As news continues to pour in – not always accurate – about the local impact of the Corona virus outbreak, here’s a summary of the latest developments affecting Pattaya and Chonburi-based foreigners. The topics are sometimes a mixture of national and local authority edicts.
Visas and extensions of stay
Those with short visas – 90 days and under – whose permission expired on or after March 26 are automatically extended until April 30. Most of the people currently visiting the very quiet immigration offices are holders of a 12 months’ extension of stay who need to renew their permits. They are not covered for visa renewal by the amnesty described above, although they do not need to report for the 90 days address check-in if the due date falls between March 26 and April 30. An announcement for the month of May is expected soon from national immigration headquarters. The likelihood is that the broad amnesty will continue to avoid unhealthy long queues and chaos. Nothing has been heard of the earlier suggestion to introduce remote visa extension applications by the internet.
No routine extensions to November 30
Some nationals of Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia working in Thailand, often in the construction industry, under the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding between governments) are now permitted to stay here without extension of their labour permit until the end of November 2020. But this provision is specifically for authorized and documented workers from these three countries bordering Thailand and does not apply to anyone with a passport from another country.
No free Corona treatment
Earlier reports that hospital checks and treatment for Corona-related illnesses among foreigners being free are untrue. The only farang able to claim free treatment are those with authorized work permits since they pay directly into the social security system and are linked to individual hospitals. All other foreigners must pay for any medical treatment, Corona virus-related or otherwise, at clinics and private or public hospitals or use applicable medical insurance.
The booze ban
The Chonburi governor has announced a ban on buying or transporting all alcohol until the end of the month. Unless he extends the ban, it would then be permitted to buy booze only during the hours 11.00 – 14.00 hours and 17.00-18.00 hours – a specifically Chonburi–announced regulation. There is separately a national ban on overnight alcohol sales from 18.00 to 06.00 but the tighter Chonburi time schedule would remain in force, unless cancelled by the provincial governor. The booze situation is a good example of how national and local orders can overlap.
Pattaya traffic blocks
There are eight roadblocks at intersections, all on Sukhumvit, to check vehicles coming into and leaving Pattaya City and to carry out temperature checks. In practical terms, residents of Nongprue municipality (known variously as the Dark Side or Nongprue or Banglamung) will not automatically be able to pass into Pattaya City by crossing Sukhumvit. The same will be true vice-versa. There have been reports of spot checks at other locations too. It is best for farang drivers to carry face masks for all passengers, have a bottle of hands’ sanitizer and keep original and blown-up A4 copies of relevant documents, including passport, driving licence and proof of residence. If travelling outside the permitted area by driving on Sukhumvit, you should also have documentation showing the purpose of travel, e.g., hospital appointment letter. Foreigners with work permits will have been separately advised by their employer. The road blocks are temporary until the end of April, unless decreed otherwise, and are in operation daily outside curfew hours.
Curfew hours
The Pattaya lockdown above is a provincial decision and quite separate from the national curfew which lasts nightly from 22.00 – 04.00 hours until April 30 or until changed. Everyone must be at home during these hours. The exceptions are very tight and largely restricted to government personnel, Thai overnight workers with dispensation and deliverers of food and essential items. However, foreigners will be permitted to go to airports with a relevant ticket. Ambulances or transfer to hospital of obviously injured people are allowed.
