and consistent.  Unfortunately it is also full of holidays. July 24, 25, 26, and 28. Plus everyone who can manage to get away on the 27th.

[WaveHunter]

2 minutes ago, mahjongguy said:

It is likely to be better organized and consistent.  Unfortunately it is also full of holidays. July 24, 25, 26, and 28. Plus everyone who can manage to get away on the 27th.

Good point!  Next week will be an unprecedented zoo!  I have a backup vax appointment at MedPark for 8 August, and unless thing change with all the travel uncertainty for this week VERY soon, I'm just going to forget about Thyathai this week.  It just sounds like an unholy can of worms right now LOL!