Govt mulls resuming 'Test & Go"

[Mateo_37]

I still have my flight booked for February 18th, but I am wondering if I should maybe reschedule it for May or something?

[Londoner]

You can't apply for your Thailand Pass until ! February and I suspect that the site  will be under heavy pressure for a few days.

I'd be surprised if the arrangements change much in the time leading-up to  May; indeed, a new variant , or a cluster or two may even make the rules tighter.

I wouldn't change my dates but there are two aspects for me which may not apply to you; firstly, an awareness of the fact that my age is such that I may not have many trips ahead of me; and secondly, I have someone waiting for me there whom I am desperate to meet. 

[Midguy1]

2 hours ago, Londoner said:

I have someone waiting for me there whom I am desperate to meet.

I remember in normal times it was bad enough having to wait 3-6 months between visits to be reunited with our friends, I can hear the angst coming through.  I hope you are able to be reunited again soon, amongst all the bureaucracy there is hope ahead.

[vinapu]

7 hours ago, gerefan said:

 

i had a second PCR, after 6 days,  on the 2 January. I am still waiting the results!!

hopefully busy with boys in meantime I guess

[vinapu]

3 hours ago, Mateo_37 said:

I still have my flight booked for February 18th, but I am wondering if I should maybe reschedule it for May or something?

no , just go as planned , in May we may have 'ro' or 'sigma' variant, why take  a chance ?  You can always go in May again

[18past19]

No. i heard we are getting Omega strain in May and thailand government is implementing Test, Test, Test and Go program with SHA+++++ hotels. 

[reader]

From Bangkok Post

Phuket wary of travel call involving sealed route

Authorities in Phuket on Thursday gave a lukewarm response to an idea that Covid-infected tourists with no symptoms could be allowed to travel via a sealed route.

Pichet Panapong, deputy Phuket governor, said visitors testing positive for Covid-19 should be isolated in their hotel rooms, adding he had already conveyed this to the chief of the provincial immigration police who floated the idea.

He said SHA Plus managers, whose role it is to ensure compliance with Covid-19 preventive measures such as vaccination requirements for service staff, were also instructed to strictly comply with the virus curbs.

"For the proposed sealed route, if tourists need to go out, they may visit areas where there are no other people, like an empty beach via a sealed route. But this arrangement must be supervised by an SHA Plus Manager.

"Some tourists with no symptoms might forget they are infected and visit markets or shopping malls. This is worrying. I think the best thing to do is to keep them isolated. A sealed route may be considered in some cases only," he said.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2250875/phuket-wary-of-travel-call-involving-sealed-route

[18past19]

i am sorry but this is what i think of once i heard “sealed route” on a beach. 

[vinapu]

1 hour ago, reader said:

 

"Some tourists with no symptoms might forget they are infected and visit markets or shopping malls. This is worrying. I think the best thing to do is to keep them isolated. A sealed route may be considered in some cases only," he said.

 

another idea to boost arrivals  by increasing tourists confidence I guess

[18past19]

Appointing hunky masseurs from sabaidee massage as “supervising” SHA plus managers will be more convincing. 

[vinapu]

11 minutes ago, 18past19 said:

Appointing hunky masseurs from sabaidee massage as “supervising” SHA plus managers will be more convincing. 

I miss them too

[spoon]

My wish for one day that a gay hotel would collaborate with a gay bar/massage and get the SHA+ status and provide plenty of services for trapped tourist. So no matter what the thai gov decide, i can still have my fun.

[Guest]

I expect this quarantine nonsense will be stopped during 2022.

There are countries who had relatively few restrictions for Omicron and have already reversed the restrictions they have had.  That's because case numbers quickly peaked and declined, with relatively few deaths.

Thailand should notice this and adapt policy.

Also, in the tourist areas, the economic depression continues.  For example, out of the 8   7-Eleven/Family Mart stores nearest my current hotel, 7 have closed.   I've already seen other shops that were still struggling on last month close.  So there ought to be significant economic pressure to reform policy.  Whether a government that is not fully accountable to an electorate decides to act is another matter.

[10tazione]

3 hours ago, spoon said:

My wish for one day that a gay hotel would collaborate with a gay bar/massage and get the SHA+ status and provide plenty of services for trapped tourist. So no matter what the thai gov decide, i can still have my fun.

this is the "boybox model" (7d) or "boy & go" (1d)

[10tazione]

According to the Thaiger, "The CCSA also announced that the compulsory insurance policies will need to cover ALL contingencies if you happen to test positive, including your additional accommodation costs".

I assume that currently no such insurance policy exists yet?

I hate insurance companies. I have an annual travel health insurance that covered all I needed for my last visit to Thailand, but it was impossible to get a confirmation that clearly states the coverage in a way the CCSA asked for. Not having the time to experiment with Thailand Pass rejections I decided to buy the Thai one recommended by the embassy.

[vaughn]

5 minutes ago, 10tazione said:

According to the Thaiger, "The CCSA also announced that the compulsory insurance policies will need to cover ALL contingencies if you happen to test positive, including your additional accommodation costs".

I assume that currently no such insurance policy exists yet?

I hate insurance companies. I have an annual travel health insurance that covered all I needed for my last visit to Thailand, but it was impossible to get a confirmation that clearly states the coverage in a way the CCSA asked for. Not having the time to experiment with Thailand Pass rejections I decided to buy the Thai one recommended by the embassy.

I'm guessing AXA would be one of the first to meet the requirements https://www.axa.co.th/en/axa-sawasdee-thailand-travel-insurance

The wording from the CCSA is so vague though, there's no chance an insurance company would ever say "all contingencies".

[spoon]

1 hour ago, 10tazione said:

this is the "boybox model" (7d) or "boy & go" (1d)

I hear there will be a promotion, each room comes with one boy of your choice that will quarantine with you lol

[Midguy1]

4 hours ago, 10tazione said:

I assume that currently no such insurance policy exists yet

I checked with my travel insurance company (UK) before my recent trip and they confirmed they would cover these costs.  In their words... (if unexpectedly quarantined or advised to self-isolate whilst outside the UK)...  We'll cover emergency medical treatment, extra accommodation and travel costs if you need to stay longer than expected.

It didn't matter whether I actually had a positive test or not, the key was if I was mandated to do this by the authorities then I was covered.

Best to check the policy details of from each insurance company to be sure.

[Guest]

The Thai government needs to stop this daft policy of quarantining everyone with COVID. 

Richard Barrow did a poll and over 75% of people said they wouldn't declare a positive test.   Isolating at home makes far more sense.  Now of course the participants in his poll are likely to be farang, but Thais are likely to increasingly reach the same conclusion.  Talking to two who got COVID and had to quarantine in Jomtien, they said next time they fail, they would keep quiet.  Now people like that are bound to talk to others. 

So eventually it reaches a point where people don't want enforced quarantine so avoid reporting COVID.  So the government then has no clue about how many actually have it.

When they finally realise COVID is endemic and end pointless quarantine for people who fail tests, it follows that there should be far fewer problems with insurance not covering costs.

[reader]

From The Thaiger

New Test & Go program draws huge criticism

The revamped Test & Go entry scheme now requires overseas arrivals to stay at an approved hotel on day 1 and again on day 5 of their stay – and to take a PCR test on each day. They must Netflix and chill in their hotel rooms after each test, until they receive a negative result.

However, what has many people scratching their heads is the fact that in between both tests, people are free to wander wherever they like. Test & Go does not require travelers to book the same hotel for days 1 and 5, or even to stay in the same province.

Tourists can arrive in Bangkok on day 1 and by day 5, be in Chiang Mai for their second test and mandatory hotel stay. What is also not known is whether the government will consider infections detected on day 5 as imported…

The new requirements have tourism operators concerned that tourists will be put off by the additional costs, especially the second PCR test. Ratchaporn Poolsawadee from the Tourism Association of Koh Samui says PCR tests on the island cost 2,200 baht. He wants that price cut to 1,500 baht, as otherwise, it could be a deterrent for people traveling on a budget.

Meanwhile, มาริสา สุโกศล หนุนภักดี from the Thai Hotels Association says officials need to design a system for the new testing requirements prior to Test & Go resuming. She suggests that the second test should be dispensed with once the Covid situation improves.

https://thethaiger.com/news/national/thailand-news-today-new-test-go-program-draws-huge-criticism

[reader]

From richardbarrow.com

 Infection rate of international arrivals tested during their first week in Thailand:

1-20 January: 3.52% (139,633)

Test & Go: 3.77%

Sandbox: 3.78%

Quarantine: 2.16%

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

Bangkok Airways to fly twice daily sealed-route Bangkok-Phuket flights from 1 February

Bangkok, 21 January, 2022 – Starting from 1 February, 2022, Bangkok Airways will operate two special sealed-route flights per day from Bangkok to Phuket in support of the reintroduction of the Sandbox Extension programme.

The two services – one at midday and the other in the early evening – will be operated by an ATR72-600 aircraft. Flight PG5275 will depart from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport at 12.00 Hrs. and arrive at Phuket International Airport at 14.05 Hrs., while Flight PG5279 will depart Suvarnabhumi Airport at 17.10 Hrs. and arrive at Phuket at 19.15 Hrs.

The introduction of the two daily Bangkok to Phuket flights coincides with the 1 February, 2022 resumption of the Sandbox Extension programme between Phuket, Phang-Nga, Krabi, and Surat Thani (Ko Samui, Ko Pha-ngan, and Ko Tao), whereby Sandbox travellers can travel within these destinations during their first 7 days in Thailand and can stay in 3 different hotels if they so wish.

Thailand’s Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has also approved the resumption of the Exemption from Quarantine (TEST & GO) entry scheme and the reopening of Bang Lamung, Pattaya, Si Racha, Si Chang, and Sattahip – only Na Jomtien and Bang Saray – in Chon Buri, and Ko Chang in Trat as Sandbox destinations – also effective from 1 February, 2022.

This means that from 1 February, 2022, fully vaccinated travellers from any country around the world can apply for a TEST & GO Thailand Pass up to 60 days in advance. Existing rules under the scheme remain unchanged, additional requirements have been introduced to ensure stringent COVID-19 precautions.

Meanwhile, fully vaccinated travellers from overseas who are planning to travel to Thailand under the Sandbox programme can choose to undergo their first 7 days in either Krabi, Phang-Na, Phuket, Surat Thani (Ko Samui, Ko Pha-ngan, and Ko Tao), Chon Buri (Bang Lamung, Pattaya, Si Racha, Si Chang, and Sattahip – only Na Jomtien and Bang Saray), and Trat (Ko Chang).

https://www.tatnews.org/2022/01/bangkok-airways-to-fly-twice-daily-sealed-route-bangkok-phuket-flights-from-1-february-2022/

[khaolakguy]

15 hours ago, z909 said:

Whether a government that is not fully accountable to an electorate decides to act is another matter.

Did you think that they should be accountable to you?

[TMax]

15 hours ago, spoon said:

I hear there will be a promotion, each room comes with one boy of your choice that will quarantine with you lol

Only the one? Two would be better😅

[vinapu]

14 hours ago, Midguy1 said:

 

Best to check the policy details of from each insurance company to be sure.

it may take more time than vacations themselves

[vinapu]

12 hours ago, reader said:

 Ratchaporn Poolsawadee from the Tourism Association of Koh Samui says PCR tests on the island cost 2,200 baht.

that's cheap , I paid  3100 for required pre-departure test at PULSE clinic, still much cheaper that in cost at home ( 4600 )