International arrivals in Thailand increase after restriction easing

[moe666]

10 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Was it because of the not needed PCR test at departure or is it because people are coming for coming Songkran holidays??? I guess it is the last one...

Does it matter why they come a few on here have said none will come. The negative types have been around for years and they tend to be shown how badly informed they are

[superal]

23 minutes ago, stigar said:

i arriveed 25tj march

 

wery quiet 

If your long sight is the same quality as your short sight/keyboard selection  , I am not surprised that it was quiet / you saw few people .

[richard_smith237]

13 minutes ago, Marc666 said:

PS Literally finished the last sentence and reception just called to say both me and my partner's tests are negative.Yipee,time to relax a bit more and make a trip to 7-11 for some Winstons.

My last T&G I arrived at the hotel at about 2pm, I did the PCR test at the hotel. I’m not sure what time the hotel received the result. I just asked them to call me at 8am with the result - Wife collected me at 9am. 

 

Previous to that in Nov my Wife, Son and I, did our T&G at Grande Centre Point Thonglor - we did our PCR tests at the hotel shortly after check-in (at 9am). We then slept most of the day. I called reception at about 5pm (they gave us the neg results) - the hotel was comfortable (suite) so we were going to stay the night. I wanted to pop out and get our car so we could take our son directly to school the next morning. 

The hotel said that if I went out I could not return !!!....  rather annoyed, we all checked out. 

 

I just booked T&G again to return from another trip I’m on. 

I received a message from Centre Point Thonglor offering a discount, only available to Thai’s...  

I told them I will not book with them again because of their dual pricing, and ask them to delete my contact in their line group and stop spamming me every day with hotel promotions.

 

 

[freestyle]

"If the tests are positive they will have to be treated."

 

Fixed that sentence:  "If they test positive they will get locked up for most of their holiday and receive a huge bill."

 

 

Edited April 4, 2022 by freestyle

[BangkokReady]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

Since the cancellation of the pre-arrival RT-PCR test requirement, the number of arrivals has nearly doubled to 11,000-12,000 passengers per day. At the same time, the number of inbound flights has also increased.

When did they cancel the day 5 test?  Are they sure it isn't that?

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, BangkokReady said:

When did they cancel the day 5 test?  Are they sure it isn't that?

When they cancelled the Day 5 Test&Go - it would generated a subtle increase in incoming visitors. 

When they cancelled Pre-Travel PCR test - it would generated another subtle increase in incoming visitors. 

 

Both of these of course masked by return requirements easing in the originating country of travel.

East holidays and of course Sonoran will also play a roll in increased numbers in the coming few weeks (we will of course see announcements such as 200% increase in tourists etc etc - and some real turd polishing with the TAT also rolling it in glitter !).

 

IF / When they cancel Thailand Pass and all restrictions and requirements - Thailand will recognise genuine increase in travel - it will recognise ‘true’ tourist numbers and will be able to make more accurate rather than fantastical projections - of course, the announcements will be fantastical.

[sawadee1947]

11 hours ago, Onerak said:

This will encourage the authority to at least stick to their original plan further relaxation and work towards increasing boosters to reduce death. In the month of March, the infected arrival percentage was 0.56. THey have to also monitor the infection rate that must be normalized to each country's infection rate per millions as we can see deaths are increasing all over Europe, specially UK, France, and Germany. USA is still holding steady with only 30% boosters and far less vaccination rate. 

Sure, deaths are increasing. If you have 15 Million people unvaxxed eg Germany, then those stupid will be infected in a large amount and have to die of stupidity.????

[PJ71]

1 hour ago, superal said:

Cancellation of pre flight pcr tests can make quite a savings for a family I would think but if testing positive in Bangkok and sent to hospital , that could be a financial nightmare . Indeed what would happen if the bill could not be paid ? Cannot rely on the insurance companies who we all know are all too happy to assist .

You can mitigate the risk of testing positive on arrival by self testing before flying, might cost some money to change flights if positive but it'd be less than the cost of testing positive upon arrival.

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

11 hours ago, Willy Wombat said:

So a lot of people decided to go to Thailand all of a sudden just because they didn't need a pcr before leaving ?

 

I call fubar.

amazing isn't it? one restriction was eased on 1 april and allready, three days later, millions of people are coming.

[VBF]

6 hours ago, welshguy said:

I went to the canary Islands for 4 weeks, in Jan/Feb...booked again to go next week for a fortnight,

 

Simple to do, no , just need to get a Spain "health pass", (done in minutes on line) no tests etc , then you are free to enter and spend your money, nice to be welcomed too!

 

I "assume" hundreds of thousands of other "potential" tourists, are doing the same as me...ie. NOT going to Thailand!

 

Ive been going to Thailand for 40 years now, got the use of a house over there, got friends and family there etc etc. I love the place,  However as time goes by (I was last there in Jan/Feb 2020), Im "missing" it less and less, also as time goes by, it reminds me of all the scams etc, that have been going on for years,

 

Now with all this Thai pass,  tests, quarantine hotels blah blah blah..it honestly makes me miss the place less and less. When this covid started, I thought, wow...I may never be able to get to Thailand again"! (or at least for a long time!) and I was honestly devastated..however, with the passing of time, other countries actually "WANTING" tourists to travel to their country, and spend their money there...then with Thailand doing the opposite?  I still "sometimes" think I may never go there again...Thing is ? Now? Im not that bothered  if I never go back..

 

Saying that? I am still maybe 50-50 I may go back October time this year...IF and thats a huge IF! the ridiculous restrictions are dropped!

 

As for the airport being busy now? I dont believe it!  It could have been busy (ish!) for a few days, as per many of the reasons other posters have suggested. Will it stay busy..? No way!

That post exactly mirrors my thinking.

Edited April 4, 2022 by VBF

[Stargeezr]

COVID19 is not a mild flu. Maybe the latest variant may be closer to a normal flu, but even my relatives that got sick with Omicron, 

say it is like a very bad flu, with lots of coughing, no appetite and no energy for over 10 days.  This highly contagious 

variant of COVID may not be the killer that the first 3 variants were, but sick people cannot work, and in Thailand

if you are sick, you do not get paid. Bill. I am so tired of people who compare COVID to a flu.

[it is what it is]

5 minutes ago, Stargeezr said:

COVID19 is not a mild flu. Maybe the latest variant may be closer to a normal flu, but even my relatives that got sick with Omicron, 

say it is like a very bad flu, with lots of coughing, no appetite and no energy for over 10 days.  This highly contagious 

variant of COVID may not be the killer that the first 3 variants were, but sick people cannot work, and in Thailand

if you are sick, you do not get paid. Bill. I am so tired of people who compare COVID to a flu.

 

well, for some people the effects are similar to mild flu, so, obviously, the best way for them to describe how they felt was 'mild flu'. anyone following the news will know that the symptoms of covid can be non-existent/very mild to debilitating and fatal.

[timkeen08]

20 hours ago, RafPinto said:

The photographer had to buy a special camera to zoom in on all those arrivals.

They don't want anyone to see all of the empty or near empty spaces nearby. 555

[Straight8]

I don't get it. Why would only change "NO" PCR test required before departure [probably the most important part for the traveller] make people want to travel to Thailand. I would prefer they dropped all those other stupid requirements & left test test before departure in, I would want to know I am negative before leaving.

 

Yeah, nah, not at the moment for me.

[jacko45k]

14 hours ago, kiwikeith said:

Funny how the people that are dying in the U.K. are of average age 82.5 yrs of age and triple dosed 

Can you back that up..... I have seen the 82.5 yrs of age number but with only 67% of the population over 12 triple vaxed I wonder about your last claim. 

[timkeen08]

20 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Was it because of the not needed PCR test at departure or is it because people are coming for coming Songkran holidays??? I guess it is the last one...

Probably most likely people returning home for Songkran is nearest the truth.  Some party goers but who wants to come here for a Songkran with no fun play; like B4 C19, or the rampant continuous yes, no, maybe drinking ping pong ball playing antics like my wife does daily.

[zzaa09]

Why are we really concerned and angst regarding any number of arrivals? At any time period....?

[alphonse]

11 hours ago, ChC1 said:

Pre-flight test is £20 for anti-gen and £50 for PCR. Slightly more expensive for same day result but less than £80 can be found. You can check the price from Express Test by Cignpost, they are based in Heathrow airport terminal so supposed to be expensive ones. Their price is very reasonable, and there are discount code available online to further reduce the cost.

Useful that. I was quoted £110 by the nearest "chemist" to me who did them, which is 5 miles away.

 

I assume the Heathrow ones are carried out before departure and give quick results.

[terryofcrete]

15 hours ago, welshguy said:

I went to the canary Islands for 4 weeks, in Jan/Feb...booked again to go next week for a fortnight,

I went for a week last autumn and I was bored silly...the most exciting thing I found was a new flavour in the frozen yogurt shop...and I was cold  too. I went back to Thailand in November for a month and did the same again last month ... I'm booked again for May.....

Edited April 5, 2022 by terryofcrete

[baboon]

17 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Same here...   

November arrival - 9am - test results by afternoon... we left the hotel early evening.

March Arrival - 1pm - test results next morning when I woke up. 

 

Some hotels offer a ‘fast track rate’ its about 3000 baht for a 3 hr test. 

 

So... Pay an additional 3000 baht so you don’t have to spend the night in a hotel you have already paid 5000 baht for !!!!

 

Obviously - the concern the promise of ‘fast track’ (at a premium of 3000 baht) and the result is not fast tracked !! (refund ? - yeah, right !)

 

 

 

Mrs baboon's cousin was cleared quickly and was told by her expensive hotel that she was free to go. She replied that she had paid a king's ransom to stay there and that staying there was exactly what she was going to do. I certainly see her point.

[Venom]

On 4/4/2022 at 9:43 AM, RafPinto said:

The photographer had to buy a special camera to zoom in on all those arrivals.

What a mess. I see mostly staff and security personnel besides the unorganised cue at the counter. Hopefully they can get their act together before the next year's high season. 

[bbbbooboo]

Hmmm…. This is an exaggeration . I was there Sunday afternoon. It was quiet with a few people moving around. There was forced “bustling” around gates 9/10 as people arriving in dribs and drabs were slowly allocated transport to their test and go hotel, which caused a backup. As an aside I received the usual surly reception from the IO as I went through. Some things don’t change no matter how few tourists there are

[billd766]

18 hours ago, Tubulat said:

I'm not surprised, everybody wants to leave the LOS

Really??? We must have different friends and travel in different places.

 

None of the 25 odd good farang friends that live in Thailand and who have families, houses and jobs want to leave Thailand.

[ChC1]

8 hours ago, alphonse said:

Useful that. I was quoted £110 by the nearest "chemist" to me who did them, which is 5 miles away.

 

I assume the Heathrow ones are carried out before departure and give quick results.

Yes if you are from smaller regions, the chemist may have to send samples to a bigger lab who can do the PCR. SO more cost involves (transportation, chemist's big fat cut...).

 

The said ExpressTest, together with some other providers like Randox, are very good at pricing because they have their own on site labs.

 

ExpressTest have test centres in Heathrow and Gatwick airport terminals. So it is very handy. Highly recommend you book in advance. It offers rapid anti-gen test at very cheap price. I got my result within 25 minutes one morning. The Rapid PCR and same day PCR done in airports are very quick. Never tried the normal PCR which they promise result deliver by next day 23:59. But I think you will get it much quicker. They just put that information out to cover themselves. Their test centres in towns and shopping centres like Brenwood, Westfield, Croydon and other regions may take few hours longer. Check them out. 

 

British Airways offers discount on both ExpressTest and Randox. Google it.

Edited April 5, 2022 by ChC1

[Tubulat]

5 hours ago, billd766 said:

Really??? We must have different friends and travel in different places.

 

None of the 25 odd good farang friends that live in Thailand and who have families, houses and jobs want to leave Thailand.

I stay here for more than 22 years, I know what i'm talking about.

And NO, i don't leave.....

Edited April 5, 2022 by Tubulat

[billd766]

3 minutes ago, Tubulat said:

I stay here for more than 22 years, I know what i'm talking about.

And NO, i don't leave.....

I first came here for work in 1993, back in 1994 to 97, back again in 2001 to 2003 and finally made Bangkok my base in 2001, and my home in rural Kamphaeng Phet in 2004 and  have been here ever since.

 

I have a fair idea of what I am talking about too.

[Tubulat]

1 minute ago, billd766 said:

I first came here for work in 1993, back in 1994 to 97, back again in 2001 to 2003 and finally made Bangkok my base in 2001, and my home in rural Kamphaeng Phet in 2004 and  have been here ever since.

 

I have a fair idea of what I am talking about too.

There is always a boss above a boss.

There must be a difference.

[Tubulat]

Just now, Tubulat said:

There is always a boss above a boss.

There must be a difference.

However I came here in 2000 as a retired person. ;-))

[Robbess]

On 4/4/2022 at 9:26 AM, Onerak said:

This will encourage the authority to at least stick to their original plan further relaxation and work towards increasing boosters to reduce death. In the month of March, the infected arrival percentage was 0.56. THey have to also monitor the infection rate that must be normalized to each country's infection rate per millions as we can see deaths are increasing all over Europe, specially UK, France, and Germany. USA is still holding steady with only 30% boosters and far less vaccination rate. 

More clot shots should do the trick!

[Onerak]

On 4/4/2022 at 5:41 PM, Straight8 said:

I would want to know I am negative before leaving.

You can do your own self test or PCR-test or whatever test to know. Who is stopping you?

Edited April 7, 2022 by Onerak