Thailand tourism situation

[buksida]

Vaccinations not required anymore.

I know Barrow is an authority on Thailand but where does he get his info from and why is he saying the opposite to every media outlet around the world?

https://www.travelpulse.com/news/impact ... tions.html
https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/20 ... rder/49098
https://dailyhive.com/canada/thailand-c ... travellers
https://www.blick.ch/wirtschaft/regel-g ... 08104.html
https://www.asiaone.com/asia/thailand-b ... egulations

Thai Enquirer:

The Ministry of Transport clarified on Sunday that the minimum insurance coverage for passengers that require a negative test before returning to their country of origin is US$10,000.
The added information came only one day before the new rules comes into effect.
Passengers who failed to show both the insurance and vaccine certificate will be subjected to test on arrival.
No mention of any quarantine at this time.

324739745_745449110339642_3913681657101191974_n.jpg (146.6 KiB) Viewed 1158 times

Edit: A more important question is what happens to arrivals that test positive? Fleeced on quarantine again? Fleeced on hospitalization? Sent back home? Is it really worth the risk to come here without a vax cert and run the gauntlet?

[Nereus]

I know Barrow is an authority on Thailand but where does he get his info from and why is he saying the opposite to every media outlet around the world?

If he is getting the latest info from a NOTAM, anyone can subscribe to received them.

[hhinner]

As the enquirer quote says: no vaccine certificate then test on arrival.

That should work! Won't be much queueing.

[buksida]

Clause #1 in the amended document still says passengers must provide proof of full vaccination. Thailand - clear as a muddy flipflop as usual!

[Dannie Boy]

Just seen this article regarding vaccination requirements as from today
https://loyaltylobby.com/2023/01/08/tha ... ry-9-2023/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Nereus]

Thousands cancel Thailand holidays after major change: 'Sucks big time'
In a response to China opening its borders Thailand now requires all in-bound travellers to be vaccinated.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thousands-can ... 02893.html

Thousands of holidaymakers have been forced to cancel their trips to Thailand after a sudden backflip on the country's Covid-19 vaccination requirement.

From today, January 9, Thailand will require international travellers to show proof they are fully vaccinated before arriving in the country in response to China reopening its border on Sunday.

The country's aviation regulator, The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), said in a statement on Saturday that starting early Monday, all foreign arrivals must prove they're vaccinated or provide a letter certifying that they have recovered from Covid within six months. Unvaccinated travellers must show a medical certificate explaining why they have not received the vaccine.

The vaccination requirement was scrapped by Thailand last October but has been revived as China reopens its border following the easing of its zero-COVID policy. It's been reported that Thailand officials did not want to discriminate against Chinese arrivals so have applied the rule to all travellers worldwide.

Holidays plans thrown into chaos
The new rule however has proved problematic for some Australians who've had no choice but to cancel upcoming trips to the country.

"It thoroughly sucks big time, I was meant to go in 3 weeks, now have to cancel," one person vented on Facebook on Monday after learning of the change.

"The Thai government have discriminated against all the travelling visitors. What about the travellers that are vaccination free who have already purchased tickets to Thailand? Typical idiotic knee-jerk reaction," another fumed.

Meanwhile, a formal appeal to revise the entry measure has reportedly been sent to Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha by the Phuket Tourist Association after alleged complaints from tour operators worldwide. A letter shared by local site The Phuket News — and also by Thailand base journalist Richard Barrow — outlines concerns from tour operators in countries including Germany, England, France and Russia.

more of this BS at the link.........................

[Motyduke]

really don't understand why aussies or other people complain. In Austalia, they decided 2 days berore to apply that "From 12:01am on Thursday 5 January 2023, travellers will be required to undertake a COVID-19 test within the 48hrs prior to travel and show evidence of a negative test result when travelling to Australia". All countries decide some new rules very quick before arrivals from China. The only difference in Thailand is that rules are for everybody.

[Big Boy]

The only difference in Thailand is that rules are for everybody.

Except Thais who are exempt.

[PeteC]

Changes already.

Govt rescinds entry requirement for proof of Covid vaccination

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... accination

In an abrupt U-turn, the government has rescinded a policy announced at the weekend requiring visitors to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination, the health minister said on Monday.

Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters proof of vaccination was not needed as there was sufficient immunisation globally, while those not vaccinated would be granted entry without restriction. It replaced new rules announced on Saturday by the aviation regulator, ahead of China reopening its borders. 

[caller]

It's really bizarre, as now they seem to have gone back to an open door policy!

[HHTel]

After three years, China announced its reopening from January 8, 2023. Passengers can enter China without quarantine. All you need is a negative PCR result within 48 hours before departure. You do not need to apply for a health code.

If that's the case, then under 'current' rules, all Chinese visitors will require covid insurance.

Anutin Charnvirakul said requiring visitors to show evidence of vaccination was inconvenient and a panel of experts had resolved that it was unnecessary as enough vaccinations had been administered in China and globally.

But the Chinese have been restricted to home grown vaccines - Sinopharm and Sinovac, and we know how effective they are.

Plus of course:

Almost 90% of people in China’s third most populous province have now been infected with Covid-19, a top local official has said, as the country battles an unprecedented surge in cases.

Kan Quancheng, director of the health commission for central Henan province, told a press conference that “as of January 6, 2023, the province’s Covid infection rate is 89%”.

With a population of 99.4 million, the figures suggest about 88.5 million people in Henan may now have been infected.

That's more than the population of Thailand!

More and more countries are also doing u-turns. But in the opposite direction. More countries are being added to the list with restrictions for Chinese travelers.

[PeteC]

...."and a panel of experts had resolved"......

The panel of experts consisting of political cronies who have probably been calling him saying...."Are you insane???".....

[usual suspect]

I've been reading various reports today about the mayhem caused by the sudden introduction of new Covid entry-rules
for Thailand..Mainly about the mass cancellations from Russia, Skandi countries & other European nations..!
January, being the main month for tourism here, & the Thai government go pull this stunt..WTF??!!
Then today comes the excuses & the backpedal announcements..
...TO LATE you've already knocked tourism back to 2019 levels in just one swift kneejerk action..!! TiT.

[wenshidi]

It looks like high season is already over. Yesterday, Big C was almost empty. It has been much busier than usual for the last 3 or 4 weeks. I know it is not a major tourism location, but it is usually a good indicator of general levels.
What is it like at Market Village and Bluport?

[handdrummer]

Fri., MV was crowded at around 5 pm. Lots of tourists, appeared to be European, but who knows, all white people look alike.