How has the Covid-19 situation in Thailand affected expats, particularly regarding visa issues?

Self quaritine is better it works in my country

Of course difficult to get covid test and f2f

The covid response measures were excellent, communicated to us in both Thai and English, including live Q&A sessions with the local police, which was very helpful. I was very impressed with how seriously they took the pandemic and how effectively they kept the outbreaks very local and prevented major spreading.

Sadly now the visa rules are making many of us incredibly anxious and worried about finances and the future. I'm not against quarantine, but I'm against being told to leave and apply abroad and then do quarantine to get back in, just to complete a 2 year study plan which was previously possible to do without exiting. This only became impossible after covid, which is quite difficult to comprehend. I'm already in the country... surely at this time all people all over the world who are in covid-free countries should have the right to remain there until the storm passes, not cast out into it and separated from loved ones, at great financial emotional and mental health costs.

Yes, it means I can't travel abroad on holidays.

I came here in mid-March to ride Covid out. Circumstances really could not have been better. And many excellent reasons why I chose Thailand over any other nation. Fantastic time to be here. We all can appreciate the economic hardships that are occurring here and globally. But for people who failed to recognize the situation that was occurring in March and opted to leave or not return... 🤷‍♂️. Hopefully making decisions this time around.

It has effected jobs for my Thai Relatives and rental cash flow for my wife but the impact domtar is minor compared to many Thais in the Hotel Industry.

It hasn't negatively affected me at all. In fact it is very nice not having all the masses of tourists everywhere. Thailand is very nice now, and this is giving Thailand tourist areas the much needed chance to recover, and rebuild, from all the damage mass tourism has done everywhere.

Hi Benz! Good question.

It's affected all of us in some way, but as per the group I presume you mean visa-related problems?

Most people who are not on long-stay visas are finding that the government is not very clear with what is happening. Tourist visa holders have been extended several times now, and usually at the last minute (a few days). Those who tried to do the right thing and get on a long-stay visa (Education, Volunteer, etc.) are finding that they could have had many months extra free. There is still not much clarity even now.

It's not just tourist visa holders either - I arrived back in Thailand just before the borders closed earlier this year.

I'm now on an ED Visa until February. I have a school that is ready to employ me, but I can't change ED Visa to Non-B within the country. My only option is to leave the country (probably quarantine wherever I go for ~50,000 Baht), get the visa outside, return (if I am allowed at that point) and quarantine here again (for another ~50,000 Baht) to convert to a work permit. It's certainly not how I want to spend over 100,000 Baht.

My easiest option is to return to the UK, however it seems that a severe infection that rots the brain has started to spread there because people keep voting for idiotic governments. Plus Covid is rampant due to the pathetic actions of that government. The country just isn't safe to return to.

I love Thailand, I want to stay, but the government doesn't make it easy at all. I have commitments here that I can't just up and leave, and this would have been no problem for me without Covid.

Ich fuele mich sehr wohl, da wir inzwischen keinerlei einschraenkende Probleme haben. Das Reisen ist sehr angenehm, kaum meckernde Farang unterwegs.555

Im Ernst, Fuer uns Rentner paradiesisch, so wie fuer Alle, die Geld genug haben.

Aber es tut weh, zu sehen wie ganze Geschaefts und Restaurantzeilen geschlossen sind und mancher am Ende auf der Strecke bleiben wird wenn er dort nicht schon liegt.

Und entschuldige eventuell unhoefliche Antworten, auch hier sind natuerlich Trolle unterwegs, die glauben sie waeren witzig.

No, not at all.

No. I am over 65 and was initially a bit concerned, but as Thailand showed it could deal with the situation I worried a lot less. Hardly any more infections here, what's to worry about at the moment