Chiang Mai Open on the 1st?

[racinkc1]

I know BKK is supposed to open back up on the 15 of Oct., but I just heard from my Thai friend that CM will be open on the 1st for foreign travels. And when I say "open" I mean flying into CM and not needing to quarantine. Is there any truth to this?

[brommers]

Plenty of speculation caused by what looks like a premature TAT announcement. It seems the CCSA has to put a recommendation to the dear leader next week. So right now there is nothing definitive.

[EricTh]

@racinkc1

 

You don't need to quarantine if you are fully vaccinated else you still need to quarantine for xx days.

 

Even if you are fully vaccinated, you still have to get a Covid swab up the nose once you land in Chiang Mai.

 

The 1st Oct date is tentative , it might change again if the number of daily cases worsen.

 

Edited September 19, 2021 by EricTh

[cardinalblue]

Not seen anywhere that CM is opening up to foreign travel w/o quarantine…it won’t be specific provinces but nationally once they decide a date….

[racinkc1]

8 hours ago, EricTh said:

@racinkc1

 

You don't need to quarantine if you are fully vaccinated else you still need to quarantine for xx days.

 

Even if you are fully vaccinated, you still have to get a Covid swab up the nose once you land in Chiang Mai.

 

The 1st Oct date is tentative , it might change again if the number of daily cases worsen.

 

where do you like to get your info from?

[racinkc1]

4 hours ago, cardinalblue said:

Not seen anywhere that CM is opening up to foreign travel w/o quarantine…it won’t be specific provinces but nationally once they decide a date….

looks like the TAT put something out about it......

[chalawaan]

9 hours ago, EricTh said:

@racinkc1

 

You don't need to quarantine if you are fully vaccinated else you still need to quarantine for xx days.

 

Even if you are fully vaccinated, you still have to get a Covid swab up the nose once you land in Chiang Mai.

 

The 1st Oct date is tentative , it might change again if the number of daily cases worsen.

 

people should be allowed to swab themselves some of those orderlies are oafs that likely veterinary-inseminated Buffaloes before Covid. Holy snot-squirt!

[EricTh]

55 minutes ago, racinkc1 said:

where do you like to get your info from?

Bangkokpost has the news but I am not allowed to link to it so i will link this instead.

 

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/bangkok-to-reopen-without-quarantine-for-vaccinated-tourists-in-october

 

The Tourism Authority of Thailand said that from Oct 1, fully vaccinated foreign travellers will be able to visit Bangkok and four other provinces without undergoing two weeks' hotel quarantine.

 

Instead, the five areas - also including Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan provinces - are expected to follow a "sandbox" model of the type piloted since July in the holiday island of Phuket.

 

Under the sandbox scheme, tourists have to stay within a certain area for seven days after arrival and take Covid-19 tests.

 

Edited September 19, 2021 by EricTh

[sqwakvfr]

Ahhhh and 555.  I am landing in BKK on October 1.  I just booked my Quarantine Hotel and now waiting for my COE.  I am fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine.  I seriously doubt this "opening" will happen in less than 12 days.  As far I know the only place I will gong to from the airport is my quarantine hotel.  

[chalawaan]

The way they chop and change one may as well ask if it will rain that day. Better odds of getting that predicted right this far ahead.

[alant]

they are being careful not to name the year

[Skypirate]

Until the respective Thai consulate / Embassy issues new COE and / or Visa procedures, your are still obligated to the current procedures.

[cardinalblue]

I didn’t know CM had a tennis tournament…

[Thalueng]

To be fair, Phuket announced for 1. July has implemented the sandbox on time. If CM will follow the same path then you will need to stay within a designated area for 14 nights, must sleep every night in your pre-paid SHA+ hotel, have Morchana app on at all times, and do 3 pre-paid Covid tests during the first 12 days. You can visit your home if it's within the area, but you're not allowed to spend the night there.

[arithai12]

57 minutes ago, Thalueng said:

To be fair, Phuket announced for 1. July has implemented the sandbox on time. If CM will follow the same path then you will need to stay within a designated area for 14 nights, must sleep every night in your pre-paid SHA+ hotel, have Morchana app on at all times, and do 3 pre-paid Covid tests during the first 12 days. You can visit your home if it's within the area, but you're not allowed to spend the night there.

I read about someone who did the sandbox in Phuket, and he only had to swipe once a day in his hotel but was not sleeping there. But yes I agree with you what you stated are the rules.

About "Charming CM", however, there's been a worrying talk of mandatory guided tours. I can only hope this idiotic idea will not materialize.

[cardinalblue]

What’s the difference between sleeping in ones own house and a designated hotel if one is allowed to travel about during the day?

 

Answer: unnecessary money being thrown away to a gimmick scheme…

[Jeffr2]

14 hours ago, EricTh said:

Bangkokpost has the news but I am not allowed to link to it so i will link this instead.

 

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/bangkok-to-reopen-without-quarantine-for-vaccinated-tourists-in-october

 

The Tourism Authority of Thailand said that from Oct 1, fully vaccinated foreign travellers will be able to visit Bangkok and four other provinces without undergoing two weeks' hotel quarantine.

 

Instead, the five areas - also including Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan provinces - are expected to follow a "sandbox" model of the type piloted since July in the holiday island of Phuket.

 

Under the sandbox scheme, tourists have to stay within a certain area for seven days after arrival and take Covid-19 tests.

 

Hua Hin has said no. Bangkok has said no. TAT should not have mentioned this until it was approved. Which it isn't.

 

Hopefully, we'll get more information in a few days about this. But it doesn't look good.

 

Maybe by mid  October. Or so. Hopefully!

 

A great source for info is Richard Barrow's Twitter news feed.

[arithai12]

4 hours ago, cardinalblue said:

What’s the difference between sleeping in ones own house and a designated hotel if one is allowed to travel about during the day?

 

Answer: unnecessary money being thrown away to a gimmick scheme…

Bingo.

 

 

[meechai]

On 9/19/2021 at 7:41 AM, EricTh said:

 

The Tourism Authority of Thailand said that from Oct 1, fully vaccinated foreign travellers will be able to visit Bangkok and four other provinces without undergoing two weeks' hotel quarantine.

 

Instead, the five areas - also including Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan provinces - are expected to follow a "sandbox" model of the type piloted since July in the holiday island of Phuket.

 

Under the sandbox scheme, tourists have to stay within a certain area for seven days after arrival and take Covid-19 tests.

 

I think this is their usual double speak

Meaning yes no "Hotel Quarantine" But like Phuket they will follow a sandbox model...meaning your still quarantined 7 days but just a larger room ????

Edited September 20, 2021 by meechai

[Jeffr2]

9 hours ago, meechai said:

I think this is their usual double speak

Meaning yes no "Hotel Quarantine" But like Phuket they will follow a sandbox model...meaning your still quarantined 7 days but just a larger room ????

From what I understand, you'll be free to go around the area, but have to check in every day with the SHA on-site manager. And do a series of covid tests.

[lkn]

8 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

From what I understand, you'll be free to go around the area, but have to check in every day with the SHA on-site manager. And do a series of covid tests.

Correct, my GF is currently in Phuket, and she has to scan a QR code daily, but is otherwise free to do whatever she wants (on the island), and of course the 3 mandatory covid-19 tests (first one in airport on arrival) and having the Thailand+ app on her phone which requests location data, but she has limited it to “only while using the app”, so doubtful they will get any useful location data from this, as I think iOS will push most users toward this choice.

[EricTh]

I just read news from Bangkokpost that Chiang Mai reopening is indirect, that is tourists must spend 7 days in Phuket first.

 

There's no direct flight to Chiang Mai yet for tourists for this Oct or Nov opening. Probably Jan next year.

[lkn]

5 hours ago, EricTh said:

There's no direct flight to Chiang Mai yet for tourists for this Oct or Nov opening. Probably Jan next year

VietJet Air has a daily direct morning flight from Phuket to Chiang Mai.

[EricTh]

2 hours ago, lkn said:

VietJet Air has a daily direct morning flight from Phuket to Chiang Mai.

 

What I mean is international flights from outside of Thailand and not local flights inside Thailand.

Edited September 22, 2021 by EricTh

[lamshing]

On 9/22/2021 at 7:27 PM, EricTh said:

 

What I mean is international flights from outside of Thailand and not local flights inside Thailand.

skyscanner shows that from Oct 31, there will be flights from Hong Kong to Chiang Mai operated by Hog Kong Express, hope it will materialize.

https://www.skyscanner.com.hk/transport/flights/hkg/cnx/211031/?adults=1&adultsv2=1&cabinclass=economy&children=0&childrenv2=&destinationentityid=27539873&inboundaltsenabled=false&infants=0&outboundaltsenabled=false&preferdirects=false&preferflexible=false&ref=home&rtn=0

[racinkc1]

On 9/19/2021 at 7:09 PM, Skypirate said:

Until the respective Thai consulate / Embassy issues new COE and / or Visa procedures, your are still obligated to the current procedures.

Exactly

[EricTh]

14 hours ago, racinkc1 said:

Exactly

Seems that the latest news from Bangkokpost is that CM opening will be postponed to Nov 1. 

[racinkc1]

On 9/26/2021 at 12:31 AM, EricTh said:

Seems that the latest news from Bangkokpost is that CM opening will be postponed to Nov 1. 

and then it will be December and so on.... Im just going to quarantine in BKK now because I dont want to wait. 

[lkn]

Apparently this Facebook group is supposed to be updated, once the rules are available: https://www.facebook.com/ChiangMaiCharming

 

But it appears that first phase will be with a 7 day stayover in Phuket to stimulate domestic tourism…

[racinkc1]

1 hour ago, lkn said:

Apparently this Facebook group is supposed to be updated, once the rules are available: https://www.facebook.com/ChiangMaiCharming

 

But it appears that first phase will be with a 7 day stayover in Phuket to stimulate domestic tourism…

Looks like im going to Phuket.....