Trip Hop

14 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

It was as I read it a sarcastic post...

Possibly, possibly not?

On 12/25/2021 at 12:43 PM, placnx said:

There is a problem in that Delta is still around in some countries including Thailand and US. While there's a shortcut to spotting Omicron with PCR, it depends on having the right brand of test, since they do not all detect the same genetic material. Of course, if it's a breakthrough infection, Omicron should be strongly suspected.

 

If people are not doing well, they need to be hospitalized regardless of which variant is in play, and with many more infections that can mean that hospitals fill up. It may seem innocuous on the individual level, but for the medical community it's a big problem.

And what shortcut is that? To the best of my knowledge, the type of strain of the virus can only be confirmed 100% by genomic sequencing i.e. examining the exact DNA of the virus? I’m open to correction though if you can substantiate your claims?

On 12/24/2021 at 11:28 AM, khunPer said:

Incubation period might be up to three weeks for Omicron - according to Norwegian study - Delta is about two weeks. With a PCR test taken up to 72 hours before departure you might already be infected, or you can be infected between test and boarding the aircraft, if not from aboard the aircraft from other infected passengers. PCR test, isolation, and if negative permission to board, might make more sense, but might also not be 100 percent safe; only perfect safe guard seems to be the Down Under-method: "no entry"...????

The WHO are of the opinion that the incubation period for Omicron is more like 3-5 days. That is how it spreads so fast.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/health/covid-omicron-incubation-period-days-b1982233.html%3famp

2 hours ago, Daithi85 said:

Or go and test 1.5 million people a day like they do in the UK and cause unnecessary panic. 

Nah, they’d run out of farangs to lay the blame on then! ????

5 hours ago, pacovl46 said:

It refers to the CT count. Quick tests will only show a positive result if the CT count is above 30, if I'm not mistaken. If the CT counts is below that the test will come back negative. PCR tests on the other hand  are much more precise and they will show a positive result even if the CT count is below 30. At around 30 you're almost not contagious anymore hence the "small amount" part in the article.

Not quite.  The CT value is basically the amount that the PCR test amplifies the sample.  So a person with a high viral load and infectious will show positive with say a CT value of 20 or above as it requires less amplification to be detected?  Someone with a lower viral load who is no longer infectious, won't show positive until the CT value or amplification is increased to say 30 or above?  Most PCR tests in Europe use a CT threshold of 35, however Thailand uses 40?  This is the issue, if a high enough CT threshold is used, minute amounts of the virus RNA left in the body from say an infection 2-3 months ago, will still generate a positive result?  There is a big difference between someone having traces of the virus in their body and them being infectious and capable of transmitting the virus to others?  Contrary to your beliefs, LFTs work better with higher viral loads with equivalent CT values of below 30 and whereby a CT value of <27/28, is widely considered to be the infectious range?  There are questions regarding the accuracy of some but there are actually ones out there that are independently verified to be 100% accurate at a CT<27?

19 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

When he went on the run he believed himself to be positive. He did not care. He thought he was above the law. He escaped from quarantine and caused worry and wasted police time. His actions not his covid status are the central issue. It's dreadful  selfish behavior.

And you think that the previous behaviour of certain hospitals by point blank refusing 2nd PCR tests to rule out a possible false positive is acceptable do you?  As you state, if you test positive in other countries you will have to go into isolation. However, it will not be in some hospital that will milk you for every penny that they can regardless of whether or not your insurance will pay and you will undoubtedly be given the chance for a 2nd PCR test to confirm.

Judging by the way that I was incorrectly swabbed for my PCR at my test and go hotel (I know this because I’ve undergone several at home over the last 2 years), if it had come back positive, I would have undoubtedly challenged it and possibly followed a similar path as the Israeli and got an independent PCR test elsewhere? However I do have with me a supply of highly accurate LFTs which are CE marked and independently verified to be 100% accurate in the infectious zone of CT<27. The results obtained from these obviously influencing any decisions made should this situation have arose.

4 hours ago, RmcaIssan said:

High class tourists go to Barbados and the likes ...Thailand will always be known for what it is ..

Exactly and by comparison, in Barbados it is instilled into the younger generation by the family elders, that if they look after the tourists and not try to rip them off for every dollar they can, they will all have a reasonable living? Even the hire cars all have registration plates prefixed with a H to denote that they are tourists, so that the locals can be patient with their driving and the police know to leave them well alone?

Just like to share my recent experience with the Thailand Pass application to possibly help any people who may be thinking about making the effort to go to Thailand in the forthcoming weeks?

After reading several stories from posters here and having a bit of a trial run with the TP website, I realised that getting your information prepared was the key.  I already had a fairly high definition pdf of the information page of my passport so this was not a problem.  If you or a friend have access to a photocopier that will scan to pdf or jpeg, I would advise this rather than trying to take photos.  They are only interested in the main info page, so if you have scanned the opposite page at the same time, I would advise cropping the scan just to show the main page using basic photo editing software that should be found on any computer.

Despite already having an annual travel insurance policy with £15m cover including Covid, I made the decision to pay the extra to get the Thai insurance to save any of the hassle that some of my friends were experiencing when trying to use their international policies for TP.  I went for the minimum $50000 cover with TuneProtect, it cost me about £60 for 30 days and I received the TP acceptable confirmation of cover letter almost immediately.  Whilst I was thinking of waiting a bit before booking the Test and Go hotel, in case the rules changed to my favour at the end of the month, I found a SHA Plus+ hotel on Agoda which offered free cancellation, so I opted to book this.  I made the booking last night and awoke this morning to find an email from them asking for a copy of my passport and my flight details?  I emailed them this and with 20 minutes I had the required confirmation letter and QR code.

I then started to prepare my information and despite the TP system allegedly now accepting PDFs, I chose to go with the original jpeg format.  I already had some free PDF tools on my laptop as part of the free PDFill software and I would advise downloading this if you don’t already have suitable software, in order to save using online PDF converters.  The confirmation of both my vaccine shots were contained on one letter from the NHS in the UK, so I converted this to a jpeg and also then cropped and renamed this twice to have jpegs of the QR codes for each of the vaccine confirmations as recommended by a previous poster.  I then converted all remaining information to jpeg format.

I then worked my way through the TP application online, adding all the information at the requested point and remembering to click the box to add the QR codes for each vaccination.  This took about 10-15 minutes and almost immediately upon clicking the submit button, I received a confirmation email that they had received my application.  8 minutes later I received another email stating that my application had been approved and enclosing the required QR code for entry.

So to summarise, all in all including preparing the information, submitting it and waiting for the confirmation it took less than an hour.  Admittedly I’m fairly tech savvy but if you pay attention to preparing all the information, it appears a lot less stressful.  Hope this helps?

17 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

"Frank" stresses out too much!  Maybe I was just lucky. Thai pass submitted 1st attempt on 1st Nov just 30 minutes after system live. Issued on 2nd Nov for flight on 3rd Nov arriving in Thailand 6am on 4th Nov. Very straightforward (although tedious following the "rules") but then I was lucky. Arrived BKK and was first off the plane and through Thai Pass check. 1 minute at immigration and stamped in. Pattaya hotel had staff waiting and private taxi a short while later. In hotel by 08:15am, PCR test and in room by 08:30am. Phone rang at 3:00pm to say Covid test negative. On beach by 4:30pm for sunset. This was before some hotels saw the scam opportunities. It would take a very determined tourist to bother with all this - I forgot to note the insurance and PCR test not more than 72hrs before departure too. What's the website address for Mensa application?   ????   

Do you mind me asking what hotel you used in Pattaya?  Cheers

52 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

TAT say Hotel has to be SHA++ now

 

"A confirmed payment for a 1-night stay at a SHA Extra Plus (SHA++)*  accommodation, and 1 RT-PCR test."

 

https://www.tatnews.org/2021/10/thailand-reopening-exemption-from-quarantine-test-go/

Logo on the one that I'm looking at is actually SHA Plus+, so not sure if this translates to the SHA++ you state?  Just checked the list referred to in that link you supplied and it's on there, so no problem.  It's just rather disturbing that instead of checking out how good the hotel reviews are, I'm spending more time checking out escape routes in case they try to scam me? ???? 

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

I think in ‘some cases’ (especially early on in the ‘Test and Go’) system some hotels were publicising themselves as ‘SHA+’ while not offering the PCR test or the Airport transfer. 

 

A lot of people were booking the SHA+ hotel, then getting stung for the extra costs of the PCR test and Airport tax on arrival. 

 

Or worse, ‘some people’ were booking an SHA+ hotel, then getting refused entry at Suvarnabumi because their package did not include a PCR test (which was then a whole mess to clear up). 

 

 

 

 

 

I've been checking them out on Agoda myself this morning as it looks like I'm going to have to book a 1 night package, unless something changes rapidly?  The ones that clearly state that the required PCR test, transport etc, all start at about £100.  However, there are some starting at about £58 that whilst they clearly state that they are SHA+ and display the logo, make no reference to the requisites?  I presume these are typical of the ones being described and whilst I would possibly expect it from a hotel link from some dodgy independent website, I would have expected a bit more from Agoda?  

Let’s be honest here, does anyone seriously think that he’s going to pay the $700 per course for your average Somchai when initially he wasn’t willing to pay $15 or less per shot for a decent vaccine? He’ll buy some for himself and his cronies to keep them happy and that will be it!

11 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Yes, boosters are now part of the plan, kind of like flu shot vaccines are required annually, and no one gets great distressed about that.

 

But, if you've been following the news lately, you'd find that Pfizer and Merck have just recently unveiled new anti-COVID pills that, while not yet approved by regulators, have shown very high levels of efficacy (up to 89% in trials) in preventing illness and death, similar to the better vaccines. So if those end up being approved for being both effective and safe, the whole process of protecting yourself and others may become a whole lot easier.

 

Also, for the record, people who have been fully vaccinated are MUCH LESS likely to contract the virus than those who are unvaccinated. And if the fully vaccinated person is one of the minority who does end up getting infected, their odds of having any serious medical issues are many times less likely than the comparable unvaccinated person.  That's what the medical science has shown.

 

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/pfizer-says-antiviral-pill-cuts-risk-severe-covid-19-by-89-2021-11-05/

 

Pfizer says its antiviral pill slashes risk of severe COVID-19 by 89%

 

"Nov 5 (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc's (PFE.N) experimental antiviral pill to treat COVID-19 cut by 89% the chance of hospitalization or death for adults at risk of severe disease, the company said on Friday, as its CEO vowed to make this promising new weapon in the fight against the pandemic available globally as quickly as possible.

 

The trial's results suggest that Pfizer's drug surpasses Merck & Co Inc's (MRK.N) pill, molnupiravir, which was shown last month to halve the chance of dying or being hospitalized for COVID-19 patients at high risk of serious illness.

 

Pfizer's pill, with the brand name Paxlovid, could secure U.S. regulatory approval by the end of the year. Pfizer said it plans to submit interim trial results to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before the Nov. 25 U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. The trial was stopped early due to its high success rate."

 

(more)

 

 

At about $700 a course compared to a $10-15 vaccine, it’s not easy to guess which will be the preferred option though?

21 hours ago, yaamclub said:

Hi, trying to find flight tickets to Thailand, checked flight ticket websites Expedia.com, AviaEasy.com, Cheaptickets.com, anymore suggestions to find cheap tickets?

Believe it or not but there’s not the abundance of flight choices out there that you would expect, mostly due to all the airlines running reduced schedules. They’re not really that cheap either? Be careful with your flight times too as you want to try to avoid landing too late in the day or you you’ll end up paying for a 2nd night in AQ which won’t make your flight that cheap after all? I can recommend Skyscanner. 

11 hours ago, NanaSomchai said:

Yawn. How's that Brexit thing going on for you?

Oh about 8% up against the euro over the last 10 months? Our inflation rate is about a quarter less as well?

On 8/28/2021 at 4:52 AM, Chris.B said:

The cost of quarantine in the UK at £228 per day is extortionate but typical of how the UK treats its citizens. ☹️

 

It’s costly IMHO but I’d say far from extortionate when you take into account that a Travelodge/Premier Inn will normally cost you close to £100/night in most UK cities or close to any UK airport. Add in 3 meals/day (where breakfast alone is about £15 in the above) and all the extra hygiene procedures/testing etc plus transfers and it soon adds up? I have to pay these rates when I have to travel with work so what makes you think that people who have traveled for leisure should be subsidised? It’s inconvenient but quite simple, don’t travel to a country that’s either already on the red list or has a good chance of making it to the red list unless you’re willing to pay these costs?

4 hours ago, Anton9 said:

Real cases are probably 4/5 times more than offical figures.

Around 40% positivity rate, Is there any other country with such a high percentage?

 

My thoughts exactly and have been since the start of the pandemic out there? When my Thai friends are reporting to me more cases of Covid that they know about than my friends here in the UK are, something is definitely amiss? Especially when we are still reporting a steady 30000 plus cases/day ourselves? The published mortality rate is also a dead giveaway IMHO, when you take into account that the UK only suffered a mortality rate of 0.5%, even when both confirmed infections and testing was at its highest?