Would you still want to visit Thailand with these new entry rules?

[internationalism]

29 minutes ago, thaimacky said:

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.

you have over 12h from noon to midnight to socialise with fellow travellers and girls over an unlimited glasses, bottles and food plates.

Just reset your internal clock to thailand, wake up early morning and have full day of activities or work.

Why do you need all night to drink? 

I was passing through buakhao yesterday at noon, it's packed

Edited March 22, 2022 by internationalism

[Harveyboy]

its all about the Cash...Greed...are these people brain-dead ..   Test before flying here is a must..        Scrap the arrival one and quarantine..Simple

[PuaSai]

My wife and little one are there so for sure I will go, even if I have to crawl there.

[shackleton]

If it was me I would not  be travelling to Thailand unless they get rid of all the requirements 

But there will be people for what ever reason not those who live or work here but actual Tourists who will still put up with the requirements and travel to Thailand ie Saudis and Indians the future for Tourism 2022

 

[sambum]

5 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.

But TAT will try to convince everyone that it is still "Even More Amazing Thailand"! Amazing? " Definition:-

a·maz·ing

causing great surprise or wonder; astonishing.

 

Most people will go with the "great surprise" bit when they find out what it entails to actually get into Thailand on holiday, and even more "surprised" if they get dragged off into quarantine!

 

 

[n8sail]

1 hour ago, Hoot said:

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.

Many thanks for sharing this!   First instance I've ever heard of this situation.

 

I'm forced to go back home for a couple weeks and very nervous of being locked up on return.

[RmcaIssan]

8 hours ago, UKPaul67 said:

It is a game changer, for people thinking of going under those new rules. We all know the forced insurance will not cover asymmetric. So IMO people will not decide to go under those new rules.

The risk is much higher, and perhaps the rule change is they don't  make money of pre tests, and can catch more people out.

I have already booked and submitted  my thai pass, but I will take a PCR 72 hours before my flight and if positive then obviously not get on the plane. 

But I think thaipass will continue to flatline until they remove the hotel,insurance and testing for fully vaccinated people.

Dropping this pre departure test is IMO ..

A. Brought about by airlines saying that the admin overhead is unacceptable, creating long delays at check-in  etc and;

B. Thailand with no control of it just 'hands in the air' time and well catch them when they arrive !!

 

[KanchanaburiGuy]

12 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.

Exactly right. No one exposed on the plane can test positive upon arrival, period. There's no way. Just way too little incubation time. 

 

The day 5 test might catch it, though. 

 

This, of course, is why a before-departure test is far superior, and why, having passed this already, why an immediate-upon-arrival test has always been a very silly requirement.

 

Even in the bad old 14-day ASQ days, the first test shouldn't have happened until, say, day 5 or 6. 

[sambum]

2 hours ago, connda said:

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.

Correct - too many baht to be made "making a drama out of a crisis" (To quote a famous UK insurance company slogan!)

[sambum]

30 minutes ago, PuaSai said:

My wife and little one are there so for sure I will go, even if I have to crawl there.

I'm sure you will, and quite understandably so, but for the majority of people contemplating visiting Thailand on holiday, the risks of getting an expensive "incarceration" on arrival are just too much.

[internationalism]

3 hours ago, jerrymahoney said:

Sure people who test positive upon arrival are said to have contracted Covid on a flight even after testing negative PCR prior to the flight. That's because their pre-flight PCR test was phony.

Phuket officials alarmed by number of tourists testing positive on arrival

February 4, 2022 

“False Covid-19 RT-PCR test results are assumed to have something to do with the sharp rise in the number of post-arrival positive tests among tourists. These problems are something beyond Phuket’s authority to deal with and help is needed from the CCSA’s operations centre.”

https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/cv19-thailand/cv19-phuket/phuket-officials-alarmed-by-number-of-tourists-testing-positive-on-arrival

positive travellers getting on the net fake negative certificates, as not to lose airfare costs on charter flights.

They would be spreading virus at airports, air planes and to locals on arrival.

They were desperate Russians running away from conscription before the war broke up. They were some 25% of international arrivals and as much as 18% were positive.

For some positive test might mean cancellation of their visa, work permits if they exceed time frame.

Still, better option for them 10 days in hospitel for $1000, than being shot at ukraine battlefields.

 

The story might repeat itself with expected Indian travellers coming here on travel babble. Apparently easy in India to get such tests. The UK border control were detecting some 100 fake cases daily, mostly from india.

Edited March 22, 2022 by internationalism

[Charlie Halliday]

Tourist arrivals will drop even more with this bizarre new plan. So get on a plane with 300 untested passengers, catch covid on the flight, get thrown in hospital for 2 weeks and a 200k baht bill. Nobody is coming here until they drop all restrictions. I want to take my family to UK this summer but not leaving Thailand until its safe to come back. No testing whatsoever otherwise Thailand will lose another year of income form the industry. 

[Jimjim1]

4 hours ago, chilli42 said:

Thailand could have chosen to approach this question as Mexico has. That is no testing and no pre approval to enter.  Mexico’s tourist business is booming with prices through the roof. All Thailand has to show for its rigor is hand wringing.  

They think they are missing something and indeed they are, but they have not got the foggiest idea what it is, so they continue to screw themselves minute by minute and will do so until it dawns on them that removing ALL restrictions is the only way to revive tourism and other reasons for travel to Thailand.

But instead they continue to chase pennies, whilst GBp, Dollars, Euros, and a multitude of other currencies are spent heavily in countries who have grasped the metal and got on with it.

[Kalasin Jo]

I arrived in early February after 19 months out. Not a tourist, staying for 3 months with my Thai family in our Thai home. Not extending this time. There's little life here atm. My friends here meet at a Mom & Pop shop once a week for a beer. How sad is that?

 

Had to do the 5 day test & go Thailand Pass to enter. Added considerably to the cost and the stress. Fortunately all 3 required tests were negative but I didn't socialise at all until after day 5 test. Paid and stayed in a quarantine room on full board delivered to my room the whole time. I thought it just too risky to go out or move even though free to do so. I'm not too bothered about catching the virus with 3 jabs done but I was stressed out about the draconian consequences here if I did. Still am.

 

I most definitely would not come as a tourist under this scheme and still would advise friends not to.

 

A PCR test is still free I think in my home country France. It makes  sense to test before traveling if you face this at your destination.  At least you can cancel and there is no quarantining in France now. It was only ever at home, other than for serious illness actually needing hospitalisation. So there  life can go on. Without all passengers on your flight having a recent negative PCR test you could pick it up or be discovered to be a close contact case. With omicron being so infectious the risk must be significant.

 

Once you arrive in Thailand they've potentially still got you by the short and curlies with 2 tests over 5 days. What a surprise! Too risky in my view just for a holiday. There are many other places with similar climates , beautiful beaches and great, functioning nightlife. Why then come here unless you really need to see family/ friends?

 

The question is do the authorities here really want to restart the income stream of mass tourism or are they content with the nice income stream this scheme generates for the few?

 

They must also allow nightlife to return, remove alcohol restrictions, if they ever want tourists in large numbers again. Not sure they do. Looking for a smaller, richer visitor clientele imho now. Sod the masses of Thais who relied on one of the attractions Thailand was famous for. Prayut wants a return to traditional, respectful, modest family and social values he's said.

 

The 2 week millionaires will go elsewhere. I see a more discreet, more expensive ( for the seeker of such  pleasures ) version, online, in private clubs, at private parties developing whatever Prayut says. But discrete is out of sight, so that's ok.

[bangon04]

EVEN the banana republic of the Philippines has PCR test before getting on the plane, with an online Health Pass and proof of insurance,  but NO quarantine scam after arrival ......  Why would a genuine tourist risk the Thai Land of Scams if they have a choice?

[Kalasin Jo]

1 hour ago, n8sail said:

Many thanks for sharing this!   First instance I've ever heard of this situation.

 

I'm forced to go back home for a couple weeks and very nervous of being locked up on return.

Good to know. Thanks.

But if you are a tourist on holiday and the hotel doesn't want you?

 

Or if your a longstayer but home is 500 or so km from your arrival point will they agree you can go home and isolate there? What form of transport if you can't get to your own car? I prefer to fly as it's only an hour and cheap against 6 + by road, but I doubt very much that would be approved.

 

Oh and once home did anyone check up on you? If so, how and how often?

[MyFriend You]

5 hours ago, Hans Johnson said:

No. My paranoid wife would be freaking out over the fact some passengers are not vaccinated and tested and any carrying COVID. Very dangerous for the elderly individuals. The airlines should stand by the rule no test no flying. 

I  am with you on that, just because the Govt doesnt require it, doesn;t mean the Airlines cannot mandate it in the interest of Public Saftety.............Who does Thailand think they are not requiring say Lufthansa or Air Nippon to not require a test before boarding.  I say the airlines can and should issue their own mandates,

[blazes]

10 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 that is the case, he then has a huge bill while he is forced to stay in an expensive Thai hospital, and so is it worth the risk of coming here for a holiday. 

 

This, above all, holds me back from booking a flight to LoS any time soon.  In fact, this is my worst (Thai) nightmare, since it leaves you so powerless, having to just accept their (Thai) word for it that you have (sorry, sir) a positive Covid result.

 

No thank you....I will delay a trip to Thailand until you go the way of Mexico or UK.

[bullseye66]

Short answer.....no. I won't return until all restrictions for entry are removed.

[mran66]

9 hours ago, Petey11 said:

Would not be surprised if there are some influential figures making noises somewhere.

555 I'm the other way - I would be surprised if there would not be... 

 

Kind of like removing a net or fence in front of a trap that has a purpose to prevent unwanted targets being trapped... Just blatant hunting with trap!

 

Any prey is welcome now, not save even the innocent, unaware and gullible. We need your money at any cost to you! We nicely call it opening, like putin calls his war as liberation! 

 

For money it is probably good short term, but bad for long term reputation of honest nation 555.

 

Increases population that has a chance to hit the trap (as not all people think), and also increases percentage of trap hit rate out of the potential population to find the trap. Perfect ploy. 

Normal logic in internet biz. Thailand 4.1 maybe! 

 

Edited March 22, 2022 by mran66

[wwest5829]

While I am and have been in Thailand since before the COVID debacle, I am still waiting to exit and re_enter in order to change my Visa due to the hoops. I may have to wait yet another tear, I suppose.

[Cambodger]

I'm unvaxxed and never even been tested and intended it to remain that way.

I definitely won't consider travelling whilst these restrictions are in place.

 

Might consider Vietnam if it's just a pre departure saliva test, actually prefer the place over Thailand nowadays anyway.

[Burma Bill]

Quote:- Would you still want to visit Thailand with these new entry rules?

 

Personally "NO" and not until Thailand follows Cambodia in disbanding all entry requirements if you are fully vaccinated with the appropriate certification to show. No pre-flight test, no test on arrival, no quarantine hotel, no mandatory insurance, no Thailand type Pass, visa now available on entry by air, land and sea. Once in Cambodia, no restrictions on alcohol sales and consumption, bars, beer gardens, restaurants all open again, as are many entertainment and tourist venues. It is nice to see so many travelers back on the streets of Siem Reap again. 

[Ty Hareways]

Whilst these wretches 'running' the country continue to pull shameless covid scams i won't be going nowhere near the place.

[ThailandRyan]

2 hours ago, KanchanaburiGuy said:

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? 

Think your confusing Vietnams open and clear testing numbers versus Thailand's "we only test maybe 60k a day" where Thailand's positivity rate just based upon testing is almost 50%.  Think outside of the box and remember we probably have close to 5 to 10 x's the numbers Thailand posts as they do not count the ATK tests in the mix and many folks are self isolating after testing on an at home kit and not reporting it.......

 

If you really believe Thailand's case count posted, and if that is the case, then your well and truly buying the misinformation this government feeds its people.

[limbojunkie]

I think visiting for a couple weeks with this hectic process is not worth it, but if you plan to stay a month or more then go for it.

[newnative]

Nope.  Just require double vaccination and that's it. Period.

[n8sail]

1 hour ago, Kalasin Jo said:

Good to know. Thanks.

But if you are a tourist on holiday and the hotel doesn't want you?

 

Or if your a longstayer but home is 500 or so km from your arrival point will they agree you can go home and isolate there? What form of transport if you can't get to your own car? I prefer to fly as it's only an hour and cheap against 6 + by road, but I doubt very much that would be approved.

 

Oh and once home did anyone check up on you? If so, how and how often?

Yeah tourists are screwed.

 

I have several long-time expat friends here who have gotten COVID.  No one checked on them at home, no one cared.   They just stayed home.  But they caught it here locally, not after traveling into the country.  All got at least a little sick from the OWMYBALLS variant, but nothing more.  All are double or triple vaxxed.

 

If you are far from Bangkok or whatever airport you fly into, I suspect you are also screwed.  I will be doing my one-night quarantine at the resort literally right next to my condo.  If negative results in the morning, I will just walk down the beach, fetch my car and go get my baggage from the resort.  Easy Peasy ????  Certainly many people won't have it easy like that.

[joecoolfrog]

3 hours ago, KanchanaburiGuy said:

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? 

3 hours ago, KanchanaburiGuy said:

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? 

Probably in excess of a million daily cases in the UK but few deaths and manageable hospitalisations .Its not front page news anymore , restrictions have gone , its business as usual.

So the fact that Vietnam has far more reported cases than Thailand means very little , in all probability the infection rates are similar , Vietnam simply tests far more of its citizens.

Yet Vietnam is opening up and will grab a chunk of Thailands's tourist business , by contrast Thailand is continuing to shoot itself in the foot.

Clever , huh !

 

[PuaSai]

2 hours ago, sambum said:

I'm sure you will, and quite understandably so, but for the majority of people contemplating visiting Thailand on holiday, the risks of getting an expensive "incarceration" on arrival are just too much.

I hear you and agree.  I was just replying to the topic question.  Even though I would do anything to make sure to get home to them, I definitely dislike the extra money, extra travel (for me), and hurtles we have to go through now.