Thai Pass

[reader]

From Richardbarrow.com

THAI NEWS REPORTS: The infection rate of all travellers entering Thailand by air:

·       November: 0.13%

·       December: 0.45%

·       January: 3.73%

 

·       February: 2.82%

·       Test & Go: 0.86%

·       Sandbox: 5.27%

Quarantine: 2.75%

89,858 international arrivals in February.

[daydreamer]

On 1/28/2022 at 7:33 AM, reader said:

WARNING: It looks like the Thailand Pass email database has been hacked and is sending out spoof emails with a link that sends people to a malware site after they click on “download”. Everyone is getting the same QR Code for a Mr Hongkam. Please share this news with others

 

Just this evening, I received a second one of these fake emails with a PDF file attachment, that if opened, no doubt contains malware.  I'm copying the text of the email below.  It is sent from contact@passthailandteam

I deleted the .com extension from the above email address so nobody will accidentally click on it as a link.  If you receive one of these spoof emails, do not open it.

I left Thailand more than one week ago, but the hackers don't know that.  Beware.  Here is the text from the email:

 

There are problems with your information. You can access and download your Thailand Pass QR Code by double clicking the attached PDF

Travelling to Thailand

    1. Please prepare your documents to present at the check-in counter and to the agencies concerned when arriving in Thailand. The documents are as follows
        1.1 Passport with visa (if required)
        1.2 Thailand Pass QR Code (on mobile device or printed copy)
        1.3 Medical certificate with a laboratory result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected through RT-PCR test (issued within 72 hours before departure). If the Port Health and Quarantine at airports in Thailand discover that you have invalidated COVID-19 RT-PCR test result or if the type of the test is not RT-PCR method, you will not be eligible to be exempted from quarantine, but you may be allowed to enter Thailand by quarantine only.
    2. When arriving in Thailand, please present your documents and Thailand Pass QR Code to the immigration and disease control officers.

Download the attachment PDF and update the information

 

 

[TMax]

Thanks daydreamer, it seems the hackers haven't funished their nefarious work, low mongrels that they are 

[TMax]

From The Nation.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha wants the Thailand Pass system to be improved to make it more convenient for foreign tourists to enter the kingdom, government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said on Wednesday.

Thanakorn said Prayut ordered government agencies concerned to speed up efforts to detect bugs and correct errors in the system to make it convenient for foreign tourists to register.

The prime minister noted that foreign tourists are essential for the revival of the economy.

According to Thanakorn, government agencies are paying heed to the prime minister’s concerns and are stepping up efforts to improve the system.

The Digital Government Development Agency Public Organisation, which is in charge of Thailand Pass, has sped up the consideration of applications and approved QR codes for tourists in seven days, the spokesman said.

He said the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is coordinating with the Foreign Ministry and the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration to launch awareness campaigns among hotels and foreign tourists on how to use the system.

He said the new Thailand Pass Hotel & Swap System (TPHS) has been linked to Thailand Pass to make it convenient for hotels to approve reservations and allow tourists to swap hotels with more convenience.

The TPHS would take 10-15 minutes to approve requests and the main Thailand Pass system will respond every hour, Thanakorn said.

He said the agencies concerned are adding more servers to the TPHS and would improve its functionality using an auto-approval function.

TAT is launching an awareness campaign for hotels to join the TPHS system, which can alert them via email when new reservations are made, Thanakorn added.

[vinapu]

3 hours ago, TMax said:

He said the new Thailand Pass Hotel & Swap System (TPHS) has been linked to Thailand Pass to make it convenient for hotels to approve reservations and allow tourists to swap hotels with more convenience.

 

how having two systems instead of one is simplifying and streamlining remains mystery invisible to my eyes.

What about checking requirement for vaccination before boarding the plane and that's it ?

[Guest]

On 2/16/2022 at 6:29 PM, vinapu said:

What about checking requirement for vaccination before boarding the plane and that's it ?

Absolutely.   With vaccines, this isn't much worse than seasonal flu.  For under 50s, it's actually less severe.

Every country that has offered it's citizens mRNA vaccines ought to open up fully.  That includes Thailand.   If a few are too dumb to take vaccines, that's their personal decision and shouldn't lead to restrictions on others.
(Data below is for England, from the FT)

Also, the Thai government officials keep saying asymptomatic people can isolate at home now.  

So if that's the case, why don't they allow asymptomatic tourists to isolate in the hotel/apartment of their choice ?   This immediately eliminates the problem of travel insurance not paying out for incarceration of asymptomatic people.

 

[reader]

From Thai PBS World

Thailand to consider cutting second COVID-19 tests on international arrivals

Thailand will consider a recommendation from an airline tycoon to reduce the steps required for international entry, by doing away the second COVID-19 test, currently required on the fifth day after arrival.

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul met with AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes, who suggested measures to improve the “Test & Go” scheme, specifically the removal of the second test requirement.

Anutin said that he has asked the Department of  Disease Control (DDC) to consider the idea, as they are concerned with the safety of the people.

AirAsia also claimed that many tourists, such as those from Malaysia and Singapore, are interested in coming to Thailand, but are discouraged by the onerous procedures involved. Anutin admitted that they cause inconvenience for foreign travellers, but he thinks there should be a balance between reviving the economy and the safety of the people.

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailand-to-consider-cutting-second-covid-19-tests-on-international-arrivals/

[reader]

Just dump the damn thing.

From Bangkok Post

The second RT-PCR test required by the Test & Go scheme should be scrapped by March if the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) agrees with the proposal, according to the Tourism and Sports Ministry.

Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the tourism and sports minister, said the ministry and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will propose a relaxation of entry requirements by replacing the second RT-PCR test with an antigen test kit, making the request at the next CCSA meeting on Feb 23.

If the proposal is approved, the new rule will be applied from next month, he said.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2266615/tourism-ministry-plans-to-propose-scrapping-2nd-rt-pcr-test

[18past19]

1 hour ago, reader said:

If the proposal is approved, the new rule will be applied from next month,

i will be keeping all my digits crossed. 

[Guest]

The article also refers to deleting all testing for inbound travellers when COVID is declared endemic.

I don't quite know what they are waiting for.   It already is endemic and Thailand sensibly doesn't appear to have any zero COVID policies.

They should probably concentrate on persuading more elderly people to take vaccines, as these are the people most at risk.  Then abolish all other restrictions, except for the requirement to wear masks indoors.

[macaroni21]

Here's what the boss of Air Asia, Tony Fernandes, said recently: 

Quote

 

"To me, opening our borders means no quarantine, no form-filling, no constant testing," Mr Fernandes said.

"It's time to move on and get on with our lives," he added.

 

The above is from the BBC article https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60411616. Further down the same article,

Quote

 

But regional industry experts say a lot more needs to be done to ensure the industry's full recovery in the short-term, especially when it comes to building a more cohesive travel policy between governments.

"Each country in Asia sets its own rules, often fast-changing rules, which makes it risky and complicated for travellers," Henk Ombelet from aviation analysts Cirium said. "So it ends up that most opt to just not travel, or at most just travel domestically."

 

I concur with both. Scrap all restrictions. Omicron is no more than flu.

[Londoner]

Removal of the second test would make my spring/summer trip more likely; removal of all would make it a certainty.  

[vinapu]

3 hours ago, Londoner said:

Removal of the second test would make my spring/summer trip more likely; removal of all would make it a certainty.  

don't worry and just go

[kokopelli 2]

On 2/15/2022 at 8:15 PM, daydreamer said:

 

Just this evening, I received a second one of these fake emails with a PDF file attachment, that if opened, no doubt contains malware.  I'm copying the text of the email below.  It is sent from contact@passthailandteam

I deleted the .com extension from the above email address so nobody will accidentally click on it as a link.  If you receive one of these spoof emails, do not open it.

I left Thailand more than one week ago, but the hackers don't know that.  Beware.  Here is the text from the email:

 

There are problems with your information. You can access and download your Thailand Pass QR Code by double clicking the attached PDF

Travelling to Thailand

    1. Please prepare your documents to present at the check-in counter and to the agencies concerned when arriving in Thailand. The documents are as follows
        1.1 Passport with visa (if required)
        1.2 Thailand Pass QR Code (on mobile device or printed copy)
        1.3 Medical certificate with a laboratory result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected through RT-PCR test (issued within 72 hours before departure). If the Port Health and Quarantine at airports in Thailand discover that you have invalidated COVID-19 RT-PCR test result or if the type of the test is not RT-PCR method, you will not be eligible to be exempted from quarantine, but you may be allowed to enter Thailand by quarantine only.
    2. When arriving in Thailand, please present your documents and Thailand Pass QR Code to the immigration and disease control officers.

Download the attachment PDF and update the information

 

 

daydreamer, are you saying that all Thai Pass approvals are fake?  How can anyone know if their Thai Pass approval is official or not?

[daydreamer]

3 hours ago, kokopelli 2 said:

daydreamer, are you saying that all Thai Pass approvals are fake?  How can anyone know if their Thai Pass approval is official or not?

Not all Thailand Pass approvals are fake.  If you receive an email about your Thailand Pass, please note where it is coming from before opening any attachments.

Any emails coming from contact@passthailandteam ( .com) are fake.  The correct domain address for Thailand Pass is @tp.consular.go.th .

Also note that the genuine Thai government address ends in .go.th  and not .com

 

This information is also on a pop-up on the genuine Thailand Pass website at https://tp.consular.go.th/

I am posting a screenshot below.  I added the blue arrow to make it easier to find the applicable text.

 

 

[kokopelli 2]

Thanks daydreamer, that helps to clarify everything.

[reader]

From Richardbarrow.com

The infection rate of all travellers entering Thailand by air

November: 0.13%

December: 0.45%

January: 3.73%

February: 2.55%

• ·       Test & Go: 1.05%
• ·       Sandbox: 5.14%
• ·       Quarantine: 3.04%

137,090 international arrivals in February so far.

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

Thailand has approved two additional COVID-19 vaccines for international travellers to Thailand under the Sandbox programme. The latest additions are Medigen COVID-19 vaccine and Sputnik Light.

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

The next big meeting of the CCSA to review the Covid-19 situation will take place on Wednesday and the highlights of this meeting will then be outlined in the press briefing in Thai and English starting from 12:30pm.

[reader]

An article from the Washington Post included information about Test and Go insurance requirements that I don't recall seeing before. I believe the writer may have gotten this wrong.

For any of Thailand’s tourism programs, travelers must purchase insurance with a minimum coverage of $50,000 that includes the cost of treatment and other medical expenses associated with a coronavirus infection. The policy must cover the full duration of the traveler’s stay plus a minimum of 10 extra days in case the fifth-day PCR test returns positive.

Continues at

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/tips-for-traveling-in-thailand-right-now-from-people-who-just-went/ar-AAU7JTH

 

[Londoner]

I remember seeing this in a falang's Youtube presentation when the "new" regulations were first introduced. On the other hand , I don't recall the  Thailand sites (like Thiger) mentioning it when issues relating to insurance were addressed

In other words, I knew about it while many (most?) others didn't. Did  the regulation result in any rejected Thai Passes applications?

I have to concede that it makes sense.

[vaughn]

The 10 days exceeding your stay was a suggestion from the TAT about a month ago. I don't have the post handy where they mentioned it but it wasn't a requirement for test&go approval, moreso a suggestion to help travelers avoid issues with insurance.

I don't blame the writer for getting it wrong, the communication from TAT, CCSA, PM and Health Minister often contradict each other and announce 'possible' amendments to the scheme. If you're not following it closely it would be clear as mud.

[vaughn]

https://thepattayanews.com/2022/02/22/thai-prime-minister-to-join-general-covid-center-meeting-tomorrow-to-discuss-covid19-restrictions-including-international-arrival-measures-for-tourists/

Thai Prime Minister to join general Covid center meeting tomorrow (Feb 23) to discuss Covid19 restrictions, including international arrival measures for tourists

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O’Cha will chair the Center of Covid-19 Administration Situation (CCSA) at a large general meeting tomorrow, February 23rd, to primarily discuss some measures adjustments and the trends of the current Covid-19 pandemic situation in Thailand.

According to the Government House, the Prime Minister had acknowledged some topics to be introduced at the meeting tomorrow, including the current Covid-19 situation reports and the return of on-site learning at educational institutions proposed by the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) of the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health.

The adjustment of preventive measures upon international arrivals to the country, proposed by the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) of Tourism and Sports, would also be introduced at tomorrow’s meeting as well as the vaccine allocation plan by the Ministry of Public Health.

As of today, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told the Associated Press that the Ministry would also discuss the proposal of the cancellation of RT-PCR testing for international travelers visiting Thailand from March 5th onwards, reasoning that the test was not necessary, the infection trend was likely to decrease, and most infections are domestic, not imported. This, of course, was a discussion and not a guarantee of lifting the incredibly unpopular and expensive on-arrival testing, especially a day 5 test that also mandates a stay at certified hotels while waiting for results.

Anutin has dismissed rumors of a lockdown, saying that these measures are antiquated and not on the table, despite rising cases of Covid-19 in the country and some provinces, like Buriram, implementing stronger provincial restrictions like the closure of service venues focused on alcohol sales and restaurants that have live music.

[reader]

From Richardbarrow.com

Yesterday, 1,000’s of people received this email. The thing they all had in common was that they had signed up for Thailand Pass. Some told me they had only signed up a few days ago. Others said they used a unique email to sign up. If you get this email, do not reply

[vaughn]

I have just got my Thailand pass, a 48-hour turnaround from when I applied.

One thing that I thought was going to cause a problem but didn't was listed on the required documents that the hotel must itemize the day 1 stay, transport, and the day 5 atk test on the prepaid receipt. My hotel didn't mention an ATK but was approved anyway, so I assume I can just buy a test from a pharmacy on day 5 or maybe they will hand me one when I arrive in Phuket.

Overall I found it to be fairly easy once you get all of the required documents in order and take screenshots to upload in jpeg format.

[reader]

From The Thaiger

Officials warn about various scam Thailand Pass emails, some with malicious links

Thailand Pass applicants are being warned about numerous scam emails from accounts posing as the Department of Consular Affairs or a team from the Thailand Pass system. Some emails are requesting personal information, such as passport numbers, and others include an encrypted link. Officials haven’t confirmed if any other information besides email addresses has been compromised from the Thailand Pass system.

A Thailand Pass QR Code is a requirement for those entering the country on the Test & Go or Sandbox schemes. The approval process can take a week, but while waiting to hear back, travellers are being warned about phishing emails. Authentic emails on the Thailand Pass are sent from email addresses ending in @tp.consular.go.th or @consular.go.th, which are both official accounts under the Department of Consular Affairs.

Some travellers have gotten emails saying there are problems with documents submitted to the embassy and asking for the last four digits of their passport number as well as their name and date of birth. Other phishing emails say a document needs to be downloaded, specifically on a PC, for information to be updated on the Thailand Pass system.

Various spoof emails with malicious links have been sent to Thailand Pass applicants for the past several months. Some applicants say they’ve gotten an email months after being in Thailand.

 

[reader]

Gov't plans to relax travel regs

From Bangkok Post

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is preparing a plan to relax travel rules in line with the timeline to declare Covid-19 an endemic disease on July 1.

The tourism goals for revenue and arrivals this year might be downgraded because of surging oil prices and inflation caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, said TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn.

Mr Yuthasak said the plan to label Covid-19 endemic from the second half of the year will lead to further relaxations, including the termination of Thailand Pass, marking a milestone for the industry.

The agency has to start working on new protocols over the next four months, he said.

However, an RT-PCR Covid test result from tourists remains essential for the time being as the country is struggling with an overwhelming daily caseload, said Mr Yuthasak. He said Thailand should adopt safety procedures and learn lessons from other countries that have already opened up to ensure the kingdom remains competitive in luring international tourists.

TAT plans to propose further easing of travel regulations at the next Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) meeting on March 18.