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[QUOTE=Zam007;2538797]I have been waiting to come back to Thailand for over a year, just like so many others. The 2 week quarantine discouraged me and just like someone else mentioned, nobody is willing to waste a day while they are in Thailand for a short vacation.
That said, Thailand has started to consider easing the 2 weeks quarantine.
[URL]https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/03/09/asia-pacific/thailand-vaccine-passports/[/URL][/QUOTE]Already mentioned that in my post below:
From Article:
[QUOTE]Thailand also plans to reduce the mandatory quarantine period for vaccinated foreign visitors to seven days from 14 days currently[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=SinfullyKorean]Thailand seems to be toying with the idea of a 3 day quarantine if you have a vaccination within the last 3 months. But they only let you out of your room. You're still confined to the hotel property for 7 days (if vaccinated).
I agree. Until quarantine is reduced down to 3 days or less, there's no way I'm wasting my vacation time stuck in a hotel. I don't know if they understand that it's valuable time and money people are spending to vacation there.
But from their perspective, they want guidance from the CDC or WHO to say vaccinated travelers are OK. But no such luck:
The CDC is not updating its travel guidance at this time, Walensky said at a White House COVID-19 Response Team briefing on Monday. She stressed that everyone should continue to avoid nonessential trips, regardless of vaccination status. The CDC director cited previous spikes in case counts after surges in travel and the emergence of variants from international locations.
Source: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronav...ese-activities.[/QUOTE]
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[QUOTE=ChristianG;2538784]I don't know of any tourist who is willing to lose even a single day of vacation in quarantine (based on a 2 - 3 weeks holiday). The only guys I know who are ok with the quarantine are the long stayer who will spend 3 to 6 months or more in Thailand.[/QUOTE]I think 3 days quarantinewould be my limit. I'd stay for 3 weeks.
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[QUOTE=TChizzle;2538848]Not sure how credible this statement is, but I'm more inclined to believe that most people are not really used to obtaining visas for places they want to go and are more used to visiting visa-free and visa-exempt places.
If the cost of going to my favorite vacation spot was free, then okay; you got me. I would probably prefer to wear a mask and head over to that vacation spot. Thanks to whoever compensated for that free trip.
But since that scenario is most unlikely to happen, then yeah; I'd probably prefer to stay in my hometown area and do local tourism travel where costs are minimal and save up for that overseas trip and go when traveling is less of hassle and back to normal.[/QUOTE]Would that still hold true if this becomes the new normal for the next 5-10 years?
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For all those who are contemplating quarantine don't have expectations of hobbying in Thailand to be like it was when you were here in December, 2019. Expect less than 25% of the girls, if that.
The only bright point is after your ASQ your hotel expense will be 25-40% of what you spent on accommodations pre-COVID.
[QUOTE=SinfullyKorean;2538949]I think 3 days quarantinewould be my limit. I'd stay for 3 weeks.[/QUOTE]
I think a 3 day quarantine is what it should be with a mandatory COVID test again on day 5 and 7. Maybe charge people 5000 baht at the airport to get a vaccine shot for the shorter quarantine option. Countries that rely on tourism need to think outside the box.
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[QUOTE=BananaBoi;2538951]For all those who are contemplating quarantine don't have expectations of hobbying in Thailand to be like it was when you were here in December, 2019. Expect less than 25% of the girls, if that.
The only bright point is after your ASQ your hotel expense will be 25-40% of what you spent on accommodations pre-COVID.
I think a 3 day quarantine is what it should be with a mandatory COVID test again on day 5 and 7. Maybe charge people 5000 baht at the airport to get a vaccine shot for the shorter quarantine option. Countries that rely on tourism need to think outside the box.[/QUOTE]Good point. I'm hoping that by Oct, more people will be vaccinated. Bars have already started opening. As more and more Thai people are vaccinated, the country will probably open up more.
Vaccination at the airport cadfnnot work. It takes 2 weeks for the vaccine to take full effect.
I agree 3 days quarantine is probably the minimum quarantine time until CDC says otherwise. For now, CDC hasn't changed their travel guidelines even for vaccinated people. Hopefully, as more data becomes available, they'll review travel guidelines.
We have to keep in mind that vaccines only started going out about 2 months ago. Real world efficacy of the vaccines only started coming out last month. So I think it's reasonable for experts to take time to analyze the implications on travel before issuing more changes to guidelines. They've been criticized for changing / reverting their guidelines in the past.
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[QUOTE=SinfullyKorean;2538711]Thailand seems to be toying with the idea of a 3 day quarantine if you have a vaccination within the last 3 months. But they only let you out of your room. You're still confined to the hotel property for 7 days (if vaccinated).
I agree. Until quarantine is reduced down to 3 days or less, there's no way I'm wasting my vacation time stuck in a hotel. I don't know if they understand that it's valuable time and money people are spending to vacation there.
But from their perspective, they want guidance from the CDC or WHO to say vaccinated travelers are OK. But no such luck:
Source: [URL]https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/03/08/974783644/cdc-says-its-safe-for-vaccinated-people-to-do-these-activities[/URL].[/QUOTE]The government of Thailand is painfully aware of the impact of quarantine requirements on their tourism industry. That is why they are weighing options to shorten quarantine time.
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[QUOTE=SinfullyKorean;2538945]Already mentioned that in my post below:
From Article:[/QUOTE]Oops! Missed it. Thank you.
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New variant.
[URL]https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/03/13/national/new-variant-philippines[/URL]
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[QUOTE=Berrys66;2540648]New variant.
[URL]https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/03/13/national/new-variant-philippines[/URL][/QUOTE]Not remotely there yet but yes possible a nightmare scenario where a new strain more contagious, more virulent requires new vaccines for immunization. The experts are saying while existing vaccines may not be as efficacious against new variants they will still protect against serious illness. Hope they're right.
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[QUOTE=Berrys66;2540648]New variant.
[URL]https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/03/13/national/new-variant-philippines[/URL][/QUOTE]The Shoe Variant.
Originated from mold inside a damp pair of women's shoes. Size 8.5 US.
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Year ago there were more than 2,000 variants; now its more than 300,000 of them. Let's stop ignorant fearmongering. None of them matter.
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[QUOTE=Franciscass;2540677]Not remotely there yet but yes possible a nightmare scenario where a new strain more contagious, more virulent requires new vaccines for immunization. The experts are saying while existing vaccines may not be as efficacious against new variants they will still protect against serious illness. Hope they're right.[/QUOTE]And the good news is that the vaccines that are being delivered can be modified in a few months to counteract these new strains, it's currently in progress and the scientists talk of delivering booster shots in the autumn.
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[QUOTE=Downandup;2540908]And the good news is that the vaccines that are being delivered can be modified in a few months to counteract these new strains, it's currently in progress and the scientists talk of delivering booster shots in the autumn.[/QUOTE]Yes it's such a good news that we're going to all get our one jab per month to fight all these Bill and Melinda Gates's Covid19 mutations.
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[QUOTE=Questner;2540834]Year ago there were more than 2,000 variants; now its more than 300,000 of them. Let's stop ignorant fearmongering. None of them matter.[/QUOTE]Really, what about the UK variant a more contagious more virulent strain which has led to new outbreaks and shutdowns across Europe and the US. Nobody I'm aware of is fear mongering here but some of us follow the science and the data and are not in the bury your head in the sand brigade.
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[QUOTE=Franciscass;2540944]Really, what about the UK variant a more contagious more virulent strain which has led to new outbreaks and shutdowns across Europe and the US. Nobody I'm aware of is fear mongering here but some of us follow the science and the data and are not in the bury your head in the sand brigade.[/QUOTE]You are welcome to post here a link to a pdf document published in a leading medical journal or government regulator, which has been peered reviewed and presents scientific evidence to the following: more contagious or more lethal. Also its crucial to read such document at least from general academic background, give it it a thought, and answer several crucial questions: When the document was published? Who financed the work? Who exactly the team behind the research? What type of investigation was completed? I won't even start with the notion of political and economic competition, career advancement, opportunism and power grab that follows this malady as always with any such turmoil in society. I do follow one of the major regulator (with about fifty strains now), do follow the clinical recommendations, and there is absolutely nothing in them with respect to so called variants.
