Urgent Travel Advice Needed

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

I just bougth a flight ticket to thailand. i fully paid for it two weeks ago, just

days before the news about the virus broke out.

now i am not sure anymore if it is a good idea to fly to Thailand, nut if i cancell this ticket i lose 1000 USD. 

i hear on the news today that U.K. and other weswtern countries are asking travelers from

Thailand, japan, hong kong, ext. to watch themselves. maybe a travel ban will follow soon.

what do you think? should i cancell this ticket to thailand, lose 1000 USD and wait few months

until the virus will fade away?

[ukrules]

Do you feel lucky? Does your travel insurance cover epidemics / pandemics?

[KC 71]

I wouldn't bother canceling myself.

but i don't think it is going to disappear quickly.

[ubonjoe]

That is a personal decision.

I would not be worried about traveling to here if I was outside the country.

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

That is a personal decision.

I would not be worried about traveling to here if I was outside the country.

is that because you are inside the country?

[neeray]

I think you're safe to travel but depending what unfolds in the next few weeks, your return to home country may get a little complicated. Maybe you'll be given a second, but mandatory vacation, of two weeks known as "isolation".

 

Have a great worry free holiday. Maybe Thailand will roll out the red carpet for you.

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

is that because you are inside the country?

No

It is based upon what I know about the situation here. Best to ignore all the scaremongering that some people are writing about it.

[DrJack54]

12 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Do you feel lucky? Does your travel insurance cover epidemics / pandemics?

No it does not.

Both from travel providers and private travel insurance.

[gk10002000]

I personally would not worry about it.  A less crowded Pattaya to me would be quite enjoyable.   But one concern might be what airports are you transiting through? LAX to Taipei?  Or some other USA airport through Japan then to Bangkok?  If you have a flight from the USA connecting through China, say Cathay (often Hong Kong connection) or China Eastern or others that go through Pudong or other Chinese cities, then I might be concerned because you may get caught up in some delays, cancellations, or even quarantine issues.  Oh and if you believe the latest rant from some health minister who says any foreigner that does not wear a face mask should be kicked out of Thailand.... well, do you want to wear such a basically useless mask all the time on your trip?  Will everybody in Thailand actually be wearing them?  If so, it might lessen the pretty faces you will see.  Will the girls in the gogos be wearing masks or do these people think masks are only to be worn when outside? 

Edited February 7, 2020 by gk10002000

[sammieuk1]

If you cant hire a private jet to a private island then there is no sense in worrying what could kill you here that's everything and anything at any time often mysteriously and is more likely than bat flu????

[Puchaiyank]

Use your ticket...then go on to another SEA country to vacation...

[UKresonant]

We'll have to sit in the house for 2 weeks  perhaps when we go back to the UK in March if we have got any kinda cold symptoms.

I think a slow immigration lane, is the màin risk point coming here. I'm sure you will be through in under the 15min  virus transmission window ????, A bottle of hand sanitiser in the carry on bag, for after the finger prints.

Like Joe says, no problem coming here at the moment. Just arrived 8 days ago...

But when I go back, I won't see the new Grandson for 14 days, just in case!

Edited February 7, 2020 by UKresonant

[ubonjoe]

Not visa related so moving to the travel forum.

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

Just now, Puchaiyank said:

Use your ticket...then go on to another SEA country to vacation...

all SEA countries are now under special warning from the UK and EU.

this started today, and it means that all travellers arrving from SEA countires, incl. 

thailand of course, are requested to stay at home for two weeks and to run

to the hospital, with previous warning, if they show any symptom of cold.

this makes me wonder what is it that the governments of those respected 

countries know, which the media do not tell us.

i did'nt panick at first, hence i bougth the ticket, but now it seems riskier...

[DrJack54]

It's an unfolding situation. OP, I would continue with your travel plans to Thailand 

My concern is that Thailand has not stopped flights from China. (is that still the case?) MANY countries have. Too many to list.

If things go south in Thailand (personally think not) then travel could be restricted.

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

t's an unfolding situation

indeed, an unfolding situation, diplomatically said. that's why i am worried.

some experts say the pandemic should peak within 2 months and some say

it is the feared X-VIRUS that might kill half humanity...i difinately do not want to be in

thailand when this hits the fan...or when the governemnt decide to build

concentration camps for those farang who don't wear masks...

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

indeed, an unfolding situation, diplomatically said. that's why i am worried.

some experts say the pandemic should peak within 2 months and some say

it is the feared X-VIRUS that might kill half humanity...i difinately do not want to be in

thailand when this hits the fan...or when the governemnt decide to build

concentration camps for those farang who don't wear masks...

Chill man. This is just another virus. It will be (hopefully) similar to MERS and SARS.

Will peak. The time frame is the question.

Reading situation about folk on the cruise ships (thinking currently 2) is very sad. Personally think that's being mismanaged. Easy to chuck criticism.

Personally I would continue with travel plans anyone has, obviously with exception of China and HK.

Thailand also comprising itself.

[KhunBENQ]

26 minutes ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

some experts say the pandemic should peak within 2 months and some say

it is the feared X-VIRUS that might kill half humanity...

What sources do you study?

You need a change.

The conspiracy theories are uncountable.

 

[BritTim]

Based on what we know so far, I would say your main consideration (if worried about death from your trip) is the risk of an accident during your transfer to the airport. People are notoriously bad at evaluating risk. The chance of contracting the coronavirus (unless you visit China) is very low, and you run probably about a 2% risk of death should you become infected. Your death from the seasonal flu this year is much higher. That said, do make sure you have travel insurance, just in case.

[worgeordie]

It's probably going to end up where you are now,you should be more worried

about getting killed on the roads here,you know that as you have been to

Thailand before. 

regards worgeordie

 

[Leaver]

58 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It is based upon what I know about the situation here.

But we only know what the Thai's allow us to know, which could be far from the truth.

[Leaver]

12 minutes ago, BritTim said:

I would say your main consideration (if worried about death from your trip) is the risk of an accident during your transfer to the airport.

Many are focusing on death, which is obviously the most extreme concern.

 

What about canceled flights, re-entry to your home country, travel insurance, quarantining and time off work etc?  Sure, all these pale into insignificance when compared to contracting the disease and becoming extremely sick, or dying, but they must be considered when planning a holiday here in the near future. 

[poohy]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

That is a personal decision.

I would not be worried about traveling to here if I was outside the country.

No

It is based upon what I know about the situation here. Best to ignore all the scaremongering that some people are writing about it.

Ahem!

You know what the thai government's is telling you  do you really believe that, you should know better

The only thing that is straight about the government is their hair

Edited February 7, 2020 by poohy

[lemonjelly]

Hmmmm, pandemic of a very nasty new virus, should you go on holiday to a country that’s in the top 3 probability of getting a major outbreak and has a flakey health system..... tough one.  Syria is nice they say.

Edited February 7, 2020 by lemonjelly

[jimn]

In heavens name man, get yourself over here and stop being a wimp. There are no issues over here.

[losworld]

I think it depends where you are going.  I would avoid major tourist areas and try to find an area not frequented by tourists and particularly chinese toruists.  I would travel parts of Isaan or southern Thailand but l would avoid phuket, bangkok, pattaya, krabi, chiang mai, koh chang, koh samui.  And I would definitely not fly with a Chinese carrier and a transfer through China.  The plane may be more worrisome than when you land.  Nothing against the Chinese just this could be a dangerous virus we will know more in a few weeks.

Edited February 7, 2020 by losworld

[Gweiloman]

According to many posters and the many threads, Thailand is extremely high risk. The second highest risk after China in fact (TVF fact). Just consider the risks:

- long queues at immigration upon arrival. You will be standing next to lots of Chinese who are being welcomed here with open arms by the Thai government. 
- no hand sanitizers at the immigration desk. You are required to scan all 8 fingers and both thumbs. There would be thousands of Chinese prints on the scanners before you 

- taxi drivers could also be TB carriers on top of having contracted CV

- no one wears masks so if you happen to pass with 2-3 metres of an infected person, you also risk contracting the virus

- this is a 3rd world banana republic country. How good can the medical facilities be?

- unless you are going to Nakhon Nowhere, you will be surrounded by lots of people. Some of them may have recently been in Singapore or Malaysia or Hkg or Taiwan or Korea or Japan or Macau or PI. 
- Thailand has officially disclosed 25 confirmed cases but TVF experts conclude that the real figure is in the hundreds if not thousands. 
 

Considering the above, is your health worth $1,000?

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

1 hour ago, Gweiloman said:

According to many posters and the many threads, Thailand is extremely high risk. The second highest risk after China in fact (TVF fact). Just consider the risks:

- long queues at immigration upon arrival. You will be standing next to lots of Chinese who are being welcomed here with open arms by the Thai government. 
- no hand sanitizers at the immigration desk. You are required to scan all 8 fingers and both thumbs. There would be thousands of Chinese prints on the scanners before you 

- taxi drivers could also be TB carriers on top of having contracted CV

- no one wears masks so if you happen to pass with 2-3 metres of an infected person, you also risk contracting the virus

- this is a 3rd world banana republic country. How good can the medical facilities be?

- unless you are going to Nakhon Nowhere, you will be surrounded by lots of people. Some of them may have recently been in Singapore or Malaysia or Hkg or Taiwan or Korea or Japan or Macau or PI. 
- Thailand has officially disclosed 25 confirmed cases but TVF experts conclude that the real figure is in the hundreds if not thousands. 
 

Considering the above, is your health worth $1,000?

exactly that. i am going to cancell my flight.

today i went to my travel agent and they told me swiss air will consider full refund, if

thailand is getting into their official risk zone, which is changing all the time.

 

and just now i read about traveller who returned from thailand to a western country, and found carrying the corona virus. this is not fake news. i can provide a link.

 

so you see, there is a lot they don't tell us, or that they just don't know. i do not mean to put you down

and i understand the psycholigical defense mechanism neeeded here, but the truth is that thailand

is not in high risk for the corona virus.

 

and for me the risk is not death itself, but the very stress of getting this or that virus. i am usualy healthy, thanks G, but i know the stress and horrible worrying that are involved with just waiting to be diagnosed with infection. even if i have 98% chance to survive (which is also not sure) than i will carry the trauma

for ever , and that's indeed not worth 1000$, not even 1000 US $ !! 

[ukrules]

48 minutes ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

and just now i read about traveller who returned from thailand to a western country, and found carrying the corona virus. this is not fake news. i can provide a link.

Post the link please

[MikeyScars]

9 hours ago, ukrules said:

Post the link please

 

Edited February 8, 2020 by MikeyScars