Thailand tourism situation

[oakdale160]

I managed to get the first Vaccine shot, the second at the end of the month.
Any regulations for fully vaccinated travelers decided yet???

[buksida]

Nada, don't hold your breath.

[handdrummer]

I'd prefer the Phuket of 30 years ago.

Nearly everywhere was "better" 30 yrs. ago, even California.

I've lived in Thailand for the past 7 yrs. and I don't see what the great attraction is. If my wife wasn't Thai, I wouldn't live here, maybe visit, once, out of curiosity but that would be enough.

[Big Boy]

My point is, thing have vastly changed for the worse in many areas in the last year.

I had friends thinking seriously about suffering ASQ to have a few good months in Thailand. However, they've seen the videos going around and thought better of it. Bars are closed. Those that aren't closed are empty. They come for the nightlife, and even though these aren't TAT videos, they paint a pretty grim picture. I live here, and I was shocked to see the video that was doing the rounds last week.

[2/cb]

I know that the Govt are negotiating with several countries a vaccine recognition arrangement. Initially the deal will be with Greece, Portugal, probably several non-EU countries such as Norway and Switzerland.
If these are successful, Thailand should be on the list (fingers crossed). If it does away with quarantine then it has my support.

[HHTel]

Thailand should be on the list (fingers crossed).

Those deals presupposes that both countries have a robust vaccination plan. That let's Thailand out for some time!

[STEVE G]

I managed to get the first Vaccine shot, the second at the end of the month.
Any regulations for fully vaccinated travelers decided yet???

I haven´t seen this anywhere else but this Luxembourg news website today has this:

"Thailand will from April halve its hotel quarantine period to one week for vaccinated arrivals."
https://today.rtl.lu/news/world/a/1685066.html

[PeteC]

^
Vaccine passports approved to cut quarantine time in Thailand

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30403453

The National Committee on Communicable Diseases has approved the use of vaccine passports in Thailand, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced on Monday.

Under the measure, travellers with vaccination certificates will have their Covid-19 quarantine reduced from 14 days to seven days.

However, travellers from South Africa, where a highly contagious coronavirus variant is rife, will still have to undergo the full 14-day quarantine.

In Thailand, Covid-19 vaccination certificates will be issued for a fee of Bt100 by hospitals administering second doses of the vaccine from March 21. The certificates can be used for international travel once the World Health Organisation (WHO) has finalised criteria for vaccine passports.

The Thai vaccine-passport certificate will be valid for one year.

Anutin revealed the reduced quarantine applied to three categories of traveller:

First, foreign travellers who have a vaccination certificate dated not more than three months and not less than 14 days from date of entry. Travellers from South Africa still face 14 days of quarantine.

Second, Thai nationals returning to Thailand with a vaccination certificate dated not more than three months and not less than 14 days from date of entry.

Third, foreigners who have a Covid-free certificate but not a vaccination certificate will have their quarantine cut to 10 days. The measure is due to launch in April, said Anutin.

Meanwhile, the communicable diseases committee expects Covid-19 restrictions to be lifted once 70 per cent of the population has been vaccinated. It also announced plans to procure another 10 million doses of vaccine.

....but then again, the Bangkok Post is saying October https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/20 ... d-arrivals

[handdrummer]

I read that the quarentinees will be able to leave their rooms but not the property, during the quarantine period. They can enjoy the thrill of walking up and down the hallways and riding the lifts. It didn't say what the protocol is if you should meet another quarentiner outside your room.

[HHTel]

"must be vaccinated not more than 3 months before travel"

AFAIK the worst case scenario will be an annual shot. It's still not clear how long the efficacy of the vaccine lasts.
On that premise, if you plan to visit 3 months after being vaccinated then forget it. You'll have to wait until your next shot.
Or does that mean that after 3 months of receiving the vaccine, you will need to go into full quarantine? This could go on for ever!

[huahin4ever]

Well, let's wait and see what will come out in the Royal Gazette! Nothing is decided before it is published there.

[lindosfan1]

Yacht to be used in Phuket for quarantine, I have posted in news of the wierd because of the pose of the organisers. Why the display of watches.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56329806

[PeteC]

Yacht to be used in Phuket for quarantine, I have posted in news of the wierd because of the pose of the organisers. Why the display of watches.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56329806

I'll move it in a minute. They aren't watches per say, but the "smart wristbands" mentioned in the article, that each yacht person will have to wear to give vital health signs and a GPS location.

[STEVE G]

Reading that article from the Nation, if a Covid free certificate gets you a 10 day quarantine, all that a vaccine gives you is three days less and that only for three months. I think they´ll have to come up with something better than that to have any hope for reviving the tourist industry.
Many of us that live alone have effectively been in solitary confinement for a year already so the idea of spending vacation in more of it is not in the least bit appealing, I at least go to work, I know people furloughed or working from home who go for weeks without talking to anyone in person.

[buksida]

Jabs rollout revs up amid tourism hope
The Public Health Ministry is speeding up vaccinations in Phuket and Koh Samui to prepare them for the anticipated return of foreign tourists in July.

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Monday spoke about the Phuket private sector's request for 900,000 AstraZeneca doses, saying the request would likely be approved since the government had secured five million doses for June and 10 million more each month after that.

Mr Anutin insisted there would be sufficient Covid-19 doses in the country and Thailand would have over one million doses if it could secure more doses next month.

The minister said the latest batch of 800,000 doses of the Sinovac vaccine had been allocated to at-risk provinces such as Samut Sakhon and other tourist towns but Phuket would receive 100,000 doses and Koh Samui 50,000.

Mr Anutin added that one million doses would be allocated to the armed forces but he could not confirm the anticipated reopening date for foreign travellers on July 1.

Regarding the Covid-19 measures for the Songkran festival, the minister said the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) had not yet finalised the measures.

The situation was still under control, Mr Anutin said, despite new clusters being found in Bangkok and Samut Prakan.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... urism-hope
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/20 ... ening-plan