General Reports

[Mr Enternational]

What is this about paying rent while not living there? Is there something forcing you to?

No. But I have had the same room for 10 years and all my stuff is here. I go back and forth. All I come and go with is my tablet and things I have bought to bring either way. It is only 4500 baht/month. Some people pay that for a place or gogo girl for 1 day. Looks like they will change it so that we can stay until 26 September without visa extension though.

[XXL]

There is no way to guess something that the authorities have not even guessed at yet. All I can tell you is that I will be paying my rent up for the next year when I leave here on the 31st.

What is this about paying rent while not living there? Is there something forcing you to?

...

I got a Line message today. One of my Rayong Thai bar girls is p1 ssed that a guy from Egypt got in and brought COVID with him to Rayong.

Such a ruckus about 1 guy who was an asymptomatic carrier. Maybe no country was interested in Thailand's "travel bubbles" on Thailand's terms, and Thailand needed a pretext to save face? If not we can kiss good-bye to the idea of ever travelling to Thailand again in our lifetime.

[MonkeyPaw]

The vaccine will not be distributed to the general population in the beginning. The first priority will be the elderly, most likely those who are older than 60 years. This is the most vulnerable age group. The second priority will likely be those with immune systems that have been compromised by some kind of disease or affliction. Once all those have been immunized, then the general population will begin to receive it. As soon as folks can flash their vaccination reports at the airlines, cruise ships and hotels, the tourism industries in every country will be celebrating.

The real problem with this pandemic is not the disease killing people, it is the damage it has done to the economic (and political) environments around the world. People who are without jobs are very unlikely to be planning expensive vacations in exotic locales. The world will be in a deep recession for a few years and many economic, political and social changes will be happening around the world. Hang on folks, it is going to be wild ride for the next few years!

So being this is the end of the world as we know it because of this is "world pandemic" affecting a global economy. We are all connected somehow. And bad news is that COVID-19 keeps mutating and the data keeps changing. Go to worldometer and look at those Coronavirus graphs. It's not going away when looking at a world wide perspective and just not with a New Zealand, Vietnam, or Thailand rose colored glasses. We only have one Earth to travel. If that "entire" Earth is not fixed, there will be NO normalcy to international travel. Just a few weeks ago, data emerged that COVID-19 was found in sewage and waste water in Spain way before the first case in Wuhan. So what is the conspiracy with the origin of COVID-19 again? And you are absolutely correct, a vaccine is not the end. What is the effectiveness of the FLU vaccine? How many strains of COVID-19? What about those who refuse to do vaccines for themselves and their kids because it infringes on their individual liberties? What about those who fake medical documents to fly? One foreign case in Rayong has Thailand up in arms right now. Imagine if international travelers came back and imported a few cases. And you can't compare this to Spanish Flu in early 1900's. Why? Because the world was not "global" and heavy on tourism and hospitality like it is now. So just one solution. God.

[Rodwint2]

The original source of the information was written in Thai and read by my friends Thai wife. About 15 hours ago she reported that the Rayong situation has put a hold on everything, perhaps another 6 months.

The entire situation is fluid. I worry that even the introduction of a vaccine will be insufficient to stop this virus. Suppose that the vaccine is 75% effective and 80% of the population gets the vaccine. If I did the math right, that means only 60% of the population will be immune to COVID. I don't know if that will be good enough to return life back to "normal". I suppose it depends on the lifestyles of those who are not immune.

The vaccine will not be distributed to the general population in the beginning. The first priority will be the elderly, most likely those who are older than 60 years. This is the most vulnerable age group. The second priority will likely be those with immune systems that have been compromised by some kind of disease or affliction. Once all those have been immunized, then the general population will begin to receive it. As soon as folks can flash their vaccination reports at the airlines, cruise ships and hotels, the tourism industries in every country will be celebrating.

The real problem with this pandemic is not the disease killing people, it is the damage it has done to the economic (and political) environments around the world. People who are without jobs are very unlikely to be planning expensive vacations in exotic locales. The world will be in a deep recession for a few years and many economic, political and social changes will be happening around the world. Hang on folks, it is going to be wild ride for the next few years!

[MonkeyPaw]

There is no way to guess something that the authorities have not even guessed at yet. All I can tell you is that I will be paying my rent up for the next year when I leave here on the 31st.

You aren't staying after the 31st? Will I be the last man standing? We need to hit up WS together one last item before you leave. I've been hanging with the Dukester and Hakeem the Dream.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand...-after-july-31

[HorseTrader]

HT,

I don't know where your friend is getting this information but it is contrary to everything that is being reported in English language Thai media.

The original source of the information was written in Thai and read by my friends Thai wife. About 15 hours ago she reported that the Rayong situation has put a hold on everything, perhaps another 6 months.

The entire situation is fluid. I worry that even the introduction of a vaccine will be insufficient to stop this virus. Suppose that the vaccine is 75% effective and 80% of the population gets the vaccine. If I did the math right, that means only 60% of the population will be immune to COVID. I don't know if that will be good enough to return life back to "normal". I suppose it depends on the lifestyles of those who are not immune.

[GettingFedUp]

Thailand was upset that UK didn't include Thailand in the countries who can visit.

BB,

The UK has two lists. The first is countries to which the blanket advice against all non-essential foreign travel does not apply and Thailand is included on this. The second is a list of countries from which arrivals into the UK do not have to self isolate for 14 days on arrival. It is this list that Thailand is not on.

There are two schools of thought for the latter omission. One (to which I subscribe) is that the UK required reciprocity (I. E. No quarantine for UK visitors on arrival in Thailand) and that was never going to happen. The other is that UK does not trust the Thai numbers but if that were the case why would they be no non-essential travel "advice" be lifted? I put the word advice in quotes because its existence invalidates most medical and travel insurances, making it far stronger than just advice.

I was half expecting a lot of flak for suggesting autumn 2021 - thanks for drawing the fire with your guess!

[Banana Boi]

Anyone have an educated guess on what the rules will be on returning? Is it reasonable to plan on returning early 2021? Will there be different rules?

I just asking for best guess.

AFTER everyone else! You have to ask yourself if USA had very few cases would you allow people in from a country that has 10's of thousands of new cases daily?

Thailand nuked their thoughts on allowing China in because of an outbreak of 7 new cases per day in China. Not sure USA will ever get to 7 cases per day. Freedom of rights mindset.

Best guess? 2022. Keep in mind USA is not a country that allows Thais to easily visit so USA will not get any breaks here. Thailand was upset that UK didn't include Thailand in the countries who can visit. There will be passive retribution for that. It's the Thai way.

I got a Line message today. One of my Rayong Thai bar girls is p1 ssed that a guy from Egypt got in and brought COVID with him to Rayong.

[GettingFedUp]

A friend of mine said you can return next month. If that is true you should expect to be subject to the process published a few days ago in Pattaya News: getting a visa from a Thai embassy, pre travel COVID free certification, and a 14 day quarantine in Thailand where you need to pass COVID tests on days 3 and 11.

HT,

I don't know where your friend is getting this information but it is contrary to everything that is being reported in English language Thai media. There had been the usual hot air chatter from politicians and the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand about "travel bubbles", primarily with China, South Korea and Japan, with a potential start date of September. Just about every policy decision here is preceded by this chatter which is frequently contradictory and often does not reflect the eventual outcome. I guess they use the coverage as some sort of focus group to gauge reaction.

However, the Rayong incident (https://thepattayanews.com/2020/07/1...malls-emerges/) has further hardened attitudes of both those in power and the general population to reopening borders to anything more than medical tourism and investors.

As to the OP's request for "best guess" - for no-quarantine open to all tourism high season (fall) 2021 unless something happens quick on the treatment and / or vaccine front. I very much doubt early 2021 will be possible for regular tourists from most countries as things stand.

[Beijing4987]

A friend of mine said you can return next month. If that is true you should expect to be subject to the process published a few days ago in Pattaya News: getting a visa from a Thai embassy, pre travel COVID free certification, and a 14 day quarantine in Thailand where you need to pass COVID tests on days 3 and 11.

The real question for me is when will each of our home countries be healthy enough so the Thai government relaxes the rules enough so we want to go to Thailand.

Depends on whether Ted Cruz keeps his mask on.

[HorseTrader]

Anyone have an educated guess on what the rules will be on returning? Is it reasonable to plan on returning early 2021? Will there be different rules?

I just asking for best guess.

Thanks.

A friend of mine said you can return next month. If that is true you should expect to be subject to the process published a few days ago in Pattaya News: getting a visa from a Thai embassy, pre travel COVID free certification, and a 14 day quarantine in Thailand where you need to pass COVID tests on days 3 and 11.

The real question for me is when will each of our home countries be healthy enough so the Thai government relaxes the rules enough so we want to go to Thailand.

[Mr Enternational]

Anyone have an educated guess on what the rules will be on returning? Is it reasonable to plan on returning early 2021? Will there be different rules?

I just asking for best guess.

There is no way to guess something that the authorities have not even guessed at yet. All I can tell you is that I will be paying my rent up for the next year when I leave here on the 31st.

[Horatio]

Anyone have an educated guess on what the rules will be on returning? Is it reasonable to plan on returning early 2021? Will there be different rules?

I just asking for best guess.

Thanks.

[Banana Boi]

Is it possible that even ISG reporters may not be telling the truth?

There are at least 10 to 20 handles on the Thailand threads alone that are the SAME GUY from France! He even replies to his own posts! No need to look any further than just below this post.

[Turgid]

There's no news yet. I am hoping for August 31 when the original plan was for social distancing to end but now large events such as fairs are now prohibited until November.

Clubs in Austria and Switzerland are open with tons of beautiful European babes.