Thailand Pass is being upgraded but passenger stress stories continue with cancellation threats

[webfact]

Prime Minister Prayut Chan ocha (left) has expressed satisfaction with the latest number of tourist arrivals up to last Saturday since the country reopened on November 1st. However, there are still concerns about the operation of the Thailand Pass entry system with government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana (right) this week acknowledging the problems but also urging travellers to allow 7 days to obtain the QR entry codes when making arrangements.

 

by Carla Boonkong & Pranee O' Connor

 

A UK man with a wife who was seeking to visit her terminally ill mother found the Thailand Pass application extremely stressful this week as officials announced an overhaul of the online system. Figures for the first 11 days show a 14% rejection rate although approvals through the system since last week have improved. The Prime Minister’s Office, on Monday, expressed optimism about the reopening of the country.

 

Thai authorities are reported to have upgraded the Thailand Pass system to include a new status checker for anxious travellers experiencing difficulties with the online application process since it began operating on November 1st. Officials, in the meantime, are encouraging potential travellers to allow at least 7 days to obtain their required QR codes to enter the country. One UK traveller, Luis Avellano, this week, warned other travellers to be wary. ‘My advice to anyone is not to bother, it’s too stressful, you’ve been warned,’ he said. On Monday, Prime Minister Prayut Chan ocha expressed satisfaction with the latest figures which show 44,774 arrivals up to Saturday last.

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced changes to the Thailand Pass system with a new status check feature for visitors to check their application status while in progress.

 

Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2021/11/15/thailand-pass-upgraded-amid-stress-stories/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2021-11-16

 

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[Hayduke]

 

25 minutes ago, webfact said:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced changes to the Thailand Pass system with a new status check feature for visitors to check their application status while in progress.

Applicants are advised to have their credit cards available and call TAT’s new ‘status-checker’ hot line any time and ask for Khun Ron.

 

 

 

Edited November 16, 2021 by Hayduke

[kevin612]

I want the hear about Thailand pass for 400,000 laborers. How the government gonna take care of those people. 

[Enzian]

A 14% rejection rate is way too high for something like this, that's crash and burn territory. Be great if they would list the typical reasons for rejections; that would help the rest of us, assuming they want to. 

Another telling figure is the tiny fraction of 1% of positive tests of those entering the country. It suggests the insurance is unnecessary, and it reveals the obscene profits the insurance companies are raking in.

When word gets around all this will do is hurt the poor, who used to benefit from tourists. Now they are out there in Isaan harvesting rice with a hand scythe. 

Edited November 16, 2021 by Enzian
spelling

[bolt]

My recent Thailand Pass application took 7 minutes from approval to issue

Its working well.

[Enzian]

7 minutes ago, bolt said:

My recent Thailand Pass application took 7 minutes from approval to issue

Its working well.

I'm guessing it took more than 7 minutes to get everything together.

[BazzaJames]

More positive input on work arounds with ThaiPass would be a breath of freshair to those trying to cope with a stressful situation. Has anyone had an easier time with this thing using Gmail/Firefox??

[bolt]

25 minutes ago, Enzian said:

I'm guessing it took more than 7 minutes to get everything together.

yes

but the actual submission and then waiting period was fast

I didn't pay for Flight ticket

free cancelation of room ( which i have now cancelled)

I already have COVID insurance from July for 12 months.

 

so my submission was only a test to see how long it would take, or how late i can book and pay, using AGODA is around 3 days anything less is not showing up on the Test & Go page Quarantine Deals Only 

[fusion58]

34 minutes ago, Enzian said:

I'm guessing it took more than 7 minutes to get everything together.

Applicants also need to bear in mind that the document screening process which connecting international airports (e.g., Narita) are struggling to set up is probably even more stressful than the TP application process itself. A nightmare beyond description ( ask anyone who came through Narita en route to Thailand this past week.)

[Sheryl]

I entered via COE in September and am now trying to assist a relative through the Thailand Pass process (doing it for her).

 

I can confirm that Thailand Pass is much, much harder to do and less user friendly than the old COE while requiring as much or more documentation.

 

I have been at it for 2 days straight now and it is indeed very stressful.

 

She is coming due to family member having surgery here, I would not recommend anyone do this just for a holiday. Way too much hassle and there is also the risk of being quarantined for a long period if you are unlucky in who you sit next to... or hospitalized if you test positive (even if a false positive result).

[Stefanix]

2 hours ago, Enzian said:

I'm guessing it took more than 7 minutes to get everything together.

Right. How can he dare to post this positive experience? TP was easy for me as well. The only hassle was to convert docs into jpegs and the uncertainty during the wait. 

[Sheryl]

4 hours ago, SmithyR said:

I was at it for days with repeated re-attempts: It is a complete and total shambles. Highly embarrassing for anyone Thai to be associated with this mess. 

 

That said: The CoE process at the very start was also an utter shambles and took a couple of weeks of back and forth, yet by March the process had been streamlined and took 3 hours to secure the CoE (from initial application to e-mailed CoE receipt).

 

The CoE was a two phase process, the Thailand Pass is clearly set up to be a single phase process which requires less documentation (i.e. Visa and flights are not required to be uploaded). 

 

The outrageous failing is that the programming / coding has clearly been outsourced to a cheaper inexperienced team (thats just a guess - but I really have no other explanation for the repeated failings).

 

New errors crop up each day - Yesterday it was the ‘date issue’ today its been that QR codes could not be uploaded in that section. 

 

Once all the faults and bugs with the Thailand Pass have been ironed out it will be more efficient and workable. However, given the poor PR and repeatedly poor media response to the Thailand Pass system I half expect someone in a position of decision making power to ‘pull the plug’ on the Thailand Pass and in their brilliance set up a new system which means the same mistake will simply be repeated. 

 

Agreed...  We (Wife, son and I) were returning last week, schools in Thailand reopened. 

 

Had we been coming for a holiday, after the first couple of hours of messing around I’d have just pulled the plug and decided to go somewhere else easier - a holiday is supposed to be stress free. 

 

I am not convinced this is so any more - It was reported yesterday that there were 52 positive cases (43 of them from Sandbox and Test & Go) - those people had to sit next to someone (strangers etc) on the flight yet there is no news of any ‘negative-testing-proximity’ cases being forced to quarantine because they sat next to someone who tested positive.

 

Thus could just be one of those issues where the rumour is so powerful it is frequently repeated. 

 

As far as I’m aware - ‘negative-testing-quarantine’ has happened once a few months back with a group arriving via the Sandbox, but all travellers quarantined / isolated were in the same group - it wasn’t that they were on the same flight, just that they were all travelling together (the reporting at the time didn’t help with the confusion). 

 

Another ‘negative-testing-quarantine’ case occurred last week with two guys travelling together and sharing van transport from the airport. Again, the person who tested negative was forced to quarantine because he was travelling in the same group / with someone who tested positive rather than because he was sat next to a stranger. 

 

Thus: I am not aware of any cases where a person has sat next to a stranger who tested positive an was forced into quarantine while still testing negative. 

 

 

i have seen report of someone who shared hotel van with someone who tested positive and got stuck in quarantine. Not sure if it was on this forum or the Facebook group.

 

They should have just kept the COE. No reason to create a new site with all the attendant problems.

 

In addition to all you mention - it still does not accept pdf documents meaning every single document must be converted first

 

[No1Farang]

2 hours ago, bolt said:

yes

but the actual submission and then waiting period was fast

I didn't pay for Flight ticket

free cancelation of room ( which i have now cancelled)

I already have COVID insurance from July for 12 months.

 

so my submission was only a test to see how long it would take, or how late i can book and pay, using AGODA is around 3 days anything less is not showing up on the Test & Go page Quarantine Deals Only 

How did you get a flight ticket without paying? I'm not aware of any airlines that will issue a ticket before payment.  I know some agents will hold your booking for a couple of days before payment but that is not a ticket.  Please explain

[scorecard]

3 hours ago, kevin612 said:

I want the hear about Thailand pass for 400,000 laborers. How the government gonna take care of those people. 

Don't worry they'll be put in lines and processed like dogs. 

[bolt]

7 minutes ago, No1Farang said:

How did you get a flight ticket without paying? I'm not aware of any airlines that will issue a ticket before payment.  I know some agents will hold your booking for a couple of days before payment but that is not a ticket.  Please explain

Flight ticket is NOT require for Thailand Pass, only Flight number

[dinsdale]

3 hours ago, Enzian said:

A 14% rejection rate is way too high for something like this, that's crash and burn territory. Be great if they would list the typical reasons for rejections; that would help the rest of us, assuming they want to. 

Another telling figure is the tiny fraction of 1% of positive tests of those entering the country. It suggests the insurance is unnecessary, and it reveals the obscene profits the insurance companies are raking in.

When word gets around all this will do is hurt the poor, who used to benefit from tourists. Now they are out there in Isaan harvesting rice with a hand scythe. 

Hand Scythe? Try rice harvesters. Your right about the insurance bit. Like the asymptomatic bloke who has to spend 14 days in hospital down in Phuket when a Thai person would simply be isolated. I wonder if his insurace will pay for that. 

[RubbaJohnny]

3 hours ago, Enzian said:

A 14% rejection rate is way too high for something like this, that's crash and burn territory. Be great if they would list the typical reasons for rejections; that would help the rest of us, assuming they want to. 

Another telling figure is the tiny fraction of 1% of positive tests of those entering the country. It suggests the insurance is unnecessary, and it reveals the obscene profits the insurance companies are raking in.

When word gets around all this will do is hurt the poor, who used to benefit from tourists. Now they are out there in Isaan harvesting rice with a hand scythe. 

But an improvement on the baccy tin bum detectors and the 90 day "NON" reporting software, been here since last century and it has never ever worked for me not once. Like Hopewell or painting over the Thai logo to save face will help. Do it on the chape charge for first class bill the Thai wai.

 

 

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, bolt said:

My recent Thailand Pass application took 7 minutes from approval to issue

Its working well.

For you obviously.

[thaiman]

4 hours ago, bolt said:

yes

but the actual submission and then waiting period was fast

I didn't pay for Flight ticket

free cancelation of room ( which i have now cancelled)

I already have COVID insurance from July for 12 months.

 

so my submission was only a test to see how long it would take, or how late i can book and pay, using AGODA is around 3 days anything less is not showing up on the Test & Go page Quarantine Deals Only 

Do you use Agoda's confirmation code for all the inputs for Acommodation?  or do you need to contact the hotel and get confirmation from them?

[Roymac]

I applied at 0830 on the morning after waiting fo my Non-Imm "O" visa to be issued. I had after reading numerous comments realised that my documents needed to be in JPEG and not PDF format. I prepared my docoments meticulously,  such as, TP 1 Flight tkt.  TP 2 Vaccination Certificate,  etc.

My documents would not be accepted using Google Chrome. It said something about browser so I called a friend who told me to download Microsoft Edge and use that. 

That done I commenced my application I had a bit of a problem with the first and last vaccines,  make sure the dates are chronological. Also I had 2 vaccination certificates, one showing the first and last vaccination dates and then the more formal you have been vaccinated blah blah. So I submitted the one then the other.

I was just getting to enjoy myself when it was completed and submitted. I was notified I would receive notification of my application within 7 days shortly thereafter.

With about 44 hours before my departure I was notified to download my successful Thailand Pass. 

Just enough time for a PCR test and I am here.

Stressful yes, very much so !

Doable yes,  just give yourself some time and prepare your documents properly.

I do believe it may be a little easier now. 

Good luck, it is ultimately worth it. 

[DPKANKAN]

5 hours ago, Enzian said:

A 14% rejection rate is way too high for something like this, that's crash and burn territory. Be great if they would list the typical reasons for rejections; that would help the rest of us, assuming they want to. 

Another telling figure is the tiny fraction of 1% of positive tests of those entering the country. It suggests the insurance is unnecessary, and it reveals the obscene profits the insurance companies are raking in.

When word gets around all this will do is hurt the poor, who used to benefit from tourists. Now they are out there in Isaan harvesting rice with a hand scythe. 

I think the % numbers are the wrong way round!! Should be 41% cock up, sorry, rejection rate!!!!????????????????????????????????

[ChrisY1]

My daughter tried, but in the end turned her computer off!

If they just get rid of this stupid, discombobulated piece of childrens' nonsense...maybe the arrivals will improve. But...that again would cause a huge loss of face!!

[AlaskaDave]

4 hours ago, fusion58 said:

Applicants also need to bear in mind that the document screening process which connecting international airports (e.g., Narita) are struggling to set up is probably even more stressful than the TP application process itself. A nightmare beyond description ( ask anyone who came through Narita en route to Thailand this past week.)

I came through Narita last Friday and it was simple and straightforward. Same thing at Suvarnaphumi. I was pleasantly surprised at how well organized that was. I spent less time going through the Immigration line than I ever have before. Of course, the number of tourists entering the country now is low too.

The hardest thing for me was waiting without the ability to check on the progress of your documents through the Thailand Pass system. That and the 72-hour window for obtaining a Covid test result in Oregon (USA) where my flight originated from. There was the option of buying a 2-hour turnaround for a Covid test result but at US$300, that was not an option I liked.

Both of those waiting periods were hellish. Anything they can do to streamline this ugly process will be a help. However, hands down the biggest and best thing they could do is to scrap the whole thing

[Lemsta69]

5 hours ago, BazzaJames said:

More positive input on work arounds with ThaiPass would be a breath of freshair to those trying to cope with a stressful situation. Has anyone had an easier time with this thing using Gmail/Firefox??

I used Brave browser and got confirmation inside three minutes (even with shields up and UBlock Origin with all the filters). Yahoo email address. oh and QR codes for the vax certificate.

 

I was pleasantly surprised that it all went so smoothly but understand that not different PC setups etc can influence the outcome.

Edited November 16, 2021 by Lemsta69

[brucegoniners]

They just have to overcomplicate everything don't they? Have to have a name for everything?

 

How about requiring certain documents for entry?

[steven100]

4 hours ago, Sheryl said:

I would not recommend anyone do this just for a holiday. Way too much hassle and there is also the risk of being quarantined for a long period if you are unlucky in who you sit next to... or hospitalized if you test positive (even if a false positive result).

Totally agree Sheryl .....   why the heck would anyone even consider such a laborious stressful task just to go somewhere and spend your hard earned cash.     Sorry to hear your having such hassles, i hope you can get through it in the end.

[steven100]

7 hours ago, Hayduke said:

 

Applicants are advised to have their credit cards available and call TAT’s new ‘status-checker’ hot line any time and ask for Khun Ron.

 

 

 

and we have rooms available for you on arrival right now on Khoasan road ....... 

 

 

 

Edited November 16, 2021 by steven100

[Sheryl]

27 minutes ago, brucegoniners said:

They just have to overcomplicate everything don't they? Have to have a name for everything?

 

How about requiring certain documents for entry?

 

or what Cambodia has just done no special permissions . Just have to show visa, COVID test and vaccination record to board a flight to Cambodia and undergo a rapid antigen test on arrival. Done at the airport. No special online "systems" of approval. No 24 hour quarantine, no special hotels etc etc.

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, Roymac said:

I applied at 0830 on the morning after waiting fo my Non-Imm "O" visa to be issued. I had after reading numerous comments realised that my documents needed to be in JPEG and not PDF format. I prepared my docoments meticulously,  such as, TP 1 Flight tkt.  TP 2 Vaccination Certificate,  etc.

My documents would not be accepted using Google Chrome. It said something about browser so I called a friend who told me to download Microsoft Edge and use that. 

That done I commenced my application I had a bit of a problem with the first and last vaccines,  make sure the dates are chronological. Also I had 2 vaccination certificates, one showing the first and last vaccination dates and then the more formal you have been vaccinated blah blah. So I submitted the one then the other.

I was just getting to enjoy myself when it was completed and submitted. I was notified I would receive notification of my application within 7 days shortly thereafter.

With about 44 hours before my departure I was notified to download my successful Thailand Pass. 

Just enough time for a PCR test and I am here.

Stressful yes, very much so !

Doable yes,  just give yourself some time and prepare your documents properly.

I do believe it may be a little easier now. 

Good luck, it is ultimately worth it. 

What about arrival at Suvarnabhumi airport; fast/slow, complex/easy, every document scrutinized/ignored, how many minutes from exiting the aircraft to leaving the airport for your hotel, how long to get your swab report, etc?

[zzaa09]

6 hours ago, bolt said:

My recent Thailand Pass application took 7 minutes from approval to issue

Its working well.

Probably true of the last week, since the repairs and upgrades quite recently - more than likely a 96-97 working order for most applicants. That's still unacceptable for a portioned minority, as the high number of complaints and frustration are still quite evident. It's still very obvious that they don't know what they're doing - ignoring the critiques and mindful suggestions. 

 

Before it becomes too late with this TP program, they might want to rethink the abandonment of it all. 

A much simpler and straight forward process should be in order. Requirements include: visa, proof of vaccination, testing before flight. That's it - you're free to wander.