Nov 1st: Quarantine free countries named - one night must be in SHA+ or AQ hotel - curfew lifted, bars stay shut

[webfact]

Picture: Sanook

 

Thai media was having a field day reporting on Thai PM Prayuth Chan-ocha's lifting of quarantine to 46 low risk countries.

 

But one day of a SHA+ or AQ hotel must be booked while travellers wait for confirmation of their Covid test in Thailand according to a Sanook infographic.

 

Graphic: Sanook

 

This stated that at least one night's hotel accommodation MUST be booked or until a negative test result comes in.

 

Travellers must be double vaxxed at least 14 days prior to travel and have the RT-PCR Covid tests before and after they arrive. Hence the need for the hotel stay. 

 

Minimum medical insurance of US $50,000 is required.

 

Daily News listed 17 provinces including Bangkok that will have curfew lifted from the end of this month; 11 pm on October 31st to be precise.

 

But bars and pubs and other entertainment like karaoke remain shut for now. This includes the euphemism "sathan borikan" - essentially places of prostitution.

 

Sanook listed the 46 countries for the reopening in full.

 

Here is the list:

 

Europe:

 

Greece

Cyprus

Denmark

Norway

The Netherlands

Bulgaria

Belgium

Portugal

Poland

France

Finland

Malta

Germany

Latvia

Lithuania

Switzerland

Sweden

The UK

Czech Republic

Spain

Slovenia

Austria

Italy

Estonia

Iceland

Ireland and

Hungary

 

The Americas

 

Canada

Chile and 

The United States

 

Middle East

 

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Bahrain

The UAE and

Israel

 

Asia Pacific

 

Cambodia

South Korea

China

Japan

New Zealand

Brunei

Bhutan

Malaysia

Singapore

Australia and 

Hong Kong

 

Curfew is lifted in the following provinces as well as the Thai capital Bangkok:

 

Krabi

 

Chonburi (limited to Banglamung, Muang Pattaya, Sriracha, Koh Si Chang, and Sattahip (only Na Jomtien and Bang Saray))

 

Chiang Mai (limited to Muang district, Doi Tao, Mare Rim and Mae Teng)

 

Trat (Koh Chang only)

 

Buriram (Buriram district only)

 

Prachuap Khirikhan (Hua Hin and Nong Kae sub-districts)

 

Phangnga

 

Phetchaburi (Cha-Am municipal area only)

 

Phuket

 

Ranong (Koh Phayam only)

 

Rayong (Koh Samed only)

 

Loei (Chiang Khan only)

 

Samut Prakan (only area of Suvarnabhumi Airport)

 

Surat Thani (Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan only)

 

Nong Khai (Muang district, Sangkhom, Sri Chiang Mai and Tha Bo only)

 

and 

 

Udon Thani (Muang district Ban Dung, Kumphawapee, Na Yung, Nong Han and Prajak Silapakhom only)

 

Restrictions remain in place for gatherings of 500 up. 

 

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[jerrymahoney]

And now sit back and wait for the Well-What-About-Me? posts.

[fusion58]

12 minutes ago, webfact said:

Minimum medical insurance of US $50,000 is required.

Are they talking about covid-19 insurance? Very confusing language.

 

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, fusion58 said:

Are they talking about covid-19 insurance? Very confusing language.

 

Yes

But it is has bee lowered from $100,000.

[yogi yogi]

so if i stay in bkk i can stay in a sha hotel or aq hotel . my choice?? where does someone get a list of those in bkk>??

 

[ikke1959]

I am wondering how many people will come. no word anymore about the Travel Pass or CoE... And if you are coming to Bangkok than you welcome to stay in the polluted air as bonus  

[mommysboy]

To repeat what someone else said : 'SHOVE IT'.

[DirtyHarry55]

Nice marketing trick calling it "QUARANTINE FREE" when your still have to do 1 Day Quarantine so it's not really.

[darksidedog]

You have to ask the question, why would anyone want to come, when it is going to involve additional insurance expense, aggravation and stress just getting in, when there isn't any entertainment open and you can't enjoy a beer as you try to unwind?

Lets not forget the proposed 500 Baht entry tax from the New Year adding to the list of negatives.

It is obviously better than it was, but places with less or no restrictions are going to look far more attractive.

It will be interesting to hear the latest tourist number projections from TAT and then see how that fares against reality down the track a little.

 

[volsfan]

3 minutes ago, DirtyHarry55 said:

Nice marketing trick calling it "QUARANTINE FREE" when your still have to do 1 Day Quarantine so it's not really.

Wait until the details come out, and you find that arrival after 1800 or some such means you get tested in the morning only and then have to stay another 24 hours minimum waiting for the results. That is exactly how the current "14 day" quarantine is actually 16! And probably at 3k per night!

[2long]

Stay one night 'or until receive a negative result' .... ????

[JonnyF]

I guess this is an improvement for people who need to see family, do business trips etc.

 

But I don't see many genuine tourists coming when they could go somewhere closer to home with less restrictions, where the bars and nightlife are open, and it's cheaper.

 

I'm not really sure what Thailand has to offer at this point.

[ThailandRyan]

42 minutes ago, yogi yogi said:

so if i stay in bkk i can stay in a sha hotel or aq hotel . my choice?? where does someone get a list of those in bkk>??

 

That is a good question,yet I know of one around the corner from my condo her in BKK. It's in Sathon and is the EVERGREEN

[HeijoshinCool]

.

Nov 1st: Quarantine free countries named -  curfew lifted, bars stay shut...

 

And when Italy offers the same entry with the condition that I can't buy pasta or pizza or drink red wine, yeah, I'll be sure to go....

 

Idiots.

[kevin612]

Is there sha+ or aq website ? So people can take a look of the hotels 

[Havenstreet1940]

All intending travellers should note that when coming from one of the 46 listed countries there is a provision that they must have resided in that country for at least the previous 21 days.

So any expat who needs to travel outside of Thailand for a shorter period will not be allowed to return.

 

At least that is how I read it.

 

[samtam]

It's 22 October. This is version 1. Expect changes.

Many changes.

[phetphet]

20 minutes ago, Havenstreet1940 said:

All intending travellers should note that when coming from one of the 46 listed countries there is a provision that they must have resided in that country for at least the previous 21 days.

So any expat who needs to travel outside of Thailand for a shorter period will not be allowed to return.

 

At least that is how I read it.

 

Or undergo 10 days quarantine.

I was hoping to pop back home to sort some affairs. But having to stay in a hotel for three weeks makes it very expensive, and that's without all the other covid related costs. 

[lordblackader]

How can they be lifting a "curfew" in Chiang Mai when Chiang Mai never had a curfew? 

[CRUNCHER]

45 minutes ago, Havenstreet1940 said:

All intending travellers should note that when coming from one of the 46 listed countries there is a provision that they must have resided in that country for at least the previous 21 days.

So any expat who needs to travel outside of Thailand for a shorter period will not be allowed to return.

 

At least that is how I read it.

 

Common sense says that you combine time in Thailand with the time you spend in the country you visit.

 

But who says anything the Government does is driven by common sense.

[The Hammer2021]

1 hour ago, ikke1959 said:

I am wondering how many people will come. no word anymore about the Travel Pass or CoE... And if you are coming to Bangkok than you welcome to stay in the polluted air as bonus  

What travel pass? What COE? When was the last time you were actually in Bangkok?

[The Hammer2021]

35 minutes ago, lordblackader said:

How can they be lifting a "curfew" in Chiang Mai when Chiang Mai never had a curfew? 

CM has been under curfew a long time before Covid-19. The police and army shut the bars down very heavy handedly..By 11 pm the streets are emptied and bars shuttered..

[Tropicalevo]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

But bars and pubs and other entertainment like karaoke remain shut

RIP tourism.

[trainman34014]

2 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

I am wondering how many people will come. no word anymore about the Travel Pass or CoE... And if you are coming to Bangkok than you welcome to stay in the polluted air as bonus  

Not a lot in my opinion; who wants to come here to uncertain rules, polluted air and you can't even get a drink in a Bar ?  That's not a Holiday is it ?

[brucegoniners]

So one week out they've made a "decision", lol

 

My question is, when will they change their minds? This afternoon or tomorrow?

[Cherrytreeview]

3 hours ago, jerrymahoney said:

And now sit back and wait for the Well-What-About-Me? posts.

Or the smug "I don't come for a fortnight's holiday, so I don't risk losing 2 days of my holiday in enforced quarantine." posts.

[2long]

Apart from the nightlife, and not everyone comes here to get drunk and hooked up, has anyone considered the masks?

I'm struggling to think of ANY activity that international tourists would want to do here where they don't have to wear a mask..

- communal areas of hotels

- public transport

- restaurants when you're not eating

- beaches, if they're open

- parks

- visiting temples

- shopping

- having a massage

- sitting in a car with ANYone else

 

It doesn't sound like much fun (even for those not interested in the booze and bars) does it?

[kingstonkid]

3 hours ago, fusion58 said:

Are they talking about covid-19 insurance? Very confusing language.

 

I have a feeling that 50k will be the new normal even after covid.

 

Still do not see a lot of the long term visitors coming until bars open.

 

Don't say anything but there are a couple of bars open on samed although the hotels are dry.

 

Well at least I have the beach.

[Bkk Brian]

So according to this if they are able to come on the same basis as their parents then they will need to take a PCR test also on arrival? I think we can safely rule out any hordes of families, ie a large portion of real tourists.

 

Quarantine-exempt countries and territories : Children under 12 yo. who have not been vaccinated can enter under the same measures as their parents. This has been conveyed to all Thai embassies abroad.

https://twitter.com/NatapanuN/status/1451425896468938755

 

[Cherrytreeview]

2 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

So according to this if they are able to come on the same basis as their parents then they will need to take a PCR test also on arrival? I think we can safely rule out any hordes of families, ie a large portion of real tourists.

 

Quarantine-exempt countries and territories : Children under 12 yo. who have not been vaccinated can enter under the same measures as their parents. This has been conveyed to all Thai embassies abroad.

https://twitter.com/NatapanuN/status/1451425896468938755

 

The first farang answering him says "thanks so much, so my children just need to do a test on departure and arrival."

Some people are just -

 

1. Deranged

2. Desperate

3. Deluded

4. All the D's above