Preparing to Return to Thailand - by Richard Barrow

[Blueskytoday]

Finally, tourists, and expats returning home, are starting to arrive. I've talked to two individuals who have returned in the last 2 days who both said their trips, barring all the documentation requirements, went smoothly. This is also consistent with what our own Reporter on the Streets vnman has said in recent posts.

I always like listening to what Richard Barrow has to say and thought this fairly recent article he posted in his Newsletter may be helpful to some who are planning to make the journey:

Preparing to Return to Thailand
by Richard Barrow

"Compared to flying to the UK, my return trip to Thailand was nerve-racking. Very nerve-racking. But like I said many times, it is not a good idea to fly to Thailand during this transition period between the Certificate of Entry (COE) and the new Thailand Pass. My original advice was to wait at least two weeks. In fact, if you are not in a rush, I would advise to wait until December or January as the Thailand Pass system is still buggy. In addition, there could be an update on 15th November and on 1st December that will ease some entry rules. For example, the TAT is pushing to drop the requirement for the pre-flight RT-PCR test. This is because in some countries, it is difficult or even impossible to get this test done. They also want the RT-PCR test on arrival to Thailand to be changed to the cheaper and faster lateral flow test like they already do in the UK. If this happens, then it will be a literal “Test and Go” at the airport and no need to wait at a hotel. But I cannot see that change happening before December. Maybe in January . . .

. . . Luckily, I had print outs of everything already. But my problem came with the insurance. She wanted to see the insurance policy where it said I have Covid-19 insurance coverage up to $50,000. All I had was my social security digital card. I showed it to her, but she wasn’t happy. I told her that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wouldn’t have issued me a Thailand Pass if they hadn’t accepted my social security. After a while, she found a colleague that had a QR reader on his phone and he scanned my QR Code. This then went to the website which said I was verified. She still wasn’t convinced but finally let me go. Hopefully, people who fly out in the coming days and weeks will have an easier time at check-in. But all was good in the end.

End of article.

GREAT write-up....For me it is all too much...I will have to wait until maybe this TH pass is done away with, I am not going to pay for an airline ticket in advance to apply for the Pass....I think just giving the flight schedule one intends to make,,,get approved,,,buy the ticket...also as you say paying in advance for the hotel and insurance and NOT knowing IF you will get approval is another problem....Hopefully in coming months this might be done away with or reduced, do you think?? Again nice article...