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

[JayClay]

23 hours ago, sandyf said:

I can only assume you are reading a different forum.

So this is the last time I'm going to ask you because I have already asked you at least twice for a link to one of these policies.

 

If you genuinely do know of them and are deliberately withholding the information, then that's a pretty mean thing to be doing, don't you think? There are people who want to protect themselves from this expense. I am one of them. So I'm asking you again. Please. Please provide a link to a policy that I can purchase which will cover this. I will be eternally grateful.

[rabang]

On 3/20/2022 at 3:27 AM, 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.

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"

The seasoned traveller will avoid destinations that require testing. I haven't BTW taken a single covid test yet during past two years. I have an unused home test kit bought 9 months ago though.

[sandyf]

41 minutes ago, JayClay said:

So this is the last time I'm going to ask you because I have already asked you at least twice for a link to one of these policies.

 

If you genuinely do know of them and are deliberately withholding the information, then that's a pretty mean thing to be doing, don't you think? There are people who want to protect themselves from this expense. I am one of them. So I'm asking you again. Please. Please provide a link to a policy that I can purchase which will cover this. I will be eternally grateful.

I posted a copy of the policy I had which clearly showed the provider and policy type, for anything else you need to do your own homework as it would be location dependent.

[sandyf]

15 minutes ago, rabang said:

The seasoned traveller will avoid destinations that require testing. I haven't BTW taken a single covid test yet during past two years. I have an unused home test kit bought 9 months ago though.

A seasoned traveler will do what is necessary to travel, or should there be Covid seasoned and unseasoned.

Someone who imposes travel restrictions on themselves can hardly be seen as a fully  seasoned traveler.

[JayClay]

20 minutes ago, sandyf said:

I posted a copy of the policy I had which clearly showed the provider and policy type, for anything else you need to do your own homework as it would be location dependent.

...but you're not willing to say where you purchased the policy from?

[jacko45k]

37 minutes ago, rabang said:

The seasoned traveller will avoid destinations that require testing. I haven't BTW taken a single covid test yet during past two years. I have an unused home test kit bought 9 months ago though.

So what... other than being a resource waster what does that show?

The seasoned traveler will likely go where he or she wishes. For me, I would choose Thailand over Cambodia irrespective.....

[alyx]

1 hour ago, rabang said:

The seasoned traveller will avoid destinations that require testing. I haven't BTW taken a single covid test yet during past two years. I have an unused home test kit bought 9 months ago though.

Refer to @sandyfreply who is correct.

you seem to forget that some of us have no choice but to travel. 
this not my case and I chose to travel outside of thailand last year and will do it again in a couple of month whether restrictions are lifted or not albeit going to Europe , for me, does not seem to be big of a problem this time ????

[srowndedbyh2o]

5 hours ago, Anna Rak said:

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. 

This is a move, not a vacation for us, so after all the planning and cost, we are not taking a chance, and just getting the PCR test. Sure it's one more expense, but much less expensive than not being allowed to fly.

[sandyf]

5 hours ago, JayClay said:

...but you're not willing to say where you purchased the policy from?

You really are something else.

I have said it so many times I am fed up repeating myself. I got the policy from Emirates when I bought a ticket last year and I used the policy to get a COE despite many like you saying the policy supplied by Emirates could not be used for COE or TP.

The policy is a standard Travel Guard policy issued by AIG which many on this forum have referred to over the last year. You would have to get a quote from  AIG in the country of departure. My policy was issued in GBP and I had to get them to issue a copy in USD for the Thai authorities, although any claim would have been settled in GBP.

Why do you insist on others doing the work for you?

[kneebendingfools]

Another backword stupid idea.

Idiots!

[mlkik]

8 hours ago, rabang said:

The seasoned traveller will avoid destinations that require testing. I haven't BTW taken a single covid test yet during past two years. I have an unused home test kit bought 9 months ago though.

Bravo ! 3 cheers for you,hip ,hip !

[rabang]

12 hours ago, jacko45k said:

So what... other than being a resource waster what does that show?

The seasoned traveler will likely go where he or she wishes. For me, I would choose Thailand over Cambodia irrespective.....

By wearing disposable face masks people will waste resources and destroy the planet literally a billion times more than my lone unused test kit.

[jacko45k]

8 hours ago, rabang said:

By wearing disposable face masks people will waste resources and destroy the planet literally a billion times more than my lone unused test kit.

Nevertheless, an unused test kit is a waste of resources however much you deflect. 

[rabang]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Nevertheless, an unused test kit is a waste of resources however much you deflect. 

I might need it someday and it is good to be readily available. There are piles of them in every supermarket so hardly can't see any lack of availability.

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, rabang said:

I might need it someday and it is good to be readily available. There are piles of them in every supermarket so hardly can't see any lack of availability.

Do they have a limited lifespan, or use by date? 

[Anna Rak]

Well! I have just returned from the Finnair ticket desk in LHR ( I live nearby so was easier than waiting 2 hours plus for the phone to be answered)

Although Thailand has lifted the need for pre-departure tests from 1st April they have not bothered to tell the airlines, so I still require a PCR test for next weeks departure but wife and son traveling on Thai passports do not.

That's up to date @ 15:00 24/3/22.

[mickj88]

I got my Thai pass through today after 2 days  heres a snippit from the email...

Travelling to Thailand

1. 1. Please prepare your documents to present at the check-in counter and to the agencies concerned when arriving in Thailand. The documents are as follows
   1. 1.1 Passport with visa (if required)
   2. 1.2 Thailand Pass QR Code (on mobile device or printed copy)
   3. 1.3 Medical certificate with a laboratory result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected through RT-PCR test (issued within 72 hours before departure). If the Port Health and Quarantine at airports in Thailand discover that you have invalidated COVID-19 RT-PCR test result or if the type of the test is not RT-PCR method, you will not be eligible to be exempted from quarantine, but you may be allowed to enter Thailand by quarantine only.
2. 2. When arriving in Thailand, please present your documents and Thailand Pass QR Code to the immigration and disease control officers.

So is the pre test cancelled or not ? My pass is for arrival on April 6th or could this just be a generic mail which will change on April 1st ?

[Danderman123]

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

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

Why?

 

No one will check your test when you arrive at BKK..

[Anna Rak]

When I asked at the Finnair check-in the other day the supervisor told me I would not be allowed to board without the PCR test and I fly on 31st March, this is because as of Thurs 24th the airline has not been up dated.

[Anna Rak]

mickj88, as I see it you can't take the test until 72 hours before anyway, so just wait until the 1st and check with your airline they should update their website by then, if you still need it for departure you still have time. BTW when my wife spoke to the Thai embassy in London they told her they would not need to see it in Swampy after the 1st.

 

Good luck

[JayClay]

On 3/22/2022 at 7:18 AM, sandyf said:

despite many like you saying the policy supplied by Emirates could not be used for COE or TP.

What? 

 

I never said anything of the sort. And I hardly think a policy tied to an air ticket really qualifies as a readily-availible policy for the purpose which you originally argued that it could serve.

 

As you don't even seem to know which debate you're involved with I'm going to stop wasting my time and thank you for your help...

[sandyf]

8 minutes ago, JayClay said:

And I hardly think a policy tied to an air ticket really qualifies as a readily-availible policy for the purpose which you originally argued that it could serve.

The policy is issued to individuals either in conjunction with a ticket or purchased separately, been used by many for COE, TP, with successful claims for quarantine.

As I said previously feel free to make up any interpretation you choose.

Edited March 26, 2022 by sandyf

[DustyShoes]

"The move is part of the gradual easing of restrictions in an attempt to revive the country’s vital tourism sector, although the CCSA also decided to extend the enforcement of the emergency situation announcement for the 17th time, from April 1st until May 31st."

 

Are there any bigger oxymorons? They want to portray the tourism sector as sooooo vital (and it absolutely is), yet they just cannot tear themselves away from this "gradual easing of restrictions" complex they seem to have and are perfectly content to drag out this Comedy Show of Errors well into its third year... 17, 18... do I hear 19th time?

 

Every good Buddhist knows: attachments only cause suffering.

[srowndedbyh2o]

16 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

Why?

 

No one will check your test when you arrive at BKK..

Arriving in Thailand is not the issue. I've already checked, and the airlines will not allow me to board the plane in the U.S. without the PCR test.

[shdmn]

On 3/18/2022 at 10:16 AM, daveAustin said:

Any chance you could troll another forum?

One can only hope that decision is made for them.

Edited March 26, 2022 by shdmn

[mlkik]

On 3/22/2022 at 2:47 PM, rabang said:

By wearing disposable face masks people will waste resources and destroy the planet literally a billion times more than my lone unused test kit.

<deleted>

[Mike Teavee]

On 3/26/2022 at 8:20 AM, Danderman123 said:

Why?

 

No one will check your test when you arrive at BKK..

Mine was checked when I arrived at BKK today after already being checked at the Check-in desk in Manchester & again when transferring in Doha. 

 

 

[Danderman123]

2 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

Mine was checked when I arrived at BKK today after already being checked at the Check-in desk in Manchester & again when transferring in Doha. 

 

 

No one will check after April 1.

[tomster]

On 3/18/2022 at 11:18 PM, smedly said:

people are not stupid 

Most people are very stupid.

[Anna Rak]

The latest twist to this is I have just got off the phone with my airline ( not my airline, but the one I am traveling with) and was told that because my journey starts from London on the 31st March I still require a pre-departure test, even though I don't arrive in Thailand until the 1st April and where nobody will be bothered to check if I have had a test, so the answer is don't leave your home country until after the 1st April.