Confusion reigns as Thai PM announces end of quarantine and alcohol restart "spoiler"

[webfact]

Picture: Thai Rath

 

It was supposed to be Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha's chance to announce the end of quarantine and the opening of the country's nightlife and serving of alcohol.

 

Instead it has just created more confusion if the online reaction is anything to go by.

 

Posters on ASEAN NOW seemed more confused than ever and criticized the lack of clarity as par for the course of a government that has chopped and changed at every turn throughout the pandemic but especially over the last six months.

 

Many felt the proposed relaxation had not gone far enough and that nothing should have been announced before the decisions were set in stone.

 

Many posters said this kind of "might" and "mull" philosophy was hopeless for foreign tourists who have to plan for a visit well in advance. 

 

Prayuth's Monday televised address was also just a precursor - a spoiler if you like - for the actual decision that will be made by the CCSA on Thursday. 

 

Will they tweak the proposals or reverse them? Tourists both foreign and domestic, expats, and operators in the industry are all desperate to know the score.

 

Desperate for an ounce of clarity.

 

As it stands Thai Rath reported what has been announced internationally.

 

That tourists from ten countries including Singapore, Germany, the US and the UK will not need to quarantine but will need to have been double vaxxed and have tests before and after arriving.

 

But what other documents they will need and what other countries are on the list remained unclear. 

 

China was also on Prayuth's lips - but there has been no announcement from the Asian giant that they are allowing their citizens to travel. So that is effectively a moot point.

 

When it comes to alcohol the situation is still utterly unclear.

 

About as cloudy as a Pernod and water. 

 

The Thai media interpreted the PM's announcement that alcohol would be allowed in restaurants from December 1st. 

 

But that pubs, bars and nightclubs would only be allowed to reopen.

 

It wasn't stated that the blanket alcohol ban would be lifted for all establishments. 

 

Prayuth has stated that the tourism industry cannot stand another decimated high season. He has avowed that the risks of reopening outweigh the continuing calamity caused to the economy by the pandemic, especially its tourism sector.

 

But his comments about the possibility of reversing these "decisions" remains if cases spike, as they are expected to even by the PM's own admission.

 

Others like the Rural Doctors group have stated in the last 24 hours that Thailand's infection rate is not dropping as official stats state. 

 

Yet another example of "you pay your money and take your choice" when it comes to believing police and stats coming out of Thailand. 

 

Thursday's Center for Covid Situation Administration meeting may provide a little more clarity.

 

Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view

 

 

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[DrJack54]

So it's booze come Dec 1? 

Music in bars? Open till 11pm? 

[Tropicalevo]

10 minutes ago, webfact said:

Desperate for an ounce of clarity

That just about sums up Prayut's verbal garbage.

[internationalism]

it's a positive development. At least not waiting for a confirmation at the very end of month - as many predicted.

He has confined 1st november for 10 countries (I hope that not naming all of them would open chance for more) and the 1st December for many more.

So sandboxes are getting in, instead of ASQ and ALQ.

Multiple tests are out one before departure (usually airlines need it) and one after arrival.

COE and insurance are doable, if somebody is serious on travel. CEO is free. Insurance can also be shopped around - 15k per year for under 75 yo. It might come handy in case of next waves, coming and going every few month, so money not wasted.

 

Those 3 weeks to beginning of November would allow travellers to plan accordingly and buy tickets from those named countries. So it can be easily done for all europeans to depart from Germany, for Irish passport from the UK, for canadians from the USA, any asian countries from singapore.

I am planning a trip to europe to Belgium, which is easy to enter, but return from germany  

Edited October 12, 2021 by internationalism

[smedly]

6 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

That just about sums up Prayut's verbal garbage.

a few words that sum it up perfectly - and this man is running a country 

[2long]

I think, like most of the 'decisions' recently, that their tactic is to give us teasers/spoilers and see what the reaction is, and then make the decision based on the reaction. They're too dumb (and to scared of getting it wrong time and time again) to just make a decision and it be wrong, even though they do like a good flip flop u-turn! That's my take on it anyway.

 

But wouldn't it have been wise for the Bangkok Guvnor to send out feelers before chaining boats to bridges! ????

[Cherrytreeview]

6 minutes ago, internationalism said:

it's a positive development. At least not waiting for a confirmation at the very end of month - as many predicted.

He has confined 1st november for 10 countries (I hope that not naming all of them would open chance for more) and the 1st December for many more.

So sandboxes are getting in, instead of ASQ and ALQ.

Multiple tests are out one before departure (usually airlines need it) and one after arrival.

Those 3 weeks to beginning of November would allow travellers to plan accordingly and buy tickets from those named countries. So it can be easily done for all europeans to depart from Germany, for Irish passport from the UK, for canadians from the USA, any asian countries from singapore.

I am planning a trip to europe to Belgium, which is easy to enter, but return from germany  

What happens if i my covid test, done in Thailand, tests positive?

 

[smedly]

time to get the kindergarden schools open so we can have some clarity

[smedly]

2 minutes ago, Cherrytreeview said:

What happens if i my covid test, done in Thailand, tests positive?

 

you are in for a whole pile of hurt

[internationalism]

6 minutes ago, Cherrytreeview said:

What happens if i my covid test, done in Thailand, tests positive?

 

bad, as if your test turned positive in departure city. Won't allowed to board, self-isolation. 

That's why insurance is for. 

If asymptomatic it is hospital or rather hospitel (closed hotel with medical personel and equipment). I don't think there would be much space in hospitals for the next half year.

That's the risk everybody is aware of and should be prepared for.

That's why getting insurance for 1 year would allow multiple trips and flexibility in travelling, without paying high premium each time and waiting 14 days delay to activate policy

Edited October 12, 2021 by internationalism

[ThailandRyan]

13 minutes ago, internationalism said:

it's a positive development. At least not waiting for a confirmation at the very end of month - as many predicted.

He has confined 1st november for 10 countries (I hope that not naming all of them would open chance for more) and the 1st December for many more.

So sandboxes are getting in, instead of ASQ and ALQ.

Multiple tests are out one before departure (usually airlines need it) and one after arrival.

COE and insurance are doable, if somebody is serious on travel. CEO is free. Insurance can also be shopped around - 15k per year for under 75 yo. It might come handy in case of next waves, coming and going every few month, so money not wasted.

 

Those 3 weeks to beginning of November would allow travellers to plan accordingly and buy tickets from those named countries. So it can be easily done for all europeans to depart from Germany, for Irish passport from the UK, for canadians from the USA, any asian countries from singapore.

I am planning a trip to europe to Belgium, which is easy to enter, but return from germany  

Yet what additional information and hoops need to be diseminated to make it actually happen.  We have unfortunately been here before...argh

Edited October 12, 2021 by ThailandRyan

[JonnyF]

Par for the course.  I've come to expect nothing more from this fool and his posse of criminals.????

 

It's 50 days until 1st December so plenty of time for multiple changes/reversals/contradictions before then. 

[Cherrytreeview]

1 minute ago, internationalism said:

bad, as if your test turned positive in departure city.

That why insurance is for.

If asymptomatic is hospital or hospitel (closed hotel with medical personel and equipment).

That's the risk everybody is aware and should be prepared for

Wrong.

That's a risk no one has to take.

 

 

 

[SoilSpoil]

For me it's all about the COE, a potential point of failure that I cannot control. Scrap the COE and I will spend Christmas in Europe.

[BangkokReady]

12 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

Who cares there's nothing left to open is there?

If you can drink it, they will come...

[fangless]

Just now, BangkokReady said:

If you can drink it, they will come...

For most holidaymakers it is a case of If they can drink they might come, if they cannot drink they will not come!

[Denim]

30 minutes ago, webfact said:

Instead it has just created more confusion if the online reaction is anything to go by.

No confusion at all.

 

Just a lot of misunderstandings

[pedro01]

Why Dec 1st?

 

Why not now?

 

Why is he announcing it like he's doing people a favor?

 

 

[internationalism]

3 minutes ago, Cherrytreeview said:

Wrong.

That's a risk no one has to take.

 

 

 

there is no way anywhere in the world now that your travel won't come to abrupt stop and serious problems.

Anybody can get infected in the airport, on the plane. 

Getting insurance sorts out financial burden. Lost time, up to 14 days, has to be calculated. 

[Neeranam]

34 minutes ago, webfact said:

Posters on ASEAN NOW seemed more confused than ever

Nothing to be confused about, it's quite clear. 

[Bkk Brian]

One of the more interesting measures I'm keen to know about are families that may want to come. Children under 12 in the UK are not vaccinated, those under 16 only have one shot of Pfizer. 

 

So whats the state of play there? Do they have to quarantine as officially they are not fully vaccinated. If so then a 2 week family holiday is out of the question.

[brewsterbudgen]

28 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

So it's booze come Dec 1? 

Music in bars? Open till 11pm? 

Let's hope so! 

[Neeranam]

Just now, pedro01 said:

Why Dec 1st?

 

Why not now?

 

Why is he announcing it like he's doing people a favor?

 

 

He's not doing me a favour, I don't want tourist coming yet, until all have been vaccinated. 

 

[elcaro]

13 minutes ago, Cherrytreeview said:

And that's posted by an admirer.

Sums it up really.

Probably accidentally posted from his wrong alt account.

[elcaro]

2 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

One of the more interesting measures I'm keen to know about are families that may want to come. Children under 12 in the UK are not vaccinated, those under 16 only have one shot of Pfizer. 

 

So whats the state of play there? Do they have to quarantine as officially they are not fully vaccinated. If so then a 2 week family holiday is out of the question.

Let's hope the parents are smart enough to not take them to thailand at this time. 

[brewsterbudgen]

3 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

He's not doing me a favour, I don't want tourist coming yet, until all have been vaccinated. 

 

"All" as in 100% of people in Thailand? That will never happen. 

[pedro01]

4 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

He's not doing me a favour, I don't want tourist coming yet, until all have been vaccinated. 

 

Not everyone is as selfish as you.

 

People are struggling, they need to get back to work. This industry pays a lot of people.

 

 

[steven100]

what nobody here realizes or has mentioned .....  It's all a game ,  the PM is dangling the carrot, and he's playing the game.  He will make confirmed announcements when he knows he's correct and winning the game. 

 

 

[James105]

7 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

He's not doing me a favour, I don't want tourist coming yet, until all have been vaccinated. 

 

Why don't you just pretend the lockdown is still happening when/if it happens and stay indoors if you are scared?   

[WhatsNext]

So wait a minute : If the vax works then why do we need tests, and if it doesn't work then why do we need a vax. But that's logical thinking which is in very short supply everywhere on the world in the last 20 months. 

 

Other than that : COE ?, Silly C19 insurance ? 21 kilo of paperwork still required ? Plus think about it ; 2x 100 Euro for the pcr, 250 euro for the insurance, makes for a total of 450 Euro in expenses which is about the cost of the flight or a week in Spain. Number of tourists predicted to come : Less than 1% of pre covid numbers.

 

The virus is on it's way out with or without the jab, just do like Mexico and a few others, live with it, open the borders and enjoy life.