Thailand Travel Restrictions and Info

Thailand is Cambodia's neighbor to the West, and this forum is dedicated to Thai news, stories, reviews, blogs, videos, Thai people and anything else related to the country. A lot of expats have both lived and worked in Cambodia and Thailand, and this area is a place to discuss all aspects of life in Thailand and what's going on there. Most topics are about Bangkok and Pattaya because of their larger populations of expatriates and tourists in those cities, but this is for all things Thai.
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Re: Thailand Travel Restrictions and Info

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Thailand imposes travel restrictions on arrivals from Africa

Bangkok, 28 November, 2021
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has imposed restrictions on arrivals from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

Effective from 28 November, 2021, arrivals from any of the eight countries who already have a pre-approved permit to enter Thailand will be allowed to enter, but all will be subject to a 14-day quarantine. However, from 1 December, 2021, arrivals from these countries will not be allowed. Meanwhile, entry registration has been closed from 27 November, 2021.

For travellers from other African countries, they will no longer be eligible to enter Thailand under the Sandbox programme. However, they will be allowed to enter Thailand under a 14-day quarantine requirement.

https://www.tatnews.org/2021/11/thailan ... om-africa/
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Re: Thailand Travel Restrictions and Info

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The RT-PCR test has been reinstated from Dec. 16. Was supposed to be replaced by the quick ATK test.


Headline: RT-PCR test requirement on arrival in Thailand to remain in place
The RT-PCR COVID-19 test requirement upon arrival in Thailand will remain in place in light of the emergence of the new “Omicron” COVID-19 variant in many countries, the Thai cabinet announced today (Tuesday). This decision negates the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration’s announcement, issued last week, saying that antigen tests will be used from December 16th.

The switch to antigen test kits (ATKs) was meant to reduce the waiting time for people arriving from specified countries, both Thai returnees and foreign visitors. The quarantine wait for fully vaccinated arrivals to get tested has, in fact, been about a day or half a day in a pre-booked certified hotel.
More at link:
https://www.thaipbsworld.com/rt-pcr-tes ... -in-place/
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Re: Thailand Travel Restrictions and Info

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.....RT-PCR test requirement on arrival in Thailand to remain in place
and so ends any hopes of a high season this year

UNless they change their minds ( again)
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
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Re: Thailand Travel Restrictions and Info

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phuketrichard wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 7:41 pm
.....RT-PCR test requirement on arrival in Thailand to remain in place
and so ends any hopes of a high season this year

UNless they change their minds ( again)
They decided that Omicron hads killed off any hopes of a tourist resurgence for the time being so they may as well keep the rip-off PCR/one night stay thing going a while longer.
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Re: Thailand Travel Restrictions and Info

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Starting from today, restaurants in #Bangkok are allowed to serve alcohol up until 11:00pm. However, pubs and bars must remain closed until at least the end of the year
add; until jan 16th ( unless they change)

FYI: from informed sources, Pattaya will never recover as it was>
walking street is slated for changes and all the bars/clubs/go go's will not have their current leases renew'd
time to shed its image

it was unique in the early 80's and lots of fun
cant remember how many nights i stumbled out of the marine bar/disco with the sun already up
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
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Re: Thailand Travel Restrictions and Info

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phuketrichard wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 10:35 amFYI: from informed sources, Pattaya will never recover as it was>
walking street is slated for changes and all the bars/clubs/go go's will not have their current leases renew'd
time to shed its image
Does that only apply to walking street, or all Pattaya?
More than just any old backpacker.
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Re: Thailand Travel Restrictions and Info

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snookieboi wrote: Sun Dec 05, 2021 1:48 am
phuketrichard wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 10:35 amFYI: from informed sources, Pattaya will never recover as it was>
walking street is slated for changes and all the bars/clubs/go go's will not have their current leases renew'd
time to shed its image
Does that only apply to walking street, or all Pattaya?
they want to move all the nightlife over near and around Soi Buakhao
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
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Re: Thailand Travel Restrictions and Info

Post by snookieboi »

phuketrichard wrote: Sun Dec 05, 2021 6:43 am
snookieboi wrote: Sun Dec 05, 2021 1:48 am
phuketrichard wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 10:35 amFYI: from informed sources, Pattaya will never recover as it was>
walking street is slated for changes and all the bars/clubs/go go's will not have their current leases renew'd
time to shed its image
Does that only apply to walking street, or all Pattaya?
they want to move all the nightlife over near and around Soi Buakhao
Thanks for the update 😊
More than just any old backpacker.
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Re: Thailand Travel Restrictions and Info

Post by Cowshed Cowboy »

phuketrichard wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 10:35 am
FYI: from informed sources, Pattaya will never recover as it was>
walking street is slated for changes and all the bars/clubs/go go's will not have their current leases renew'd
time to shed its image
Just a question of timescales, it's all part of the bigger picture long-term plan for Pattaya within the EEC, ( Eastern Economic Corridor ), with the High Speed Rail Link, improved motorway network, and development and expansion of U-Tapao airport. CP Group, surprise surprise, has the Rail Link concession and have serious money set aside for a major redevelopment in Pattaya to cash in on their rail investment and the future growth it will bring to the City. A few crappy go-go's and nightclubs in a street that has been on the decline for over a decade pale into insignificance compared to what CP will bring to the table. Chang's property division have already announced plans for a multi-billion baht mixed use hotel/residential/retail/leisure development project further up on Beach Road and across the road from Central Mall on Second Road the Made in Thailand Beer Bar complex was levelled a few weeks ago to be replaced by another big residential project. The billions of baht spent on widening Pattaya beach in the last few years and now Jomtien beach is another indicator of the plans in progress.

It could be argued the delay/reluctance to reopen entertainment in Pattaya is a convenient means of bleeding current operators dry and making the transformation easier, but certainly in its current state the sooner they level Walking Street the better. I'd like to think the area could be redeveloped into a much more attractive facility for all, just not sure how much of it will happen in my lifetime
Yes sir, I can boogie, I can boogie, boogie, boogie all night long.
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Re: Thailand Travel Restrictions and Info

Post by armchairlawyer »

Cowshed Cowboy wrote: Thu Dec 09, 2021 12:29 pm
phuketrichard wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 10:35 am
FYI: from informed sources, Pattaya will never recover as it was>
walking street is slated for changes and all the bars/clubs/go go's will not have their current leases renew'd
time to shed its image
Just a question of timescales, it's all part of the bigger picture long-term plan for Pattaya within the EEC, ( Eastern Economic Corridor ), with the High Speed Rail Link, improved motorway network, and development and expansion of U-Tapao airport. CP Group, surprise surprise, has the Rail Link concession and have serious money set aside for a major redevelopment in Pattaya to cash in on their rail investment and the future growth it will bring to the City. A few crappy go-go's and nightclubs in a street that has been on the decline for over a decade pale into insignificance compared to what CP will bring to the table. Chang's property division have already announced plans for a multi-billion baht mixed use hotel/residential/retail/leisure development project further up on Beach Road and across the road from Central Mall on Second Road the Made in Thailand Beer Bar complex was levelled a few weeks ago to be replaced by another big residential project. The billions of baht spent on widening Pattaya beach in the last few years and now Jomtien beach is another indicator of the plans in progress.

It could be argued the delay/reluctance to reopen entertainment in Pattaya is a convenient means of bleeding current operators dry and making the transformation easier, but certainly in its current state the sooner they level Walking Street the better. I'd like to think the area could be redeveloped into a much more attractive facility for all, just not sure how much of it will happen in my lifetime
Good post. Many interesting points.
I believe the main attraction of Pattaya has always been its tackiness - even for the general tourist, thus the Asian tour groups snaking down walking street behind their leader holding up a high banner.
There is already a fast road connection there from BKK, that won't get much quicker. U-Tapao is not much closer than BKK. The town already has loads of hotel rooms of all grades, including 5 star. So, I cannot see what the new investment is going to achieve, other than driving away thousands of expats and two week millionaires.
If the general tourist wants a non-tacky beach destination, Thailand has many places that are far superior in every way to Pattaya. And they are served by their own airports.
Meanwhile the entire Thai tourist industry faces an indefinite period of reduced numbers. The Chinese will not return until Covid is completely gone.
The Thai planners obviously believe they can attract a lot more of the higher spending kind of tourist. Well, if they do (which I doubt), that type of tourist will not choose Pattaya.
Walking street was tacky but a heck of a lot of cash got spent there, mostly by guys paying irrationally high prices for what they got. That shit ton of easy cash is not easy to earn any other way.
What we're looking at is a long spell of decline while Covid continues to have its impact and the rebuilding occurs. Then after a few years there is a grand reopening and what happens ? A bunch of zero dollar tour groups.
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