Thailand to consider cutting second COVID-19 tests on international arrivals

[thaiman]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

There’s no ‘obvious’ Thai Snare (trap) or whatever paranoid conclusion you wish to draw. 

 

 

No paranoia here!  If it looks like a snare, feels like a snare, then it is!

They created day 5 to do exactly that.  Catch ya!!!  It is what it is!

 

 

 

[stigar]

I hope so.My lady get so happy she start crying and praying.Anyway i dont belive/trust the goverment in thailand.

[tomacht8]

Good. And stop this 11pm "all bars and parties have to close nonsense". In my area, a lot of parties start on afternoons. From 7pm to 11pm the parties are packed with people. The 11 pm cut then reduces nothing at all in terms of C19 spread.

[MUSTYJACK]

Covid is here to stay, and for 99% of vaccinated people it is no more of an inconvenience than a bout of influenza.  

 

Its time to get rid of all restrictions, open up schools, businesses and borders, and get on with life.

 

The vaccinated have nothing to worry about, and the unvaccinated, especially those with underlying health problems, need to get their vaccinations asap.

[PJ71]

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I still agree with the pre-flight PCR test... this is to protect others on the flight - Thailand can do away with the rest.

Pre flight PCR achieves nothing, even with a negative test you could become positive between time of test and time of flight.

 

[tomyami]

Calls to relax in march and ditch TP rubbish too, europeans have already choosing to skip wintersun, so they wont go till thailand does, planning hols to SEA needs time, stability and certainty otherwise they will go to another destination that has.

[BangkokReady]

4 minutes ago, tomyami said:

Calls to relax in march and ditch TP rubbish too, europeans have already choosing to skip wintersun, so they wont go till thailand does, planning hols to SEA needs time, stability and certainty otherwise they will go to another destination that has.

Vietnam will be open soon with a lot fewer restrictions.  Different flavour, but if you want a break in SEA it's not a bad destination.

 

Thailand is lagging behind with their adherence to blaming foreigners for covid.

Edited February 18, 2022 by BangkokReady

[richard_smith237]

24 minutes ago, PJ71 said:

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I still agree with the pre-flight PCR test... this is to protect others on the flight - Thailand can do away with the rest.

Pre flight PCR achieves nothing, even with a negative test you could become positive between time of test and time of flight.

Correct, from a ‘trying to keep it water tight’ perspective...   

 

A pre-flight PCR does does achieve the goal of ensuring ‘nearly all’ passengers are free of Covid-19 - thats about as good as it can get. 

Arrival tests are fairly moot after that when Covid-19 (omicron) is so rife in Thailand. 

 

 

[zzaa09]

I believe it all might be too late for these less-than-foresighted revisions. 

Let's see........how many confounded changes have been in the works? 

 

Typical Thai authoritarian think.

[CG1 Blue]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

Cancellation of the 5 day test would probably help to convince international travelers to buy the X flights.

I disagree. This proposal still leaves the Day 1 test.

They need to get rid of all tests after arrival if they want tourists to come back. Post-arrival tests achieve nothing in the greater scheme of things, apart from making it too risky for any holidaymakers to fly to Thailand. 

 

[nattaya09]

32 minutes ago, CG1 Blue said:

I disagree. This proposal still leaves the Day 1 test.

They need to get rid of all tests after arrival if they want tourists to come back. Post-arrival tests achieve nothing in the greater scheme of things, apart from making it too risky for any holidaymakers to fly to Thailand. 

 

And if they want a shot at a reasonably successful high season this year, they need to get rid of them now and start to rebuild trust and confidence that a holiday to Thailand is not unnecessarily risky. 

[CartagenaWarlock]

1 hour ago, MUSTYJACK said:

The vaccinated have nothing to worry about, and the unvaccinated, especially those with underlying health problems, need to get their vaccinations asap.

The unvaccinated and immunocompromised people should take care of themselves by quarantining or whatever they want to to do. This whole thing is a big scam.

 

[Soikhaonoiken]

9 hours ago, smedly said:

hardly surprising is it since they have been out mixing in the community for 5 days where there is a highly infectious virus spreading rapidly

And may I add, Thailand is still way behind with vacations,, but no mention now of how many are actually being vacciated daily.... 

[Willy Wombat]

https://thethaiger.com/news/world/asia-news-today-indonesias-hotel-quarantine-scams

[ChaiyaTH]

They are not considering this, they are forced to do this, as otherwise nobody will come. Even after entirely reopening there is little attractive to come here, for starters because it is a ghost place + over priced + poor exchange rate. Vietnam is a better deal, it was before covid already (and visible too, packed streets as TH had in the good days).

[stigar]

I booked a ticket 24th of march,but not booked thailand pass or other BS.I have time to wait.I migth a trip to tenerife next weekend

[Devlin]

12 hours ago, racyrick said:

What a joke. A CEO with a vested interest in trying to improve his business at the expense of the people's health.

 

Most infections are caught on the second test!!!!

Three cheers for this CEO, sanity at last in SE Asia! Sadly people with views like @racyrickwill result in the end of the world as we knew it, perpetual misery, the destruction of Thai tourism and the deaths through starvation of those who once depended on it. For gods sake man, COVID is OVER! Move on!

[Pootegg]

 Tony F has got the right idea. There are so many issues with the second test with rumours flying about . I want to  come back but do not want to be stuck in some hospital paying for my wife and I for around 7+ nights  If I am clear on arrival and fully 3 jabbed and then  I am pretty low risk ... ... 

 

[Norvabc]

It has now starting become common knowledge that the PCR test can not tell you if you are infected with the Wuhan flu. Running at more than 25 cycles the test create many false positives. Reported by WHO

[NHPT]

1 hour ago, Willy Wombat said:

https://thethaiger.com/news/world/asia-news-today-indonesias-hotel-quarantine-scams

When I first saw this story, I thought it was about Thailand, then I remembered about the defamation laws

 

[Tookta]

12 hours ago, Havenstreet1940 said:

Well done Air Asia!   Omicron is just a cold - learn to live with it.. 

Exactly my thoughts get on with life

[cardinalblue]

5 day testing is not only a money maker but a scam job….

 

why PCR when antigen test does the same thing?

[mickj88]

The mrs landed in BKK on Weds went straight to SHA+ hotel , had her test and then left 9 hours later pretty much asked to check out  and then told you can get a test elsewhere on day 5 and not come back if you like , wow never read that in the rules. Nice little earner paid for 24 hours and full board but got 9 hours and a bottle of water. Also some friends on holiday in LOS went for day 5 test on Mon tested positive and dragged off to hospital, told they would have to stay for 5 days . Said no we want to pay for an independant test  which was organised , tested negative and released from hospital within 2 and half hours - also not read that in the rules . Thailands rules as ever seem open to interpretation.The Mrs is wanting me to join her in April- cant see that happening unless all this entry bull is done away with.

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand will consider a recommendation from an airline tycoon to reduce the steps required for international entry, by doing away the second COVID-19 test, currently required on the fifth day after arrival.

Consider dropping everything and allow free travel like they do in Europe.

 

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Anutin said that he has asked the Department of  Disease Control (DDC) to consider the idea, as they are concerned with the safety of the people.

Anutin... ponder this thought for a moment.

How many international tourists test positive... against how many domestic infections per day?

Now where does safety lay?

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Tourists Returning to Thailand Find Closed Bars, Empty Streets

The country’s attempt to jump-start tourism may be hurt by the absence of the very businesses foreign visitors come for.

Absolutely, and those that are open have to close at 11pm

[RichardColeman]

The fact you are more likely to die on the Thai roads than of  Covid surely makes testing for it a mute point, unless you come up with some 'nutty car driver swab test' to run along side it !

Edited February 19, 2022 by RichardColeman

[Paul Henry]

Only the unvaccinated should have to go to manditory Covid testing on arrival. They should also be isolated on the aircraft bringing them into the country. Maybe better still 'NO JABS NO ENTRY".

[ChrisY1]

13 hours ago, racyrick said:

What a joke. A CEO with a vested interest in trying to improve his business at the expense of the people's health.

 

Most infections are caught on the second test!!!!

The entire system is a joke...how do any of us know that the 2nd test produces positives??

[KhaoYai]

14 hours ago, racyrick said:

Most infections are caught on the second test!!!!

Your source?