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

[Songkhla Sam]

Im scheduled to arrive February 5th with Thailand Pass QR code in hand.  As a treat I brought my thai partner to the States for the holidays and was just able to get here signed up on Thailand Pass going back with me with about 3 hours before the midnight deadline.  I feel confident they will approve Thai Nationals if not I will send her back a week early to do quarantine (again) last time it was 2 weeks in the Summer of 2021.  I dont have a problem with the additonal 7 day PCR test I just hope they dont panic and cancel all existing Thailand Pass entrants (Current stance notwithstanding).  

[underthesky]

36 minutes ago, sleepn said:

did anyone of you get the thailand pass after 24:00 bkk time? I applied 5 hours ago. But nothing so far ????

I applied around the same time as you did so I'm interested to see if/when you get it. A bit early for any confirmation yet, but will share with you my result when it comes.

[Niteowl45]

Well, I got my thai pass yesterday, based on the test and go program..... supposed to leave on Friday (from Vancouver)

 

not sure I should now, though.....

 

it looks like right now I just have to do one extra test one week later but if that is positive than I would end up in quarantine, plus they could change the rules again while I"m traveling and force me to do a quarantine once I land (hopefully not but anything is possible with these idiots)

 

any thoughts?

 

By the way I'm not a tourist...anybody wanting to go to Thailand as a tourist right now needs a psychiatrist... I'm one of the many guys who just want to reunite with a girlfriend/family. The woman will be <deleted> if I postpone my return again.

 

crazy stuff

[daveAustin]

9 hours ago, Sheryl said:

This announcement via Line from @Thai Visa Centre

1640081177346 264.89 kB · 134 downloads

 

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

Thought of you on this announcement. At least they’re honouring pending visits with t&g. Could be a lot worse for people. 

[JackGats]

11 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

Thought of you on this announcement. At least they’re honouring pending visits with t&g. Could be a lot worse for people. 

Could be worse indeed. This Line announcement is a rather close rendering of the announcement in Thai posted above by International. No difference whatsoever in content.

[Spurs123]

3 hours ago, Puccini said:

Yes, that is it, exactly. The health department has your phone number and Mo Chnaa tells them where you are and they will get in touch with you for the second PCR test. That's how I expect it to play out.

 

Another two weeks and we shall hear about from the first arrivals in January.

So i will need to keep my uk cell on

[webfact]

Thailand limits arrivals, with ‘Thailand Pass’ applications suspended over Omicron concerns

 

Passengers wearing face masks and a protective suit as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus arriving at the departure terminal of Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok. (Photo by Romeo GACAD / AFP)

 

In a surprise and pre-emptive move, to stem the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), ordered a temporary and immediate suspension of the issuance of the “Thailand Passes” from today (Tuesday) until January 4th , 2022 and have imposed the seven-day quarantine requirement for those without a pass or outside of the Phuket sandbox program.

 

About 90,000 people who have applied for or have been granted the “Thailand Pass” but have yet to enter the country, can still enter the kingdom through the “Test and Go” scheme for fully vaccinated arrivals from 63 low-risk countries and territories until January 10th, 2022, with only minimal quarantine of about one day. A total of about 200,000 people have been granted the pass so far, with about 110,000 already in Thailand.

 

Those still coming to Thailand under the “Test and Go” scheme will now have to go through more intense checks, such as two RT-PCR tests, and will be closely monitored.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailand-limits-arrivals-with-thailand-pass-sandbox-partially-suspended-over-omicron-concerns/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-12-22

 

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

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

[RichardColeman]

12 minutes ago, webfact said:

About 90,000 people who have applied for or have been granted the “Thailand Pass” but have yet to enter the country, can still enter the kingdom through the “Test and Go” scheme for fully vaccinated arrivals from 63 low-risk countries and territories until January 10th, 2022, with only minimal quarantine of about one day. A total of about 200,000 people have been granted the pass so far, with about 110,000 already in Thailand.

Assuming the Thai pass is correct and NOT the TAT, if Thailand keeps the Thailand pass unobtainable the TAT and Thailand will not be looking at 1.3 million to end March (100,300,300,300,300k per month quoted by them), they will actually be getting no more than 300,000 at most, or 20% of their already dismal forecast. And that 14,000,000 forecast for next year will in reality be more like 1.4 million at most

 

This decision - unless revered in January - will kill any plan to book holidays in Thailand by the average punter

 

I seriously pity anyone involve in thai tourism - those shutters are about to come down again and many will not reopen

[bunnydrops]

4 hours ago, sleepn said:

did anyone of you get the thailand pass after 24:00 bkk time? I applied 5 hours ago. But nothing so far ????

It took 9 days for me.

[charmonman]

They haven’t suspended the Thailandpass. It is still open for Phuket sandbox and quarantine programs. Only Test and Go has been suspended. At least that’s what I can gather. Why the misleading headline?

[riverhigh]

13 hours ago, fangless said:

I am surprised that you are surprised!

Well, I am surprised that you are surprised that the original poster is surprised. I think we can all agree that we are seriously  surprised. Welcome to Thailand, the land of surprises. 

[starky]

12 hours 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.

I wish you all the best but surely you see the ridiculousness of that if the government is truly concerned about omicron? Lol . How many weeks in advance are people still to be grandfathered in for example? 

This worldwide mixed messaging and the playing of this tired old lockdown tune is extremely boring. 

 If vaccination rates aren't where they need to be it might be time to just let things run their course and go back to the old survival of the species model which seems to have served humanity well for a couple million years.

[fangless]

2 minutes ago, starky said:

served humanity well for a couple million years.

I do not believe that humans, (non extinct Homo species that is), in any form, have been around that long! 

[Rocking Robert]

So far I believe the mortality rate for COVID-19 is something like 2.2% how do you get milder than that from a new variant

[Benmart]

More hysteria. More control. More poverty for the masses. 

[tonray]

Googling "OA Visa Omicron Insurance"...here we go again

[elgenon]

Just the other day Anutin said he wants to be Prime Minister. That means he wants to follow Prayut's conservative thinking.

[Skeptic7]

Sux for those still trying/wanting to return, but since I got back almost a year ago...far as I'm concerned shut the borders forever. Just OPEN and remain so INTERNALLY. 

 

Certainly those needing or wanting to return bad enough can go thru 15 night quarantine, same as many of us during the past 15 months. 

[Sheryl]

12 hours ago, JackGats said:

I assume the hotel where you booked you one-night quarantine will be glad to rebook you for a full quarantine after you pay the difference.

 

The problem is that some of us -- probbably many of us -- booked at a T&G hotel which is far from suitable for quarantine. Entirely different criteria come into play between a place to spend 1 night and a place to be confined to yoyr room for 10-14 days.

 

Fortunately it is sounding like approved  T&G passes will be honored.

 

I have been really, really lucky -- thank goodness I arranged my TP early, beforr even leaving -- and I extend my sympathies to those who were not, especially those with compelling need to travel.

 

I will really cherish this Xmas with family -- first in 2 years -- knowing it may be a long time before we can see each other again.

 

[ronster]

That will be the end of tourism for 2022 then . Can’t wait for the TAT mind boggling numbers coming to be spouted out in next few days ! 
Thought they might have waited until just after new year before pulling the plug , but guess not and this will surely finish off any bar / business that was hanging on by a thread hoping to be saved by some tourists coming . ????

[Oracle2022]

Bad news for travellers is the 6th day PCR test at a Government facility.

 

I know many people who did not do the 6th day antigen test, they simply put the fluid in, took a photo and sent it off.  The swab never went near their nose.

 

Now, for those arriving, with a 6th PCR test you run the risk of catching Covid in Thailand during days 1 to 5 and then getting positive PCR on day 6 and then facing 14 days being locked up in a hospital.

 

I think many Test and Go people who have approval already, will now cancel and not want to risk the 2 weeks "hospiprison" if they get positive PCR test on the 6th day of their stay.

[KhaoYai]

6 minutes ago, Oracle2022 said:

I think many Test and Go people who have approval already, will now cancel and not want to risk the 2 weeks "hospiprison" if they get positive PCR test on the 6th day of their stay.

Well if Richard Barrow is correct, some of us won't have to do the second PCR

[Darksidedude]

Thailand have to get on with it and live with it, shutting down the place all the time destroys it more than any pandemic.

[koele2]

Well, at least now they can blame omicron virus for poor tourist numbers instead of poor planning and governance.  Another high season with low numbers.  Oh, it was omicron virus fault, not ours with all the paperwork and rule changes every week that made tourist heads explode.

[sirineou]

It might delay the spread of Omicron but it will certainly not stop it . so IMO  all they are doing is hurt the tourist industry.. 

Edited December 22, 2021 by sirineou

[arithai12]

11 hours ago, aussiexpat said:

Flight diverted. Was going to Bangkok 13 Jan, now find I can go to Singapore from 15 Jan quarantine free instead of having to do 7 days locked in Phuket Sandbox

 

Easy decision

You can also go to North Korea, no covid at all.

Frankly, IMO 7 days in Singapore is worse than 7 days in Phuket sandbox, in Singapore you are really a hamster going from mall to mall, the sandbox doesn't "lock" you. But perhaps if you have never been to Singapore before it can be interesting.

[jacko45k]

Just now, Darksidedude said:

Thailand have to get on with it and live with it, shutting down the place all the time destroys it more than any pandemic.

I have to wonder whether the impact of having the test and go allowance, the soft bar openings, the prospects of a full opening January 15th, and now it is yanked from under their feet, is a fatal blow! I know one place that was making expensive efforts for January, and now it looks like visitors will no longer arrive. 

[PeachCH]

At the moment the right steps taken! 

[hotchilli]

15 hours ago, RandolphGB said:

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

On the contrary, it shows a country that is being pro-active, one that say's you can come, but you will have to quarantine first.

After you have tested clear you are free to travel and mix nationwide.

 

[SiSePuede419]

Grandfathered in. ????

 

I've already been advised by the MIL to stay away from the moo ban, so the locals won't get scared.