7 hours ago, DaveC said:

The rest of the world realizes now that Covid is now part of the landscape and we have to live with it.

 

Thai culture is so deeply ingrained that will possibly be another 2000 years to wake up while other countries move on.

that's a polite way to put it; "stubbornness" comes to mind

6 hours ago, gearbox said:

 

In the end the travelers are customers

 

are you sure that's how Thailand sees it?

This is going to be a <deleted>show.

The sensitivity and accuracy of ATK testing is way below that of PCR testing. And not just that, the ATK's are made in China and of low quality as proven.

There are going to be lots of people being tested false positive or false negative.
Probably more false positive than false negative because the requirement to have a negative PCR test 72-hour before boarding is still required.

What will they do if someone tests (false)-positive with ATK? Forced quarantine and immediately follow up with a PCR test?

Force quarantine and PCR-test everyone that were seated next/front/behind the (false)-positive tested person?

What if it's a family? Quarantine everyone?

Who's going to pay for all of that if the ATK result were to be false positive after a negative PCR result? For sure not the Thai scammy insurance companies.

 

This government has chickenbrains. Just drop the whole testing after arrival, double vaxxed and 1 negative PCR test pre-boarding, just make it 48h and that should be sufficient! Anything extra increases the likelihood for errors and drama!

Another problem: mishandling that leads to false positives.

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/improper-handling-test-kits-may-have-led-to-false-positives-at-mukdahan-school/

3 hours ago, VBF said:

Why should it?  I agree...the question is more "Why would it?"

Well EU and USA are already reacting to the new variant  Covid: US joins EU in restricting flights from southern Africa over new coronavirus variant and I'm sure we all realise that Thai authorities will look at that and make some sort of decision. Sadly, that decision may be.....err...flawed

The African countries where the Nu variant came from are not on the list of 63 quarantine free countries, so anyone coming from there would need to do 14 days quarantine, vaxxed or not. However, there may still be flights coming from these African countries, (which AFAIK), have not been banned.

OMICRON.

All of these 'relaxations' will be scraped withing two months and we'll be back to square 1 or even possibly square negative 1. 
By February it will be back to lockdowns, PCR tests, mandated vaccinations against a highly mutated virus, Covid-camps, all non-essential business closes, closed borders, and restrictions of movement. Ok - maybe March. Well, at least masking won't change as universally required masks will still be required.  Then we can watch the PM and Anutin squirming again promising the Thais the world as they seek to obtain a share of the limited supplies of the new magical vaccinations guaranteed to be effective against OMICHON.  It will look like a page out of a Marvel comic.
Me?  I'm buying shares in whatever company hits the market with the new vaccines first.  Wait for a market dip December or January and plow into Pharmaceuticals while shorting Airlines and Hospitality and Tourism stock. 

So I reckon

Book hotel near BKK airport

go for ATK

then free to go anywhere

52 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Let's hope Thailand can hang onto their plans in light of the Omicron variant spreading. I have plans to head to the US after the first of the year and then return about 5 weeks later.

 

If this new plan of Thailands gets wiped clean because of the new issue then Hi season as they wanted will be sunk like a Spanish treasure galleon.

 

Shhhhh.  Don't spook the horses!  By hay futures!

5 minutes ago, ArcticFox said:

OMICRON.

All of these 'relaxations' will be scraped withing two months and we'll be back to square 1 or even possibly square negative 1. 
By February it will be back to lockdowns, PCR tests, mandated vaccinations against a highly mutated virus, Covid-camps, all non-essential business closes, closed borders, and restrictions of movement. Ok - maybe March. Well, at least masking won't change as universally required masks will still be required.  Then we can watch the PM and Anutin squirming again promising the Thais the world as they seek to obtain a share of the limited supplies of the new magical vaccinations guaranteed to be effective against OMICHON.  It will look like a page out of a Marvel comic.
Me?  I'm buying shares in whatever company hits the market with the new vaccines first.  Wait for a market dip December or January and plow into Pharmaceuticals while shorting Airlines and Hospitality and Tourism stock. 

Another wonderful optimistic TV post

 

PS the world is round

6 minutes ago, bolt said:

Another wonderful optimistic TV post

 

PS the world is round

Like a pizza? Flat crust right....lol

The ATK testing will be done at hotels (SHA+-AQ) who have agreements contracts with hospitals in case of positive test.

 

so that’s why any arrival needs to book at an approved Hotel instead of any hotel-house-home-condo

 

The Hospital Staff will be doing the testing, and they’ll be using the hotel as a base,

you won’t be self-testing yourself.

 

if results are negative 10-20 minutes you go leave

7 minutes ago, bolt said:

The ATK testing will be done at hotels (SHA+-AQ) who have agreements contracts with hospitals in case of positive test.

 

so that’s why any arrival needs to book at an approved Hotel instead of any hotel-house-home-condo

 

The Hospital Staff will be doing the testing, and they’ll be using the hotel as a base,

you won’t be self-testing yourself.

 

if results are negative 10-20 minutes you go leave

Where's your link to show this is so. Don't spread misinformation.

They should have just stuck to the Test & Go one night hotel stay and PCR test. I don't think it is too much to ask of incoming travellers at all.  With the emergence of the new OMICROM variant they may well go back to that anyway. PCR is a much more reliable test, and in my case an overnight stay after a long flight is well appreciated before I take a flight up North the next day.  And with a negative PCR, I'm more confident I'm not putting my family at risk. OK, if you live in Bangkok then it may be a bit frustrating I admit, but it is for both your protection and protection for the Thai people as well.

Everywhere else its called a rapid antigen test. Only in Thailand is it not rapid!

6 hours ago, bolt said:

So I reckon

Book hotel near BKK airport

go for ATK

then free to go anywhere

You may want to reconsider this with the new variant going around. ????  I reckon that rules will be changing dramatically quickly.  

They couldn't have picked a worst moment to announce this. 

 

As the world tightens up, Thailand losens restrictions at the worst possible time - in regards to this new variant. 

 

I am going to assume they will cancel it. 

10 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

They couldn't have picked a worst moment to announce this. 

 

As the world tightens up, Thailand losens restrictions at the worst possible time - in regards to this new variant. 

 

I am going to assume they will cancel it. 

muh variant.

 

I wonder if this variant will have the same death rate as all the other variants of <1% of which are highly skewed towards elderly.

 

People will be having fevers and muscle aches for a week and carry on after.

7 hours ago, ArcticFox said:

OMICRON.

All of these 'relaxations' will be scraped withing two months and we'll be back to square 1 or even possibly square negative 1. 
By February it will be back to lockdowns, PCR tests, mandated vaccinations against a highly mutated virus, Covid-camps, all non-essential business closes, closed borders, and restrictions of movement. Ok - maybe March. Well, at least masking won't change as universally required masks will still be required.  Then we can watch the PM and Anutin squirming again promising the Thais the world as they seek to obtain a share of the limited supplies of the new magical vaccinations guaranteed to be effective against OMICHON.  It will look like a page out of a Marvel comic.
Me?  I'm buying shares in whatever company hits the market with the new vaccines first.  Wait for a market dip December or January and plow into Pharmaceuticals while shorting Airlines and Hospitality and Tourism stock. 

Just wait , it looks like the new variant is much more transmission , but at the moment there is no indication ( what i've read about it ) that it is dangerous . Lets just hope it is less dangerous , in that case , covid just might have evolved in a harmless cold ( which in fact are corona virus in most cases already ) . I'dd say 1st indications will not be far away , i think within 1 week 2 weeks max .

 

1 minute ago, sezze said:

Just wait , it looks like the new variant is much more transmission , but at the moment there is no indication ( what i've read about it ) that it is dangerous . Lets just hope it is less dangerous , in that case , covid just might have evolved in a harmless cold ( which in fact are corona virus in most cases already ) . I'dd say 1st indications will not be far away , i think within 1 week 2 weeks max .

 

That's a good thing to hope for (less dangerous) but at this point there is no evidence whatsoever that that is true. So yes, wait and see.

35 minutes ago, TooMuchTime said:

muh variant.

 

I wonder if this variant will have the same death rate as all the other variants of <1% of which are highly skewed towards elderly.

 

People will be having fevers and muscle aches for a week and carry on after.

That would be nice if it was the case, but it's not. 

even if the death rate of the variant is the same because of infection, if the infection rate is higher the death rate could increase because hospitals might not be able to handle the increased  infection rate.

  Then with an increased infection rate we have an increased chance of mutations and new more virulent variants.

  in addition people don't just "have fevers and muscle aches for a week and carry on " for many there are extended and even  life long complications . According to the world famous Mayo Clinic " COVID-19 symptoms can sometimes persist for months. The virus can damage the lungs, heart and brain, which increases the risk of long-term health problems."https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-long-term-effects/art-20490351

1 hour ago, TooMuchTime said:

muh variant.

 

I wonder if this variant will have the same death rate as all the other variants of <1% of which are highly skewed towards elderly.

 

People will be having fevers and muscle aches for a week and carry on after.

 Are the elderly not people ?

Bizzare timing for them to announce this just as some countires are imposing more restrictions due to the Omicron Varient Thailand eases them with scraping the Pcr tests. The Uk has just reintroduced a mandatory PCR test on day 2.

 

Not that i am complaining as good news for me traveling but we are led to believe in November it was too dangerous to open up without PCR tests then when a new varient comes along suddenly its safe to scrap the pcr tests on the same day the new varient was announced.  Doesn't make much sense.

 

Would not be surprised if they change it back to pcr tests again in a few days time.

2 minutes ago, bear9 said:

Bizzare timing for them to announce this just as some countires are imposing more restrictions due to the Omicron Varient Thailand eases them with scraping the Pcr tests. The Uk has just reintroduced a mandatory PCR test on day 2.

 

Not that i am complaining as good news for me traveling but we are led to believe in November it was too dangerous to open up without PCR tests then when a new varient comes along suddenly its safe to scrap the pcr tests on the same day the new varient was announced.  Doesn't make much sense.

 

Would not be surprised if they change it back to pcr tests again in a few days time.

Don't think they were aware of this new variant as they announced it, hence why i think they will row back. 

8 hours ago, ArcticFox said:

All of these 'relaxations' will be scraped withing two months

2 weeks max.

Essentially what they are doing is turning AQ hotels into ATK testing sites. They are regressing to less accurate testing and patting themselves on the back for their safety efforts, amusing Thailand!

On 11/26/2021 at 6:00 PM, James105 said:

Having the hotels still involved means lots of potential for scams.   School kids in the UK discovered how easy it was to make these things turn positive (I believe Coca Cola works quite well) so that they wouldn't have to go to school.    I presume the hotels will soon discover that by using a similar technique, they will be able to sell those people the PCR upgrade package which includes a compulsory overnight stay.   

Thanks for that info on the ATK test, they have started to bring it in to schools here in Australia. I new it wouldn't be long before teen's found a way around it. Schools are giving it free but any one else you have to buy at $10.00 a hit, at lest in the UK it's free. We have a Gov here that is all about $$$ and taxes.

555 can't please most on here, was only a few weeks ago ppl where saying they should do this.. scrap PCR and hotel for a quick ATK now a lot seem to be moaning. ????

 

New variant or not things need to open up, if you think we can just wait out the storm you will be waiting forever... It's time to learn how to dance in the rain. 

 

There's not even flights to Thailand from these African countries anyway ????‍♂️ must be draining assuming the worst in everything. 

18 hours ago, JustAnotherHun said:

If you want to check thousands of passengers a day and after that let them wait between 10 and 20 minutes for the result, the crowd will reach back to the taxisway ????

They used to do it with passports......  

8 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

They used to do it with passports......  

Yes sir in line thousands deep running a long line and Taking time.

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

That's a good thing to hope for (less dangerous) but at this point there is no evidence whatsoever that that is true. So yes, wait and see.

Yet, there isn't any evidence any which way - 

This new mutation might just peter out.