The plan to allow tourists from 'safe' countries into Thailand again through 'travel bubbles' (bilateral agreements) has been shelved for the time being. The reason for this is that the countries that Thailand had previously targeted are reporting infections with the corona virus again.
Director-General Chula of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) says the plan is on hold, but talks are continuing with some countries such as China, Japan and South Korea. Initially, the intention was to admit the first group of international tourists from safe countries in August.
For now, the Thai tourism industry will have to make do with domestic travellers. Demand for domestic travel is on the rise since airlines have resumed flights and promotional campaigns have been launched to encourage travel.
Transport Minister Saksayam said yesterday that public safety is the top priority for the government. And that the decision on whether and when Thailand will open to international travelers depends on it.
Saksayam did not want to confirm that airlines will be able to operate international flights again in September: “Airlines will have to wait for a decision from the government and the CAAT.”
Source: Bangkok Post
The extent to which Thailand is right with this decision is just as open to discussion as Belgium's decision to ignore the EU Commission's list, which mentioned 12 countries, including Thailand, to which it is safe to travel. traveled. A Belgian who wants to go to Thailand faces many obstacles when he/she returns. Belgium is even looking into legal options for a ban.
Bram,
There are also Belgians who are currently in Thailand and who want or have to go back to Belgium due to circumstances. I am one of them.
Goodbye,
I don't think Belgians who enter Europe via the Netherlands, France, Luxembourg or Germany have any problems.
You may like to go back even just to come back again will be difficult this year.
Indeed Wim, that is why I will stay in Thailand for the time being until I have more clarity about whether I can return to Thailand.
Pants from the same sheet! and I also can't go back to my family in Thailand.
Today I received a message from Thai Airways that my flight from Brussels-Bangkok on August 16 has been cancelled.
I thought that list was from the EU to allow travelers from those safe countries that B did not enter. And as a Belgian you will always be allowed in B, as far as that is practically possible.
As a Belgian, you are allowed in Belgium, but if you come from a risk area, you also have to go into quarantine and a mandatory corona test.
That was decided today at the council.
Goodbye,
Thailand, unlike many other countries, is doing very well in the fight against corona. It may come across as exaggerated, but what good is it to admit many foreign tourists from Europe now and to have problems again later?
If safety is the criterion, you wonder when something will be done about the number of traffic accidents. The number of deaths in traffic in Thailand is about the same per day as the total number of Corona deaths.
It's a weighing up.
Not allowing tourists weighs heavily on the economy and Thailand depends on tourists.
To be clear: Belgians who, in this case, return to our country from Thailand, will be admitted anyway. Thailand itself does not allow Belgians, which means that Belgium does not want to open the borders for their inhabitants (the principle of reciprocity). If Belgium's neighboring countries do start admitting travelers from Thailand, there would be unannounced border controls to ensure that residents of Thailand do not travel to Belgium after all.
As for the 'travel bubbles' that Thailand has been targeting, it is utopian to think that a country is now, and perhaps for many months or even years at worst, free of any contamination. The Corona virus knows no borders. However, Thailand has been claiming that it has not had any contamination for some time, which can be explained perfectly if you ignore the Thais who return from abroad and test positive and do zero or almost zero tests on the Thai population. Better 'not knowing' than 'knowing' could well be the explanation here.
Family reunion.
On December 16, 2019, my wife (we got legally married in Thailand in 2017) went to VFS/Bangkok to apply for Visa D/Family Reunification. The necessary papers were in order. The intention was that she would come to Belgium on February 11, 2020.
The visa was initially refused (because of certain guarantees/income) but was then, after the necessary adjustments, approved on April 30 by the Diest Immigration Office (DVZ) Belgium.
In the meantime, Corona conquered the world and the Passport/Visa still floats somewhere in a vacuum today, well in Bangkok, and it has been June 14, 2019 since we last saw each other.
What pisses me off the most is the fact that although Belgium put Thailand on a “safe” list on the advice of the EU, this same small (in all senses of the word) country still has no people, not even people with a D-Visa , allows. Supposedly because of the “reciprocity” – ah yes, Thailand doesn't let any in, so neither do we! How childish can you react? Not to mention the moral suffering that is also caused here (my wife was eager to start the integration process and was already able to work here) and I… I just get depressed.
When will common sense finally prevail in this abode on the North Sea with its three languages and its 9 (nine) Ministers of Health?
Yvan
I can understand your point of view, but remember that Thailand makes it impossible for just about anyone to come to Thailand. The way to speed up open borders is the one-for-one system. If the EU allows Thai, Thailand must also allow people from the EU, it's that simple.
There are thousands of EU citizens who are waiting to return to Thailand to their partner/home/work or living situation and have nowhere to go. Belgium, and hopefully other EU countries, would do well to keep Thai out until this – finally – is resolved.
The wuhanflu is no joke but not exactly the black death, we can go back to normal with travel, at least in my opinion. Thailand is grossly exaggerating.
received a message today that my thai wife could return to thailand next week. She is 6 months pregnant.
She has to be in QUARANTINE for 2 weeks,, Alone in a room?
I myself have to wait when I get permission to fly to Thailand.
Means I won't see her for maybe 4 weeks, and won't be able to support her if
there are problems?
Am married to her in Bangkok for Thai law in 2016.
And then say that married people can return to Thailand together.
Am very sick of this,,that she will soon be alone in a room.
Only allow people from countries that have been virus-free for 30 days? well then Thailand will be locked for many years of all countries in the world….
All in the tourism sector are without income,
they therefore cannot spend money in the other sectors,
everything ends up in a negative spiral.
many have not been able to see their Thai families for months,…
The people would be better off committing a coup on the current leaders who have nothing to do with the people.
and mss directly the person who is everywhere in the picture but hardly ever shows him and also has nothing to do with his people.