Thailand will end coronavirus quarantine requirements for vaccinated visitors from 10 low-risk countries starting Nov. 1

[dab69]

Thailand will end coronavirus quarantine requirements for vaccinated visitors from 10 low-risk countries starting Nov. 1, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Monday, as the Southeast Asian nation tries to revive its pandemic-hit economy.

Thailand last year suffered its deepest economic contraction in more than two decades, with the key tourism sector still struggling.

Visitors from at least 10 countries including the United Kingdom, Singapore, Germany, China and the United States will be exempted from quarantine on arrival, Prayuth said in a televised speech.


https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thailand-end-quarantine-some-vaccinated-visitors-nov-pm-2021-10-11/?fbclid=IwAR1mDYaAJDtr28pXnklXJrNZHLE_x4jPGQlCxNoE _A_Bzz3oi9uWd-gCWHY


Thanks to Z909 (other forum )for the good news

[Brad the Impala]

Hooray!

[Manforallseasons]

Hooray!

Am anxious to hear about your planned trip.

[Patanawet]

PM has asked the CCSA and the Ministry of Public Health to urgently consider allowing foreign visitors to enter Thailand without any requirement for quarantine if they are fully vaccinated and arrive by air from low-risk countries.
All they are required to do is to show an RT-PCR test result undertaken before they leave their home country, and do a test in Thailand. After that they will be free to move around Thailand as Thais can do.

AND no bars or pubs and alcohol till December.

[Manforallseasons]

[QUOTE=Patanawet) AND no bars or pubs and alcohol till December.[/QUOTE]

I can’t speak for BKK but without bars there will be little reason for people to return to Pattaya, surely not for the pristine beach or the many cultural sites.

[Uranus]

When did United Kingdom, Singapore, Germany, and the United States become low risk countries? Some decision making person cannot read statistics.

[Brad the Impala]

Am anxious to hear about your planned trip.

How touching is your interest! I had already booked my christmas/new year trip to take advantage of the Phuket Sandbox, which I now read may no longer be operative by the time I get there! Nevertheless as it is a relatively curtailed visit I'm still going to stick to Phuket and neighbouring provinces, with perhaps a short side trip to Bangkok. So sadly I will have to forego the pleasure of your company as I know that you rarely venture far from Pattaya these days.

[gerefan2]

Caution. Wait until the rules are fully spelt out.

There’s no quarantine in Phuket....but you have to go into the Sandbox for 7 days.

Don’t raise the glasses until the Sandbox is abolished.

[Old git]

Sooner than I expected - and a great stepping stone.

> Now we need the bars open and tourist normality back.

Dare I book tickets for the end of the year now? - I have this feeling that once full normality is announced, they'll be a rush on the airlines..

[goji]

When did United Kingdom, Singapore, Germany, and the United States become low risk countries? Some decision making person cannot read statistics.

The UK has quite a high number of cases. However the risk of that person bringing covid to Thailand could be reduced by requiring them to do a PCR test 72 hours before departure and again shortly after arrival in Thailand. My guess is those requirements would remain in place in a sandbox programme.

With the testing, I suspect any arrival from the UK is less likely to have covid than the locals. Particularly when the locals will be avoiding testing like the plague, just in case failing gets them sent to a field hospital.

The other point is variants. Currently the UK has delta, just the same as Thailand. However the UK has a very active programme screening for virus mutations, so if something new appears, it is likely to be detected quickly.
In that respect, the UK is low risk.




Dare I book tickets for the end of the year now? - I have this feeling that once full normality is announced, they'll be a rush on the airlines..
1 I guess it's a sandbox, which would put a lid on the numbers, as that is not full normality.
2 The choice and timing of flights is currently inferior to pre-covid. So if they do announce some reasonable rules, might we see the likes of EVA dust off their planes & start providing some more choice for the consumer ?

[gerefan2]

Dare I book tickets for the end of the year now? - I have this feeling that once full normality is announced, they'll be a rush on the airlines...

The million $ question.

Firstly, if you want to travel at the end of the year you will have to pay more anyway. I find any dates after the first week of December fares rise astronomically.

Secondly, I cannot see “full normality” any time soon. All that is suggested is that quarantine is abolished. That leaves the Sandbox and it’s yet to be announced restrictions. We won’t know what these are until further announcements are made.

You can rest assured it won’t be straight forward! TiT.

Best wait a bit. I am!

[Patanawet]

I can’t speak for BKK but without bars there will be little reason for people to return .
And there was no mention of the curfew.
The CCSA meeting to determine all this is on Thursday.

[goji]

Well, Pattaya will mostly be dry & sunny from December-February, so it will be shorts & T-shirt weather.
The coffee shops & restaurants are very likely to be open.
There will be a nice selection of lads on Grindr, including from Laos & Cambodia (some have been there the whole time).
The beach will most likely be open.
Massages WILL be available (either legally or discretely)

The big questions are:
1 Whether going out for a beer means visiting a friend, drinking beer out of a mug in a "restaurant" (= bar with a sideline in food) or some kind of full opening with/without hours restricted ?
2 What will the sandbox rules be ? If too restrictive, well it's time I returned to Phuket.

[dab69]

.


Firstly, if you want to travel at the end of the year you will have to pay more anyway. I find any dates after the first week of December fares rise astronomically.



I used to think that until I tried Expedia.
It IS true for Delta.com

[gerefan2]

I used to think that until I tried Expedia.
It IS true for Delta.com

I wouldn’t use a consolidator in the current climate.
Difficult to change bookings and there are many going bust.
I’m booking direct with the airlines for the moment.

[arsenal]

There are good deals to be had if you dare. He who dares wins.

[Moggy]

Kayak.co.uk far better prices particularly in premium classes.

[Patanawet]

Hang on there!
These are 'suggestions' by the dictator that he will put to the full CCSA meeting on Thursday.
They can modify these in any direction.
Then they have to be published in the Royal Gazette.
Then provincial governors can further modify.

I notice he didn't mention the curfew.

[Oliver2]

As I've said elsewhere, remember that most hotels aren't open. They will need to re-hire many of their staff and although Agate assured me that they were ensuring that maintenance standards are being.....maintained, re-opening will take time. And as far as flights are concerned, I assume that some planes will have been mothballed and that putting them back into service isn't as simple as turning on my central heating in autumn.

I'm a masochistic viewer of Youtube "Pattaya today" videos. Those empty sois and boarded-up premises, not to mention the soup-kitchens, are enough to persuade me to wait.

[pong]

google flights give a comparison-or at least here in this continental country- of all main airlines and booking-middlemen
THEN go to the airline concerned to book directly
Note that airprices can also vary a big lot depending on how long you stay away

[Brad the Impala]

As I've said elsewhere, remember that most hotels aren't open.

While that may be the case in Pattaya, it is not the case in Phuket, where many hotels are open with some even filling up in the Christmas holiday period.

[christianpfc]

Visitors from at least 10 countries including the United Kingdom, Singapore, Germany, China and the United States will be exempted from quarantine on arrival, Prayuth said in a televised speech.
I found the same wording in all English language news. Didn't bother to look up the original in Thai. Apart from those countries mentioned, it's pretty unspecific.

As before, I will wait and see what actually comes out of this announcement. And I hope no quarantine means no hotel booking necessary means no more COE. I'm ready to go on a few days' notice, provided Cambodia is among the countries exempt from quarantine and COE is abolished and good connections (flight or even better land border open).

[Patanawet]

What Prayut said was that these are suggestions to be put by him to the full meeting of the CCSA tomorrow (Thursday).
There are also sub committees putting their own suggestions for discussion, among them one suggesting changing the curfew to 23:00.
The meeting will be chaired by Prayut so I doubt if anyone will go against his suggestions.
NOTHING is set in stone till published in the Royal Gazette soon after the meeting.

THEN the provincial governors can tweak to suit local conditions.

[vnman]

There are good deals to be had if you dare. He who dares wins.

Are you sure that is the total price? These two airlines advertise prices with luggage not included.

[arsenal]

I'm not sure if it includes baggage, peanuts, bloody mary's, or a quick one with the cabin boy. Caveat emptor.

[vnman]

I'm not sure if it includes baggage, peanuts, bloody mary's, or a quick one with the cabin boy. Caveat emptor.

Shouldn't you be aware of this when you claim that something is cheap? It's not peanuts we are talking about. I assume that we all can do without the peanuts but also need checked-in baggage which would easily add an extra 25% to the price.

[goji]

Shouldn't you be aware of this when you claim that something is cheap? It's not peanuts we are talking about. I assume that we all can do without the peanuts but also need checked-in baggage which would easily add an extra 25% to the price.

It doesn't matter. Anyone booking a trip should do their own research, as requirements can vary from cabin bags to 2 or more checked bags.
I've done 1 week Euro breaks with the old Ryan Air spec carry on bags, before the ****s changed the rules. Since they changed the rules, I've not flown with them.
Have always checked a bag for Asia, but it's not mandatory.

[arsenal]

"Shouldn't you be aware of this when you claim that something is cheap? It's not peanuts we are talking about. I assume that we all can do without the peanuts but also need checked-in baggage which would easily add an extra 25% to the price."

Not really. I don't need to be aware of anything to do with your travel costs.. I just posted some info on flights out of the UK as an example. And we don't all need checked baggage. I haven't checked a bag in for over ten years making do with whatever I can fit in a holdall.

[Nirish guy]

I haven't checked a bag in for over ten years making do with whatever I can fit in a holdall.

Yes isn't it amazing how 10 years ago we mainly wouldn't have considered NOT packing a suitcase to go away for a week or more and now you're consider it almost a crazy idea to even THINK of taking one ( and paying the ridiculous prices they charge to put you off doing just that in the first place). Plus it's not even the money now so much as just the over all handiness too i not having to lug a suitcase around with you - so yes I'm with you on the haven't packed a "case" in over ten years too think ( well except for my 6 weeks in Thailand trips.....but that's mainly all just to carry the sex toys and lube of course ! lol)

[goji]

Flying short haul, with Easy Jet & so on, we have no idea how long the queue for baggage drop will be. If might be a couple of minutes, or a long queue taking almost an hour.
It's much better to go directly to security with a carry on bag.
Then at the other end, be off the plane quickly, be first through security and leave the airport with no wait to collect baggage.

Something like a Cabin Max which met the old Ryan Air, Easy Jet etc rules for free carry on luggage could easily take everything I needed for a week abroad AND it would fit under the seat in front if necessary.

Also, why the hell don't Boeing and Airbus optimize their small aircraft for the target market ? We need less luggage space under the plane and more overhead locker space. So it needs a 737 or A320 with a lower floor & bigger lockers.

Getting back to the topic, The Bangkok Post confirms the end of quarantine, for just 5 countries but does not tell us what entry restrictions will be in place. Well they mention a RT-PCR test, but nothing is said about deleting all the other requirements.
"Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said the CCSA resolved on Thursday to allow in fully vaccinated visitors from Britain, the United States, Germany, Singapore and China if they pass an RT-PCR test before arrival."

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2197799/quarantine-being-lifted-more-provinces-being-opened

The Pattaya Mail has something slightly more helpful, as "preliminary criteria":
"According to the minister, visitors will need to present evidence of full inoculation against COVID-19 as well as a pre-departure test result for COVID-19. They will need to take an RT-PCR test upon arrival in Thailand and must spend the first night at an Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) facility or an authorized hotel to wait for the test result. The visitors will need to cover expenses incurred from these requirements. Once a negative result is confirmed, a visitor may then travel anywhere in Thailand"
https://www.pattayamail.com/thailandnews/thai-health-ministry-unveils-preliminary-criteria-for-november-quarantine-lifting-375706

[Old git]

I haven't checked a bag in for over ten years making do with whatever I can fit in a holdall.

If you are content to make daily trips to a laundry and don't mind having little variety in your attire, you can get away with very little baggage. I find daily laundry runs a bore so have a three day routine that requires thirteen shirts for use in Thailand* and one warmer one to go to and from the airport in - what with other bits, hand luggage is not enough.

However, I've known people in the past who were sufficiently well in with a bar to be allowed to leave a holdall in the staff locker room to await their return.

*One shirt for daytime, a fresh one for the evening, six to the laundry every three days, six to collect, plus of course, one to wear while going to the laundry..

[goji]

I should know better than to trust the Bangkok Post.
Listening to the CCSA announcement, he says the 5 "example" countries were discussed, but the list is NOT finalized.

Listen from 2:20:
https://www.facebook.com/thailandprd/videos/447905443331887

[billyhouston]

In spite of having everything in Thailand that I need for living, I've just arrived here with two large, full and heavy suitcases. Caused some raised eyebrows at my place of incarceration, but it's amazing what one 'needs'. In addition there's another couple of bags full of computers and cameras/lenses. Needless to say I choose and airline with a generous baggage allowance... which I didn't come anywhere near matching.

[Blueskytoday]

I would think....that having to pay extra for a suitcase on the plane,,,,is the LEAST of ones concern....NO COE,,,NO INSURANCE....NO QUARANTINE...
ONLY a pcr test ....This sounds like the right response....

[Ruthrieston]

I remember when I sold up everything and moved to live in Thailand in November 2011 I carried everything I owned in one big suitcase and a carry on. I had to jump up and down on the suitcase to get it closed and the carry on was jammed too. I had booked Business Class on Eva because I knew I would have trouble with my overweight suitcase. The check in lady was almost shocked at how overweight the suitcase was and I did the whole sob story routine, eyes welling up, saying I was moving to live in Thailand with everything I owned.......grovel....beg.... After a pause she waved me off, looked at the carry on and said "I am not even going to weigh that!" Wonderful woman!

[London68]

they said 10 countries and listed 5.

[goji]

they said 10 countries and listed 5.

The list of countries is not yet decided and the five countries are "examples". The CCSA spokesperson said the actual list will be issued next week and include "a lot more than 10 countries".

Source (CCSA): https://www.facebook.com/nbtworld/videos/554806905601077

Well worth listening to at least the first 90 seconds.
This guy presents in English better than BJ.

[dab69]

Pattaya begins removing homeless before foreign tourists see them

Pattaya has begun removing homeless people from the streets before the city’s planned reopening Nov. 1 so foreigners won’t see how desperate things have become.



City hall and Chonburi Social Development and Human Security officials picked up vagrants and tramps from numerous locales and transported them to a temporary center in Naklua where each was tested for Covid-19.


From there, the homeless were given a choice: Go back to your home province at the province’s expense or be admitted to the Chonburi Protection Center for the Destitute.

While social workers couldn’t force them to make that choice, the vagrants faced arrest if they chose to go back to the streets.



Deputy Mayor Banlue Kullavanijaya said the mobile service units that processed the homeless will continue to patrol the city to remove vagrants from Pattaya before they are seen by returning foreign tourists next month.

https://www.pattayamail.com/news/pattaya-begins-removing-homeless-before-foreign-tourists-see-them-375768

Can we search through the boys section?

[francois]

Vagrants and tramps = homeless people.

[Oliver2]

As usual, the promise of commercial gain, particularly for the already comfortably-off, results in the poor, some of whom may well have been doing quite well two years ago, being considered not as worthy of support and compassion but as an eyesore. To whose example do these politicians aspire? Buddha or Mammon? Silly question.

[arsenal]

I don't think this is a new rule, merely an enforcement of an existing one. I've ridden all over the city at all hours and seen very few people sleeping rough.

[Manforallseasons]

I don't think this is a new rule, merely an enforcement of an existing one. I've ridden all over the city at all hours and seen very few people sleeping rough.

That was then, this is now.

[Oliver2]

The Youtube videos of Pattaya today- of which there are a plethora and to which I am sadly addicted- show the numbers clearly and distressingly. And the queues at the soup kitchens.
When you come to think of it, the fact that there are people who have earnt next to nothing for nearly two years and the absence of an effective social service provision in Thailand, it would be amazing if there weren't a lot of victims.

[dinagam]

It is really unfortunate that for whatever reason some of them couldn't return to their villages for shelter and comfort,however those who managed to be back with their family and friends, they face life with equanimity, without a strand of hair out of place.