Stop confusing foreign tourists, tourism chief tells government - and make Covid tests cheaper

[MrJ2U]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

This price should be fixed and the same everywhere, he said.

That'll never happen when there's money to be made.

 

 

 

 

[Heng]

One thing though, these relatively empty airports and lounges are relaxing.   I'm okay with the COE if they can make it QR code based.   Sometimes you stay in a place without a business center. 

[herfiehandbag]

10 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Assume nearly all foreign tourists book their holidays 9-12 months in advance.

Further assume they will cancel their booking if you tighten the entry rules between their booking and their arrival.

 

How hard can that be?

This tourist season is already dead and buried, nobody is coming.

Make your new plans and announcements for the season 2022/23.

 

Furthermore,

If you want COVID insurance, COE, tests, et al, I suggest you provide them free on arrival, rather than try to squeeze more money out of the long suffering tourists.

The whole business is as dead as a Monty Python Parrot.

 

The coffin lid was nailed down when "influential vested interests" started offering quarantine facilities, testing services, insurance policies and so on. This government is beholden to them, and so have no choice but to require any intending tourists to use these grotesquely overpriced services. They cannot simply allow unrestricted entry to vaccinated and tested tourists - they owe their mates the opportunity to gouge them.

 

It is over. 

 

Let's face it, unless and until you can fly into Bangkok, show your vaccination certificate and test result as part of the immigration entry process, go to the taxi queue and start your holiday, no one is going to book, or think about coming. 

Edited October 1, 2021 by herfiehandbag

[djayz]

Why isn't he in charge of this circus? 

Agree with everything he said PLUS, many of those who go on holidays don't want 9p.m. curfews and they'd like a drink or two with their dinner (and maybe some more after dinner). 

Current situation ain't really that appealing to those who want HOLIDAYS. 

[arithai12]

8 hours ago, DFPhuket said:

I'm flying from Thailand to Germany on Monday. I had to upload a copy of my (US Pfizer) vaccination certificate to a German government website and print out a document. That's all. No PCR tests. No quarantine. Nothing else.

 

For my return to Phuket I can't get my COE until after I arrive in the EU and upload a copy of my entry stamp, along with my passport copy, re-entry permit, insurance document showing $100,000 (which won't cover asymptomatic hospitalization), SHABA 7 day hotel certificate, prepayment of 2 PCR tests, and flight itinerary. Plus I must download the MorChana app. Then I'll need to find a place to get a negative PCR test no more than 72 hours before my flight departs. After I've done all of that, I can fly to Phuket where I'll have 2 more PCR tests. 

 

Thai hospitality at its finest. 

I agree of course that returning to Thailand is excessively complicated.

About your care-free arrival in Germany, however, are you sure about "nothing else"? I checked and also Germany like other EU countries imposes 10 day self isolation since Thailand is at the moment still "Hochrisikogebiet" (high risk area):

 

https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/en/service/gesetze-und-verordnungen/guv-19-lp/coronaeinreisev/coronaeinreisev-en.html

https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Risikogebiete_neu.html

 

Also, check the requirements of your airline, I'd be surprised if they don't want a PCR test prior to check-in. Still very simple compared to returning here, of course.

 

 

Edited October 1, 2021 by arithai12

[bangon04]

6 hours ago, observer90210 said:

Plus what about visitors of long stay from abroad who already have top class medical insurances in their homelands ?

 

Are they waived for mandatory insurance  ? If not, why not ?

You mean all the "Quality" high-spending tourists that Thailand wants to attract??  Of course they will be happy to spend their money on overpriced Thai insurance policies - you don't get rich by keeping your money for things you really need/want.

[Stargeezr]

Hey welcome to APRIL, err I meant October 1st.  I am thinking that by the 15th, even the Thai government might see that November 1st is 

coming quickly, and high season will have arrived as well. When the hotels start telling TAT and the government that they have

very small bookings, will that be when the government finally wakes up to the fact that the first half of their high season will

be a flop? Maybe. For now it seems that Thailand just is not ready for the return of International tourist, who just want a good

vacation, or escape from Winter, with no hassles.

Geezer

[ChaiyaTH]

It is a flop already as airlines need up to 3 months, businesses need confidence and reopening, advertising need to be done. People plan this stuff way upfront in general already, let alone today.

 

I mean, the curfew is not even gone yet for the general public, nonsense to even discuss all of this until it's like august next year. Anyway, like the guys efforts but he shaves 12.5K profits of his bosses.

Edited October 1, 2021 by ChaiyaTH

[Sambotte]

My 2 cents :

 

For vaccinated :

Scrap everything ! Or ask only insurance if it's easy to get online.

Asking for a test is borderline. 3 tests is a no-go. Quarantine was... paranoia.

 

For unvaccinated :

First scrap the covid-pass, witch is a way to force people to get the vaccine (western idea)

Insurance ok.

One test before, borderline one test on arrival, period. (Many countries ask only one test)

Quarantine is a no-go for many (high networth)

 

COE looks like an emergency-only thing, scrap it. Or make it instant, online, working (like USA) if necessary for other purpose.

Tracking app is borderline, but ok for 1-2 weeks.

Same rules everywhere should be obvious.

 

In short : make it easy !
- Vaccinated : that's it. Or in crisis time ONE test before.

- Unvaccinated : + ONE test on arrival (but no queue, no delay)

(- If really necessary : Insurance easy online and quick, COE easy online and instant, Track-app 1-2 weeks.)

- Same rules everywhere. No covid-pass. No travel restrictions. No lockdown. Those are such a mess it makes visitors (particularely investors, long term high networth, etc.) think twice "and tomorrow what's next ?".

 

My advice too : stop obeying the "medical experts", they are not gods (Malice 1993) - and Buddha is better ????-

[alyx]

13 hours ago, beano2274 said:

how about stop testing on arrival (does not happen in Europe), then a test on day 2 and day 8, if the test on day 8 is okay, then you leave the hotel and do what you want, and get your money back for the extra days that you had to book.

Have you been to Europe lately ? Arrival in Denmark: free mandatory testing prior to go through the immigration. Yesterday morning, we drove from Albania to Greece: free compulsory testing prior to go to the immigration office ( although, from the Government website, the testing is not automatic and the tested are chosen when they apply for their passenger locator form but in this case it did seem systematic). Then ....no more tests

[Sticky Rice Balls]

Im happy to share my bottle of sangsom with this thai gentleman....finally nice to see someone admit it and say it out loud.....I'll even spring for the mixers and ice!

[DFPhuket]

6 hours ago, arithai12 said:

are you sure about "nothing else"?

Yes, I'm sure.

 

From the German site you linked:

Information for vaccinated and recovered persons: Proof of vaccination or of recovery from COVID-19 can replace a negative test certificate and exempt from quarantine on entry. 

 

I'm flying Qatar. They require passengers to meet the requirements of the destination country and don't have additional airline specific requirements. 

[ChipButty]

15 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Tourists want to see one thing and one thing only.

Thailand is fully OPEN.

NO restrictions, NO regulations, NO SHA, NO quarantine, EVERYTHING IS OPEN.

Does that include the bars?

[hotchilli]

1 minute ago, ChipButty said:

Does that include the bars?

Fully open means fully open.????

[nkg]

19 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Furthermore,

If you want COVID insurance, COE, tests, et al, I suggest you provide them free on arrival, rather than try to squeeze more money out of the long suffering tourists.

 

Correct, sir. The real cost of providing the COVID insurance is maybe 500 baht per person (compared to the 2500-5000 baht being charged). The 2,800 per PCR test could probably be done for 1,000.

 

So that's 500+(1000 x 2) = 2500 baht per tourist. Considering that even a 2 week tourist is likely to spend in excess of 50,000 baht, why doesn't the Thai government cover these costs as a temporary measure (covid etc etc)?

 

[herfiehandbag]

41 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Does that include the bars?

Yes of course...

 

People simply will not consider a holiday destination where government officials dictate what business establishments can be open, at what times. Where the police prosecute people for having a drink on the beach, and where pubs and bars are closed.

 

Allowing " live music" in restaurants will make no difference.

Edited October 2, 2021 by herfiehandbag

[steven100]

20 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Until CoE and quaranteen is completely scraped, there will be no tourists. 

lets hope they never scrap them.

[Boomer6969]

It is amazing that no one gets to understand that the first step would be to implement a consistent country wide control process for domestic travel. Such process would involve testing, which could be free for those under the Thai social security and charged at the same price (1000 ?) for everyone else.

 

Only once such process is successfully implemented should one think on the measures needed to safely inject outsiders, including tourists, into the local population.

 

Right now, things are totally absurd. If I wanted to have a short holiday to Pukhet to have seafood with wine, I'd need proof of a "double jab". But I don't, have as I got only one J&J shot ?? Worse, my poor kiddies would have to take a PCR test, as they are over 6. So F....k you idiots, I'll have a good tenderloin at home with red wine.

 

 

[internationalism]

2 hours ago, DFPhuket said:

Yes, I'm sure.

 

From the German site you linked:

Information for vaccinated and recovered persons: Proof of vaccination or of recovery from COVID-19 can replace a negative test certificate and exempt from quarantine on entry. 

 

I'm flying Qatar. They require passengers to meet the requirements of the destination country and don't have additional airline specific requirements. 

problem with vax certificates, not any country in EU recognises those issued outside EU, with an exception of USA and UK.

I think only switzerland started to accept them for the last few months, if just only transiting. 

Those thai certificates, even with 2 pfizer, can't be converted to european covid certificate. That's what my consulate told me.

If I can pm you the next week how was your experience.

I can't fly directly to my home country in europe because of stricter covid regulations, so I have to use switzerland, or germany, as an entry point, do local pcr test and travel onward.

Travel clinic, which I have contacted in bankok told me, that ATK tests with fit to fly certificate are not good enough for Etihad and definitely need PCR Probably they have good experience in recent regulations. 

Edited October 2, 2021 by internationalism

[Knocker33]

Trouble is if you standardize it and put things in black and white. How are they going to rip people off. Same as immigration . Just make their own rule's to suit their pockets

[DFPhuket]

On 10/1/2021 at 8:28 PM, arithai12 said:

About your care-free arrival in Germany, however, are you sure about "nothing else"?

An update: I flew Qatar Airways from Phuket to Munich via Doha. I showed my US CDC vaccination certificate at check in and on arrival in Munich at immigration. Up to 5 days before I left Thailand I completed the German digital registration. That's all it takes. Vaccinated people don't need PCR tests. 

 

If only Phuket could make it so seamless. 

 

 

[mrloy99]

On 10/1/2021 at 11:52 AM, DFPhuket said:

I'm flying from Thailand to Germany on Monday. I had to upload a copy of my (US Pfizer) vaccination certificate to a German government website and print out a document. That's all. No PCR tests. No quarantine. Nothing else.

 

For my return to Phuket I can't get my COE until after I arrive in the EU and upload a copy of my entry stamp, along with my passport copy, re-entry permit, insurance document showing $100,000 (which won't cover asymptomatic hospitalization), SHABA 7 day hotel certificate, prepayment of 2 PCR tests, and flight itinerary. Plus I must download the MorChana app. Then I'll need to find a place to get a negative PCR test no more than 72 hours before my flight departs. After I've done all of that, I can fly to Phuket where I'll have 2 more PCR tests. 

 

Thai hospitality at its finest. 

You're lucky..I had to submit 10 items just to get visa on top of the above.(well today is 1/11/21 so I Haven't tried the Thailand pass yet but I believe they won't accept pdf documents..only jpg)Maybe tomorrow.

[mvdf]

On 10/1/2021 at 7:22 PM, DFPhuket said:

I'm flying from Thailand to Germany on Monday. I had to upload a copy of my (US Pfizer) vaccination certificate to a German government website and print out a document. That's all. No PCR tests. No quarantine. Nothing else.

 

For my return to Phuket I can't get my COE until after I arrive in the EU and upload a copy of my entry stamp, along with my passport copy, re-entry permit, insurance document showing $100,000 (which won't cover asymptomatic hospitalization), SHABA 7 day hotel certificate, prepayment of 2 PCR tests, and flight itinerary. Plus I must download the MorChana app. Then I'll need to find a place to get a negative PCR test no more than 72 hours before my flight departs. After I've done all of that, I can fly to Phuket where I'll have 2 more PCR tests. 

 

Thai hospitality at its finest. 

 

I have nothing but admiration for the regimental logic in the "German way" of getting things done which is why, if put in a position where I would have to choose, I would never ever give up my German Reisepass. 

 

I'm putting off all travel until this chaos dies down. Ideally, all countries should agree to accept just a ticket, passport and proof of vaccination.