Thailand drops pre-departure RT-PCR tests for overseas arrivals, allows Songkran celebrations

[Harveyboy]

14 hours ago, DezLez said:

This is back to front. 

Keep the pre departure test so you know you are fit to travel and scrap the arrival test so you are not concerned with a false positive ruining everything.

logical mate  but this is Thailand..you ever seen logic here 

[Harveyboy]

13 hours ago, Enzian said:

But won't one's airline of choice require some kind of test result in order to get a boarding pass? And won't airlines differ in this regard depending on where one is coming from and where one is going? And which airline.

good question

[baboon]

4 hours ago, Canadian Snowbird said:

There is also no money it it for the Thai's when nobody comes. I wonder if that will ever sink in and they will figure that out ... nah, too much to ask.

Catch 22. Hardly anyone coming so gouge the few that do. And because the few that do are being gouged, hardly anyone bothers coming.

[hotchilli]

15 hours ago, RandiRona said:

Hahaha.....more people will come without knowing if they are infected and will be declared infected once they are here...hence more money with Hospital/tel scam.....Wrong diagnosis and wrong prescription.

Exactly... let un-tested people travel here and nail them as the enter and test positive...

smart move.

[Bill B]

Pretty clear they arent interested in reviving Tourism en masse.

Just cashing in on those few who do..most of which have family or work connections.

Shoddy way to treat regular contributors to their economy but not a surprise given their form.

Tada Thailand for the forseeable.

 

 

[superal]

13 hours ago, Enzian said:

But won't one's airline of choice require some kind of test result in order to get a boarding pass? And won't airlines differ in this regard depending on where one is coming from and where one is going? And which airline.

Given the choice I would fly with an airline that stipulates all passengers have a pre-flight pcr test and are fully vaccinated. Then , at least you have some comfort knowing that all passengers on board have been tested / jabbed and further more I would think that responsible airlines would be looking to protect their flight crew by insisting that all passengers have been tested / jabbed . 

There can be alternative flights for untested / not jabbed passengers . Given the options , I would choose to fly with people who have spent money on pcr tests as they are more responsible folk . 

[baboon]

1 hour ago, Onerak said:

While people arguing here on useless conspiracy theory about insurance not paying for quarantine, I got some answers from a facegroup group where a few people confirmed that the insurance did pay for their quarantine.  People will buy useless insurance without checking what it covers or not and then come here to argue that I was tested 24 hours ago negative why it is positive now. It does not work  this way in the real world. You buy an insurance that Thai government recommends for Thai pass and they will pay if government mandates expensive hospital quarantine. There is no conspiracy involves and insurance companies will be on guard to protect their financial interest.  The risk of being tested positive remains the same if there is a pre flight RT-PCR test or not. All RT-PCR test are a roadblock but at least one less is better than one more and in the right direction. Kudos for removing the pre-flight RT-PCR test. Keep it up Thailand don't listen to what desperate people who can't find their brides in their home land and have to take refuge in a foreign land to live off of their "wife visa" and voice their frustration in this forum. 

Your post was quite interesting but you had to ruin it by bitching about what class of visa folks may or may not be on. Is there a visa hierarchy now, then? Is a non B for the cool people and an O for tramps and losers? What about an STV...?

[NoshowJones]

14 hours ago, DezLez said:

And get sent to hospital on arrival after a false positive, the costs of which your insurance will probably not cover.

If that was me, all my money would be in the UK, so they would get nothing.

[rainham]

15 hours ago, RandiRona said:

Hahaha.....more people will come without knowing if they are infected and will be declared infected once they are here...hence more money with Hospital/tel scam.....Wrong diagnosis and wrong 

You've nailed it Sir, 

No question now,  you will test positive upon arrival and get the full lockdown scam including  but  not limited to invalid insurance, hotel bills,  private Hospital bills you can't argue  cos you didn't get tested before your flight. I haven't seen my Mr's of 14years for nearly 2 and a half years due to covid and I'm not going until they drop the Thai Pass scam 

[baboon]

12 hours ago, daveAustin said:

One step at a time. It’s something, though I agree a bit fishy regards the guaranteed higher number of positives on entry. More chance in being sat next to one of them. 

Yes, it looks decent on paper, but given Thailand's (justifiable or not) reputation for banging people up on arrival, I reckon anyone coming would test preflight anyway for reassurance.  

[Topah]

Why people here so toxic about this. You can anytime go and take that pre departure test and make sure you are not tested positive. It is just not mandatory anymore. This is going to right direction. Be happy and stop whining.

[Pimoo2]

16 hours ago, DezLez said:

This is back to front. 

Keep the pre departure test so you know you are fit to travel and scrap the arrival test so you are not concerned with a false positive ruining everything.

Agreed 100%. Thais have got it backwards to keep the money flowing in fro expensive PCR tests and mandatory hotel night/s?

[RafPinto]

Should have been:

 

Test abroad within 72 hours before boarding a flight. Must be negative.
Once arrived in Thailand, no further tests required.
That would have been the logic way to go.

[NoshowJones]

8 hours ago, wadsy said:

There was a media report a couple of days ago outlining the gradual removal of all restrictions and by July it was suggested it was to be back to normal, no test and go, no PCR/RAT on arrival or on day five. Hopefully that will be the case.

and no insurance scams, come on all you protesters, maybe soon be time to come and help get rid of the Banana Republic of Thailands circus of clowns and midgets that they call a government.

[Raphael54]

Don't count on anything.  Tomorrow it will be "a misunderstanding" again.

 

[Polar Bear]

40 minutes ago, Topah said:

Why people here so toxic about this. You can anytime go and take that pre departure test and make sure you are not tested positive. It is just not mandatory anymore. This is going to right direction. Be happy and stop whining.

I can get myself tested, but that doesn't help if I end up quarantined because I was sat next to someone who's positive. 

[wensiensheng]

6 hours ago, SooKee said:

You're taking the comment out of context.

 

Firstly it's a get out clause for for those who think that the insurance company MUST cover it.

Secondly it was a get out clause for the insurance companies when this incarceration policy first hit and a great many people thought their policies WOULD cover them because it was new to everyone, including the insurance companies who, if they can avoid paying, they will.

 

Regardless, the list of clauses in any insurance document that indicate what is not covered are just that, get out clauses, whatever anyone thinks they should be called.

Knowing what we know now though, what anyone thinks about whether the policy is fair or not is totally irrelevant; as I said it helps to read the comments in context rather than as a stand alone bitch against insurance companies which it clearly isn't ????  Attention to detail and all that.  It wasn't a post to discuss exclusion clauses or the fairness of insurance policies!

Well, misunderstanding what your insurance policy covers and blindly thinking that it will cover what you want it to cover, seems foolish to me.

 

the terminology you used of a “get out” clause immediately places your post into the context of bashing insurance companies, (whom I personally dislike with a passion btw).  The term “get out clause” implies a slightly underhand way to avoid responsibility. It isn’t a “get out” clause, it’s simply that the policy doesn’t cover care that isn’t medically required. The fact that people may not understand that is immaterial to the implication of the terminology used in your post.

Edited March 19, 2022 by wensiensheng

[orchidfan]

2 hours ago, Devlin said:

I’m currently in Thailand under Test and Go. Had my pre-Departure PCR test,  endured the tedium and expense of the 1 night quarantine and PCR test. I’ve been handed a Lateral flow kit for my 5 night test, but apparently this is just for my info, there’s no requirement or instruction to record the result anywhere! 

My wife just recently completed it at Novotel in Pathum Thani.

PCR test was negative.

On checkout was given an ATK in a plastic bag for day 5 with clear instructions to either upload the result to Mor Chana app, but if not possible, to take a photo of.the result and email it to the hotel where you stayed.

We did the latter.

[sawadee1947]

16 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

astounding

Not if you live here for a longer time ????

[JayClay]

3 hours ago, Onerak said:

While people arguing here on useless conspiracy theory about insurance not paying for quarantine, I got some answers from a facegroup group where a few people confirmed that the insurance did pay for their quarantine.

 

5 hours ago, Onerak said:

I have seen multiple insurances that say covered if medically diagnosed with Covid-19 and destination country's regulations require quarantine.

Great. So you have both personally seen, and had confirmed by some people on a facebook group that they were covered.

 

If that's the case then you should find it easy to provide a link to such a policy. Here is your chance to be a true hero, because nobody else on this forum has access to this information you hold and there are many of us who are extremely keen to buy such a policy. I will certainly be happy to buy you a beer or three as a personal token on my gratitude for your enlightenment.

 

Edited March 19, 2022 by JayClay

[MaiDong]

Can someone clear something up for me please; If I arrive and they deem me covid positive, do I have the choice of an expensive hotel or can I lay in a hall with the Thais until I'm free of the lurgy?

[NoshowJones]

3 hours ago, zyphodb said:

And then they'll lock you up until you do pay...

If they did that it would soon be known all over the world, and what would that do to The Thailand government with headlines all over the worlds newspapers and media?

It is bad enough now, but with near neighbouring countries opening up, and Thailand eventually having to join them, who is going to come to a country who has tourists in jail because they wouldn't, or couldn't pay an extortionate fee to keep themselves out of hospital on covid technicalities.

[Klonko]

11 minutes ago, JayClay said:

If that's the case then you should find it easy to provide a link to such a policy. Here is your chance to be a true hero, because nobody else on this forum has access to this information you hold and there are many of us who are extremely keen to buy such a policy.

My Thai insurance pays quarantine in hospital but not in hotel, i.e. with symptoms cost probably covered, without symptoms cost probably depending on hotel comfort.

[BusyB]

1 hour ago, baboon said:

Yes, it looks decent on paper, but given Thailand's (justifiable or not) reputation for banging people up on arrival, I reckon anyone coming would test preflight anyway for reassurance.  

As long as there's a post arrival test I'll certainly be pre-flight testing. The €130 is a worthwhile insurance policy. They do it here just ahead of a flight if you're willing to fork out.

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, baboon said:

Yes, it looks decent on paper, but given Thailand's (justifiable or not) reputation for banging people up on arrival, I reckon anyone coming would test preflight anyway for reassurance.  

Reassurance?? The first time I used the temperature thingy to go into Tesco, it registered 38, when I registered again in the same place 30mins later, it was 36.

Last week I stayed overnight in a hotel and registered 37, a short time later it was 36. There is always the chance that any testing you get at the airport or wherever could give a false positive.

[Alidiver]

17 hours ago, Klonko said:

In addition to a voluntarily pre-flight Covid test I would also voluntarily wear a FFP2-mask if the next passenger is sitting with less than 1½m distance to me.

Still better than nothing. The aircraft recirculated the air, its the riskiest part of the journey.

[jerrymahoney]

34 minutes ago, BusyB said:

As long as there's a post arrival test I'll certainly be pre-flight testing. The €130 is a worthwhile insurance policy. They do it here just ahead of a flight if you're willing to fork out.

You could also do one or more ATK tests while on the aircraft enroute  to show if your post-arrival should PCR differ.

[BusyB]

12 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

You could also do one or more ATK tests while on the aircraft enroute  to show if your post-arrival should PCR differ.

That's an idea I suppose.

[sandyf]

18 hours ago, DezLez said:

This is back to front. 

Keep the pre departure test so you know you are fit to travel and scrap the arrival test so you are not concerned with a false positive ruining everything.

Only back to front for a certain mindset.

[sandyf]

33 minutes ago, Alidiver said:

The aircraft recirculated the air, its the riskiest part of the journey.

Garbage.