Thailand’s main airport runs tests ahead of country’s reopening on Monday

[webfact]

 

Suvarnabhumi international airport conducted drills today (Wednesday) to test its readiness to cope with the arrival of foreign tourists on November 1st, when Thailand reopens its borders to arrivals by air.

 

The drill involved 150 people pretending to be tourists arriving from Germany, to establish how long it will take for each passenger to disembark, go through thermal sensors, process documentation, pass immigration and customs checks and leave the airport.

 

The airport’s Director Kittipong Kittikachorn said that the average time to complete the whole process should be about 25 minutes. The airport has also formulated guidelines for arriving passengers after their disembarkation.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailands-main-airport-runs-tests-ahead-of-countrys-reopening-on-monday/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-10-28

 

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[olfu]

How come no mentioning transportation and PCR test?

[soi3eddie]

28 minutes ago, olfu said:

How come no mentioning transportation and PCR test?

The transport and PCR test is done by the SHA+/AQ hotel that you must stay at for at least 1 night. They could have mentioned that though.

 

[RichardColeman]

32 minutes ago, webfact said:

The drill involved 150 people pretending to be tourists arriving from Germany, to establish how long it will take for each passenger to disembark, go through thermal sensors, process documentation, pass immigration and customs checks and leave the airport.

Seems a bit of a waste of time to me. The only addition to a normal non-covid era day will be the additional thermal scan of 10 seconds or so.

 

Issues for travellers is not going through the thai airport, its going through all the bull to get there and everything after you leave the airport.

[Captain Monday]

27 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Seems a bit of a waste of time to me. The only addition to a normal non-covid era day will be the additional thermal scan of 10 seconds or so.

 

Issues for travellers is not going through the thai airport, its going through all the bull to get there and everything after you leave the airport.

What? MUCH more time will be necessary than pre-covid.

25 minutes per passenger is probably good estimate  not including queue time. My experience entering Thailand this year is being first off the plane and not having big groups lined up ahead helps. Good luck

• Check for COE paper and if available printout or QR code from Thailand Pass Application. NEW
• Closely scrutinize certificate of vaccination, details  multiple formats from 46 plus countries
• Closely examine pre-departure PcR test certificate paper and examine for time restrictions and for fakes
• Check Proof of Insurance for "covid-19 $USD 50,000" 
• Verify SHA+ or AQ Hotel booking and tansport. Examine Certificate of SHABA

Am I missing some Byzantine requirement? Maybe the weekend golf crowd from Singapore will be back but I doubt many people from Germany or other such distance will choose Thailand for an alcohol and entertainment free "holiday" this season too many closer options without hoops. I think the numbers will be same as Phuket sandbox just spread around the country. Mostly returning expats, Thais, and other with a connection to Thailand such as work or property There will be no high season 2021-2022

 

The thermal checks could be without breaking as stride been done for ages at airports in Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, etc.

Edited October 27, 2021 by Captain Monday

[RichardColeman]

38 minutes ago, Captain Monday said:

 

• Check for COE paper and if available printout or QR code from Thailand Pass Application. NEW
• Closely scrutinize certificate of vaccination, details  multiple formats from 46 plus countries
• Closely examine pre-departure PcR test certificate paper and examine for time restrictions and for fakes
• Check Proof of Insurance for "covid-19 $USD 50,000" 
• Verify SHA+ or AQ Hotel booking and tansport. Examine Certificate of SHABA

Am I missing some Byzantine requirement?

Why on earth are immigration going to check that, it will mostly be done for the health pass only as far as i see it. Immigration should just be checking your passport

[ezzra]

In it heydays Thailand airport used to receive 10's of thousands of arrivals in a 24 hours, what a test on a 150 people can achieve?... 

[zzaa09]

They truly do live the fantasy, don't they?

[smedly]

and for those that don't have a smartphone - back into departures

 

or will one be provided lol

[Captain Monday]

3 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Why on earth are immigration going to check that, it will mostly be done for the health pass only as far as i see it. Immigration should just be checking your passport

What "health pass"?  Nobody announced anything about such a thing.

[Geoffggi]

No mention regarding the two previous flights that had also arrived and the delay in waiting for your baggage to arrive ...................LOL

[scorecard]

5 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

Cos the devil is in the details....should be an interesting week....(stocks up on popcorn for Nov 1 threads)

It wasn't mentioned because they have conveniently moved these items to the hotel. Clever.

[Greenwich Boy]

4 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Why on earth are immigration going to check that, it will mostly be done for the health pass only as far as i see it. Immigration should just be checking your passport

My experience entering in May. At Swampy everything was checked before you even got to the immigration counter. This included insurance, C of E, negative PCR test even my lease agreement. Not a lot of fun after a long flight stocking up on free booze before quarantine!

[mikebell]

Why are they practising on fake Germans?  What do they know that we don't?

[Gsxrnz]

3 minutes ago, mikebell said:

Why are they practising on fake Germans?  What do they know that we don't?

Possibly because Germans are notorious for not understanding how to correctly queue, wait their turn, push in, and (when speaking English) sound aggressive and self righteous. 

 

There have been previous reports of Germans throwing a towel over their chair in the crowded departure lounge while they go looking for the swimming pool.

[khunjeff]

20 minutes ago, Greenwich Boy said:

4 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Why on earth are immigration going to check that, it will mostly be done for the health pass only as far as i see it. Immigration should just be checking your passport

My experience entering in May. At Swampy everything was checked before you even got to the immigration counter. This included insurance, C of E, negative PCR test even my lease agreement. Not a lot of fun after a long flight stocking up on free booze before quarantine!

In theory, one of the great advantages of Thailand Pass over the COE (other than the "1-3 day" processing time, which has already ballooned to 7 days before it even started) was  that it would simplify everything that you went through. Those things you mentioned would all be checked prior to issuing the Pass, and then you would only have to show the QR code and Covid test result at the departure and arrival airports - no one would check the underlying documents.

 

Now, will the folks in charge really have the fortitude to be able to stop low-level officials from asking to see all of those documents "just to be sure"? I guess we'll find out once Thailand Pass goes live.

[Greenwich Boy]

3 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

In theory, one of the great advantages of Thailand Pass over the COE (other than the "1-3 day" processing time, which has already ballooned to 7 days before it even started) was  that it would simplify everything that you went through. Those things you mentioned would all be checked prior to issuing the Pass, and then you would only have to show the QR code and Covid test result at the departure and arrival airports - no one would check the underlying documents.

 

Now, will the folks in charge really have the fortitude to be able to stop low-level officials from asking to see all of those documents "just to be sure"? I guess we'll find out once Thailand Pass goes live.

In theory you are correct but can not see that happening in practice. Most of the requirements were needed to get the C of E in the first place. Everything was checked thoroughly at Heathrow. Between getting on the plane and getting off it at BKK nothing had changed. That did not stop everything being checked again. It was even different people checking different items. Sometimes copies of documents were kept by officials. The idea of breezing through immigration with just a QR code is dreamland

[JonnyF]

I'm SO glad I don't have any plans to travel in the next 6 months.

 

I hated all the jumped up little Nazis in uniform at the airports before Covid, I can only imagine the treatment of the 'infected' now. Officials armed with their nasal swabs to ram especially hard 3 inches up the nose of anyone they don't like the look of.

 

I wonder if they can be bothered to employ extra staff to manage all this, or will it be like the old days when there were only 2 immigration booths open (and the scowling officers manning them were in no rush) with queues all the way back to the moving walkways. 

 

Happy holidays everyone! It will all be worth it when you sit down for your first ice cold beer at your favourite restaurant.... oh wait a minute.. ????????

[peetje]

After passing RT-PCR tests upon arrival, they can travel anywhere in Thailand, but must download and install a tracking app and pass antigen tests at the end of their first week in Thailand.

 

Where did that one spring from?

 

[Chad3000]

6 hours ago, olfu said:

How come no mentioning transportation and PCR test?

 Because there are no protocols they will make it up as they go along.

[Chad3000]

If I do not want the hassles, expense and problems of taking a short in/out to US why on earth would a tourist want to come here?

 

I'm still steaming about insurance. I have Govt SSO, Aetna work ins and a covid policy. Not good enough. Pure mafia.

[Chad3000]

22 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

I'm SO glad I don't have any plans to travel in the next 6 months.

 

I hated all the jumped up little Nazis in uniform at the airports before Covid, I can only imagine the treatment of the 'infected' now. Officials armed with their nasal swabs to ram especially hard 3 inches up the nose of anyone they don't like the look of.

 

I wonder if they can be bothered to employ extra staff to manage all this, or will it be like the old days when there were only 2 immigration booths open (and the scowling officers manning them were in no rush) with queues all the way back to the moving walkways. 

 

Happy holidays everyone! It will all be worth it when you sit down for your first ice cold beer at your favourite restaurant.... oh wait a minute.. ????????

Yes, everyone left waiting in line for 90 minutes while some in the crowd have covid spreading it to everyone else. Absolutely brilliant!

[Mr Meeseeks]

16 minutes ago, Chad3000 said:

 

I'm still steaming about insurance. I have Govt SSO, Aetna work ins and a covid policy. Not good enough. Pure mafia.

Literally mafia, if you check their individual and family histories. 

[Peterphuket]

2 hours ago, smedly said:

and for those that don't have a smartphone - back into departures

 

or will one be provided lol

"or will one be provided lol"

Only the most expansive iPhone....to pay by yourself, of-course.

[Kadilo]

7 hours ago, olfu said:

How come no mentioning transportation and PCR test?

Because that happens after they leave the airport hence not relevant to this test. 

[SmartyMarty]

Let's see....have we got the cows off the runway? Check. Have the duty free shops doubled the prices? Check. Are we ready to change the rules at the last minute? Check. Are we all wearing our new medals? Check. Have the baggage handlers been informed they must lose 40% of all bags? Check. 

[Bkktodd]

1 hour ago, Kadilo said:

Because that happens after they leave the airport hence not relevant to this test. 

Currently you are transported one at a time  by the quarantine hotel.  150 transports waiting for one flight?  Bloody nightmare awaits  

[HappyExpat57]

I hope they're testing with empty planes to reflect reality.

[2long]

All they need to test is if/how the airport wi-fi can cope with all the airport staff watching Netflix, playing ROV and scrolling through TikTok while they wait for the millions of imaginary tourists who aren't ever going to land! ????????

[RafPinto]

By now, they should know exactly how many people will enter Thailand on 01st of November.