Extension of temporary ban on all international flights to Thailand until 30 June 2020

[ThailandRyan]

1 minute ago, anchadian said:

Not necessarily so.

 

Some tourists might have a genuine reason to be stuck here.  Waiting for a refund from previous cancelled flight or flights and possibly therefore unable to pay for another flight home.

I do know that those from the US who may be stuck here because of no money to fly back, due to the issue you mentioned, can contact the US Embassy and may be eligible for a repatriation loan. A repatriation loan is only for immediate travel to the United States and cannot be used to remain in Thailand. The Embassy can use the repatriation loan to purchase a ticket to the United States on the next available flight. The loan can also be used to pay for lodging and food associated with the impending travel. This is a U.S. Government loan program that you will have to pay back to be eligible for another U.S. passport

[cyril sneer]

what are these?

 

https://www.bangkokairportonline.com/flight-status-arrivals-departures/

 

[ThailandRyan]

11 minutes ago, cyril sneer said:

what are these?

 

https://www.bangkokairportonline.com/flight-status-arrivals-departures/

 

Possible repatriation flights for Thais returning and arrival flights bringing nothing more than commerce.  As far as the one to Phuket (HKT) that makes little sense as the Phuket airport had been wanting to reopen but was stopped from re-opening by the Government.....Then possibly repatriation flights taking nationals of their countries back home as well.  No international travel is occurring... 

 

This from another OP running now:

 

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) this afternoon (May 15) issued an order for Phuket International Airport to remain closed, waylaying its re-opening that was scheduled for midnight tonight.

 

The CAAT only yesterday issued a notice allowing Phuket airport to re-open to limited domestic flights at 00:01am (May 16).

Edited May 16, 2020 by ThailandRyan

[JackThompson]

8 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

I would have to agree with you and it is unfortunate that all of those who need to be repatriated have not been brought back.  Then at the same time those families separated are suffering as well.

Why not just let all the Thais come home ASAP, put them up in the Tens of Thousands of empty hotel rooms.  It would not be hard to enforce quantine in hotels.

 

Then, test them after a few days (if contracted recently, would trigger the test by them), and let those who test virus-free, and were not in direct-contact with positive-test persons in the interim, go home?

[ThailandRyan]

1 minute ago, JackThompson said:

Why not just let all the Thais come home ASAP, put them up in the Tens of Thousands of empty hotel rooms.  It would not be hard to enforce quantine in hotels.

 

Then, test them after a few days (if contracted recently, would trigger the test by them), and let those who test virus-free, and were not in direct-contact with positive-test persons in the interim, go home?

It would be nice, but from what I have read they are limiting the numbers of returnees to a small amount each day from each location. They have to apply to return and be authorized before they can return here from what I have heard as well.

[Ron jeremy]

41 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

IMO means zip. Book a flight. Then when it's cancelled obtain your credit towards future flight. 

As much as folk can complain about  AirAsia. I had 2 cancelled flights April and May. They allowed free change to September and Oct. Have flight June 12. Zero chance of that happening.

I have credits from Saigon to Melb. Just looked at Jan/feb 2021. Price DOUBLE.

I checked prices from Canada to Saigon, cheapest I have seen in 10 years.for the same time period, January. Prices to Europe were more.

[Ron jeremy]

23 minutes ago, anchadian said:

Not necessarily so.

 

Some tourists might have a genuine reason to be stuck here.  Waiting for a refund from previous cancelled flight or flights and possibly therefore unable to pay for another flight home.

People should not be travelling without sufficient funds in case of emergencies. Always have a plan B. 

If a person is broke, why are they travelling?

i mean really? A person is down to their last few $k in the bank, and they decide to blow it all on a trip? Time to get priorities straight.

Edited May 16, 2020 by Ron jeremy

[OJAS]

33 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

When more flights are available back to home country, they may be very expensive as I outlined in previous post.

No maybe's about it, I fear, since flights will almost certainly be limited to 30%-50% capacity max because of social distancing requirements.

[JackThompson]

2 minutes ago, Ron jeremy said:

People should not be travelling without sufficient funds in case of emergencies. Always have a plan B. 

If a person is broke, why are they travelling?

I hear what you are saying, but many bought airline tickets (expensive) and cannot get refunds.  Those tickets may be a huge portion of their "vacation budget." 

 

Globalization (competing with the 3rd World for jobs) has put an end to savings, for many.  Vacations have become rare, and done within a very limited budget.  Essentially "steal" the plane-fare, by refusing a rightful refund, and then extend the hotel-stay by weeks, and they have nothing left.

[Pattaya46]

35 minutes ago, anchadian said:

Some tourists might have a genuine reason to be stuck here.  Waiting for a refund from previous cancelled flight or flights and possibly therefore unable to pay for another flight home.

Hum... Maybe... but how do they pay their stay in Thailand?

A one month stay must cost more than a flight to home...

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Oyyyyyy.....    

 

Maybe it's for the best...  but hard to swallow nonetheless.

 

COVID is definitely one import Thailand can do without.

 

You do have to wonder though... if the conditions right now warrant extending the international flights ban for another month, are the conditions really going to be that much different in another one month from now???

 

 

In some countries yes but in others, no.

 

The big question is will they continue a blanket ban or make it a more limited one to specific countries. I suppose the rationale for blanket nab is they have no way of readily knowing where incoming foreign arrivals have been prior to their immediate point of embarkation.

 

 

[madmen]

3 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

Hum... Maybe... but how do they pay their stay in Thailand?

A one month stay must cost more than a flight to home...

They can do as the expats do in Pattaya...4k fan rooms dime a dozen right now

[EricTh]

So Chinese and South Korean tourists are only allowed to come back on 1 July? Then why did he announce so early ?

[tribalfusion001]

1 minute ago, EricTh said:

So Chinese and South Korean tourists are only allowed to come back on 1 July? Then why did he announce so early ?

No one is allowed to come back yet.

[EricTh]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

I was referring to the bigger picture. Many folk currently in Thailand are hoping to exit via airport or land borders. 

Many air options have not been possible. As outlined on many threads. Esp folk needing transit stop such as Taiwan. 

Also refer to post #34. Many in that situation.

 

 

Thailand should at least let foreigners go out of the country even if no incoming flights are allowed.

 

I don't see the logic behind this when the cases in Thailand are so low.

 

Edited May 16, 2020 by EricTh

[norfolkandchance]

1 hour ago, taninthai said:

There has never been a block on movement out of Thailand,,flights out are and always have been available

Can you find me one back to Italy.

[2 is 1]

5 minutes ago, norfolkandchance said:

Can you find me one back to Italy.

Qatar and KLM flight every day! Watch there! My friend just flight back Finland last tuesday, plane had 5 passenger! So maybe have room for you. If from Doha has flight to Italy!? Now cost BKK-Doha-Helsinki 30900 bth.

 

Edited May 16, 2020 by 2 is 1

[norfolkandchance]

51 minutes ago, fruitman said:

Well why not? Even Italy will open it's borders 1 june.

 Link please to Italy opening its borders to non European entry.

[tribalfusion001]

29 minutes ago, norfolkandchance said:

 Link please to Italy opening its borders to non European entry.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-52687448

[vinny41]

6 minutes ago, tribalfusion001 said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-52687448

June 3rd is European Nationals only

 

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/covid-19-italy-reopen-borders-tourists-early-june-12738836

[Tie Dye Samurai]

3 hours ago, tribalfusion001 said:

You can be positive or negative, but realistically nothing much is going to change for another 2 or 3 months, maybe more.

agreed....hope for the best but prepare for them to be painfully slow with their roll out...hey look on the bright side...a couple more months without those monster tour buses belching filth into the sky and blocking traffic 

[madmen]

1 hour ago, JackThompson said:

 

That's too much for a fan-room there - 3K more likely - and probably "deals" available now.  At 4.5K should include aircon. 

 

But many "vacationers" may not know how to backpack-travel, so may have no idea.  As well, when this first started, they probably thought "just another week or two" - not even thought about monthly rentals.

No excuse with today's level of instant education via Google , there are a bunch of condos in very nice new resorts in jomtien for 6 to 10k on Air bnb as owners are getting desperate and the only lock down is the curfew and free visas it's actually far better than where they came from. I know some folk who are taking full advantage.

[drbeach]

3 hours ago, champers said:

I agree. Subject to new infections and deaths remaining low, I think pressure will be brought to bear on the Government from big business interests who are shouldering the burden for helping the poor whilst the Government has spurned the chance to do likewise. Revenues need to be generated from selected foreign visitors.

I agree, although now might be the time to reduce the over reliance the Thai economy has on tourism. To my surprise, I recently saw a post comparing how much more Thailand is dependent on tourism than Vietnam and Cambodia. I feel the figures used weren't accurate, as I can imagine both countries being more reliant on tourism that those figures suggest. The figures were 21.6%, 6.7 and 6.9% for Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, respectively. I've seen figures for Vietnam up to 15% and similar for Cambodia; after all, what else does Cambodia produce? Not much except for garments. In any case, a definite wake up call for all countries - tourism may never be the same again. Find something else to make money - manufacturing, agriculture and food processing come to mind.

[Berti]

7 minutes ago, drbeach said:

I agree, although now might be the time to reduce the over reliance the Thai economy has on tourism. To my surprise, I recently saw a post comparing how much more Thailand is dependent on tourism than Vietnam and Cambodia. I feel the figures used weren't accurate, as I can imagine both countries being more reliant on tourism that those figures suggest. The figures were 21.6%, 6.7 and 6.9% for Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, respectively. I've seen figures for Vietnam up to 15% and similar for Cambodia; after all, what else does Cambodia produce? Not much except for garments. In any case, a definite wake up call for all countries - tourism may never be the same again. Find something else to make money - manufacturing, agriculture and food processing come to mind.

No way out of tourism within a short time!

"NEW" poverty will come for a (not so small) part of the Thai population. I really wonder why the government has no understanding for this. Only the daily Corona numbers are important. Hard to understand this shortsightedness.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, vinny41 said:

June 3rd is European Nationals only

 

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/covid-19-italy-reopen-borders-tourists-early-june-12738836

That is true. However, Italians qualify as European nationals.

[vinny41]

2 hours ago, norfolkandchance said:

 Link please to Italy opening its borders to non European entry.

 

4 minutes ago, BritTim said:

That is true. However, Italians qualify as European nationals.

I am aware Italians are European nationals but as you can see norfolkandchance was asking about access for Non Europeans nationals

[somtumwrong]

I'm asking this for the second time now just because I'm a little worried (asked a month ago already once), but is there any limitation to Thai citizens (read: Thai wife + kids) to fly out of Thailand? Arranging flight tickets for my family tomorrow, and @ubonjoe you already told me a month ago that no such limitation exists back then. Any new information on this subject?

 

 

[Ron jeremy]

4 hours ago, JackThompson said:

I hear what you are saying, but many bought airline tickets (expensive) and cannot get refunds.  Those tickets may be a huge portion of their "vacation budget." 

 

Globalization (competing with the 3rd World for jobs) has put an end to savings, for many.  Vacations have become rare, and done within a very limited budget.  Essentially "steal" the plane-fare, by refusing a rightful refund, and then extend the hotel-stay by weeks, and they have nothing left.

The airlines offered alternate flight arrangements. Most people chose to stay and not take these flights . It was their choice. 

No fault but their own. 

Governments told their citizens to rethink travel plans when the virus came about, then my government told me to think of cutting my holiday short and come home. 

Thirdly I was told to get home ASAP!!!!!!!!!

alternate flights were offered, I took them. 

Happy to be home, things here are great, friends that said I was panicking are eating their words, stuck in lockdown in the Philippines. And even those in Thailand and Vietnam. 

No it hasn't been great for them, beaches , bars closed. It's not a holiday anymore. 

And they all say now they wish they were back home. 

[ubonjoe]

Several off topic, bickering, baiting and etc posts have been removed. This is a serious topic so there is no room for nonsense in it.

No further notice will be given when posts are removed.

[ubonjoe]

5 hours ago, somtumwrong said:

I'm asking this for the second time now just because I'm a little worried (asked a month ago already once), but is there any limitation to Thai citizens (read: Thai wife + kids) to fly out of Thailand? Arranging flight tickets for my family tomorrow, and @ubonjoe you already told me a month ago that no such limitation exists back then. Any new information on this subject?

Same as before. There are no restrictions.