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

[StayinThailand2much]

58 minutes ago, Kadilo said:

Seems they are saying at no extra cost too. They need to release this information soon. 

Yeah, right! At 'no extra cost' to them...

[Tuvoc]

52 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Very interesting, looks like those of us that applied in advance like I did for a return in February are grandfathered in for the Test N Go

Yes, seems so at the moment, and also another good reason to get things done early and not wait until the last minute.

[ukrules]

11 minutes ago, stigar said:

Just talked with my lady.Omicron in korat now.First case decected today.

If it's there then it's everywhere.

 

[StayinThailand2much]

13 minutes ago, jojothai said:

Why only Phuket sandbox?

Must be something important about it.

 

Reluctant to cut all the income streams at once? 

Besides Bangkok, Phuket was 'the' destination for foreign tourists before the pandemic. And, as others have pointed out, traffic there is easily controllable.

Edited December 21, 2021 by StayinThailand2much

[RichardColeman]

I was hoping to get back to the family in January, but hopefully they may remove it in mid jan when I was planning to go. Wont hold my breath though.

 

The interesting - and worrying thing - will now be to see if airlines completely stop flying to thailand until after mid January since a lot of the bookings will be expected bookings over the next few weeks.

 

You may well find that you have your Thai pass, but no airline !

[Bell1234]

You cannot stop omricon from entering the country it's impossible.

[EricTh]

Take a second test for those already registered?

 

Well that will go well with them and need to come back 1 week later for another test. ????

Edited December 21, 2021 by EricTh

[aussiexpat]

So where is the medical reasoning behind this?

 

Someone who already got a Thai Pass for 10 Feb is deemed safe and can enter with just wait for PCR, while if someone applied today for 10 Feb they would have to do 7 days Sandbox in Phuket because they are deemed too risky to be out and about...

 

Madness

[EricTh]

3 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

So where is the medical reasoning behind this?

 

Someone who already got a Thai Pass for 10 Feb is deemed safe and can enter with just wait for PCR, while if someone applied today for 10 Feb they would have to do 7 days Sandbox in Phuket because they are deemed too risky to be out and about...

 

Madness

 

So do you suggest all approved Thailand pass to be declared void?

 

Are the airlines going to refund the ticket etc?

 

Edited December 21, 2021 by EricTh

[HappyExpat57]

40 minutes ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

Crazy, but what to expect when you got a nut in charge of the health ministry. 

Just imagine how much better off Thailand will be with him as PM.

[KhaoYai]

33 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

I just read this morning that Omicron is not unlike the common cold.

Given that there have already been deaths from the Omicron variant, I think its possibly a little worse than a cold.

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

Very interesting, looks like those of us that applied in advance like I did for a return in February are grandfathered in for the Test N Go.....keeping my fingers crossed it does not change before I fly out to the States after the new years and then return as I said.

This is actually not clear as some press releases mentioned a Jan 10 deadline for people already with approved TP to enter.  It is not mentioned on MoFA site though.

[arithai12]

26 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

I was hoping to get back to the family in January, but hopefully they may remove it in mid jan when I was planning to go. Wont hold my breath though.

 

The interesting - and worrying thing - will now be to see if airlines completely stop flying to thailand until after mid January since a lot of the bookings will be expected bookings over the next few weeks.

 

You may well find that you have your Thai pass, but no airline !

You will be fine... just try to catch the quiet moment between the Flip and the Flop.

Or when Anutin is in Switzerland.

[JackGats]

What does "those who have already registered" mean? I've just sneaked in a "registration" (got a "key code"). So the system is still up and running.

[EricTh]

1 minute ago, JackGats said:

What does "those who have already registered" mean? I've just sneaked in a "registration" (got a "key code"). So the system is still up and running.

 

It means those whose Thailand Pass have already been approved before Dec 21

Edited December 21, 2021 by EricTh

[HappyExpat57]

3 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Given that there have already been deaths from the Omicron variant, I think its possibly a little worse than a cold.

6 deaths per 100,000 Omicron unvaccinated.

.5 deaths per 100,000 Omicron vaccinated.

As much as I hate this old chestnut - YOU do the math.

[JackGats]

Just now, EricTh said:

 

It means those whose Thailand Pass have already been approved before Dec 21

Then "approved", not "registered". Makes sense.

[Sheryl]

3 minutes ago, JackGats said:

What does "those who have already registered" mean? I've just sneaked in a "registration" (got a "key code"). So the system is still up and running.

It stops running at midnight.

[StayinThailand2much]

7 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Given that there have already been deaths from the Omicron variant, I think its possibly a little worse than a cold.

Just saying what I read somewhere; either Aussie or business website. Plus, there are 3 Omicron subvarieties, with the UK one worse than the other two. 

[aussiexpat]

15 minutes ago, EricTh said:

 

So do you suggest all approved Thailand pass to be declared void?

 

Are the airlines going to refund the ticket etc?

 

No, with only 0.13% of Test & Go testing positive keep it going. But if they are going to say it's no longer safe to have Test & Go, then yes, it should be all voided or they are just making up non medical related rules as they go

 

Note: I've fully booked everything and will now lose everything as I changed my flight back 2 weeks and hadn't sorted the Thai Pass yet. 

 

Edited December 21, 2021 by aussiexpat

[Tuvoc]

37 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

The interesting - and worrying thing - will now be to see if airlines completely stop flying to thailand until after mid January since a lot of the bookings will be expected bookings over the next few weeks.

I've been using Qatar. One of a handful of airlines that have kept flying during the whole Covid period, and who have had a very flexible date change and refund policy. Of course they don't have routes from every country.

[herfiehandbag]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

I'm shocked such a  quick decision was taken.

 

Highly unusual for the regime.

 

Suspect they're seeing data that leads them to believe things will get very bad, worse than any previous waves.

 

 

Possibly.

 

Along perhaps with some very serious talking/pressure from those who have invested in the quarantine facilities?

[Apiwan2]

54 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

I still don't trust this.  In my opinion it is still possible that they will require people to quarantine until the results of the second test are known.  It would not be the first time that government annoucements have contradicted each other.

So we have 5 hours to apply to be in the system.

 

2 PCR tests though 

[JustAnotherHun]

You have 5 hours to be approved, I guess

[aussiexpat]

Just now, Apiwan2 said:

So we have 5 hours to apply to be in the system.

 

2 PCR tests though 

Good luck getting flights, hotel and covid insurance booked and paid in next 5 hours

 

I'm thinking it's just another way to get more pre-paid baht before they say bad luck on your Thai Pass application 

[Apiwan2]

3 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

Good luck getting flights, hotel and covid insurance booked and paid in next 5 hours

 

I'm thinking it's just another way to get more pre-paid baht before they say bad luck on your Thai Pass application 

Was looking to flyfirst week  of jan,

 

revaluation on the 4th of jan, so may as well wait now.

[Cherrytreeview]

 

I would think this should be bang on the money for those travelling.

 

 

[herfiehandbag]

32 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

So where is the medical reasoning behind this?

 

Someone who already got a Thai Pass for 10 Feb is deemed safe and can enter with just wait for PCR, while if someone applied today for 10 Feb they would have to do 7 days Sandbox in Phuket because they are deemed too risky to be out and about...

 

Madness

Yet strangely lucrative if you own a "sandbox hotel"...

[JackGats]

1 hour ago, jojothai said:

NO doubt there will have been a mad rush to get TP applications in now since the news. ????????????

 

only probably another hour to get an application in, Or will it be midnight?

Screenshot above says closed on 22 at 00.00 hours.

[KhaoYai]

12 minutes ago, Cherrytreeview said:

 

I would think this should be bang on the money for those travelling.

 

 

Thanks for that, I hope it is correct but its not official and as you will know, anything can happen/change.  Very reassuring though.