Strange Covid rules...
 

currently a lot of strange local and/or private rules have developped; just some examples from the last 2 weeks
- on a hotel rooftop restaurant in Bangkok (one of the worldwide largest hotel brands) they want me to do an ATK test for 150 THB (around 300% mark up) despite it is outdoors and offers a lot of space to keep distance (of course for all other facilities, even indoors and packed, you do not need a test or vaccination certificate)
- entertainment area in Silom Soi 4 is packed, even in Patpong (redlight entertainments are officially still closed) many bars have opened, also indoors....majority of staff does not wear facemasks anymore....no certificate or test....
- in Chonburi you have to do an ATK test for most restaurants, even for lunch outdoors at the beach...they give you the test kit and it is then valid for the next 3 days
- for the fastfood outlets in supermarkets in Chonburi (such as MK, Sizzler, Fuji, Yaoi etc.), no ATK is needed, even sometimes seating is very narrow and tight....but they all have suspended alcohol service (!)

An ATK Covid test is required to access Tichuca Rooftop Bar (Sukhumvit 40). 😊

It is madness… I have to do an ATK test too every time I want to set foot in our office too :rolleyes:

I was talking about another one in another area...
outdoors with sufficient distance, the risk to get infected is really neglectable...

I've been here a couple weeks, and have not had to do an ATK (nor provide proof of vaccination), for any activity / restaurant / shop / etc. so far. (The sole exception was my vaccination card was checked before boarding flight to UTH).

I have been in Bangkok, Esan (Udon Thani and Sakon Nakhon) and now Chonburi (Jomtien, Pattaya).

Biggest restriction in my experience has been early closings. By Midnight or so, everything is closing up. Even notorious late-night places like DJ Station.

I can accept it is widely inconsistent though. Local rules + open to interpretations + decisions by shop owners = lack of standard approach

ADDED: I can think of one thing pretty consistent. Upon entering 7-11, they want you to do the temp check thing. This is 100% consistent in Chonburi, and mostly consistent in Esan. I don't recall Bangkok being as adamant, but I might be doing it as a reflex anyway.

Logic doesn't come into it, sadly; but requiring an ATK test to enter an outdoor rooftop restaurant when it is not required to enter indoor restaurants in the same building is indeed crazy.

I'm reminded of the case of the Spaniard who, very early on in the pandemic, was fined for walking alone on a deserted beach while a gale was blowing.

Oh man, please don't say it's Marriott Sukhumvit.

I stayed at the Marriott Sukhumvit March 1st and there was nothing required to access the roof top bar then. The only noticeable requirement in the area was temp checks when you entered stores and the hotel lobbies.

Since when did THAT start? I was in BKK early this month and only the Temperature checks at most places. You just put your hand and walk in. No one checked the PCR test results after day 1except the Hotel . No one checked the Day 5 one either expect the Hotel I stayed when I got the test done.

I was at the Marriott Bangkok Sukhumvit 57 last Saturday and visited the rooftop bar. No Covid testing required. But as I mentioned, across the street at the Tichuca Bar, one needed a negative test to enter. 😊

HISO rooftop bar of SO Hotel (Accor group)

the masquerade
 

While really enjoying Thailand after having cleared the unpleasant business past, I can only state that at best everything is inconsistent and at worst the behaviour of Thais hysterical.

So far I have not been bothered neither at my favorite hotel in Hua Hin, just proof of vaccine needed, nor at my favorite rooftop location (Banyan Tree Vertigo) where the same was asked for. Everybody very polite and respectful. We are free to bring our business where we like dear BinSabai.

And yes, Thailand is among the pleasant and good value for money places at least for now. Planning already my next LEISURE trip later this year.

The people running around in the heath with masks (also while on the beach, in an empty jacuzzi or running in Lumpini park) have something comical. I wonder how they do in the massage parlours. This said, I am a big fan of clean FFP2 masks worn inside and in crowded outside locations.

Glad to hear once again that you are enjoying yourself in Thailand after whatever happened to you in the past, and that you will be coming back :tu:

I do agree with you that we have the right to take our business where we want, and being subjected to taking a covid test to enter a service establishment would certainly have had me walk right back out the door!

The mask thing... You are right, it is rather ridiculous wearing the damn things outside in the heat, but for now it is still the law to do so. Let's hope that mandate goes away in June along with the rest of the circus!

sure!
I did not enter the named roof top bar and also complained the missing common sense of this rule (in written and by phone...)...in all other hotels, restaurants or rooftop bars in Bangkok where I went, entry was without any checks of vaccination status or even ATK...

as for masks it depends and I go with common sense...KN95 (the Asian version of your FPP2) at crowded places like shopping centers or popular restaurants, masks with very light fabric outdoors where people are and none at all at the beach, pool or while jogging...

Wearing of masks is to a large extent cultural. In the CBD of Bangkok where I live it is common to see the same non-Thais not wearing a mask outside every time I see them as well as people who are obviously tourists. I have yet to see a Thai comment to a non Thai about this in an open area, but have done in a busy market at lunch time, where the non Thai responded positively.

Compared to a few months ago wearing of masks by Thais while running outside is much less and certainly in Benjakkiti Park the security guards are not as actively requesting people to wear masks as they were. I follow the Thai way and will continue to do so. It is second nature to wear a mask and it is not restrictive.

At the same time as a long term resident of Thailand it is good to see a few more tourists of different nationalities and types nowadays. The last few months have been a great time to visit Thailand and the situation has certainly not stopped the locals having long weekend breaks with many hotels fully booked.

I agree, follow the local custom (or in this case, still law!) or don’t come here at all - interestingly, I have started to see quite a few farangs not wearing masks outside over the past week or so, which was not the case before.

Agree completely on the domestic tourism having not relented and having actually helped keep the lights on for many business in especially the hospitality industry which was so hard hit. But it is good to see more international people coming back injecting some much needed funds into the economy.

May I ask which are you are in? - we may live close to each other :)

Does the law state that you have to wear a mask outside? Maybe I've only paid attention to the Thai Pass rules that I totally overlooked this.

Yes it does.

I have seen a fair bit of tourists not wearing the mask in Bangkok especially. If it is the law everyone should wear it.

And everybody should wear a helmet riding a motorbike and all cars should stop at pedestrin crossings, etc....

It is the charme of Thailand that "everything goes". In the case of the masks it is rather that Asians appear to be more careful about health issues than we Caucasians. Not necessarily a bad thing.

Anybody can quote this "mask law" ?

in the tourist areas, the mandate has been less and less enforced...obviously the BiB are ordered to tolerate this...
I walked through typical tourist areas in Bangkok like lower Sukhumvit, Silom Soi 4, Patpong, Soi Cowboy and people wearing masks were in the minority (also locals did not wear), but if you just step one block outside, for example Silom around Saladaeng or around Asoke, 95% were wearing masks

You are of course right - but contrary to the fines for not wearing a helmet being the usual couple of hundred baht trafic offence, the (advertised) fines for not complying with the mask mandate is 10 or 20k if I remember correctly..

Cannot remember which part of the CCSA's imposed legislation the mask mandate is part of, to be honest. There was talk about lifting it in June along with the rest or stuff though.

I took a walk down Patpong, Silom and Sathorn the other day (and drive around Silom, Sala Daeng, Sathorn, Rama IV, Witthayu almost daily) and I would say 98-99% wear masks still, with the exception of a few foreigners.

strange as I made the exact opposite experience in lower Sukhumvit last week and in Patpong, Silom Soi 4 3 weeks ago...maybe it depends on the time of the day...after 8pm you are a minority wearing masks...also most locals stop to do so

If after 8pm in Patpong, I have no doubt you are right - my timing is more around going to Foodland late afternoon/early evening :)

what a concidence...
I would of course never walk through Patpong except going to Foodland or being on a fact finding mission about the reality of mask wearing in Thailand! :rolleyes:

Talking of proof of vaccination, has this ever been mandated domestically in Thailand? Is there much chance of unvaccinated arrivals this summer having a hard time accessing hotels or restaurants?

i do not think, that you will have a hard time.
So far during all the time I only had to show proof of vaccination at 2 sightseeing spots, a temple and a cave...never at any hotel or restaurant...now with the opening of the country, there will be hardly any venue left, who ask for this...

Thanks, great to know that.

I've been asked at check-in by several hotels but haven't been off my beaten track for a few months so things may have calmed down.

Only time I have ever been asked for vaccination certificate was when checking in for a flight to Samui, arriving in Samui and at the hotel in (guess where) Samui.. Elsewhere, never aside from checking in for international flights.

even in Phuket or Krabi I was not asked...nowhere

I was asked for vaccination certificate once in Lumphini park when there was some kind of fair. Food and drinks, some music and dances from different parts of country. This was in Feb/March, can't remember the date.

that was from 18. - 22. Feb
Thailand Tourism Festival 2022 opens in Bangkok’s Lumphini Park to great fanfare - TAT Newsroom

Oh dear, this all sounds consistently inconsistent! I suppose that's what one should expect. Adding to the confusion is Bangkok being a 'blue zone', which I thought meant that all customers at a bar had to be vaccinated and boosted?

I'm not much of a nightclub person but it would be nice to think that one could pop into a wine bar without having to be vaccinated, unless perhaps the blue zone 'entertainment venue' requirements really do only refer to 'pubs' with little food.

I'm sure there are some, but they aren't my scene so I don't know about "wine bars". But the only place I've seen entry requirements was a small number of bars on Soi 4/Nana and Patpong in Bangkok. There was "ATK" signs, I didn't bother trying to go in any.

Being an unvaccinated visitor doesn't appear to be a big issue. I've been 3 times, in the last year and I am unvaccinated. If you are taking a domestic flight, your destination may need either vaccination OR test, there are testing facilities at DMK and BKK but these are changing to no requirements now, depending on the province. I've stayed at two Hiltons in Bangkok (Millennium and Sukhumvit), a budget hotel chain "B2" upcountry and a mom and pop resort up country with no issues. The mom and pop resort did ask on my first visit in April 2021 but I explained I wasn't eligible in UK at the time, they didn't ask on my December visit. I've visited malls, used Grab/taxis, visited street food restaurants, used river boats, Sky Train, MRT, red line train, commuter train, ARL and buses all without issue.

Not really, but if you want to assume that, by all means - what those of us living here are saying is that you will not be required to produce a vaccine certificate in 99.9% of places. Life is back to normal.

Not in the least, I'm delighted that it doesn't seem to be an issue. It was putting me off booking for the summer but this thread has reassured me!

Thanks for this - very reassuring indeed!

They have never asked for any vaccine certificates at any bar that I have seen. Lets Relax massage at MBK gets you to do an ATK test and it is stupid because their other outlet in Terminal 21 does not require it. Everyone is fed up with it and I can assure you that no one is going to demand it inside Thailand. Flying is a different story. Even at the hotels they never ask.

Lets Relax inside of Eathai in Central Embassy required ATK last week.