Thailand scraps quarantine for air, land arrivals from June 1, ‘Thailand Pass’ only for non-Thais

[sandyf]

4 hours ago, Senior Player said:

Point is: if you came to the UK now, you wouldn't have to do any of those things, unlike Thailand today. All those restrictions you cited were dropped in March. Last August was a very different world to present day Earth, so what the UK was doing back in the summer of 2021 has no relevance today.

 

Each country has the right to deal with things as they see fit, without interferance.

 

Not if Thailand signs up to the WHO's Pandemic Treaty, which will handover all its pandemic sovereignty to them in the near future. Then they will no longer have the right to deal with things as they see fit.

 

You can pontificate all you want.

Bottom line is if you do not like the way things are done, stay away and whinge somewhere else.

[sandyf]

2 hours ago, billd766 said:

I would venture to suggest that hundreds of thousands or even millions of Thai want tourist to come back in large numbers. 

 

Which Thais would they be? probably some of the millions of Thai who lost their jobs with little or no compensation in the entertainment and allied industries.

 

Those Thais who worked in the bars, the liquor supply, the ice delivery supply, the cleaners and all the other people associated with the industry.

 

We only see what is written and commented on in threads like these mostly read by foreigners.

 

It is rare that we see comments by Thais on here.

I only go by what I see Bill. I have been all around Thailand during the pandemic, had over 20 nights away with the TWW scheme and the majority of the hotels were full up. Only places I saw a bit quiet were those that catered for tourists

I have no doubt that there are many that lost the work they had but that does not mean there are no jobs available, a lot of foreign labour on the building sites around where I live. That area has doubled in size since pre pandemic.

It seems to be a modern trend, when things get difficult blame the government. I see the same here in the UK, inflation has touched 9% and like the world has come to an end. When I bought my first house in 1975 inflation was already 10% and went up to 18.6% in 1978, no help then from the government.

In the past people found a way to deal with problems, doesn't seem to be the case anymore. As I said previously, the Thais dealt with the tsunami and will deal with covid in due course.

[mania]

On 5/20/2022 at 1:36 PM, nexus99 said:

Try to be Thai and get a visa to the USA. Neigh impossible. Nothing new here. The indignation people are displaying is really quite entertaining. "Oh my, I have to get a Thai Pass to visit Thailand... the humanity!!!!". 

That is actually quite backwards

My wife came to the USA on a tourist visa. Got 3 months entry at gate in US

We decided to marry & she got a 2 yr green card followed by a 10 year green card

In her third year in the US she took the US citizenship test passed & has been a dual citizen ever since

 

Try that in Thailand

 

PS: She got a SS# & work permit almost immediately because one thing about the USA if you want to work they are happy to oblige

as they will likely get tax off you

[josephbloggs]

On 5/22/2022 at 12:27 AM, josephbloggs said:

Ok, I have asked this question to several posters who shout "insurance scam" yet not one has replied. Not a single one.   Maybe you can be the first?

Explain the scam.  That is all I ask.  You can use any insurance company you like - Thai or foreign.  The requirement ($10k cover) is super minimal and has been continually reduced (form $100k to $50k to $20k to $10k).  You are NOT mandated to use a Thai company and I would suggest most foreign tourists buy travel insurance in their own country., so the majority of policies will be provided by foreign companies.   If you are employed in Thailand (as a foreigner) you are covered by social security and don't need further insurance at all.

None of that exactly says scam does it?  A scam would usually have a single beneficiary, no?

So come on, you can be the first.  I know you have collected all your "likes" already for shouting scam so it is job done for you, but it is really boring and I just want one single scam shouter to reply and explain it.  

@John Drake That's another no then....

[starky]

11 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Why should unvaccinated people be discriminated against?

The Thailand pass is not hard to get. In saying that, I'm happy I don't need to get one. 

 

Dont know where to start with that one. Im not saying they should but if its open slather what is the point of the Thailand pass then? If the pandemic is over and as you say it matters not your vaccination status then what is the purpose of the tp? Because the tp's i have applied for (and theres been many) are primarily about your vaccination status and where you will be doing your asq or test and go. If one no longer matters and the other is no longer required whats the <deleted> point?

  If you had read the whole thread you would realise i live here, i work offshore and as such i have left and re entered practically every month since the tp was introduced.

  As such i have done far more asq and tp applications than most. I assume you must have applied once, at least, because no way you could say its easy to get if you never got one, right? Because that would be ridiculous.

  My point being as i clearly stated it seems to be a sticking point for many people and many other tourist destinations have no such requirement. So if Thailand is so keen to get tourists back, i imagine that the way to do that is to make entry as simple as possible for tourists. One way you could obviously do that is to drop the tp. Me? Im coming regardless cos im not a tourist. Cheers.

[starky]

13 hours ago, sandyf said:

I am not a tourist, lived here since 2008. Last year I went back to UK in Aug and cmae back in Oct. I had to do 4 PCR test, Passenger Locator Form and 6 days quarantine to get into the UK, it was easier to return to Thailand.

Each country has the right to deal with things as they see fit, without interferance.

And... so i cant comment? Lol.

Ive done 11 lots of  the full 2 week quarantine in multiple countries funnily enough Thailand was the only place where it becomes 16 because they dont count the first and last day. So more difficult. Never had to do any extraneous paperwork in any other country just went into quarantine. So less difficult.

 Done 6 TP's  and test and go's not saying it was difficult for me but for some going by their accounts it definitely was. The early TPs were plagued with problems and complaints. Thats fact. So more difficult.

   Regardless how off topic you want to go the fact remains if Thailand really wants more tourists  and hey they may not, the easiest way to facilitate that would be to make it easier for them to enter.

  You want to argue that Thailand doesnt want foreigners in a country whose income from tourists was over 20% of total GDP in the 4 years prior to covid (thats 62 BILLION...USD not baht in 2019 alone) go ahead thats your right. 

  The stats dont back your claims though.

[Lucky Bones]

Leave wife at home.

Sleep with girl 35 years younger.

Fantastic.

(a friend told me.)

[baboon]

14 hours ago, zzaa09 said:

Waiting for the day when the good-minded authorities close entry corridors/avenues. 

Then pursue deporting [and ridding of] selected foreign undesirable residents. 

 

Return to paradise. ????

Sounds complicated and expensive. Why not just gas anyone the good-minded authorities don't like the look of? Return to paradise real quick. ????

[steven100]

just get rid of the stupid ' Thailand pass '   and the insurance scam. 

 

ensure tourists arriving have a vaccination certificate ....That's all that's needed.

or Vietnam will continue to get more & more of the tourists looking for a holiday spot.

 

Thailand must change or lose out .....   but I won't hold my breath   !

[jacko45k]

5 minutes ago, steven100 said:

just get rid of the stupid ' Thailand pass '   and the insurance scam. 

 

ensure tourists arriving have a vaccination certificate ....That's all that's needed.

or Vietnam will continue to get more & more of the tourists looking for a holiday spot.

 

Thailand must change or lose out .....   but I won't hold my breath   !

Thailand will choose to do it their own way, baby steps seems to be what they like.... at least they will have less ramping up to do when the monkey pox restrictions are needed. 

[Neeranam]

4 hours ago, Lucky Bones said:

Leave wife at home.

Sleep with girl 35 years younger.

Fantastic.

(a friend told me.)

You forgot to add 'bar' before 'girl' . 

If you are not sure what a bar girl means - 

It's a term used by sexpats in Thailand for prostitutes from the poor, rural areas. 

Many of these suffering girls succumb to drug addiction or alcoholism due to the crushing of their self-worth by having to daily serve sexually fat, old Hank, Bert, Olav, and Gunther. 

The abusers, however, keep their self-esteem high by deluding themselves that these younger woman actually like them, and of course by using the term bargirl, which could actually mean a girl who works in a bar ????

[billd766]

14 hours ago, sandyf said:

I only go by what I see Bill. I have been all around Thailand during the pandemic, had over 20 nights away with the TWW scheme and the majority of the hotels were full up. Only places I saw a bit quiet were those that catered for tourists

I have no doubt that there are many that lost the work they had but that does not mean there are no jobs available, a lot of foreign labour on the building sites around where I live. That area has doubled in size since pre pandemic.

It seems to be a modern trend, when things get difficult blame the government. I see the same here in the UK, inflation has touched 9% and like the world has come to an end. When I bought my first house in 1975 inflation was already 10% and went up to 18.6% in 1978, no help then from the government.

In the past people found a way to deal with problems, doesn't seem to be the case anymore. As I said previously, the Thais dealt with the tsunami and will deal with covid in due course.

IMO there are a lot of foreign labour around for 2 reasons,

 

1   Younger Thais don't want the work as it is hard graft

2   The wages are poor in comparison with the jobs that they feel they are entitled to.

 

Almost every school age child has lost nearly 2 years education which will cause a big problem for the next 3, 4 or more years.

 

[Lucky Bones]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

You forgot to add 'bar' before 'girl' . 

If you are not sure what a bar girl means - 

It's a term used by sexpats in Thailand for prostitutes from the poor, rural areas. 

Many of these suffering girls succumb to drug addiction or alcoholism due to the crushing of their self-worth by having to daily serve sexually fat, old Hank, Bert, Olav, and Gunther. 

The abusers, however, keep their self-esteem high by deluding themselves that these younger woman actually like them, and of course by using the term bargirl, which could actually mean a girl who works in a bar ????

Oh dear.

Got your jolliees in a jumble again.

Read "sarcasm".

 

 

[Senior Player]

17 hours ago, sandyf said:

You can pontificate all you want.

Bottom line is if you do not like the way things are done, stay away and whinge somewhere else.

Point is, I am staying away until they bin their draconian measures, just like millions of other travellers will be doing this year. 

 

With regards to pontificating—I don't think you understand the concept of a forum.

[atpeace]

19 hours ago, sandyf said:

I only go by what I see Bill. I have been all around Thailand during the pandemic, had over 20 nights away with the TWW scheme and the majority of the hotels were full up. Only places I saw a bit quiet were those that catered for tourists

I have no doubt that there are many that lost the work they had but that does not mean there are no jobs available, a lot of foreign labour on the building sites around where I live. That area has doubled in size since pre pandemic.

It seems to be a modern trend, when things get difficult blame the government. I see the same here in the UK, inflation has touched 9% and like the world has come to an end. When I bought my first house in 1975 inflation was already 10% and went up to 18.6% in 1978, no help then from the government.

In the past people found a way to deal with problems, doesn't seem to be the case anymore. As I said previously, the Thais dealt with the tsunami and will deal with covid in due course.

Built a camper and traveled Thailand during the pandemic.  Hotels are no where near the pre-pandemic occupancy.  I wonder what world you are living in? 

 

As for Thais recovering from this downturn, I agree with you 100% and the tsunami has little to do with it.  That was a minor inconvenience compare to the Asian Crisis and even the 2008 financial crisis.  The only thing that would hold back the out of hand tourism would be a long lasting world wide recession and even then it would return soon after.

[atpeace]

The more I read this thread - the more depressing it gets.  Good people seem to have lost their minds and judge the less fortunate as undesirables. We do make our own luck but that ability was taught to us or  through luck of circumstances we are well off or at least have enough to deposit the money needed into Thai banks to get a visa.  

 

Some don't have money and labeling them undesirable is simply wrong.  I hope none of my friends would have this belief and if they expressed it, I would lose a great amount of respect for them.  

 

I get there  are rules and they should be followed but trashing on those that don't meet financial requirements is disgusting behavior.

[Senior Player]

Just for those that are interested in travelling to Thailand as a holiday destination—and not those that hold temporary resident visas—the Ministry of Public Health has given a loose time frame for when it will decide upon dropping the Thailand Pass for foreigners. 

 

"It's possible that we will cancel the registration requirement of Thailand Pass for foreigners. We need one more month then we will have a clear answer," Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul said.

 

So don't expect to hear a decision on dropping the Thailand Pass for foreigners until late June at the earliest.

[Lacessit]

On 5/22/2022 at 5:08 PM, Senior Player said:

 

It's interesting to note that Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has agreed to launch an investigation to find out why so many people have died from Covid-19 despite having had three vaccination shots. So clearly these three shots haven't worked for everybody. Just sayin'.

Got a link for that? It would be interesting to know what he actually said.

[Lacessit]

On 5/22/2022 at 4:39 PM, Mac Mickmanus said:

How many houses and how much land do you have now ?

You do seem extremely rich 

I am really surprised by the number of wealthy people posting on ASEAN, I have to admire their industry in imparting wisdom to the masses.

[Senior Player]

39 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Got a link for that? It would be interesting to know what he actually said.

It was featured in a rival publication, so if I post a link, it'll be removed. You can Google "Anutin Charnvirakul has agreed to launch an investigation to find out why so many people have died from Covid-19 despite having had three vaccination shots" and get the desired result. Alternatively, there's this site below which has more of the same details, but it's behind a paywall...

 

https://www.trialsitenews.com/a/thailand-health-minister-launches-investigation-into-why-covid-19-vaccinated-persons-dying-from-sars-cov-2-807c1b87

 

I will add that the feature also stated: "Records showed that most deaths were among senior citizens and people with chronic diseases." 

[rabang]

On 5/20/2022 at 8:48 PM, Blumpie said:

I didn't realize that there were airlines that allowed unvaccinated people on planes.

I digress, continue... 

They are thinking their bottom line and not the feelings of some vaccination police. I would actually be surprised if there were airlines that voluntarily gave an advantage to their competitors.

[Neeranam]

On 5/22/2022 at 7:52 PM, Mac Mickmanus said:

No, Immigration love us that pay brown envelopes , they all get a slice of the pie , Immigration dislike the guys with all the paper work in order and pay a measly 1900 Baht per year for a visa , they get no tea money from that . 

   Why do you think that immigration make it as difficult  as possible for people to get visa extensions without using agents ?

   They want everyone to use agents , pay the "agency fees" and everyone gets a slice . 

  They get nothing from a measly 1900 Baht

You are correct, only with the bent immigration officers.

Sadly, too many foreigners are gullible and scared of immigration's extortion. 

The spineless many make it hard for the honest, legal immigrants. 

You can justify it all day but you are still an illegal immigrant and not welcome by law-abiding Thais. 

[Mac Mickmanus]

5 hours ago, Neeranam said:

You are correct, only with the bent immigration officers.

Sadly, too many foreigners are gullible and scared of immigration's extortion. 

The spineless many make it hard for the honest, legal immigrants. 

You can justify it all day but you are still an illegal immigrant and not welcome by law-abiding Thais. 

Nope, you are completely wrong, I am not an illegal immigrant and I am here legally and no one can ever make me leave 

[Neeranam]

20 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Nope, you are completely wrong, I am not an illegal immigrant and I am here legally and no one can ever make me leave 

Do you have a receipt for the last visa extension you got?

If you paid an agent to bribe an immigration officer, you are illegal and could be kicked out any time as a result. Chances are you won't as it would be one of their own that gave the fake visa stamp. However, it could come back and bit you on the bottom, especially if they sent your passport to an upcountry Immigration office, where they give these fake visas for a cheaper price. . 

[Mac Mickmanus]

8 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Do you have a receipt for the last visa extension you got?

If you paid an agent to bribe an immigration officer, you are illegal and could be kicked out any time as a result. Chances are you won't as it would be one of their own that gave the fake visa stamp. However, it could come back and bit you on the bottom, especially if they sent your passport to an upcountry Immigration office, where they give these fake visas for a cheaper price. . 

You don't seem to understand, I am in my Country of birth and I don't need a visa to stay .  

[Harveyboy]

On 5/22/2022 at 12:18 PM, baboon said:

They are even getting free holidays in Rwanda, whether they want them or not...

probably offered Pattaya and refused ha 

[Harveyboy]

On 5/21/2022 at 10:06 AM, mikeymike100 said:

Well said, but just to correct you, its illegal immigrants get everything!

ok stand i corrected  

[sandyf]

On 5/22/2022 at 11:34 PM, starky said:

You want to argue that Thailand doesnt want foreigners in a country whose income from tourists was over 20% of total GDP in the 4 years prior to covid (thats 62 BILLION...USD not baht in 2019 alone) go ahead thats your right. 

A distortion of the 20%, it was 12% international and 8% domestic tourism.

The hotels I have been to under WTT scheme have been virtually full, be a while before anyone knows the actual impactl.

Sent from the Befast -Liverpool ferry where you can almost count the passengers on one hand, passes the time with the bar facilities closed. 

[sandyf]

On 5/23/2022 at 6:19 AM, billd766 said:

IMO there are a lot of foreign labour around for 2 reasons,

 

1   Younger Thais don't want the work as it is hard graft

2   The wages are poor in comparison with the jobs that they feel they are entitled to.

 

Almost every school age child has lost nearly 2 years education which will cause a big problem for the next 3, 4 or more years.

 

A bit the same in the UK Bill. Been here about 3 weeks and don't think I have been served by a native, they seem to be too busy complaining about the cost of living.

Very chaotic here, I was supposed to fly from Gatwick to Belfast Sunday but Friday the flight was cancelled, had to come by train and ferry. Lost Sunday altogether and then couldn't get into the room, cleaners hadn't turned up, probably gone to work at the airport.

[sandyf]

On 5/23/2022 at 11:13 AM, atpeace said:

Hotels are no where near the pre-pandemic occupancy. 

I went to Krabi and they were empty but in Khao Kho they were full, maybe they were fuller than full pre pandemic.