do I have to be vaccinated to enter Thailand?

[joeshmoe23]

I didn't intend for this topic to become a discussion about getting vaccine as it never leads anywhere. Rather, I am interested in practical implications of traveling unvaccinated. Do you think Thailand is heading in direction of introducing vaccine passports? Has anyone gotten turned back at the airport/immigration for not being jabbed?

 

That being sad, I am not trying to tell you what you should/shouldn't discuss just because I've started this topic. I have read and pondered all the posts about merits of being jabbed. Personally I remain sceptical and follow all the developments regarding the issue.

[Fredyyy]

Well, Israeli vaccines are not scary, Israel is doing everything for the people.
As far as I know, before departure, you need to take an antibody test or a certificate 
that you are not sick with covid in 72 hours.

[ravip]

21 hours ago, shdmn said:

It would be pretty stupid to travel anywhere if you are not vaccinated, regardless of whether it's allowed or not.

Why? (if one is ready to die)

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, joeshmoe23 said:

Do you think Thailand is heading in direction of introducing vaccine passports? Has anyone gotten turned back at the airport/immigration for not being jabbed?

 

There has been no mention of vaccine passports here.

I am not aware of anybody being denied entry for not being vaccinated. There is no rule that requires it other than for the sandboxes.

[richard_smith237]

21 hours ago, joeshmoe23 said:

thank you guys for all the responses. Policies changing overnight is a valid concern. I don't get why everyone is so paranoid about covid though. I said I already went through it so I have immunity and won't be spreading it.

Any antibodies you ‘may’ have had may well have diminished by now. Additionally, as Covid-19 has evolved  into the primary variant of concern ‘currently known to us’, Delta, the virus may well have surpassed the ability of any antibodies you may have and readily ‘evade’ your immune response.

 

Ultimately, anyone saying ‘I’ve had covid and am therefore safe' may not be thinking things through carefully.... Sadly, there are many who just don’t know what they don’t know and continue to place themselves and others at risk.

 

Then there is this to consider...  you may actually be providing some proof !...

 

 

 

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(21)00324-2/fulltext

 

 

 

 

 

[milys]

23 hours ago, joeshmoe23 said:

Is there any specific reason as to why you suggest to get vaccinated? Personally I am trying to avoid it. I am in my 30's and already went through covid so I see no reason to get jabbed.

After almost 18 months of the pandemic and you're asking why you should get vaccinated before going to Thailand while the country is struggling with the contagious delta strain.

 

Having had covid does not protect you same as the vaccine.

 

I also wonder why would you go to Thailand now ?

 

The country is in a lockdown, travelling is regulated, people are panicking and the cities are like ghost towns.

[statman78]

If you plan to travel around Thailand it is wise to be vaccinated.  Some provinces require a vaccine or a negative test to enter.  I came back from the US, did my quarantine in Bangkok then travelled back to my home in Chiang Rai in early July.  To avoid another quarantine in Chiang Rai I needed either a negative Covid test or proof of vaccination.  Since I was vaccinated in the US I had no trouble entering Chiang Rai.

Edited July 29, 2021 by statman78

[ukrules]

2 hours ago, dennnis said:

By the new Israeli research, people who had covid are more protected than vaccinated ones.

Yes, but why, and could it really be any other way?

 

The vaccines contain a couple of tiny parts of the virus particle (the virion), whereas a full on infection contains the entire virion.

 

Antibodies and the related cells that create the antibodies respond only to the tiny parts of the virus that are produced by the vaccine as opposed to the naturally infected creating a lot more 'recognition' of the foreign body that is COVID by creating antibodies which attack every part of the virus particle (the virion).

 

So why is it said that a vaccine works better than a real infection, evidence is showing this is simply untrue and that makes a whole lot of sense and why are so many of you lapping all this rubbish up like it was some kind of immutable truth?

 

It's politics.

If they told you that vaccination was a half assed alternative to real immunity would you all still rush out and get the vaccine?

 

[sucit]

2 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

I'm not sure.  But who would want to come here without a vaccination?

a person who wants to come here, who does not want to be vaccinated

[MrJ2U]

10 minutes ago, sucit said:

a person who wants to come here, who does not want to be vaccinated

That makes sense.

[MrJ2U]

25 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Yes, but why, and could it really be any other way?

 

The vaccines contain a couple of tiny parts of the virus particle (the virion), whereas a full on infection contains the entire virion.

 

Antibodies and the related cells that create the antibodies respond only to the tiny parts of the virus that are produced by the vaccine as opposed to the naturally infected creating a lot more 'recognition' of the foreign body that is COVID by creating antibodies which attack every part of the virus particle (the virion).

 

So why is it said that a vaccine works better than a real infection, evidence is showing this is simply untrue and that makes a whole lot of sense and why are so many of you lapping all this rubbish up like it was some kind of immutable truth?

 

It's politics.

If they told you that vaccination was a half assed alternative to real immunity would you all still rush out and get the vaccine?

 

This is becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated.

 

 

[skatewash]

Being unvaccinated you would not be able to travel domestically to Phuket.  You could travel internationally to Phuket but would have to undergo 14 days of quarantine in the Phuket ALQ program.  (I'm assuming you can't prove that you live in Phuket by ID card.)

[bbko]

OP, what's the drawback of just getting the vaccine?  I see you said you already had covid, but other than the needle <deleted>, what's the harm of going ahead and getting the jabs? Seems like a positive thing to do on many levels. 

[ubonjoe]

11 minutes ago, skatewash said:

Being unvaccinated you would not be able to travel domestically to Phuket.  You could travel internationally to Phuket but would have to undergo 14 days of quarantine in the Phuket ALQ program.  (I'm assuming you can't prove that you live in Phuket by ID card.)

That has been changed since it was issued. It is now only a negative covid 19 test within 72 hours of arriving or being vaccinated.

[Paradise Pete]

23 hours ago, joeshmoe23 said:

thank you guys for all the responses. Policies changing overnight is a valid concern. I don't get why everyone is so paranoid about covid though. I said I already went through it so I have immunity and won't be spreading it.

You have some resistance that will fade over time. Getting fully vaccinated on top of that will give you superb resistance.

You can still contract the virus of course, and during the time in between exposure and your body killing it you'll be able to spread it to other, possibly unvaccinated, people. The better your defenses the shorter that time is. Possibly close to none at all.

 

Getting vaccinated, if you're able, is just the right thing to do. It's not often so easy to do something that's good for everybody. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

Edited July 29, 2021 by Paradise Pete

[Tony125]

On 7/28/2021 at 6:56 PM, joeshmoe23 said:

Thank you for the response. Is there any specific reason as to why you suggest to get vaccinated? Personally I am trying to avoid it. I am in my 30's and already went through covid so I see no reason to get jabbed.

 

Factbox: Countries make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory

https://www.yahoo.com/news/factbox-countries-covid-19-vaccines-125528909.html

 

 

Thailand warns COVID-19 surge pushing hospitals to the brink

https://www.yahoo.com/news/thailand-reports-daily-record-17-005211374.html

Edited July 29, 2021 by Tony125

[shdmn]

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

...

 

Then there is this to consider...  you may actually be providing some proof !...

 

 

 

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(21)00324-2/fulltext

 

 

All the more reason for the anti-vaxxers to not get vaccinated since they already have cognitive deficits. 

Edited July 29, 2021 by shdmn

[joeshmoe23]

Regarding the reason as to why I don't want to be vaccinated as a guy in his 30's who had recovered from covid : vaccines carry some risk as they are experimental and there is a lot of censorship going on regarding the people experiencing adverse effects from them. According to articles I've read, the natural immunity should suffice. The risk of me suffering from covid again or spreading it in the near future is extremely low. So for now I decided to wait and monitor the situation.

[DrJack54]

24 minutes ago, joeshmoe23 said:

 So for now I decided to wait and monitor the situation.

Vaccination is irrelevant. Vast majority in Thailand are unvaccinated.

The fact of the matter (as others have mentioned) coming to Thailand currently anyone would need rocks in their head.

The exception is those with family and/or serious ties to Thailand.

For a visit only you would need head read.

[joeshmoe23]

3 hours ago, milys said:

After almost 18 months of the pandemic and you're asking why you should get vaccinated before going to Thailand while the country is struggling with the contagious delta strain.

 

Having had covid does not protect you same as the vaccine.

 

I also wonder why would you go to Thailand now ?

 

The country is in a lockdown, travelling is regulated, people are panicking and the cities are like ghost towns.

Reasons are cheaper costs of living and the weather. Summer ends soon and its going to get cold where I am living. I don't really care if there are restrictions as long as they are not extreme

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, joeshmoe23 said:

Reasons are cheaper costs of living and the weather. Summer ends soon and its going to get cold where I am living. I don't really care if there are restrictions as long as they are not extreme

What are your interests.

Go out have some fun.

Go to bar for a relax.

Go out catch some good blues music.

You sound young so what about nightclub.

Enjoy a beach.

Go to nice cheap eatery for meal etc.

Travel throughout Thailand. 

Fly from city to city in Thailand.

Gym for workout.

Or run in a nice park......etc etc

 

The above list along about anything else you can think of is a NO GO.

What are you thinking man

 

[HashBrownHarry]

On 7/28/2021 at 2:30 PM, joeshmoe23 said:

thank you guys for all the responses. Policies changing overnight is a valid concern. I don't get why everyone is so paranoid about covid though. I said I already went through it so I have immunity and won't be spreading it.

You are not immune, the antibodies do not last forever.

 

Also a doctor told me that if you're infected for a 2nd time it's likely the sypmtoms will be worse.

 

It makes sense to get vaccinated and makes intl travel easier.

[joeshmoe23]

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

What are your interests.

Go out have some fun.

Go to bar for a relax.

Go out catch some good blues music.

You sound young so what about nightclub.

Enjoy a beach.

Go to nice cheap eatery for meal etc.

Travel throughout Thailand. 

Fly from city to city in Thailand.

Gym for workout.

Or run in a nice park......etc etc

 

The above list along about anything else you can think of is a NO GO.

What are you thinking man

 

I am mostly working and studying. Its easier to do with lower costs 

[HashBrownHarry]

1 minute ago, joeshmoe23 said:

I am mostly working and studying. Its easier to do with lower costs 

Lower costs?

 

Even with flights / quarantine / rental accomadations taken into account?

 

Really?

[joeshmoe23]

1 minute ago, HashBrownHarry said:

Lower costs?

 

Even with flights / quarantine / rental accomadations taken into account?

 

Really?

if you take an advantage of special tourist visa and spend many months in the country then its clearly cheaper than most places even if you include all the costs of asq etc. For short time like a month or two,clearly not.

[HashBrownHarry]

Just now, joeshmoe23 said:

if you take an advantage of special tourist visa and spend many months in the country then its clearly cheaper than most places even if you include all the costs of asq etc. For short time like a month or two,clearly not.

ok, say you're coming for 8-12 months, how much do you think that would cost to include everything?

 

 

[Salerno]

4 minutes ago, joeshmoe23 said:

if you take an advantage of special tourist visa

You're too late for that, what visa do you intend arriving on?

[joeshmoe23]

5 minutes ago, Salerno said:

You're too late for that, what visa do you intend arriving on?

has it been cancelled? If I remember correctly, you can arrive on that visa till 30th September

[Salerno]

Just now, joeshmoe23 said:

has it been cancelled? If I remember correctly, you can arrive on that visa till 30th September

You can get an extension until 30 September but I believe some embassies stopped issuing them/are about to stop issuing them. Even if you got one today, it would only be valid for 3 months with no ability to change it in-country so it's a worse choice than it was previously.

[joeshmoe23]

8 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

ok, say you're coming for 8-12 months, how much do you think that would cost to include everything?

 

 

roughly flights 1k$ ASQ 1k$, rent+living 1,5k$/mo, insurance + random things 500$/month. that would be minimum. Aside from that, I think we should have some savings in case of something completely unexpected