Thailand Pass 72 hour Leniency

[Jaymatheson]

From mfa.go.th:

 

6. Can I change my travel date once I have registered and received my QR code?

- No. If you would like to change your travel date or other details, you will need to re-register on the Thailand Pass system.

 

 

So how exactly does the 72 hours work?

 

For example, if you were initially supposed to fly into Thailand on Jan. 1st at 1pm, you would be permitted to enter any day / anytime before 11:59 pm on Jan. 4th?

 

[ubonjoe]

It is 72 hours before hours or after your original arrival date. You could arrive before January 4th at 1 PM.

Have you seen the news that you might not be able to enter the country using the test & go option if that is what you have planned.

[Jaymatheson]

8 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It is 72 hours before hours or after your original arrival date. You could arrive before January 4th at 1 PM.

Have you seen the news that you might not be able to enter the country using the test & go option if that is what you have planned.

Thanks Joe.

 

I was given a Thai Pass for Test & Go but had to cancel the original flight while waiting for a visa.... hence the search into the 72 hour period.

 

The better option now might be to cancel the idea of trying to get into Thailand with my original Pass and apply for a new one using the Phuket Sandbox method.  I believe that's still an option, correct?

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, Jaymatheson said:

The better option now might be to cancel the idea of trying to get into Thailand with my original Pass and apply for a new one using the Phuket Sandbox method.  I believe that's still an option, correct?

I have not seen enough info to confirm what will be happening in a couple of weeks or even next week. There is not enough official info to know what will happen.

[Jaymatheson]

5 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I have not seen enough info to confirm what will be happening in a couple of weeks or even next week. There is not enough official info to know what will happen.

But it's still technically possible with the current news to apply for a new Thailand Pass through Phuket Sandbox?

[Mike Teavee]

15 minutes ago, Jaymatheson said:

he better option now might be to cancel the idea of trying to get into Thailand with my original Pass and apply for a new one using the Phuket Sandbox method.  I believe that's still an option, correct?

It looks like the Sandbox methods are also being suspended (assume until at least 4th January inline with the Thailand Pass being suspended till then).... 

 

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. 

 

 

 

Edited December 22, 2021 by Mike Teavee
Added additional text

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, Mike Teavee said:

It looks like the Sandbox methods are also being suspended (assume until at least 4th January inline with the Thailand Pass being suspended till then).... 

 

I have seen that and other news articles with some saying one thing another one that is slightly different. Best to wait until the dust settles before making a decision.

[rimmae2]

7 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

It is 72 hours before hours or after your original arrival date. You could arrive before January 4th at 1 PM.

Have you seen the news that you might not be able to enter the country using the test & go option if that is what you have planned.

I was travelling on a flight arriving about noon, but just now it has been cancelled and I have rebooked to arrive about 06:00 on the same day. As per your message this is OK. Can you please confirm.

[ubonjoe]

12 minutes ago, rimmae2 said:

I was travelling on a flight arriving about noon, but just now it has been cancelled and I have rebooked to arrive about 06:00 on the same day. As per your message this is OK. Can you please confirm.

No problem to use your Thailand Pass. You need to inform the hotel of your new arrival time.

[tgeezer]

My understanding is that proof of a negative RT-PCR test is necessary before your flight, this is an airline requirement.  Transiting through Dubai I think that it was looked at but even with the extra four hours provided by the time zone mine was out of time. 

[internationalism]

airside dubai air (between terminal b and c) you can do pcr for$30, takes 20-25 minutes.

Possibly have one also at terminal A.

If only they would allow you to board from departure city

Edited December 23, 2021 by internationalism

[geisha]

On 12/22/2021 at 1:12 AM, Mike Teavee said:

It looks like the Sandbox methods are also being suspended (assume until at least 4th January inline with the Thailand Pass being suspended till then).... 

 

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. 

 

 

 

I think that means no more test and go, no more sandbox Except Phuket sandbox and quarantine !!!!!

[ThaiVisaCentre]

If you need more than 72 hours you can contact our team via LINE

[Carmine6]

There are two different FAQ about Thailand Pass.  It appears that the first one said that changes can't be done, and the second says flight changes within 72 hours are ok.

 

First from October:

คำถามที่พบบ่อยเกี่ยวกับระบบ Thailand Pass (สถานะ ณ วันที่ ๓๑ ต.ค. ๒๕๖๔) - กระทรวงการต่างประเทศ (mfa.go.th)

 

Second from December:

Thailand Pass FAQs - Department of Consular Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs (mfa.go.th)

 

Can I change my travel itinerary once I have registered and received my QR code?

- Yes. However, flight changes are permitted within 72 hours after the original flight time registered in the Thailand Pass without the need to apply for a new Thailand Pass QR Code, provided that all other required documents remain valid.

 

 

Unfortunately they added that vague sentence at the end "provided that all other required documents remain valid."  Which brings up the question in my situation of I had to change the hotel reservations dates, so the original documents are no longer valid.  The gate agents were leaning toward I need to reapply, which would be fine, except I'm going back to the airport in less than 12 hours.  One told me to call the consulate using what I think is a number intended for airlines, and of course the guy there said my situation was ok, and then I said, I don't know if it is posted anywhere, but if they called you tomorrow, could you verify?  And he said it is on the Thailnd Pass website.  So I searched and found the second FAQ.  There is a .pdf download at the bottom that repeats what is on the page.

[internationalism]

"within 72 hours after the original flight time"

does anybody know if arrival is also possible 72h before the original time?

I have read ubonjoe replies, but if during check in they would demand an official wording they might be not happy with "after". 

it would make sense to offer full flexibility and offer also within this time window.

Possibly english translation is not correct and should be "before or after"?

Edited December 24, 2021 by internationalism

[ThaiVisaCentre]

If you need a full date change our team can handle this request.

You can contact our team via LINE.

[rimmae2]

On 12/24/2021 at 5:09 PM, internationalism said:

"within 72 hours after the original flight time"

does anybody know if arrival is also possible 72h before the original time?

I have read ubonjoe replies, but if during check in they would demand an official wording they might be not happy with "after". 

it would make sense to offer full flexibility and offer also within this time window.

Possibly english translation is not correct and should be "before or after"?

Two days ago I departed and arrived about 7 hours before original flight time due to flight cancellation. No questions were asked at any stage about the change in flights and at transit in Doha no documents were required to be shown. A few weeks ago I was asked to show COE in Doha when travelling on the same route. 

[Carmine6]

On 12/24/2021 at 2:09 AM, internationalism said:

"within 72 hours after the original flight time"

does anybody know if arrival is also possible 72h before the original time?

I have read ubonjoe replies, but if during check in they would demand an official wording they might be not happy with "after". 

it would make sense to offer full flexibility and offer also within this time window.

Possibly english translation is not correct and should be "before or after"?

72 hours before or after seems entirely reasonable as there could easily be a flight cancelled and an earlier one being the only option.  They aren't trying to hit a quota per day, only to pre-screen that people have assembled the required documents and fulfilled requirements.  I scanned mine and the only dates are the issue date and expiration date.  The cert itself has the arrival date.  It would be nice if they just added "within 72 hours of..."

 

The Thai is "หลังเวลาของเที่ยว" which Google translated as "after the time of travel".  Though they seem to have had a person do the Thai government website and added "original."  Since the government website has a translated version above the Thai version, the gate agents could only really go by the English already there, unless they read Thai and it was possibly "before and after".

 

A problem is the airline staff have to be the enforcer at the time of boarding.  So it could go smoothly or not.  I had to delay a day and on the original day the counter staff at JAL were saying I needed to apply again.  I found the reference and printed that out for the next day and did not reapply. 

 

When I was at check in, I had an agent who I had talked to the day before who was much more understanding of how often things can end up one day or the next.  So I did not need to talk him into it.  However, the next lane over, they told the guy that they would allow him to board with the one day difference, but he must apply for the Thailand Pass while waiting to board the flight so that it would be in the system by the time he reaches Thailand. 

 

I did the same just in case, but it did not matter.  I had the new one by the time I reached Tokyo, but did not tell anyone since they looked at the printed old one and accepted it.  The priority in BKK seemed to be on helping people fill out the health paperwork and not scrutinizing everything.   There was nowhere where anyone in Thailand scanned it and checked anything against any information provided.

 

[internationalism]

Yes, that is wrong english translation on the foreign ministry website. Think about serious diplomatic relations being screwed up by wrong googletranlation. 
apparently, some consulates have different wording on their own sites, the correct one and within the spirit of this rule

[internationalism]

On 12/25/2021 at 8:14 PM, rimmae2 said:

Two days ago I departed and arrived about 7 hours before original flight time due to flight cancellation. No questions were asked at any stage about the change in flights and at transit in Doha no documents were required to be shown. A few weeks ago I was asked to show COE in Doha when travelling on the same route. 

7h might be still the same date as original. 
Thailand pass has printed date of arrival to thailand and its always checked on check in and in transit, also most probably on landing in thailand. They nowhere scan qr code so only go by what little is written there next to code - name and arrival date. 
check in personnel dont have to be understanding, but on landing they got used to it

Edited December 27, 2021 by internationalism

[Carmine6]

16 minutes ago, internationalism said:

Yes, that is wrong english translation on the foreign ministry website. Think about serious diplomatic relations being screwed up by wrong googletranlation. 
apparently, some consulates have different wording on their own sites, the correct one and within the spirit of this rule

I think the FAQ is Thai is worded wrong.  If some consulate has a different FAQ or similar, it would be helpful so that people if someone could post so people could print it out.

[ubonjoe]

14 minutes ago, Carmine6 said:

I think the FAQ is Thai is worded wrong.  If some consulate has a different FAQ or similar, it would be helpful so that people if someone could post so people could print it out.

This that you can get to from the Thailand Pass main page states this.

Source: https://medium.com/thailand-pass/can-i-change-my-flight-post-approval-72bf360325dd