Covid-19: "Necessary" app to trace foreign tourists mooted for October

[DrTuner]

3 minutes ago, Blumpie said:

In actuality (and sorry to barge in), Thailand can do anything it wants to privacy or no.  They do not share the same values as other governments around the world, nor do they necessarily want it.  It's the part of the "sign up" that we have when we arrive in thailand and the only recourse we have for action is to simply leave.  ????  

Sad but true. Thais care very little about privacy. As evidenced by the immigration handing out copies of passports and bank statements as recycled forms and notification reports. Every time I refuse to hand my passport to some random clerk or open my phone lock to a hapless bank teller the result is a blank stare of incomprehension - "what, doesn't everybody want to get their identity stolen and broadcast every single piece of data of themselves to the entire world?"

[PatOngo]

2 hours ago, herwin1234 said:

lol. thanks to these kwits (whatever that means) Thailand has an extreme low number of infections. i guess "some people" will never see positivity.

Any body but you, I'd take notice herwin, work on what ...kwits mean, here's a tip boy,  have a think about the 3 dots! 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I know it won't be popular among tourist dependent businesses here... But there's an argument to be made that a reduction in the scale of mass tourism coming into Thailand -- and the associated workforce dependent on it -- might not be a bad thing for the country long-term...

 

This being a place that already can't supply a steady supply of water in some areas, can't manage its own trash and sewage collection facilities properly, has lousy air quality for 5-6 months out of the year, has a police force that feeds off corruption and easy targets, etc etc.... Not to mention having a lot of unlicensed, unregulated (illegal) "hotels", bars and restaurants, rogue taxi drivers who rob and scam with rare consequences, and various other kinds of tourist ripoffs.

 

The challenge, of course, is to divert the culled out tourism industry employee ranks into other kinds of available, more productive, more beneficial employment for themselves and the country... And that, for the current regime, is a pretty huge challenge.

 

 

[dougiemac52]

Is this because they are finally beginning to realise they need tourists and by using this app means that the ASQ will be done away with or am I reading into this wrongly. My first step is to get my Non O Immigrant visa

[jerolamo]

29 minutes ago, Blumpie said:

The reason is they have changed and are full.  For those just arriving thinking they have found "paradise", the allure is soon gone.  Their form of tourism seems to be more of a predatory nature, fleecing as much money as they can get.  Who in their right mind thinks a holiday shopping in Bangkok is fun?  Not your typical north american.  Maybe Indian, Chinese, and others from the second world looking for this type of alleged "high quality" experience.

Stand back and look at places like Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket.  They are tourist traps, and over-rated at that.  It's about raking in as much money as they can get, full stop.  

Expatriates are not necessarily cared about and this may not change.

Yes, i did see the big difference between tourism places (who seems to be 2% of the Thailand surface) and other places. My wife is from Loei, and i stay Loei (when i will be able to come back, i'm not rich...) and i have only friends there, lot of very good humans. I love this part of the Thailand who, as i trust, is the incarnation of the real Buddhist cultural form the closer to the first form mixed with some other cultural trust. Well... Thailand is not my first country to go, and i can compare with other.

And yes, fact is that 70% of the population voted for someone who was next trashed by the army due to a coup. Looks like the problem of decisions around COVID-19 situation and politics are something in relation by the profile of this government.

When you said: "they don't want", i feel like it is far to be the population who doesn't want, but a little minority in this nice country.

I also love to see Thai people love Thailand and not share all of other countries standard, it is not the real problem in fact. the problem is when the population is not what a government looks like.

And yes, the best destination in Thailand when you love human relations is definitely not Pataya or Phuket or some places in Bangkok, but many other places where business doesn't turn the head of the people to become crazy.

I really love Thailand for Thai people.

 

Now the problem around the COVID-19 doesn't make me angry if i were a tourist to not be able to access a destination (there is many other and in my own country there is so beautiful places to go, i stay near the sea at a very nice place).

But i'm married there and the family of my wife is now my family. I miss them and we had some plan for life, we investigate a lot already.

We should consider to change plan and turn back because of dictatorship seems to make things impossible to achieve quietly and profit the situation.

I think that to be able to be nice (i never drink, never have problem with anyone, i respect the law and the waï, i start to speak Thai, have only friends there with also the kapnan, obotors and the policemen, some army officers, and, no problem with no one, all of them appreciate me and invite me when have something special or someone special coming... really i feel myself very welcome there and do work also to help them in fields when i not work on our construction home) should be enough to have a quiet honorable life on a Buddhist cultural land (and i do understand it can have some differentiation between foreigners and Thai, no problem).

It is just difficult due to the government in place to be blackmailed with all this story around application spy to install, expensive and forced to paid an hotel 5 stars for 2 weeks who is not only a problem for me, but for all our family i can assist when they need (and will not be able to assist soon), a real problem we can not paid for and loose our life, etc...

I tell you, in Loei, if this government was not there, it is a real paradise for humble people.

Edited August 20, 2020 by jerolamo

[Marco100]

I get confused ! So' what's up here for October ? The " Safe & Sealed " ? With all docs and covid certificates and covid testing at arrival and quarantine,  do they want tourist to also have an app to trace them in their quarantine rooms ? Or is there some other planes for a wider program? Or the app is for the well-heeled Thai Elite Holders ? BTW what do they mean with well-heeled ?????

[djayz]

8 hours ago, kingofthemountain said:

Please don't give them silly ideas

they could be tempted to do it

I fear they haven't even taken "us" (=expats/residents) into account yet. 

[Scott]

Troll post and reply reported and removed.  

 

[fraggleRock]

Seems like a very targeted and stealth app under the guise of Covid 19 to spy on tourist movements, this is a dangerous presidence,watch your back *** Thank God after all my years here I’m bailing in September... They can ram the type O and Elite tourist visa together with this app where the sun does not shine, toda loo LOS ‘Land of Spying’

[Vicki Coghlan]

Only tracing farungs???  Sound racist and fascist to me.  What about tracking and tracing Thai nationals???  We can't have that.  One BS rule for farungs as usual and no rule for Thai nationals.  That will definitely boost tourist numbers for sure NOT!!! 

[Rockbottom]

This is the prep for the coming Chinese tourist incursion. Chinese are used to the CCP, so no problem with privacy violations, spying or culturally embedded authoritarian leadership. They'll love this app!!

[Truth Will Set You Free]

They are already allowing the Korean, Japanese and Chinese in the country. People are you not looking when you are out there shopping? Friends tell me they are at the golf courses as well. 
 

Not to lose focus, the Thai’s don’t even use the tracking app. How are they expecting the tourist to use them? 

 

Wake up, wake up , wake up.... Whats next.......????????????

[John CS]

11 hours ago, Shuya said:

time to get the burner phone ready

Bluetooth WiFi scanning makes burners redundant

[John CS]

The minister for digital economy and society told the media that several ministries had instructed the office of digital government to work on a tracing app suitable for foreign tourists.

 

Does anybody actually know what this nonsense phrase actually means?

Digital economy & Society minister ???

Meaningless , non relevant ,propaganda

Repeat : Wake up !

Look to America & Wake up

[CANSIAM]

11 hours ago, Sundown said:

"They also reported that the new app will be used alongside the Thai Elite Card for well-heeled foreigners."

 

Say what????

 

 

Maybe you go through the elite office to get the app for 80,000 baht...

[CANSIAM]

10 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Contact tracing involves ‘everyone being tracked’

 

Thus: IF this suggestion is to work, it only works if ‘everyone' has an App on their phone which traces their movement. 

 

What will happen - everyone deletes the app from their phone !!!

 

 

Ultimately, IF Thailand wants Tourists they have to be treated with far more respect than the current sanctimonious ‘we can’t have them doing that’ suggestions. 

 

The current suggestion imply an upside-down mentality of the decision makers, that tourists are privileged to come to Thailand and not a mentality that Thailand is privilege to receive tourists. 

 

 

A Pre-Flight Covid-19 test (with a negative result) for every visitor to Thailand should be sufficient. 

If Thailand doesn’t trust that, test upon arrival should add an additional level of measure - from there on in the TM6 card and TM30 (reported by the hotels) should be sufficient to track any positive cases if necessary.

 

The objectives ’should’ be to keep the economy moving while maintaining the replication rate of the virus below R1. 

 

Thailands continued attempts at zero domestic cases is killing its own economy. 

 

 

 

 

 

100% CORRECT THANKS.

[pookondee]

As far as the so-called Elite visa..

They can easily put a tracing chip in your individual Thai Elite card, that you must keep with you at all times.

Thats how elite you are. lol

 

It really matters for naught anyway.

The future is soon coming with the combination of 5G and A.I.

 

With just these 2 things we cant even imagine what controls there will be on ALL of us in another 5-10 years.

And its all completely un-avoidable, so you might as well get used to it.

 

For whatever reason, the global ruling elite want EVERYONE back in their own countries, its that simple. 

 

People are even starting to think this Covid is a very coincidental, convenient distraction (excuse) for what is really going on. 

Paranoid? Maybe.

 

As far as Thailand goes, they are following the script and stacking BS on top of BS daily when it comes to outsiders.

 

At some point people will start to realise Thailand just aint worth the BS.

 

I think for many that day is long gone already.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kingofthemountain]

1 hour ago, Truth Will Set You Free said:

They are already allowing the Korean, Japanese and Chinese in the country. People are you not looking when you are out there shopping? Friends tell me they are at the golf courses as well. 

People from asian coutries are actually allowed to enter in Thailand

under the exact same conditions as the westerners.

A lot of them are here because they were already in Thailand on a long stay visa

before the covid crisis, Koreans, Japanese and chinese enjoy their retirement in

Thailand in the same way westerners do it. They are just less ''visible'' among the Thais.

[Trujillo]

The first step, not anything with tracking, is to accept that Covid-19 is here in the world to stay and that "cases" do not mean the end of the world. This is the single biggest obstacle globally for the world to get spinning correctly again. 

Should we be putting apps on everyone's phone for the seasonal influenza? Should clinics have to turn in cases of venereal disease to be tracked? 

 

Perhaps the government here should ask the dirty farangs who might be affected with this, rather than foisting some half-baked plan without any input from those who may be involved. 

[the green light]

12 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Why not just make them wear a dog collar and leash? There are enough unemployed Thai's to lead the around! Morons!

I just want to know who the stupid and moron  tourist who will accept being tracked like a parasite. that is not a vacation .that is hell.

 

Are they refererring that Thai people coming back with deseases or business people for few days will be exempt..How about the diplomatic corps ..you can't track them that is spying on their activities... Nothing and Nothing can detect the internal body infection. 

 

these Moron waste time bureaucrat in the government  wil try and try again  when still nobody comes to Thailand. The issue is the government is scare of political problem so they wnat to know ho will bring new ideas into thailand and they can arrest them. 

 

If you look at the Thai Embassy overseas, they are only allwing some airlines to come to thailand..  So price will be so and so expensive for the Tourists.

Airfare US or Europe to Thailand just went up.

 

So what it looks like , it will cost you a godd $3,000 before you go to Soi NANA to geta piece of ass.  Not worth it.. Manilla will be cheap to get a cheap honey. When it comes to that kind of money,..too bad for the thai girl... they better cry to their government.

 

 

 

[the green light]

57 minutes ago, kingofthemountain said:

People from asian coutries are actually allowed to enter in Thailand

under the exact same conditions as the westerners.

A lot of them are here because they were already in Thailand on a long stay visa

before the covid crisis, Koreans, Japanese and chinese enjoy their retirement in

Thailand in the same way westerners do it. They are just less ''visible'' among the Thais.

that is right and it does not matter

 

Remember the song" hotel California" " you can check in but you cannot chekout.."

So all of you retired in thailand.. you cant leave unless you want to pay a lot of money coming back.

Enjoy what you got.

 

 

 

 

 

[kensawadee]

TRACKING FOREIGNERS = modern day electronic 'communism' which is the direction this gov't has chosen............

Edited:  this is just an upgraded TM30.  If russia had todays electronics 40-50 years ago you might have expected this same thing.

Edited August 20, 2020 by kensawadee
add a line

[Captain Monday]

6 hours ago, Miami007 said:

Don't believe the microchip rumors 

The facial/voice/bio recognition tech employed in your countries is much more comprehensive, stop worrying about Thai government. If an app is launched here doubt they can integrate the data in a way that makes track and trace of kovid actually possible? Every official app I used in Thailand was unstable and constantly shuts down.

 

Just more magic shows to save face and low return to a feasable tourism plan.

 

 

 

 

[djayz]

2 hours ago, pookondee said:

For whatever reason, the global ruling elite want EVERYONE back in their own countries, its that simple. 

 

can I borrow your tin foil hat, please?

Proof please. 

[djayz]

1 hour ago, the green light said:

that is right and it does not matter

 

Remember the song" hotel California" " you can check in but you cannot chekout.."

So all of you retired in thailand.. you cant leave unless you want to pay a lot of money coming back.

Enjoy what you got.

 

 

 

 

 

What a load of nonsense! 

Can I have some of what you're on? 

[InevitableCost]

Guess a cheap burner phone will be part of the cost now I'm not installing spyware on my personal phone. 

[Winniej]

There will be no way they will have an app ready in October unless it’s copied from someone else . Who is going to go on a holiday in the  next 6 months even if you can get out of your country which I think will be nearly impossible then come back  for two weeks isolation . I for one and I’m not the only one wouldn’t go on a plane load of people even if the holiday was free . 

[habuspasha]

At the risk of striking a discordant note, I am eager to be one of the moron tourists eager to jump at this offer.  I haven't seen my SO except on Line since Dec, am hoping for Elite approval and the chance to keep all the reservations I've made for Oct and Nov, against the odds.  As for the tracing, this is a pea-shooter in the hands of the modern state.  I'm pumped, even if the ap doesn't replace the ASQ.

[daveAustin]

All part of the squeeze. C19 is just the excuse for this kind of carry-on, because it was always on the cards. They want to know where you are and what you're doing at all times, ready to sling your ar$e. I told you guys in 2014 it wasn't good to have the army in.

 

[SunsetT]

15 hours ago, champers said:

If it's for well heeled elites I will be OK; I wear sandals.

Sandals are posh! Most of us wear flip flops!