[Polly]

Yes, L, been following these events carefully, as we are due there beginning of November again! But only to transit after a few days, we hope there might be a semblance of normality by then…

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K1ngston

[K1ngston]

[postquote quote=1207209]
As they say Polly I will not hold my breath as this is definitely a moving target in this part of the world!

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Polly

[Polly]

Steve,

That’s good news about Vietnam, great to have local reporting. A
K1ngston, fingers crossed that Singapore see sense also. Let’s now hope Thailand and Bali open up in a more user friendly manner…

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BPP

[AlanOrton1]

BT news section has Singapore as confirmed to re-open next month. Excellent news.
From a personal business perspective, still a great shame HK is still essentially off limits.
(More than happy to take pre departure tests a la SG & USA. Zero interest in being quarantined for a relatively short business trip).
Here is hoping HK follow the Singapore and Vietnam model.

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Polly, BPP

[MarcusGB]

We took the planned flights ex LCY Business Class on Swiss few days ago.
I changed the just inside 72 hr PCR at Collinson at LCY which processes test v quickly in 6-8 hrs, for a normal charge pre departure PCR. many Airlines offer a = 20 % off code, so this was £52. Took this on Sunday for a Tues departure and a good idea it was, as Swiss needed the validity still FROM ZRH for the long haul flight.
Starting from London does not count, when connecting in the EU.
We saw many rejected travellers, with Thai Test & Go Pass, who were refused with copious paperwork and huge folders, from the long haul flight from around Europe.
the Fare was £1,850 each, and about £340 for the Throne solo seats that were superb. As good as First Class space and privacy.

A Breeze at 6am to LCY in taxi from N London about 2 miles to quiet LCY for an 08.55hrs start to ZRH. None of the LHR traffic, public transport ( with 1 in 20 having the BA 2 Virus in England), and all yr reports of LHR chaos.
SQ were wanting £3,500 Biz return via Singapore, KLM £2000+ with economy Bangkok Airways flights connecting. Etihad £3,300+ Thai almost £3000 on a small Dreamliner 8, so this was an excellent fare. Avoiding in and out of LHR, be a breeze to land and be home within an hr!

Flights were full, Swiss clearly carrying many people long haul as well as to from LCY.
However, in BKK, it was utter exhaustion with 7 different checkpoints on The Thai Test and Go system!
Confronted with hundreds of chairs lined up with Nurses on exiting the gate, Immigration forms had been brought back, not given out on Board. Health forms from Disease Control to be completed when no notice given. No guidance there either, just herded from one section of Bureaucracy to another. Desk after desk.
Stamp after stamp, passport every time, QR Thai Pass Every time.
You MUST land on flight this was granted, and connect on the sealed flight to HHT as we did.
a 20 Min walk to the bottom of 2 sections of BKK airport terminals, to Immigration and security. ALL forms then needed.

Warning- NO ACCESS to Any Lounges or food and drink, or shops, you were sealed off with glass to one side for normal domestic passengers, then had to walk 1/2 wat down the same terminal other side back, into a D gate.
ALL domestic departures on Thai Smile flights only went from one gate. Only a poor drinks machine that needed Thai cash, or one faulty hot drinks machine with cards. You would incur Many more charges than the 40p cost of this using a UK card!
NO food and drink served on Board, masks kept on.
Was an exception as we put in Thali Smile plus Premium Economy seats at front, that Crew Manager made us a coffee, our first drink in 3.5 hrs since landing!
We had to hide behind the crew curtain in galley when crew stood in cabin for this, rather strange!

HKT Hit again with more desks MUST have Thai Pass, Passport, Pre booked PCR and hotel ready. matched against flight manifest. Then to about 30 Nurses same forms again, and yr stamped Disease Control form, issued in BKK. Tested outside terminal, then wait for yr hotel to collect you.

It was completely exhausting, and like a line of dominos, lose one form or do something wrong, and the whole trip would fall, you dont fly or into quarantine!
No guidance from SWiss who also had a separate desk prior to the gate desk and boarding, or Thai process which would have helped.
But no access to anything to drink for hrs, was really very stressful.
Choosing a low key local to Airport hotel was great just 5 mins away in National park, far better that the 5 star hotels we had, up to 1.5 hrs drive away, and then restricted for the first 24hrs to access facilities.
Thai Disease control processed PCR’s in 4 hrs, emailed them through, but you had to validate with a QR Code, you registered given to you after test to get results.
Authorities, then notify yr hotels of results. In that respect, all is done for you and the system works.
But first time, was really an “on Edge experience”!

Pleased to be here for 3 weeks and returns will not be as difficult, though still unsure about pre long haul return Swiss flight and lounges if they are sealed from Islands back.

Hope this helps for other travellers, readers for Thailand.

Perhaps just going to BKK is better then booking yr own flights domestically would be far less partitioned and access to lounges and something to eat and drink!
You got a pastry and carton of juice in a bag as you left the aircraft. Enter at BKK and save another 4-5 hrs of exclusion, waiting and deprivations!!!

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Polly, DerekVH

[MartynSinclair]

@MarcusGB – thanks for your very depressing review about Thailand. I will report next week whether my copious amounts of paper which has been checked and rechecked (and checked several more times over the weekend) will get me into Thailand smoothly or not.

I have a colleague who is flying in from the USA and he encountered a similar problem with his PCR test. He was planning to get his PCR during an overnight stop in Atlanta before boarding for BKK via somewhere in Japan. However, he was not allowed to board his internal from Florida to Atlanta, without a PCR, because he had a through ticket.

At least the Thai boarders are open quarantine free – but it really is a big effort to make sure everything is in order… and then the arrival PCR test….

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Polly

[Chris in Makati]

I’m booked to fly to Bangkok on May 19th, so will be following any updates on the situation with interest. I was hoping that the entry rules to Thailand would have been relaxed by then, but now I’m not so sure.

My ultimate destination is Manila, and I was hoping to spend a few days in Thailand on the way. I’m beginning to think I should just transit BKK and fly straight on to Manila if Thailand is going to be a big hassle.

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Polly

[MarcusGB]

Sorry if it appears bad news, but it really is extremely complicated.
I just tried to inform as we found it, with no guidance from the Airline at all, even the immigration forms being brought back in.
You were just confronted with everyone from the 773 getting off full, with hundreds of rows and no one with the files out ready for these Nurses and the Disease Control District processing you.
Fares ex London are hugely expensive, when say from Amsterdam, BKK return on Finnair on the A350 up to Finland, but out again on same aircraft, were from £995 return!
LH £1,200, same with swiss and Austrian.

There is also the issue of being unable to “Stopover” as we used to, and i certainly would to Australia.
Ene destination countries, may require that the departure country you travelled from, you had been in and had to declare on a legal Immigration form, not been anywhere else for 14 days here!
My travels down to Australia simply would not tolerate a stopover at this time, i would have to have a VTL flight down there non stop, apart from being escorted or diverted to the next departure gate and wait. No access to a Lounge shops or the normal airport, you are segregated off.
Finnair, had an A350 in HKT just landed as i arrived, with Thai also now leaving ex LHR a few times a week, but using a small Dreamliner 788.
I simply am not going to pay fares of £3,400+ ex London.
KLM also have a seat sale months ahead but book soon, for £1550 ex LCY or LHR.
But for Thai Authorities, if you stopped or entered Amsterdam, it would have to be for 14 days and then EU and KLM regulations Thailand recognise. So the departing country of that flight into Thailand, as well as the Airlines regulations.

We also can take a Lateral Flow test which must be reported on day 5, and you can use an NHS one with you which you must photo and load upp i was told.
So order a pack and bring one set of 7 with you at least.
UK Government are changing free issue as of 1st April, then Boots say charge £!! for one test or £17 for 3!

We were so relieved pushing the test to 46 hrs before not about 72 hrs as like several others, Swiss refused them boarding, as it had to be valid both at LCY AND at yr departing flight to Thailand.

Once registered and entered on the new Test & Go, only started in Feb, inside Thailand all hotels, you with a QR code and Airlines can access it very well.
I have yet to see the return needs but i did check i DONT need a PCR to transit Zurich on leaving HKT-BKK then Swiss to Zurich and London.

But yet to see if we are “Sealed off” on returning at BKK, and taken to a bare lounge for hrs and no access to Lounges or Shops, Duty Free, cafes etc.
Once cleared you are allowed access domestically to travel, but no information from Swiss on the connections of Sealed flights, transit or ex international on Swiss itself if you are connecting!

I hope others can also help us with their experiences.

KUL, SIN are also opening up in a much clearer way, but currently a HUGE Industry, much gain, and money made out of people employed in Thailand, with the Military run Government.
The experience really followed that regime and felt pretty awful!
Here though it is always a pleasure, bu hotels also will be checking you are cleared when you check in, with PCR test pre booked at destination airport, and 1 night hotel for results, which MUST be adhered to on your Thai Pass declaration.

Sorry to say i do not think you can just hop country to country anywhere but the EU at this time, without a 7=21 day stay history in one country.
You cannot deviate from what you have stated in your Thai Stay & Go application in any way. You are checked before during after, otherwise Police and Disease control are pursuing people with compliance insisted uponor you are placed under quarantine enforced.

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Polly

[TGRW]

Since the start of the year I have been in and out of Thailand 4 times entering the country through Phuket, I agree the paperwork is a hassle, I found the process and passing through the various checkpoints seamless. I have been off the plane and in the car on the way to the hotel inside 20 mins. I understand this might be down to luck as the Sq flight I take from Singapore lands in a window between any other International flights, I remember pre pandemic times when the Phuket immigration lines snaked everywhere around the terminal.

The delay waiting for results does eat up time in Phuket, colleagues have informed me in Bangkok this can expedited by paying an express fee.

Under the previous Sandbox scheme, once you had completed 7 days you could travel around Thailand freely, I found all my domestic flights went smoothly, masks on and the meal / snack given as you disembark.

Coming back into Singapore has been smooth and I look forward to Tuesday when there are no masks required outside and the further lifting of travel restrictions on the 1st April with rumoured removal of all testing in a further 2/4 weeks post April 1st.

I will be flying back to Phuket on the 7th April and will happily share my experiences.

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cwoodward, Polly, thebigseats, MarcusGB

[MarcusGB]

TGWR, thanks for those insight’s.

There are agreements between Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Malaysia to come i think?
Regionally it maybe better and certainly the Sinspore route appears a bit more “Humane” with drinks and some foods and a Mini Biz lounge set up i hear at the gate.
Pre Pandemic, flights return to BKK alone would be from £1,200 -£1,800. Thai is at best, £2,500 direct to Phuket or BKK now
Most on SQ, are over £3,400+, same on Etihad. it is only Other transit Airlines from outside the UK that have decent prices.
Finnair seems cheapest ex Amsterdam from an amazing £995return Biz on the A350, but not being in the EU, and needing to be in yr starting of the trip for 14 days +, makes this very complicated.
And sorry but i really won’t give the Government almost £400 tax just to take off from the Island in APD!

Gone are the times for now, when i could have flown to Amsterdam for a few days, then carried on to Asia with KLM. Yes the EU and certain Countries are loosening up, but the destination country will still classify places like the UK, now Outside of the EU differently, more negative with the 1/20 infection rate i heard of last week.
On my Test and Go / Thai Pass Scheme, i had to declare i had not been outside of my origination country for 14 days or more, and with stamps to the EU this is now easily seen.

I wrote this as we were all “confronted” by the admin, repeated checks etc mainly on arrival from Europe and transiting.
I agree, once landed in HKT, its quieter, easier, less stressful, and my results were taken immediately in had gone through the Manifest checks and Thai Pass check, through the Nurses Pre-booked (Disease Control District 11) screen and paperwork, and was tested and done within 5 mins, with the QR code issues on a form.
10.30am approx. Results were through at 15.30hrs, which was excellent. Discovering all hotels can call to check, or log in to see you are cleared (with day 5 test to be taken and uploaded also), it is fine. Once in it is very thorough and well monitored.

I just hoped that some relay of the process might help others, and they would have their folder ready, pen, and be aware Immigration forms are back in Thailand, all to be completed after you exit yr gate of arrival.
Swiss could have told us this, it would have been helpful, or a form of the process given out pre boarding for what happens when you arrive.
Nothing was given at all.

It was horrible to see people being refused Boarding at the pre flight desks opposite check in of the Swiss Zurich flight to BKK! Many £have a good few thousand plus yr fare whatever class you fly in, holiday from work, and a much needed rest to look forwards too.
To have this curtailed as the processes are so many times repeated and checked, uploaded to Swiss who did not come back to me (KLM did within minutes), so i had to just give the whole folder over at LCY, also at Zurich, BKK 7 times, and HKT twice, including passport.

it is great to see travel, at this time, coming back, but its a £7,500 basic for me for 3 weeks, travel and hotels tests, plus time from Managing Healthcare Services in London. A trip desperately needed and looked forwards too. This is one of the great assets of this forum, we can inform, and tip each other off with what we experience, to help and support.
As has also been noted, we are all booking just a short time ahead now, for me 3 weeks, as circumstances change with little notice. Covid is currently tolerated, though 200 deaths a day and 1 in 20 from a Medical point of view it certainly is not managed, but a trade off for lives and Health for Economics.
Gone are the times i would plan 3-6 months ahead for travels Worldwide, or plan leisurely stopovers down to Australia, or even Open Jaw, or one ways on different Airlines now.
It is a gamble paying half the price for the excellent services of Swiss and indirect flights, but i highly value avoiding LHR and the peacefulness of departing and arriving from London City Airport. (Just look at the section on experiences at LHR!) It never seems to change there, always badly managed always complaints pre Covid also.
Yet Schiphol, Zurich is smooth and organised.
I highly recomment=d the “Throne seats on Swiss, i see on older 772’s with Austrian also.
i paid about £340 return extra but it felt like a 1st class seat.

I really wish everyone safe, good relaxing travels and times for a much needed holiday on BT, but sharing what we experience and see may well just lessen the stress and help put, let alone you not being Refused to fly.
A hotel guest told me their plane took 2 hrs longer from Northern Europe, and was late into BKK, so they almost missed their approved “Sealed flight” connection. You cannot just get on the next flight, so there is something i have also learned! This is due to the Humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, and and much Air space in Russia and China being avoided.

Our bookings are simply a row of dominos just now, one falls and it collapses in front of you, and too late for refunds. I no longer will book ahead more than a few weeks certainly at this “Break in Covid” that we have!
Thanks all for sharing i also gain much from others on here, and each entry helps others avoid an unknown mishap on trips that pre this Pandemic, were much less stressful and flexible. I really do not want to see travellers in tears as they have been refused Boarding, for the sake of one part of a 30 step process to take a holiday!

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Jacob, Polly

[MartynSinclair]

[quote quote=1207365]I agree the paperwork is a hassle, I found the process and passing through the various checkpoints seamless. I have been off the plane and in the car on the way to the hotel inside 20 mins.[/quote]

I tend to agree with TGRW, from landing to getting landside it is fast, as long as you are one of the lucky ones to get of the airplane fast and be at the front of the q for the checking process.

The main hassle factor is the ridiculous Thailand pass application process.

1. no .pdf’s can be uploaded
2. all information for each upload, must be on one sheet of paper. As I previously noted my covid insurance supplied by AMEX Plat card was sufficient, but could not be used as it was not on 1 page.
3. The Thai pass portal is not all that stable, I had to upload documents more than one for them to be accepted.
4. The airline confirmations I needed to uploaded contained more information than they needed. I do not feel comfortable uploading invoices containing my flight reservation, locator and name, to a portal known for a total lack of security
5. Then the up to 8 day wait for the Thailand pass and the knowledge that some passes don’t come through
6. The worry that if you arrive and test positive, into a period of detention you go that will virtually wipe out the entire business trip
7. The continuous flow of scam emails that start to come through once the application is submitted.

On top of all that & despite having uploaded all documents, you still have to show paper versions of all documents along the way … it’s is so frustrating

YES, it is still a hassle, but at least we are further forward than 2 years ago and some PCR testing is no longer required….soon.

The next stage for me is a dual country visit – Thailand and Vietnam, but I will not try it this trip.

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TGRW, Jacob, MarcusGB, Polly

[Chris in Makati]

It’s been mentioned that flight prices to Thailand are high, but my May 19th flight from Gatwick is on Scoot, booked in ScootPlus. ScootPlus seats are like the older business class seats. Not lie-flat, but a good recline and a decent sized seat. I paid £372 one-way, which I thought was a good price.

It may not have the frills that someone who’s used to true business class, but it’s a heck of a lot better than being cramped in an economy seat for 12 hours.

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Polly

[MarcusGB]

This just cam through v late, on my mobile here in Thailand.
Hope it helps.

“Starting April 1, that’s next Friday, the mandatory quarantine period for unvaccinated travellers entering Thailand will be reduced to five days.International travellers will also no longer need to take a pre-travel PCR Covid-19 test. The new requirements are pending publication in the Royal Gazette and the official announcement is expected to be published before the end of the month. But you can assume it will definitely happen. Unvaccinated travellers can enter Thailand under the Alternative Quarantine scheme where they still have to isolate in an approved hotel and tested for Covid before they are released. Prior to the revised rules, unvaccinated travellers faced a 10-day quarantine… after April 1 that will be reduced to just 5 days. Those who have been vaccinated for at least 14 days before travel, with a vaccine approved by the government or World Health Organisation, can enter the country through the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme or Sandbox scheme. Before flying to Thailand, travellers must apply for a Thailand Pass QR code through the official website run by the Department of Consular Affairs. Yep, it’s slowly getting easier but you’ll still have the Thailand Pass for a few more months at least”

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Polly

[MarcusGB]

Re MartynSinclair
Hi M.

I totally agree. Thanks for covering the Thai Pass application process in great detail.

The website feels like it has been constructed by a Company 15 yrs ago, and it was really annoying let alone frustrating to complete.
It was not so clear that you needed a photo and of what when you started, so I had to rush and have my foler and take photos, sending them from one email to another, download them onto my PC!
The upload them onto the application, and hope it would not time out.
You need a generous size screen like a PC or laptop to be able to do this safely, accurately, and completely. One letter wrongly inputted or a flight number, and you would get rejected. I made a mistake in trying to go back a page and all was wiped and i had to start again. It took me a good 6 hrs to complete due to all the dashing to have all ready and emailing between my phone for camera shots, down and upload onto the application.

I have concerns also, as it is really going to get busy, how quick this process will be in turn around, if the website will cope or not (Maybe best to complete middle of the night when Europe should be sleeping!), as flights and visitors are really ramping up. Not sure also, if a repeat application will bring back some of your basic details either so you are at least cleared and seen as complied, with a good immigration history in and out over years as i have.

It is involving a HUGE amount of employees with the Disease control Departments at many airports, extra work in Immigration, Medics, labs, and where there are some monies to be made, i cannot see the Thai Authorities simply stopping employing these thousands of people.

You could also make the valid point, that it is a very safe process once cleared, having 2 PCRs within 2-3 days and a follow up Lateral Flow 5th day. Further, you are not allowed to eat on Domestic flights which i found strange, mask on in transit or “sealed” flights.

It is really exhausting when you arrive, unaware of all the processes, just to end up sitting in one sparse gate for all domestic flights *at least on Thai Smile that operate these now on a low cost basis, without access to anything to eat and drink.

You cannot bring through more than 100mls as you have to go through security. There was one Duty free shop on our side of the glass, but nothing you could buy as a normal drink just alcohol that was placed in a sealed bag, this being After security!

No lounge access, and i really don’t know what to expect on the return, if a lounge will be available or we are the normal side of the airport or sealed in again to connect to Swiss at v late eve. I certainly hope a lounge access if available there…?

For sure i would only travel to BKK out and back in future, ane access to lounges and the normal side of the airport, not deprived, uninformed that no lounge access will be available.

But yes it is all thorough, and secure once all completed after the 5th day, but as you rightly say on our data and details, these are passed easily around and every Authority and hotel can access them.

This aspect is not secure.

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Polly

[K1ngston]

I know everyone wants to get out and travel and I dont blame you whatsoever, getting back to where we were is important to us all, but I wouldn’t go through the Thai nonsense until they have sorted themselves out, the problem is things can change in a flash, I know I lived in Phuket for 2 years and got out as soon as I could!!!

I mentioned earlier, despite what Governments are saying SE Asia is far from fully opened, and even with the “opening of Singapore” heralded last week by the press, there are underlying nuances in the reports that would worry me as a visitor to these parts.

Yes coming to Singapore is easy now and will be easier from tomorrow, but and its a big but, there could be a change of mind overnight and then you could fall again under archaic ridiculous rules that have yet to be revoked!

Good luck to everyone who is coming to Asia, the region needs you financially I just feel the faceless bureaucrats are still making life difficult as they lose their authority!!!!

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[Author]

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