1 hour ago, mikeymike100 said:

If the Thai Pass goes on 1st July as is expected, the insurance should go with it, but in Amazing Thailand who knows anything could happen?

It was why they wanted to add 300 Thb to each ticket for the supposed insurance, but then they already did this a few years back as a tax when leaving the country.  Double dipping is what it seems like to me.  Many of the countries we have traveled to wanted an e-visa application, but we were never asked to provide insurance documents ahead of time or even on arrival.  Insurance is needed for many, but then if you can self insure that's fine also, but a GoFundMe is not self insurance....

and yet another Friday passes by without endemic being gazetted

I have a friend in NZ who is not interested in coming until not wearing a mask outdoors is no longer frowned upon by the locals. I'm not in Bangkok so am not really aware of what is going on there, but I've seen plenty of videos with most people still masked up but also plenty of videos where they are not. Up here in Kalasin Province, my wife is still wearing even in the car.

24 minutes ago, wombat said:

and yet another Friday passes by without endemic being gazetted

Well the Gazette is endemic in nature, as far as the items installed in it like the current 13 billion baht loan from Japan.  I guess that was more important.....

Time to ditch the masks.  Maybe 25% of the village locals wear them anymore.  Everyone is tired.  Most of us have probably have had Covid two years ago.  Very few cases here and it basically is a two to four day mild flu.

It's time to get on with life.

12 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I have a friend in NZ who is not interested in coming until not wearing a mask outdoors is no longer frowned upon by the locals. I'm not in Bangkok so am not really aware of what is going on there, but I've seen plenty of videos with most people still masked up but also plenty of videos where they are not. Up here in Kalasin Province, my wife is still wearing even in the car.

Here on my side of BKK (Silom/Sathorn) The majority are still masked up, only ones I see are the foreigners, mainly tourists not wearing them.

42 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

3 hours ago, Tom H said:

Australia more quality:). Inflation rate Thailand 8%. One filet steak at El Gaucho 48 USD:). No wine included:).

Thats the truth, was just there this past Wednesday, Walked out after dinner, 4800 Thb lighter, same meal last year was 3600 Thb.  Not sure why the prices jumped like they did, but this time around we received a free shot of Caramel Vodka, took a little of the sting away......

I had a fine steak in Spain for 15 Euros. That's less than 600 baht. As for inflation, some of the items I buy regularly, like potatoes for me and chicken carcass for the dogs, the price has roughly doubled in the past 2-3 months. Chicken and pork prices rocketed before that by around 50% or more. If they didn't start from a low base to begin with it would be disastrous.

And what is it with so little choice in regular supermarkets here, like my local Lotus selling pork or chicken in various forms and little else. Fish is good, but that is the only alternative. Compare Thai supermarkets with what is available in Europe, the US or Australia and it's ridiculous. And the quality is often far inferior to what is available in those other places too, unless you go to Tops and pay Western+ prices. I suppose we get what we pay for - comparatively low prices for low quality. And you can extend that beyond food items. Glass half-full people will say it's good to have the choice.

10 hours ago, Onerak said:

Booked my flights for July 2nd early morning (9AM) from US. When should I apply for the TP? Is June 27 OK? I know I may lose 650 baht if they remove TP requirements but I really don't care $20 loss. 

My son in law got his Thai pass using his standard U.K. travel insurance showing Covid cover. Suggest you try applying with that first asap

2 hours ago, TTSIssues said:

Having avoided COVID since the pandemic started, we just had a three week trip to Phuket and whilst there - saw thousands of Arabs, Indians and other tourists - none of which were wearing masks. The result - I now have Covid. Maybe some testing for tourists isn’t such a bad idea ! 

As did In those exact circumstances,but the point is you’re going to get it at some stage anyway. But With 2 Pfizer vaccinations,and even at 70 it was a mild cold for a week 

Let me know when the end of the Thai pass actually happens. I'm getting tire of "considering an end to" articles. I would rather know where I can buy some cannabis gummies.

9 hours ago, Excel said:

But you do realize don't you that by you, and many others, exiting and returning to Thailand 3/4 times a year that means to TAT that there has been an increase in tourists of 3/4 times ????

You need to get out a bit more.

I flew from London to Vienna on Thursday and at the gate they said the flight was overbooked and asked for volunteers to be offloaded. The compensation is normally quite good so I stepped forward. After about 10 minutes punching the keyboard she turned round and said she couldn't find any availability for for Bangkok.

I suppose every flight was full up with expats.

2 hours ago, TTSIssues said:

Having avoided COVID since the pandemic started, we just had a three week trip to Phuket and whilst there - saw thousands of Arabs, Indians and other tourists - none of which were wearing masks. The result - I now have Covid. Maybe some testing for tourists isn’t such a bad idea ! 

Yah. Urban myth. How many thousands of Thais were in Phuket to not give you Covid? Did you count them as well ? Too bad there is not a " no thank you " emoji on here. Keep up the hype. 

28 minutes ago, sandyf said:

You need to get out a bit more.

I flew from London to Vienna on Thursday and at the gate they said the flight was overbooked and asked for volunteers to be offloaded. The compensation is normally quite good so I stepped forward. After about 10 minutes punching the keyboard she turned round and said she couldn't find any availability for for Bangkok.

I suppose every flight was full up with expats.

"You need to get out a bit more"

 

What's that got to do with TAT counting the same passengers arriving frequenting as a separate visitor in their numbers ? Seems like my post went straight over your head.

1 hour ago, connda said:

Time to ditch the masks.  Maybe 25% of the village locals wear them anymore.  Everyone is tired.  Most of us have probably have had Covid two years ago.  Very few cases here and it basically is a two to four day mild flu.

It's time to get on with life.

Agreed, even my local 7/11 here in Pattaya has given up, I go there most days and am now regularly seeing tourists with no masks, nobody says anything!

12 hours ago, aussiexpat said:

Too late for me, already booked my July-August trip within Australia instead of my normal 2 month 'winter' in Thailand

Wow -- Enjoy, where are you heading to....Wollongong ?  or maybe a QLD resort in Logan......................

Time for Anutin to step in and gauge his money options then to say No to Chang and push Monkeypox again with dirty Falangs 

11 hours ago, Excel said:

Inflation is relentlessly going up all over the world yet many major companies are increasing profits extraordinarily, certainly in those countries with democratic governments.

Covid 19 should be acknowledged by those companies auditors on their yearly audited  balance sheets as an incredible once in a lifetime opportunity, professionally manipulated,  to maximise company profits and correspondingly increased shareholder dividends.

I hope they all enjoy it because unless they cash in real soon, those gains are already vaporizing as the greatest depression gets underway.

11 hours ago, ezzra said:

With the cost of living and inflation going up and on at the moment all over Australia, that 'within Australia' trip would cost you a lot more had you vacationed in Thailand

Unfortunately for Thailand, many people are staying home or close to home. They would rather the security it brings. Especially if you’re a family with kids. I live in S. France. Hotels have been fully booked here since Easter until end of September/ October. Yes, more expensive than Thailand, but when you spend the 2000€ plus on long haul flights, you can spend it on food and hotels in EU or wherever you come from. You don’t get the “ exotic” feel, but you do get nice hotels, deep blue clean beaches,  warm weather mostly everywhere, fantastic food choice, and no long complicated flights that cost too. Thailand has a lot of competition.

12 hours ago, Onerak said:

Booked my flights for July 2nd early morning (9AM) from US. When should I apply for the TP? Is June 27 OK? I know I may lose 650 baht if they remove TP requirements but I really don't care $20 loss. 

I did it yesterday for next week. The 650 option was not working. Had to use the 1070 option. Approval was sent in bout 30 minutes.

3 hours ago, cardinalblue said:

Finally buy that hybrid club rather than covid insurance....about the same price.

What is a hybrid club?

Form a committee, go to lunch, then a soapy, then go home.

Rinse and repeat for a month, on the last day of the month, send it to the parliament, they then form thier Bento Box committee, and go to even grander lunches and soapies, eventually it may get in the Royal Gazette, then there's a grace period in case someone screwed up and word is handed down -reversing it all.

Finally, maybe, it goes into law and a bunch of vague and half baked clauses are unveiled to the world, as clear as mud, causing much angst and debate among the huddled expat masses, but also so that every minor minion and his dog can interpret it on the wing as they see fit on the day. And that's how it will likely "change", if at all ever.

23 minutes ago, Puccini said:

What is a hybrid club?

It's one of those contraptions used in the perverse "sport" of chasing a tiny ball around prime real estate that could be put to better use for humanity, like growing opium poppies for instance.

11 hours ago, Onerak said:

Yes, I know that. There is no covid testing requirements for land crossing. I don't know why it has stayed for so long for air travels. 

The only people that don’t think the pandemic is over are big pharma 

Pfizer and Moderna have 7 billion doses of vaccine that no one wants,according to the Epic Times 

 

8 minutes ago, kiwikeith said:

The only people that don’t think the pandemic is over are big pharma 

Pfizer and Moderna have 7 billion doses of vaccine that no one wants,according to the Epic Times 

 

And Thailand just threw out a poop load as well...

Still waiting for a similar announcement here in Canada. They tend to follow the lead of the States hopefully it's not too long a wait.

 

13 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Professionaly manipulated...how so?  You mean the pharmaceutical corporations?  Not sure about that. The gas and power companies? Who

That's a new one to me, "professionally manipulated" - I didn't know there were professional manipulators. Clearly a made up term by someone who doesn't understand economics and leans toward conspiracy and Q-anon

8 minutes ago, Jonathan Swift said:

That's a new one to me, "professionally manipulated" - I didn't know there were professional manipulators. Clearly a made up term by someone who doesn't understand economics and leans toward conspiracy and Q-anon

Perhaps instead of attempting to be a smart a**e yet making yourself look stupid as do to your ignorance you think it is a made up term, you should spend more time educating yourself

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/recognising-dealing-professional-manipulation-full-article-horne

13 hours ago, Onerak said:

Yes, I know that. There is no covid testing requirements for land crossing. I don't know why it has stayed for so long for air travels. 

That's why sports teams(NBA,MLB,NHL) have been flying into Buffalo then busing over the border.Teams out west flew into Vancouver then bused into Bellingham Washington to board a plane.

It aint over until the fat lady sings

If Thai Pass ends will Royal Thai Consulates and Embassies be issuing more than just 30 day Tourist Visas? When will they begin issuing all types of visas?