Are retirees moving to the new DTV visa - anybody done it?

[Bill B]

Entry rules forget it...drop them and people will return.

It really isnt that hard to understand

[ChrisKC]

Isn't it about time that people understood the difference between a cold and influenza?? This article states that omicron is only "heavy influenza" and therefore authorities are being "heavy handed" in dealing with the omicron variation of covid that exhibits mild symptoms, which the flu certainly does not. 

 

At least, I would expect journalists to know what they are talking about! 

 

Influenza can be a serious health condition and I guess the "heavy" version is worse. 

[Hanuman2547]

I can't really advise anyone to come to visit Thailand right now.  There are other nearby countries that have less restrictions to gain entry.  The insurance requirement is a terrible plan when the insurance most likely won't cover your hospital stay.  

[CARLO BALDASSARRE]

I came over here 4 weeks ago with the 1st n 5th day test n go ran perfectly..people.are just scared with change and laziness to get the correct paper work in place..

I can not say a bad word about the system ,

If you really want to come to thailand you will ,no matter what....

 

 

 

 

[BangkokReady]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Now, this may all sound fine and dandy

It doesn't.

 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Either way, there is a risk to tourists that their dream holiday could end up becoming a very costly quarantine.

There isn't.  Test before entering Vietnam, that's it.  Why would you end up in quarantine?

[connda]

And personally, if I was simply a tourist or a retiree outside of Thailand - I would have been looking at Mexico as a tourism or retirement location.  Thailand given these restrictions would be off of my list.  And honestly, I don't see this particular government every fully lifting restrictions anytime in the near future.

[moe666]

The guys who Keep saying no one will come when people are coming every day even with a 2 week lock down people still came. Wake up boys you are on the wrong side of this argument

[LukKrueng]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

He points out that they have got rid of pre-flight testing, although he could, through no fault of his own, catch a virus on the plane over and on arrival test positive.

 

1. The pre-flight test does not eliminate the possibility to get infected on the flight and your friend can still take the test if he so wishes. A negative result 72 hours before the flight means that about 3-7 days BEFORE THE TEST the person was not infected, not on the day of the test, AND - that person still have 3 more days before the flight to get infected all of which makes that test irrelevant.

2. If your friend catch the virus during the flight, the upon arrival test will show negative (unless the flight lasts 3-7 days...). And that, BTW, means the upon arrival test is ALSO irrelevant.

 

 

[ThailandRyan]

9 minutes ago, moe666 said:

The guys who Keep saying no one will come when people are coming every day even with a 2 week lock down people still came. Wake up boys you are on the wrong side of this argument

So millions are coming and not a trickle of what would come without the restrictions?  The ones coming back, like I did and many others, either have family here, or came for a reason, few came just to travel the country.

[impulse]

11 minutes ago, moe666 said:

The guys who Keep saying no one will come when people are coming every day even with a 2 week lock down people still came. Wake up boys you are on the wrong side of this argument

Yeah, about 1% of the numbers they'd normally expect.

[Surasak]

A first class case of an easy scam. On arrival you are clear, but on the fifth day you have the dreaded lurgy. Can you prove they are wrong? Very expensive if you can't.

[dallen52]

Would be gone like a fart in a storm if not for a significant other...

 

Covid closed LOS March 2020.

59 deaths.

Ten months to get back here.

2021 three more lots of quarantine and tests.

2022 still quarantine and tests. 

But 50,000 daily cases.

 

Someone is making $$$ out of this.

[hotandsticky]

20 minutes ago, impulse said:

Yeah, about 1% of the numbers they'd normally expect.

 

 

They must ALL be staying in soi Buakhao then  -  it was rammed at the weekend.

[hotandsticky]

9 minutes ago, Surasak said:

A first class case of an easy scam. On arrival you are clear, but on the fifth day you have the dreaded lurgy. Can you prove they are wrong? Very expensive if you can't.

 

You do understand, don't you?, that the day 5 test is ATK?

[peter zwart]

All these rules are complete nonsense. The Virus, in every variant, is already there and is unstoppable. Demonstrating that you have been vaccinated.......utter BS. In most people who have been vaccinated, the vaccine is almost finished. People who have not taken a vaccination probably have already built up a good natural immunity. And most people who contract Covid (omicron) do not need medical facilities. So all in all.......complete nonsense. Stop this madness and let everyone earn their living in a normal way again.
 

[Hoot]

I am also an oil worker and commute back and forth to Thailand where I have lived for the last 24 years. I recently tested positive for COVID on arrival. The hospital connected to the SHA hotel contacted me and questioned me on my insurance my vaccination status and my symptoms which I had but mild. I refused hospital treatment and declared I would care for myself and self isolate for 10 days. They sent me a form which was a waiver of medical care. My wife left the car for me at the hotel. I drove home and self isolated away from my family for 10 days after 7 days ATK tests were showing I was negative however I stuck to the 10 day isolation. So I can attest that you do not have to get hospitalized if tested positive on arrival they are quite accepting to self care and self isolation.

[Jimbo53]

6 hours ago, Petey11 said:

Whist the arrival test and 5 day test are in place I would be reluctant to travel to Thailand due to, as you stated, enforced quarantine in a hospitel, They have done it the wrong way around and seems clear the money talks from the potential quarantine. Would not be surprised if there are some influential figures making noises somewhere.

And other influential figures making money somewhere...the same as what's happened with PPE companies being set up by Government mate's cronyism in the UK!!

[Stefanix]

I understand that virus spreader should not walk around; this should be prevented. The biggest problem I see is the unclear treatment of asymptomatic cases, or those with mild symptoms. This grey area is a high risk to be forced to isolate in a hospital. A clear definition which cases will be send to a hospital and a cap of the hotel rate for isolation at the standard rate could solve this problem. Anyway, I am currently in Thailand in spite of all those regulations. The preparation was quite stressful because I had to postpone two times because of positive PCR tests from a very mild fading Covid infection. I can understand that the average tourist does not want to take this risk. More improvements / clear regulations are needed to attract more tourists!

[maechanman]

16 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

They must ALL be staying in soi Buakhao then  -  it was rammed at the weekend.

Yeah you've got LK Metro, Treetown and now Soi Pothole taking off, it's a sex tourist's paradise, busy most nights now not only weekends. Go outside these area's and it's not too busy.

[chaihot]

5 hours ago, Soikhaonoiken said:

I have family in Thailand waiting for me to visit, but unfortunately I won't be going until they drop the Thailand pass, quarantine, and the PCR on Arrival and 5 day test,

I have no problem doing a PCR prior to flight which makes more sense...

Hi, I also have family here and stayed out for over 2 years.  I just arrived two weeks ago.

If I had realized how SIMPLE the entire process was, I would have returned long before now.

 

Research WHO is getting Covid and being confined to a hospital after arriving?  Kids mostly, but also people who are immediately going to nightclubs and crowded parties.  TikTok is FULL of kids showing their 170,000 baht Covid hospital bills because they went out partying the first night.

 

I wore a mask in the USA all the time.  I had a RT-PCR test before leaving.  

 

I arrived in Thailand and had a RT-PCR test and stayed in my hotel until clear.  For the next few days, I left the hotel to walk -- but stayed away from people.  I stayed the full 6 days --- but that is not necessary any longer and the 5th day test is on the honor system.

 

From someone who just lived it, I think people who want to return for family are making too much of the requirements.  It was easy.  It all comes down to how bad do you want to return and see your family.  Two years was too long.

[cnx101]

4 hours ago, eggzthaioz said:

Thais and their schemes and scams. They just don't get it that the vast majority of foriegners are reluctant to travel to Thailand under the current entry requirements.

I'm off to Vietnam to spend my money forget Thailand.

Me too

[zzzzz]

20,000++ infected daily ( reported so double the number)
Scenario
arrive without covid, Negative day 1, test on day 5  covid positive>

Until they eliminate ALL testing ( as Cambodia has) Thailand has no chance of numbers of tourists returning.

 

[thaimacky]

I am in Pattaya for 3 days now and I was in soi buakhao too. It's true there were a lot of people but still all the bars were shut at 11pm and the place looked like a ghost town after 2am. Soi 7 and 8 are dead all night long. 80% of the places shut down. The ones that are open are mostly deserted. In soi 6 maybe 60% of the bars are open but almost no customers. Pattaya is dead. So, even if one takes the risk and goes through all the requirments to travel to thailand, where would he go if he likes the night life? I was also in BKK on last Saturday. It's dead after 11pm too.

[1FinickyOne]

never mind the covid for a moment

 

where is the photo from? 

[BayArea]

3 hours ago, Heng said:

Considering that our time on Earth is limited, I choose not to worry/whine about a few tests and buggy apps.  One can easily run out of time waiting for things to 'get back to normal.' 

Well since you're talking about limited time on earth,  I chose not to worry or whine about unnecessary tests/ restrictions and dysfunctional apps set by this inept government.

Edited March 22, 2022 by BayArea

[Pattaya Spotter]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

He points out that they have got rid of pre-flight testing, although he could, through no fault of his own, catch a virus on the plane over and on arrival test positive.

If one caught the virus while on a flight to Thailand, I doubt the incubation period would be long enough to test positive on arrival.

[KanchanaburiGuy]

Interesting. 

 

The Opening Posts chose to contrast Thailand's policies to  Vietnam's. 

 

Wonder why they didn't mention that Vietnam has been averaging more than 170,000 new Covid-19 cases per day, for the last 3 weeks? ("Only" 131,000 yesterday!) 

 

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/viet-nam/

 

Given that astounding number---(Thailand has averaged 22-25,000 new cases per day in the same time frame!)---Vietnam loosening their restrictions even more than Thailand---it seems to me---reeks of desperation, not an indication of superior wisdom!

 

But wait! Maybe Vietnam has a plan! With Covid spreading through the country like wildfire, maybe they are hoping the tourists will get it instead of the locals, then take it away with them, when they leave! "Thanks for visiting! Y'all come back now, hear?" 

 

Clever, huh? 

[internationalism]

3 hours ago, Dukeleto said:

The only thing I see with the removal of the pre flight test means the lambs arriving in Thailand will go more meekly to their pre arranged hospital covid-cation stay. Testing negative before your flight and suddenly testing positive 12 hours later was obviously being met with incredulity especially when it comes to Thailand! Anyone going to Thailand under these conditions unless they absolutely have to needs their mind read…twice! Risk your holiday on a flimsy PCR test done in Thailand which you can’t dispute once you are there? Your odds are not good. If nobody falls for it it they will change their tune quickly. I’ll add to this. I will not return to Thailand until all restrictions and requirements are back to what they were before January 2020. If not, I won’t ever be coming back!

pre-departure test results were up to 72h before boarding. Getting results from laboratory is on average some 20h.

Intercontinental flight to thailand is on average 15h. Might be as many as 107h between pre-departure and on arrival tests. For omicron it's 48-72h to develop.

 

[BayArea]

13 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

If one caught the virus while on a flight to Thailand, I doubt the incubation period would be long enough to test positive on arrival.

Doubt is the operative word in your post.

[Calvin1976]

People who really want/need to come, no matter what risk/restrictions. Will come.

 

1st day PCR test positive scam/kidnap??? It's a joke to me but some people seems believed it.

How many people arrived here (including me) met the so called "scam/kidnap"? ????

 

Spend their money/holidays other places rather than in Thailand?

Please go ahead, no one will care where they spend their money... ????