Thai Chamber of Commerce urges government to cancel pre arrival RT-PCR test to attract international arrivals

[NHPT]

18 hours ago, DFPhuket said:

No, I'm not missing the point. The article says that the proposal is to keep the arrival test and drop the pre-departure test. It's nuts to have people fly here, test, and put them in quarantine rather than taking a pre-departure test.  While dropping both would be my preference, that's not the proposal. 

I want to go back to Thailand, I don't have to go back.     Any test an arrival is still a no go.  ATK test before departure is preferred.

 

Right now Vietnam looks more likely

 

[Scouse123]

5 hours ago, farangnomore said:

No 'farang countries'?  Where do 'farangs' come from?  We should consult Thais, I suppose.

 

On per capita basis, New Zealand, once touted as the "most successful" country coping with covid, has higher rate than USA ever had.  And USA had  much higher rate than China ever had.  Europe is still doing poorly. 

 

Keep Thailand for Thais and let Thais decide what they want to do in their country.

A sign of complete ignorance referring to the West as ' forang countries ' and also a poor understanding of the Thai language. The polite and correct term is "Taang Chart" for foreigners..........so there you go @farangnomore

 

Also, do you think for one second that the likes of Thailand and China ever disclose actual figures or infection rates?

 

What do actually know about household debt in Thailand? Because recent figures show it's never been as bad and that includes the crash of 1997.

 

Thais have plenty food on the Table?

 

Well, tell that to those up here in Isaarn that are out hunting at 2am with miners lamps on their heads foraging for local wildlife to eat or at the local rivers overfishing and eating sprats or anything they can catch.

 

Europe may have high rates of infection, however they have adopted a sensible strategy of vaccinations with tried and trusted vaccines and a booster programme and are learning to live with the virus.

 

They know full well their economies cannot go on forever like they have been doing with furloughing, and working from home.

 

Finally, it isn't the Thais deciding the direction of Thailand, it is a military Junta that seized power illegally and now doesn't want to give it back to the people.

 

 

Edited March 17, 2022 by Scouse123

[jacko45k]

10 hours ago, impulse said:

There's millions of us that would love to return to Thailand.  But won't jump through the barriers to entry, nor risk the draconian treatment that could happen if we tested positive somewhere along the way.  (As if that would make things worse than they already are)  Customers that don't have a compelling reason to return, but would happily spend our time and sweaty tourist cash in Thailand...

What I try to impart is that Thailand is not all about tourism, many of whom just come for cheap and easy sex.

Millions eh?  What is the barrier now, some insurance and a PCR test? And how many are suffering this draconian treatment you speak of....  I don't see the reports. Stop trying to tell Thailand how to do things..... restrictions are due to be lifted, and in the mean time the country has done quite well protecting it's population... many who still fear Covid and want protecting. 

[Scouse123]

5 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Stop trying to tell Thailand how to do things..... restrictions are due to be lifted, and in the mean time the country has done quite well protecting it's population... many who still fear Covid and want protecting. 

People are expressing an opinion on an open forum for discussion and we all know that their views are their own , that doesn't equate at telling Thailand what to do, the powers-that-be wouldn't listen to anybody anyway.

 

Restrictions are due to be lifted because Cambodia has lifted all of theirs and will closely be followed by Vietnam. Thailand is lifting theirs because they are frightened of people changing their travel habits and them missing out on tourist $$$........the driving force being they are afraid only of missing out.

 

Many of those that '' fear and want protecting" as you state could easily do this by attending the walk in centres scattered all around the country and getting vaccinated instead of sitting in their villages on their backsides cooking up conspiracy theories and regurgitating fake news that they hear from their friends.

[Scouse123]

As some on here have stated ' It is up to Thailand to decide as and when they lift restrictions '

 

Quite true. and it is also ' up to the traveller where he or she decide to visit and spend their money and not be railroaded into a system that suits a military government.'

 

We are not in toy-town and we are not their little soldiers to be ordered up and down.

[Taboo2]

The pre-arrival PCR test is a waste of money, time and resources.

 

Humans are highly overrated!

[daveAustin]

On 3/16/2022 at 10:34 PM, Jimbo53 said:

Can he block Wacko's that post idiotic posts like yours?

Do not feed the troll. 

[spidermike007]

They are asking extremely fearful cowards to man up, behave like adults, and do the right thing, for once in their careers. And all of this assumes that they actually want tourism. Who knows, at this point?

[Heng]

IME the possibility of getting stranded (because of tests, etc.) while on vacation brings back a much needed edge/risk feel back to modern day tourism.   Travel had become too comfy and easy, you can't even get lost while fumbling with a paper map nowadays.... 

Edited March 18, 2022 by Heng

[Neeranam]

On 3/17/2022 at 6:39 AM, ezzra said:

Tourists didn't bring the Covid into Thailand to start with and that's for sure

Chinese tourists did. 

[BusyB]

22 hours ago, MaiDong said:

Is there an insurance policy that DOES pay?

If you're symptomatic yes. But if you ain't, none that I know of. And if you're triple vaxxed the chances you'll be asymptomatic are very high.

[MaiDong]

21 minutes ago, BusyB said:

If you're symptomatic yes. But if you ain't, none that I know of. And if you're triple vaxxed the chances you'll be asymptomatic are very high.

I'm double-vaccinated, so that's one thing less to worry about... ????

 

So what policy should I go for? I'm shopping for one right now to accompany my evisa application.

Edited March 18, 2022 by MaiDong

[gomangosteen]

17 hours ago, farangnomore said:

No 'farang countries'?  Where do 'farangs' come from?  We should consult Thais, I suppose.

 

On per capita basis, New Zealand, once touted as the "most successful" country coping with covid, has higher rate than USA ever had.  And USA had  much higher rate than China ever had.  Europe is still doing poorly. 

 

Keep Thailand for Thais and let Thais decide what they want to do in their country.

Statistics, apparently not your strong point.

USA deaths per million : 2930.3

NZ deaths per million : 31.2

yes, that's right, five million people, 156 deaths as at today's 18 March 2022.

The USA death rate is close to one hundred times higher.

[garyk]

9 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

As some on here have stated ' It is up to Thailand to decide as and when they lift restrictions '

 

Quite true. and it is also ' up to the traveller where he or she decide to visit and spend their money and not be railroaded into a system that suits a military government.'

 

We are not in toy-town and we are not their little soldiers to be ordered up and down.

Well said.  Thailand's tourist hay day is over plain and simple. 

[BusyB]

7 hours ago, MaiDong said:

I'm double-vaccinated, so that's one thing less to worry about... ????

 

So what policy should I go for? I'm shopping for one right now to accompany my evisa application.

I have no idea what'll be right for you ... 

There are reams of threads on here for insurance, check out the COVID-19 forum and the Thai Visas Forum ... there are also a number of advertorials ... plenty around. Use the search facility.

 

[impulse]

23 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Stop trying to tell Thailand how to do things..... restrictions are due to be lifted, and in the mean time the country has done quite well protecting it's population... many who still fear Covid and want protecting. 

I'm not telling Thailand what to do (as if that were possible).  I'm simply a consumer telling Thailand what's keeping me from spending my holiday loot in Thailand.  They can do with that information what they choose.

 

They can keep flattening the curve, but now that vaccines are widely available and hospital space isn't scarce, all that's doing is prolonging the economic hardship.  The recent Johns Hopkins study says 99.8% of the deaths are still going to occur, even with lockdowns.  Just over a longer period.

Edited March 18, 2022 by impulse

[matador007]

Many good valid posts.

 

One thing I would keep in mind, is that even when Thailand drops the PCR test pre/post arrival, it wont take "effect" until 3 months, maybe 4 after its actually "live".

 

Example, 1st of Month X no more tests, etc.. it becomes like Mexico is now.
People will not just jump on a plane and fly over on the 7th, or even that Month X.  Its going to take 1-2 months for the word to spread, who actually the TAT and Thailand are targetting.  Despite there being an internet and news disseminating fast, it still takes atleast 3-6 weeks in my view for word to pass around (people have lives).

 

Then after that, (2-3 months later) people go apply for STV, METV, or whichever Visa's.  2-3 Months, because many people need to arrange/book it with work, school, kids, etc.

2-3 Months then turns into 4th for actual travel, as Flights, Hotels, etc.. would be 1 month atleast in advance for said bookings.

 

So when (not if) this whole Endemic and requirements reduce, look at it actually having an effect 3-5 months later and beyond.

Thats my theory on it, I may not be bang on accurate, but something along those lines.

[jacko45k]

37 minutes ago, impulse said:

I'm not telling Thailand what to do (as if that were possible).  I'm simply a consumer telling Thailand what's keeping me from spending my holiday loot in Thailand.  They can do with that information what they choose.

 

They can keep flattening the curve, but now that vaccines are widely available and hospital space isn't scarce, all that's doing is prolonging the economic hardship.  The recent Johns Hopkins study says 99.8% of the deaths are still going to occur, even with lockdowns.  Just over a longer period.

Well there was supposed to be some meeting on this yesterday (Friday), I have yet to see the results of that but many cited relaxation of the entry requirements. I see the rising numbers in UK with a little concern, but we do have to move on.... the world is in such a mess on a multitude of fronts.