I'm here!
'We're almost there', and 'the last stretch…..' were headlines above my earlier contributions about returning to Thailand. It has now worked: I have arrived in Bangkok and I am now submitting to the prescribed quarantine.
I flew with Lufthansa via Frankfurt to Bangkok on Sunday, and am now in the Chorcher hotel in Samut Prakan. I have traveled the same road – and am in the same hotel – as blog reader Ferdinand who recently described his experience – see www.thailandblog.nl/ Readers-inzending/ Readers Entry-back-to-Thailand/
On the Thursday morning before departure I have coronalab.eu/pcr-test/ undergo the required Covid test. If you test before 11.30 am, you will receive the results in the evening, they say - and that was true. Tested at 11 am, I had the result/certificate in the mail around 20.30 pm. The time stated on the certificate was 20.14:72 PM and the XNUMX-hour period starts from that specified time. On Friday my GP signed a 'fit to fly' certificate and with that I had all documentation complete.
On Sunday morning, when checking in at Schiphol, deviating from Ferdinand's experience, all necessary documentation was also checked for content. The Bombardier CRJ 900 was full except for a few seats. As far as the experience with the transfer in Frankfurt is concerned, we are again on the same page: departure delayed due to the extensive document check, as a result of which 2 travelers, although checked in without any problems, were ultimately not allowed to board and their luggage was unloaded again.
Incidentally, it had been 24 years since I had made a long-haul flight with Lufthansa from an African country. I was not very impressed at the time, but this new acquaintance leaves me wanting more. Correct and friendly, good service.
In recent years I always flew with EVA in Premium Economy, and Lufthansa also offers this class between Economy and Business on the long haul. Well worth the extra cost to me. In the Airbus A350-900, which I estimate was just over half full, the seats in Premium Economy are arranged in a spacious 2-3-2 arrangement.
Arriving at Suvarnabhumi, it also went smoothly through all the checks. The wheels of the plane hit the ground at 08.00:08.40 and at XNUMX:XNUMX I got into the hotel van. In the meantime, the papers have been checked three or four times, stamped, signed, your temperature has been taken twice, and you are kindly and neatly shown the way to the next 'station'. The whole process runs smoothly, everyone knows their role and knows what to do. The Immigration Officer who handled my passport returned it with 'Welcome to Thailand' followed by 'Happy New Year, Sir!'.
By the way: during none of the many document checks questions were asked about my insurance statement from the Silver Cross, which, as is known, does not mention minimum amounts. I had memorized a few phrases in Thai just in case to explain that the coverage was essentially unlimited, but I didn't need them. I'm just mentioning it emphatically because there were also some doubts / ambiguities about this on this blog.
As said, just like Ferdinand in his article with a van to the Chorcher - pronounced Chorcheur - hotel and after a short check received the room key. I had booked a Junior Suite (45.000 baht) for a bit more space. The first impression is that I will not regret it. Those junior suites are situated on the corners, so windows on 2 sides. A sitting area with a comfortable sofa with a large TV (there is another smaller one opposite the bed) with a sliding door to the balcony will probably help me for the next 15 nights /16 days to get through!
Hi Cornelius,
Welcome to the hotel.
Good luck with your quarantine.. looks like you have all the space.
I still have 4,5 days to go before I leave for wide Thailand.
My past 11 days have been pretty smooth.
Thursday as the 2th Covid test. This is done a little more thoroughly here than in NL.
In NL, the cotton swab was briefly put in the throat and once in the left nostril.. squeaked in 10 seconds.
Here the throat was rubbed well left and right and with a second stick in both nostrils even 2x.. That was very annoying and unexpected.. but well, as long as it is negative we are satisfied.
So you left NL on time due to the lockdown and the negative travel advice…
I also liked Lufthansa to fly with, but I was in the very back, economy class.
Do you have any idea how big the price difference is with premium economy? I should have done that in hindsight.
The Airbus has not been used that long, they usually flew with a Boeing 747 to Bangkok.
In any case, my return journey in March will be with a 747…
Groet
Hi Ferdinand, my ticket for Premium Economy was 865 € for a return ticket, incl. 2x 23 kg luggage. With a seat reservation for 4 journeys an additional €134 was added. The latter is not necessary, as soon as you can check in online it is free. I did it because I wanted to be 100% sure of an aisle seat.
Oh, and that Airbus: it is much more energy efficient than the older Boeing 747 and that of course makes a significant difference in terms of revenue, especially with that low occupancy rate.
I booked directly with Lufthansa and paid €825 excluding seat reservation and 1x 23 kg hold luggage.
So that price difference is a lot smaller than with Eva Air, apparently .. or the booking moment can be expensive or cheaper.
That's only a very small difference! I also booked directly with Lufthansa and maybe it has to do with the booking moment. My return trip is not until June, but you usually pay more for a longer stay. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised by the price.
I also had a look at Singapore Air because it also has Premium Economy, but there the same ticket came out at 1500 €, with a waiting time of 9 hours in S'pore as a 'bonus'…..
Welcome to Thailand Cornelis,
Good choice of hotel. Looks nice. For a lot more money I'm in the Rembrandt Suites in a smaller room, without a balcony.
Chicken three times a day, unborn in the morning and for lunch and dinner alternately in Mexican, Indian and Thai style.
Have to wash my own dishes and beg for napkins, coffee, tea and sweetener. Definitely not recommended.
9 more nights and I'm free again. Good luck on your beautiful room.
Michiel
I think every Dutch person who arrives in Thailand from now on is doubly happy because of the lockdown in NL.
Party every day in Thailand, beautiful weather and hop hop hop hop hop, 3 times up and again and it's clean again.
Hello Cornelius,
45.000 Baht is all inclusive? Or ….?
Any other additional costs?
No, there are no additional costs, normally. 2 covid tests, 3 (choice) meals per day, a supply of drinking water, a number of cartons of soft drink and milk, plus coffee strips etc. are included. There is still a limited list of things that they get from the 7/11 for you and of course you have to pay for them. And of course the taxi on departure!
Cornelius,
Thanks for your clear information, I'm glad for you that it went "so far, so good".
Beautiful, spacious room too, you will certainly manage to spend your time there.
I hope that the quarantine period will be shortened a bit within a reasonable time, then I will also take the step to my beloved Thailand.
I'm just not sure whether the same conditions apply when leaving Belgium.
So, keep the courage in it, and I wish you a sunny and happy 2021.
Regards, Joseph
Is dar hotel for 2 people the same price or do you have to pay double
The prices of the quarantine hotels are based on one person. At all hotels you pay more for 2 people. Logical, double meals, double Covid tests, etc. With some it is just 2x the 1-person price, others charge 2 - 20% less for the 30nd person, for example.
Incidentally, a 2nd person is only allowed in the room if you can provide proof that you are legally married. This proof is already requested at the time of booking.
Cornelis, thanks for this update and especially Happy New Year! I really like the Immigration Officer…
Good luck with the quarantine!
I got my non-immigrant visa in Amsterdam at the Thai consulate, where my visa was refused because there were no amounts in my English statement from the insurance company. I had to take out insurance with AXA for 7500 Baht for 3 months. I think you better go to the Thai embassy in The Hague for visas, maybe they are a bit more flexible with insurance there.
You must distinguish between applying for a visa and issuing a Certificate of Entry. These are separate cases with different requirements. And indeed, I wouldn't be surprised if the Embassy views these insurance certificates differently than the Consulate!
Huib, the same thing happened to me in The Hague, everything available, also in English, health insurance fund and travel insurance, but non-immigrant visa o was refused because I had to take out insurance of 40000 in and 400000 out for 5 months of about € 750. So that makes a difference. nothing out.
This remains strange those differences with requirements, why do the Thai representations not have a clear policy regarding the admission requirements for covid insurance.
And as for the lockdown in the Netherlands, let's not exaggerate, it is now for 5 weeks, in Thailand you have to be quarantined for 15 days, so net it is only 3 weeks in the Netherlands, but we can just go outside so what's the problem ?
Good for you that your Health Insurance Certificate without number specs from Zilveren Kruis was sufficient to enter Thailand. But there are now formally two additional requirements that must be met if you want to obtain a “non-immigrant visa O based on retirement”: According to the website of the Embassy in The Hague (@14 December 2020):
a) Health insurance covering medical expenses in Thailand including a minimum coverage of 100,000 USD for COVID-19 (must be specifically mentioned).
b) An original health insurance policy which covers the length of stay in Thailand with no less than 40,000 THB coverage for outpatient treatment and no less than 400,000 THB for inpatient treatment.
AA Insure (in Pattaya) states that this means two separate insurance policies. And that while I am also insured with Zilveren Kruis, which has recently become difficult about such rules and has handed this over to their legal department.
Soon I will be stuck with three (!) health insurance, and that because of the rumors about the experience of being turned off at immigration in Bangkok.
In a few days I have an appointment at the Thai Embassy in The Hague, and I will report on what they say there now. Perhaps the current lockdown in NL makes everything even more complicated.
Looking forward to the outcome, Max. That uncertainty/unpredictability is a bad thing.
By the way, who can explain that if you have insurance with a minimum cover of USD 100.000, you should not take out one for 40.000/400.000 baht? 'The mind boggles', the English say so aptly…
None yet = one more
I also checked the website of the Thai Embassy in Switzerland and they only ask for the 40.000/400.000 insurance for a non-O. They also require a rental or purchase contract for a house or apartment for the first 2 months, or – if you are staying with your Thai loved one – an invitation letter with copies of the house book and identity card…
Differences, differences…..
good afternoon
i just got a message from visa plus
it said the following since recently the rules are for
the insurance has become very strict and must cover the amount
so $100.000 min. coverage is listed in the policy
and also the 40.000 in and 400.000 out patient must be shown
so good luck everyone
gerrit
Then they are talking – rightly or wrongly – about the visa application, not about the Certificate of Entry. The minimum USD 100.000 requirement also applies to this and due is not stated in my statement. Nevertheless, that statement was accepted by the Embassy and with five or six - I lost count - strict documentary checks.
Incidentally, I personally do not have much confidence in some visa agencies, given the completely incorrect information that some of them have on their website.
Visaplus is not a “visa agency” but a visa organization that has been doing this well for many years. Been using them for about 6 years. Their information on insurance seems accurate. As an aside, they talk about a visa application. Yes, they call that because they are applying for a visa and not Certificate of entry. So absolutely right.
Sorry, too generalized!
Can you tell us something about Lufthansa's flight from Amsterdam to Frankfurt? I am curious about a possible delay given the checks in Amsterdam which will affect the later arrival in Frankfurt. Did you have enough time for the transfer in Frankfurt? Years ago had a similar flight from Amsterdam via Frankfurt and arriving at an EU pier and then an endless corridor towards the exit to enter the area for intercontinental flights through the exit and passport controls with long lines, took a lot of transfer time at the time.
Ha Ger, the flight to Frankfurt at 10.55 took off at a quarter past eleven, landing in Frankfurt at 12 noon.
Departure flight to Bangkok at 15.10, so a lot of leeway. There is no 2nd baggage check in Frankfurt, as is the case in Dubai, for example. Only passport control and you could go through almost immediately. It then turned out to be a very long walk to gate Z69, at the far end of a pier. I had plenty of time, but I didn't know how things would go at the gate, given the checks. Finally, around 14.15 pm, the document control started. If everything was OK, you got a stamp on your boarding pass and you could sit down again. Boarding started at 15 pm and you could only get in if you could show that stamp. At that time there was still a nice line of people queuing up for the check of the documents. Part of the delay was also due to the fact that two checked-in travelers apparently did not meet all the requirements. They had to stay behind, but the suitcases were already loaded so they had to be taken out first.
sawadeekah,
Thanks for the promised update. The hurdles have been taken. Maybe a bit annoying at times, but you're there. And in that beautiful junior suite it is probably bearable; I envy you! Good thing you left just before the hard lockdown. Give Thailand my regards and please send some sunshine?
Have fun!
Hello Cornelis AND Ferdinand,
Welcome to Thailand, Cornelis.
I also stay in ChorCher. 4 more nights then I check out, Saturday 19 December
Good luck and strength with your stay here…
Regards,
Robert
Regards, Robert! It's already coming up for you!
Hello Cornelius,
Thanks for another report on your adventures. Left just in time from a Netherlands that was practically extinct for 00 weeks from today 00:5.
Last week I had to go to my GP (practice) and asked the GP if they could give me a 'fit to fly' statement. The GP said that a Dutch GP was not allowed to do that because of the national KNMG rules and the disciplinary court. Now you write that your GP has signed a 'fit to fly' certificate. Can you explain that further?
https://www.ntvg.nl/artikelen/mag-ik-als-arts-een-fit-fly-verklaring-ondertekenen/volledig
Good luck and strength with your solitary confinement. Keep us informed.
Hello Theo,
I had found a simple model of such a statement on the internet. In it, the doctor declares that you have no recent medical history and that you are fit to fly without any health restrictions. You can find that model in a previous article: https://www.thailandblog.nl/coronacrisis/de-laatste-loodjes/
I e-mailed that to my doctor a week or so in advance, asking if he wanted to sign it or if I should be elsewhere for that. His reply was that I was healthy – of course he has my complete (but fortunately not very extensive) medical history at hand – and that he was willing to sign it. He did so two days before departure.
Apart from the guidelines/rules, the general practitioner also seems to me to be the right person to assess your - very general - state of health because he has your medical file. I would value that more than a - often expensively paid - fit to fly certificate that is issued after little more than a short email exchange, as is offered in a number of cases.
Cornelis. Congratulations on your arrival in Bangkok. Super nice that more and more people are getting through the jumble of regulations.
About the requirements:
I am halfway through the entire procedure in NL.
I have applied for a Non-O Visa in A'dam. My carefully collected papers were accepted, as long as I could present COVID-19 insurance when collecting the visa. I approached the insurance company in Rijswijk, but they could not guarantee to deliver a policy within a short period of time. On the advice of Cons. A'dam has taken out a COVID-19 insurance policy with a Thai partner via the website of the Embassy in The Hague. Within 3 minutes a policy (3 months) and 360 euros poorer. When I picked up my visa, the policy was accepted.
Then into the CoE trajectory. My application was refused 4 times because my COVID-19 insurance was not in order. I had to show a policy stating COVID-19 for $100.000 AND 400K inbound and 40K outbound. I didn't have that policy, because via the website in The Hague you only get COVID-19 for $100.000.
So, via AA HuaHin a link to ACS France. Policy for 6 months, max 500.000 Euro cover 330 Euro paid. Policy within 1 minute in the e-mail. Calling customer service France, a very correct lady, very knowledgeable and 4 hours later an addendum to my policy with the 400K and 40K specified.
Both policies entered into the CoE process, 690 euros poorer, but part 1 approved. Now arrange flight ticket and ASQ within 15 days.
Just sayin '...
“Friday my GP signed a 'fit to fly' certificate and with that I had all the documentation complete”.
“..none of the many document checks were questions asked about my insurance statement from the Silver Cross, which, as is known, does not mention minimum amounts”.
Officially, a GP seems not to be allowed to do this and there are varying stories about whether or not to mention the minimum 100.000 USD Covid insurance.
I think you have now saved a good penny of euros (especially the insurance is ticking). I wish you all the best and it does mean that I tend to use the personal, English-language VGZ statement and ask the GP. If it saves hundreds of euros and is simply accepted.
Is there a risk and if so, how big is it? I do not see a Thai at Suvarnabhumi Airport immediately protesting that “my GP in Amsterdam” has signed an F2F statement instead of. a commercial office.
As long as a doctor declares you 'fit to fly' - those are the keywords they look at - the Thai authorities won't care whether it's a GP - an 'institution' that people don't really know in this country - or someone due to a commercial agency. 'Fit to fly' declared by a doctor: there are no more criteria for the certificate. See also my answer to TheoB above.
Regarding your statement of insurance: in my opinion you can assume that if the Embassy accepts it with the CoE application, you will not have any further problems. I had marked some terms with a highlighter, such as 'including Covid-19' and the 100% reimbursement.
Thanks for your answers and your reports/experiences Cornelis. Well written and important: very informative 🙂
Very nice!
Is there a baggage check at the airport?
So can you bring a bottle?
In principle, customs can just check your suitcase, but in practice you walk on like this. Those customs officials are also not keen on getting too close to those potentially infected travelers and their luggage. Alcohol consumption is not allowed in the ASQ hotels, but no one will enter your room.
Have a good Single Malt in the trunk myself, but it won't open until I'm back at my base in Chiang Rai.
Fortunately I am in Thailand, but if I had to go into Quarantine now, coming from the Netherlands or Germany, I would have had a reason to buy another good Laptop with a very good graphics card and my virtual headset, the Oculus Quest 2 and I would dive into a virtual world for a few hours a day. For two weeks, what a dream to have so much time for that without a twinge of conscience because you actually have to clean the pond or mow the lawn hahaha…
I am pleased to read that Lufthansa has been a success. I enjoyed working there for thirty years (until 2012) and I am still a member of the Lufthansa family, so I also get to know what happens behind the scenes (not exactly to cheer you up). But I know from most of my colleagues that they do their best. Were there any Thai flight attendants on the flight? I had read that the Thai base is going to close and these will all be on the street, but I don't know when that is supposed to happen. It makes me sad, I know at least half of my Thai ex-colleagues who have been working at LH for over 20 years….
I wish you a few pleasant days during your Quarantine... you won't get that rest so soon.... 🙂
Ha Sjaak, when I wrote about Lufthansa I had to think of you, former flight attendant at that company! No, I did not see any Thai personnel on board. As I wrote: a positive experience and I intend to look seriously at the possibilities at Lufthansa for future flights to Asia.
Awesome. I may have been gone for 8 years, and am taking early retirement this month, but it is and will always be my pilot family.. and when I read what you write, it really moves me!
Anyway, welcome back to Thailand!
Hello everyone.
We have now arrived in Bangkok and are in the Center Point Pratunam.
We had booked the flight through Swiss, with a stopover in Zurich. Must say that it was quite messy at the check-in desk at Schiphol. Only asked about CoE and Covid statement. Had to wait a while in Zurich for the connecting flight. Here was a lot better controlled. In the end, four passengers were not allowed on board and the luggage was removed. The occupancy rate was quite high because people fly to this hub from many approach points. Even in business there was almost 90% occupancy.
The FtF statement was also requested here. Incidentally, obtaining this statement was the greatest point of misery in the preparation. None of the GPs wanted to provide this. This also ended up with Medimare, which charges € 60 for such a bullshit statement that is called Fit to Travel there. That's why I made one myself based on the VWS form. That is a PDF, which can then easily be provided with a custom print Fit to Fly. No rooster crowing afterwards. By the way, you also submit the T8 form here, which actually embraces the same thing.
In Bangkok it was arranged extremely well after getting out. Apparently they have experience with it now. Your passport and accompanying forms will be checked and put together in a few steps. After that, the actual check is simple and fast. I had a statement from CZ which only states that Covid is covered and there is no maximum fee. No problem at all with this. (My partner did not receive such a statement from VGZ and has indeed taken out extra insurance via ACS in Thailand). Immigration is also very fast. The moment I arrived at the baggage carousel, the first suitcases were running on it! With this you can then pass customs like a rocket. They are there, but keep their distance from the luggage.
Transport to the hotel also went smoothly. In the car, with a neat dividing wall, and a Martian as driver, drove to the hotel. There another temperature check and led to the room.
From now on count down and enjoy yourself until after Christmas. In any case, I'm glad we left before the lockdown, because it might be difficult to leave. The commotion regarding Schiphol is increasing considerably and the pressure on "essential" foreign travel may increase.
Good luck to everyone still on the road.
Welcome to Bangkok, Robert. It is good to read that everything went well for you and that your insurance statement did not cause any problems!