i thought thais promised to get rid of coe this week in favor of travel pass?

[yogi yogi]

now that nov 1 rules have been confirmed.  i thought the coe was gonna be eliminated and the travel pass developed .  i could have sworn that was gonna happen like yesterday?   the coe does not give option to take new rules on nov 1.   

[ezzra]

Keep thinking, the goal posts will be move many times more before we hear the end of it simply because they, the decision makers are clueless themselves as what to do next...

[HappyExpat57]

Just cuz they said it doesn't make it true.

[yogi yogi]

Just now, ezzra said:

Keep thinking, the goal posts will be move many times more before we hear the end of it simply because they, the decision makers are clueless themselves as what to do next...

but now the one night quarantine rule is law??? on nov 1??  if that is so then the coe needs to be updated to allow that

[Peterw42]

You need to examine the actual announcements. Most of the announcements contain key phrases like "awaiting approval", "to be considered" etc. They are often nothing more than an announcement of the plan or idea.

Basically ignore anything from Thai tourism, take note of announcements from health, immigration, foreign affairs etc.

 

[HeijoshinCool]

.

check's in the mail.....

[overherebc]

Once upon a time -----------

[ThaiVisaCentre]

59 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

You need to examine the actual announcements. Most of the announcements contain key phrases like "awaiting approval", "to be considered" etc. They are often nothing more than an announcement of the plan or idea.

Basically ignore anything from Thai tourism, take note of announcements from health, immigration, foreign affairs etc.

 

This announcement is not from the TAT its from the MFA, and Government PR team.



Details around Thailand Pass /COE are still lacking.

[yogi yogi]

Just now, ThaiVisaCentre said:

This announcement is not from the TAT its from the MFA, and Government PR team.



Details around Thailand Pass /COE are still lacking.

i emailed my thai consulate in usa and they said to wait for the thailand pass to come.  i think its coming in a matter of days

[Sheryl]

COE will not be eliminated, as it will still be needed for unvaccinated travelers and people coming from countries nto on the least.

 

"Thailand Pass"  will be in addition, nto a replacement. And as far as I can see, it is nto really any different from a COE except in name and of course the requirements for vaccinated people from listed countries differs (but that was already true for Sandbox and they used COE for it). For some reason they think keeping the idea and giving it a new name will be more palatable for tourists. I don't think it will be, but of course a couple of days quarantine is far better than 14 days.

[scorecard]

6 hours ago, yogi yogi said:

i emailed my thai consulate in usa and they said to wait for the thailand pass to come.  i think its coming in a matter of days

Sure, and let's not forget although these documents may have been signed by the highest ranking person in the MFA, they are not valid/legal until they appear in the Royal Gazette of Thailand. 

[yogi yogi]

Just now, Sheryl said:

COE will not be eliminated, as it will still be needed for unvaccinated travelers and people coming from countries nto on the least.

 

"Thailand Pass"  will be in addition, nto a replacement. And as far as I can see, it is nto really any different from a COE except in name and of course the requirements for vaccinated people from listed countries differs (but that was already true for Sandbox and they used COE for it). For some reason they think keeping the idea and giving it a new name will be more palatable for tourists. I don't think it will be, but of course a couple of days quarantine is far better than 14 days.

travel pass will allow only one overpriced pcr test not two.  my consulate is hinting its coming out any day now

[Sheryl]

17 minutes ago, yogi yogi said:

travel pass will allow only one overpriced pcr test not two.  my consulate is hinting its coming out any day now

That could easily have been accomodated within COE.just as COEs have adapted over timw to different required quarantine lengths. 

 

Only reason for new site/name IMO is rebranding.

 

Aside from being silly (a rose by any other name..etc),  creation of a new website and attendant processes is sure to mean weeks if not a month or more  of glitches until they get the kinks ironed out. 

[Chad3000]

5 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Sandbox

We now have a new one...

PILOT PROGRAM

 

Need to travel in April. I bet it still won't be sorted.

[Scouse123]

They have to be aware for any kind of opening to go ahead from November 1st, they must get a move on with the new Thailand Pass system.

 

They say it will be easier and faster as people are not having to wait for Embassies and so forth and this will be an online product.

 

We shall see what happens in the near future.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

Thailand Pass seems to require basically the same documents as the COE with the addition of evidence of vaccination. More paperwork, not less.

 

If the volume of applicants increases in a meaningful way, I don't think the Thai consulates will be able to keep up with the workload. Perhaps in addition to re-branding, the MFA has outsourced this to VFS or other third-party processor, hence the new website. 

 

Covid cases seem to be picking up again, including in the north, south and in Prachuap, so this may all come to nought.  

[Thai Visa Member 999999]

11 hours ago, yogi yogi said:

i emailed my thai consulate in usa and they said to wait for the thailand pass to come.  i think its coming in a matter of days

The initial announcement said it wouldn't be up and running until 11/1 and the admin of a FB group has said that Phuket Imm office has told him it probably won't be working for a few weeks after that.

 

Which consulate did you email? 

[madmen]

Posters would be pretty dense not to realize there will be an overlap 

[Boomer6969]

To add insult to injury, I have received today a mail from Mr. Claude Bauchet, representative of French expats saying that the Thais require all returnees to Thailand with reentry permits, for non OA or O visas, to have the THB 3M health cover. Wether that's just another brain wind of the Thai embassy in Paris, or more widespread, wasn't said. For those who want the mail [in French] I can PM it.

[Oblomov]

I live more in Bali than Bangkok these days and what I can say is that Thailand is moving with slightly more realism than Indonesia's government, where they are complicit in the ruin and in some cases, ends of many erstwhile hard working but relatively poor people.

 

As with any business reliant on customers, the proof will be in the numbers and if you're selling something, then make it attractive to the largest number, if there is a genuine desire to revive the lives of Thais and their small business, that have been mostly and much more seriously by these restrictions.

 

Assuming every potential visitor has the funds for all of the extra financial obligations or the time to work out all of the changing requirements does not make that true. 

 

In Bali, the partial and restrictive opening resulted in only a ripple of interest so international airlines booked a grand total of zero slots at Ngurah Rai airport - surely a successful model will emerge!  Maybe not  : )

[madmen]

3 hours ago, Oblomov said:

I live more in Bali than Bangkok these days and what I can say is that Thailand is moving with slightly more realism than Indonesia's government, where they are complicit in the ruin and in some cases, ends of many erstwhile hard working but relatively poor people.

 

As with any business reliant on customers, the proof will be in the numbers and if you're selling something, then make it attractive to the largest number, if there is a genuine desire to revive the lives of Thais and their small business, that have been mostly and much more seriously by these restrictions.

 

Assuming every potential visitor has the funds for all of the extra financial obligations or the time to work out all of the changing requirements does not make that true. 

 

In Bali, the partial and restrictive opening resulted in only a ripple of interest so international airlines booked a grand total of zero slots at Ngurah Rai airport - surely a successful model will emerge!  Maybe not  : )

The tourism minister from Bali was begging the airlines to fly there because no flights available. 

Thailand is killing it in SEA! 

 

[zzaa09]

22 hours ago, ezzra said:

Keep thinking, the goal posts will be move many times more before we hear the end of it simply because they, the decision makers are clueless themselves as what to do next...

Actually, I don't believe any of this new monkey business has been officially confirmed/approved - one way or the other. 

Announcements and talk doesn't make it policy....

[freedomnow]

They have !/Have not.

[Salerno]

12 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

Actually, I don't believe any of this new monkey business has been officially confirmed/approved - one way or the other. 

"Thai Prime Minister, General Prayut Chan-o-cha, signed the entry guidelines for the quarantine-free reopening, published in the Royal Thai Government Gazette last night (21 October 2021) along with two other announcements on relaxed COVID-19 controls in 17 Thai destinations."

https://www.tatnews.org/2021/10/quarantine-free-thailand-reopening-for-vaccinated-tourists-from-1-november-2021/

[Dan O]

The new Thai Pass is not scheduled to start until Nov 1 so looking for information on usu g it doesn't exist yet. The current COE stays in place and will be honored if issued. They do need to find a workaround for the existing COE to be used for BKK plan which should be a couple days. It's going electronic and will have a QR code that can be used eventually to replace the paper. The COE will still be used in the future for some categories of entry 

[sirineou]

1 hour ago, Salerno said:

"Thai Prime Minister, General Prayut Chan-o-cha, signed the entry guidelines for the quarantine-free reopening, published in the Royal Thai Government Gazette last night (21 October 2021) along with two other announcements on relaxed COVID-19 controls in 17 Thai destinations."

https://www.tatnews.org/2021/10/quarantine-free-thailand-reopening-for-vaccinated-tourists-from-1-november-2021/

Thank you for that link!! ???? 

It clearly states all the approved requirements. 

   It was always announced from day one that  the "Thai Pass" will not  be operational, and such changes will take place until Nov 1, so I don't understand the confusion and disappointment posted by some.

It was always November Ist. 

True to the announcement, as you posted , the proposal is now approved.. We will see about the 'Thai Pass" when it is operational. I expect some initial issues, as it usually is the case  with new systems, but I am sure such problems will be quickly ironed out. 

As Posted by Sheryl, the COD will still be in effect  for those who do not qualify under the new requirements, either because they are from a country not in the list,  are not fully vaccinated, or any other reason. 

Personally I am excited about being able to travel abroad and able to return without quarantine, After a couple of months away , when I come back I want to go home and not to some quarantine hotel. Unce was enough for me. We are already planning a trip to Europe in a few months.  

[Salerno]

1 minute ago, sirineou said:

I don't understand the confusion and disappointment posted by some.

Always bear in mind the URL of the site you are on reading such posts ????

[Thailand]

I would think that when potential tourists start wading through the current list of 9 requirements to enter Thailand they will soon start looking for alternative destinations.

[yogi yogi]

6 hours ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

Thailand Pass seems to require basically the same documents as the COE with the addition of evidence of vaccination. More paperwork, not less.

 

If the volume of applicants increases in a meaningful way, I don't think the Thai consulates will be able to keep up with the workload. Perhaps in addition to re-branding, the MFA has outsourced this to VFS or other third-party processor, hence the new website. 

 

Covid cases seem to be picking up again, including in the north, south and in Prachuap, so this may all come to nought.  

no the thais have commited now to reopen come hell or high water.  the travel pass is all computerized?  so it will work fast.  thais want bodies in thailand spending money now. and are willing to sacrafice some dead covid patients for survival of high season.  i could almost swear their are expats in thailand that like it like it is now and dont want things to open up cause they gonna see more foreigners around??

[yogi yogi]

4 hours ago, Thai Visa Member 999999 said:

The initial announcement said it wouldn't be up and running until 11/1 and the admin of a FB group has said that Phuket Imm office has told him it probably won't be working for a few weeks after that.

 

Which consulate did you email? 

one of the us consulates.  i told them im flying on on the 5th and they responded.  WAIT FOR THAI PASS TO GET ONLINE..   I think u misinterpreted the 11.1 statement  i think what they meant was that on nov 1 the pass can be used.  not that its up and running on that date.  the travel pass site says that we need to start the travel pass process a week before coming.  well if i come on nov 1 . then that means oct 25 the travel pass will be opertional online