Reopening of Thailand - Dispatch 7. Richard Barrow



Richard Barrow's Letters from Thailand @richardbarrow

This is the continuation of my special dispatches about flying into Thailand during the first week of the reopening to fully vaccinated tourists who are coming from one of 63 countries and territories. To qualify for the "Test and Go" program, you also need to be at least 21 days in one of these countries. In my case, I flew out from Thailand and only spent six days in the UK before returning. Initially they said I would have to do the 7-day Sandbox program. But then they realised that would cause problems to Thais flying out for short holidays and also businessmen. So, they have now created a new exception and I only have to stay one night. Today's edition is about the flight from London to Bangkok, going through Immigration, the transfer to the hotel, and finishing with the RT-PCR test. My final special dispatch will be sent out tomorrow and will have the news about the results and what happened next, as well as a brief summary of the process I just went through.

The day before my flight, I received the QR Code for Thailand Pass (it took 24 hours to issue) and the test results for my Day 2 RT-PCR test (that took 30 hours for them to send to me by email). This test was actually done for the UK government, but I also needed the same test for my flight to Thailand. So I was killing two birds with one stone. My Thailand Pass contains all of the information that I had submitted which included passport, hotel booking, vaccine certificate and insurance. For the latter, they accepted my digital social security card. The confirmation email I received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that I did not need to print out the QR Code and that I could just show it on my smartphone. They also said I needed to show three things in Bangkok: QR Code (either on smartphone or printed if I didn't have one), my printed negative test results, and my passport. That's it. Very much simpler compared to the COE process where you have to print out all of your documents and these then have to be checked both in London and in Thailand.

Things started to go slightly wrong once I reached the check-in counter for Thai Airways at Heathrow airport. As Thailand Pass was only just launched a couple of days ago, they have never seen the QR Code before. What was worse, they had no idea what to do with it as they didn't have a QR code reader. In Thailand, everyone has them on their phones but apparently not so in the UK. So, she insisted that I showed print-outs of every single document as if I was using the COE system. She also wanted me to print out the QR Code which kind of defeated the purpose. To be clear here, they weren't collecting the documents themselves. They were just following instructions for the old COE system where everyone must have print outs of all of their documents before boarding the flight. Luckily, I had them all apart from the QR Code of course. She wanted me to go and find somewhere to print it. Finally, I managed to persuade her that they have QR Code readers in Bangkok and there was no need to print it. Luckily I was also able to find one of the Thai Airways staff who had an iPhone and so I was able to show her how it worked.  But that wasn't my only problem. A recent change to the rules allowed me to use my social security (SSO) instead of taking out a new insurance policy. She wanted me to print out the policy but of course, SSO doesn't have one. She said I must have a policy that says I have Covid-19 coverage up to $50,000. Which also wasn't accurate as they changed that for expats to any insurance policy. It didn't have to be specific for covid. I tried to explain to her that social security was a bit like the NHS and I get free treatment in the hospital. I was only able to persuade her in the end by saying that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wouldn't have issued the Thailand Pass to me if they weren't happy with the insurance. Obviously these minor problems will go away once more people start using the Thailand Pass. I was obviously the first person using social security for insurance and one of the first to use the QR Code. Just a quick note about Heathrow Airport. All of the shops and restaurants are open as normal unlike at Suvarnbhumi airport. On flight side in Bangkok there weren't any restaurants open. Just one coffee shop and some shops selling sandwiches and snacks. Though hopefully the situation in Bangkok will start to change as more people begin to fly on international flights. But when it comes to airports, I much prefer Suvarnabhumi airport as they have more charging points for your electronic devices. Just a minor thing really.

The flight on Thai Airways went smoothly. When we flew to the UK last week, they were all wearing protective clothing including hair nets. But for the return journey, they wore their regular clothing plus masks. The flight this time had more people, though still a fraction of what it would have been pre-covid times. The flight to London had 50 people and the flight to Bangkok had 100 people. In my three-seat row, I was in the aisle seat and the other person was in the window seat. So no-one between us. Which is good because the High Risk Contact rules say that if your immediate neighbour, either to your left or to your right, tests positive, then you have to go to the hospital too for ten days. From what I could see, this pattern was repeated around the aircraft, apart from people who were obvious couples. They did make a couple of announcements saying that you couldn't change seats due to contact tracing. But once we took off, some people, including myself, moved to empty rows so we could lie down to get some sleep.  Everyone wore their masks throughout the flight. The only exception was during the two meals that they served. As I noted on the outbound flight, Boeing aircraft have HEPA filters and I was confident that the air had been scrubbed clean. My CO2 meter also told me that that there was some form of ventilation as CO2 levels were reasonably low. Certainly much lower than the taxi ride to the airport. So, I wasn't concerned about taking my mask off briefly to eat.

We landed safely shortly before 6:00 p.m. We disembarked from the airplane at 6:05am and were in the van leaving the airport at 6:49am. Which wasn't bad. But I think we were lucky as there was only our flight landing at this time and only 100 people on the aircraft. Someone sent me a picture of their arrival yesterday when four flights landed around the same time. As everyone was still using COE, there were multiple documents to be checked and it was more than three hours before he left the airport.  A short distance from the gate we came to an area where there were many chairs set up. We just kept walking to the far end as it was empty. However, if there are several flights landing at the same time, you might have to sit and wait here. But someone gave me a tip yesterday that they were only checking that you had all of the documents printed out and had them in the right order. So he suggested just keep walking if you are prepared or if you have Thailand Pass.

I reached the queue for checking COE and Thailand Pass documents at 6:07am (3 minutes after disembarking) and I was finished here by 6:12am. Very  fast. At the counter, I told him I had a QR Code and handed over my negative Covid test and my passport with TM6 and boarding pass. He then asked for my vaccine certificate which was unexpected. I told him it was on the QR Code but he said he still wanted to see it. I gave him my hospital certificate. For the entire trip, I never once used the yellow vaccine passport. That was it. I was really disappointed he didn't scan my QR Code after all of the effort that went into getting it. He just took my word that I had one. It is possible they will scan this in the future once people stop arriving with COE. Or maybe their scanners weren't working today. However, he didn't ask to see my insurance or my hotel booking unlike what they were doing with the COE people. Next was Immigration. All of the counters were manned and there were no queues. I arrived here at 6:14 a.m. and left at 6:30 a.m. The reason it took so long for me was because the dates on my re-entry permit were stamped in the wrong place and she had to call her supervisor. Otherwise I would have gone through here in a couple of minutes. I was also surprised they didn't scan the QR Code either as I was led to believe Immigration would do this. But then, unlike the COE application, the Thailand Pass form didn't ask for my visa. I also want to add that there was talk earlier that you don't need to fill out the T6 arrival/departure card. But that is not true. They handed them out on the airplane and they asked to see it at Immigration.

Next up was baggage claim. My bag was one of the last to come out at 6:37 a.m., about half an hour after disembarking from the airplane. Which isn't bad at all. But many people actually left the airport before me due to my delay at Immigration. So for some people it was much quicker.  After Customs, there was an area set up with desks where people were waiting from various hotels. They checked my name and then called the hotel transfer van. My hotel had a choice of shared van or private limousine. The driver was dressed in protective clothing. He sprayed our luggage and we sat in the back of the van. There was a plastic partition between us and the driver. Total time from plane to van was 45 minutes. As it was a shared van, I was a little concerned about air quality. The CO2 reading started at 559ppm but quickly rose to 2066ppm. Which meant I was breathing in air that had been in someone else's lungs. I asked the driver to turn off recirculating air. Which he did though he was confused why I would want that. The ventilation and air quality then improved quite quickly. These drivers really need to be taught about the fact covid is airborne and that ventilation and filtration is very important.

I arrived at my hotel in Bangkok at 7:31am. Check-in was done in an area outside. She asked for my passport and departure card. She also said I should download the MorChana app. But she didn't check to see if I had done it. Nor did she say what I should do with it. Next was the RT-PCR test. This was done by someone from the partner hospital. This was slightly more painful than the one I had done in London on Monday. She also gave me an ATK test kit to do by myself on day 6-7. She said I should take a picture of the result and email it back to the hotel. I was in my room by 7:43am, 90 minutes after getting off the plane. You have to stay in your room until the results come back.  She said this would be at around noon tomorrow. Which is an incredible 27 hours waiting time. I don't call that Test and Go. That is Test, be quarantined for a day or so, then go. That wasn't mentioned in the tourist brochures. The TAT were even suggesting the wait would be 6-7 hours. During my booking, the hotel actually said if I did the test before 8:00 a.m. then the results would be back by 5:00 p.m. on the same day. Meaning I could check out and go home. So, I am not really happy they changed it. Some people said they were luckier at their hotel. One guy said he had his test at 10:30am and had the results by 6:00 p.m. the same day. Even though he had paid for a night and three meals, he decided to check out straight away.  One interesting point is that they don't give you a keycard, and so you cannot leave your room. If you do for some reason, you might not be able to get back in if the door slams shut. She also said that when I check out, someone will come up to escort me down. I am not sure if that means there is a lock on the lift so people without keycards cannot use it. I will check tomorrow. Obviously you can go down the fire exit in case of an emergency.

In my hotel room, I scanned a QR Code to order my three meals that were included in the package. I had choices between Asian and Western meals. I could also choose time slots for the food to be delivered. They then knock on the door when they deliver. When I went out to collect my first meal, I saw just the food on a table in front of my room. The guy must have quickly run away.  I am going to finish this newsletter now and will write a final special dispatch tomorrow once I have received my test results. I will also do a summary. I just want to add a bit about the hotel as people keep asking me where I am staying. I don't really want to mention the name as I am not really happy with them. They were very slow about answering inquiries during the booking process and kept making mistakes. I also spotted that my room was 500 baht more expensive compared to Thai people. Mine was 5,200 baht and theirs was 4,700 baht. Everyone got the same package deal and same room. This included airport transfer, swab test by RT-PCR, three meals, and an antigen rapid kit test. On check-in I did ask about this and they said it wasn't a hotel charge. They said that the swab test is subsidised and that foreigners must pay 500 baht more for this. Other people have now confirmed with me that when they saw their itemised bill that they were also being charged 500 baht more by the hospital. So it would seem to be like that for all hospitals. Though unless you book in with a Thai person you probably won't get to see that two price policy. Anyway, time to sign off. Thanks again for reading this far and I hope to see you next time.



Thailand provinces Top 10 November 4th.



A random group of 20 western foreigners holding both “O” and “O/A” retirement visas and extensions of stay have told Pattaya Mail that they must reluctantly remain in Thailand. They say that the latest rules of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, enforced by embassies, are hugely discriminatory to retirees wishing to take a break abroad. Pattaya Mail

Pattaya retirees feel "trapped" in Thailand

Barry KenyonNovember 4, 2021

Some say retirement is the world's longest coffee break.

A random group of 20 western foreigners holding both "O" and "O/A" retirement visas and extensions of stay have told Pattaya Mail that they must reluctantly remain in Thailand.  They say that the latest rules of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, enforced by embassies, are hugely discriminatory to retirees wishing to take a break abroad.



"Before Covid," said British retiree George Hunter, "we simply got a re-entry permit to return to Thailand.  But the latest Thailand Pass system requires us oldies to have medical insurance which is broadly-based, not just Covid specific, to a minimum of US$100,000."  He added that no other tourist or expat groups have this restriction because those people need only Covid cover of US$50,000 which is easily available to all age groups up to 100 years.  It is provided online, without reference to age, by the Thailand General Insurance Association consortium, amongst other providers.

Other elderly Pattaya expats agreed.  A German expat Joachim, aged 79, said he has had no trouble renewing his "O" visa at the immigration bureau but would need high insurance to return from abroad.  "Insurance companies want profits and are not interested in covering the elderly for diseases broader than Covid."  He added there were some policies around which claimed to cover people of his age, but they were either hugely expensive and/or contained exclusion clauses which ensured no claim would ever be successful.



Thai embassies round the world are not fully consistent with their instructions.  For example, the website of the Oslo-based embassy says there is a last-resort, self-insure option.  If retirees cannot find general health insurance, they can provide a frozen bank account of three million baht (roughly US$100,000) which can be opened only for medical, presumably hospital, treatment.  But such a bank account must be confirmed as truly frozen by both the bank in question and by a Thai government official.  So far anyway, this option is not available in other countries.

Pattaya expats say the entry rules are discriminatory because other elderly expats have a much easier time.  "Those on one year marriage or family visas, or those with an Elite visa, are not subject to these extra insurance regulations," said Charles Fraser who wants to return to UK to see his relatives but is afraid he can't get back.  Indeed he believes that the basicintention is to push retirees onto the Elite option which offers a five year plan for a non-returnable fee of 600,000 baht and no further need to show cash in the bank.



An alternative for some expats on retiree visas is to leave the country without a re-entry permit and obtain a tourist visa prior to coming back.  This visa can then be exchanged for a non-immigrant "O" visa at Thai immigration provided the expat can show a regular income or 800,000 baht in a Thai bank.  However, they would need to do that every time they left Thailand, a loophole which could well be problematical.

Government spokespeople usually affirm that adequate medical insurance is necessary to avoid unpaid bills in Thai hospitals.  However, the latest rules appear to ring-fence expats with a visa based on retirement, whilst taking the real risk with all other entrants to Thailand.  The recent publicity about foreigners in Thai hospitals pleading for crowd-funding to have urgent operations, or to return home, have mostly concerned much younger tourists.  Illness is not confined to the elderly.

Vaccination update November 4th



The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 280 new and confirmedcases of Covid-19 today with 2 new deaths, November 4th. Pattaya News

Chonburi announces 280 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 2 new deaths

Thursday, 4 November 2021, 12:19

Highlights:

• 280 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Chonburi today

• 320 people recovered and were released from medical care

• 2 new deaths

The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 280 new and confirmedcases of Covid-19 today with 2 new deaths, November 4th.

This makes a total of 102,351 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 5,572 people still under medical care/supervision, and with a total of 726 recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections in early April.

Additionally, 320 people were also released and recovered yesterday in Chonburi. 96,053 people in total have now been released from medical care and recovered in Chonburi since this current wave of Covid-19 began.

As for the two new deaths yesterday they were a 67-year-old male elder and a 79 -year-old female elder. They were close contacts from previously confirmed cases in her families according to the Chonburi Department of Public Health. They had chronic health problems and were vaccinated.

A total of 1,711,582 of people in Chonburi have received at least their first dose of a Covid19 vaccine which is 73.33 percent of the population.

The district-level new cases were as follows today:

Mueang Chonburi 70, Si Racha 73, Banglamung (Pattaya) 24, Panat Nikhom 17, Sattahip 21, Ban Bueang 2, Phan Thong 8, Bor Thong 11, Nong Yai 1, Soldiers in Sattahip 9, and 44 people transferred from other provinces for medical care

The details on the cases are as follows:

1. Work and stayed in Rayong, transferred from other provinces for medical care, 31 cases
2. Cluster, soldiers in Sattahip, 9 cases
3. Cluster, Siam Denzo Menufacturing comapny in Phan Thong, 6 cases
4. Cluster, B.T. Auto Parts company in Mueang Chonburi, 4 cases
5. Risky occupations meet with many people, 10 cases
6. 4 medical personnel
7. Back from risky areas in Bangkok – 2 cases, Rayong – 2 cases, Khon Kaen – 1 case and Chachoengsao – 1 case
8. Close contact of a confirmed patient (under investigation), 15 cases
9. 45 cases in general are under investigation as to how they contracted Covid-19

Richard Barrows upplevelse av ankomst till Suvarnabhumi från London med Thai Airways nu på morgonen 4 november.



Covid19 update November 4th.



 

Wednesday Covid Update: 7,679 new cases; provincial totals By ThaigerWednesday, November 3, 2021 16:48

Wednesday Covid Update: 7,679 new cases; provincial totals

By 

Thaiger

Wednesday, November 3, 2021 16:48

56 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic's death toll in Thailand to 19,394 with 19,300 of those fatalities during the latest wave, which was first recorded on April 1.

In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 7,679 new Covid-19 cases and 8,482 recoveries. There are now 97,585 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19.

Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has recorded 1,935,442 confirmed Covid-19 cases. The latest wave has accounted for 1,906,579 of those infections.

Vaccination update

In the Thai government's mass vaccination drive, which was launched on February 28, a total of 77,014,092 doses have been administered, according to the CCSA. Yesterday, 267,117 people received their first dose of the vaccine, 485,778 received their second dose, and 35,081 people received a third shot to boost their immunity against the coronavirus.

New Covid-19 cases in each province…

* Numbers are reported by the CCSA and are based on positive PCR Covid-19 test results. Provincial health departments may have a more recent update if new infections were found after the daily case count was filed with the CCSA.

4,510 arrivals in first 2 days, 6 have Covid. Bangkok Post

4,510 arrivals in first 2 days, 6 have Covid

Travellers arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan province on Monday, when the country's reopening began. (Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)

There were 4,510 arrivals through Suvarnabhumi airport on Monday and Tuesday after the country's reopening to vaccinated visitors on Nov 1, with fewer than 1% testing positive for Covid-19, according to the government.

Releasing the data on Wednesday, Dr Sumanee Wacharasin, hazard communication director of the Department of Disease Control, said the top five countries of origin were Japan, with 725 arrivals, followed by Singapore with 387, Qatar with 365, Germany with 283 and China with 273.

Testing on arrival revealed three visitors were infected with Covid-19  under the "Test and Go" process for fully vaccinated travellers from specified countries. This was 0.07% of all visitors under the "Test and Go" process, Dr Sumanee said.

Another three arrivals who were subject to quarantine also tested positive. They accounted for 0.94% of all visitors in this group, she said.

In the 17 provinces reopened for tourism, more than 50% of residents had received their first Covid-19 vaccine dose. Nong Khai was the exception, with 47.3%, Dr Sumanee said.

She said that among the 17 reopened provinces, Chiang Mai reported 322 new Covid cases on Tuesday, in sixth place nationally.

Thailand refuses to sign COP26's pledge to end deforestation by 2030. Prayut made a speech at the COP26 conferences, emphasizing that “Thailand has put climate action as a top priority,” with a goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2065. Thai Enquirer

Thailand refuses to sign COP26's pledge to end deforestation by 2030

November 3, 2021

Thailand was one of the countries that did not commit to a COP26's goal to end deforestation, prompting concern from environmental quarters.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha did not commit to stopping and reversing deforestation and land degradation by 2030 at the COP26 climate conferences, despite over 100 nations adopting the vow.

This week, Prayut attended the World Leaders Summit, which is part of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Glasgow, United Kingdom.

Among the nations taking part are some of the world's major forest custodians, including Canada, Russia, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to CNN.

However, most Southeast Asian countries did not sign the commitment, with only Indonesia and Vietnam choosing to pledge their support.

The Glasgow Leaders' Declaration on Forest and Land Use commits to better-conserving forests, expediting their restoration, and promoting sustainable practices that do not lead to land degradation.

It also aims to empower indigenous peoples and local communities while increasing funding for sustainable agriculture and forest management.

Prayut made a speech at the COP26 conferences, emphasizing that "Thailand has put climate action as a top priority," with a goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2065.

Vaccination update November 3rd



The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 324 new and confirmedcases of Covid-19 today with 1 new death, November 3rd. Pattaya News

Chonburi announces 324 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 1 new death

Wednesday, 3 November 2021, 13:10

Highlights:

• 324 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Chonburi today

• 290 people recovered and were released from medical care

• 1 new death

The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 324 new and confirmedcases of Covid-19 today with 1 new death, November 3rd.

This makes a total of 102,071 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 5,614 people still under medical care/supervision, and with a total of 724 recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections in early April.

Additionally, 290 people were also released and recovered yesterday in Chonburi. 95,733 people in total have now been released from medical care and recovered in Chonburi since this current wave of Covid-19 began.

As for the one new death yesterday, she was a 71-year-old female elder who was a close contact from previously confirmed cases in her family according to the Chonburi Department of Public Health. She had chronic health problems and was vaccinated.

The district-level new cases were as follows today:

Mueang Chonburi 72, Si Racha 92, Banglamung (Pattaya) 49, Panat Nikhom 11, Sattahip 15, Ban Bueang 5, Phan Thong 2, Bor Thong 2, Ko Chan 1, Nong Yai 1, Soldiers in Sattahip 40, and 34 people transferred from other provinces for medical care

The details on the cases are as follows:

1. Work and stayed in Rayong, transferred from other provinces for medical care, 39 cases
2. Cluster, soldiers in Sattahip, 40 cases
3. Cluster, work camp of Rai Go Thong Construction and Service company in Si Racha, 5 cases
4. Cluster, Makita Manufacturing company in Si Racha, 4 cases
5. Back from risky areas in Rayong, 11 cases
6. 2 medical staff
7. Close contacts of confirmed patients in 94 families, in 35 workplaces, 10 from close friends, and 4 joined parties
8. Close contact of a confirmed patient (under investigation), 13 cases
9. 67 cases in general are under investigation as to how they contracted Covid-19

Thailand’s top cop claims no Bangkok restaurants breaking booze laws; laughter ensues. Thailand’s national police chief claimed no one violated alcohol restrictions at Bangkok restaurants, clearly showing he’d not actually been to any Bangkok restaurants. Bangkok Herald

Thailand's top cop claims no Bangkok restaurants breaking booze laws; laughter ensues

3 November 2021

The booze was flowing freely Monday at Lek's Last Stand, a beer bar on Sukhumvit Road at Soi 10, despite it neither being a licensed restaurant nor SHA certified. Clearly Thailand's police chief never had a brew here.

Thailand's national police chief claimed no one violated alcohol restrictions at Bangkok restaurants, clearly showing he'd not actually been to any Bangkok restaurants.

Pol. Gen. Suwat Jangyodsuk asserted Tuesday that no restaurants police and Public Health Ministry officials had visited were selling alcohol without being safety-certified nor after 9 p.m.

Maybe so, but only because the stuffed shirts were there. Everywhere else, including lower Sukhumvit bars masquerading as restaurants, the booze was flowing freely, government certification or not.

Bangkok restaurant operators wanting to sell booze legally – not in coffee cups – are being required to meet Amazing Thailand Safety & Health Administration (SHA) standard, said Pongsakorn Kwanmuang, spokesman of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

Operators can seek SHA evaluation at ThailandSHA.com. After they receive a SHA logo, customers will evaluate them via an application. Besides, officials of the Tourism and Sports Ministry will conduct random checks on eateries, Pongsakorn said.

Suwat said officials did not find any violation – much like the way no politician has ever found any prostitution in Pattaya.

The police chief added that the closure of pubs, bars and karaoke clubs would continue and violators would face serious action from the police. That clearly came as news to beer bars on Sukhumvit Road before Soi 11 and along Soi 4.

Entertainment venues can apply for SHA accreditation in advance of the government permitting the reopening of such venues that could pose disease-transmission risks next month, Pongsakorn said.

Bangkok Gov. Aswin Kwanmuang said he again rejected pleas to allow booze sales until 11 p.m., until the current 9 p.m. Maybe he still believes Covid-19 only comes out after 9.

Aswin said alcohol restrictions will be relaxed on a step-by-step basis. If the Covid-19 situation proved stable with restaurants stopping sales at 9 p.m., then later hours will be tried.

The Thailand News Agency contributed reporting to this story.

🔴 #COVID19 on Wednesday: ⬆️ 7,679 new cases ⬇️ 56 deaths. Richard Barrow



Reopening of Thailand - Dispatch 6. Richard Barrow



Richard Barrow's Letters from Thailand @richardbarrow

This is the continuation of my special dispatches from London about the reopening of Thailand to fully vaccinated tourists from 63 countries and territories on an approved list. The newsletter today is about my preparations to fly back to Thailand plus some important updates about possible easing of rules for people wanting to enter Thailand. My final special dispatch will probably be on Friday about my flight and arrival in Thailand and the experience at the hotel to do my RT-PCR test. I will then go back to my regular weekly Letters from Thailand newsletter.

Minister of Tourism and Sports, Governor of the TAT, and the Chairman of the TAT

I want to start this newsletter with some really good news. After a bumpy start to the launch of the Thailand Pass system, I have finally received approval of my application and my QR Code. From the time that I submitted my documents, until the first email saying that my documents had been received, was about 12 hours. The email said that it could then take as long as seven working days to receive approval. However, as it turned out, it was only 12 hours later that I received the approval email and QR Code. So, just over 24 hours in total. Some people had told me they were quicker and others said they are still waiting. For the latter group of people, it is maybe taking longer because their insurance and vaccination certificate has to be verified. In my case my documents are all from Thailand. One more good piece of news for expats is that my social security number (SSO) was accepted as proof of insurance. So, if you have SSO, you don't need to buy any special insurance when you go abroad for a short holiday. For people who need proof of social security, I used this link ssoconnect.mywallet.co and entered my SSO number and telephone number. I was then given a link to add the QR Code to Apple Wallet. Then I did a screenshot and uploaded it to the Thailand Pass system. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also tells me, if you don't have SSO, then you can use your regular private insurance for the application and it doesn't have to be exclusively for Covid-19. For other people, you need to buy special insurance that covers the remaining length of your visa.  Over the last week, I have applied for both the Certificate of Entry (COE) and the Thailand Pass and so I think I am in a good position to do a comparison of the two systems. Thailand Pass was touted as a much more simplified system that will streamline your experience. Yes, they did have some teething problems during the first day with server errors, but that kind of thing is not unique to Thailand. Hopefully that is all sorted by now.  Unlike the COE application, your documents are not sent to your local Thai Embassy but to the Consular Department in Bangkok. From what I understand, the local embassy may help with the verification of vaccine certificates and insurance, but everything else is done in Bangkok. One of the complaints before is that the local embassies were never consistent with each other and their interpretation of the rules varied. Hopefully this system will be fairer. The number of documents you have to upload for each system are similar and so that doesn't make much difference. However, I uploaded a screenshot of my passport but they didn't ask to see my visa (in my case it is a re-entry permit) which they wanted for the COE. I also uploaded my vaccination certificate and my hotel booking. For the latter, it was a package that included an RT-PCR test and hotel transfer. From what I understand, you have to book the test through the hotel and you definitely cannot make your own way to the hotel. The government are also trying to standardise, or at least limit the maximum cost of the tests. The Thailand Pass system also didn't ask for proof of flights. Just the dates. By the way, if you need to change these dates you need to make a new application.  The COE took me only three days to get it approved and to receive the actual certificate. For Thailand Pass, the same process only took 24 hours. Some people told me it took them less and others said a bit longer. The maximum time is seven working days. So make sure you apply far enough in advance so you won't miss your flight. I think it also speeds it up if your insurance and vaccination certificate were issued in Thailand. What makes the Thailand Pass really stand out is that once you reach Thailand, all you have to do is show your QR Code and your negative RT-PCR test. (The latter has to be done within 72 hours of departure.) For the COE, you need to print out all of the documents that you had submitted online and then present them for checking along with your COE. So more time consuming at the airport.  For me the uploading of documents to Thailand Pass was easy. I had all of the documents already on my iPad. As the system doesn't as yet accept PDFs, I just did screen shots and uploaded these to the site. One problem that has been recognised is that you can only upload one file for each section. So that might be an issue for say insurance. Hopefully they will rectify that soon. Another problem is the Johnson and Johnson is one jab but it created an error as it wanted details for two jabs. I am sure there may have been other errors like this and hopefully these will be ironed out soon.  I am still getting lots of questions from people about why their country is not on the approved list. Please be assured, that there will be another update to the list on 1st of December. Maybe sooner. Initially they released the names of 46 countries and territories, and then much sooner than expected, they increased this to 63. Hopefully some good news for you soon. Maybe as early as two weeks.  The new rules started on 1st November. A review of this is expected to take place in a couple of weeks. I was told by a senior TAT executive that we might see a relaxation in some key areas. For example, in the near future, there is a good chance that they will stop the need to have an RT-PCR within 72 hours of departure. So, you would only need to do an RT-PCR on arrival in Thailand. I am also told that in the future, maybe in December, this test will be changed to the cheaper lateral flow test. I presume this would mean that if this is done at the airport, then it would literally be a Test and Go and you wouldn't need to stay one night in a hotel. Let's see. This is what they want but it is not known how soon that can start. Another development they want to happen soon is the changing of the exception age for unvaccinated children. For Test and Go, it is presently only for children under 12. The TAT want this to be changed to under 18, the same as for the Sandbox program. This could start as soon as the review in two weeks has been completed. If there are any developments on this I will let you know on my social media channels. Another thing that is of concern to people coming to Thailand is the rule about High Risk Contacts (HRC). What are the rules if someone next to you tests positive on arrival? Before I tell you about the rules, I just want to throw in my two cent's worth of opinion here. Modern aircraft all have HEPA filtration which does a great job of cleaning viruses from the air. They also have a good process for ventilation which helps keep the CO2 levels down. So, in many ways a flight on an aircraft is safer than say a visit to your local supermarket. But that is not recognised as yet by authorities. So, here are the HRC rules for people who test negative but were sitting near a person who tested positive on arrival. Before, everyone in the surrounding area were considered at risk and were put into quarantine. This has now changed. You will only have a problem if the person on your left or right tests positive. You are not considered a HRC if it is a person in front of you or behind you. So, on a flight like mine where there were only 50 people, I think the chances are high that you will have no one sitting next to you. In fact, when I checked in back in Bangkok, I made a point of asking for a seat that had no-one in front of me and no-one to my side. I will do the same on my return flight. Next, the consequences of being a HRC. At the moment, I am told if you test negative but are sitting next to someone who tested positive, you are both taken to hospital for ten days. There is no home quarantine or hotel quarantine. However, they are now working on reducing this to only 3-4 days if you test negative on the second test. On the other hand, the person who tested positive has to stay in hospital for at least ten days. As always, I will post updates about this on my social media channels as and when I get anything new. I think I have covered all of the latest developments in this newsletter. There is some information that I want to share with you about the 'Visit Thailand Year 2022' campaign, but I will save that for another time. I will stop here as I need to pack my bags and get ready for the flight home to Thailand on Wednesday morning. Thanks for reading this far. The next newsletter will hopefully be sent from the hotel in Bangkok once I get my test results.

New poll says Prayut can’t win another election. A majority of people say the time is now ripe for a general election, preferably in early 2022, according to the result of an opinion survey by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, or Suan Dusit Poll. Bangkok Jack / Bangkok Post

New poll says Prayut can't win another election

November 3, 2021

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, seen casting his vote in the March general election, now leads what could be called a "pseudo-civilian" government. © Reuters

A majority of people say the time is now ripe for a general election, preferably in early 2022, according to the result of an opinion survey by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, or Suan Dusit Poll.

The poll was conducted online during Oct 25-28 on 1,186 people throughout the country to compile their opinions on the ongoing visits by leaders and MPs of political parties to meet the people in various areas — viewed by many as an indication that a new general election is imminent.

Some of the questions raised were open to more than one answer.

Asked what they saw from the current moves by political parties and politicians, 60.90% said there were rifts in political parties; 50.06% said they were trying to put themselves in the spotlight; 49.14% said they were playing a political game; 49.14% believed a general election was imminent; and 43.14% said they were diverting people's attention from Covid-19.

On the possibility for an election to be held in early 2022, 57.86% said "yes"; 28.36% said "no"; and 13.78% were uncertain.

Asked what would follow a new election, 58.31% said there would then be a new government; 56.26% said it would give new people a chance to step in to solve problems; 50.80% said there would be a new prime minister; 43.17% said there would be political change; and 42.03% said people would exercise their democratic rights.

Asked which political party they thought would win the most MPs in the election, 32.94% chose the Pheu Thai Party; 25.21% the Move Forward Party; 24.61% the Palang Pracharath Party; 6.18% the Democrat Party; and 4.28% the Bhumjaithai Party.

Asked to name the person they wanted to be prime minister if there was a new election, 28.67% chose Pita Limjaroenrat; 21.27% Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha; 19.35% Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan; 8.84% Abhisit Vejjajiva; and 6.09% Khunying Pojaman Damapong.

Judging from the overall situation, 70.29% thought the time was now ripe for a new election; 22.79% said otherwise; and 6.92% were uncertain. – Bangkok Post

Bangkok Post highlights 3/11