Preface

I’m German, born and raised. However, my mother is Thai. She lives in the province of Loei and I haven’t seen her in many years. I’ve never been to Thailand in my life. Now is the time to go.

It’s the end of 2021 and going to Thailand is not easy during the Covid pandemic. I had to prepare my trip with great diligence to make sure the Thai authorities will let enter the country without problems.

---

Watch this story on YouTube

---

Making plans for Thailand

Our business is seasonal. That means after Christmas is slows down quite a bit. So if I want to go Thailand I should do it right now. As usual making this decision was rather spontane.

On December 5^th I decided to go to Thailand, so I booked a flight for December 30^th. I wasn’t really aware what I will exactly need to enter the country.

Good news. Since November Thailand has started the Test & Go program. This way we must stay at a hotel for one night.

So basically, you need the following things all confirmed, before you can apply for the Thailand Pass, that you will ultimately need to enter the country.

1. Confirmed flight with flight numbers
2. Health insurance that covers Covid treatment
3. Confirmed hotel booking with address
4. Address of where you’ll stay after the one day quarantine
5. Visa, should you want anything different to an on-entry-visa
6. Passport
7. Thailand Pass
8. Negative PCR test result not older 72 hours before arrival.

That’s quiet a long list, and it’s actually a big hassle to take care of all this. It took me around 2 days to have everything aligned to apply for the Thailand Pass. All I’m waiting for is my special tourist visa. Since I haven’t seen my mother for so long I wanted to be flexible and be able to stay longer if I choose to.

My visa is not yet approved. It’s getting kind of late. It’s December 22^nd and of course the worst thing had to happen. Due to Omicron variant Thailand suspended the Test & Go program.

The trip is off

I was extremely disappointed. I had invested so much time and thought into this trip. This news made me feel sick in my stomach.

I cancelled my flight and hotel booking. The booking confirmation was non-refundable, and I lost 150 Euros.

What a bummer….

Was it destiny that the test and go program stopped? Or should I fight to make it happen?

After a few days, on December 24^th, I decided for the latter option.

Quarantine it is!

I bit the pill and again started to research for alternative state quarantine procedures. Basically for vaccinated people we need to stay in a certified hotel for 7 nights and until two PCR tests show negative.

Hillariously my visa was ready just two days after Thailand suspended the test and go program. And even more hilariously, in order to apply for the Thailand Pass I didn’t even have to show my special tourist visa.

What an expensive mistake…

Anyway. I booked 7 nights at the Radisson Suites Bangkok. Also I booked a flight that was roughly the same pricewise and then quickly applied for the Thailand Pass. The other documents were already prepared.

Now it happened. It suddenly became real. I’ll go to Thailand to visit my mother!

Preparations for Thailand

Now the real stress begins. Preparing for the trip. What will I need in Thailand? What do I have to finish at work to be able to leave with peace of mind?

And why the hell do I feel so sick with sore throat and running nose? I’ll kill myself should this be Covid. You can imagine how nervous I was waiting for the PCR test result just one day before leaving Germany.

Negative! Let’s go!

Catch the train.

Check in baggage.

Flying Emirates in an empty A380 is dope!

Spending 4 hours in Dubai waiting for the next flight sucks!

Getting more and more sick makes the last flight pure torture.

Landing in Bangkok lifts quiet some weight of my shoulders.

But the worst is still to come: Thailand immigration.

Arriving in Bangkok

Wait on chairs, wait in lines, fill out forms, present vaccination certificates, present Thailand Pass, present passport, talk to immigration and then all over again…

The fight was worth it. Here it is. The entry stamp of Thailand! We made it!

Airport transfer is waiting for me already.

For the first time I smell the warm outside air of Thailand, but for only 3 minutes.

The transfer van will take me straight to the hospital for the PCR test. I don’t even have to leave the van.

The driver drops me off directly at the Radisson Suites, Bangkok, where I get my WiFi access, messenger contacts, a thermometer and some masks.

Seven days of alternative state quarantine starts now!

I wish you the very best for your travels to Thailand during the covid pandemic. Have patience and be thorough. Preparation is everything. In the end it was a time consuming, but smooth process to enter Thailand.

Benjamin Weinlich