4 hours ago, khunpa said:

Who wants to go a place where you can get arrested for having a glass of wine with your steak dinner and have to go to bed at 9pm because everything is closed?

All that while being GPS tracked and monitored at your own expense 24/7.

 

Thailand is done.

52 minutes ago, NanaSomchai said:

This now confirms at 100% that Thailand has entered a totalitarism authoritarian era.

 

GPS, facetracking, position tracking, no cap, no sunglasses, no eyeglasses, must be turned on at all times, uses your dataplan at your own expense, etc, etc, etc.

 

We have now entered a new era, the Chinese masters will be pleased.

 

I'm done with Thailand. I know I've said this before, but this time, I really mean it.

This is for your own safety!!  Just comply to your overlords and everything will be fine.  They may even give you a free donut if comply early!

the only people surprised by this story work for the Thai government

I'll pass, way to complicated and mandatory quarantine 

Today I have spent several hours booking a sha+ AQ hotel for 1 night. Bought the required covid insurance too. I already had the flight tickets (extended from 12 months ago to 3rd November) and non-o extension of stay (until May 2022). Even with the above and my tenacity in navigating beaurocracy and determination to return to my second home, I wonder is it worth the effort for 5 weeks stay! I'm not bothered about bars being officially closed (know plenty of places to have fun) but there is no way a 2 week "Tourist" would go through all of this. I submitted a COE application this afternoon in hope it may be accepted in advance of the Thai Pass being open for applications. Even then, I still have to get a PCR test before being allowed to board the plane in London. No tourist is going to go through all the hassle and cost. No wonder very few have booked and paid for flights yet. Easier places to travel to for winter sun closer to home for most. 

12 hours ago, PoorSucker said:

Guess Thai Airways didn't get the memo from the PM.

No flights from Stockholm to Bangkok on Nov 1st.

5 flights per week now although.

Learnt today that all TG flights to/from Germany have been moved from Nov.  to start January. Travel agent told me that Thai never reimbursed unused flight tix. Beware.

12 hours ago, DrPhibes said:

You can't make solid plans on quicksand.  The government has shown in the last 6+ mo that they will change things on a whim.  No one wants to try and make vacation plans until there is a period of time of consistent rules and regulations tourists can count on.  Thai gov and culture does not understand the value of what little time people from other countries have for vacation and how important it is to make sure they don't miss a day of it let alone have the entire vacation cancelled at the last minute for some crazy face saving last minute requirement.

I agree with most of what you say, except for the "Change on a whim" comment.

These changes are not made on a whim but are data driven. Youi might disagree with the data or how it is interpret, But the above is fact. 

In systems, there are certain components that can be analyzed

Input : what you want the system to do

Output: what the system actually does

Process: How the input will be accomplished

Unforeseen consequences: that can change the desired output

and finally

Monitoring and adjustment.

All these components take place in every open system .

   One important thing to remember is that every system consists of sub-systems that also have the same components..  

And so does this new system they are developing.

The output will be monitored for unforeseen consequences, and the process will be adjusted to bring the output as close as possible to the input.  

 

Last spring the reduced quarantine from 14 days to 7 for vaccinated tourists. a few weeks later it was again increase to 14 days regardless of vaccination status, This change did not occur on a whim, but was rather a function of the rising covid cases that did not occur because of the change in quarantine length, but because of the unforeseen consequence of a new covid variant. 

The same potential exists now.

   Sorry if the above sound a bit didactic, It is not intended to be, but  it is difficult to discuses the subject without sounding a bit so. ????

 

34 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

Today I have spent several hours booking a sha+ AQ hotel for 1 night. Bought the required covid insurance too. I already had the flight tickets (extended from 12 months ago to 3rd November) and non-o extension of stay (until May 2022). Even with the above and my tenacity in navigating beaurocracy and determination to return to my second home, I wonder is it worth the effort for 5 weeks stay! I'm not bothered about bars being officially closed (know plenty of places to have fun) but there is no way a 2 week "Tourist" would go through all of this. I submitted a COE application this afternoon in hope it may be accepted in advance of the Thai Pass being open for applications. Even then, I still have to get a PCR test before being allowed to board the plane in London. No tourist is going to go through all the hassle and cost. No wonder very few have booked and paid for flights yet. Easier places to travel to for winter sun closer to home for most. 

May I ask where you found a 1 night SHA+ hotel in Bkk?

Got eberything done but hotel.

36 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

Today I have spent several hours booking a sha+ AQ hotel for 1 night. Bought the required covid insurance too. I already had the flight tickets (delayed from 12 months ago) and extension of stay (until May 2022). Even with the above and my tenacity in navigating beaurocracy and determination to return to my second home, I wonder is it worth the effort for 5 weeks stay. I'm not bothered about bars being officially closed (know plenty of places to have fun) but there is no way a 2 week "Tourist" would go through all of this. I submitted a COE application this afternoon in hope it may be accepted in advance of the Thai Pass being open for applications. Even then, I still have to get a PCR test before being allowed to board the plane in London. No tourist is going to go through all the hassle and cost. No wonder very few have booked and paid for flights yet. Easier places to travel to for winter sun closer to home for most. 

I agree, 

we went through the process last spring, and it would take a very determined tourist to go through through the process as it exists now. 

Let's hope that the new "Thai Pass" makes things easier.

About the travel 50k insurance?

I initially thought that it was general health insurance and not limited to covid coverage. As I read more, I am no longer sure.

Can you confirm, and what was the cost

Thank you????

 

Still to many hoops to jump through, and Thailand has no solid future plans to attract tourists... 

Not surprised.

Given the ill thought out procedure required.

Book flight, get insured, apply COE, get visa. 

Coe not processed earlier than 4 weeks. If refused who is likely to be out of pocket?

Is all the hassle worth it?

4 hours ago, NanaSomchai said:

This now confirms at 100% that Thailand has entered a totalitarism authoritarian era.

 

GPS, facetracking, position tracking, no cap, no sunglasses, no eyeglasses, must be turned on at all times, uses your dataplan at your own expense, etc, etc, etc.

 

We have now entered a new era, the Chinese masters will be pleased.

 

I'm done with Thailand. I know I've said this before, but this time, I really mean it.

Looks similar to the existing app? I used this during my April - July visit. Not once did anyone ask to see it, including airport immigration. And I never received any notifications. Re the photo, that's standard for any visa / passport pic (no cap, glasses, etc.). I downloaded the app on my iPad (it kept crashing on my smartphone), and left it on all day in my room (I was using it all the time anyways, but never took it outside). Agree with your other comments though. 

15 hours ago, webfact said:

many foreigners are eager to visit the country, but those who have actually booked flights remain in the minority.

So, where are the evidence that supports many are eager to visit Thailand, then?

The minute they smell demand and money they will raise pricing and f... it up. This you can bet on. 

16 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Boy, that is an understatement if ever I heard one

I was going to post that sentence with about the same recaction, beat me to the punch! ????

 

The Thai government is asking people to do too many things if you’re gonna open just open you should not require people to do all the steps first before they can book a flight away with all the paperwork TIT

recent reports state 86 deaths and then ONLY 46! hospitals will have room to treat ALL types of patients now.

This is a nation of 60,000,000. Be sure to get your flu shot, or you might die!

17 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

waste of breath.

They say talk is Cheap, maybe they found out that the bars were closed?

17 hours ago, webfact said:

According to a straw poll

Pool, shmoll, no one I know was contacted (polled) and hoops and "rules" and COE ( oh! yes , they changed the name) Thai Pass , and up load this & upload that , prepay this and that ... Too much BS and no one's coming. Just make it simple. Oh yea, money grab covid test. So they make a few baht from a few people, but many don't come and spend lots of baht. Great idea.

Countries with absolutely no access or entry rules are struggling, provided they locked down their place for a certain period of time. Only those places which were always open (Caribbean/Dominican Republic springs to mind) reported staggering business better than usual. Check on i.e. Bali - dead as well despite doing everything possible to lure tourists (albeit not in the tens of millions as the TAT boys dream of all the time). 

Throw those to-be-written-off airfares of local carriers and no refund of prepaid hotels (Agoda) into the equation and you book, pay and board on the day of departure - at least that is how I've been traveling for the last 18 months. The costs went also through the roof, a preflight PCR exercise of a family of 2 adults and three teenagers clock USD 1,000 - to be added to the traveling expenses. 

Many of those dreadful dirty farang you try to win back have found alternatives which suit them, for whatever reason, better so my unimportant piece of advice would be; go back to the drawing board and start back on Square One with basics of a good product-price ratio, one-tier pricing, keep visa regulations reasonable for those who stay for i.e. more than three months, clear the police in general and immigration in particular of corruption and replicate, what your parents knew and did 30+ years ago with "Amazing Thailand"! Ah, and tell your people to stop bashing on everything they do not know or understand. 

Wishful dreaming, I know, hence keep whining. Wondering when Khon Thai will revolt and hold the government responsible for all this. The governmental answer will be, that they opened the country in time but those terrible farangs are impossible to please and did not arrive, despite 200 million Baht NYE show with Lisa and Bocelli and all the other good ideas the government had for its people! 

I have a return half of my ticket, meant to be flying on November 1st. Unfortunately my COE is stuck waiting approval, and i cannot book the Thailand pass instead because it doesn't exist yet.... of course, i am not a tourist. But very stressful, as if not approved by friday i have to change flights and start again. Madness.

Not too sure if I am the smartest around. Maybe one of the people who introduce these dreams explain to me how ANY tourism and I not mean the 5 people daily arriving because of family relations will ever come to Thailand in the next 6 -9 months?

 

All Inter Airlines have cancelled 80% not 8% not 0.8% but EIGHTY PERCENT of the flight slots to Thailand. The once remaining are for mainly Cargo and the 5 daily arriving guys. 

 

Are these forecasted tourist coming by boat for foot nowadays?

 

I make a statement, nothing will 99.99% change till next fall. 

 

A good day to all dreamers out there. Tomorrow we will have snow in Bangkok. 

MH

I wonder how many wee questioned in the survey ...   1 dozen lol 

This Government used to be indecisive, now they are just not so sure. 

Just canceled my November 2nd flight because nothing is open, don't want to spend any time in quarantine, want to have a drink with dinner and a beer with friends.  When the country is truly open I will come.

Foreigners eager to visit to Thailand, but few have actually booked flights:

 

There are millions of beautiful women eager to meet me but they don't have my contact info.

So sad. But I'm not discouraged; I'm sure they will find a way despite the difficulties I've imposed.

Somebody should tell those guys that the tourism industry in the world has changed its plan

They want people come visit Thailand. Meanwhile, they are making so many requirements.

What was the total number of people asked 100

How can you make plans with the rules keep on changing ? I wanted to come over at the end of November - But this is just to many hoops and add ons that cost too much money With all these requirements The cost benefit of going to BKK is not looking too good  Thaipass isn't working,  nothing is open- no night life, Forced to pay for a room I don't want to suffer for a night after a 24 hour plane ride - overpriced tests which you have to take before you take off coming into and going  I figured out last night it was going to add up to about $500.00 in additional costs  so I am out over $2000.00 and I haven't even landed in the country yet or paid for the Hotel  I budget $4.5K for a 10 day trip I don't think I am cheap Charlie  but some of the two week millionaires may think I am   - most of the hotels sites are down can't even reliably book a room.  I was going to sit back and watch the dumpster fire for the first 3 weeks but I am not So sure it is worth going with the restrictions. I have come to the conclusion I will just mail my friends their Christmas gifts and start looking at Costa Rica again  everything is open, 4 hour flight, and half the price at a 4 star hotel Hilton garden inn Huge room great food and no rules  and everything works with no hassles let hope thing change for the better quickly