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aren't wats open till late ?

I got in on good authority from somebody who arrived in Phuket very recently that all admission process is very smooth, results of tests are delivered very fast and it took all of 4 hrs from landing to be free man on the beach already. Mor Chana app is apparently not working which is even better news. So it looks that doom peddlers , basking in looking at empty half of glass and salivating at chance to tell us to stay away because nothing is opened and working are not exactly 100% right. And with good luck we may even get some travel report, long forgotten staple of our forum.

I sty at The Venue few times and sadly must agree. While show noise is not that disturbing , on few occasion soi late night noises were. One I was so desperate that at 2 am I went down to QMark bar and hired twinky Cambodian to calm my nerves in the room. It worked

Richard Barrow had an interview with Thai officials that shed light on some much debated issued concerning Thai Pass. Here are some excerpts: "I think the biggest improvement that they will be implementing soon is the ability to log in to check on your application status. Which will also give you the ability to download the QR Code once it has been released." "...there are some (vaccination) certificates that are challenging for them which is why it sometimes takes time. Particularly if someone uploaded an image that is not clear." "Another problem is the “date of arrival”. For many people, there should also be a date of departure as it might take them several days to reach Thailand. This then becomes a problem if their QR Code doesn’t arrive before their first flight. They recognise that as a problem and have noted it. The second problem is that some people might need to move their flight date for some reason. I think most of us thought that to do that we would have to apply again from the start. But that is not so. You can apparently still arrive as long as it is within 72 hours of that date." "...many people asked how far in advance can you apply for a Thailand Pass. Well, the good news is that there is no time limit. If you want to, you can apply now for a holiday to Thailand in say January next year. If you do that now, then you don’t need to worry about the QR Code arriving on time." "... like I have said many times already, don’t rush to come to Thailand. Certainly not during this transition period between the COE and Thailand Pass. But, if you can wait until, say December, then you will find it much easier." "...there will be a big CCSA meeting on Friday that will be reviewing the first two weeks of the reopening of the country and will discuss possible easing of some of the rules. I think next week, we might see the exemption age for vaccination certificates for the Test & Go program will be raised from under 12 to under 18. Another major change we might see next week, is the dropping of the rule to have a RT-PCR test within 72 hours of departure. This is because there is a growing number of countries that don’t actually have an option to have this test done. If it doesn’t happen next week, then I think we should see that happen by 1st December. The other thing they should be discussing is the list of approved countries and territories." ====================== There's additional discussion about the RT-PCR test and other issues of interest and I encourage readers considering a future trip to check out the post in full context at link below. https://www.getrevue.co/profile/richardbarrow/issues/latest-updates-about-the-thailand-pass-849676?via=twitter-card-webview

Tourists could also go to a wat & pray for the bars to reopen.

I like to stay at the East Suites in the heart of Jomtien Complex. quiet, luxurious rooms on reasonable price and free access to the opposite Zing hotel pool . you can bring any guests you want with no questions asked.very friendly owner and staff.

4 weekends of a big music festival on Pattaya beach, and fireworks celebration at the end of November and full on Loy Kratong, but no bars allowed to open??? Insanity reigns. Sigh.

My EVA flight booked on Wednesday; cancelled today....no flights until March. The reason given? the delta variant. Really? we've known about that for months; has the prognosis for its spread in Thailand changed? Not a disaster but a nuisance. I've rebooked flight, hotel and quarantine night. But my concern is that, even when things seem to be getting back to a semblance of order, unexpected problems occur. And this one came right out of the blue. Any reports of other carriers cancelling Bangkok flights?

From CNN The adventures of Boji, Istanbul’s traveling dog A street dog named Boji has become something of a celebrity in Istanbul, where he travels around the city on its ferries, trams and subway cars https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2021/10/travel/dog-istanbul-boji-cnnphotos/

In Looking for hotels for January, I booked something for the 1st night on Agoda and messaged the Venue to check rates for subsequent nights and they responded with this, which makes me feel better about going: Hi Robert. We are now a SHA Plus+ certified hotel and can be used for your first (and subsequent) night's stay. We are still waiting for the testing details from our partner hospital before we can finalise our package price. We hope to have this within the next couple of days. I will send this info to you as soon as we have it. We will always match or beat any price for staying with us that you are able to obtain elsewhere. When we receive the hospital partner details I will email you with the first night price and the price for subsequent nights. In Pattaya I like the Venue, Classroom Hotel, Ambiance and Agate.....I've stayed at a few others but these are the ones I'd return to.

The instagram stories i'm seeing from thai boys partying on Khaosan Rd drinking until 3am makes me wonder how they plan to enforce these rules anywhere, Hi-So or not. Prohibition doesn't work, either they will relax the rules or the population will begin to ignore them and they will lose more control.

Testing at the airport makes sense, since the clock only starts ticking when the test is done. Unfortunately, I just read in Phuket News that the Airport is asking to relocate the testing because they expect an increase of arrivals and "There will be congestion in the terminal building and we will be unable to increase the capacity to accommodate future tourists".

Until whole thing will be over we need to be mentally and financially prepared for sudden turns of the action for good and for bad. And act accordingly. Stressing it out won't help and alternative is just sitting at home and waiting and waiting. Did I say and waiting?

https://thepattayanews.com/2021/11/12/thailands-covid-19-center-holds-major-meeting-bars-and-nightlife-opening-postponed-officially-until-next-year-nationally-covid-19-recap-zone-changes/?fbclid=IwAR2pmS8y6h9SiIO13KUgxcG9gr9AYNPiCPg0xjxOziS2EPIXsu9ztMlo5tA

hopefully museums, temples and shopping malls will be opened so those naïve enough to go can be somehow entertained.

I wonder if all positive cases among locals in thailand are subjected to quarantine or not?

The Bangkok Post reports confirms the delay but contains some conflicting information. "CCSA spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin said the CCSA meeting chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha decided to defer by another month a plan to allow pubs, bars and karaokes to reopen on Dec 1. The new tentative reopening date was set for Jan 16 and only for some areas, depending on the Covid-19 situation." Later in the same article: "By Dec 1, we will also consider allowing the consumption of alcoholic beverages in restaurants, as well as the reopening of entertainment venues under appropriate health precautions to support the revitalisation of the tourism and leisure sectors, especially during the new year period..." That seems to leave the door open for a mid-December opening but it's certainly nothing to hang you hat on, given the messaging that emerged from Friday's meeting. If I was already planning a trip prior to year's end I don't see anything here that would cause me to cancel. As others have mentioned, it's still going to be Bangkok regardless of what restrictions are actually in place when you arrive. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2214487/reopening-delayed-for-nightclubs-bars

Maybe just maybe, hope they do go down the path of the rapid test. The government is considering replacing the RT-PCR test with other screening methods for vaccinated tourists under the Test & Go scheme, and easing high-risk close contact (HRC) rules which force airplane passengers who had sat near Covid-19 patients to undergo mandatory quarantine. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn said these decisions would be up to the national communicable disease control committee, and would also require approval from the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) meeting to be chaired by the prime minister on Friday. As the RT-PCR test requires at least six hours for the result, and inbound travellers must book and stay in a hotel room while awaiting the outcome, alternative methods, such as antigen test kits, are more convenient and help manage the flow of tourists better if the number of arrivals increases. Mr Yuthasak said the CCSA will also consider easing current HRC rules which force those who sit two rows in front of or two rows behind infected passengers on a plane to be relocated to quarantine facilities. Under the new proposal, only passengers who had sat next to a Covid-19 patient would be kept in quarantine, for a shorter period, meaning there would be a maximum of two travellers affected by the HRC rule. Meanwhile, those who test positive with mild or no symptoms don't have to be relocated to hospital to receive treatment, but can choose a hospitel or alternative quarantine instead with a shorter period of up to 10 days, from the current 14 days Maybe rapid testing

lol indeed.

Massage, visit snake temple, drink at restaurant lol

Because we stick to the bars that catered for tourists. If u go to those local bars, ud see almost all thais with no foreigners. Gov can choose to open only tourist bars, and have the thai locals angry at them, and then went to those bars resulting in overcrowd, or close all, or open all. I guess they chose to close all

Such a plan may well draw domestic tourists; this market doesn't need the bars that farangs frequent. Even in the past, how often did we see Thais in the bars?

I booked yesterday for a trip in three months time....and I agree with vinapu; we cannot allow our lives to be circumscribed by such possibilities, real as they are. All we can do is to take as many sensible precautions as we can. Every journey we undertake has its risks. My guess is that I shall be in most danger of catastrophe when I drive along the M4 to Heathrow Airport. And then, of course, in the taxi from BKK to Pattaya. All the other dangers, anxieties and possibilities are way down the list. One thing I have done is to spoil myself by booking Business Class on EVA Air, where the seats are partitioned and set well-apart. For those who are interested, the cost was £3400. I won't be able to afford that again!

I think the risks for most of us who take precautions well are not getting covid while on plane, but more of sitting next to someone who's tested positive. Getting the Covid is something we can avoid by having proper precautions but sitting next to one in plane or transportation to hotel is unpredictable and pure luck.

Heard someone said it is permanently closed. Crossing my fingers that it is wrong info.

No discussion. Definite at today's CCSA meeting bars, clubs, karaoke, discos cannot open before the 15th of January.

Thailand’s nightlife venues to reopen on Jan 16, subject to assessment Thailand’s nightlife venues to reopen on Jan 16, subject to assessment - Thailand News - ASEAN NOW - News, Travel & Forum