Pattaya Reports

[HorseTrader]

Are you really considering buying your 4th plane ticket?

If you are changing your plans to Phuket, wouldn't your eVisa and Thailand Pass be invalid? Those would have the wrong date of entry, hotel info, plane info, etc.

You are correct. My plane tickets #1 and #2 have been refunded. Plane ticket #3 (Bangkok) will be held for some time. I don't yet have #4 in hand (Phuket). Depending on how rules change in early January, I will decide later if I will go to Bangkok or Phuket first. For me, Phuket has special important.

If I go to Phuket first, I'll need to change everything except my COVID insurance (travel dates don't change).

I've been paying premium prices so that all my flights and hotels are fully refundable.

[Tomasb]

I agree that it is all about politics. But as I mentioned in a prior post, Omicron appears to be so highly transmissible that even if you are careful, have your vaccinations and booster, wear masks etc. You can still catch it and test positive upon arrival. Even if you are asymptomatic, it's off to the hospital you go courtesy of your required $50 k health care policy. Or am I incorrect about that assumption?

I think there's a small, but real chance they'd scrap the Phuket Sandbox on Jan 4th.

Current closures are mostly a political tussle. Anutin is aiming for the PM spot and backing Prayuth (who's in support of re-opening) into a corner. If the actual goal were to delay Omicron, they would have done this earlier (at the time they banned people from Africa), forcing everyone into ASQ, without exceptions for visitors already approved for ThailandPass or those coming through Phuket.

Whatever they decide doesn't have to make sense. It's part of a political tussle, and they have to appear to be doing something for the sake of public perception.

[Banana Boi]

At the moment, I have zero temptation to go anyplace except the Phuket.

Are you really considering buying your 4th plane ticket?

If you are changing your plans to Phuket, wouldn't your eVisa and Thailand Pass be invalid? Those would have the wrong date of entry, hotel info, plane info, etc.

[Rako3]

I don't have sufficient information to decide on all these things and nor do I have sufficient trust in Fauci and his co-conspirators. However, I am interested in your travails as I have lost st least 6-8 flights / vacations during this Covid madness, with another two flights lost next month.

For those of you criticizing the flip flops of the Thai authorities, things are much worse in Europe. Where the irresponsible British cannot be consistent from one day to the next.

It sounds a lot like you feel this whole thing is a global conspiracy just to wreck your vacations. Had no idea you were so important!

[HorseTrader]

...I am not expecting any change in the policy on January 4th so unless there is another change by Mid February, I don't see Thailand being in the cards for me this winter. Airfares are also jumping astronomically, at least from the US.

Airline fares must be dependent on your itinerary and exactly when you purchase your ticket. I just looked and have never before seen lower economy class prices from my part of USA to Phuket (round trip under $900 with no ability to select your own seat). Business class is a bit more expensive than I remember from pre-COVID.

At the moment, I have zero temptation to go anyplace except the Phuket. Places like Pattaya, Samui, Chiang Mai, and Bangkok can wait until my 7-day Phuket sandbox is finished.

[Explorer8939]

You're surrounded by dumbass Thai bargirls every day and it seems that you listen and believe to whatever they say. You're generalizing their behavior with the one of every Thai ladies. Either you're as dumb as they are or you pretend to be so.

I can't speak to Thai ladies who don't work bar, but I described how Bargirls view sex with Farangs. I am sorry that you don't agree with their opinions.

The other night, some Thai man delivered his wife to my pool villa so she could have paid sex with me. You won't find a bargirl who would find that surprising, as to them, it's just business.

XXXXX.

My ex is stringing a guy along, she is trying to make him go away without directly saying so, in case she needs him again. So, for Christmas, she told him she had Covid.

[Member #4753]

Anutin is aiming for the PM spot and backing Prayuth (who's in support of re-opening) into a corner.

Whatever they decide doesn't have to make sense. It's part of a political tussle, and they have to appear to be doing something for the sake of public perception.

Anutin is a very much anti farang. He would be a pain in the ass if he became PM.

He has had a number of foot in mouth moments while bashing farangs. My favourite is when he was making a number of anti foreigner comments including how they don't wear masks. All this while surrounded by very much masked up journalists while he had his mask under his chin.

Once he made comments a week before 22nd of December that he was going to recommend abolishing the "test and go" it was dead in the water.

[Mr Enternational]

I See'est La vie. (Its really annoying you cant even write French expressions properly on here)

Pour quoi non? C'est la vie. Works fine!

[Crocodilexp]

I am not expecting any change in the policy on January 4th

I think there's a small, but real chance they'd scrap the Phuket Sandbox on Jan 4th.

Current closures are mostly a political tussle. Anutin is aiming for the PM spot and backing Prayuth (who's in support of re-opening) into a corner. If the actual goal were to delay Omicron, they would have done this earlier (at the time they banned people from Africa), forcing everyone into ASQ, without exceptions for visitors already approved for ThailandPass or those coming through Phuket.

Whatever they decide doesn't have to make sense. It's part of a political tussle, and they have to appear to be doing something for the sake of public perception.

[Tomasb]

If this was the Delta variant, they may have taken a different tack but due to the incredible high rate of transmission of Omicron I am not optimistic they will lift the current quarantine 7 day plan. If so, that decision or non-decision will kill the remaining winter tourist season. See'est La vie. (It’s really annoying you can’t even write French expressions properly on here)

About 350 Omicron cases have been reported under the test and go scheme according to the Thaiger. The Thai government would probably quote this as a reason why not to continue test and go.

However, the test and go was seeing 10,000 arrivals a day. So the overall positivity rate was something like 0. 1 %. If you tested the general Thai population the positivity rate would probably be 10 times higher at 1%.

So it doesn't really make sense to suspend the program when your average thrice tested tourist is 10 times less likely to be positive than your local. But TIT. This is thailand.

[Member #4753]

About 350 Omicron cases have been reported under the test and go scheme according to the Thaiger. The Thai government would probably quote this as a reason why not to continue test and go.

However, the test and go was seeing 10,000 arrivals a day. So the overall positivity rate was something like 0. 1 %. If you tested the general Thai population the positivity rate would probably be 10 times higher at 1%.

So it doesn't really make sense to suspend the program when your average thrice tested tourist is 10 times less likely to be positive than your local. But TIT. This is thailand.

[Quest78]

Currently going thru the Test and Go (got my Thailand Pass Test & Go before they shut it down) as per usual the Thai higher ups don't really know what they are doing. Before you hit immigration at BKK, there is a QR code with a list of testing sites for "your free" 2nd Rapid PCR test and a new quarantine form you need to take with you on your appointment. Your hotel at 5 or 6 day should set you up with an appointment. But the hotel staff are confused as we are. Go to tatnews. Org for the latest announcements. Hope this helps.

[Tomasb]

Same here as I was procrastinating on the deadline knowing the PM was going to make an announcement prior to Christmas in regards to Omicron. I did not want to get stuck with a non refundable AIR BnB place, or health insurance, or an ASQ hotels who took months to provide a refund. However, I did not calculate that the PM would "grandfather" in anyone who had already received a code. Which, if you think about it, is kind of ridiculous as they are going to permit at 90 k people in, according to their estimates, and cut off anyone else contemplating going to Thailand. How many of those 90 k will catch omicron coming in and not be detected?

I am not expecting any change in the policy on January 4th so unless there is another change by Mid February, I don't see Thailand being in the cards for me this winter. Airfares are also jumping astronomically, at least from the US. One consolation is I have been watching YouTube videos on Bangkok nightlife and the fun factor pales compared to days gone by. With much of the late night activities curtailed, it does not seem as much fun as it used to be. I used to love cruising and walking Suk in the early morning hours, not even to monger but just taking in the scene. That is not an option this winter, I am afraid.

My Test and Go hotel had conflicting information. Their website said I get an ATK self test kit, but the menu of items provided at online purchase checkout did not list it nor did it list any food to be provided for the first day. Doesn't matter for me, I missed the deadline to get the QR code. Now I'm considering Phuket sandbox or not going to Thailand until things improve.

[HorseTrader]

For fun I checked my pre-Dec 22 AQ Test and Go hotel email and mine says I get an ATK self test kit too!

My Test and Go hotel had conflicting information. Their website said I get an ATK self test kit, but the menu of items provided at online purchase checkout did not list it nor did it list any food to be provided for the first day. Doesn't matter for me, I missed the deadline to get the QR code. Now I'm considering Phuket sandbox or not going to Thailand until things improve.

[Banana Boi]

You could be right Banana Boi, even though the confirmation letter that I got from my hotel for my Test & Go booking mentioned this antigen test kit. And I am fully vaccinated and from one of the 63 countries.

For fun I checked my pre-Dec 22 AQ Test and Go hotel email and mine says I get an ATK self test kit too!