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  1. reader

    Thai Pass

    According to media sources, the government will propose removing the Test & Go scheme and Thailand Pass at a meeting with the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration on April 22. The Tourism Authority of Thailand is again requesting the cancellation with the tourism ministry, according to Tourism and Sports Minister, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn. The Thaiger reports: "If the changes and revisions are approved, the changes could start as early as May 1, allowing travellers to enter Thailand using their vaccine documents rather than waiting 1 to 5 days for the Thailand Pass to be approved." Suvarnabhumi Airport officials report that an arriving passenger can now use the downloaded Test and GO QR code to find the booth of their booked hotel. The airport’s general manager, said the QR code will tell travellers which desk to go to. I recently had by Thai Pass approved with 48 hours of submission. I booked my hotel through Agoda which seems to speed up the process because the Thai Pass software can confirm Agoda bookings immediately upon submission of reservation ID number. My confirmation from the hotel also included information on what desk number I should go to for my hotel transportation. https://thethaiger.com/news/national/time-to-say-goodbye-to-test-go-and-the-thailand-pass
  2. reader

    Thai Pass

    You think? Not as if Spin9 was posting something scandalous or inappropriate. He was calling attention to a situation that was causing confusion among arrivals. Thai officials responded by improving conditions. I give them a thumbs up.
  3. From AFP Taiwan's military published a handbook on Tuesday advising civilians on how to prepare for a potential Chinese invasion, including where to find bomb shelters and how to stockpile emergency supplies. China's Communist Party has never controlled self-ruled Taiwan but it nonetheless views the island as part of its territory and has vowed to one day seize it, by force if necessary. Those threats have turned more bellicose under Xi Jinping, China's most authoritarian leader in a generation. Russia's recent invasion of Ukraine has also heightened fears that China might one day follow through on threats to annex its smaller neighbour. The 28-page guide contains information which "the general public can use as an emergency response guideline in a military crisis or natural disaster," defence ministry spokesman Sun Li-fang said during an introduction at an online press conference. It is the first time Taiwan's military has published such a handbook. Drawn from similar guides by Sweden and Japan, it tells residents where to find bomb shelters via mobile phone apps and what to do in an emergency including how to distinguish air raid sirens. "The guide is for the public to better prepare themselves before a war or disaster happens," Liu Tai-yi, an official of the ministry’s All-Out Defense Mobilization Agency, said. It includes information on basic survival skills for the public during air raids, massive fires, building collapses, power outages and natural disasters. "We hope the public can familiarise themselves where the safety shelters are beforehand," he added.
  4. reader

    Thai Pass

    Next time I'm in Yangon think I'll just take a cab because only places I'll be going are the spas that Vessey posts about. 🙂
  5. reader

    Thai Pass

    The good news is that Airports of Thailand officials said they have since increased the number of counters and arranged them alphabetically to make it easier for passengers to spot their hotel’s logo.
  6. From Breaking Travel News With the reopening of Vietnam’s borders, Marriott International has announced plans to expand its portfolio in Vietnam, expecting to add nearly 9,000 rooms within the company’s portfolio, as well as debuting brands Ritz-Carlton Residences, Marriott Hotels, Westin, and Courtyard by Marriott. “Vietnam experienced impressive pre-pandemic economic growth driven in part by coordinated development policies and the strong investment in infrastructure,” said Rajeev Menon, President, Asia Pacific (excluding Greater China), Marriott International. “Our growth in Vietnam reflects the trust our local owners and franchisees continue to have in Marriott International, and we look forward to presenting them with opportunities to leverage our comprehensive portfolio of 30 brands, as well as our strong distribution network.” Marriott’s premium brands continue to resonate in Vietnam. As the most global brand within the portfolio, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, expects to make its debut in several new destinations across Vietnam, including on the Emerald Island of Phu Quoc, the world-famous UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay, the “City of Eternal Springs” Dalat and the shores of Binh Chau. A stylish new Renaissance Hotels is planned to open in the seafront city of Danang, while Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts plans to debut in Danang and Cam Ranh. The flagship Marriott Hotels brand is expected to debut in Hanoi, and Hoi An, while the Westin – the company’s leading wellness brand – is expected to open in Hanoi and Cam Ranh. Marriott Executive Apartments, the popular longer-stay brand, is also slated to start welcoming guests in Danang. Fairfield by Marriott is slated to be introduced in locations such as Vinh Yen, Ha Long and Hanoi, while several Courtyard by Marriott hotels are expected to open across Danang, Ha Long and Nha Trang. The highly anticipated The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Hanoi also expects to make its debut in Vietnam in 2024.
  7. From Nikkei Asia Thailand's 'boys love' dramas stealing hearts around the world In Thailand, its "boys love" or BL dramas are popular mainly among young women, as the country is more accepting of the LGBTQ community than most other Asian countries. © GMMTV YUKIHIRO ENOMOTO, KOGA HASHIZUME and MARIMI KISHIMOTO, Nikkei staff writers TOKYO -- The hashtag #ThaiNuma (meaning #Thaiswamp) has skyrocketed on Japanese social media in recent years, thanks to the growing popularity of Thailand's "boys love" dramas. As some fans say of the captivating genre, "You'll never get out once you get stuck, like a bottomless swamp." The country thinks its BL dramas could storm the world like K-pop. Nearly every time Bright, 24, and Win, 23 -- popular actors of the megahit "2gether" said something during an October 2021 online event held for Thai and Japanese fans, followers raved with replies like "Thank you for a wonderful time" or "I will love you forever." The hashtag #BrightWinJAPAN became the No. 1 trending hashtag at the time. Bright and Win each have more than 10 million followers on Instagram. They even held live meet-and-greets with fans in Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul, New York and London in 2020.In Thailand, its "boys love" or BL dramas are popular mainly among young women, as the country is more accepting of the LGBTQ community than most other Asian countries. © GMMTV Continues with videos https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Media-Entertainment/Thailand-s-boys-love-dramas-stealing-hearts-around-the-world
  8. reader

    Thai Pass

    What may be holding things up is Airports of Thailand's reported lack of preparedness for the large influx in international arrivals after April 1 when the pre-departure PCR test was dropped from Test-and-Go requirements. The Thai Enquirer has published articles, describing the chaos at Suvarnabhumi that overwhelmed staff. If the PCR test is indeed replaced by the rapid antigen test and administered at the airport upon arrival, authorities likely fear an even greater dilemma when passenger numbers increase anew. ======================================= From The Thai Enquirer After a famous Thai YouTuber exposed to the world how lost tourists were at the airport upon their arrival in Thailand, causing national shame overnight, it took just a day for officials to address the issue. Even worse, the officials claimed the photos of the crowded airport hallway were taken during rush hours, when most passengers were arriving. More travelers entered the kingdom this month as the government removed the mandatory pre-arrival RT-PCR test certificate under the Test and Go scheme. On Sunday, Atichan Cherngchavano, the owner of the YouTube channel Spin9 with over 631,000 subscribers, shared a post shedding light on how chaotic Suvarnabhumi Airport was while travelers were struggling to find their vans to their hotels to take their post-arrival RT-PCR test. “No one was able to go anywhere; they were put together in long queues,” Atichan wrote. “Hotel staff screamed their hotels’ names until their voices cracked.” Atichan said there was no directory guiding passengers, except for a pack of hotels’ logos on one counter. “Everything is placed randomly and unalphabetically.” Once the passengers found their hotel counter, they had to join a long queue since there was only one staff handling bookings for many hotels, he added. His post has gone viral, with over 37,000 retweets and 6,600 shares across Facebook. The embarrassment on the faces of those officials prompted them to release a statement to rescue their integrity a day later. “Such traffic occurred during the peak hours,” said Airports of Thailand (AOT), the state-run operator of airports in Thailand. According to the statement, Suvarnabhumi Airport had to handle an uptick in passenger numbers, from 6,000 – 7,000 to 9,000 – 10,000 a day, amid Covid-19 precautions. The officials also said they had increased the number of counters and arranged them alphabetically to make it easier for passengers to spot their hotel’s logo. No doubt the airport officials were quick to respond to those complaints. Sadly, this was nothing more than the outcome of a slap in the face from one of the prominent influencers who is able to create online outrage overnight. It proves the unflattering fact that those authorities are only willing to take action properly to facilitate their citizens and guests when the problems cause them embarrassment to some extent. Given how the government is treating foreign visitors who contributed substantially to the country’s economy prior to the pandemic, Thailand’s tourism prosperity may not be on the horizon anytime soon.
  9. Read the trip reports in this forum. Numerous members have generously posted about their experiences in recent months. Within a few hours, you will acquire a ton of information. That way you'll be prepared to ask specific questions if you still have any. Good luck with your trip.
  10. Hope this heralds the opening of land borers to the ASEAN guys. From The Thaiger Thailand is looking to bring in more labourers from neighbouring countries with the help of recruitment agencies, as the government seeks to employ an army of around 150,000 foreign workers to make up for the country’s low percentage of people willing to do manual labour jobs. But the general public is worried about the clutter and spread of Covid-19 from migrant workers, sparking a debate about immigration procedures. The labour ministry is attempting to solve the shortage in labour in two ways. The first is to use the labour memorandum of understanding procedure, or MoU, to bring in people from three neighbhouring nations to work for Thai companies, according to the director-general of the Department of Employment, Pairoj Chotikasathien. Thailand employers have already used the MoU platform to apply to recruit nearly 168,00 workers, requesting approximately 117,000 people from Myanmar, 39,000 people from Cambodia, and 12,000 people rom Laos. So far, 144,709 of the applicants have been approved, with applications submitted to their home countries. Around 6,000 workers from Cambodia and Laos have already entered Thailand. The second way to address labour shortages is by allowing migrant workers who are currently in Thailand stay and work legally. More than 2 million workers who have already arrived in Thailand can now apply for jobs and stay in Thailand rather than returning to their home countries, Pattaya Mail reported.
  11. I agree. In 20+years, I never had an issue with bringing someone back, and that includes the grande dame Dusit Thani. As others have said above, the best hotels exercise discretion in these situations. One of the few that's been known for interrogating guests about joiners is the Moniein off Surawong.
  12. From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon The busiest businesses these days in Greater Pattaya are the bulldozer and demolition crews as the city’s skyscraper future unfolds more clearly every day. The pandemic created a ghost town image in the city and encouraged land owners to sell out during a recession. Now it is difficult to find anywhere in the popular districts without seeing vast tracts of empty terrain awaiting the necessary rebuilding permits from the Division of Public Works. Of course, it’s not a new phenomenon. The city’s first high rise, Center Condominium on South Road, opened in 1991, was boosted by foreigners keen to own a unit in their own name. Currently the tallest building in the region is Reflection Jomtien Beach Oceanfront Tower, standing 827 feet tall and completed as early as 2013. And not all developments are majestic condominiums. Over at Mabprachan Lake, a near one million square meter (or 566 rai) medical city is currently under construction thanks to investment by the Eastern Economic Corridor, American universities and others. Amongst the many developments now in early tow is the private-sector, mega project Aquatic District Pattaya to be wedged between Hard Rock Hotel on Beach Road and Central Festival on Second Road. Five major international hotels are planned there as well as a host of magnet-attractions such as amusement parks and a wellness center, though no opening date has been published. One of many projects now approaching completion is the 500 room mixed-use hotel and condominium block on Second Road opposite Central Festival. It is being promoted as a MICE feature (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions) in accordance with City Hall’s five year plan called BLUE (business, leisure, ultimate experience). Old Pattaya, the bachelors’ paradise, is shrinking even as the bars and massage parlours that have opened again report a pickup in business: the Covid threat is hopefully diminishing and the immigration bureau is requiring fewer entry documents. Much attention is being paid to the future of Walking Street as an emblem of what Pattaya used to be. No final decisions appear to have been taken, but the profit margins had shrunk dramatically long before coronavirus descended. Parts of Pattaya’s most famous landmark are already derelict or even demolished. The pressures for the resort to move on are becoming irresistible.
  13. reader

    Thai Pass

    The meeting today--as expected--produced nothing concrete but more nuanced comments. From The Thai Enquirer Entry regulations could be eased by May depending on the outbreak situation after the Songkran holiday period, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said on Friday. “The meeting agreed in principle, but has yet to approve the proposals,” said Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, the CCSA’s spokesman, noting that many regulations could even be lifted by July. “The prime minister asked to see the effects from Songkran first,” he said. The Ministry of Public Health proposed for the government to replace the mandatory RT-PCR test on arrival with an ATK test in May. The private sector has also been pressuring the government to lift all entry regulations as the government is preparing to declare Covid as endemic by July. Ahead of the CCSA’s meeting on Friday, CCSA advisor Dr Udom Kachintorn, told reporters that the true number of Covid infections in Thailand is closer to 100,000 per day. He added that the number of internal cases is much higher than imported cases, and entry restrictions could be lifted by July. “The number of asymptomatic people is now around 50,000-60,000 per day, and if counting people who are infected but have not been tested with ATK, the total number of infections is now around 100,000 per day,” Dr. Udom said. When asked if he agreed with the proposal to replace the RT-PCR test on arrival with an ATK, Udom remarked that as long as the number of infected arrivals are much less than domestic cases, the entry regulations should be eased in line with international practices. “The RT-PCR test 72 hours before departure was lifted on April 1, and as for the test on arrival, it could be ease and by late June and July, the tests should be lifted to support the economy,” he said. ============================= From Richard Barrow.com The infection rate of all travellers entering Thailand. n November: 0.13% n December: 0.45% n January: 3.73% n February: 2.25% n March: 0.58% April: 0.42% (upward trend) n Test & Go: 0.38% n Sandbox: 0.99% n Quarantine: 1.26%
  14. From The Thaiger The Russian PM, Mikhail Mishustin, has revealed that Russia would open its sky to 52 “friendly” countries from April 9 onwards after being closed to prevent the spread of Covid-19. And that other matter. On the list is Thailand who says they’re ready to welcome the Russian travellers back. There’s also a long list of aircraft lessors waiting for leased Russian planes to leave Russian airspace so they can be “repossessed” after the leasing of Boeing or Airbus aircraft to Russian airlines a violation of the current international sanctions on Russia. The Russian PM said, starting from April 9, Russian would cancel the Covid-19 prevention measure that limited flights to the country. The regular and charter flights between Russia and other 52 countries would be resumed, including China, India, and others “considered friendly”. The countries on the list are Thailand, Algeria, Argentina, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Venezuela, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Israel, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Iraq, Kenya, China, North Korea, Costa Rica, Kuwait. Lebanon, Lesotho, Mauritius, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Mozambique, Moldova, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Serbia, Syria, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Uruguay, Fiji, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, South Africa, and Jamaica. The countries that aren’t included in the list or are considered “unfriendly” are the US, Canada, the European Union, the UK (including mandated territories: Jersey, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, and Gibraltar), Ukraine, Montenegro, Switzerland, Albania, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein. Monaco, Norway, San Marino, North Macedonia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Micronesia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Taiwan.
  15. reader

    Thai Pass

    From Bangkok Post Govt plans to ease rules to lure tourists The government will on Friday consider scrapping mandatory RT-PCR tests for foreign visitors arriving in the country as it further eases entry rules to attract tourists. Anutin Charnvirakul, deputy prime minister and public health minister, on Thursday said the Department of Disease Control (DDC) will submit a proposal to end RT-PCR tests during a Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) meeting on Friday. "If approved [by the CCSA], foreign travellers would only need to take antigen tests upon arrival," Mr Anutin said. Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the DDC, said the green light from the CCSA over the matter could see the new rule come into effect after the Songkran festival, which starts on Wednesday. However, a source at the CCSA said the shift to antigen tests may take effect next month.
  16. After a long absence from the headlines, the news returns to Thailand's efforts to acquire two new submarines from China. From the Pattaya Mail Thailand may scrap Chinese submarine deal if no German engines available Government officials have warned that a massive government-to-government submarine procurement deal could be scrapped if China is unable to fit the engines specified in the purchase agreement. The officials were responding to questions from reporters after it was reported that a German company had refused to supply MTU396 diesel engines to China for use in the S26T Yuan-class submarine being built for the Royal Thai Navy. Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha said he had instructed the navy to do everything possible to complete the deal, but acknowledged that the contract would be terminated if China failed to meet the terms of the agreement. The premier insisted, however, that any cancellation would have no impact on Thai-Chinese relations and that both sides were working closely to resolve the issue. The submarine’s engines were to be supplied by Germany’s MTU under the terms of the agreement, but the company was unable to sell them due to an embargo because they are classified as military/defense items. Navy spokesman Vice Adm Pokkrong Monthatphalin said the Navy will hold talks with China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co (CSOC) this month to resolve the issue. CSOC had reportedly requested that the terms of the contract be changed to allow for Chinese engines of comparable quality, such as the MWM 620, but the navy says it is sticking to the original contract. (NNT)
  17. The fares are already being impacted by higher fuel prices and longer routes but it doesn't seem to be tamping down demand. A random check for fares in June for JFK-BKK flights shows economy fares between $900 to $1500. Business class was in the $3600-$8500 range. However, more competitive promotional fares can be expected to pop up at any time. Capacity is gradually increasing. Aside from Qatar's planned addition of two daily 380 flights between Doha and Bangkok, ANA and JAL are boosting service from Tokyo. Singapore is running a 380 on its JFK-FRA-SIN route in addition to a non-stop JFK-SIN flight with additional connections to BKK. From London Heathrow, economy comes in between $600-$700 and business, $1800-$3000. Most come with excellent connecting times.
  18. From The Thaiger Police arrest Thai OnlyFans star making ฿100K per month Police arrested a trans woman known as ‘Dreamy Dao’ for producing and disseminating pornographic content in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen on Tuesday. Dreamy Dao was making 100,000 baht every month by posting explicit content on the OnlyFans website. Khon Kaen police raided 20 year old Dreamy Dao’s room to find a large number of pornographic videos and 17 other items including filming equipment and props used in the production of explicit content. The police obtained an arrest warrant from Khon Kaen Provincial court on April 4 after a crime investigation unit discovered a Twitter page which Dreamy Dao used to advertise the explicit content. Police subscribed to the Twitter page “to collect evidence”. Dreamy Dao was arrested for making, producing, possessing and disseminating obscene pornographic content which is accessible to the general public. The OnlyFans star used a Twitter page with 120,110 followers and a Line group to advertise her OnlyFans content. Subscribers could pay a monthly subscription fee of 234 baht or a lifetime subscription fee of 590 baht to gain access to her pictures and videos. Dreamy’s content attracted 430 members in total. Dreamy Dao posted one pornographic clip every day. Dreamy Dao was studying at a vocational college in Roi Et province, but wasn’t studying on campus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, so moved to Khon Kaen to look for friends and make an income. Dreamy Dao chose to make a living through OnlyFans, and made an impressive 100,000 baht per month. Dreamy Dao told police there was no one else involved in the operation. Police believe there are more people involved and said they will investigate further. Thai police began cracking down on OnlyFans content creators last year. Well-known creator Nong Khai Nao (Miss Bad Egg), who raked in one billion baht in a three month period, was arrested with her boyfriend last September. Whether posting explicit content should be illegal or not is a dividing issue in Thai society. The liberal argument is that OnlyFans creators can choose what kind content they post, can choose the price, and can do it from the safety of their homes. Netizens have criticised police for the crackdown and say they should be fighting ‘real crime’. Chief of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau Kanchai Khlaikhlueng compared arresting OnlyFans creators to killing a chicken in front of monkeys – a Thai saying which means punishing someone in order to deter others from doing the same. Kanchai wants to continue making an example out of OnlyFans creators to “uphold the good morale of Thailand”, he said.
  19. If you're looking for guys in their early to mid 20's, try Freshboys. If you're looking for guys in their 40's, look in the on-line apps. Those who've been to BKK during the pandemic generally seem to agree that the town is what you make it. Keep your eyes open and your wits about you and you should have a fine trip. Don't forget to check out the massage shops and read the trip reports in this forum.
  20. Sorry, Peter, but it's no joke. There are two methods of measuring flights: distance and duration, and both can change in accordance with variable wind aloft at cruising altitudes and overflight practices imposed by either the carrier or individual countries. In the article, that originated with Bloomberg, considered current, planned and suspended flights. Thanks for pointing out that CX regained the title by restarting it's JFK-HKG service but I believe that it's old route did indeed take advantage of the polar route when winds aloft were favorable. This was the same practice Singapore used on its JFK-SIN route (I've taken the flight four times and twice it took the polar routing and the other two times a Euro route). So on any given day, the actual longest flight--by either measure--can be swapped around by conditions at the moment. =================================== From AzioZone Qatar Airways Expands 2x Daily Airbus A380 Flights To Bangkok The A380 will shortly be used by Qatar Airways to fly to Bangkok, and it is currently available for booking. It comes after the Gulf airline announced that it will bring back four additional A380s, raising the total number of A380s to eight. Bangkok’s return was a foregone conclusion, aided by Thailand’s removal of the PCR requirement. Bangkok will join A380 service to London Heathrow and Paris CDG (both of which were reinstated late last year), as well as Sydney, where the double-decker quadjet will begin service on June 1st.
  21. So it appears. Here's another "story" from the April 1st edition: Anutin apologizes for Covid-19 vaccine response, blames marijuana addiction Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul offered a public apology on April 1 for his health ministry’s lackluster response to acquiring vaccine in 2020 and 2021 and blamed his marijuana addiction for the mess. Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health came under intense criticism from the public and the opposition parties for its reliance on Chinese Sinovac vaccines and locally-produced AstraZeneca vaccines. Anutin said at the time that vaccine shortages in the United States and Europe were to blame for the slow pace of vaccine acquisition. But on April 1, Anutin admitted that the health ministry did not do a good enough job in acquiring vaccine. “I was really high the entire time, people kept bringing me weed,” the minister said with a shrug. Anutin who has championed the legalization of marijuana as part of his Bhumjai Thai Party’s platform added that he was unaware that his party was in a coalition with Prayut Chan-ocha. “Wait, we made that guy prime minister? Dude, that’s not cool,” the BJT leader said. Anutin said now that he was “off weed” he would be more coherent in meetings and decision making and promised that he would no longer just “fly around looking for food.”
  22. reader

    Thai Pass

    From Richardbarow.com The infection rate of all travelers entering Thailand: November: 0.13% December: 0.45% January: 3.73% February: 2.25% March: 0.58% April: 0.25% (downward trend): - Test & Go: 0.21% - Sandbox: 0.63% - Quarantine: 2.29% Latest vaccination report for Thailand. The target population is 69,556,204. - 1st 80.0% - 2nd 72.4% - Boosters 34.4%
  23. From AP BEIJING (AP) — China says it will back neighbor Myanmar “no matter how the situation changes,” in the latest show of unequivocal support for the ruling military that seized power last year. China “has always placed Myanmar in an important position in its neighborly diplomacy” and wants to “deepen exchanges and cooperation,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Myanmar counterpart Wunna Maung Lwin on Friday, according to China’s official Xinhua News Agency. Myanmar’s military, which ousted the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, has continued to face popular resistance that amounts to what some U.N. experts have characterized as a civil war. The government is also facing genocide accusations at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
  24. reader

    Thai Pass

    From The Thaiger Public Health Ministry plans to request new entry rules If the CCSA approves it, Thailand could have new entry rules starting on May 1. The new rules the Public Health Ministry plans to request are intended to revive the country’s crippled tourism economy,. The country’s Tourism and Sports Minister has also stated that his ministry will ask the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration to consider further easing entry rules, such as replacing on-arrival RT-PCR tests with simpler and quicker antigen tests. He says the ministry is proposing that Thailand Pass registration be scrapped from June 1 – that would be a full month earlier than the published 4-step reopening plan published in March. The Tourism and Sports minister says test results would be certified, and visitors would be allowed freedom of movement instantly after getting a negative result at the airport, a major step forward from the current regime of testing. ======================= Malaysian drivers bewildered by Thailand Pass THOU SHALL NOT PASS. That’s the message some northern-bound Malaysian travelers received when they attempted to drive their cars into Thailand on yesterday morning, only to find they’d forgotten the most important thing: you STILL need to register for Thailand Pass. In advance. Thailand finally reopened its land border with Malaysia on April 1 for travelers by private transportation. But it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing for those who forgot that the beleaguered Thailand Pass system is still in place — and you’re required to register before entering the country. Apparently, not many people got the memo. Little more than a hundred Malaysians had registered before the Sadao crossing in Songkhla province opened at 5 o’clock this morning, the Bangkok Post reported. According to local officials, some northern-bound Malaysians were confused to find that they couldn’t enter Thailand with simply a passport and proof of vaccination, like they could enter Singapore at their southern border starting the same day. Thailand customs officials reportedly turned away would-be travellers who had failed to sign up for the Thailand Pass system. In total, only 107 travel-ready Malaysians had jumped through all the right hoops to enter the Land of Smiles.
  25. From The Nation The finance minister has revoked the business licences of Southeast Insurance and Thai Insurance after they failed to honour claims of more than THB18 billion from customers for Covid-19, the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC) secretary-general, Suttipol Taweechaikarn, said on Friday. The revocation, made under the Non-Life Insurance Act with effect from Friday, was aimed at protecting the interest of both companies’ customers, he said. Suttipol explained that the two insurers had been given time to rectify financial issues stemming from their Covid insurance policies that promised lump-sum payments to those infected by the coronavirus. However, the shareholders of both insurance companies refused to increase their capital and insisted on discontinuing their business. Southeast Insurance still owes THB13.5 billion as Covid claims, while Thai Insurance owes THB4.6 billion, according to the OIC secretary-general. “As this matter threatens to affect the public interest, the OIC suggested that the finance minister make the decision to solve the problem,” Suttipol said on Friday. Both companies are not financially capable of continuing their insurance business, as they have failed to meet the legal requirements, he explained. The OIC would get the General Insurance Fund to supervise the liquidation and take care of both companies’ policyholders, according to Suttipol. Next Monday, the OIC will hold a meeting with 15 insurance firms about their possible takeover of the two insurers’ non-Covid policies and possible refund of the insurance premium, he said, adding that active Covid policies have been transferred to state-owned Dhipaya Insurance.
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