We were supposed to be back in Jul, then we booked a family Xmas lunch.....heaven knows when we can come back. The problem is not getting back to the UK, we could fly back tomorrow, but coming back here. Only a few people are allowed to enter Thailand, all on special flights after special approval and being married to a Thai means I fall into the 'allowed' category but I need......
Doctors fit to fly certificate
Clear Covid Test less than 72 hours before departure
100K USD Covid Insurance (currently for a UK citizen it would cost around £1200)
A paid for in advance booking in an ASQ Hotel (Government approved quarantine hotel) for 2 weeks which start at £900 including meals and tests.....the £900 hotels are dumps...and you need to stay in your room for the whole 2 weeks.
Booked flight which are ver limited due to almost no-one being allowed into Thailand, The Thai UK embassy arranged seat comes in around £1400 one way.
Then, with all this booked and paid for, you have to go to the Thai embassy in London, in person and get a special certificate. If any of your paperwork is not in order and/or god forbid you suddenly develop a fever, you've lost the lot as there are no refunds.
The wife has to spend 2 weeks in a government facility for a minimum fee or pay full whack to stay with me.
We simply can't afford it, neither the money nor time so we are sticking it out but if anything happened to my Mum, I'd have to shoot back so its all suck it and see right now.
That said, I truly appreciate that we're very lucky here and things are no different to how they were this time last year apart from the checking in everywhere and constant mask-wearing which is normal for us now.
It's simply horrendous over there and bloody scary so do whatever you need to do stay safe and sane please.