Aviation authority extends ban on flights by another 12 days

[snoop1130]

Aviation authority extends ban on flights by another 12 days

By THE NATION

 

 

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) on Monday (April 6) decided to further extend the ban on passenger flights to the Kingdom from 00.01am of April 7 to 11.59pm of April 18.

 

CAAT had initially prohibited all aircraft from entering Thailand for three days, from April 4 to 6.

 

The move is to stem the Covid-19 contagion.

 

The order, signed by CAAT director-general Chula Sukamanop, exempts state or military aircraft from landing, emergency landings, technical landings without any passengers disembarking, humanitarian aid and medical or relief flights, repatriation flights and cargo aircraft.

 

Passengers en route to Thailand prior to this announcement will be subject to a 14-day quarantine in Thailand.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30385498

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-04-06

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[rasmus5150]

I would be furious if I was a Thai national abroad, and being shunned out of my motherland like this.

[Zabbaskeema]

That's the biggest nonsense I have seen here to date.  What a bunch of morons.

[Virt]

1 hour ago, rasmus5150 said:

I would be furious if I was a Thai national abroad, and being shunned out of my motherland like this.

They mention flights for repatriation is allowed. So Thai nationals can still fly home? 

[samsensam]

1 hour ago, rasmus5150 said:

I would be furious if I was a Thai national abroad, and being shunned out of my motherland like this.

 

to be honest any thais abroad have had plenty of opportunity to return, i'm fairly sure loads of seats have been available on incoming flights over the past 2 - 3 weeks. and being thai they know how random and knee jerk reactionary their leaders can be.

[Number 6]

15 minutes ago, samsensam said:

 

to be honest any thais abroad have had plenty of opportunity to return, i'm fairly sure loads of seats have been available on incoming flights over the past 2 - 3 weeks. and being thai they know how random and knee jerk reactionary their leaders can be.

A former student of mine studying in Oxford was advised to get on a plane and go immediately if that's what her plans were. She was on a plane and home with 60+ hours. That was about a week ago.

 

[webfact]

Thailand extends ban on incoming passenger flights

 

People are seen at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport as Thailand temporarily banned all passenger flights from landing in the country to curb the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Thailand, April 6, 2020. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand has extended a ban on all passenger flights from landing in the country to curb the outbreak of the new coronavirus, the country's aviation agency said on Monday.

 

The ban on incoming flights came into effect on Saturday morning and was originally set to run until the end of Monday, according to a previous order by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand.

 

The new order, which extended the ban for 12 more days until the end of April 18, came after the country reported 51 new coronavirus cases and three more deaths on Monday, raising the numbers to 2,220 cases and 26 fatalities.

 

The number of new cases was the lowest daily rise since March 20.

 

Monday also marked two weeks - the estimated incubation period for the new coronavirus - since Bangkok shut down shopping malls to limit the spread of the virus.

 

The majority of infected patients are in Bangkok, which is under an indefinite curfew.

 

Thailand has declared a state of emergency until the end of the month.

 

(Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat, editing by Ed Osmond)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-04-07

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[champers]

Do the Government need more time to construct or adapt places to safely and securely quarantine returning Thais? Perhaps the feedback from embassies and consulates have shown more people are wanting to come back than initially expected. Better safe than sorry.

[rak sa_ngop]

8 hours ago, Virt said:

They mention flights for repatriation is allowed. So Thai nationals can still fly home? 

Probably means empty flights arriving to pick up stranded foreign nationals.

[aprevans]

But some flights are still leaving. Check Suvarnabhumi website at https://www.bangkokairportonline.com/flight-status-departures/

[jimmjam]

7 minutes ago, aprevans said:

But some flights are still leaving. Check Suvarnabhumi website at https://www.bangkokairportonline.com/flight-status-departures/

Cant believe they are still sending flights into china.????‍♂️

[ThailandRyan]

10 hours ago, rasmus5150 said:

I would be furious if I was a Thai national abroad, and being shunned out of my motherland like this.

However, one should understand the reasoning behind the extension was to try and ensure no other transmissions of the virus from Asymptomatic carriers was brought into the country.  The planes that are flying in now, are full of necessary goods, and the crews of those planes can not leave the plane while its on the ground either.  The only thing that leaves the plane is the cargo, and I am relatively sure the outside of each container of goods is being disinfected.  Thai nationals are not the only people that are stuck out.  So take another stab at that.  They have not been abandoned by their country, they have been asked to wait, be patient, and understand the unique circumstances that is being faced by us all.  However, you can always file a lawsuit on their behalf should you feel the need to champion there rights.  Enjoy where you are, take care of yourself, and stay safe.

[ThailandRyan]

4 minutes ago, jimmjam said:

Cant believe they are still sending flights into china.????‍♂️

How about thinking like this:  Maybe, just maybe the departing flights are carrying goods that have been ordered and are a necessity for the receiving country, then the returning flight is loaded with items needed by Thailand, ie... your pharmaceutical medications, food to stock shelves, and other products needed by people who are here.  Flights of passengers coming into the country have been halted, but not all flights carrying mail, or commodities.... 

[jimmjam]

7 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

How about thinking like this:  Maybe, just maybe the departing flights are carrying goods that have been ordered and are a necessity for the receiving country, then the returning flight is loaded with items needed by Thailand, ie... your pharmaceutical medications, food to stock shelves, and other products needed by people who are here.  Flights of passengers coming into the country have been halted, but not all flights carrying mail, or commodities.... 

Ahhh, yes. Chinese goods. How could i forget. Probably every country in the world is recieving goods from china still.

[fdbob]

11 hours ago, rasmus5150 said:

I would be furious if I was a Thai national abroad, and being shunned out of my motherland like this.

It says repatriation flights exempted 

[aussienam]

Oh well, this poor old farang expat is locked out from returning to Thailand - in my own holding pattern as I ponder my navel, which is getting quite fat from all this staying indoors stuff.  Gold Coast Oz not the worst place to be as I wait.  But I miss Thailand.  But I understand that every country needs to do what they can.  It's a bloody nuisance of a virus.  Most of us will be fine, but the old folk and people with medical problems are who we are looking out for.  

Thailand is doing the right thing.  Back to contemplating my navel .... oh a bit of belly fluff.  

[vagaboberalis]

2 hours ago, rak sa_ngop said:

Probably means empty flights arriving to pick up stranded foreign nationals.

Technical landings, say originate Hong Kong, no pax drop off, only board new pax, I believe

[bluemoonpattaya]

If  some Thai people are returning to Thailand, and are not self quarantining for 14 days 

This drastic measure will ensure what happend on last Friday, when 160 odd Thais returned

home and disappeared into the woodwork. Will not happen again

[fulhamster]

1 hour ago, jimmjam said:

Cant believe they are still sending flights into china.????‍♂️

And arrivals from W*han !!

[Bantex]

50 minutes ago, bluemoonpattaya said:

If  some Thai people are returning to Thailand, and are not self quarantining for 14 days 

This drastic measure will ensure what happend on last Friday, when 160 odd Thais returned

home and disappeared into the woodwork. Will not happen again

How will this ensure it won’t happen again?

It simply postpones it & and they will refuse to self quarantine when the flights start arriving again. This is a worldwide problem and the CoronaVirus could be around for months.

[Scott Tracy]

In my opinion, this should have happened months ago.

Whilst I understand the desire to get home, being in a place where you currently are prevents or mitigates the risk of transmission into the country of origin. That plus the risk of transmission to fellow travellers and the medium of travel.

It is assumed that the virus got to Thailand by travellers from China. Stopping travel right at the start of this outbreak would have reduced the risk of further infections.

People returning to the provinces from Bangkok and Pattaya are at higher risk of infection and spreading it around their local areas. People returning from South Korea same same. 

Processes should have been put in place, to accommodate people who do not normally live in the country in which they find themselves. An example of this is the slow and halfhearted response of the Thai government to visa extensions and people thrown out of work in places like Bangkok and Pattaya.

 

[Wavel]

13 hours ago, rasmus5150 said:

I would be furious if I was a Thai national abroad, and being shunned out of my motherland like this.

As a pointer to you rasmus150 the article does exclude repatriation flights. Although there would need to be enough Thai people to run such flight left in a foreign nation. I’m sure that the safety & well being of Thai citizens already in the “motherland” & all those concerned in organising such an event plays a major part in their decisions. Particularly after the recent shambles by the military at Bangkok airport.

[Winky Wilson]

12 days is a good start. If people were smart they would quarantine themselves for a full month. The progression of this disease from normal to "tireing out" from pneumonia is 1 day. Even with a ventilator your survival rate is 17 percent. 83 percent mortality on a ventilator. Really a bad time for conspiracy theory.

[Blumpie]

I wonder if they will make their 40 million visitor quota or whatever the devil it is. 

30 million?

20 million?

I feels like much less.  

It's not that they are or aren't going to open it, it's most nations have travel warnings out travelling... well, anywhere now.  

One horse wonder.  

[hobobo]

12 hours ago, Virt said:

They mention flights for repatriation is allowed. So Thai nationals can still fly home? 

The further 12 day ban affects primarily scheduled flights. Thais can still fly home by government-chartered repatriation flights, or as passengers on any chartered flight coming to collect a group of stranded farangs. Such flights are arranged by various Ministries of Foreign Affairs and have nothing to do with airlines themselves or scheduled flights

[Tropposurfer]

12 hours ago, Virt said:

They mention flights for repatriation is allowed. So Thai nationals can still fly home? 

Not having a go at you my friend but ... What a great idea: allow people to enter from possibly high infection rate regions of the world and expect them to self quarantine when facts to date have shown the vast majority of entrants don’t obey such orders????

Letters certifying healthiness are useless unless accompanied by testing before emplaning and immediately after landing in destination.

 

[007 RED]

The Notification of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand on Temporary Ban on All International Flights to Thailand (No. 2)

 

 6 April 2020

 

In reference to the Notification of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand Re: Temporary Ban on All International Flights to Thailand issued on 3 April 2020 for the prevention and control of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID – 19) Outbreak.

 

In order to maintain the continuity of the prevention and control measures, by virtue of Section 27 and 28 of the Air Navigation Act B.E. 2497, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand hereby issue the following orders:

1. All international passenger flights to Thailand will be banned from 6 April 2020 at 17.00 UTC to 18 April 2020 at 17.00 UTC.

 

2. All flight permits granted to international passenger flights for such period will be cancelled.

 

3. The ban on 1. does not apply to the following:

            (1) State or military aircraft

            (2) Emergency landing

            (3) Technical landing without disembarkation

            (4) Humanitarian aid, medical and relief flights

            (5) Repatriation flights

            (6) Cargo flights

 

4. The passengers on board the aircraft leaving the airport of departure before the entry into force of the Notification will subject to 14-day quarantine under the contiguous disease law and the regulation under the Emergency Decree on State of Emergency B.E. 2548.

 

With immediate effects until further notice.

Issued on 6 April B.E. 2563 (2020)

 

Source: https://www.caat.or.th/en/archives/49329

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Effectively this temporary order stops all passengers (Thai & foreigners) on international flights from entering Thailand by air.  As will be seen in 3. above, there are a number of exemptions, one being Repatriation flights.  This is to allow people who are currently stuck in Thailand to return home - not Thais to return home.

 

Although BKK website arrivals/departure info shows lots of international arrivals expected they have not updated their site to show the flights cancelled. If you look at Flightradar24.com you will see 95% of the scheduled international arrivals/departures are shown as cancelled.

 

It should also be noted that a large number of flights coming into, and departing, BKK are in fact cargo flights.

Edited April 7, 2020 by 007 RED
Typo

[sukhumvitneon]

1 hour ago, fulhamster said:

And arrivals from W*han !!

Thailand still needs that sweet Chine$$$e money

[ian carman]

Pretty sure Eva is still flying as no one disembarks at Bangkok .The app says the plane left on time on Sunday 

[HenryC]

What about expats with families in Thailand who make their primary residence in Thailand - stuck abroad for work and cannot return home? My situation.

 

Had enough of this country not recongnising people with families in the proper fashion. All the hoops you have to jump thru to get a visa, especially if you are not married. I've got a kid there and have supported the economy for 17 years, invested money etc. Why shouldn't I get a residency permit on the basis I am father of, and supporting a Thai national. Last straw for me.

 

We should start making Thais in the UK do a border run to France every 90 days.