Thailand considers further easing restrictions on international arrival from May

[PJ71]

18 hours ago, 2 is 1 said:

Already say the Mrs."sorry i think i go few weeks in Philippines coz your country is so <deleted> up"!

I'd imagine with an attitude like that the missus is very relieved - lol

[Jaxxper]

Move in the right direction, albeit after the tourist horse has bolted. 

[Mywayboy]

They must have checked out my boxes of files in that special Bangkok building & decided no more room for his paperwork. 

[sambum]

"to ease more restrictions on international arrivals, tentatively from May,.........." 

 

What on earth does that mean? They're either going to ease restrictions or they're not!

 

Possibly the word "possibly"might be mopre appropriate?

[aussiexpat]

It took me 26 months to come back here under the T&G one night quarantine and 2 PCRs purely because I had to check on my empty condo

 

Leaving in a couple of weeks and won't be back until entry is same as pre-covid (although happy to do pre-departure test), surely that can't take another 26 months?

 

Edited April 9, 2022 by aussiexpat

[Eric Loh]

1 hour ago, RabCNesbitt said:

...But the Baht somehow continues to rise!! ????

Baht is sitting about right considering inflation, interest rate, current account, public debt and state of the economy. 

[jerrymahoney]

2 hours ago, possum1931 said:

At least the disgruntled foreigners national governments are not run by a bunch of unelected soldiers with a typical Thai low IQ and their education at a Military Academy.

And because the current PM's staff and legal mob may also say he is 'unelected' and  therefore can never have served a 'term' of office as per the 2017 Thai Constitution, the current PM may be able to extend his empowerment for another 4 or even possibly 8 years.

[sandyf]

2 hours ago, possum1931 said:

At least the disgruntled foreigners national governments are not run by a bunch of unelected soldiers with a typical Thai low IQ and their education at a Military Academy.

It is my understanding that both George Washington and Winston Churchill were soldiers.

It must be this xenophobic comment, "typical Thai low IQ", that attempts to validate the falang perception.

[tomacht8]

The formula is simple: The fewer restrictions and hurdles, the more tourists.

 

But what bothers me the most is the general carelessness in how personal data is handled here. Data (passport copies, e-mail addresses, telephone numbers, credit card numbers, bank details, health data, etc.) are collected double and triple in Thailand like crazy. Whether: Visa authorities, immigration, Ministry of Health, hotels, airlines, telephone companies, banks, BTS, driver's license office, health insurance companies, supermarkets, online mail order companies, landlords, etc. all store personal data.

 

But how it is about data security is another matter. Unfortunately, that their servers can be hacked and the data then goes into dark channels, or the data is sold, happens too often here.

 

And the Thaipass is a wonderful example of a data hack, how you can get an eMail - Trojanvirus onto your computer if you're not careful. For me that is the main reason to abolish the Thaipass System. 

[sandyf]

5 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

What does it even do?  Don't you have to show all documents at the airport anyway?  Seems like a typical complete waste of time.

It is one of the documents you have to show at the airport.

Airline staff can't be trusted, when I came back on COE I had to correct the checkin guy on a couple of points, it was the COE that won the day.

What would be more appropriate is the airlines cut out checking what is covered by the TP.

[sandyf]

On 4/9/2022 at 2:48 PM, sambum said:

"to ease more restrictions on international arrivals, tentatively from May,.........." 

 

What on earth does that mean? They're either going to ease restrictions or they're not!

 

Possibly the word "possibly"might be mopre appropriate?

It means, like every other government, they reserve the right to U turn if they consider it appropriate.

They have a long way to go to catch up Bojo, the 'Lord of the U Turns'.

[Fat is a type of crazy]

I have a ticket booked for May 3. I can change it and assumed I would close to the date. But if this is introduced from May 1 it is probably enough for me to give it a go. I can take a RAT test the day before or that morning which makes it fairly safe that I'll get through.

Here's hoping.  

[NoshowJones]

10 minutes ago, sandyf said:

It is my understanding that both George Washington and Winston Churchill were soldiers.

It must be this xenophobic comment, "typical Thai low IQ", that attempts to validate the falang perception.

But were they not in politics after they were soldiers long before they became a President or PM? Did they oust an elected government in a coup and take over a country illegally? The Thais do have a low IQ, and soldiers are just ordinary Thais, so does that give them a decent IQ?

[sandyf]

35 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

And because the current PM's staff and legal mob may also say he is 'unelected' and  therefore can never have served a 'term' of office as per the 2017 Thai Constitution, the current PM may be able to extend his empowerment for another 4 or even possibly 8 years.

Thailand has a chequered history in military coups and constitutions so anyone uncomfortable with how the country is governed only have themselves to blame.

[zzaa09]

Time for the Thai authorities to get past and get over the revolving rhetoric of easing, restructuring, modifying and redoing the underlying scam that is/was the Thailand Pass entry programs. 

 

Enough of the ongoing and convoluted theatre. It's time to move on.

 

Appears that most of the world is opening up [for months now] or in the process of easing all mandates and restrictive matters - extended domestically as well as internationally. We can do the same without being cautiously frigid in our reasoning. 

 

Either do your business or get off the pot. 

[Nickelbeer]

1 hour ago, jerrymahoney said:

And because the current PM's staff and legal mob may also say he is 'unelected' and  therefore can never have served a 'term' of office as per the 2017 Thai Constitution, the current PM may be able to extend his empowerment for another 4 or even possibly 8 years.

Might as well do that, since the military will ALWAYS be in charge as long as they are allowed to use a coup as the legitimate power in the land. In most any other country, the Junta members would be swinging from a scaffold. The unnecessary military is the fatal flaw in Thai government. Scap the army and institute a Universal Healthcare system that all residents can buy into.

[StayinThailand2much]

3 hours ago, RabCNesbitt said:

...But the Baht somehow continues to rise!! ????

Well, if the oil price stays high for a while, and there are few tourists, eventually Thailand's  huge foreign currency reserves will get smaller, which should lead to a weaker baht.

[Kalasin Jo]

10 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

As long as the quarantine at arrival if positive even without symptons is the rule not many tourists will come.. Countries are warning people to be aware that it can cost a lot of money because the insurance will not pay or refund it... So quarantine is blocking the tourism

It's blocking the rest of us too. Retiree, Thai family here, business here, it's all the same. Tourists can choose other destinations, and will, we can't. 

[Ty Hareways]

....and the test on arrival scam continues.

However, reading between the lines it does seem this is one last push for money extractions and they'll have to give it up as they prob realise normal tourists are onto them.

Good chance July 1 will be back to pre-covid times for international arrivals.

[jerrymahoney]

While several posts above deal in grand theory, it's really a nuts-and-bolts issue:

 

PUBLISHED 10 NOV 2021

A huge political storm is brewing in Thailand. It centres on a seemingly simple but highly controversial question: When will Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha’s premiership reach the eight-year constitutional limit?

 

The question is directly tied to another intriguing question: When did his premiership actually start?

 

https://fulcrum.sg/how-much-longer-can-thailands-prime-minister-rule-before-reaching-the-eight-year-limit/

 

And if the PM is genuinely unelected, maybe it never started.

 

Edited April 9, 2022 by jerrymahoney

[DjSilver]

As long as this braindead dictatorship doesn't remove the mandatory and ridiculous fask mask rule everything else is of no importance. 

[WEBBYB808]

I wish they'd make up their mind.  One day yes, one day no.

[sambum]

23 hours ago, sandyf said:

Thailand has a chequered history in military coups and constitutions so anyone uncomfortable with how the country is governed only have themselves to blame.

So how do you propose they change it, if they only have themselves to blame?

 

Under normal circumstances, in a democratic country (and Thailand is supposed to be a democratic country) the populace would vote in their proposed choice of government. But obviously, the current "Government" doesn't really want that to happen, so they alter the legislation to suit their own agenda (e.g. 250 unelected Army/Generals Senators in the Upper House) so that any future elections are already rigged in their favour. So it is highly unlikely that the current Government can be voted out. But in the highly unlikely event that votes for the Opposition outnumbered theirs in any future election, and a new Government took over, what is to prevent the Army from staging ANOTHER coup to take over again?

 

So I fail to see how the the populace have only themselves to blame for the current situation -  they didn't vote the "Government" in, and I fail to see how they can be blamed for a military takeover, so I repeat my question - how would you fix it  - what would you do to rectify the situation? Take to the streets?  

Edited April 10, 2022 by sambum

[metisdead]

A post using profane language has been removed.

[sandyf]

12 minutes ago, sambum said:

So how do you propose they change it, if they only have themselves to blame?

I took the decision to move to Thailand at the end of 2006, there were soldiers on the streets at the time. I was well aware my time in Thailand could be short lived.

I don't agree with everything the government does but it is their country and they have the right to govern without foreign interference. Some nations seem to think they have a god given right to stick their nose in other countries affairs.

Your comment about the population is biased and misguided. My wife,her family and most that live around this area voted for the current government and would do so again.

There is little dispute there is a culture difference in Thailand and those in the north would probably want to see the return of the Thaksin days, after all he paid them to vote.

[sambum]

8 minutes ago, sandyf said:

I took the decision to move to Thailand at the end of 2006, there were soldiers on the streets at the time. I was well aware my time in Thailand could be short lived.

I don't agree with everything the government does but it is their country and they have the right to govern without foreign interference. Some nations seem to think they have a god given right to stick their nose in other countries affairs.

Your comment about the population is biased and misguided. My wife,her family and most that live around this area voted for the current government and would do so again.

There is little dispute there is a culture difference in Thailand and those in the north would probably want to see the return of the Thaksin days, after all he paid them to vote.

I fail to see how you can justify putting 250 of your own unelected people in a position where they can influence the workings of a country! 

 

However, I'm afraid we will have to agree to disagree on this! I've just remembered we went round in circles on a previous thread, and I am loth to repeat the exercise!

Have a nice day!

[2 is 1]

19 minutes ago, sandyf said:

I took the decision to move to Thailand at the end of 2006, there were soldiers on the streets at the time. I was well aware my time in Thailand could be short lived.

I don't agree with everything the government does but it is their country and they have the right to govern without foreign interference. Some nations seem to think they have a god given right to stick their nose in other countries affairs.

Your comment about the population is biased and misguided. My wife,her family and most that live around this area voted for the current government and would do so again.

There is little dispute there is a culture difference in Thailand and those in the north would probably want to see the return of the Thaksin days, after all he paid them to vote.

Problem in north Thailand is that everybody think nothing chance , dont matter who is in power! So they vote that one who give them most money! That is almost natural behavior in LOS , like also corruption! Almost every government worker take bribe or cheat the system "legally". Or that what they think its belong to them and its almost like legal money in they pocket! 

And for your mind set: if you live among of certain kind people you going to think like them! But if you go and round hole country then you maybe get some variation on your mind. Ofcource farmer in Isaan think different way than yuppie in BKK who born whit gold spoon in hes behind!

Edited April 10, 2022 by 2 is 1

[freedomnow]

23 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Well, if the oil price stays high for a while, and there are few tourists, eventually Thailand's  huge foreign currency reserves will get smaller, which should lead to a weaker baht.

as has just happened spectacularly in Sri Lanka !

Down 40% or so against ££...

[sandyf]

15 minutes ago, sambum said:

I fail to see how you can justify putting 250 of your own unelected people in a position where they can influence the workings of a country! 

You would have to explain how they can be unelected if people vote for them.

What your are really trying to say is that you are of the opinion the result was suspect, but then didn't Trump say the same thing.

[bangon04]

On 4/9/2022 at 3:59 AM, sandyf said:

One has to assume that those on here would be quite happy for a bunch of disgruntled foreigners to tell their national government how to run the country.

Most "national governments" in FarangLand stopped blaming vaccinated foreigners months ago for the large numbers of local "cases" transmissions that they cannot control any more anyway......