GGLwannabe

I'm scheduled to fly from London to Bangkok on Friday and I've just received an email from Qatar stating that
"A new medical requirement is applicable for all Qatar Airways passengers travelling from select countries*. When flying with us, you will be required to: Provide a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test result issued within 96 hours prior to your flight departure from one of the authorised laboratories. ..."
However the list of countries given does not include the UK
* In our current network, these countries are Bangladesh, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Philippines, and Sri Lanka. They will also be required for passengers travelling with us from India, Nepal, Nigeria and Russia, when we resume our services from these countries.

It's not clear from this whether Qatar are over-zealously sending out such emails to anyone about to fly from anywhere in the next few days, or whether the UK is about to be added to the list of countries from which a negative Covid test will be required. Does anyone have any insight into this?

ISTFlyer

That's a generic e-mail that I also received before some bookings originating from another country that has this requirement.
As you're departing from the UK, you could ignore it.

Intl359Widget

So if I am departing from the UK (EDI in my case), I don't need a negative PCR test to fly on QR but still need to submit one for the Country's requirement?

brunos

Welcome to the world of covid travel.

Each country where you fly to has its own requirements in terms of test. It is your responsibility to make sure you meet these requirements. These rules keep changing all the time and you should check Thai official information (and TIMATIC).
I think that Thailand does require a PCR test taken 72h before departure.
An airline will not let you board if you do not have the proper document to enter the destination country.

In addition to the various country requirements, QR has imposed its own requirements for pax departing from a few high-risk countries. These countries are mentioned in the email you received. As you do not fly from one of those, you are not concerned by the QR-imposed PCR test. But as you fly to Thailand, you cannot board a flight to Thailand without the test.

Traveller999

In addition Thailand requires (from non Thai nationals) the following:

• Online registration tom obtain COE (certificate of entry) at https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/
• Fit for Fly certificate not older than 72h at departure
• Negative RT-PCR test including medical certificate from a medical doctor that you are "virus free", not older that 72h at departure
• Confirmed reservation from an ASQ (Alternative State Quarantine) Hotel (everybody MUST undergo quarantine for 14 or 15 days in a defined hotel, payable)
• Filled T8 immigration form
• .....

I am just in the process to obtain all these...I can tell you, thatīs not easy

brunos

Since you have done the legwork, You might know the answers:
- are you supposed to stay in your room the whole time? Or can you enjoy the pool?

Traveller999

You are supposed to stay in the room all the time!
After the first RT-PCR test is done and result is negative, approx. 5 days after checkin, you may go to a designated rest area in the hotel for max 1 hour per day.
The pool will stay off-limits during your quarantine time. In addition, no alcohol allowed, even no beer.

That sounds like fun, right? ;-)

GGLwannabe

Thanks, that's really useful.
I've now rescheduled my trip for end-March, but in case the requirements are still similar then I would be interested to know:
Are you starting your journey from the UK?
If so, where are you planning on getting your PCR test done? Most of those I've looked at don't guarantee a result within 72 hours.
Fit to fly certificate?
Virus-free certificate?
Can these be provided by the same place that does the PCR test?
The long stay tourist visa that was promoted in October seems to have been quietly dropped, so as I understand it, currently only those non-Thais with family connections, a work-permit, diplomatic passport, or seeking medical attention can currently enter Thailand. I'm hoping however that the allowed categories will have widened slightly by the time I am due to make my already twice-postponed trip.

Traveller999

I am travelling ex Germany and here you can get these medical documents / test at the airport (Munich / Frankfurt), within 24 hours.

GGLwannabe

If only it were that straightforward in the UK!