Thailand may cancel Test & Go due to Omicron: Anutin

[stigar]

Im happy that i listen to my lady who said i better not booking any tickets this time.So i booked on 30th of march 2022.We been together 3 months allready few months ago.Im also happy i left thailand earlier.We cant trust this goverment at all.Im sorry for those who booked allready before xmas and now migth loose they holiday or meeting their families after a long waitingtime.

[Trip Hop]

So do Pipat and TAT still think they’re going to get their 300k tourists in January if this happens? ????

Or is it all just a clever ploy to save face for everyone?  There again, someone might actually be stupid enough to believe that because these people may have already paid for their flights, they will still come AND pay extra for the privilege of being locked up for a week or so? ????

[RandolphGB]

1 hour ago, meechai said:

I kinda of had a hunch seeing their new platform makes no mention of it & seems to have gone back to 7 days even for vaccinated?

http://entrythailand.go.th/en/learnmore.php#

 

This is probably the most likely outcome. Increase restrictions so the government is seen to be doing something, but not too much. 

 

 

[EricTh]

Test & Go for only 2 months and now it's back to the 'bad old Covid days' again?

 

Will Thai business suffer again with high unemployment?

[EricTh]

1 hour ago, koratkarlos said:

Flip flop again. 

 

Countries should live with the virus, any lockdowns or border closing didn't help in the last two years bcos the virus still spreads.

 

Most of us are already vaccinated, if we do catch it , we won't be hospitalised.

 

Netherlands is having a lockdown now, France is closing its borders.

 

All these measures don't really help in curbing the virus as seen in the last 2 years.

Edited December 20, 2021 by EricTh

[worldexpress]

When I see that face, I automatically go into a laughter but not this time. ????????

 

Fudge! This is not good. After failing to get on a plane on 11/1 because the COE never came, my excitement to get TP earlier today lasted exactly about 12 hours when I read this. If they scrap test&go, I'd likely throw in the towel and head to the border to get me a fine Latina who can make me Tacos.

Edited December 20, 2021 by worldexpress

[than]

let's not jump to a hasty conclusion. For the moment this is only a proposal. That it will be the reaction of the other members of the CCSA including the Prime Minister.
He only spoke about TEST and GO, when is he about SANDBOX?

[fulhamster]

1 hour ago, Captain Monday said:

The government needs to disband the CCSA before they ruin the county

 

 

Too late...............................

[webfact]

Government to Cancel Test & Go After Detecting 63 Omicron Cases

By Paul Rujopakarn

 

    

BANGKOK (NNT) - Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has confirmed the detection of 63 cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant, with another 20 cases still awaiting confirmation. Preparations are currently underway to cancel the Test & Go program. The announcement comes amid moves to accelerate booster vaccinations, especially for people who received two Sinovac doses.

 

Minister Anutin said during an interview that policies have been handed to both the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Public Health and the director-general of the Department of Disease Control (DDC) for the probable cancellation of the Test & Go scheme at this time and a return to the Sandbox and ASQ programs. These proposals will be presented at the next meeting of the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

 

The move comes amid reports that even repeated RT-PCR testing - first at the point of origin and again upon arrival in Thailand - are failing to detect and prevent all Omicron cases from slipping through.

 

Minister Anutin noted that the issue of New Year countdown events will still be left to the discretion of provincial governors and communicable disease committees, but stressed that safety must be the top priority. Measures must also be in place to screen travelers entering each province.

 

He also said people who have already received two vaccine doses for three months should get their booster shots regardless of the brand they were administered previously. Those who received the two Sinovac injections are especially urged to get a booster, either with the Pfizer or Astrazeneca vaccine, as the Sinovac jab offers negligible protection against the Omicron variant.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-12-20

 

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

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

[tomyami]

Thats 2022 down the swany unless Omicron response worldwide turns out to be an over reaction and has us all guessing more than any other variant has so far

[fulhamster]

11 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Will Thai business suffer again with high unemployment?

They have been suffering through the whole pandemic.

 

Unemployment will never be fully admitted -- meanwhile expect the baht to somehow manage to get even stronger

[86Tiger]

 

 

With the millions of tourists entering the Kingdom since "opening," 63 positives does not seem that bad........

[Sheryl]

57 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

If I were you Sheryl, I would return ASAP.

OK, the Omicron situation is not so bad yet here ( possibly ), but the Omicron variant has displayed its rampant nature already around the Globe, doubling every 2 Days..

For Sure Thailand will get the Omicron Virus Variant, but its a question of how soon it become a real issue here.

Best wishes

Thanks but impossible to go back before Xmas. I could possibly return the following week (with attendant financial loss) ...will see what gets announced.

 

Anyone know when the next meeting of the CCSA is scheduled?

[SteveWilts]

Just now, Sheryl said:

Thanks but impossible to go back before Xmas. I could possibly return the following week (with attendant financial loss) ...will see what gets announced.

A return via Sand Box is still on the cards, and not a bad option

[worrab]

He also said people who have already received two vaccine doses for three months should get theirbooster shots regardless of the brand they were administered previously. 

 

Just shows how much he knows as, having communicated via email with THG, they are still following the 6 months ruling. I have had 2 Pfizer jabs in Sept and have to wait until March.

Yet again Anutin is going against the manufacturers recommendations!! 2 shots of Chinese, okay get a booster in 3 months, but forget it if you have AZ, Phizer or Moderna. 

[Sheryl]

Just now, SteveWilts said:

A return via Sand Box is still on the cards, and not a bad option

Yes, that is a thought... if I can arrange a check-through ticket. According to airline website cannot but worth a visit to their office.

[HashBrownHarry]

7 minutes ago, SteveWilts said:

A return via Sand Box is still on the cards, and not a bad option

That won't last much longer either, back to locked in hotel loom methinks.

[ftpjtm]

3 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

That won't last much longer either, back to locked in hotel loom methinks.

So true, so pathetic. I'm booked to arrive at BKK 22 January. I suppose I could try to rebook to Phuket, but what are the chances the Sandbox option will still be up and running then? Not good, I'm sure. 

 

 

 

 

[Willy Wombat]

How many have died from Omicron ?

[Oracle2022]

Indonesia is already back to 10 days quarantine and most other countries still have quarantine or not allowing tourists in.

 

Thailand will be badly hit if they dont stop the Test and Go asap.

 

Need to put in place mandatory 7 days quarantine for all Thailand Pass holders from as soon as possible - only needs them to extend their one night to 7 nights quarantine booking.

 

PCR test before travel.

 

PCR test on arrival.

 

PCR test on day 6.

 

That system would work well and delay the spread, or at least make the spread and number of cases more manageable now.

 

Continue as they are now and Thailand is heading for certain lockdown in a few week time as cases go through the roof.

 

 

 

[Cherrytreeview]

Unbelievable.

Even i am stunned but not surprised at the speed in which they will change/close/shut/panic/run scared from the virus.

Tourism is toast. Looks like the farang YouTube ebeggars and suitcase pimps are as well.

[billd766]

2 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

I am arriving Dec 30. Finished printing everything today Thailand Pass,  Test and Go all paid up.

 

Knew this was going to happen.  I'm just not gonna come to Thailand then - 

 

The government needs to disband the CCSA before they ruin the county

 

 

The CCSA are unlikely to be able to damage the country any more than the current government has done already.

[lapamita]

2 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

I'm in Cambodia with plan to return on the 2nd and TP in hand. I was thinking they were unlikely to change things prior to the New Year....!!!

 

 

good luck that  i booked cambodia with singapore air , and return ..bcs i not belive thai anything ,but the plan was to enter thailand when nightlife reopend in january 

seems less and less likely

[Oracle2022]

With the transmissibility of Omicron the Sandbox system would have to go as well..............

 

Just have Mandatory 7 days quarantine on arrival for all.

 

Omicron infects everyone, vaccinated, boosted, unvaccinated.................everyone gets it and spreads it - so the Sandbox and Test and Go both need to be shut down.

[FridgeMagnet1]

Supposed to arrive on 31st using test and go. Thai pass all accepted etc. 

 

will they honor existing applications?

 

[James105]

1 minute ago, Oracle2022 said:

With the transmissibility of Omicron the Sandbox system would have to go as well..............

 

Just have Mandatory 7 days quarantine on arrival for all.

 

Omicron infects everyone, vaccinated, boosted, unvaccinated.................everyone gets it and spreads it - so the Sandbox and Test and Go both need to be shut down.

That's an excellent idea.   Even though these policies (and similar) have failed in every single country every single time they have been tried, that is no reason to expect that they will fail again and this could well be the time that they miraculously work and demonstrate that humans can indeed overcome nature.   

[BostonRob2]

52 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

One thing I think he should do is give a guarantee of at least 1 months notice. At least this would give people a chance to reschedule and reapply for thai farce passes. as it is he could be about to cost many people millions of baht in cancellations which will not endure him and thailand to future tourism

A month? UK giving  ppl a few hours warning.

[Kadilo]

How ironic, those that have been spreading doom and fear over Omicron before it arrived are now shocked that the country may be going back into ASQ

[Oracle2022]

The issue for Thailand and indeed, many Asian countries is that South Africa did not use SINO vaccines.  Europe and UK did not use SINO vaccines.

 

So whilst it seems Omicron is "mild" in Pfizer, Moderna and AZ vaccinated people - we dont know yet how SINO vaccinated people will get on.

 

That exposes Thai authorities to "risk".........dont do enough and find Omicron is more severe in SINO jabbed people and then its a big big problem.

 

So they should Errrrr on the side of caution...........

[248900_1469958220]

2 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

I am arriving Dec 30. Finished printing everything today Thailand Pass,  Test and Go all paid up.

 

Knew this was going to happen.  I'm just not gonna come to Thailand then - 

 

The government needs to disband the CCSA before they ruin the county

 

 

The ruination is a process that started quite a while back.