Why are some countries deemed low risk for COVID-19 by Thailand while others with higher case numbers are not?

Oct 21, 2021
3 years ago
Jeremy ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The conversation discusses Thailand's classification of countries as low or high risk amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants express skepticism over the criteria used, pointing out inconsistencies such as the inclusion of countries with high infection rates (like the UK and USA) in the low-risk category. Users share opinions on Thailand's desperate need for tourism revenue, questioning the effectiveness of these classifications and the rationale behind them. The dialogue also touches on quarantine requirements, vaccination validation processes, and potential implications for travelers.
Karl *************
United Kingdom?
Nicky ******
Complete joke!

šŸ˜‚šŸ¤£šŸ˜…
Jeremy ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nicky *****
only if you canā€™t travel it Isā€¦for the rest of its a great blessing
Nicky ******
@Jeremy *******
The list is a complete joke either way. It's all about the money/GDP. It has nothing to do with health risks at all!
Jeremy ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nicky *****
they have Bulgaria on there šŸ¤£šŸ¤£šŸ¤£ so it canā€™t be about money/GDP
Nicky ******
@Jeremy *******
Must be a typo error! šŸ¤£
Jeremy ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nicky *****
itā€™s on the list
PJ *********
China must be a misprint oh no its not tours coaches!!!
Ronald *****
I can only say that Thailand tourism is very very desperate now.
Kuan ******
Thailand is getting desperate for money n think that tourists is the best option to bring money into the economy.

Have they not thought about the cost to the tourist who come n when they return they need to serve quarantine - because the 46 countries do not feel that Thailand is a safe country ?
Bim *******
The government must having a good laugh that it's even being discussed on forums like it's actually happening when they have no intention of opening the country....
Pikey *********
Iam on that list NZ
Paul *****************
Germany begin up up Covid. Lock down soon. Indiz 300
Bryn ********
What Iā€™d like to know is are the people permitted based on your passport country or, where you are coming from and would that mean you could travel to one of the approved countries for a couple weeks and then fly to Thailand?
Bryn ********
Will have to see.
Michael ********
@Bryn *******
specifically mentions about moving around countries.

These are official rules

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/quarantine-free-thailand-reopening-for-vaccinated-tourists-from-1-november-2021/?fbclid=IwAR3AJVU5sVU9m2cy4lYndNEY4dXP3_LYtHzTedmiDyXu2cVWecTnuNDi4Dw
Bryn ********
@Michael *******
Looks like Iā€™ll be setting up a CM hotel base to get back in. Cheaper and less hassle than flying to another country, staying somewhere for three weeks, then going through the same process leaving that country. Worse things have happened to me:))
Michael ********
@Bryn *******
Bangkok not Chiang Mai, still no international flights to CM.
Bryn ********
You can still fly from BKK and hold up in Chiang Mai is my understanding.
Michael ********
@Bryn *******
maybe with new set of rules I dont know but dont think so.

Says you can be up to 2 hours drive away from airport so pattaya is OK hua hin is not and no domestic flights
Michael ********
@Bryn *******
where you are coming from need to be in low risk (lol) country for 21 days prior to departure,
Kevin ***********
@Bryn *******
In the past they have asked for proof of residence, plus the local embassy validates your vaccination certificate, so you're going to want to have been vaccinated there too.
Bryn ********
@Kevin **********
, Iā€™m living in Albania. As an American I can stay for a year, but there is no formal visaā€”no proof of residence. As far as Albania is concerned Iā€™m a tourist. I have my vaccination certificate from there.
Kevin ***********
@Bryn *******
That sounds tricky. Can you not get a D-type visa?
Bryn ********
@Kevin **********
what is a D-type visa? Never heard of it.
Kevin ***********
@Bryn *******
I was just looking at this:

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Bryn ********
@Kevin **********
ā€œAlbania Visa Requirements for US, UK, and Canada

Albania does not mandate a visa for the citizens of the US, UK, and Canada and they can enter Albania with their passports that are valid for more than three months from the expected time of arrival to Albania.ā€

When an American arrives in Albania you walk off the plane, grab your bags and head out the door. They donā€™t hand over a small bottle of wine like in the Republic of Georgia, but thatā€™s another story. After a year, you have to exit for,three months and that starts the clock for another yearā€”youā€™re never a resident. If you stay beyond a year, when you try to exit youā€™ll have a fine to pay. I wish it was so simple in Thailand.
Jeremy ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Bryn *******
I think you have to stay in said country for 21 days in order to gain ā€œresidencyā€ā€¦.look at block 1 exemption to policy
Dennis *******
Is this the country that the tourist is coming from? Or is it the passport/citizenship they use on arrival?
Kevin ***********
@Brian ********
Country from which you are travelling (and to keep it simple, where you were vaccinated, as the embassy verifies the vaccination certificate).
Steven **********
England not Low Countries
Anthony *********
If you're only letting fully vaxed people in then why even the need for a list? Sure it wouldn't matter where they are from lol
Kevin ***********
@Anthony ********
It matters what happens as mutations continually arrive. The UK has the resources to monitor and is doing so.
Sri **********
Singapore is high risk now lot of cases coming there
Ashley ********
@Richard *********************
how long will it be before the UK is deemed not low risk ? Numbers are spiraling there and fast me thinks another winter of discontent
Kevin ***********
@Ashley *******
Nothing to do with it. Arriving pax will be vaccinated or quarantined.
Oscar ********
46 countries,now? Thought was 12.
Kevin ***********
@Oscar *******
It was never fixed from the beginning, and it will change going forward as well.
Brahim ******
@Oscar *******
money talk
Lee ************************
Think they need briefing up on what countryā€™s exist in the Middle East.
Kevin ***********
@Lee ***********************
I think their decisions are quite deliberate.
Michael *******
Brian *********
I wouldnt call the uk low risk ,think i will leave it for another year sadly
Liss ********
As I do understand the so called low risk countries: Thailand is looking for tourists that have a low risk of low income as covid can't be the crucial factor so.
Maya *******
Good for ny both 2 nationalities...
Rahul *******
šŸ˜‚ šŸ˜‚

Indian cases going less

They not included

Usa uk

Cases more

They included

God knowsšŸ˜Š
Darren *******
Rahul *******
@Darren ******
Yes this is why they not open. Ok good luck. But covid is not seeing rich and poor.

God will show money.

But u r correct.
Have *******
The risk level is based purely on GDP rather than health consequences. How the UK can be on there when they have 50k cases a day is hilarious
Ashley ********
@Dave ******
need to wake up or lock your yourself up in your room
Joseph ******
@Dave ******
ppl complaining that they aren't opening fast enough , ppl complaining they are opening too fast . Basically you guys will just keep complaining no matter what lol
Kevin ***********
@Dave ******
Infection rate is not that important as the vast majority of infections are in the unvaccinated. What's more important is that the countries concerned have good monitoring for variants. That's why the UK is there = they have the genome sequencing resources and are watching like a hawk (they were among the first to identify AY.4.2).
Ronald *********
@Dave ******
The majority of people hospitalised in UK, are unvaccinated for whatever reason.
Kevin ***********
@Ronald ********
You and your pesky facts.
Thomas *************************
@Dave ******
Percentage of population fully vaccinated?
Have *******
@Thomas ************************
If you only accept vaccinated tourists anyway it doesn't matter whether the national rate is 1 or 100. Risk level is the same
Sean *********
@Dave ******
agreed
William ********
Whats hilarious there is after 2 years no risk level, what u have now with vaccines is as good as it gets. Infection figures are all bollocks, in a bad flu season 28 thousand die in the uk. So what do u propose the thai's should do , as many q for food daily. Wonder if they went on flu infection figures how the world would survive.
John **********
@William *******
good rant...some sense prevails
Have *******
@William *******
Thanks for the rant no one asked for. The point is this is not a "risk" based list is it? If you are letting in people from the country with the highest number of cases then you might as well not have a list and just let anyone.
William ********
@Dave ******
what is the answer, starve or open up. its now 2 years the low income thai suicides are at peak levels. its not your country, your hilarious post is not based on you looking down at a empty plate
Have *******
@William *******
I'm not sure you're having the argument you think you are.
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