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Thais in the UK – The difficulties of people returning home during the pandemic.

Dr Ekaphum has become a spokesperson for Thai citizens currently stranded in the UK. Thai and long term residents have been eagerly looking to return home to Thailand during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Thai doctor – Ekaphum Chamnanrabiabkij based in the UK since 1997, is a practising doctor in the county of Oxfordshire, England.

Dr Ekaphum has become an unofficial spokesperson for Thai citizens currently stranded in the UK. Thai and long term residents have been eagerly looking to return home to Thailand during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the video we ask Dr Ekaphum what has it been like practicing medicine in the UK during Covid. Are people wearing masks like they are in Asia? Read about a cool Facemask Project here. Along with his medical opinion of how the covid-19 situation has been handled in the UK compared to Thailand.

He outlines some of the medical practises implemented during lockdown and stories of Thai that are currently stuck in the UK.

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    Thais Returning Home

    Dr Ekaphum has been in the news recently, speaking about the difficulty of coming back into Thailand. Thai government has done a great job in handling the lockdown, gearing the country to be a designated green zone (covid-19 freezone) when borders eventually re-open for tourism. There’s a great source of information in English for Covid-19 updates on Facebook Called PR Thai Government for daily updates.

    The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has issued recommendations for the 11 exempt types of travelers planning…

    Posted by PR Thai Government on Friday, 10 July 2020

    In the video, we ask Dr Ekaphum what steps that Thais have to go through to repatriate.

    Strict quarantine measures have been put in place for returning Thais, thankfully it looks like there’s some positive movement in relaxing the entry to Thailand soon. Even non Thai’s with certain visas and family are predicting the ability to return soon.

    In March, Thailand closed its borders, since then, around 1,600 Thais have repatriated. Around 3,400 Thais in the UK have registered to return. He says priority must be given to those with urgent needs.

    In the video Dr Ekaphum mentions Thais on tourist visas cannot afford healthcare or medication in the UK. There are Thai nationals originally only planning a short trip to the UK are running out of money. Read about Asia moving towards a cashless society here

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      Asa Marsh
      Asa Marshhttps://www.asamarsh.com/
      Asa Marsh is a British entrepreneur based in Phuket and founder of multiple businesses across real estate, insurance, and media. Widely recognised as a Phuket property expert, he works with developers, investors, and international buyers navigating property, relocation, and investment opportunities in Thailand. His network spans Asia's key industries, built over decades connecting people, capital, and opportunity across the region.

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