Thailand restores quarantine-free entry – and this time the whole world is invited

[Rigman]

Quarantine Free....you do quarantine, and it isn't free.

 

When the OP says "pass it to granny", I am guessing they meant "catch it from granny" as I have already passed through all the hoops necessary (Fully Vaxxed, PCR before flight, PCR on arrival) and proved I didn't have the virus, so on day 5, if I have it, I didn't bring it with me, I got it after arriving.

 

As for Day 5, if I have to jump through this hoop, let me stay at my accommodation I have already paid for the duration of my stay and go to the hospital for the test, not go back and rent another SHA for 1 night, then going back to my accommodation (maybe).

[Pmbkk]

2 hours ago, TooMuchTime said:

You need to trust The Science more.  Stop spreading misinformation.  You can still get covid and pass it to granny within the few days you arrive in Thailand.

 

2nd test is absolute necessary.  You would know this if you trusted The Science.

 Yes, you can probably  get Covid from someone in Thailand between days 1 and 5,

 

At midnight of the 5th day is that no longer possible?

 

The second test is useless - unless you wish to test everyone 24x7

 

 

[Binger]

Hi anyone know if you’re on re entry permit you to first test in hotel then i would go home to my house if clear.

Do they then expect me to leave my house & go to hotel again for second test or can i do from home thank you for any help.

[Petey11]

3 hours ago, TooMuchTime said:

You need to trust The Science more.  Stop spreading misinformation.  You can still get covid and pass it to granny within the few days you arrive in Thailand.

 

2nd test is absolute necessary.  You would know this if you trusted The Science.

Thailand doesn't like testing its own population as it costs the state money if a Thai has to go into quarantine. They love testing tourists as if found positive and have to go into quarantine it makes money. Simple, end of.

[stigar]

Now they warning about thailand in my country news.The reason is that people have to stay in hospitels and hospitals because they know the incurancecompanies in my country pay the bills.

On "the worse list"is thailand..USA and spain.Some people been stucked since christmas.

Edited January 31, 2022 by stigar

[Metapod]

lets call a spade a spade, its not quarantine free at all. they force you to take multiple tests and if these unreliable tests come up positive, you are forced into quarantine

[Caldera]

I'm at a loss here, this isn't "quarantine free" at all. You're in fact quarantined twice, albeit for relatively short periods of time pending test results. And if you're unfortunate enough to test positive on any occasion, off to a lengthy stay at a quarantine facility you go.

[Mr Derek]

Why bother discussing it? This policy will last only a few days before it is changed again or scrapped completely.

[dsj]

Starting Feb 10, the Philippines have dropped the arrival PCR and hotel quarantine, you just need a negative test upto 48 hours of departure, you just have to self monitor for 7 days, I would imagine more people will go there, and I think the Cambodia, Vietnam will probably follow suit.

[GrandPapillon]

4 hours ago, khunjeff said:

Evidently the terms "wide open" and "quarantine-free" have different meanings here than what I'm used to.

typical Thai translation, misleading and confusing ????

[Karma80]

I can only speak to Phuket, where I live. It's much busier on the streets. More businesses continue to open.

Tourists are now using the sandbox, not Test and Go. Yesterday 2661 SB to only 14 Test and Go.

Makes sense. Most short term tourists will book a hotel and stay there. Then isolate there if there are positive and asymptotic. 

Is this back normal? Nope. Is it frustrating? Yup. But it's still far from the picture of doom some want to paint.

[huangnon]

51 minutes ago, Petey11 said:

Thailand doesn't like testing its own population as it costs the state money if a Thai has to go into quarantine. They love testing tourists as if found positive and have to go into quarantine it makes money. Simple, end of.

Yep. Thailand's "medical tourism" hospitals have had a hard time of it over the last 2 years, so they've obviously asked their bent connections in the Govt to throw them a bone.

[Megasin1]

No thanks, I think i will pass............get back to me later when there is no crappe at all ????

[mike1967]

Does Thailand actually believe they are a Covid free country? Surely they must otherwise what would be the point of these ridiculous rules?

[Lingba]

more double talk as usual

[Paul Henry]

When the tourist don't arrive with the current BS Thailand will start to follow the rest of the world. In the mean time Lao, Cambodia and Veitnam look more attractive and the wine is only a fraction of the cost compared to the Thai rip off.

[poohy]

Thailand restores quarantine-free entry

No they haven't , not even close....well actually not at all

Edited January 31, 2022 by poohy

[khunjeff]

1 hour ago, Binger said:

Hi anyone know if you’re on re entry permit you to first test in hotel then i would go home to my house if clear.

Do they then expect me to leave my house & go to hotel again for second test or can i do from home thank you for any help.

They absolutely expect you to leave your home and go stay at a hotel on day 5 - in fact, it's required, even for returning Thais. Does it make sense? No.

[BusyB]

4 hours ago, ezzra said:

Given few weeks and that 1st and 5th night will go away once they will realized how silly, unnecessary and bothersome this system is...

I really hope so.

[Ohyesuare]

3 hours ago, jonclark said:

 This surely cannot apply to residents? 

 

So if i choose to leave Thailand, then the renetry process is;

 

1) Spend 1 night at a hotel (Day 1)

2) Go home and then go to work ...say I am a school teacher for arguments sake. (Days 2, 3, and 4)

3) Take a day off work and spend it in a hotel (Day 5)

 

I'm thinking there is a slight hole in this plan sherlock? 

 

This cannot be for foreign residents here surely? 

It's for everyone.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Test & Go

 

As the name suggests, Test & Go requires travelers to undergo an RT-PCR test upon arrival and spend the first night in a pre-booked AQ or SHA Extra+ hotel, after which they can check out if their test is negative.

Still dodgy if someone tests positive... what happens then is as clear as mud.

 

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, Pmbkk said:

The second test is useless - unless you wish to test everyone 24x7

 

The second test was introduced because there were cases of those passing the 1st one, subsequently showing up infected later. Likely believed they were very recently infected prior to arrival....

I doubt holding people for a few days would have been popular, that was what they were trying to improve on.

[SteveAZ]

The second test at yet again another hotel is, in my humble opinion, a bit of overkill. 

[The Hammer2021]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

The second test was introduced because there were cases of those passing the 1st one, subsequently showing up infected later. Likely believed they were very recently infected prior to arrival....

I doubt holding people for a few days would have been popular, that was what they were trying to improve on.

Exactly. Of course  there is room for criticism of the Thai  authorities  but I am not surprised  that on this forum people see only mistakes and ineptitude rather than the bigger picture of authorities trying various  strategies to limit covid spread  whilst trying to limit the impact of health measures. At least they are trying. In Europe authoritarian lockdowns are causing serious civic distress including riots.

 

Lockdowns aren’t a public health policy. They signify a failure of public health policy

Professor Mark Woolhouse, Edinburgh University

China is too awful  to contemplate and the strategies  developed  by Australia and NZ have been called into question, quite rightly.

As for the UK

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/02/britain-got-it-wrong-on-covid-long-lockdown-did-more-harm-than-good-says-scientist

So I feel all in all Thailand is at least making efforts  in the right direction and should be applauded

Edited January 31, 2022 by The Hammer2021

[kimamey]

7 hours ago, TooMuchTime said:

You need to trust The Science more.  Stop spreading misinformation.  You can still get covid and pass it to granny within the few days you arrive in Thailand.

 

2nd test is absolute necessary.  You would know this if you trusted The Science.

Won't you have been spreading it anyway between the test on arrival and the test on day 5? Does everyone in the country who has a test have a second one or are they scientifically unable to transmit Covid after their first test unlike those who have crossed the border by air, sea or land? 

Don't forget that the test on day 5 will be the 3rd test not the 2nd as your 1st will be in the 72 hours before departure. What does 'The Science' say about having to stay in a hotel when you have the test on day 5?

[Captain Monday]

In 6 weeks they will announce a change  to the whole scheme again.

 

The next variant is coming for sure.  It could go either way. 

 

Edited January 31, 2022 by Captain Monday

[richard_smith237]

6 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

It is NOT test and go.

Well it kind of is....   its Thailands ’Test & Go - come back & Test & Go again’ scheme !!!!  

 

 

6 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

The sheer energy they put on testing on vaccinated visitors is bizarre, when they barely test their own population (where Omicron is rife). 

Exactly, the ‘fear’ of foreigners is astonishing...   

 

Arrival Test seems fair enough - no real harm to tourism there - its one night. Perhaps still a bit of overkill given a pre-flight PCR test has already been taken....  but its not great hardship.... 

 

The 5th night test is straight from the mindset of a child. 

[tanner]

8 hours ago, clivebaxter said:

Am I right in thinking if you get to your hotel after 6PM that needs another night in quarantine, add the fifth night and a 3rd test in a week to go with 3 nights banged up and they can kiss real tourist arrivals goodbye for now.

I informed the hotel of late arrival and they arranged private taxi to hospital for test, then on to hotel,  negative result by 9 am and free to go.

Taxi service cost an extra 500 baht .

Hotel Clover, Bangkok. 

[Danderman123]

8 hours ago, clivebaxter said:

Am I right in thinking if you get to your hotel after 6PM that needs another night in quarantine, add the fifth night and a 3rd test in a week to go with 3 nights banged up and they can kiss real tourist arrivals goodbye for now.

No. It does not work that way. 

[spidermike007]

This is a highly inaccurate headline. This IS a quarantine program. It requires two nights of quarantine, and the 2nd nite is the deal breaker. It is highly inconvenient. And in addition, there is the threat of a two week hospital stay, even if you are completely asymptomatic, if one test comes back positive, if someone on the plane sitting nearby, or in your van tests positive. 

 

Stop the panic now. Man up, and show some courage. This is NOT the Zombie Apocalypse. This is not the Bubonic plague. Let your people go back to work. Try supporting a multi trillion baht a year industry, and well beyond a trillion dollars in investments and infrastructure, instead of being puny cowards.