Thailand announces new measures for foreign arrivals, New Year countdown details

[snoop1130]

A motorcyclist rides past a floral design marking the arrival of the Thai new year 2564 in Bangkok on December 31, 2020. Mladen ANTONOV / AFP

 

Thailand’s Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has announced a list of provinces where New Year countdown events will be allowed, has set limits on the number of attendees and introduced new measures for foreign arrivals in the light of COVID-19 Omicron variant.

 

New Year countdown events will be held in:

• Chiang Mai, at Hor Kham Luang and Royal Park Rajapruek from December 27th to 31st
• Nakhon Ratchasima, in front of the provincial hall from December 27th to 31st
• Rayong, at Saeng Chan beach from December 27th to 31st
• Ayutthaya, at Wat Phra Ram from December 27th to 31st
• Phuket, at Laem Saphan Hin on December 31st

 

Attendees at each event will be limited at 15,000 at each location for the whole event. Daily attendees on December 27th, 28th and 29th are limited to 1,500 while, on December 30th and 31st, the number is set at a maximum of 5,000 a day.

 

All attendees must be fully inoculated and have tested negative, using a rapid antigen kit, within the 72 hours prior to attending the event. The same requirements are applied to event organisers, staff and musicians.

 

Foreign arrivals under “test and go” and “sandbox” schemes are the only ones subject to a maximum of one-day quarantine while awaiting their negative COVID RT-PCR test results. For other arrivals, those who are fully vaccinated will be subject to 7 days isolation in their hotels, and one RT-PCR test plus a second antigen test, effective December 16th.

 

Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailand-announces-new-measures-for-foreign-arrivals-new-year-countdown-details/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-12-13

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[HappyExpat57]

And further on in the report:

"Foreign arrivals under “test and go” and “sandbox” schemes are the only ones subject to a maximum of one-day quarantine while awaiting their negative COVID RT-PCR test results. For other arrivals, those who are fully vaccinated will be subject to 7 days isolation in their hotels, and one RT-PCR test plus a second antigen test, effective December 16th." (I added the emphasis)

 

So we're back to the quarantine scheme, just when it looked like tourism was starting to pick back up.

[kimamey]

13 minutes ago, HappyExpat57 said:

And further on in the report:

"Foreign arrivals under “test and go” and “sandbox” schemes are the only ones subject to a maximum of one-day quarantine while awaiting their negative COVID RT-PCR test results. For other arrivals, those who are fully vaccinated will be subject to 7 days isolation in their hotels, and one RT-PCR test plus a second antigen test, effective December 16th." (I added the emphasis)

 

So we're back to the quarantine scheme, just when it looked like tourism was starting to pick back up.

Yes I noticed that. 

[Wuvu2]

Clear as mud and bound to please no one. 

 

"All attendees must be fully inoculated and have tested negative, using a rapid antigen kit, within the 72 hours prior to attending the event".... wow - totally unrealistic and will be a nightmare to enforce on New Years Eve. 

 

I'll just #StayTheFlockAtHome

[herfiehandbag]

Why oh why limit the number to 1500 a day for the three preceding days, and then allow 5000 on the 30th and 31st?

 

The beaurocratic/military bossy mindset is indeed a wondrous thing.

 

Reinstating the quarantine process will of course totally shaft the reopening plan. Can they not understand - as soon as "quarantine" is mentioned, people quite simply don't book!

 

I rather suspect that those influential people who have invested in providing quarantine facilities may be calling the shots here? Either way, they have shafted things again!

 

"Pirrocks"!

Edited December 13, 2021 by herfiehandbag

[smedly]

5 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

Why oh why limit the number to 1500 a day for the three preceding days, and then allow 5000 on the 30th and 31st?

 

The beaurocratic/military bossy mindset is indeed a wondrous thing.

because they are clueless - they make things so complicated that they are unenforceable, stupid nonsense 

[wasabi]

I wish the currency Gods would at least reward us dirty farangs with better THB exchange rates every time a backward immigration policy is layered atop the already huge pile of buffoonery.

[HashBrownHarry]

I'm British and double vaxxed and now have to do 15 days locked in hotel loom due to arriving from a West African country....

 

It does n't help that Thai's think Africa is one country with S Africa being the capital - morons.

[koratkarlos]

I think people will ignore these restrictions for the New Year.  If they reinstate quarantine people will not visit Thailand.  I see no rationale for these decisions and do not believe the reported COVID daily numbers.  My wife has the right attitude - ignore this noise, forget it and go about your daily life.  There really is no other option.

[kimamey]

I won't be flying back to Thailand until probably late January or more likely February so things can change by then. Possibly better or maybe worse.

Not being there I don't keep up with all the domestic restrictions but I assume that 'maximum watch' is less restricted than 'controlled'. I know some of my family came up from Bangkok to Mahasarakham and then went to visit friends in Mukdahan with my wife and mother in law. Then without my MiL they went first to Khon Kaen which I think may have been work related for my wife and then back down to Bangkok which was for work for my wife and of course home for the rest of the family. The wife never mentioned any problems with this.

[wasabi]

4 minutes ago, kimamey said:

I won't be flying back to Thailand until probably late January or more likely February so things can change by then. Possibly better or maybe worse.

Not being there I don't keep up with all the domestic restrictions but I assume that 'maximum watch' is less restricted than 'controlled'. I know some of my family came up from Bangkok to Mahasarakham and then went to visit friends in Mukdahan with my wife and mother in law. Then without my MiL they went first to Khon Kaen which I think may have been work related for my wife and then back down to Bangkok which was for work for my wife and of course home for the rest of the family. The wife never mentioned any problems with this.

Getting here was the usual moving labyrinth of requirements, but I've been pleasantly surprised how lax it has been since being sprung from Test and Go 1 day prison. Even in BKK they are getting tired of even doing the Temperature checks.

Edited December 13, 2021 by wasabi

[RichardColeman]

1 hour ago, HappyExpat57 said:

And further on in the report:

"Foreign arrivals under “test and go” and “sandbox” schemes are the only ones subject to a maximum of one-day quarantine while awaiting their negative COVID RT-PCR test results. For other arrivals, those who are fully vaccinated will be subject to 7 days isolation in their hotels, and one RT-PCR test plus a second antigen test, effective December 16th." (I added the emphasis)

 

So we're back to the quarantine scheme, just when it looked like tourism was starting to pick back up.

I read what you say as really nothing has changed. Most tourists will be arriving as test and go and free to go after PCR at the hotel, and all other tourists arriving from other countries not in the test and go scheme countries having to do the 7 or 14 days as already in place.

 

The only issue of going backwards would be if they remove the test and go scheme

 

 

[poskat]

1 hour ago, HappyExpat57 said:

And further on in the report:

"Foreign arrivals under “test and go” and “sandbox” schemes are the only ones subject to a maximum of one-day quarantine while awaiting their negative COVID RT-PCR test results. For other arrivals, those who are fully vaccinated will be subject to 7 days isolation in their hotels, and one RT-PCR test plus a second antigen test, effective December 16th." (I added the emphasis)

 

So we're back to the quarantine scheme, just when it looked like tourism was starting to pick back up.

who exactly do they mean by "other arrivals who are fully vaccinated". I live in bkk and have booked to go to phuket over xmas and NY arriving after dec 16.

[Farangus]

 

I realized that I did not understand anything.

If my country is not included in the list of 63 countries and I previously planned 7 days (or 5 days from December 16) in the SHA + sandbox, then what category of foreigners do I fall into now?

 

Edited December 13, 2021 by Farangus

[kimamey]

47 minutes ago, wasabi said:

Getting here was the usual moving labyrinth of requirements, but I've been pleasantly surprised how lax it has been since being sprung from Test and Go 1 day prison. Even in BKK they are getting tired of even doing the Temperature checks.

When I was last in Thailand before I left in September we had several occasions when we were tested before entering a shop and my wife failed so they just kept testing until she passed. That seemed a bit odd to me.

 

The problem with regulations anywhere is compliance and enforcement. From experience enforcement in Thailand is often patchy at best and that leads to a lack of compliance.

 

I know that when I was there and in places like the market there were many with their masks in the various positions between under the nose and hanging off one ear.

 

I know where my wife works and in an office where masks should be worn I'd often see people many in higher positions either with no mask when they came in or on one ear. There was even one guy who vary rarely wore a hard hat when he should have came in with a hard hat and no mask. That's along with the ones on a bike with no helmet but a mask and umbrella.

Edited December 13, 2021 by kimamey

[Cherrytreeview]

Omicron is doubling every 2 to 3 days in the UK and other countries.

Looks like most people will think they have the cold.

Unless you self isolate for a fortnight before, you could easily pick it up.

Then it's the 2 PCR test roll of the dice to get into Thailand with incarceration if your unlucky to fail the second test.

Best of luck to all those people having to return to Thailand for family or business matters.

 

[Bohemianfish]

1 hour ago, koratkarlos said:

I think people will ignore these restrictions for the New Year.  If they reinstate quarantine people will not visit Thailand.  I see no rationale for these decisions and do not believe the reported COVID daily numbers.  My wife has the right attitude - ignore this noise, forget it and go about your daily life.  There really is no other option.

This is what my wife said. The government will keep changing its mind. She doesn't even follow the news. We are shooting for 2023. Once all the restrictions are removed - if they are removed. And she'd already gone back in January to take care of things and went through the whole quarantine process. She doesn't even want to discuss what's going on and I agree. It's enough to get someone flustered within minutes.

[Letseng]

1 hour ago, herfiehandbag said:

Why oh why limit the number to 1500 a day for the three preceding days, and then allow 5000 on the 30th and 31st?

 

The beaurocratic/military bossy mindset is indeed a wondrous thing.

 

Reinstating the quarantine process will of course totally shaft the reopening plan. Can they not understand - as soon as "quarantine" is mentioned, people quite simply don't book!

 

I rather suspect that those influential people who have invested in providing quarantine facilities may be calling the shots here? Either way, they have shafted things again!

 

"Pirrocks"!

Seems to be no shortage of tourists. I'm looking for a serviced apt. All the better ones are full until 2nd week in Jan. Sure some Thais do staycation but they don't fill Oriental Res. or Emporium Suites.

 

[BKKTRAVELER]

Nothing has changed, if you are eligible for the Thailand Pass, you still get only one night in quarantine as far as I understand.

[CRUNCHER]

Allowing New Year festivities - they must be mad.  Don't they remember what happened when they didn't cancel Songkran?

[webfact]

New Year Countdown Drinking to Stop at 1am

 

 

BANGKOK (TNA) – The Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration resolved to end all maximum disease control zones (red zones) and allow New Year countdown drinking to continue until 1am on Jan 1.

 

CCSA spokesman Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin said the red zones of maximum COVID-19 control in 23 provinces were completely lifted and there were 39 orange provinces, 30 yellow provinces and 8 blue provinces for tourism promotion, up from 7 with Chon Buri as one new blue province, starting from Dec 16.

 

Alcohol consumption at eateries with good ventilation will be allowed on Dec 31 through the New Year countdown period until 1am on Jan 1.

 

Full story: https://tna.mcot.net/english-news-841630

 

-- © Copyright TNA 2021-12-14

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[inThailand]

I wish I got 10 Baht for every time they have changed these regulations. 

 

Clowns pretending to work? 

[Geoffggi]

Good luck with this one, IMO the last time something like this happened was when three wise men were following a star ............................LOL

[feasantplukka]

So yesterday I got my Thai pass, to return to Thailand after 2yrs away from my wife and family, fully vaxed & boosted  1 day quarantine booked January 5th, staying 30 days, I now have to stay 7 days in quarantine,  ??????????

[Petey11]

Another rule change to be ignored. From what I've seen the restaurant bars are just like the bars used to be, not much food in sight but lots of check-bin and bottles. They might as well just let them open as normal.

[henry213]

12 hours ago, Farangus said:

 

I realized that I did not understand anything.

If my country is not included in the list of 63 countries and I previously planned 7 days (or 5 days from December 16) in the SHA + sandbox, then what category of foreigners do I fall into now?

 

 

 

 

This is for the alterntive quarantine i guess?

Edited December 14, 2021 by henry213

[NHPT]

Much of Canada mixed vaccines and up to 12 weeks between doses. I have emailed Thai Consulate in Vancouver and Thai Embassy on Ottawa for verification that Canada Vaccine Cert would be accepted but never received any answer from either.

 

 Has anyone from Canada with mixed Pfizer and Moderna more than 4 weeks apart managed to get Thailand Pass

[thailand49]

As the World Turns!  And then there is the minority here that thinks all this negative stuff is " hate " if the tone of our opinion are too strong.

"Limited"  I wonder if officials at these location will be pulling out their calculators? ????

[PuaSai]

I'm going through quarantine right now.  Arrived Saturday and actually the process at Suvarnabhumi Airport was very fast and efficient.  WAY faster then I expected.  I didn't even get to sit in the initial chair line for more than a minute.  Immigration lines were very short.  I walked right up to be stamped to enter.  They didn't have the expedited lines for business or first class and they didn't need them.  

 

Taxi service was provided by the hotel and their staff met me and others at the airport and organized your ride to the hotel.  I rode alone having traveled alone and the driver's section was sealed off from me by clear plastic.

 

I did the Bangkok Sand Box, but because I wasn't in the U.S. for 21 consecutive days, I am quarantined for 7 days.  I even have 2 vaccines and a booster.  (Not bragging.  I only got the shots to come home.  If the situation was different I wouldn't have gotten them.)  After you arrive, you get the 1st RT-PCR test and wait 24 hours (or so.  My wait was less.  This was my 3rd PCR test this week for traveling.).  If negative, you're allowed to go outside, but have to finish the quarantine.  When I say you can go outside, I mean they let you go, say for example, to the mall you're hotel is attached to.  So, you're not a prisoner inside the hotel.  Basically I guess you can go anywhere, but you have to return to the hotel.  The 6th day you had to do a self test or you can have the nurse on staff do it.

 

The hotel and staff are very nice and the room is huge and clean.  The floor I'm on is a restricted floor.  Only people on quarantine can go up and get out on that floor.  You have to use your key card on the elevator before you push the floor button or a woman's voice announces loudly "you have selected a restricted floor."

 

All in all, it hasn't been bad except for missing a week with my family.  I wouldn't want to make them sick, so it's worth it to me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ronster]

????????????

So you can go out and drink till 1am and then after that alcohol will be banned again apart from approved restaurants.

Covid will be so happy it has been given the day off !

Bit like saying you can go wander around the main reactor area in Chernobyl for a day because at new year it’s not radioactive ! ????