Thailand further eases entry restrictions for international travellers

[chricha]

Fantastic news as it saves the ridiculous waste of a day in Bangkok.

Of course the cost saving of B4200 is also welcome. As I booked with my favourite Booking.com I will get a full refund for May 12.

 

Normally I either hire a car or now with the new car we pickup tomorrow my family can pick me up at the airport and get on my way to beautiful Khao Kho.

Away from the oppressive heat, smog and traffic. I must get an Easy Pass. It took 25 minutes to get through the Thanyaburi 2 toll gate heading north.

Creeping along to pay B30 in a manual car is no fun at all! My legs were cramped and sore before I had travelled 50km from Bangkok.

 

On the issue of Government requirements such as the Thai Pass -

when I travel back to Australia this week I have to complete a Digital Passenger Declaration.

This is much like the Thai Pass now without the insurance designing to ensure arrivals are vaccinated protecting us all!

 

[Tuvoc]

3 hours ago, chricha said:

On the issue of Government requirements such as the Thai Pass -

when I travel back to Australia this week I have to complete a Digital Passenger Declaration.

This is much like the Thai Pass now without the insurance designing to ensure arrivals are vaccinated protecting us all!

Yes, and I think New Zealand has the same thing. And the USA for years has had the ESTA system even pre-Covid.  Thailand is far from being the only country that has a system for entry.

[Neeranam]

On 4/22/2022 at 2:11 PM, 2long said:

 

But what about pubs? I know the clowns in charge want to keep the nightlife and sexy hostesses to themselves, but surely pubs need to start to be allowed to open and operate as normal sooner rather than later.

The clowns in charge don't want the dark type of women the sexpats want. 

[BritManToo]

19 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

The clowns in charge don't want the dark type of women the sexpats want. 

I mind what colour they are, as long as I can get my hands on them.

[zzaa09]

10 hours ago, Henryford said:

I doubt it as if you spend any of the 800/400 you would lose your visa. I still want to know as an expat living here do i need Covid insurance to pop out of Thailand for a few days. I don't have medical insurance here.

A pertinent and practical inquiry that should be addressed, yet will fall on deaf ears of the authorities - for those of us residents that never felt the need to secure any such medical insurance [generally speaking] before COVID are now obligated to take on this suspected and mandated insurance coverage......whether we're outta the country/return for a short course, be it for business, pleasure, whatever. 

 

Even applies to those long time foreign residents that haven't left the country in the COVID era - notice how easy it was for them to introduced and reregulate mandatory insurance for COVID things within one's long-term/resident visa packages and processes? Even when/if COVID miraculously disappears.

 

It appears that the mandatory COVID/medical insurance will be a standard fixture by way of all varieties of visas - tourist, resident, business, edu, etc. Hypothetically, even when the online Thailand Pass protocol/procedure is dismissed later this year [that's an educated guess] and we return to "normal" tourist entry and resident visa programs.....the insurance mandate - to one degree or another - will remain as SOP.

[gearbox]

On 4/23/2022 at 12:57 PM, samtam said:

I changed the country from France to 1) Hong Kong and 2) United Kingdom (because my VISA cards are Hong Kong and UK issued), but unfortunately the same page with the first 9 of VISA card numbers does not equate. So I think your option is only open to you because you have a VISA issued in France, (and possibly you are French).

 

 

Can you advise the insurance company you used, and how long the duration needed to be for the insurance, (i'm assuming you are resident in Thailand)?

 

 

Can you advise the insurance company you used, and whether it is travel specific, and covid specific? (i'm assuming you are resident in Thailand)?

(I don't use insurance for my long stay term in Thailand), as hitherto it has not been a requirement for a Non-B Visa on Extension of Stay based on Retirement, (for the last 15 years).

I live in Thailand on Non-O retirement extension and currently use the Atlas Travel multi-trip travel insurance which covers covid. One can get policy for 12 months and come and go to/from Thailand with the same policy.

It is a proper insurance with coverage 500k USD and repatriation covered to the same amount.

Before covid I was travelling often to Australia and was using my Citibank premier card complementary travel insurance which has unlimited cover.

[CG1 Blue]

16 hours ago, chricha said:

Fantastic news as it saves the ridiculous waste of a day in Bangkok.

More importantly it removes the risk of getting sent to quarantine for 10 days at great expense if your test is positive. I don't think it's the 1 day stay in BKK that was stopping tourists coming. 

[JOCKANESE]

18 hours ago, Henryford said:

Many of us are required to maintain 800000 baht or 400000 baht in a Thai bank for an extension of stay. Wouldn’t that suffice for a insurance requirement?

18 hours ago, Henryford said:

I doubt it as if you spend any of the 800/400 you would lose your visa.

 

17 hours ago, jacko45k said:

That money has been stated as required to live off during the term of the extension (yes I know, despite them not letting you withdraw it)

Is this for real ? that the money required for these 2 types of visa cannot be withdrawn without invalidating the visa. I thought the whole point of those funds were for living expenses. Would be grateful for confirmation.

Cheers

Jock.

[garyk]

2 hours ago, JOCKANESE said:

 

Is this for real ? that the money required for these 2 types of visa cannot be withdrawn without invalidating the visa. I thought the whole point of those funds were for living expenses. Would be grateful for confirmation.

Cheers

Jock.

Just another Thai scam, most countries let you prove you have the funds. Thailand wants the money in the bank to shore up their banks. 

Best to steer clear of Thailand if you want a retirement home. Many other places just as good or better. Without the scams.

[jacko45k]

5 hours ago, JOCKANESE said:

Is this for real ? that the money required for these 2 types of visa cannot be withdrawn without invalidating the visa. I thought the whole point of those funds were for living expenses. Would be grateful for confirmation.

Cheers

Jock.

As far as the retirement extension, based on money on deposit is concerned, you need 800k seasoned for 2 months on application, and the money must remain untouched for 3 months after, then 400k can be withdrawn, but you would have to bring it back up to 800 k to 'season' it for a subsequent renewal. (Hence 3/7/2 months, 800/400/800k baht) All this presumes a Non-Imm-O based Permission, an O-A one also has a medical insurance requirement, 

As to Visas, ie O-A, money can be in your own country, O-X, you have to deposit 3 million THB in Thailand, which I believe you cannot touch for a year....and only half of it in year 2. 

 

 

Edited April 24, 2022 by jacko45k

[CaliforniaBrit]

I live in California and travel to Thailand frequently for holidays. I arrive at BKK this coming Wednesday, 27 April, so will still have to go through the "Test and Go" routine. Bad timing on my part! For future trips, I'm very happy that the process will be much simpler. Although Covid insurance will still be needed, getting it for my upcoming trip was really simple. I bought 700,000 Baht of coverage for 60 days over the internet from a Thai insurance company using my credit card and received the insurance policy in less than 24 hours. The total cost was only was 1,050 Baht. Now that the coverage limit is being halved from May 1st, the cost will be even more cheap. I don't think the requirement for Covid insurance will deter anyone wanting to visit Thailand in the coming months.  

 

[gearbox]

On 4/23/2022 at 10:32 PM, STALINGRAD said:

Many of us are required to maintain 800000 baht or 400000 baht in a Thai bank for an extension of stay. Wouldn’t that suffice for a insurance requirement?

How would you prove at the immigration counter that you have any funds in any bank at the moment of entry?

[Henryford]

6 hours ago, JOCKANESE said:

 

Is this for real ? that the money required for these 2 types of visa cannot be withdrawn without invalidating the visa. I thought the whole point of those funds were for living expenses. Would be grateful for confirmation.

Cheers

Jock.

As others have said you need to maintain at least 400k and the full 800k for 5 months of the year so you can't touch it. If it falls 1 baht below 800k bye bye visa.

[JOCKANESE]

6 hours ago, jacko45k said:

As far as the retirement extension, based on money on deposit is concerned, you need 800k seasoned for 2 months on application, and the money must remain untouched for 3 months after, then 400k can be withdrawn, but you would have to bring it back up to 800 k to 'season' it for a subsequent renewal. (Hence 3/7/2 months, 800/400/800k baht) All this presumes a Non-Imm-O based Permission, an O-A one also has a medical insurance requirement, 

As to Visas, ie O-A, money can be in your own country, O-X, you have to deposit 3 million THB in Thailand, which I believe you cannot touch for a year....and only half of it in year 2. 

 

 

Cheers for the reply Jacko45k, i should have said that my application is likely to be the extension based on marriage so does that more or less translate as 3/7/2 months at 400/200/400 ?

 

[JOCKANESE]

4 hours ago, Henryford said:

As others have said you need to maintain at least 400k and the full 800k for 5 months of the year so you can't touch it. If it falls 1 baht below 800k bye bye visa.

Cheers for the reply Henryford. How would immigration know about that, would it be on the next application to extend or are bank statements required for the 90 day reports ?

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, JOCKANESE said:

Cheers for the reply Jacko45k, i should have said that my application is likely to be the extension based on marriage so does that more or less translate as 3/7/2 months at 400/200/400 ?

 

I do not think there is any obligation to keep the money on a marriage extension, other than the 1 month waiting time for the stamp.

Edited April 25, 2022 by jacko45k

[JOCKANESE]

2 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

I do not think there is any obligation to keep the money other than the 1 month waiting time for the stamp.

Thanks again.

[alex8912]

On 4/23/2022 at 2:32 PM, Pmbkk said:

 

Another hard man behind a keyboard.

 

I'm still waiting for the link to the survey - if you read previous threads it was quite common not to get a refund.

 

THE GOVERNMENT TOLD HOTELS THEY DID NOT NEED TO GIVE REFUNDS. 

 

 

It's quite common to GET a refund from most hotels.  That is what is a fact.  I was just giving great advise and you turned it around.  I guess I just care to much. 

[Graham n So]

On 4/22/2022 at 2:02 PM, CartagenaWarlock said:

Why would one pay for a Test and Go Package in June travel in April? 

Next time wait, you must of been the only one who could not see things were about to change after all the talk. I too needed to get to Thailand but decided to wait as I could see they had plans on making changes by June 1st as soon as I saw the news I booked. No test and go for me, get the job done and get out. 

[Straight8]

On 4/23/2022 at 10:04 AM, Scouse123 said:

I am astonished at some of the people on TVF that cannot simply be happy that these painful and  cumbersome restrictions on entry are being lifted or removed. It is a great result for getting back to normal and for the benefit of the tourism industry of Thailand and tourists in general, after a lousy two years and more for everybody.

 

Instead silly bickering with people who are unqualified, spend their time writing posts arguing the rights and wrongs of vaccination and trying to change the minds of people with opposing views.

 

Simply ridiculous.

 

It's as simple as this, the majority of the world's governments are insisting on vaccine proof.

 

If you don't have it, you can't go to countries enforcing this policy.

 

You won't get past check in with your "Ifs, buts and why me " stance.

 

They are not listening and not interested in your wonderful knowledge based on  ' Facebook observations or the neighbour's cat's scientific opinion '

I am astonished why you're so astonished.

 

What's it to you why some people have opposing opinions to you and have a rant on a forum.

 

Gee, some people simply have too much time.

[Tom H]

On 4/22/2022 at 8:05 PM, RandiRona said:

May be but how tourists coming into country change that??

Wearing no masks for example:).

[Lancelot01]

On 4/22/2022 at 8:47 AM, PJ71 said:

Thai Pass website still requires hotel booking to process.

Probably because it is not 1st May. Previously nothing changed on the website until the effective date. 

[huangnon]

Just returned to Thailand on the 1st (Sunday night), using the Thai Pass system. No problem Suvanabhumi end, apart from a queue at the desks, backing up to the escalators.

The Emirates desk jockey in UK wasn't clued up with the TP, and kept demanding to see our ASQ hotel booking, vax certs and insurance before issuing our tickets.. Had to call his supervisor to confirm the updated system, as they did not have a scanner to check the Thai Pass QR code. Hopefully, this has been updated asap since..

Might be useful to print out the docs required, or at least screen-shot everything you have on the phone before checking in, as finnicky apps like the Mor Phrom suddenly don't work when you really need to show them also.. ????

[CosmicSurfer]

On 4/22/2022 at 9:34 PM, sandyf said:

I think you have tits on the brain, refunds will come from where the booking was made.

Back in October my quarantine was reduced from 15 days to 7 days, I had extreme difficulty getting a full refund back from Agoda, an American owned company.

Actually, All my Refunds came through within Days, without any Problems !!
????
CS
 

[CosmicSurfer]

On 4/22/2022 at 8:33 AM, cheapcanuck said:

The article said "potential refund". In other words, don't count on a refund. Sorry for you.

Actually, All my Refunds came through within Days, without any Problems !!

CS

[CosmicSurfer]

On 4/22/2022 at 8:28 AM, CosmicSurfer said:

I'm travelling in Mid-May, and already Pre-Paid my Sha+ Hotel, Car and PCR test... Will they be giving refunds???  OR TIT !!!

 

UPDATE ... Actually, All my Refunds came through within Days, without any Problems !!

CS

[sandyf]

14 hours ago, CosmicSurfer said:

Actually, All my Refunds came through within Days, without any Problems !!
????
CS
 

Would that have been when you changed the booking after the free cancellation period?