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

[alyx]

On 3/18/2022 at 8:40 PM, 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.

The seasoned traveller will take a test prior to the departure.

This fifth day test is a nonsense as the only way to be infected, considering the incubation time is...on the plane and in the country. 

The correct thing to do is to scrap all tests and replace the arrival RT-PCR test with an ATK as it was done last year by countries like Denmark and Greece, to name a few.

If tested positive with no symptoms, then self quarantine.

If one has symptoms (that would mean they would have developed during the flight though, as there are still screen monitoring for the temperature at "normal" airports), then care at the local hospital under the insurance coverage and ... the difference, if any, would be absorbed by at the Government as they have (about to) imposed a "health Tax"

[Enzian]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Don't be silly.... they want the tourists out there spending.

Off topic I admit, but really... This is a big issue. They logically should want the tourists out there spending but they haven't acted like it. Maybe they are trying to follow what they see as public opinion. Maybe the fact is that half the money the tourists spend go to country persons they care nothing about, who only exist to be exploited. Maybe they want to go back 200 years. I'm too western to understand. 

[BritManToo]

46 minutes ago, alyx said:

The seasoned traveller will take a test prior to the departure.

This fifth day test is a nonsense as the only way to be infected, considering the incubation time is...on the plane and in the country. 

The correct thing to do is to scrap all tests and replace the arrival RT-PCR test with an ATK as it was done last year by countries like Denmark and Greece, to name a few.

If tested positive with no symptoms, then self quarantine.

You're forgetting Thailand makes no money from the pre-flight test, which is why they scrapped it. Thailand makes plenty from the 5th day test, and possible COVID prison hospital.

 

It's all about making money, and nothing to do with health.

Edited March 20, 2022 by BritManToo

[richard_smith237]

34 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

You're forgetting Thailand makes no money from the pre-flight test, which is why they scrapped it. Thailand makes plenty from the 5th day test, and possible COVID prison hospital.

 

It's all about making money, and nothing to do with health.

Thailand makes no money on the day 5 test. 

 

Positive Day 5 ATK cases can isolate at home... thats if they even bother to upload a result or just keep it quiet. 

 

It is the Day 1 PCR test which ‘could’ prove costly as Thailand over-reacts to international cases and ‘may’ place recent PCR positive arrivals in hospitel quarantine rather than letting them quarantine at home. 

[Fat is a type of crazy]

9 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Thailand makes no money on the day 5 test. 

 

Positive Day 5 ATK cases can isolate at home... thats if they even bother to upload a result or just keep it quiet. 

 

It is the Day 1 PCR test which ‘could’ prove costly as Thailand over-reacts to international cases and ‘may’ place recent PCR positive arrivals in hospitel quarantine rather than letting them quarantine at home. 

You seem to know your stuff. If I test positive during that first night is there something that says   If you are sick.. this happens ... and if you are positive but not sick.. this happens. There is no 'home' in Thailand for tourists of course. 

Edited March 20, 2022 by Fat is a type of crazy

[RmcaIssan]

On 3/18/2022 at 1:40 PM, 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.

I thought this as well but now beginning to believe the airlines are demanding that this be dropped. Admin overhead and long queues at airports is not acceptable. Also for instance Emirates a stop off where not everyone on the plane is going to BKK and then who are consolidated with international travelers to BKK etc.

Also the whole process is outside the control of Thai authorities ..

So ..'come to Thailand and we'll test u and, if positive, be ready to be 'detained' for 7 to 10 days ..'

Edited March 20, 2022 by RmcaIssan

[Polar Bear]

51 minutes ago, RmcaIssan said:

I thought this as well but now beginning to believe the airlines are demanding that this be dropped. Admin overhead and long queues at airports is not acceptable. Also for instance Emirates a stop off where not everyone on the plane is going to BKK and then who are consolidated with international travelers to BKK etc.

Also the whole process is outside the control of Thai authorities ..

So ..'come to Thailand and we'll test u and, if positive, be ready to be 'detained' for 7 to 10 days ..'

The airlines are still going to have to check vaccination docs and the Thai Pass at check in, so having a test result in there as well will make no discernable different to the admin load.

[EVENKEEL]

5 hours ago, garyk said:

Dumbest post I have read in a while. 

 

 

But it was entertaining.

[Mike Teavee]

On 3/18/2022 at 9:13 PM, darksidedog said:

Well, its good news if you want to come here next month, assuming of course that you don't book and pay for a flight and hotel, only for the rules to change again just before you are due to board. That couldn't happen here though right?

 

 

Not so great news when you're arriving on 27th March but at least they've not made it any worse... 

Edited March 20, 2022 by Mike Teavee

[Ty Hareways]

This is just more proof that these clowns have got no shame really.

Anyone with half a brain will be able to see what the thai Govt and it's cronies move here is.

Don't really like to say this but they are scum????

[ivor bigun]

mass holiday makers will not come until they get rid of Thailand pass ,just to much trouble and expense ,

[garyk]

  At this point it is pretty obvious this is how the country is going to be run for the foreseeable future. 

After this scam runs it's course there will be another one to take it's place.  

 

[PoorSucker]

On 3/18/2022 at 9:16 PM, Pib said:

think most people would trust their home country test results over Thailand test results.

My test was just spitting into a test tube in a beauty parlor in Sweden. 

[srowndedbyh2o]

7 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

Not so great news when you're arriving on 27th March but at least they've not made it any worse... 

I arrive on April 1st, but depart March 31 so still need the test ????

[Mywayboy]

On 3/18/2022 at 11:51 PM, EVENKEEL said:

It's astounding how stupid and backwards these people are. 

Nothing astound me about Thailands Government stupidity or lack of lateral thinking. 

Something's never change. 

[zyphodb]

On 3/19/2022 at 2:07 PM, possum1931 said:

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.

There's plenty of people locked up indefinitely in the Immigration Detention Center  for being on a few weeks overstay and not being able to afford the ticket out, don't see the world reacting to that...

 

[NoshowJones]

12 minutes ago, zyphodb said:

There's plenty of people locked up indefinitely in the Immigration Detention Center  for being on a few weeks overstay and not being able to afford the ticket out, don't see the world reacting to that...

 

Western tourists??

[zyphodb]

23 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

Western tourists??

A few...

 

[baboon]

12 hours ago, Ty Hareways said:

This is just more proof that these clowns have got no shame really.

Anyone with half a brain will be able to see what the thai Govt and it's cronies move here is.

Don't really like to say this but they are scum????

Nothing wrong in saying it. They are scum.

[sandyf]

On 3/19/2022 at 5:24 PM, JayClay said:

That's because, until your response, nobody had...

I can only assume you are reading a different forum.

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, zyphodb said:

A few...

 

You are talking about overstayers, I am talking about tourists etc, who are being forced into going to hospitals when coming off the plane at their own ridiculous expense and refusing to pay. Two different things entirely.

When anything like that happens, it will be all over social media etc. what would that do to Thailand?

[Rimmer]

A flame has been removed

[zyphodb]

9 hours ago, possum1931 said:

You are talking about overstayers, I am talking about tourists etc, who are being forced into going to hospitals when coming off the plane at their own ridiculous expense and refusing to pay. Two different things entirely.

When anything like that happens, it will be all over social media etc. what would that do to Thailand?

Well I think we'd better agree to differ then, money is everything here, they wouldn't think twice about locking someone, or a family up if they didn't pay. Regardless of consequences...

 

[Onerak]

On 3/18/2022 at 10:06 AM, grego49 said:

The test and go scam continues,Bali,Vietnam and the Phillipines are all open and enjoying the tourist dollars that used to be spent in Thailand,

There is no statistics to claim that the same tourists would have come to Thailand. Pre covid also they enjoyed tourists dollars. 

[Anna Rak]

I depart the U.K. on the 31st March and arrive on the 1st Apr, spent 3.5 hours trying to get through to the Thai embassy for clarity and was told check with your airline. Go figure!!!

But i suppose only to be expected.  

Edited March 21, 2022 by Anna Rak
type error

[shdmn]

So they are ok with crowded gatherings like songkran with lots of virus infected water splashing around but people sitting in a bar drinking is still considered too risky? ????

Edited March 21, 2022 by shdmn

[Anna Rak]

On 3/20/2022 at 6:50 PM, srowndedbyh2o said:

I arrive on April 1st, but depart March 31 so still need the test ????

Not sure, I have tried to find out but to no avail as yet, I will try and contact Finnair later this week, because as I read it it says " No departure PCR required for Int arrivals from 1st April" so as long as you arrive on the 1st, in theory you shouldn't need a pre departure PCR. 

[jerrymahoney]

56 minutes ago, Onerak said:

There is no statistics to claim that the same tourists would have come to Thailand. Pre covid also they enjoyed tourists dollars. 

You mean "I have a friend who ..." is not sufficient statistical analysis?

[Onerak]

21 hours ago, possum1931 said:

You are talking about overstayers, I am talking about tourists etc, who are being forced into going to hospitals when coming off the plane at their own ridiculous expense and refusing to pay. Two different things entirely.

When anything like that happens, it will be all over social media etc. what would that do to Thailand?

Tourist who have purchased Thai government mandated insurance. And now they are forced into jail for not able o pay "alleged extortion" by Thai government. This will be all over the world and thailand's hope to ever recover from that disaster will be completely gone. I don't believe Thai government is running a scam to mandate insurance and the insurance companies are in cohort with the government not to pay and hospitals are engaged in a nefarious scheme to randomly   assign positive cases to people who are testing negative. This is completely out of the world scheme only dreamt up people who have fled their own country to seek refuge in foreign lands using "wife visa". 

 

Edited March 21, 2022 by Onerak

[jacko45k]

12 hours ago, zyphodb said:

Well I think we'd better agree to differ then, money is everything here, they wouldn't think twice about locking someone, or a family up if they didn't pay. Regardless of consequences...

 

Why do you think that.... this is Thailand not North Korea or Iran.