October reopening?

[hotchilli]

On 8/14/2021 at 9:28 AM, NorthernRyland said:

As I understand it the government said it will "fully reopen" in October but have any dates been officially decided yet? It's getting close to October 1st and I'm not willing to stay another winter in the US waiting for Thailand to reopen. Honestly I don't see how they're going to reopen in 1 just over a month with their current COVID situation and I recall some official saying they may have to cancel the date.

Same as my lunch... on the back burner.

[kingstonkid]

34 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

Have you done the ASQ in BKK yet?

 

The difference between being locked in a room and being able to roam around phuket freely is huge, it's a no brainer to me.

I agree that Phuket if it stays open is the best thing.  I stated so much however, if you are not travelling in the next couple of weeks and buying tickets now I would think that planning to BKK would be better.  

 

I would hate to book my flights and have everything set up to go to Phuket in a month and find that it is closed or the rules have changed.

[daveAustin]

Get the not wanting to do another winter thing (could always go to Florida ????), but all that hassle just to go somewhere that is basically shut and having to wear masks everywhere? 

[BusyB]

On 8/14/2021 at 5:31 AM, NorthernRyland said:

I agree but I'm not a tourist. I plan to say as many months as I can.

Agreed, and the notion that we as vaccinees with negative tests are a danger that have to be kept out or quarantined is ludicrous.

It's actually US that's taking the risk by going there ...

(I saw a report saying 50 out of 19000 Sandbox participants tested positive altogether ... wonder how many picked it up there ...)

[BusyB]

On 8/14/2021 at 5:37 AM, NorthernRyland said:

I could wait until October 1st but beyond that I will indeed just go for Phuket. I was going to get a METV but I think those are on hold for now.

Yeah, I might just go for Phuket towards year end, but it ain't my end destination ...

[HashBrownHarry]

32 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

I agree that Phuket if it stays open is the best thing.  I stated so much however, if you are not travelling in the next couple of weeks and buying tickets now I would think that planning to BKK would be better.  

 

I would hate to book my flights and have everything set up to go to Phuket in a month and find that it is closed or the rules have changed.

What makes you think Phuket sandbox with shut down? If anything it looks like there's becoming more options of going to other islands there after initial 7 days on Phuket.

 

But yes, you are right, definately need to keep an eye on the changes.

[EricTh]

Thailand will only reopen when it reaches 80% fully vaccinated.

 

Now it's only 7% fully vaccinated. 

 

So it's still a long way to go.

 

[vukovar77]

On 8/14/2021 at 9:36 AM, jackdd said:

Did you look at the Covid numbers?

October 2022 maybe.

Yeah,I hope they can open country maybe  next year.

[Anythingleft?]

Questions not clear enough, the country is open for arrivals its just that everything here is shut, along with curfews and provincial travel restrictions.

But your'e more than wecome to come join us.

 

If the question is when will everything return to business as usual with no restrictions then maybe look at 2023. It could take that long for the infrastructure to regain and people to restart from nothing.....

[Tuvoc]

2 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

Unless someone is flying into Samui or Phuket in the next week I would suggest that it is a <deleted> shoot.  You do not know when or if they are going to change the rules.

To me if I am coming to BKK then I would book to BKK and do the ASQ in BKK.  Simple and easy no hassles and o chance of the rules changing.

Yeah, I've got a Qatar ticket from LHR to BKK late December.  I've done two-week ASQ before and I don't have any issue with it. BKK is my assumption for now. But I'm keeping any eye on things, under Qatar's flexible ticket policy I can change the destination to Phuket which may or may not involve extra cost (so direct from Doha to Phuket for the second leg). I'm hoping they might shorten the 14 day quarantine for double vaccinated travellers to 7 days perhaps, in which case I'd stick with BKK, but if not then I'll investigate all of the costs involved in changing it to Phuket.

 

For October for the OP ?  I'd say it would still be 14day quarantine in BKK, so therefore I'd seriously investigate Phuket if you don't want to be confined to your room - and it ought to be a bit cheaper as well.

Edited August 15, 2021 by Tuvoc

[gejohesch]

On 8/14/2021 at 5:02 AM, NorthernRyland said:

I just actually decided to Google my own question and found this: https://thethaiger.com/news/national/thailand-still-planned-to-fully-reopen-on-october-15-despite-covid-19-uptick.

 

“We cannot wait for a time when everyone is fully vaccinated with 2 shots to open the country or for when the world is free of the virus. We must be ready to live with some risk and just try to keep it at a manageable level, and let people go back to being able to earn a living.”

 

So it's October 15th. He sounds serious about the reality facing Thailand but I have 0 trust in those people.

 

 

Sounds encouraging enough .... until you check the date tat article was published : 2nd of July. "He" must have changed opinion about a dozen times since. And as you say, I have zero trust in anything said in that country. I learnt not to trust anything there years ago!

[cape]

On 8/14/2021 at 5:42 AM, sanuk711 said:

I believe it's the 32nd..........................................

14th

[geisha]

On 8/14/2021 at 5:32 AM, internationalism said:

there is still phuket and samui sandboxes. After 2 weeks you can travel by bus to bangkok and onwards to anywhere.

Or do ASQ in bangkok/pattaya area, but it's being locked in as room and is more expensive, than ALQ's.

I think on special visa you can stay up to 9 months. Or better sort out some other one, even marriage visa

Phuket is closed to all domestic travel, only international direct flights let in on the Sandbox program, this was due to increased infections. 

[club]

On 8/14/2021 at 9:39 AM, NorthernRyland said:

I've been waiting for 10 months now and I think we may just need to bite the bullet and go for Phuket. Summer is winding down and time is of the essence.

Phuket is a waist of money. NO walking street , no bars, few restaurants. Do what you want but i would wait if I were you. Covid is out of control here and this sandbox idea was not to smart right when Covid numbers are rising fast.  

[geisha]

None can say when it will be ok to travel , all depends on the pandemic. Unless you want to do the 14 days quarantine locked in a room , and when you get out everything is in lockdown, closed, shut . 

[Solinvictus]

Well, 'O' is for OCTOBER you know!?

[khunPer]

On 8/14/2021 at 4:28 AM, NorthernRyland said:

As I understand it the government said it will "fully reopen" in October but have any dates been officially decided yet? It's getting close to October 1st and I'm not willing to stay another winter in the US waiting for Thailand to reopen.

Normally I'm very careful with predicting the future, but I'll give it a try. I'm afraid you only have two choices:

1) Either stay another utterly cold winter in US...

or

2) Use the Phuket Sandbox for entry - which soon will give an 7+7 option - and commute after two weeks to wherever you wish to spend your winter in Land Of Smiles.

 

It's possible to enter, and avoid winter...????

[zzaa09]

On 8/13/2021 at 8:11 PM, Whale said:

So just jump on a plane now. Thailand has been open since October last year for international arrivals. Just have to do the quarantine/follow the rules.

Indeed. 

Been open for quite a while as long as you're willing to jump through the hoops of mandatory ASQ stay, testing, COE, purchasing COVID insurance [for non-residents], proof of vaccination, etc. 

 

As for the so called "reopening" and ending of protocols above from 15 October [official date???] - that ain't gonna happen. 
Recalling that the official announcement was place early July as a rhetorical measure to alleviate the doom and gloom circles. 

[MrJ2U]

Aint gonna happen.

[club]

Not a chance. Cases will be 50,000 a day because of this insane  vaccine roll out

[Sheryl]

10 hours ago, billd766 said:

quote "The sandbox still working? If I go to the Phuket Sandbox.... after two weeks can I come to Bangkok? Really???" 

 

Possibly. That can only happen if you get a negative result on all 3 of your nasal tests. One positive of even a false positive and you are off to the ASQ asap.

 

You will have to pay for those 14 days from your own pocket. Also, though you may have the $100,000 insurance, if your country had put Thailand on the red list, the insurace company will use that as an excuse not to pay up.

 With domestic flights banned and bans on  interprovincial travel, getting from Phuket to Bangkok may not be easy.

 

I am returning to Thailand in early September. I considered (1) delaying it awaiting the previously announced October opening or (2) going the Sandbox route. Decided against the first because it seems unlikely to happen...there has not been a word about it since the current surge really took off.  Decided against the second for fear of being stranded in Phuket.

 

So I'm just going to bite the bullet and quarantine in Bangkok. 

 

Of course, I live in Thailand so have compelling reason to go there. If I were just a potential visitor I would definitely either postpone or go elsewhere. This is not a good time to visit Thailand, to put it mildly.

[jonga80]

9 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

I agree that Phuket if it stays open is the best thing.  I stated so much however, if you are not travelling in the next couple of weeks and buying tickets now I would think that planning to BKK would be better.  

 

I would hate to book my flights and have everything set up to go to Phuket in a month and find that it is closed or the rules have changed.

Which is the Bangkok option? I was thinking that my only option, if I go to my country and comeback, is one of the Sandbox.

[BritTim]

30 minutes ago, jonga80 said:

Which is the Bangkok option? I was thinking that my only option, if I go to my country and comeback, is one of the Sandbox.

There has been a Bangkok option for a long time. It is unattractive for many because of the required 14-day quarantine.

[sezze]

If you want to come Thailand , it's "open" sort of speak , and i do not expect it to open more this year , unless they call it sandbox , coconut box , desperate tourist box , whatever box . They will keep the rules , and they will keep them for some time to come . Maybe they will bring down the quarantine to 7 days , but you gonna need the extra insurance , tracking app , full reservation , prepay tests , coe ... for some unknown time . And if you test positive on 1 of the tests , say hello to your holiday , and try to get the money they want from the insurance company ( which will prob use all tricks in the book to not pay ) .

So October , August , December , imho , all the same right now ( ok by the end of the y , prob more gonna be open as in not so lock down anymore ).

[jonga80]

9 hours ago, BritTim said:

There has been a Bangkok option for a long time. It is unattractive for many because of the required 14-day quarantine.

Do you have a link to the requirements? Thank you.

[drenddy]

Do they afford not to reopen?

 

At least, cut the quarantine for vaccinated travellers from 14 to 7 days, same should apply for sandboxes...14 days requirement for Phuket Sandbox is not out of some health safety considerations, it's pure business, keep the money in Phuket.

 

I want to visit Thailand, I want to be a part of those zillions of THB, TAT keeps telling about.

Edited August 16, 2021 by drenddy

[drenddy]

At current rate of vaccination, shouldn't they be near 80% at the end of November, when, perhaps, we could see some kind of reopening?

Edited August 16, 2021 by drenddy

[club]

3 hours ago, drenddy said:

At current rate of vaccination, shouldn't they be near 80% at the end of November, when, perhaps, we could see some kind of reopening?

Maybe 80% with 1 jab. No way they get to 80% with 2 jabs this year

[thai006]

they will never open Thailand in October but they will keep the sandbox 

[BritTim]

7 hours ago, jonga80 said:

Do you have a link to the requirements? Thank you.

Obviously, if you do not qualify for visa exempt entry, you will need a visa. Apart from this, you always need a Certificate of Entry (COE). You should contact the Thai embassy in the country you will depart from to come to Thailand as the requirements can be slightly different depending on your departure point. However, these requirements for a COE as described by the London Embassy are fairly typical: https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/application-for-certificate-of-entry-to-thailand-for-non-thai-nationa?.

 

Main requirements:

1. Confirmed reservation at an ASQ hotel (strict quarantine, mostly or wholly restricted to your room with no ability to leave even in other areas of the hotel)
2. Confirmed flight to Thailand.
3. A minimum of US$100,000 of insurance that covers any potential treatment for Covid-19.

In addition, once you have the COE (sent to you via email) you needed to arrange an RT-PCR test for Covid-19 within 72 hours of your departure for Thailand. This is checked at your departure airport as well as on arrival in Bangkok.