Todays Top 10. The Thaiger



Thailand to Inflict Another Half-Baked Entry Website on Foreign Tourists - Having already bungled the Thailand Pass website launch, Thai IT geniuses are about to inflict another website on inbound international tourists, creating even more confusion over how to enter the country. Bangkok Herald

Thailand to Inflict Another Half-Baked Entry Website on Foreign Tourists

17 December 2021

Having already bungled the Thailand Pass website launch, Thai IT geniuses are about to inflict another website on inbound international tourists, creating even more confusion over how to enter the country.

Called "Entry Thailand", the new "central platform" in the works by the Tourism and Sports Ministry is supposed to "simplify international visitors' experience in making preparations to visit Thailand".

The website already joins a confusing mess of half-baked websites, including one listing SHA+ certified hotels that has no links to actually book rooms, another information portal stacked with obsolete information and, of course, Thailand Pass, which continues to confound users with error messages and its inability to accept PDF documents.

Tourism and Sports Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn said the Entry Thailand website is being developed with hopes of facilitating convenience for the international tourists who will be visiting Thailand once the Covid-19 situation improves further.

He elaborated that the central platform would contain information about entering Thailand and will link to mobile applications and information sources that are necessary for tourists.

Examples of said linkages include those for the Thailand Pass system, the battery-draining Mo Chana tourist-tracking app, Covid-19 insurance purchase site, a tourism destinations directory, the tourism volunteers system, online visa application, and the tax refund system for tourists.

Pipat expressed confidence that the central platform will improve tourist satisfaction.

Thailand's health minister and DPM Anutin Charnvirakul faced the press yesterday to tell the Thai people - and any foreigner tourists who have come to the country - that New Year drinks can only be consumed on ONE night. That's December 31st. Only to 1 am - then it's time to go home. He promised to come down hard on violators with the full force of the law. ASEAN NOW





Picture: Sanook

 

Thailand's health minister and DPM Anutin Charnvirakul faced the press yesterday to tell the Thai people - and any foreigner tourists who have come to the country - that New Year drinks can only be consumed on ONE night.

 

That's December 31st. Only to 1 am - then it's time to go home.

 

He reckoned that having this strict measure would help control things. 

 

New Year was being billed as a big celebration a couple of months ago and major stars were lined up. It was hoped tourists would be flooding in by now.

 

But as predicted by countless skeptics online this has proved to be completely untrue. 

 

Not only are there few tourists but the Thai people have shown in polls there is little appetite to celebrate amid the continuing state of the pandemic. 

 

Anutin was at pains to point out that people who do venture out as well as all operators and organisers must follow all the protocols.

 

In related news he said that more Omicron cases were being found because of the testing regimens now in place.

 

He encouraged Thais and people living in the country to get booster shots - these are being ramped up, reported Sanook.

 

And he reiterated that getting fake vaccine ID was a crime and damaged families as well.

 

He promised to come down hard on violators with the full force of the law. 

🔴 #COVID19 update on Friday: ⬇️ 3,537 new cases ⬆️ 41 deaths. Richard Barrow



Bangkok Post highlights 17/12

 

Chonburi police continue crackdown on crane machine games in Bang Saen mall. Pattaya News

Chonburi police continue crackdown on crane machine games in Bang Saen mall

Thursday, 16 December 2021, 17:51

PHOTO: Sanesuk Police

Bang Saen –

Police cracked down on illegal crane machine games at a mall in Bang Saen earlier this week and they seized a total of 38 illegal crane machine games.

The Saensuk Police led by Police Chief Colonel Pattana Robroo inspected a department store in Saen Suk after complaints from concerned citizens.

Colonel Pattana stated to the press, "We have seized 38 illegal crane machine games. Ms. Achirayan Dawong, who identified herself as a caretaker was taken to the Sanesuk Police Station."

"These crane machine games are worth about 60,000 baht to 80,000 baht each. All of them have no legal licenses and are considered illegal gambling devices." Pattana explained.

"We wanted to warn children also. Please keep the money that your parents gave you for school. It is not for these machine games which have automatic tricks. You will not get dolls easily from these machine games." Pattana added, giving personal advice.

PHOTO: Sanesuk Police

The Pattaya City Police cracked down on illegal crane machine games in Pattaya last week, notes TPN media. A Cambodian man was also arrested during the crackdown with three crane machine games seized from him.

UPDATED! Happy Quarantine entry rules from 16 December 2021 A checklist of points covering before, during, and after travelling to Thailand under the ‘Happy Quarantine‘ requirement. Richard Barrow

UPDATED! Happy Quarantine entry rules from 16 December 2021

A checklist of points covering before, during, and after travelling to Thailand under the 'Happy Quarantine' requirement.

TAT Newsroom

This information has been updated on 16 December, 2021.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to provide an update on the latest announcement published last night (15 December, 2021) in the Royal Thai Government Gazette that further eases rules for travellers entering Thailand under the Happy Quarantine entry scheme, effective from 16 December, 2021.

• Eligible travellers
  • Thai citizens.
  • Foreign travellers including diplomats, guests of the government, Thai work permit holders, students and their family, and patients seeking medical treatment.
• Eligible countries
  • All countries/territories except 8 high-risk African countries – Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
  • Thais and diplomats travelling from the 8 high-risk countries are allowed to enter Thailand under the Happy Quarantine programme.
• Points of entry
  • All points of entry (air/land/water).

Pre-Arrival Requirements

All travellers must have the following documents for entering to Thailand:

• A Thailand Pass, which can be applied via https://tp.consular.go.th/.
• A Medical Certificate with an RT-PCR lab result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected issued no more than 72 hours before travelling.
  • Thai nationals are exempt from this requirement.
  • Travellers under 6 years of age, travelling with parents, are exempt from this requirement.
  • For arrivals by water, everyone on board the vessels must have a medical certificate with an RT-PCR lab result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected within the officially specified time frame. Anyone on aboard with a history of COVID-19 infection within a period between 14-90 days must have a medical certificate of recovery.
• An insurance policy with coverage no less than US$50,000.
  • Thais and foreign expatriates under Thailand's national healthcare coverage are exempt from this requirement.
• A confirmed payment for an Alternative Quarantine (AQ) accommodation or similar government-approved facility. Foreign nationals must also have proof of payment for the required RT-PCR tests.
  • In case of a 7-day or 10-day quarantine, 2 RT-PCR COVID-19 tests are required.
  • In case of a 14-day quarantine, 3 RT-PCR COVID-19 tests are required.
• All travellers must undergo the 'exit screening' at the point of departure (air/land/water) and present the required documents to the person-in-charge to carry out the checks.

On-Arrival Requirements / During the Stay

• All travellers must undergo the 'entry screening' including body temperature check at the point of entry (air/land/water).
• Present the required documents to the Immigration/Health Control officer to carry out the checks, then proceed through the Immigration procedures.
• Then, proceed to undergo the quarantine.
  • At least a 7-day quarantine for travellers who have a Certificate of Vaccination for have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with an approved vaccine – or at least 1 dose for travellers under 18 years of age – at least 14 days before travelling to Thailand.
  • At least a 10-day quarantine for travellers who do not have a Certificate of Vaccination.
  • For arrivals by water, if everyone on board has a Certificate of Vaccination for having been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with an approved vaccine – or at least 1 dose for travellers under 18 years of age – at least 14 days before travelling to Thailand, then the quarantine period is 7 days. In case that any one of the people on board do not have a Certificate of Vaccination, then the quarantine period is 10 days.
  • For arrivals from the low-risk countries (other African countries as mentioned above), the quarantine period is 14 days.
  • For travellers under 18 years of age, travelling with parents or guardians, the quarantine period is within the same duration as their parents or guardians.
• Undergo RT-PCR COVID-19 tests.
  • For travellers under a 7-day quarantine, 2 RT-PCR tests on Day 0-1 and Day 5-6.
  • For travellers under a 10-day quarantine, 2 RT-PCR tests on Day 0-1 and Day 8-9.
  • For travellers under a 14-day quarantine, 3 RT-PCR tests on Day 0-1, Day 5-6, and Day 12-13.
• All travellers must download and install the MorChana application, and set it on at all times for the COVID-19 precautionary measures.

Guidelines for Domestic/International Departure

• For international departure, it is the responsibility of travellers or their organisations to make sure that the travellers meet the requirements of their specific international destination regardless of the point of departure.
• For domestic departure, after having completed the required quarantine period, travellers are free to go anywhere in Thailand.

We wish all visitors an enjoyable, safe, and rewarding holiday in Thailand during this exciting time in which we are able again to welcome travellers from around the world.

Kindly note the information is to serve as reference only and is subject to change without prior notice. It is especially important to check in regularly on www.tatnews.org to stay current on what remains a very fluid and fast changing situation.

The Chonburi Governor has issued a new legal order this afternoon (December 16th) dealing with Covid-19 restrictions which apply for the whole province and is effective from now until further notice. Pattaya News

 Chonburi governor releases new provincial orders around Covid-19 restrictions before the new year festival

The Chonburi Governor has issued a new legal order this afternoon (December 16th) dealing with Covid-19 restrictions which apply for the whole province and is effective from now until further notice.

Thursday, 16 December 2021, 17:30

Chonburi, Thailand-

These highlighted rules apply to the whole province. We have also added some analysis and statements in italics next to some of the orders for clarity, but no opinions:

-All of Chonburi is a blue zone effective today as announced previously by the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA). (Blue stands for Business, Leisure, and Ultimate Experience. In essence, this means that the province qualifies as a sandbox area for tourists who do not qualify for test-and-go to enter Thailand and travel where they wish immediately as well as extra privileges and permissions for the province, such as the ongoing festivals in Banglamung and Pattaya. These permissions may vary from province to province.)

-Bars, pubs, karaokes, nightclubs, entertainment venues, soapies, essentially the entire nighttime economy is still legally and officially closed. (Earlier this week, as we reported, a meeting was held in Pattaya around legally allowing bars and entertainment venues to open and was submitted to the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration, or CCSA, for further approval. As of this order, however, no legal permission has been granted officially. Contrary to belief, bars and entertainment venues remain legally closed nationally and have been since April 10th of this year, with the CCSA stating they will be "considered" by mid-January for legal opening but no guarantees.)

-Restaurants of all types can only sell alcohol if they are SHA+ (Safety and Health Administration, which requires forms and certificates to fill out and submit to the government online) and a Covid-free setting (Another certificate/set of guidelines and rules, see below). Hours are 11:00AM to 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM. The certifications must be placed VERY prominently in the shop for inspection and for customers to see.(There have been some mixed messages on the 11:00 PM serving time. In essence, it appears that serving should stop at this hour, and all customers and staff should be out with the venue completely closed by midnight. This message has led to confusion, notes TPN media, but serving and bins should be closed by 11:00 PM.)

-SHA+ restaurants can serve alcohol till 1:00 AM on New Year's Eve, December 31st, but must be open air/an open environment. (There has been some confusion on this as well or if it means closed restaurants cannot serve until this hour. The main concern here seems to be events/parties and large events.)

-Places like cockfighting stadiums, boxing stadiums, etc. where gambling (unofficially) often takes place must apply for a Covid-free setting certification like a restaurant that wants to serve alcohol.

 Covid-19 measurement/Covid-free setting rules/guidelines for business operators 

1. Satffers in restaurants with a Covid-free setting MUST have 100 percent completed their Covid -19 vaccinations or have been infected not more then 3 months prior with proof of documentation. (Morprom, the doctor mobile app, is the main preferred proof). Staff that is eligible should register for a booster, especially if they have taken Sinovac or Sinopharm previously.
2. Staffers in restaurants must take an ATK (Rapid antigen test) every week.
3. Covid-Free restaurants MUST clearly show messaging to let customers know about numbers one and two. (A sign should be placed in the business informing customers that the staff is 100% vaccinated and staff are regularly tested in a prominent, visible location.)
4. A restaurant in doors should not be full with more than 50% of the total number of seats, people should not sit directly opposite to each other (For instance, sit diagonally across instead), precautions like hand washing and alcohol gel should be available. If there is not room for tables to be a meter across there should be partitions.

5. Restaurants with air conditioning should open the door at least once an hour for ventilation. (It did not state out how long this ventilation period should be.)

   Covid -19 measurement rules for customers

1. Customers SHOULD complete their Covid -19 vaccinations or have been infected not more then 3 months with proof of documentation.
2. Customers SHOULD take an ATK test within 72 hours of going to covid-free settings and venues.
3. Customers MUST register on the Thai Chana application before entering the venue and this check-in point should be prominent at the business.
4. Each customer SHOULD be in a resturant for not more than two hours.
5. Customers should not talk when not wearing a face mask in a Covid-free setting. (These five points are guidelines, but not firm orders, we note.)

For further questions or clarification we advise to call Pattaya City Hall at their 24-hour hotline at 1337.