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

[geejay]

Hello,

How far ahead of your departure date can you apply for the Thailand Pass or do you think that it may not be dealt with in the order that they receive it as I want to allow ample time and hopefully avoid the stress that others have experienced.

Thank you 

[trainman34014]

7 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. 

Well; the Women are out there cutting rice but the men are swinging in their Hammocks as usual !

[tomacht8]

Fresh from today. A friend (her first trip to Thailand) had last Friday 12. Nov. sent her Thai passport application. Today, Nov 16, the rejection comes. Pure panic. The reason: She had sent pdf documents. Apparently the programmers have not yet managed to allow this format. After everything converted to jpg and the upload worked. Now my friend is panicking because there are only a few days left until departure. In my opinion, unnecessary stress. The Thai authorities assume that everybody is high end computer and software knowledgeable.

What a stress and nerve for a 14 days vacation on the beach.

[Chris.B]

4 hours ago, Sheryl said:

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

 

Doesn't accept PDF's, unbelievable !  

[bolt]

3 hours ago, thaiman said:

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?

i used AGODA email confirmation PDF to screenshot, easy 

[tomacht8]

5 minutes ago, Chris.B said:

Doesn't accept PDF's, unbelievable !  

555 But they send u back PDFs.

COE software was a lot better.

[zzaa09]

8 minutes ago, Chris.B said:

Doesn't accept PDF's, unbelievable !  

Most everything about the program is unbelievable. 

I was of the understanding that they fixed that issue of PDF non-acceptance. I guess not. 

Seems as their crack modifying and updating of numerous glitches hasn't been resolved, even though they talk as if it was. 

 

Mai phen rai.

[Jingthing]

8 hours ago, bolt said:

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

Its working well.

For you. Which proves nothing about the bigger picture.

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

 

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.

Exactly. That's typical for countries that are actually SERIOUS about opening up.

How long will it take for Thailand to drop this madness which is surely repressing well over 90 percent of potential actual tourists?

I don't believe they're serious yet. That's OK but don't announce you're open when you're anything but. 

Saying you're open and putting up these absurd barriers doesn't cut it.

Also absurd is the counting press. Surely the majority of people coming have very serious reasons to travel here, such as returning expats, family here, etc. They are NOT tourists!

Edited November 16, 2021 by Jingthing

[bolt]

7 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

For you. Which proves nothing about the bigger picture.

My post has received sooooo many negative comments.

 

This Forum is for bashing Thailand, no positive posts allowed ????

Edited November 16, 2021 by bolt

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, bolt said:

My post has received sooooo many negative comments.

 

This Forum is for bashing Thailand, no positive posts allowed ????

That is not true which makes me even more skeptical of the credibility of your rave review. 

[bolt]

3 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

That is not true which makes me even more skeptical of the credibility of your rave review. 

thanks for proving my point

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, bolt said:

thanks for proving my point

Was your post deleted? You doth protest too much. It doesn't wash. 

[bolt]

Just now, Jingthing said:

Was your post deleted? You doth protest too much. It doesn't wash. 

you don't want to belive it has gotten better, 

it took 7 mintues, 1st and then 2nd email 

I'm not even travelling, I'm simply testing the time it takes as I'll be flying soon but not sure what date, I'd avise 72 hours or longer to be safe

[Chris.B]

11 minutes ago, bolt said:

My post has received sooooo many negative comments.

 

This Forum is for bashing Thailand, no positive posts allowed ????

It sounded like you are boasting while not caring about the people who are encountering problems. 

[Blumpie]

I know it must be very hurtful and stressful to go through all of this.  Many are just trying to get back to their loved ones and tourists don't necessarily come to this forum.  

So take my "stupid" and "dropped on your heads" to visit thailand with a grain of salt.  Because you would have to be dropped on your head to visit there for a care free vacation.

I'm glad to see it's working for some, but it sure seems like a hell of a lot of work.  

 

[bolt]

1 minute ago, Chris.B said:

It sounded like you are boasting while not caring about the people who are encountering problems. 

I sending out hope that its improving, some people have given up because of the negativity.

 

Its improving from 1^st of November, deal with it move on  

[Jingthing]

Better that they scrap it entirely ASAP and adopt a more sane system similar to Cambodia.

[NanLaew]

4 hours ago, hotchilli said:

8 hours ago, bolt said:

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

Its working well.

For you obviously.

With a reported 14% rejection rate, it's working well for 86% many.

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

With a reported 14% rejection rate, it's working well for 86% many.

You miss my point here, dude.

Even if the process worked for 100 percent of those that will bother, I'm thinking of the massive percentage of people that obviously look at the list of rules and say NO THANKS. Maybe will wait (how long) until they offer a sane policy like Cambodia and other countries that are actually really truly opening up to masses of REAL tourists now. 

[arithai12]

7 hours ago, Sheryl said:

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).

I registered successfully for COE, then stopped and waited for TP. Which I managed to submit with some hassle. I got the TP within a few days.

 

The main difference is that COE was 2-step: first you register, at which point they check thay you are eligible (eg insurance). Then you proceed with the bookings.

 

TP is fundamentally flawed in that you have to do (pay) the bookings in advance, without knowing whether you will be approved.

 

I agree with you: wait if not absolutely necessary. I expect they will do away with it within a couple of months.

[NanLaew]

6 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

You miss my point here, dude.

Even if the process worked for 100 percent of those that will bother, I'm thinking of the massive percentage of people that obviously look at the list of rules and say NO THANKS. Maybe will wait (how long) until they offer a sane policy like Cambodia and other countries that are actually really truly opening up to masses of REAL tourists now. 

I've done something like 5 quarantines in 3 different countries since last May involving about ten PCR tests and two dozen lateral flow tests.

 

Believe me when I say that ThailandPass is a walk in the park.

[zzaa09]

8 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. 

An overwhelming percentage of average everyday Thai benefit from anything tourism related....Where does this mythological ideal come from? Being repeated over again?

 

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, NanLaew said:

I've done something like 5 quarantines in 3 different countries since last May involving about ten PCR tests and two dozen lateral flow tests.

 

Believe me when I say that ThailandPass is a walk in the park.

What you did is not what normal tourists do so it proves nothing. If Thailand or any other country actually wants to revive their tourism industry then it needs to be much easier than their current pass system. That's obviously a fact. It's OK if they're not ready for that yet though. That's their decision. 

[NanLaew]

3 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

TP is fundamentally flawed in that you have to do (pay) the bookings in advance, without knowing whether you will be approved.

Not all AQ hotels want 100% payment in advance. Some want a non-refundable deposit while others will hold your booking until 24-hours before your arrival/check-in date where you can cancel at absolutely no charge.

 

ThailandPass doesn't need a paid flight booking, Your chosen AQ hotel only needs a flight number and date. Neither of them are checking with the airlines to see if you are confirmed.

[NanLaew]

5 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

What you did is not what normal tourists do so it proves nothing. If Thailand or any other country actually wants to revive their tourism industry then it needs to be much easier than their current pass system. That's obviously a fact. It's OK if they're not ready for that yet though. That's their decision. 

What part of 'not normal' is too hard for some people to understand here?

[zzaa09]

2 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

I've done something like 5 quarantines in 3 different countries since last May involving about ten PCR tests and two dozen lateral flow tests.

 

Believe me when I say that ThailandPass is a walk in the park.

Perhaps experience from a comparative perspective might have some merit. 

As many aren't aware that similar covid era policies are in place the world over - with varying degrees/practice of bullsh**ery. 

This point should be taken and observed, which most haven't experienced to make valid critiques.

 

I guess the current Thai situation could be worse.

[arithai12]

1 minute ago, NanLaew said:

Not all AQ hotels want 100% payment in advance. Some want a non-refundable deposit while others will hold your booking until 24-hours before your arrival/check-in date where you can cancel at absolutely no charge.

 

ThailandPass doesn't need a paid flight booking, Your chosen AQ hotel only needs a flight number and date. Neither of them are checking with the airlines to see if you are confirmed.

Correct about hotels, but the rebookable/refundable are more expensive.

 

As for paid flight, also correct but dangerous. On my 2-legs flight back to Thailand, I was on waitlist in one of them, I had to bite the bullet and luckily it was confirmed. If not, I would have lost the hotel booking and the TP.

 

My point was that COE was more logical (if this is the right word).

[Hocus Pocus]

Great that they are recognizing the need for improvement, but having braved through the launch day of having to convert everything to JPG and add spaces after passport/insurance number to get the green check, it is not a process I would recommend to a friend. Key flaw that they are correcting is the need for a reference number and status check. For a 12 Nov flight, I waited 2-8 Nov before calling the Chicago consulate (rejected by grumpy Thai guy) and the Washington embassy (helped by friendly Thai lady), where I got my TP QR code literally 10min after she asked my passport number and name (that's how they have to search since there are no reference numbers). To be honest, they should advertise it is 7 BUSINESS days, which in my case would have been up to 11 Nov, too late for me to wait for an answer for a 12 Nov flight.

 

I met several Thais and foreigners that had the same issue in the airport and flight. Nobody I met had much of a choice, they were all returnees for work or family. This is all teething issue, but no tourist would put up with this BS except the motivated characters I now see stalking Sukhimvit.

 

One positive is that the swab-and-go process worked fairly smoothly (for me) on landing. From the sitting down in the blue plastic chairs where they sort your documents (recommend printouts of your TP and COV19 test result!), walk through of health check and immigration - airport was smooth. The slight chaos was the disorganized hotel transport as they didn't have my name (which was the case it seems for others), but it was sorted in 15min. My swab-and-go hotel (Arte Hotel) was good and well organized. It worked, but not something I would not mind avoiding in the future.

[clivebaxter]

1 hour ago, bolt said:

My post has received sooooo many negative comments.

 

This Forum is for bashing Thailand, no positive posts allowed ????

Pointing out the difficulties of the pass is not bashing Thailand