Thailand suspends ‘Thailand Pass’ and ‘Test & Go’

[Jonathan Fairfield]

 

Thailand has suspended its ‘Thailand Pass’ and ‘Test & Go’ schemes due to fears over the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 

 

Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-O-Cha has ordered the immediate suspension of new registrations for Thailand Pass and at the same reinstated mandatory quarantine effective immediately.

 

The PM announced on Tuesday afternoon that Test & Go will be put on hold until at least January 4, 2022. 

 

The so-called ‘Sandbox’ programs will also be suspended. 

 

"After Dec. 21, there will be no new registrations for 'Test and Go', only quarantine or Phuket sandbox," said deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhanadirek.

 

However, those who had already registered and are due to travel will still be able to enter the country, but they will be required to take a second RT-PCR test. When the test is required was not clear at the time of posting. 

 

The PM took the decision following a meeting with the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) on Tuesday morning.

 

This is a developing story. This post will be updated without warning.

 

This post was updated at 16.44

 

 

 

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[RandolphGB]

Yet another knee-jerk reaction from the  government to show the hysterical Thai public they’re doing something. 

[86Tiger]

 

 

Here we go......

[rodknock]

my oh my.

another we do not know what we are going to do.

do one thing in the am change it in the pm.

what a way to run a country!!

[ukrules]

Allowing all those who have booked already to come will do nothing to stop new cases arriving.

 

They might as well not bother.

 

Also it's already here so the might as well not bother.

 

I guess they need to be seen to be doing something, even if it makes no difference whatsoever.

[tomyami]

Over reactions abound worldwide on omicrom, sure tis the season to be jolly

A milder variant that spreads faster and evade vacs that wain might be a good thing

[thaiman]

No surprise at all.  It was inevitable.  Thailand is a conformist nation and will copy it's superiors on almost every issue nowadays.  They are a far cry from the rogue nation they used to be.  International banking and corporations are deeply rooted in everything, and they will follow whatever scheme/scam that serves the elite.

[Crossy]

Quelle surprise!

 

[fangless]

1 minute ago, Crossy said:

Quelle surprise!

 

I am surprised that you are surprised!

[Farangus]

How about a 7-days sandbox?

[Pattaya Spotter]

What was this year's mass vaccination campaign for then ???? 

[HappyExpat57]

And they wonder why tourism is suffering so.

 

I guess the family visit will have to wait until late 2022 or maybe 2023 or maybe . . .

[kotsak]

2 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

What was this year's mass vaccination campaign for then ???? 

To line their pockets apparently.. ????

[Kadilo]

An unfortunate but somewhat inevitable situation with regards to the return of the quarantine just as bars/restaurants were starting to open up and tourists returning for Xmas/New Year.
 

More importantly, unfortunate for the people of Thailand and the economy who desperately need tourists to return in numbers as it is them who will be the real victims again just as their optimism would have been increasing.

 

Let’s hope the restrictions are minimised and lifted as soon as possible for their sake.

[tso310]

So as I read it, my wife who is arriving from LHR on dear old Thai on Jan 12 and has already got her Thailand Pass, will just require a second PCR date after the one she has on arrival. I also assume that when they work things the details she will require an stay at her hotel for extra money. The rumour is 5-7 days.

[tomacht8]

Thus the revival of tourism is officially buried. Now again with 7-10 days of hotel prison. Not many will come.

We already had the whole theater in May / June.

Result: Didn't bring anything.

And now this ad hoc out of my gut again I'm afraid decision. Won't bring anything either, at best a delay. The big wave doesn't come in February, but then in March.

[smedly]

since Thaland doesn't do mass random testing they will be flying blind with omicron - the only people they yest are those arriving from outside Thailand and those presenting to hospitals and their contacts 

 

They will rely on data from countries that do mass test, we are currently not far enough into this omicron to assess exactly how this will pan out but one thing we can be sure of - omicron is here and it will spread very quickly 

[thisisrascal]

13 minutes ago, HappyExpat57 said:

And they wonder why tourism is suffering so.

 

I guess the family visit will have to wait until late 2022 or maybe 2023 or maybe . . .

Lockdown zealots will be demanding the world shuts down well into the latter half of this decade just in case.

[Willy Wombat]

Chicken Littles run the planet

[calbts2]

With one knee jerk decision without weighing any cost benefit analysis on how many will be destroyed economically and mentally - an entire tourist industry and any confidence in this flip flopping government sticking to what they say (we must learn to live with it) has been destroyed. I would guess maybe 50-70% of the nightlife industry will be bankrupted along with a great number of tourist industry related businesses.

[Sheryl]

This announcement via Line from @Thai Visa Centre

1640081177346

 

Very clear unlike all the other pronouncements. Except details for the 7 day day PCR test.

[Cherrytreeview]

Mass vaccination campaign?

Only 61% double jabbed and only 7% boosted.

Thailand can't even catch up with other countries, let alone have any chance of getting ahead.

Who can book a holiday when you haven't a clue what the rules of entry will be in advance.

 

 

Edited December 21, 2021 by Cherrytreeview
Edit

[ThailandRyan]

Wait I thought the NCPO was disbanded when he was made the PM and the CCSA was responsible for controlling covid.

1 hour ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

The PM took the decision following a meeting with the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) on Tuesday morning.

.^[4] The NCPO was formally dissolved following the swearing-in of the new cabinet on 16 July 2019.^[5][6] Critics like former Thai ambassador Pithaya Pookaman charge that the NCPO "...is practically still very much intact. Its arbitrary power[s] ... transferred to the existing Internal Security Operations Command chaired by the prime minister."^[7]

Edited December 21, 2021 by ThailandRyan

[ourmanflint]

So, some clarification, those already on test and go can stay on test and go if you already have thai pass. Others have to come via sandbox scheme 

[aussiexpat]

From Richard Barrow

[Sheryl]

18 minutes ago, tso310 said:

. I also assume that when they work things the details she will require an stay at her hotel for extra money. The rumour is 5-7 days.

This is what is unclear...

And what I dearly wish to find out. I booked the Novotel airport for T&G as it is convenient in terms of going home next day. But no way would I choose it for a 7 day stay let alone (worst case scenario) 7 day quarantine. 

 

[The Hammer2021]

1 hour ago, RandolphGB said:

Yet another knee-jerk reaction from the  government to show the hysterical Thai public they’re doing something. 

It's in line with international norms and nothing to do with Thai hysteria.

[Kadilo]

3 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

This is what is unclear...

And what I dearly wish to find out. I booked the Novotel airport for T&G as it is convenient in terms of going home next day. But no way would I choose it for a 7 day stay let alone (worst case scenario) 7 day quarantine. 

 

Going by the above posts Sheryl seems if you already have the T&G you will not need further quarantine just the PCR

Edited December 21, 2021 by Kadilo

[ourmanflint]

3 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

This is what is unclear...

And what I dearly wish to find out. I booked the Novotel airport for T&G as it is convenient in terms of going home next day. But no way would I choose it for a 7 day stay let alone (worst case scenario) 7 day quarantine. 

 

If you already booked test and go, then you stay on that scheme but have to do 2nd PCR test at govt location somewhere 

[Sheryl]

2 minutes ago, Kadilo said:

Going by the above posts Cheryl seems if you already have the T&G you will not need further quarantine just the PCR

I certainly hope so. Thank goodness I got the Pass before I left...and my return is scheduled before the Jan 4 "review". One does wonder how they will set up/enforce the 2nd PCR though...