Tourism and Sports Ministry to propose “Thailand Pass” cancellation and introduce single ATK test to spur tourism growth

[superal]

9 hours ago, ezzra said:

Maybe they trust the results of overseas testing and want to be sure 100%, if its done quickly and efficiently at the airport i don't see why not, if this will rid us the travellers for other headaches having to do  more testing and quarantine i'm for it...

Did you mean to write  , they do not trust the results of overseas testing ?

So from a Thai perspective , cancellation of departure testing will save the tourist around £60 ish which is decent cost saving and makes Thailand more attractive especially to families . Why the cancellation ? is it that there are so many fake test certs around that only on arrival test will be authentic when conducted by Thai clinicians ? Or is it an opportunity to extract a large sum of money for ,    hospitalisation and treatment , from a gullible unsuspecting tourist  ?  I met a guy at swampy this week whose UK friend came to Thailand for a 2 week holiday 1 month ago . He tested covid positive apparently and was in hospital for the 2 weeks and paid the bill of 200,000 baht . The latest covid treatment was announced 2 weeks ago and includes the treatment with the latest antiviral medicines and is free for Thais but not for farangs . Says it all really , financial gain is the spur behind the latest pcr departure cancellations . It needs to be exposed , western governments to warn their nationals of the potential danger/scam and then get their Thailand based ambassadors involved . Wake up Thailand , pre-flight pcr test and vaccination certs should suffice . The insurance and hotel stay should be scrapped but that could mean a loss to the hi-so elite .

[jerrymahoney]

14 minutes ago, superal said:

is it that there are so many fake test certs around that only on arrival test will be authentic when conducted by Thai clinicians ?

According to this, Could be:

 

Phuket officials alarmed by number of tourists testing positive on arrival

 

Published on  Friday, February 4, 2022

 

Officials on the holiday island of Phuket have expressed alarm at the number of foreign tourists testing positive on arrival and are pointing the finger at allegedly fake results from pre-departure PCR tests. Deputy governor Pichet Panapong raised the issue during a call with the CCSA, in which he urged the government’s Covid-19 task force to improve screening measures for overseas arrivals.

 

“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.

 

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

[Toby1947]

Who gives a toss,  got no plans to travel to the dog hole anyway. Nuff said.

[1Baht]

14 hours ago, Willy Wombat said:

Test before departure. Not on arrival .

Dummies

If you can present proof of vaccination, you don't have to take a test at all, that's just money-making.

[Willy Wombat]

Even Alcatraz Australia has dropped testing for arrivals .

[NeoDinosaw]

10 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

And the puerile pasteurization of the culture of not helping anyone. 

it's good for the milk though !

[RobU]

11 hours ago, kimamey said:

Yes it was expensive but I don't think it applies now. I think now you can quarantine at home which would be free. Or maybe you need to isolate at all. 

No need to isolate at all now. All restrictions have been lifted in the UK. The only restriction left is compulsory wearing of masks in hospitals and medical centres and no visitors for hospital inpatients.. Residential and nursing homes for the elderly will allow 1 visitor per resident who must be the same person each time. The focus is on protecting the sick and the vulnerable elderly. People over 70 will receive a 2nd booster (4th dose of vaccine) in a couple of weeks time, along with people under 70 who are classed as possibly immune compromised (clinically vulnerable). I am amongst the clinically vulnerable, I expect to have had 5 doses of covid vaccine (,there will be another dose available in October in combination with the flu vaccine)  by the time in return to Thailand in November. I really don't think UK citizens are a risk to Thailand

[RobU]

Testing will not disappear. Follow the money. Who owns the laboratories that process the testing? I don't think you'll be surprised.

[EricTh]

Revoke the Thailand Pass on 1 April and not 1 June. June is too far away.

 

Just do a quick ATK on arrival. If positive, you have to pay the hospital expenses yourself.

 

Covid insurance is a ripoff because most are tested negative.

 

 

Edited March 25, 2022 by EricTh

[soi3eddie]

11 hours ago, Dialemco said:

Reinstatement of unrestricted entry into the country and extension of visa exemption to 60 days would encourage some international tourists but rising inflation and war in Ukraine will restriction numbers willing and able to travel.  Tourism will not return to prepandemic levels any time soon so incentives are required as the gravy train will not be returning.

Sorry but your proposals are far too sensible and don't suit the Thai government. Will almost certainly never happen.

 

[superal]

1 hour ago, RobU said:

No need to isolate at all now. All restrictions have been lifted in the UK. The only restriction left is compulsory wearing of masks in hospitals and medical centres and no visitors for hospital inpatients.. Residential and nursing homes for the elderly will allow 1 visitor per resident who must be the same person each time. The focus is on protecting the sick and the vulnerable elderly. People over 70 will receive a 2nd booster (4th dose of vaccine) in a couple of weeks time, along with people under 70 who are classed as possibly immune compromised (clinically vulnerable). I am amongst the clinically vulnerable, I expect to have had 5 doses of covid vaccine (,there will be another dose available in October in combination with the flu vaccine)  by the time in return to Thailand in November. I really don't think UK citizens are a risk to Thailand

I believe the 4th booster is for over 75s and those aged over 12 with immunosuppressed must be 6 months after the previous booster but it doe start this spring

[daejung]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

, the minister suggested that ATK testing should still be conducted on the first day of arrival for public confidence or that the test could be optional but encouraged.

 For my own confidence,  I will not come back then.

[Stargeezr]

I just hope that by October or for sure December, that most of this stuff will be in the past, and the next

high season will be more successful than this year has been. The newest variant seems to be

very contagious as well. Lots of my relatives and friends are getting sick from it.

[soi3eddie]

14 minutes ago, daejung said:

 For my own confidence,  I will not come back then.

Sadly you can choose to make your own life miserable and limit your experiences. I arrived back in Thailand today under test & go for 3rd time since November 2021. Sure it's a hassle but are you really happier in your mom's basement than here in Thailand?

 

Edited March 25, 2022 by soi3eddie

[shdmn]

13 hours ago, pomchop said:

Unvaccinated people are about 29 times more likely to be hospitalized with Covid-19 than those who are fully vaccinated, according to a CDC study released Tuesday.

 

• The new study also found that unvaccinated people were nearly five times more likely to be infected with Covid than vaccinated people.
• The data is in line with comments from federal and state health officials, who have been saying for weeks that millions of unvaccinated Americans have been putting themselves at serious risk.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/24/cdc-study-shows-unvaccinated-people-are-29-times-more-likely-to-be-hospitalized-with-covid.html

Unvaccinated people are the only ones who should be required to buy covid insurance. 

Edited March 25, 2022 by shdmn

[daveAustin]

A long time coming if it happens and I might miss it by hours, but if it doesn’t, I’d be happy with the current testing procedure but the gov being honourable and footing the bill for any enforced hospitalisations. It is on them with that ridiculous, dubious policy. Treat the sick by all means. If not sick and they put them away, they should pay! Idiots. 

[Soikhaonoiken]

Someone seeing since at last....

[Lucky Bones]

14 hours ago, jerrymahoney said:

According to this, Could be:

 

Phuket officials alarmed by number of tourists testing positive on arrival

 

Published on  Friday, February 4, 2022

 

Officials on the holiday island of Phuket have expressed alarm at the number of foreign tourists testing positive on arrival and are pointing the finger at allegedly fake results from pre-departure PCR tests. Deputy governor Pichet Panapong raised the issue during a call with the CCSA, in which he urged the government’s Covid-19 task force to improve screening measures for overseas arrivals.

 

“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.

 

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

Yes, amazing.

A conspiracy against Thailand.

Who would've thought????????

Keep the scam moving along.

[Lucky Bones]

5 hours ago, daveAustin said:

A long time coming if it happens and I might miss it by hours, but if it doesn’t, I’d be happy with the current testing procedure but the gov being honourable and footing the bill for any enforced hospitalisations. It is on them with that ridiculous, dubious policy. Treat the sick by all means. If not sick and they put them away, they should pay! Idiots. 

Sorry but you are dreaming. Govt will not slaughter the cash cow.

[Tubulat]

23 hours ago, mikecha said:

Netherlands 65 euro

In my opinion, the Netherlands is one of the most expensive countries in the world,  or pay a lot for little.

[Stargeezer]

Its very simple

Stop all the restrictions and rules

Which are mostly Implemented as a way to make money from tourists.

Go back to how it was ...and the tourists will flock back.

[TheScience]

They just can't give it up.

 

It's a political battle between the government crony kickbackers and the tourism industry.

 

Those with their hands on the COVID cash flow / stream simply will not give it up.

 

This test is bound to involve a one night stay, covid taxis, hospital admin ATK test and insurance + electronic documents PLUS normal vida hassles.

 

They just need to LET IT GO.

 

Maybe the Tourism Minister could give them a slice of the b300 mystery fee going into his pocket??

Edited March 26, 2022 by TheScience

[TheScience]

As these machinations are mulled, materialize, die and are reborn I'm beginning to wonder if it's become all so confusing that sane people will just stay the hell away until six months to one year after EVERYTHING is lifted.

 

Even ATK at airport w/ pos test one risks hospital jail and 100k-300k bill.

[TheScience]

14 hours ago, shdmn said:

Unvaccinated people are the only ones who should be required to buy covid insurance. 

Why? Oh, right... people that are vaccinated never get covid.

 

Vaccinated people never spread COVID-19.

 

Like my in-laws... vaccinated. Covid twice.

 

Genius

Edited March 26, 2022 by TheScience

[heybuz]

Probably wrong which normally I am but I think Thailand will open up sooner than expected,first we have a call from the tourist bodies to scrap the Thai pass  and the other regulations now the tourist Minister echoes their wishes next senario will be the leader forming a committee to discuss scrapping it all,this way saving face and bringing happiness to the people. I think Thailand is missing the foreign currency also bank debt is rising and are being downgraded. Just my two bobs worth.

[TheScience]

1 hour ago, heybuz said:

Probably wrong which normally I am but I think Thailand will open up sooner than expected,first we have a call from the tourist bodies to scrap the Thai pass  and the other regulations now the tourist Minister echoes their wishes next senario will be the leader forming a committee to discuss scrapping it all,this way saving face and bringing happiness to the people. I think Thailand is missing the foreign currency also bank debt is rising and are being downgraded. Just my two bobs worth.

You have to pay the piper even if it ruins the economy.

 

When I lived in Cambodia I saw a guy walk away from fully funding a school because he had to pay the kleptocrats. The free school didn't get started. Too many grabbing hands demanding cash for doing the job they themselves could not.

 

Make no mistake. This is a battle of competing economic interests and has nothing to do with health. To complicate matters you have the fact that covid decrees have been used as a political weapon and continue to do so.

 

Interesting about the banks. Tourism won't fix that. Neither will retirees. It will take a sound economy. But the puppet masters will break the nation before giving up income stream.

 

2014 promised cleanest government ever. It's been downhill ever since.

 

Only people dying if covid ever were those with co-morbities. Now, omicron...same but of 22500 recorded 50 deaths. As TV always noted...death rates on the roads always exceeded that but government non plussed. Even after wreckless deaths. Truth is Thai government doesn't care about the common folk.

Edited March 26, 2022 by TheScience

[1Baht]

On 3/25/2022 at 12:13 AM, Fairynuff said:

Testing is the biggest deterrent to international travel on a cost basis.

Germany €25
UK £60

Thailand 3000 THB

Tourists aren’t interested in costly restrictions and Thailand will lose out to the rest of Asia as they ditch their restrictions more quickly.

Germany ☝️

PCR)
 • Test duration: approx. 2 minutes
 • Cost: 69 euros
 • Test result: You can call up your result on the evening of the following day at www.pcrresult.de.  You will receive an email as soon as your result is ready for retrieval.  As a rule, the results are between 18:00 - approx. 22:00

[TheScience]

52 minutes ago, 1Baht said:

Germany ☝️

PCR)
 • Test duration: approx. 2 minutes
 • Cost: 69 euros
 • Test result: You can call up your result on the evening of the following day at www.pcrresult.de.  You will receive an email as soon as your result is ready for retrieval.  As a rule, the results are between 18:00 - approx. 22:00

555 and here you have broken apps run thru Line which compromised personal data and information. Took weeks if not months to get them online as well. Then they were kicked to the curb as worthless, especially for foreigners because they were ... worthless.

[shdmn]

10 hours ago, TheScience said:

Why? Oh, right... people that are vaccinated never get covid.

 

Vaccinated people never spread COVID-19.

 

Like my in-laws... vaccinated. Covid twice.

 

Genius

Handle checks out.....ironically speaking.

Edited March 26, 2022 by shdmn

[shdmn]

52 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

As said before once thais see the MONEY going to other countries things will change

 

they have this idea ALL tourists are busting to get in.......reality disagrees....

 

Their beloved free spending chinese arent coming ....reality continues to set in

as thais grudgingly chip away at the restrictions and the well runs bone dry...

and now the russians aint coming or are stuck with no cash flow.....

 

If all you remember is "money#1" as a mindset..thais will observe and follow, as its already happening..sloooowly....

They did and they are.  The reason they are dropping the pre-test requirement is because they are competing with Vietnam and Philippines now and trying to do one better. Hopefully they get rid of T&G all together by May/June.

Edited March 26, 2022 by shdmn