ASQ fun coming up....

[Saint Willy]

We got an update today that we will be checking out Thursday morning. My driver will be here at 8am to pick us up. Then a 7 hour or so drive home and done.

That's good news.

I feel like a Tomahawk today.

[OhOh]

Your wife and you were well organised and all has gone smoothly.

A photo of your farewell to the hotel staff and taxi will cosumate another safe journey.

When you hit the Bangkok streets you know you'r home.

[aging one]

When you hit the Bangkok streets you know your home.

Sorry but this makes no sense. Chinese education?

[Stumpy]

I feel like a Tomahawk today.

Bastad....I do want pics though.

[Stumpy]

My wife was just informed by the nurse that she contacted the govt office and that being we just did the 14 day quarantine, completed 3 covid tests and are not staying in BKK and are going straight home, we do not have to self quarantine or supply the local gov office that we are back. Its business as normal.

[OhOh]

Your wife may wish to call your TIO for confirmation.

[Stumpy]

Your wife may wish to call your TIO for confirmation.

All done.

No self quarantine. She also called the grand mooban Poohbah. Said no problem. If you traveled and are fully vaccinated and leave your ASQ and come directly to your house you do not need to self quarantine.

Of course this is Thailand, your results may vary.........

[Stumpy]

Some humor a friend from the states sent me

[Saint Willy]

Bastad....I do want pics though.

Mods might delete it again….

[Stumpy]

Man I am hungry SW. 4 more days til freedom.

Tomorrow is our last Covid test. Be so nice not having wands crammed up my nose anymore.

[Stumpy]

Interesting info this morning. As we were walking with the nurse for our last Covid test we noticed all the trash bins on our floor upside down which means empty room. I asked the nurse how many guests are here. She thought about 4 or 5 rooms occupied. I quickly did the math and I believe there are 8 floors and each floor has 20 rooms. Not sure how they can sustain business operations. Apparently on the top floor they have some long stay guests that basically live here like I was doing at Grande Centre Point. Those guests or tenants have a private access elevator away from Covid guests. However none of the amenities are available. Lobby closed, Pool closed, bar closed, gym closed. I wonder if they get a reduction in their monthly rent because the amenities are unavailable.

I saw the report that potentially 50% of the hotels in Thailand will go belly up in the near future. Based on the model I see here I can see that being a reality.

[PAG]

^

I'm sure that the Phuket 'Sandbox' has had a significant effect on Bangkok's ASQ occupancy rates, especially as domestic flights have resumed.

[Stumpy]

I agree PAG. I mean who wants to fly into BKK, Stay 14 days in lock down and then go do what? Nothing is really open.

I have colleague buddy that flew into the Phuket Sandbox. His plan was to stay to quarantine then go travel around Thailand. Did the quarantine but decided that the risk of leaving and not being able to get back or being stuck in a lockdown has just decided to stay in Phuket. He leaves next week.

[cyrille]

Previously the only way I could see the Phuket sandbox being viable was to just holiday on Phuket.

As a ‘gateway’ to returning to one’s home in Thailand it was just a non-starter. Unless that home was close to or on HKT of course.

But your experience shows how difficult it is to balance the decision to open up or keep restrictions. It would be difficult even in a meritocracy.

[Stumpy]

I agree Cyrille. Its not an easy decision especially here with the limited vaccine situation. I agree the Phuket deal is a good idea for ones that want to come and just enjoy some time on a beach and some time away from the rat race. However if you are one that came to party as I have been told first hand, that bars are closed and restaurants are open but not serving alcohol. You can buy it but you have to drink in your room. I guess it will boil down to your holiday intent.

As for it being a hub to get here then go on, with domestic travel locked down until recently it was a terrible hub idea which is why we passed on it. Far to messy and complicated to get from Phuket to Lampang and lots of unknowns. BKK was the best and easiest for us. Even with domestic travel restrictions relaxing a bit, the rules to do it are cumbersome and like all things here, unknown what hoops you will have to jump through. None of it is appealing IMHO.

If I was planning a trip to get away from it all, It sure wouldn't be Thailand.

[Shutree]

^

I'm sure that the Phuket 'Sandbox' has had a significant effect on Bangkok's ASQ occupancy rates, especially as domestic flights have resumed.

I think so too. They are quick to publish how many people arrived in Phuket. Not all of those arrivals are extra tourists. They never mention how many of those are people who would otherwise have made Bangkok their port of entry. Even without the bars being open, a week on the beach has got to beat a week in a Bangkok hotel room.

[Stumpy]

14 days on the beach has got to beat 14 days in a Bangkok hotel room.

FTFY Shutree. Dont want you to miss those 7 extra days in a hotel room...

[PAG]

I think so too. They are quick to publish how many people arrived in Phuket. Not all of those arrivals are extra tourists. They never mention how many of those are people who would otherwise have made Bangkok their port of entry. Even without the bars being open, a week on the beach has got to beat a week in a Bangkok hotel room.

Indeed, for the overwhelming majority of arrivals, its just been/being a more pleasant way of getting through the 14 days before getting to their real destination. Currently, there are approximately 3 times the number of daily international arrivals as there are departures. For domestic flights the ratio is reversed, with again approximately 3 times the number of departures to arrivals.

[helge]

Currently, there are approximately 3 times the number of daily international arrivals as there are departures. For domestic flights the ratio is reversed, with again approximately 3 times the number of departures to arrivals.

What a logistic mess, eh ?

[Stumpy]

Few days left now today and tomorrow and then pack up and hit the road. As I suspected, the level of "Wanting to GTFO here" has risen significantly. I am getting regular updates from my niece at the house and the place is over grown. Going to be some big work when I get there. Good thing I took Friday off work and then a weekend. The weather conditions have been a good daily rain at night or early morning then lots of sun. Perfect environment for everything to grow at an exponential rate.

Friday night will be a fat Ribeye steak off the grill, BBQ tater and quite a few ice cold beers.

Countdown begins...tick...tock....tick...tock....

Oh yeah....and NO SPAM!!!!!!!!!.......

[katie23]

^but but but... SPAM has 14 flavors!

Almost there, JP. Only a few more days. Cheers!

[aging one]

SPAM has 14 flavors!

Which sadly will all be artificial. One more reason to avoid the stuff.

[Latindancer]

For domestic flights the ratio is reversed, with again approximately 3 times the number of departures to arrivals.

Am I slow to wake up today, or is there something screwy here ? If a flight is domestic, it flies within one country. How can there be more flights departing than arriving, if it is all in the same country ?

[PAG]

Am I slow to wake up today, or is there something screwy here ? If a flight is domestic, it flies within one country. How can there be more flights departing than arriving, if it is all in the same country ?

Yes, you're slow. The reference is to passengers, not flights.

[Mendip]

^^ Because many of the departees have arrived on international flights.

Few days left now today and tomorrow and then pack up and hit the road. As I suspected, the level of "Wanting to GTFO here" has risen significantly.

Good luck with your last few days JP... I remember the anticipation of leaving ASQ rising over the last few days.

I've been talking to a fellow offshore worker who lives in Samut Prakan who has now done two stints in ASQ. I think that generally we accept and cope with ASQ a lot easier than many because we're so used to being confined on a boat for weeks on end, or stuck in hotels waiting for boats to arrive, or visas to be issued, etc. To be honest 14 days in a hotel is a lot easier than 8 weeks on a boat... but of course you don't get paid in the hotel room.

I may well be doing ASQ again at the end of the year unless by some miracle it really does stop before that. I don't dread it at all but would obviously rather not have to do it. The biggest problem is losing those two weeks out of my leave time.