Thailand’s Proposal for Mandatory Covid-19 Vaccination Proof Angers and Panics International Travelers

[webfact]

 

By Adam Judd

 

Bangkok, Thailand-A proposal made by multiple Thai agencies to require proof of at least two Covid-19 vaccine shots in the wake of the return of Chinese tourists next week has caused anger, frustration, and panic amongst many would-be travelers to Thailand.

 

The proposal was led by Thai Public Health Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and included input from multiple ministries such as Tourism and Sports, Transport, Office of the Insurance Board, and more.

 

In essence, the proposal is due to the return of Chinese tourists after three years effective from Sunday, January 8th, after China dropped most of its Covid zero measures and prepares to reopen its borders to travel. The proposal also includes a further policy to require proof of insurance for any traveler coming from a nation requiring a Covid-19 test to return home, which would also include India who recently enacted this rule for travelers coming from Thailand and several other countries.

 

The reaction to the proposal has been, to say the least, unpopular. Anutin has continually stated Thailand will not discriminate and single out China individually with Covid restrictions like many other countries like the US and UK have done, due to concern about the level of Covid in the country currently after a widespread breakout.

 

Instead, due to what many analysts and social media users believe is mainly politics, Thailand will apply any measures to deter Covid to all visitors versus only China. This of course avoids offending the Chinese government who has already praised Thailand for their approach while chastising countries, especially the US, who have enacted restrictions on their citizens.

 

Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2023/01/06/thailands-proposal-for-mandatory-covid-19-vaccination-proof-angers-and-panics-international-travelers/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2023-01-06

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

[mikeymike100]

In the last 6 months i have traveled out of Thailand 2 times, once to Jakarta, Indonesia and once to Singapore. On check in to go back to Thailand I was asked, both times,  to show proof of vaccination?

Has something changed?

[KhunLA]

Unfortunately, just a proposal for now  ???? ???? ????

[anchadian]

8 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Unfortunately, just a proposal for now  ???? ???? ????

Yes, has always been just a proposal.

 

Don't believe all the Thai headlines you read.

[WHansen]

27 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

In the last 6 months i have traveled out of Thailand 2 times, once to Jakarta, Indonesia and once to Singapore. On check in to go back to Thailand I was asked, both times,  to show proof of vaccination?

Has something changed?

Must have been local rules in said countries. 6 weeks ago from UK to TL i was not required to show proof of vax.

[Celsius]

I'm not angry.

 

Thailand is mine! MINE!

[KhunLA]

12 minutes ago, WHansen said:

Must have been local rules in said countries. 6 weeks ago from UK to TL i was not required to show proof of vax.

Hoping they enforce it myself, but surely many will not want any restrictions, as it is now.  Becoming policy is doubtful.  Even if so, expect a flip flop back to no restrictions after the outcry...and cancelled reservations.

 

Does make planning a holiday in TH a bit difficult.  Only the vax'd happy folks on booster # 10 will be prepared ???? ... IF it becomes policy.

[newnative]

51 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

In the last 6 months i have traveled out of Thailand 2 times, once to Jakarta, Indonesia and once to Singapore. On check in to go back to Thailand I was asked, both times,  to show proof of vaccination?

Has something changed?

I guess it must have.  I traveled out and back into Thailand in December and was not asked for vaccination proof.

[garygooner]

Many people received their last vaccine or booster more than a year ago. I guess that is still better than unvaccinated?  ????

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, mikeymike100 said:

In the last 6 months i have traveled out of Thailand 2 times, once to Jakarta, Indonesia and once to Singapore. On check in to go back to Thailand I was asked, both times,  to show proof of vaccination?

Has something changed?

This would have been an airline specific policy or perhaps an Indonesia/Singapore policy. Thailand did not require it.

[yeahbutif]

So when does the proposal become reality.as I thought this was concrete already..but so many different comments..on various posts.. 

[Mr Joe Bangles]

Perhaps the headline should read  "Thailand’s Proposal for Mandatory Covid-19 Vaccination Pleases and Reassures Local Residents". Just putting the alternative view.

[sqwakvfr]

3 hours ago, mikeymike100 said:

In the last 6 months i have traveled out of Thailand 2 times, once to Jakarta, Indonesia and once to Singapore. On check in to go back to Thailand I was asked, both times,  to show proof of vaccination?

Has something changed?

In the last 6 months I have been to the US and then Singapore.  I was never asked for proof of vaccination when i came back to Thailand. I was only asked to show my vaccine certificate by the airlines when I checked in with Singapore Airlines and then Scoot Air.  

[sqwakvfr]

2 hours ago, garygooner said:

Many people received their last vaccine or booster more than a year ago. I guess that is still better than unvaccinated?  ????

I got a booster months ago.  Although it was in the US and with the Bivalent Vaccine. 

[mikeymike100]

26 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

In the last 6 months I have been to the US and then Singapore.  I was never asked for proof of vaccination when i came back to Thailand. I was only asked to show my vaccine certificate by the airlines when I checked in with Singapore Airlines and then Scoot Air.  

Exactly same in my case! It must be just an airline policy, I flew Singapore Airlines too! Got to Thailand no checks whatsoever!

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, garygooner said:

Many people received their last vaccine or booster more than a year ago. I guess that is still better than unvaccinated?  ????

Not even sure about that..... efficacy was supposed to diminish over time for some of the vaccinations....6 months  was mentioned for Pfizer and Moderna before another dose was needed. (Original  Covid).

[bang saen guy]

We all know that this will change. As normal, it has not been well thought out

[racket]

Thailand: we want Chinese tourists to come back.

Also Thailand: let's make it hard for the Chinese to come and travel.

Edited January 6, 2023 by racket

[anchadian]

Thailand’s first case of COVID-19 XAY.2 variant has been diagnosed and has been reported to GISAID, Dr. Supakit Sirilak, director-general of Medical Science Department, said today (Friday).

 

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailand-detects-its-first-case-of-covid-19-xay-2-variant/

[d2b2]

Thailand is a vassal state. Beholden to China at the cost of its own citizens. 
 

[geisha]

A British doctor in China (on tv a few days ago) said that there were enormous numbers of Covid infections and that doctors and hospitals were overflowing . Now if this happens again, in Thailand or the other third world countries, there’s a lot of misery to come. Haven’t we learnt from the past 3 years ? Do we really need another serious Covid epidemic?  And is it really so bad to insist on vaccinations ( the new ones ) and testing for travelers ? ( obviously not for people who cannot for medical reasons). Doesn’t bother me one bit. 

[FarAway]

7 hours ago, mikeymike100 said:

In the last 6 months i have traveled out of Thailand 2 times, once to Jakarta, Indonesia and once to Singapore. On check in to go back to Thailand I was asked, both times,  to show proof of vaccination?

Has something changed?

 

It was scrapped 1st of October 2022.

If you entered afterwards and still was being asked, the check-in-worker was just uninformed.

[Sharp]

Some people on this thread definitely sleep with the light on !!!!

[brewsterbudgen]

12 minutes ago, geisha said:

A British doctor in China (on tv a few days ago) said that there were enormous numbers of Covid infections and that doctors and hospitals were overflowing . Now if this happens again, in Thailand or the other third world countries, there’s a lot of misery to come. Haven’t we learnt from the past 3 years ? Do we really need another serious Covid epidemic?  And is it really so bad to insist on vaccinations ( the new ones ) and testing for travelers ? ( obviously not for people who cannot for medical reasons). Doesn’t bother me one bit. 

The 'proposal' is just for proof of vaccination and Covid insurance. There's been no suggestion about bringing back testing!

[cnx101]

8 hours ago, mikeymike100 said:

In the last 6 months i have traveled out of Thailand 2 times, once to Jakarta, Indonesia and once to Singapore. On check in to go back to Thailand I was asked, both times,  to show proof of vaccination?

Has something changed?

Since April I’ve been in and out 6 times never been asked once, I’ve got a vaccine passport but never used it.

[cnx101]

The best solution to save all the future problems would be don’t let anyone from China in, but there’s no chance of that.

[mikeymike100]

12 minutes ago, cnx101 said:

Since April I’ve been in and out 6 times never been asked once, I’ve got a vaccine passport but never used it.

Apparently its the airline that's asking for it? I was on Singapore airlines. In Thailand nobody checked nothing

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

In essence, the proposal is due to the return of Chinese tourists after three years effective from Sunday, January 8th, after China dropped most of its Covid zero measures and prepares to reopen its borders to travel. The proposal also includes a further policy to require proof of insurance for any traveler coming from a nation requiring a Covid-19 test to return home, which would also include India who recently enacted this rule for travelers coming from Thailand and several other countries.

Vaccine shots and insurance cover...

Thailand really knows how to soot itself in the foot.

[NanLaew]

19 hours ago, Sheryl said:

21 hours ago, mikeymike100 said:

In the last 6 months i have traveled out of Thailand 2 times, once to Jakarta, Indonesia and once to Singapore. On check in to go back to Thailand I was asked, both times,  to show proof of vaccination?

Has something changed?

This would have been an airline specific policy or perhaps an Indonesia/Singapore policy. Thailand did not require it.

Correct. Last June, AirAsia required to see my vaccination status at Don Muang for a flight to Kota Kinabalu via KL. A week later, I had to register online with the Singaporean health authorities 72-hours ahead of my AirAsia flight from Kota Kinabalu to Singapore. Immigration at Changi specifically asked to see my vaccination proof but not for my friend who had just arrived from KL.

[phetphet]

After the way that China has been treating it's citizens over Covid this last three years, including welding the entrances to tower blocks shut to prevent citizens going out, I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of these future tourists will be planning a one way trip and applying to stay.

 

Many of them already own apartments here in Thailand and other countries that they previously rented out through Airbnb. So they already have a base 

 

 

One would think that in the interest of safety, the current epidemic racing through the country and the huge numbers infected, China itself would understand the need for other countries to impose certain restrictions on it travelling citizens. Why the outrage?