When will Thailand open to Tourists- question/speculation?

[vinapu]

43 minutes ago, spoon said:

Only usd16k in bank? Thats not unreasonable at all. 

to have that much in bank is not unreasonable although if it's achievable is another question but requiring proof   of that and for last  6 months is lunatic as far as mass tourism is concerned . It may suit North Korea or Bhutan or perhaps St. Helena and Tristan da Cunha  due to remoteness but Thailand ?

[spoon]

13 minutes ago, vinapu said:

to have that much in bank is not unreasonable although if it's achievable is another question but requiring proof   of that and for last  6 months is lunatic as far as mass tourism is concerned . It may suit North Korea or Bhutan or perhaps St. Helena and Tristan da Cunha  due to remoteness but Thailand ?

60-90 days staying in thailand is by no means mass tourism yet. I guess their aim are more to those who either retired, or rich enough to be able to take off 2-3 months for holiday. How they came up with that amount, who knows haha. Simple calculation dividing by 90days is about 5.5k baht per day. Surely that fits your budget? @vinapu

Although if i were to stay there for 60-90 days, id probably wont be spending that much everyday lol. For a 1-2 weeks vacation id probably spent more than that a day.

[10tazione]

According to the Royal Thai Embassy in Vienna it is indeed true that you can now travel to Thailand,
at least for Austrian residents, so this is likely true for whole European Union, but you will have to use a different embassy.

https://www.thaiembassy.at/en/?option=com_flexicontent&view=item&cid=21:consular-services&id=395:tourist-visa&Itemid=163&preview=1

You "only" need
1 a turist visa "TR" (for 60 days, extension for 30 days possible) - with the 15.000 € bank account requirement
2 health insurance
3 online registration for certificate of entry
  you play with the first steps here
  https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/
4 booking of asq hotel
5 flight booking
6 with 3+4+5 you will get a certificate of entry
7 covid test max 72h before departure
8 fit to fly certificate max 72h before departure (it seems there is a list of doctors who can do this ...)
=> with 1 + 2 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 +8 you should be able to fly to Thailand

It is still rather inconvenient:

• booking of asq hotel
  I have no idea but I expect them to be booked out rather quick, there arent to many of them ...
• it seems the best options for asq bookings still demand full payment a least 1 week before arrival (or are there better offers regarding late payment, can anyone mention specific hotels?), that would be a problem if
  - covid test is positive
  - you wouldnt get the fit for fly certificate
  - flight is cancelled / postponed: this needs further investigation, it seems flights can be booked for every day because airlines need cash, but most of them will be cancelled ...   some airlines close to bankruptcy ... how is Thai Airways doing ?
  - on entry they check you for symptoms, whatever that means, but probably at least temperature check and a look down your throat. What happens if they come to the conclusion that you have symptoms? Probably go to hospital and then goodbye asq hotel
  - 14 days quarantine in ASQ-Hotel: ok this could be managable by bringing tons of work for the 2 weeks and also by watching bl movies of course. I guess you are basically locked in your room ... I wonder in case of a fire, is your life more important or keeping Thailand covid free?
  - And then there is that tracking app for the rest of the holiday.

But the reward for this torture is:

• holiday in a basically Covid-free environment, while Europe is going crazy
• hot sunny weather instead of fog, rain and snow
• no swarms of other turists
• good looking men

[Guest]

I've been looking into this further.   With intent.

Step #1 is to book a flight.   Refundable is a must.  Skyscanner appears to have flexible options, but I have not yet read the T&C.

Step #2 is to book ASQ (Quarantine).   Some of the hotels require evidence of your flight booking.   They also require full payment for the 15 nights.    Some have a no refund policy.   This is a problem, considering we have not yet applied for a visa.    Also, despite it being 14 days quarantine, they are all selling 15 night packages.

Step #3 is to apply for the visa online, (via a website from hell).   Evidence required includes proof of bank balance, flight booking, ASQ booking and a few other minor things.   Then post off the passport.    No e-mail visa like Cambodia used to have.

Step #4 is to apply for COE.    Repeat some previous information, plus the insurance.  

Step #5 is the RT-PCR test AND a fit to fly certificate.    This needs to be ISSUED less than 72 hours before the flight, but keep reading.....

A few other forms need to be filled out before traveling (easy).

 

However:

(i)   Quite a few of the ASQ hotels are stating regulations require your RT-PCR test to have been performed less than 72 hours before ARRIVAL at the hotel.   This is in conflict with the earlier rules and much more difficult to achieve.

(ii) Some of the ASQ hotels charge you 100% of the booking, even in case of cancellations, delays etc.    I've e-mailed 14 of them and not a single one has totally acceptable cancellation or re-scheduling terms (e.g maximum 1 night's charge).    One or two have terms I might consider under duress.

(iii)  ASQ menus need to be checked.   Some have no menu.    Others have breakfast menus with (for example) all 5 dishes containing pork, so vegetarians and followers of at least 2 religions are clearly unwelcome.

 

List of ASQ hotels:   https://thaiembdc.org/asq/

[10tazione]

8 minutes ago, z909 said:

Step #1 is ...

It is interesting, the Embassy link a posted above has a completely different order of steps ... but in the end the issues remain the same ...

[Guest]

My list was based on UK info.  

The UK embassy visa application is by website and that is asking for the accommodation booking and the flight booking to be attached to the application.   I checked through the entire web process to confirm what is needed.  Link:  https://www.thaievisa.go.th

Screenshot of attachments page below.

 

So that means the visa can be no earlier than step 3.       Then the COE is after that, followed by the medical needs.

The Austrian process seems more logical.    Thank you for flagging up the difference.

I shall e-mail the UK embassy again, with questions.

 

 

[vinapu]

10 hours ago, spoon said:

... Simple calculation dividing by 90days is about 5.5k baht per day. Surely that fits your budget? @vinapu

 

it does but for 2-3 weeks vacations not 3 months unfortunately.

I wish them luck with all those  schemes they are trying to introduce but I understand they are not addressing them to me

 

[spoon]

4 minutes ago, vinapu said:

it does but for 2-3 weeks vacations not 3 months unfortunately.

I wish them luck with all those  schemes they are trying to introduce but I understand they are not addressing them to me

 

Yup, but i think they are not expecting everyone to spend that much, just expecting everyone who apply to have at least that much untouched for 6month hehe. The one that restriced me is still the length of stay, so until then, ill patiently wait.

[vinapu]

2 minutes ago, spoon said:

The one that restricted me is still the length of stay, so until then, ill patiently wait.

waiting time can be productively used to accumulate more of boy spending funds

[Guest]

I e-mailed the Thai embassy in London.

Apparently the proof of accommodation booking to go with the visa application is for the hotel AFTER the ASQ.  Logical????

I'm assuming a 3 day fully flexible booking.com booking will be OK......  

[reader]

From The Thaiger

Getting Back to Thailand, the latest information about ASQs and STVs | VIDEO

Whilst some restrictions have been eased, there has been a doubling down on other restrictions for travel back to Thailand at this stage. Here’s all the latest information about the Social Tourist Visa (STV), ASQ (Alternative State Quarantine), golf courses. And then there’s the Thai baht which is causing problems as well. The situation is very fluid but we do our best to keep you up to date with ALL the latest information that will help you get back to Thailand.

Continues with video

https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/visa/getting-back-to-thailand-the-latest-information-about-asqs-and-stvs-video

[vinapu]

14 hours ago, 10tazione said:

 

But the reward for this torture is:

• holiday in a basically Covid-free environment, while Europe is going crazy
• hot sunny weather instead of fog, rain and snow
• no swarms of other turists
• good looking men

I'd reverse that order

[reader]

From Bangkok Post

Foreign funds pile into Thailand as vaccine progress boosts tourism hopes

Progress towards a coronavirus vaccine is fuelling optimism Thailand will soon reopen for mass tourism. Overseas investors are already piling into the country’s financial markets.

Inflows into Thai sovereign debt have climbed to the highest in 17 months in November, even though the month is less than half over.

The baht has strengthened almost 3% since the end of October, making it the best-performing currency in Asia after the Indonesian rupiah.

The new Bank of Thailand governor, Sethaput Suthiwart-Narueput, will host his first Monetary Policy Committee meeting next week, though he is unlikely to do much to deter foreign funds.

“Foreigners have been mainly buying the front-end of the Thai debt curve for exposure to baht gains,” said Poon Panichpibool, a strategist at Krung Thai Bank. They were betting on Thai currency gains, and it looks like the baht would strengthen further over the next 12 months as a vaccine would be a major trigger for tourism arrivals, he said.

The recent political protests that have weighed on demand for Thai assets are also starting to look less of a deterrent -- at least based on one metric. The implied yield of the offshore baht has dropped below that of the onshore currency this month, after being more than 100 basis points above it in early September. The spread is seen as a proxy for political risks.

At the same time, there’s no sign the protests are going to end in the near future. The political noise may persist for some time as the 2013-2014 demonstrations took more than six months to settle, said Tim Leelahaphan, an economist at Standard Chartered.

While there are always some negatives around, the overall outlook for Thai bonds due to the vaccine progress and resumption of tourism is looking better than it has for some time. The surge of inflows seen so far this month could well prove to be the rule rather than the exception as 2021 rolls around.

[reader]

From Forbes

Thailand’s new tourist visa is ready for applicants from all countries. Here’s what you need to know to apply for it.

For Americans, here’s the link for the requirements listed by the Thai embassy in Washington, D.C. and the visa application form. Specifically, you’ll need:

• your passport;
• two 2”x2” (passport-sized) photos;
• bank statement showing, for each month over the past six months, a balance of the equivalent of at least 500,000 Baht (about $17,000);
• health insurance that covers Covid-19 valid for your entire length of stay, with coverage of a minimum of $100,000 in medical treatment;
• booking confirmation of an Alternative State Quarantine hotel;
• visa application form for U.S. citizens;
• declaration form with your travel details and attesting both your Covid status and that you’ll follow Thailand’s health rules;
• money order for the $40 visa fee and a self-addressed envelope.

Once approved for your visa, you then apply for a Certificate of Entry online.

Thailand wants to make sure that travel is as safe as possible. So, before getting the green light to board your flight, your airline will check:

• your visa;
• your Certificate of Entry;
• your certificate of a negative PCR test taken a maximum of 72 hours before departure;
• your “Fit to Fly” health certificate, issued maximum 72 hours prior to departure;
• proof of health insurance.

 

[Guest]

Visa application procedures seem to vary by country.   

Austria has a nice paper application, with minimal documentation.

The UK has a web based application, via a very unfriendly website with a Thai domain name.    Although their explanation states you need to supply covid insurance details, there is no place for attaching this on the website.  Also, I contacted the UK embassy and they told me the proof of accommodation required with the visa application is for accommodation AFTER the ASQ. 

The later COE process covers ASQ and medical insurance.

 

The US Embassy has a different web based application site, designed specifically for the US (Reader provided the link).

This does seem to allow you to continue past the first page if you select NO when asked if you have a booking for flights and ASQ.    It reminds you these are needed for the later COE application.   [I obviously did not waste my time going any further, as a UK citizen]

 

The application form states that ONLY repatriation flights and semi commercial flights are allowed to enter Thailand.  

I'm not exactly sure what semi-commercial means.   The Swiss air flight I have my eye on is freely available to book on Skyscanner AND my checks show it has been operating as scheduled this week.

 

As for Covid RT-PCR tests, in the UK, I have found:

1  Reasonably priced providers with unreasonable turnaround times (~70 hours). Not guaranteed.   Typically ~£130

2 Services with "next day" or 48 hour delivery.  Not guaranteed.    Typically £175~300.

3 Fleet Street Clinic.   Guaranteed next day service £400. 

The Fleet Street Clinic processes the test on site, whereas most of the others outsource it.

Some sources indicate that about 3% of tests fail to process properly, so a retest is required.

If anyone has found better providers, please share.

 

 

 

 

[10tazione]

On 11/11/2020 at 11:26 PM, z909 said:

Also, despite it being 14 days quarantine, they are all selling 15 night packages.

https://www.anantara.com/en/siam-bangkok/offers/government-approved-quarantine-package

Q11. Why do ASQ guests have to stay in the hotel for 15 nights instead of 14 nights?

Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health requires ASQ guests to quarantine for 14 full days and counts the date of arrival in Thailand as Day 0, irrespective of the arrival time in the country on that day.

[reader]

From The Thaiger

Rejoice Thailand. 681 tourists will arrive in November!

Rejoice, roll out the red carpet and sound the bells. Here they come! Thailand is about to be flooded with 681 tourists who have applied for, and received, the Special Tourist Visa. Ok, we’ll admit that’s the number is a bit down on last year’s monthly 3.3 million tourist arrivals (average). But, twisting the numbers like only the Tourist Authority of Thailand can, that’s more than DOUBLE last months’ total tourist intake.

The perpetually optimistic governor of the TAT announced the 681 tourists will be visiting Thailand during this month under the much-discussed Special Tourist Visa (STV) program.

263 of those ‘special’ tourists had already completed the 14 day mandatory quarantine, 134 were currently in quarantine and 284 would arrive before the end of November.

The TAT governor says that the TAT, Thai Airways and hotels associations had been working on what he called the “Amazing Thailand Plus Special Package”. This was a one-stop-shop service to make it easier for the tourists to get their air tickets, apply for their visa, find out about where to quarantine and book trips around the country once they finish their quarantine period.

Thailand would have normally be welcoming around 3.5 million tourists during November (according to 2019 data) but this year’s ‘disruption’, and the Thai government’s response to it, has all but closed down Thailand’s international tourism industry.

=================================================

From The Thaiger

Coming to Thailand? Check your insurance and ASQ fine print

A concerned reader sent us this information, based on his experiences in the ASQ when he arrived in Thailand. We publish them with good faith but would urge everyone to check their insurance situation, whether they’re currently in ASQ or might be in the near future, to check your individual circumstances. The comments made about the ‘system’ are those of the writer…

“Under current Thai ASQ rules, anyone who fails the RT-PCR test in quarantine is sent to hospital, even if they have no symptoms. The ASQ quarantine fee (paid in advance to the hotel) does not cover the hospital costs. So insurance is required.

1. I checked with AXA Thailand, as they offer an insurance policy for US$100,000 to meet the Covid-19 insurance laws. They told me this does NOT cover hospitalisation without symptoms, even after failing the covid-19 tests that are required in quarantine. I believe the odds of anyone who fails the test in quarantine having no symptoms are at least 50% and in this case their insurance will be invalid. The policy is not fit for purpose!

2. Most UK insurers offer travel insurance cover for “Emergency Medical Care”. As being sent to hospital merely for failing a test is not an emergency, then they do not cover being sent to hospital from ASQ.

3. Some UK insurers invalidate all of the medical cover, as any visitor to Thailand is “awaiting tests for an undiagnosed condition”, because they require RT-PCR tests.”

The bottomline on all this is ask questions, check your insurance coverage and get everything in writing.

 

[vinapu]

7 hours ago, reader said:

The bottomline on all this is ask questions, check your insurance coverage and get everything in writing.

 

Or just stay wherever you are waiting patiently for a vaccine

[Guest]

Thaiger embellished the insurance story slightly, as their source identifed the insurance problems from pre-trip checks and not whilst in ASQ.    However, the rest of it is correct.

 

[reader]

From Chiang Rai Times / The Thaiger

60 day Tourist Visa stiff income requirement being wound back

The hefty income requirement for Thailand’s Tourist Visas look like they’re being wound back following online backlash and low uptake. Previously, travellers were excited to learn they could visit a “Covid-free” Thailand, but their moods dipped after learning of the steep financial proof they needed in order to be granted under the revised Tourist Visa provisions.

Now, some embassies and consulates worldwide have have dropped the stipulation on their websites that had once listed a 500,000 baht bank account balance as a requirement for obtaining the visas. Such consulates as Los Angeles now list the requirements as being US$ 700 per person and US$ 1,500.

The London and Berlin embassies show no requirement on the websites which has signaled the news of a reversal. Such a change is expected to see more applicants for the visa, with Thailand set to see more tourists over the next few months, just in time for high season.

The hefty income requirement for Thailand’s Tourist Visas look like they’re being wound back following online backlash and low uptake. Previously, travellers were excited to learn they could visit a “Covid-free” Thailand, but their moods dipped after learning of the steep financial proof they needed in order to be granted under the revised Tourist Visa provisions.

Now, some embassies and consulates worldwide have have dropped the stipulation on their websites that had once listed a 500,000 baht bank account balance as a requirement for obtaining the visas. Such consulates as Los Angeles now list the requirements as being US$ 700 per person and US$ 1,500.

The London and Berlin embassies show no requirement on the websites which has signaled the news of a reversal. Such a change is expected to see more applicants for the visa, with Thailand set to see more tourists over the next few months, just in time for high season.

The income requirements are not uniform at this stage with different embassies listing different requirements around the world.

However, despite the perceived reversal of the bank account required balance, tourists must still obtain a US$100,000 Covid travel insurance policy, a Certificate of Entry, and a confirmed booking at one of Thailand’s quarantine hotels. Furthermore, such a stay at an approved hotel can average 40,000 baht. There are plenty more expensive, and a few as low as 25,000 baht.

In response, Thailand has been considering reducing the 14 day quarantine requirement to 10 days, citing that most Covid cases are detected within the first 5 days. That proposals will be discussed, again, this Wednesday.

[TotallyOz]

16 hours ago, vinapu said:

Or just stay wherever you are waiting patiently for a vaccine

I do believe that will happen soon. And, if so, I'll bet Thailand opens up non-restricted travel to all. BUT....

Having visited Central World this week and saw graffiti on the streets that was vulgar and aimed at the monarchy, I could easily see Thailand holding off on things until everything here gets a bit more quiet.

 

[Guest]

22 hours ago, reader said:

In response, Thailand has been considering reducing the 14 day quarantine requirement to 10 days, citing that most Covid cases are detected within the first 5 days. That proposals will be discussed, again, this Wednesday.

That looks awfully like data driven decision making, which is a good thing.  As I've been advocating, let in a few tourists, monitor the data then act upon it.

I hope they have enough good data to reduce the quarantine period.  

Also, in the unlikely event they screw it up and there's growth in new cases in the new year, there should be a vaccine just in time to limit the damage.

[reader]

From The Thaiger / Thai PBS World

New Thailand Plus app for tourists will help officials track their whereabouts

A new app, named Thailand Plus, for tourists has been created to help officials track their whereabouts more precisely once they have arrived in Thailand. The app was developed by Sompote Arhunai, the CEO of the Energy Absolute Company, which also developed the “Mor Chana” application.

Sompote says the app will send information to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and will function similarily to a GPS. Such information will include certificate of entries, as well as screening and tracing. He says officials will know the whereabouts of tourists during their stays in case any of them are found to have contracted the virus. Such precise whereabouts will reportedly help authorities to take immediate action to prevent the spread of the virus in the areas in which the tourists visited.

So far, he says 600,000 Thais have downloaded the Mor Chana app and he urges more Thais to do the same. But following the controversial app, which some say is an invasion of privacy, he says their privacy will not be compromised.

[vinapu]

20 minutes ago, reader said:

New Thailand Plus app for tourists will help officials track their whereabouts

A new app, named Thailand Plus, for tourists has been created to help officials track their whereabouts more precisely once they have arrived in Thailand. ........

...... But following the controversial app, which some say is an invasion of privacy, he says their privacy will not be compromised.

somebody in government is clearly impressed by North Korea

[Guest]

10 hours ago, reader said:

So far, he says 600,000 Thais have downloaded the Mor Chana app and he urges more Thais to do the same. But following the controversial app, which some say is an invasion of privacy, he says their privacy will not be compromised.

With about 1% of the population using the app, I presume it's voluntary.   Voluntary invasions of privacy are not a big problem, as long as it stays that way.

 

Referring back to the thread title, ie when will Thailand open to tourists ?

Well, already if you are prepared to do 15 nights quarantine.   Hopefully they might shorten the quarantine after checking enough customer data.  

Incidentally, for anyone "working from home", as long as your employer has a good attitude and the hotel has a good wifi connection, I don't quite see what stops people working from their quarantine cell.    Then start the holiday after 15 days. 

 

As for full opening, there was a very relevant vaccine announcement today, with the one vaccine we know Thailand has licensed announcing trial results (Astra Zeneca "Oxford" vaccine). 

If that gets approved, I suppose all the at risk Thai people will be vaccinated in 2021.   Then the doors will be wide open for tourists.