04/11/2021
I am on my way home now, flying from London Heathrow to Bangkok. You can read all about my preparations for the journey in my special dispatches: https://www.getrevue.co/profile/richardbarrow
I will post some updates here over the next 24 hours about the journey, so make sure you come back to see the updates. I will also post a summary of everything in the next newsletter. This will be sent out tomorrow. Make sure you subscribe to receive it in your mailbox.
[01] A little bit of drama at the Thai Airways check-in at Heathrow but all sorted now. They didn’t understand or even know how to scan the QR Code on my Thailand Pass. Then they insisted I needed to print out all the documents like you have to do for COE, including the QR Code.
The idea of Thailand Pass is that you don’t need to print everything as it is contained in the QR Code. In Bangkok, you just show 3 things: the QR Code, your printed test results, and passport. Luckily I did have a print-out for hotel booking, test results & vaccine certificate. But not for my insurance.
My insurance was initially a problem. She wanted to see a policy where it says Covid coverage. I only had my social security digital card. I pointed out that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wouldn’t give me Thailand Pass if it wasn’t acceptable. Finally she found someone with a QR Code reader on their phone.
COMMENT: Obviously this is still the transition period and I am one of the first to fly with a Thailand Pass. I am probably also the first to use social security as my insurance as they had no idea what that was as there is no policy to print out. I am sure it will get better as more people fly. Well, I hope it will.
[2] I’m onboard THAI Airways flight from London to Bangkok. About 100 people on this flight today. No-one sitting next to me which is good as the new rule is, if someone on your immediate left or right tests positive, you must go to hospital for ten days. Even if you tested negative.
** UPDATE: I posted the arrival information here https://www.facebook.com/100044288176713/posts/442530860566516/