Airlines alerted to Thailand’s new regulations for ‘Test and Go’, ‘Sandbox’ schemes

[orchidfan]

5 hours ago, khunjeff said:

The actual NOTAM (which, incidentally, stands for Notice to Airmen, not Notice to Air Missions...) doesn't appear on the websites of the CAAT or Aerothai, but some access requires registration and a username and password, so maybe it's there but hidden.

 

This seems to be yet another in a long series of pandemic-related publicity grabs by CAAT, since it appears to be entirely for public consumption and not for actual use by airlines.

 

CAAT's Facebook post on the subject is about the most "official" information they've released to the masses, and it essentially says nothing other than recapping the recent news about TP and then finishing with "In this regard, CAAT has urged all airlines to inspect, scrutinize, and strictly monitor documents. including requiring the airline to notify passengers to strictly comply with such revised measures" - which is just useless blather.

 

https://www.caat.or.th/th/archives/62138

As a pilot I also queried this NOTAM definition, however,  it appears now that it can mean both...

Notice to Airmen

And

Notice to Air Missions (whatever they are ???)

[gejohesch]

On 12/22/2021 at 8:07 AM, Kadilo said:

They are the ones that bring the people. and should “check the documents to ensure they meet the new regs”

They don't need to be told, they do check already.

[JonMac]

Arrived yesterday at USM. PCR test very well organised; results [no virus detected] under our door when we woke up. Not many here but great to be back at our favourite hotel after 3 years.

[essex boys]

My guess is that they have asked airlines at check in to check the Thailand pass paperwork more thoroughly, when you get your Thailand pass QR code you get a second sheet that basically gives all the information that I guess is held in the QR code, the information on the second sheet gives the passenger name and says that the certificate is valid from the issue date and it gives an expiration date as an example I got my QR code on the last day of the Thailand pass being issued so my dates are valid from 21/12/2021 expiration date 21/03/2022 the paperwork also confirms the Thailand pass ID number it also says exempt from quarantine and lists both the vaccinations you have had, it gives the name of the vaccine and the dates they were administered. I’m guessing that Thailand has said to the airlines make sure you read those details on the second sheet….

[GinBoy2]

7 hours ago, khunjeff said:

The actual NOTAM (which, incidentally, stands for Notice to Airmen, not Notice to Air Missions...) doesn't appear on the websites of the CAAT or Aerothai, but some access requires registration and a username and password, so maybe it's there but hidden.

 

 

Agreed on the definition of NOTAM.

 

These things just go into the system for airline check in procedures.

 

When we check in any International passenger nowadays the system forces us through a checklist based on a countries COVID requirements. Now we always did it to ensure correct entry requirements for visas etc, this just adds to the list of sh**t we check before the pax gets a boarding pass.

 

As for BA. This is a business decision. Airlines aren't a charity. They operate on wafer thin margins at the best of times and if the loading, especially premium traffic on International flights isn't there it just doesn't make financial sense.

 

Even domestic flights come and go based on future demand forecasts, and a few disgruntled expats and sexpats wanting to go to BKK does not a profitable business model make!

[arithai12]

8 hours ago, khunjeff said:

The very valid point that @smedlywas making is that essentially nothing has changed as far as the airlines are concerned: if you have a valid QR code from Thailand Pass (and contrary to what another poster implied, the code can easily be verified by anyone with a smartphone, no special app or software required), you can enter. The fact that Thailand has halted issuance of future Thailand Passes under Test & Go is irrelevant to a carrier looking at one that has already been issued. 

ok, but that's only one side. For example, some country that qualified for 7 day quarantine now has been imposed 10 day quarantine even with vaccination. And so on...

[steve187]

On 12/22/2021 at 2:29 PM, Cherrytreeview said:

BA and EVA not flying direct from Heathrow now.

Just leaves Thai airways to have a field day rinsing the people who wish to fly directly to BKK.

Seems BA knows there will be no demand for low season travel to Thailand with all the hoop jumping and restrictions. They have obviously had a look at forward bookings.

Not everyone wants to travel through the middle east hubs adding another covid infection opportunity into an already stressful journey.

scoot doing lgw to bkk direct

[Sydebolle]

While millions of restaurants and hotels are fighting for their survival and try to make ends meet - their own government keep moving the ends. 

The worst enemy of the (Thai) state is its chosen people, its own government - I rest my case! 

[billd766]

On 12/22/2021 at 3:07 PM, Kadilo said:

They are the ones that bring the people. and should “check the documents to ensure they meet the new regs”

But the regulations keep changing so it is very difficult to keep up to date especially with advanced bookings.

[geisha]

On 12/22/2021 at 9:22 AM, Sheryl said:

Does anyone have a link to what guidance airlines have been given?

 

Concern being that they may have been  told to look for full prepaid quatantine even among oeople already approved for T &  G

Sheryl, maybe a good idea to print out the message from Prayut  and that that mentions approved Test and  Go will be honored .

[spidermike007]

13 hours ago, KhunLA said:

For a whole year, they kept the country closed to tourist.  And death count under 100, then opened, and now death count in the 1000s.  Probably just a coincidence, if you believe in such things.

 

Nothing to do on Omicron.

Nothing to do with highly corrupt Prayuth officials on the border, selling entrance and Covid for a song? Nothing to do with highly selective shutdowns and ineffective policy? No connection to the choice to use the vaccine with the lowest efficacy rate on the planet?

 

Very few incoming tourists have been found with Covid. The Thais and the Burmese have become the Zombies. 

[spidermike007]

12 hours ago, jacko45k said:

The price seems to be being forced to lock up shop again. Cowardly is not the word I would use..... 

Timid? Scared? Tiny? 

[GinBoy2]

14 hours ago, orchidfan said:

As a pilot I also queried this NOTAM definition, however,  it appears now that it can mean both...

Notice to Airmen

And

Notice to Air Missions (whatever they are ???)

I stand corrected too. I work for Delta and always believed it was only Notice to Airmen. I searched our internal Deltanet and lo and behold, there it was.

 

That being I'd never ever heard Notice to Air Missions until this.

 

Live and Learn.

[orchidfan]

8 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

I stand corrected too. I work for Delta and always believed it was only Notice to Airmen. I searched our internal Deltanet and lo and behold, there it was.

 

That being I'd never ever heard Notice to Air Missions until this.

 

Live and Learn.

I guess it applies to "Missionary " pilots flying around the wilds of Africa and New Guinea ????

 

To me, every flight is a mission!

[treetops]

On 12/22/2021 at 8:22 AM, Sheryl said:

Does anyone have a link to what guidance airlines have been given?

Here is the NOTAM referred to: