New Changes for Entry to the Kingdom

[Manforallseasons]

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2268839/govt-to-scrap-day-5-pcr-test-cut-insurance-cost-for-test-go-arrivals

[maump]

Agreed. Now they have abolished the second test, the probability of testing positive on arrival is very low, particularly after taking sensible precautions before and during the trip.
Also, any additional costs are likely to be offset by low hotel prices.

Really that easy?

Cannot find out from Thailand if my USA vaccine card will pass until it is submitted. must buy duplicative insurance policies acceptable to Thailand, and the rumor (reality?) of positive test fraud and mandatory hospitalization scheme. separate negative test ignored as not admissible.

I'm skeptical. just bought a ticket to Colombia, then after 30 days maybe Philippines if Thailand is still in half lockdown. Id like to come to Thailand, i love the men and the food. wanted to experience Songkran but....

[maump]

Really that easy?

I'm skeptical. just bought a ticket to Colombia, then after 30 days maybe Philippines if Thailand is still in half lockdown. Id like to come to Thailand, i love the men and the food. wanted to experience Songkran but....

I read the article in another thread of reduction in entry requirements on march 1. maybe end of March, I will fly to BKK.

[StevieWonders]

I read the article in another thread of reduction in entry requirements on march 1. maybe end of March, I will fly to BKK.The entry requirement is that you must have a "Thailand Pass". The requirements for a Thailand Pass are (you will need to verify these after 1 March)

Evidence of vaccination status and vaccines received
Evidence of an insurance policy should you need to be hospitalised for COVID while in Thailand for the cover of USD 20,000 (previously 50,000)
Evidence that you have a 1-night Test & Go hotel booking for your first night in Thailand (same as proposed arrival date)
Proposed date of arrival (a firm booking is assumed)


The requirements are the same if you fly into DMK if you're using one of the Bangkok airports; they don't just apply to BKK

As I understand the new requirement for the Day Five Test is that your Test & Go hotel will give you a Rapid Test Kit when you check out; you must self-administer the test on Day Five, take a photo of the result in the Test Kit, and end it to the hotel (that's my understanding; you would need to verify)

[daydreamer]

Cannot find out from Thailand if my USA vaccine card will pass until it is submitted. must buy duplicative insurance policies acceptable to Thailand
.


A copy of your paper US CDC vaccine card is acceptable for the Thailand Pass approval.

A US insurance policy is also acceptable, as long as it meets the current requirements. It does not have to be an insurance policy purchased from a Thai company. So there is no need to purchase a duplicate policy.

I recently returned home from a one month long trip to Thailand. The approval of my Thailand Pass using my US vaccine card and a US insurance policy took less than one week.

[Dboy]

Thank you. I was under the impression that a Thai insurance scheme was required. This does sound much more reasonable that it was before.

[maump]

A copy of your paper US CDC vaccine card is acceptable for the Thailand Pass approval.

A US insurance policy is also acceptable, as long as it meets the current requirements. It does not have to be an insurance policy purchased from a Thai company. So there is no need to purchase a duplicate policy.

I recently returned home from a one month long trip to Thailand. The approval of my Thailand Pass using my US vaccine card and a US insurance policy took less than one week.

Thank you! I am getting some hope. what kind of USA insurance documentation did you provide Thai pass??

[StevieWonders]

Thank you! I am getting some hope. what kind of USA insurance documentation did you provide Thai pass??Friends of mine used a policy bought through InsureMyTrip. No COVID policy sold by a Thai company will insure anyone older than their mid-seventies. One Thai site he looked at that would insure someone older was called "Mister Prakan" where the only policy on offer was for something like 2 million baht coverage, way more than the current requirement, and wanted to slug him 5,000 for a month's coverage. If you're old and decrepit Thailand doesn't welcome you any more

[Oliver2]

Thaiger provided details of a number of BKK -based companies that don't have an age limit. Go to their site. I made my choice a month or so back.

[StevieWonders]

Thaiger provided details of a number of BKK -based companies that don't have an age limit. Go to their site. I made my choice a month or so back.I regard Thaiger as the least reliable site for anything in Thailand; in particular they appear to have commercial relationships with any company they mention (also known as "kickbacks"). I certainly can't find anything on their site that you mention except the usual gang of Thai insurance companies, none of whom will touch anyone over 75. Every Thai insurance company I checked today was still offering policies for 50, 100 or even 200,000 USD cover, at appropriately inflated prices. None of them was offering a policy with the new 20,000 USD cover required

[Blueskytoday]

Can you provide me with a couple of Thai Insurance Companies who DO give the coverage for someone between age 77 and 80 years old...Thanks

[Oliver2]

The list of insurers seems fine; indeed, I ran a test through one of them and was accepted despite my age. I suggest people try for themselves.

https://thethaiger.com/covid-19/insurance/

[StevieWonders]

The list of insurers seems fine; indeed, I ran a test through one of them and was accepted despite my age. I suggest people try for themselves.

https://thethaiger.com/covid-19/insurance/Be more specific. Which Thai insurance company sold you the mandatory COVID insurance for travellers as your age is 75+

The link you have provided is not for insurance for inbound travellers that will meet the requirements of the Thailand Pass

[francois]

Can you provide me with a couple of Thai Insurance Companies who DO give the coverage for someone between age 77 and 80 years old...Thanks

Here is insurance company I used. Up to 99 year old.

https://asq.in.th/thailand-covid-insurance

[StevieWonders]

Here is insurance company I used. Up to 99 year old.

https://asq.in.th/thailand-covid-insuranceI did a dummy application for 30 days cover; cost was 3700 baht and the cover was 5.25 million baht which is considerably more than the old USD 50,000 limit. I guess it may drop next week when the new limit comes in

[gerefan2]

Here is insurance company I used. Up to 99 year old.

https://asq.in.th/thailand-covid-insurance


I did a dummy application for 30 days cover; cost was 3700 baht and the cover was 5.25 million baht which is considerably more than the old USD 50,000 limit. I guess it may drop next week when the new limit comes in


I too did a dummy application.

Ok up to 75 year old for up up 90 days.

After 75 only one would cover more than 30 days, so very limited indeed.

The one which would cover someone over 75 for a 90 day visit was a US company who wanted US700.

Anyone have any other ideas?

[cdnmatt]

Anyone have any other ideas?


Fake ID? It's pretty easy to come by on the dark net.

[Blueskytoday]

Fake ID? It's pretty easy to come by on the dark net.

Your an idiot.....ask a serious question and you come up with this crap...

[StevieWonders]

I too did a dummy application.

Ok up to 75 year old for up up 90 days.

After 75 only one would cover more than 30 days, so very limited indeed.

The one which would cover someone over 75 for a 90 day visit was a US company who wanted US700.

Anyone have any other ideas?My figures are based on the site https://www.tipinsure.com/CovidRegional/step_3/ where I ended up and simply verified it would insure a 77 year old (my friends’s age). I was disappointed but not surprised at the attempts to “upsell” for other elements of standard travel insurance along the way from the link francois kindly provided. My main point is that if you’re an older traveller Thailand insurers just aren’t interested which is similar to recent Thai government announcements about the type of travellers or long-stay foreigners they mostly value. My friend has pointed out and I think I remarked that Singapore which demands a similar level of cover has better and cheaper policies readily available. Cambodia used to demand an inwards COVID insurance policy but has dropped that demand altogether

Maybe the whole insurance element of Thailand Pass will eventually atrophy over the next, but for the moment it’s just another example of the TAT slogan (beloved by us all) “Amazing Thailand”

[StevieWonders]

Your an idiot.....ask a serious question and you come up with this crap...The Forum 12 year old should never be taken seriously

[francois]

Here is the insurance company I used. My earlier post was another company I was investigating.

https://www.tipinsure.com/CovidRegional/product_detail

It seems that they offer insurance for one month only, which in my case was acceptable.
I have read that one month seems to be acceptable for the Thai Pass.

[daydreamer]

Thank you! I am getting some hope. what kind of USA insurance documentation did you provide Thai pass??

I provided a copy of the one page summary letter from the policy I purchased. That one page was sufficient for the Thai Pass people to verify my coverage.

I compared many travel policies on squaremouth.com, and chose a policy that covered Thailand for health, trip cancellation, and trip interruption. Squaremouth makes it very easy to compare the large number of policies available from numerous companies.

[StevieWonders]

It seems that this site will sell a policy for older travellers - a US site rather than a Thai site -https://www.worldtrips.com/

[daydreamer]

Oh, I forgot to mention that the summary coverage letter made it clear that Covid-19 is treated the same as any other sickness, for purposes of coverage.

It specifically mentioned that the Covid coverage would reimburse losses up to policy limits caused by Covid to include trip cancellation, trip interruption, and emergency evacuation.

[gerefan2]

It seems that this site will sell a policy for older travellers - a US site rather than a Thai site -https://www.worldtrips.com/
I tried a dummy application for a 76 year old planning a 90 day trip and ended up with the same company and quote I referred to in my post number 16..... 700 US.

[cdnmatt]

Your an idiot.....ask a serious question and you come up with this crap...

Ok, then continue to bitch and moan on SGT. That works too.

There's fake vaccine certs and test results abound out there, and a quick policy page shouldn't be an issue. Now whether or not you're willing to take the risk is up to you, but it is a way to get through without expensive insurance.

[StevieWonders]

Here is a schedule of premium costs supplied to a friend of mine for older applicants from Pacific Prime. I'm not sure what the posting rules are for email addresses but I am seeking an email address to which you can write (as did my friend who got these quotes). Jellybaby, please advise

12389

It's the 50,000 coverage, not the now lesser value

[StevieWonders]

After a lot of to and fro my friend has confirmed that this Plan is called the "MSIG COVID Plan" for which there is no publicly available web page but it is available via a company email address that I'm happy to publish here subject to Mr Jellybaby's permission if he's the Duty Moderator of this hour but my friend does have permission.to publish the company officer's email address

Worst case scenario you could PM me

[Moses]

S.W., you may publish email address, no problem, if you will declare what you have no commission nor profit from that publication.

[Brad the Impala]

S.W., you may publish email address, no problem, if you will declare what you have no commission nor profit from that publication.

Posters have previously provided links to hotels/bars/travel agents/massage venues etc, without ever being asked to make this sort of declaration.

[StevieWonders]

Here is a schedule of premium costs supplied to a friend of mine for older applicants from Pacific Prime. I'm not sure what the posting rules are for email addresses but I am seeking an email address to which you can write (as did my friend who got these quotes). Jellybaby, please advise

12389

It's the 50,000 coverage, not the now lesser value

The email address at Pacific Prime and my friend has sought permission and been given permission to use it publicly is natthawat.tassana@pacificprime.com Sadly there’s no profit in this for me

[Moses]

Posters have previously provided links to hotels/bars/travel agents/massage venues etc, without ever being asked to make this sort of declaration.

Posters were posted public information from public sites. Now we are talking about non-public information.

[Blueskytoday]

They need to END the PASS AND GO...and the damn Insurance...all a rip off....

[StevieWonders]

They need to END the PASS AND GO...and the damn Insurance...all a rip off....That record seems to have a crack in it, plus it's making a dreadful whining sound

[Kenny]

They need to END the PASS AND GO...and the damn Insurance...all a rip off....

I'm with you on this.

I plan to travel for a two week holiday in April.

I have just paid out 4,500 baht to an SHA+ hotel for quarantine and testing for one night.

I've also paid 2,600 baht for covid insurance.

Before I leave for Thailand I will have to arrange and pay for a pre-flight PCR test, which is expensive here at about 3,000 baht.

It adds up to a lot of unnecessary expense, over 10,000 baht, for a vaccinated tourist.

I would imagine that its a major turn-off for many travelers.

[StevieWonders]

I'm with you on this.

I plan to travel for a two week holiday in April.

I have just paid out 4,500 baht to an SHA+ hotel for quarantine and testing for one night.

I've also paid 2,600 baht for covid insurance.

Before I leave for Thailand I will have to arrange and pay for a pre-flight PCR test, which is expensive here at about 3,000 baht.

It adds up to a lot of unnecessary expense, over 10,000 baht, for a vaccinated tourist.

I would imagine that its a major turn-off for many travelers.
I don’t disagree BUT you would incur exactly the same costs if you had chosen Singapore. Many countries - Australia and Canada (I believe) for example, - require a PCR test before you step on the plane to fly there. Some countries are being very cautious. Many European countries are being less cautious. And you are right, it’s a turn off for many travellers. But it’s the “new normal “ and everyone will be doing a cost-benefit analysis as you have done. For some who are here now the costs of quarantine were exceeded by the benefits of the lure of brown skinned prostitutes and they are “enjoying” a partly locked down Thailand that they hadn’t included or perhaps they had discounted in their “risk analysis”

But whining about it won’t change government policies

[StevieWonders]

An erlderly fully vaccinated (including booster) friend of mine is planning travel to Thailand in June so the costs he faces are:

PCR test before leaving his home country (Australia) say 1500 baht
Mandatory insurance (remembering that Thailand has a total obsession with health insurance. Even elderly retirees can't get a visa without some) say another 1500 baht,, maybe more
Test & Go hotel & mandatory PCR test, maybe another 1500 baht
PCR test before leaving Thailand to return to his home country (Australia) say 1500 baht




Is his trip worth say 6,000 baht to him? As he says, that's a lot of boys. He does say "I'll be escaping the local winter" - which is the sort of thing wimps say, we have a couple of posters here who say that sort of thing

Some uncertainties:

Will the Test & Go hotel & mandatory PCR test still be around in June? There's some pressure in Thailand from tourism bodies & hoteliers to abandon it, so he won't be booking that until a month before his departure date
Mandatory insurance - will the new inwards passenger charge include/replace the COVID insurance requirement? - won't know until May/June
Australia has replaced the inbound PCR test with a rapid test, but there'll still be some documentation at some cost the arline will require

[Oliver2]

I've cancelled seven trips to Thailand thanks to Covid, saving a lot of money. I suppose I'm fortunate in that I don't give a d**n about the few thousand baht needed to gain entry. What I do care about is the the anxiety and inconvenience caused by current arrangements.

[cdnmatt]

care about is the the anxiety and inconvenience caused by current arrangements.

Yeah, but isn't it one of the main purposes for going to Thailand? Works wonders to relieve anxiety and stress.

[StevieWonders]

Yeah, but isn't it one of the main purposes for going to Thailand? Works wonders to relieve anxiety and stress.

Another friend describes it as “my charity work”

[christianpfc]

It adds up to a lot of unnecessary expense, over 10,000 baht, for a vaccinated tourist.
In my case, Phnom Penh to Bangkok, total cost 500 USD vs. 50 it would have cost before Covid. The PCR test in Cambodia alone 130 USD. Not just the cost, the risk of testing positive, around 2% for current arrivals. I wouldn't do it for a holiday, only by staying here for months it is worth the extra cost and risk.

[StevieWonders]

There’s a rumour flying around the Twitterverse that changes will be announced at Friday’s regular meeting, with one brave soul speculating that the pre-departure test (before the passenger gets on the plane) might be abandoned. I suspect the on-arrival-one-night in hotel is a greater disincentive to travel. We shall see I guess

[Blueskytoday]

BUT, would the departing flight require the covid negative test to board??

[pong]

As most here are old-time regulars they likely know Add Carabao-once a famous Thai popsinger (and since then offering his own brand of RedBull/Lipo)-comparable to like even the Stones or RodStewart. His very latest song (not yet a hit though) is about the urgent need to remove all these tests and masks etc.

[Manforallseasons]

On March 16 2 friends traveled to Thailand together and did the pre testing and Covid pass and spent the 1 required night awaiting the test results at the Venue….1 tested positive the other negative so the positive one is now in 10 day quarantine in a Pattaya Covid approved hotel….he cannot leave his room and meals are left on a chair outside his door…28000 baht for his 10 day quarantine stay.

[StevieWonders]

BUT, would the departing flight require the covid negative test to board??The airlines enforce the rules of the destination country if required. As far as I know there aren't any airlines demanding individual PCR test results before a passenger is allowed to board any flight. At most the passenger is asked to show their vaccination certificate. However I'm sure we're all looking forward to you providing evidence of an airline demanding all its passengers, vaccinated or otherwise must show test results before being allowed to board for every destination to which that airline flies

[AsDaRa]

I travelled also the 16th to Thailand. KLM. And KLM very thoroughly checked all papers. Also the PCR test. They said they will get a heavy fine if they don’t. The same must apply for other airlines

How can that friend have tested positive on day 1? Didnt he do the pre departure PCR test? Before travelling to Thailand I locked myself up for two weeks. Didn’t want to risk getting covid. You should ask your friend why he took the risk getting infected.

[Manforallseasons]

How can that friend have tested positive on day 1? Didnt he do the pre departure PCR test? Before travelling to Thailand I locked myself up for two weeks. Didn’t want to risk getting covid. You should ask your friend why he took the risk getting infected.

Both tested at the same time and place in the U.K. prior to leaving for Thailand.

[StevieWonders]

I travelled also the 16th to Thailand. KLM. And KLM very thoroughly checked all papers. Also the PCR test. They said they will get a heavy fine if they don’t. The same must apply for other airlins.
Correct, all passenger airlines travelling to Thailand have to check that every passenger has the results of a recent PCR test. But the same airline travelling to (say) the UK does not check that every passenger has had a recent PCR test. Airlines are not asking that passengers show PCR test results before boarding unless the country where the passenger will disembark require it. All the airline may require of all its passengers is that they have a current vaccination certificate

[StevieWonders]

IHow can that friend have tested positive on day 1? Didnt he do the pre departure PCR test? Before travelling to Thailand I locked myself up for two weeks. Didn’t want to risk getting covid. You should ask your friend why he took the risk getting infected.The reason why Thailand introduced a test on Day 5 was that the first test results were negative and it was assumed that this was either a false negative or the passenger had been exposed to COVID at the departure airport, on the plane, or after arrival

[Newbie99]

Correct, all passenger airlines travelling to Thailand have to check that every passenger has the results of a recent PCR test.

Airlines are not asking that passengers show PCR test results before boarding unless the country where the passenger will disembark require it.

As Thailand does not require passengers to have a recent PCR test, these two sentences are mutually contradictory.

[bkkguy]

As Thailand does not require passengers to have a recent PCR test, these two sentences are mutually contradictory.

the change to Thailand's requirement for a pre-travel PCR test does not take effect until 1 April (an appropriate date for this change) so currently the statements are not mutually contradictory!

[Blueskytoday]

Lets hope all the airlines/airports KNOW about this...would not want to arrive for departure only to be told, you cannot board, no PCR test.

[StevieWonders]

Lets hope all the airlines/airports KNOW about this...would not want to arrive for departure only to be told, you cannot board, no PCR test.

They’ll definitely be in complete ignorance of it :devilish: