Tourists entering Thailand CONFUSED by travel rules

Just over a week after Thailand began a phased reopening to tourists, some international visitors are struggling to conquer the travel admin involved.
The country announced on 22 October that it would open to tourists from 46 countries on 1 November, starting initially with fully vaccinated travellers who apply for entry through the Thailand Pass.

In what sounded like a relatively simple system, arrivals must show a negative PCR test result before and after flying to the country, take one further test on arrival, self-isolate for one night in a hotel while the results are turned around, and – assuming the result is negative – may then freely continue their travels.

But online forums, Facebook groups and frustrated tweets tell a different story.

First, travellers to Thailand must store their proof of vaccination, passport info, health insurance document, hotel and flight bookings in the Thailand Pass, a one-stop digital system that the country brought in to replace its lengthy Certificate of Entry (CoE) process.

Once the criteria are met, the Pass generates a QR code that is scanned upon entry to the country.

However, in its first week, the Pass was so fraught with glitches and unresolved user questions that it made headlines across the country.

“Thai officials are working to fix and improve the Thailand Pass entry system for incoming passengers by air following a growing number of complaints during the week as users encountered bugs and difficulties in using the system and getting the appropriate approval in time to meet flights and bookings,” reported the Thai Examiner on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Bangkok Post reported on “complaints by some tourists that they had either experienced delays in receiving QR codes or in some cases had not received them at all, following the approval of their travel applications.”

Travellers on Facebook group Thailand Reopening reported issues ranging from never receiving a QR code despite multiple applications; the system requiring upload of a one-page insurance document when most policies are several pages long; and being rejected for including a middle name not displayed on their NHS Covid Pass.

Users of the system also reported challenges chasing up their applications once submitted, with no clear communications centre behind the digital system.

“Just sent our 10th request for the Thailand Pass, departure in 10 days (SF-Bangkok) – more than €1,200 already committed in this trip, starting to become crazy!,” tweeted Paris-based Lucie Hardy, tagging Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“My Dad finally received his QR code from Thailand Pass about 24 hours before his flight. We got there in the end but was a stressful experience,” tweeted James Goyder.

For UK-based travel writer Lucie Grace, however, who applied last Wednesday, the Thai Pass worked like a charm.

“Lots of people are getting in a flap about the Thailand pass, but mine did what it said on the tin,” she told The Independent ahead of a trip to Chiang Mai this week.

“I applied on 3 November, received it on 7 November and I’ll fly on 10 November. No complaints from me.”

She did identify one technical faff which could cause problems for less digitally confident travellers.

“It only accepts jpeg files of all your documents, which were emailed as pdfs, so I had to run everything through a converter. That could be challenging for some people.”

Meanwhile, some tourists have fallen foul of Thailand’s testing-on-arrival policy, with families forced into hotel quarantine when they tested positive.

Thailand-based journalist Richard Barrow published a newsletter earlier today about the consequences of testing positive while in the country, citing the case of a father separated from his family when he tested positive on arrival.

The man estimates that he will have to pay 350,000 Thai Baht (£7,882) towards hospital and quarantine fees if his insurance provider won’t cover it – and his wife and children may have to fly home without him as he will still be in isolation.

“I knew that I was taking a gamble when I chose to buy plane tickets as soon as the Thailand reopening was announced,” the father told Barrow.

“We lost that bet.”
Another man, James, interviewed by Barrow tested negative, but the friend he shared a car from the airport with tested positive, so he has found himself stuck in hotel quarantine regardless.

With this in mind, as her trip approaches, Lucie Grace remains anxious about the possibility of testing positive.

“My biggest concern is that I test positive on arrival. I’m doing the ‘test and go’ scheme – one night in a quarantine hotel and a PCR test. If I test positive but am asymptomatic, it’s a grey area as to whether the mandatory health insurance covers the expensive 14-day hospital stay,” she says.

“Some horror stories are coming out of £7k hospital bills, insurance companies saying ‘You’re not sick so it’s not covered’. That is my nightmare.”

Source - BangkokJack

VISA AGENT  /  How to register for: THAI PASS

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Thailand Pass: Nearly 40,000 registrations and more than 6,000 approvals since Monday

 The IT specialist and spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs went online yesterday morning to give the latest figures for people applying for the Thailand Pass.

This is a new one-stop site to collate documents and apply to enter Thailand that came online as Thailand reopened to foreign tourists on Monday.

Tanee Sangrat said that at 6.30 am yesterday a total of 39,506 people had registered and that 6,484 had been approved.

The MoFA has been working with the Digital Government Development Agency to make it easier for people to get the required documentation together for entry into Thailand, noted the Thai business media yesterday.  

Source - ASIAN NOW

 

VISA AGENT  /  How to register for: THAI PASS

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New rules for re-opening in Thailand

Bangkok restaurants that want to serve alcohol must have SHA (Safety and Health Administration) certificates and service must end at 9pm, City Hall said on Saturday as it detailed regulations for the lifting of many Covid restrictions starting on Monday.
Nobody has been prepared to explain just what this has to dpo with preventing any new virus outbreak or people’s health and welfare. Worse still, it appears nobody is asking these questions anymore either.

Many other types of businesses, including gyms and cinemas with certain conditions, will be allowed to resume as the capital prepares to welcome international tourists. However, entertainment venues, pubs, bars and karaoke shops will remain closed.

The communicable disease control committee of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration announced the new rules a day after the central government designated Bangkok, Krabi, Phangnga and Phuket as tourist-oriented “blue zones” as part of the tourism and economic revival plan.

Disease control officials stressed that businesses allowed to open or conduct some activities must continue to abide strictly by universal Covid prevention guidelines and must have Covid-free settings.

The eased restrictions will be in effect from Nov 1-30 but authorities reserve the right to make changes as needed.

Officials advised restaurants that want to serve alcohol to improve their venues in line with the new normal conditions brought about by the pandemic, as a way to boost the confidence of customers including tourists.

Businesses that can resume operations and conditions are:

Nurseries, child development centres and special-needs child centres (The BMA Health Department will consider the opening of facilities based on suitability);
Care centres for the elderly (Both service recipients and officials must be fully vaccinated and random checks must be conducted every week);
Restaurants/eateries can open normally, but alcoholic drinks are allowed only at shops that meet SHA standards set by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and consumption must not extend beyond 9pm;
Cinemas can open with audience capacity limited to 75% of seats;
Convenience stores, fresh markets and flea markets can open normally;
Libraries and all kinds of museums can open, but food and drinks are not allowed and activities must not be organised;
Beauty clinics, beauty salons, nail salons and tattoo shops can open via appointment . Customers at tattoo shops must be fully vaccinated or have RT-PCR or ATK results within 72 hours;
Spas and Thai massage shops can open via appointment. Customers at tattoo shops must be fully vaccinated or have negative RT-PCR or ATK results within the previous 72 hours;
Public parks, sports grounds, stadiums, swimming pools and water activities can resume operation;
Gyms and fitness clubs must strictly abide by disease-control measures. For spas, customers must be fully vaccinated or have negative RT-PCR or ATK results within the previous 72 hours);
Stadiums can stage events but all spectators must be fully vaccinated or have negative RT-PCR or ATK results within the previous 72 hours);
Hotels, exhibition halls and convention centres can open, but alcohol consumption is prohibited. There must be break times for air ventilation and meals must be served to guests separately;
Shopping malls and community malls can open normally but activities with large crowds are discouraged;
Playhouses and theatres require permission from the BMA Health Department;
Boxing and martial arts schools and dance schools require permission from the BMA Health Department;
Weight-control services, amulet centres, zoos and animal shows can open;
Children’s playgrounds require permission from district offices in their areas;
Water parks and amusement parks can open.
Businesses that will remain closed are entertainment venues, pubs, karaoke shops, massage parlours, game arcades, internet shops, cockfighting rings and horse racing tracks.

Activities with more than 1,000 people are not allowed, unless permission has been obtained from the Health Department.

This final ruling appears to be little more than an attempt to curb anti Lockdown protest groups from gathering.

Source - BangkokJack

VISA AGENT  /  How to register for: THAI PASS 

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Chinese tourists will not return until late 2022

Despite Thailand being just days away from reopening the country to international tourists, it could be almost another year before Chinese tourists return, a leading industry body has said.
According to the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), Chinese tourists are not expected to return to Thailand until late 2022.

The prediction comes despite China being listed as one of the 46 low risk countries eligible to enter Thailand without quarantine from November 1.

Chinese tourists visiting Thailand will be dependent on Beijing’s policy of allowing people in and out of the country, said ATTA president Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn.

Mr Sisdivachr said that two events – the 2022 Winter Olympics due to be held in Beijing and the 2022 Asian Games due to be held Hangzhou – will give a clearer indication on the country’s policy with regards to people travelling in and out.

Pre COVID-19, the Chinese accounted for the largest number of foreign tourists to visit Thailand, with approximately 11 million tourists visiting from China annually, accounting for 27 percent of the total number of foreign tourists arriving in Thailand.

Source - BangkokJack

VISA AGENT  /  How to register for: THAI PASS

Thai Government outlines 7 conditions of quarantine-free re-opening

As the grand re-opening date of November 1 approaches, with little clarity as to what that will look like, here’s some of what we know – and what we don’t. According to a Thai PBS World report, the government has outlined 7 conditions that will determine if someone can enter the kingdom quarantine-free. The following conditions have been communicated by the Bureau of Risk Communication and Health Behaviour Promotion, part of the Disease Control Department.

1. Foreign visitors must arrive by air and come from a list of “low-risk” countries approved by the Public Health Ministry

2. Have proof of vaccination with 2 doses of a recognised Covid-19 vaccine

3. Have a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours of departure from your home country

4. Have at least US$50,000 in Covid-19 insurance coverage

5. Have proof of a hotel booking

6. Travellers must download the Mor Chana app and take a second PCR test on arrival or within 24 hours of arrival

7. If the second test is negative, visitors can continue their journey without any further quarantine

However, with just over 10 days to go, a number of things remain unknown. Chief among them is the list of “low-risk” countries, as well as the rules for vaccinated adults travelling with unvaccinated children. Clarity is also needed on whether travellers need proof of a hotel booking beyond their first night in the kingdom and if this applies to expats with homes here. Furthermore, Thai embassies continue to advise people to book quarantine hotels, insisting they’ve received no communication about the re-opening process.

Thai PBS World reports that the government is moving to a 3-model approach for admitting foreign arrivals. The first – and original – model is that unvaccinated visitors will be subject to mandatory hotel quarantine for between 7 and 14 days. The second model is the sandbox model currently in operation in Phuket, Samui and other tourist destinations, which is being extended to several other provinces. The third model will be the quarantine-free model discussed above.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World

VISA AGENT

Everything you need to know about Thailand re-opening

 
 

Here are all the latest updates on Thailand reopening for tourism and everything you need to know on how to visit one of the most popular countries in the world.

Travelers Allowed To Visit Thailand

Long Stay Tourists: STV Visa (Special Tourist Visa)

Thailand announced a 90-day visa for long-stay tourists on September 15th, 2020. The visa is called the ‘Special Tourist Visa’ (STV).

Entry Requirements:

Proof of payment for 90 day accommodation booking

14 day ‘state quarantine’ upon arrival

Preference given to low-risk countries according to the Public Health Ministry regulations (countries are not defined)

Proof of travel and medical insurance that covers COVID-19 with at least $100,000 USD in coverage for the entire duration of your stay How to Apply:

Travelers must apply at a Thai Consulate/Embassy in your home country.

Once approved, the traveler must pay the 2,000 baht, provide proof of paid accommodation, provide proof of travel insurance and flight information.

Length of Stay and Renewals

The Special Tourist Visa will allow approved travelers to stay in Thailand for 90 days. It can be renewed twice, for 90 days each time.

Other Travelers Permitted To Enter Thailand

All travelers in the below categories will face a mandatory 14 day quarantine upon arrival in Thailand.

Medical Tourists: Travelers seeking medical and wellness services may enter Thailand upon receiving a ‘International Flight Permit’ from the Thai Embassy/Consulate in their home country. A letter from a Thai doctor must be presented when applying.

Non-Thai nationals who are a spouse, parents, or children of a Thai national

Non-Thai nationals who hold a valid certificate of residence, or permission to take up residence in the Kingdom

Foreign workers from Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar for food and construction industries

Foreigners participating in trade fairs in Thailand

Non-Thai nationals who hold a valid work permit and their spouse or children

Travelers that fall into the above categories must also follow Thailand’s health protocols including:

Travel health insurance that also covers covid

A pre-screening health declaration card filled out before departure

The wearing of masks mandatory on in-bound flights and in the airport

Thermal scans and temperature checks upon arrival

Phuket Reopening For Tourism Plans

Phuket was originally scheduled to open for international tourism on October 1st, 2020 but the reopening has been delayed after Thailand confirmed its first case in 30 months of COVID-19 at the end of September.

The governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Yuthasak Supasorn originally announced that Phuket reopening for international tourists would act as a pilot program for the rest of the country.

The purpose was to test if Thailand could successfully reopen without a resurgence in cases. Unfortunately due to a confirmed case within its own borders and a second wave of the virus happening worldwide, the Thai government delayed the decision.

Once Phuket does reopen for international tourists, it will have strict entry requirements and protocols in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

While many travelers are excited about the prospect of Phuket reopening, the process of getting in will not be easy.

Entry Requirements For Phuket When Pilot Project Begins:

A new date has not been set for the reopening of Phuket.

Tourists will be required to stay a minimum of 30 days

14 day quarantine at hotel including common areas of the hotel’s property, and in some cases beach access.

2 Negative PCR tests will be required to be released from quarantine

After 3 weeks in Phuket, travelers may take a third PCR test and if the result is still negative they may leave to explore other parts of Thailand.

Last year, Thailand recorded the highest number of tourists entering the country, nearly smashing the 40 million mark. The government is hopeful the Phuket pilot project will safety allow them to restart claiming some of those foreign arrivals.

To date, Thailand has been one of the most successful countries in the world at containing the virus with strict lockdown measures.

However, Thailand’s economy is extremely dependent on tourism, and they’ve experienced a devastating 12.2% shrink in the 2nd quarter, the worst hit in the last 22 years.

Thailand has confirmed 3759 cases of COVID-19 and 59 deaths since the pandemic began.

Source - Pattaya News