Editors Pick SURVEY: When are YOU coming back to Thailand?

[KhaoYai]

1 minute ago, sandyf said:

There are 2 types of home test kits, PCR and Lateral flow.

With a PCR home test the swab is sent a laboratory and you get a proper certificate, on mine the source was stated Np/Op Swab, which means Nose/Throat sample. That certificate was a great deal more comprehensive than my pre departure, that was done at a test centre but the certificate very brief, no source indicated.

At the end of the day only one line counts

With a Lateral Flow home test you take the swab, put the swab in liquid and then a couple of drops of the liquid on a test strip and within 15 minutes you will have a solid line indicating if positive or negative. This type of test is unacceptable for travel, as are NHS test results.

Can you just clarify that? Did your home PCR test not mention that the swab was taken at home?

 

I'm aware of the fact that Lateral flow tests are not acceptable but KLM for example state that they will not accept home PCR tests.  I contacted them after reading this on the Thai Embassy website:

 

3. COVID-19 test result with a laboratory result indicating that COVID -19 is not detected (COVID test must be by RT-PCR method), issued within 72 hours before departure -- Some airlines do not accept home kit tests so please check specific requirements with the airlines you are travelling with. From 1 April 2021, Fit to Fly health certificate will no longer be required to go to Thailand. Other things remain the same.

 

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/requirements-for-foreigners-travelling-to-thailand-during-covid-19-tra?page=5d6636cd15e39c3bd00072dd&menu=5f4b6eb3f6ae4b236972c562

 

As I said previously, they don't state that home tests are not acceptable on their travedoc site - just that only PCR tests are accepted.  I'd recommend that people using a home PCR test check with the supplier to see what the certificate says. Finding out that your result is not acceptable at check-in is a bit late.

[KhaoYai]

8 minutes ago, sandyf said:

and there are a couple of companies doing 3 hour tests at LHR

Also available at Manchester now.

[Rohe60]

Well, this question is easy to answer.

I will be coming back to Thailand as a customer (tourist) when
- no quarantine ("sandbox" also counts as quarantine) is necessary
- no mandatory Covid tests have to be performed in Thailand (ONE test at home 72 hours before departure can be tolerated)
- no mandatory covid-insurance with a thai insurance company is necessary
- I can freely choose my accommodation (not being limited to SHA+ certified hotels)
- the emergency decree has been dropped
- there is no curfew
- bars and other nightlife venues are open and allowed to sell alcohol
- there is no more useless paperwork like the COE
- no more mandatory wearing of masks

 

[JulesMad]

Personally I do NOT miss the tourists at all!!! Let them stay away, more Thailand for me ????
 

[3NUMBAS]

see how the in flight infections pan out as there will be a few..... hub of

variants when things pick up is a concern,theres bound to be    new varaints

[Jeffr2]

51 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Agreed, but they do provide insurance.

The flight out of Heathrow is about 14.20 and there are a couple of companies doing 3 hour tests at LHR, mine was about an hour and a half, so if done early doors and did happen to be positive, the insurance will have already kicked in.

I'm on Emirates tomorrow. Their insurance worked great! 70€ for the pcr test here. Not available at the airport. We like Emirates a lot. Flown with them many times.

[Jeffr2]

2 hours ago, bluemoon58 said:

Maybe ask who intends to leave Thailand also! 

We'll hopefully be gone within a year. It's been a lot of fun, but time to move on.

[yimlitnoy]

On 10/11/2021 at 11:55 AM, tonray said:

Get rid of the COE and the absurd 3.3 million baht COVID insurance requirements. You're killing Thailand as a destination

This is what your insurance bought in Thailand for COVID is really worth:

https://web.archive.org/web/20211011124343/https://tna.mcot.net/english-news-801582

 

 

[meechai]

9 hours ago, JulesMad said:

Personally I do NOT miss the tourists at all!!! Let them stay away, more Thailand for me ????
 

Sounds great ....for you

 

On the other hand you may in fact become a prime target if the Thai population descends into chaos due to lack of income, hope etc etc

 

But lastly I do think Thailand should of course first have its own house in order before inviting guests

Because as the Sandbox showed it was not the tourist who were getting sick (less than 1%)

But instead the locals that all came back to work to service tourists were actually infecting each other

[NoshowJones]

16 hours ago, JulesMad said:

Personally I do NOT miss the tourists at all!!! Let them stay away, more Thailand for me ????
 

That is being very selfish, with a mentality similar to the poorly educated (where running a country is concerned) unelected PM.

Have you no thought for the many Thai people who depend

 

on tourism for a living and are now out of work?

Personally, I don't need tourists coming to Thailand, but there is a lot more than just yourself to consider here.

[wombat]

Question ..
With no bars no booze & no entertainment...why would you bother?

[sandyf]

19 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

Can you just clarify that? Did your home PCR test not mention that the swab was taken at home?

I thought that I had made it quite clear that it didn't.

Whatever point you are trying to make is I think quite irrelevant.

Anyone who contemplates using a self sample PCR test for pre departure is sticking their neck out time wise.

You have to take the sample and then post it in a Royal Mail Priority Box to the laboratory, which would be at least a day but could be 2. All the self sample kits I looked at, and take it from me I looked at a lot, were 24-36 hours for the results. Way to risky in my view.

You could of course deliver the sample to the laboratory yourself and save a bit of time, but why not just go to a test centre and get the result within a guaranteed period.

[The Hammer2021]

It's great to hear all the 'negative nellies' whingers, moaners and whiners not coming back..555

[JulesMad]

3 hours ago, possum1931 said:

Personally, I don't need tourists coming to Thailand, but there is a lot more than just yourself to consider here.

Absolutely!!! I am referring to tourists, but Thailand is quite dependent of tourists. So yes, Thailand needs tourists (or better said, their money!)

[sandyf]

27 minutes ago, JulesMad said:

Absolutely!!! I am referring to tourists, but Thailand is quite dependent of tourists. So yes, Thailand needs tourists (or better said, their money!)

Thailand does not "need" tourists. Like any other country, tourism is just a source of revenue. If one source fails they have to look for other opportunities.

Scotland "needed" the revenue from seafood to the EU but the brexiteers never gave it a thought when they cut it off.

Other avenues will always appear.

[KhaoYai]

4 hours ago, sandyf said:

I thought that I had made it quite clear that it didn't.

Whatever point you are trying to make is I think quite irrelevant.

Anyone who contemplates using a self sample PCR test for pre departure is sticking their neck out time wise.

You have to take the sample and then post it in a Royal Mail Priority Box to the laboratory, which would be at least a day but could be 2. All the self sample kits I looked at, and take it from me I looked at a lot, were 24-36 hours for the results. Way to risky in my view.

You could of course deliver the sample to the laboratory yourself and save a bit of time, but why not just go to a test centre and get the result within a guaranteed period.

Well obviously it wasn't clear to me or I woudn't be asking.  How is my point 'quite irrelevant'?  I was simply trying to warn people that PCR test results obtained via the use of home test kits are not accepted by some airlines - even though some airlines don't state that. 

 

Knowing Thaivisa readers I anticipated people replying that their results didn't state how the test was taken so I suggested that anyone going down that route should try to find out what's stated on the certificate.  From reports and reviews I've read I wouldn't recommend anyone uses a home test kit unless they are close to a home test kit centre and can drop them in. Many of the home test kit providers didn't offer on site testing at the same location.

 

I can fully understand why someone would look for the cheaper options - especially if they are travelling with a family, there is a significant price difference between home testing and on site. Other's may opt for home tests due to their location.  I also looked at a great many providers earlier this year and found vast price/time variations. However anyone going down that route needs to satisfy themselves the test is acceptable and that the results will be available on time.

 

I think you may be being a tad over-cautious - 24-36 hours is half the required 72 - plenty of time, although again, I'm not advocating the use of home test kits.

 

I really can't understand why you have chosen to become adversarial on this - I think you misunderstand my points - I am not supporting Home Test Kits - I am warning readers that they may not be accepted. How is that irrelevant?

[KhaoYai]

My personal experience of the Home Test Kits offered by various providers was eventually, excellent.  I say eventually because I had some real problems with other providers who I believe were nothing less than scammers.

 

Although the tests were not required for travel (my wife's Day 2 & Day 8 tests) - my experience with Nataionwide Pathology was very good.  On both Day 2 and Day 8 we posted the samples via a normal Royal Mail that afternoon and received the results by e-mail the next day - the first one by 9am!!!  Well within the time limits needed for travel.

 

I wouldn't recommend anyone uses a Home Test kit but providing my airline accepts home tests, I personally would have no problem using them.  Should things go wrong, on the spot 3 hour testing is available at many major aiprorts.

 

Having had a bad experience with a 'testing' company (posted at the time), the biggest single thing I would say to anyone needing to find a provider is - check out the reviews on sites like Trustpilot etc.

[sandyf]

23 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

Although the tests were not required for travel (my wife's Day 2 & Day 8 tests) - my experience with Nataionwide Pathology was very good.  On both Day 2 and Day 8 we posted the samples via a normal Royal Mail that afternoon and received the results by e-mail the next day - the first one by 9am!!!  Well within the time limits needed for travel.

I used Dante Labs for my Day 2 & 8 tests, they claimed 24 hours from receipt.

Day 2 I did on a Monday morning and posted by Royal Mail just after lunch and got the result Wed morning.

The Day 8 I did the following Monday morning and posted mid morning, got the result Thursday afternoon. They had put on the certificate sample received about 6pm Wed evening. Easy to blame Royal Mail.

My Day 5 landed on a Friday, I went to St Pancras and had a Lamp test about lunchtime and the result early evening, left isolation in the hotel the following morning. Had I done a self sample I wouldn't have gained any early release.

It's horses for courses.

[KhaoYai]

39 minutes ago, sandyf said:

I used Dante Labs for my Day 2 & 8 tests, they claimed 24 hours from receipt.

Day 2 I did on a Monday morning and posted by Royal Mail just after lunch and got the result Wed morning.

The Day 8 I did the following Monday morning and posted mid morning, got the result Thursday afternoon. They had put on the certificate sample received about 6pm Wed evening. Easy to blame Royal Mail.

My Day 5 landed on a Friday, I went to St Pancras and had a Lamp test about lunchtime and the result early evening, left isolation in the hotel the following morning. Had I done a self sample I wouldn't have gained any early release.

It's horses for courses.

Which is precisely why I say people should check out the reviews.