Urgent Travel Advice Needed

[CNXBKKMAN]

If you are going to cancel wait until closer to the departure date. The ticket may be non refundable today as per the fare rules but due to virus situation the airline may announce a policy of waiving date change fees or allowing full refunds if you cancel. So if you are lucky you wont lose anything or can date change the ticket for a date months in the future. 

Edited February 8, 2020 by CNXBKKMAN
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[allanos]

I don't think we should trust any pronouncement whatsoever from the World Health Organisation, who misled us about the Ebola virus outbreak a few years ago. Their aim seems to be to avoid "panic", and therefore be pretty economical with the truth.

 

Similarly with China. We only hear what the Chinese Communist Party is prepared to tell us and its citizens about the seriousness of the outbreak.  My personal belief, based on common sense, is that we don't know the half of it.  Computer modelling would appear to show that the outbreak is more virulent and widespread than we are told.

 

Other governments, including in Thailand, seem to be taking as reasonable approach to containing the spread, as they can.  But I think it will be a number of weeks yet before we have a handle on containment, as new infections tail off.

[lensta]

Thailand now has 25 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, and its capital Bangkok is now considered the most at-risk city in the world outside of China for spread of the infection.

Edited February 9, 2020 by metisdead
Bold font removed.

[NeoDinosaw]

15 hours ago, losworld said:

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.

So Hua Hin is not a place to be avoided  ?

[Tony125]

19 hours ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

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...

Unless you can get a full refund just come , the situation is overblown and countries are NOT banning travel to Thailand ,refusing to fly to Thailand (as some airlines refuse to fly to China) or are quarintining persons who travel to Thailand unless they are showing flu symptoms.

No Travel Warning for Thailand: TAT fights back

 

 

Should you travel to Thailand with the threat of coronavirus?

 

Israel’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Friday afternoon, saying that “contrary to a number of media reports, a travel warning has not been issued so far for Thailand in connection with the spread of the coronavirus.”

 

Earlier the Tourism Authority of Thailand was fighting back. Dov Kalmann, head of Pita Marketing in Tel Aviv represents TAT and also the African Tourism Board in Israel. He forwarded a statement to eTurboNews saying:

 

Regarding the recent inaccurate news reports in some Israeli media about a possible issuance of a travel warning on Thailand by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel as a result of the World Health Organization (WHO)’s views on the situation in the country, the Royal Thai Embassy wishes to clarify as follows: 

 

Full story: https://www.eturbonews.com/542308/no-travel-warning-for-thailand-tat-fights-back/

 

eTurboNews: 2020-02-08

 

[ukrules]

18 hours ago, lensta said:

Thailand now has 25 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, and its capital Bangkok is now considered the most at-risk city in the world outside of China for spread of the infection.

Even more than Hong Kong?

[Kalasin Jo]

21 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

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.

Thai appear to have stopped all flights in and out of China, according to their website

[Lancashirelad]

To put things into perspective, there has, so far, only been one death outside of China. (In the Philippines - a 44 year old male who had been living in Wuhan)

[joebrown]

22 hours ago, neeray said:

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.

Most unlikely. The red carpet is only used for VIPs, ie all Chinese nationals.

[BritTim]

If worried about risks to your health in Thailand, I would be more worried about events like the shooting in Korat that just killed 12 people. No one has died from the coronavirus in Thailand. There have been no known cases of person to person transmission in Thailand except taxi drivers in en enclosed vehicle for long periods with Chinese visitors.

[Max69xl]

22 hours ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

is that because you are inside the country?

It might depend on where you're supposed to stay in Thailand. Imo,stay away from BKK and you'll be ok. 

[SteveK]

There are 32 confirmed cases of new coronavirus in Thailand. That equates to 0.000463% of the population.

 

Cancelling your ticket and losing $1000 on that basis would be pretty foolish IMHO. Go and have a great time.

 

You are many thousands of times more likely to be killed on Thai roads by inconsiderate and dangerous drivers. Plus if your airline stops flying to Thailand (extremely unlikely) they will almost certainly be forced to offer either a rescheduled flight or a refund.

Edited February 8, 2020 by SteveK

[whaleboneman]

forget about going to Thailand and get to the dentist!

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, Kalasin Jo said:

Thai appear to have stopped all flights in and out of China, according to their website

I have not read that Thai have stopped flights from China. Many countries have. 

I just tried to book Beijing to bkk. 

Right till payment. Seemed no problem.

All flights from China into Thailand should be stopped. Won't happen. Greed.

[Elkski]

As a person who flew through Shanghai dec 25 and Jan 21 on my return to USA  I c as n tell you the worry and dread you will  feel when you wait the 14 days after you return home is real and no fun.  My buddy whi picked me up at the airport was concerned.   As another poster said he wouldn't visit his grandkids for 14 days.  What will coworkers think of by then Thailand admits to 100 or 500 cases?  Thailand's current numbers report is very "suspect".  Suspected cases are over 500.  Buts it's been days.   But tests only take hours so Wztzf?  Do you really want to travel someplace whose air quality is over 150 and you need to wear masks? And there is the risk virus anytime you take a taxi.

[codebunny]

I've probably already had the virus, for most people it will come and go, and they will have had much worse ones in the past. News outlets are being typically irresponsible whipping up hysteria, but really, I see it more as a chance to get some discounts on travel.

[BritTim]

5 hours ago, Elkski said:

Suspected cases are over 500.  Buts it's been days.   But tests only take hours so Wztzf? 

An initial negative test is not taken as definitive especially if people are showing symptoms and/or have had close contact with those known to be positive. Most showing symptoms will turn out to have the common cold or seasonal flu, but only additional testing will eliminate the coronavirus.

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

On 2/7/2020 at 5:05 PM, ukrules said:

Post the link please

THE link is about britons who arrived from singapore.

sorry, my mistake, but same same :

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/coronavirus-uk-france-britons-latest-test-outbreak-virus-a9324681.html

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

17 hours ago, CNXBKKMAN said:

If you are going to cancel wait until closer to the departure date. The ticket may be non refundable today as per the fare rules but due to virus situation the airline may announce a policy of waiving date change fees or allowing full refunds if you cancel. So if you are lucky you wont lose anything or can date change the ticket for a date months in the future. 

good advice. this is also what my travel agent told me.

however, i dont care much about the money anymore, now that i am sure how bad it is,

and going to get worse.

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

12 hours ago, Tony125 said:

Unless you can get a full refund just come , the situation is overblown and countries are NOT banning travel to Thailand

countries did not ban flights to china either around 20 days ago, when i bougth this ticket.

nobody can tell what will happan within a week from now, this is a fast

moving virus and "novel" , means brand new type which cab't be predicted.

so full or part refund has nothing to do with my health, what was i thinking?

[Bugsy777]

It's a risk. You could die. How is your health right now? Are you past middle age? Put $1000 USD on one side of the ledger and your life on the other side. Does it balance?

[emptypockets]

3 hours ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

countries did not ban flights to china either around 20 days ago, when i bougth this ticket.

nobody can tell what will happan within a week from now, this is a fast

moving virus and "novel" , means brand new type which cab't be predicted.

so full or part refund has nothing to do with my health, what was i thinking?

If you are worried about your health, why did you consider travelling to SEA in the first place.

Stay home and go see a doctor

 A psychiatrist preferably.

[Don Mega]

Bout as much of a chance of getting shot in a shopping mall than catching the beer virus........................

[metisdead]

Posts using ALL CAPS have been removed as there is no need to SHOUT when posting.  

[Tony125]

5 hours ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

countries did not ban flights to china either around 20 days ago, when i bougth this ticket.

nobody can tell what will happan within a week from now, this is a fast

moving virus and "novel" , means brand new type which cab't be predicted.

so full or part refund has nothing to do with my health, what was i thinking?

Best for you to stay home, travel and  adventure is not for you. This virus will not disapear in 3 ---4 months. Viruses, terror attacks, shootings ,random assaults, HIV , car/plane accidents occur all around the world, there is no safe palce

Edited February 9, 2020 by Tony125

[NCC1701A]

On 2/7/2020 at 9:37 PM, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

that's why i am worried.

dude, you are always worried. love you, don't ever change.

 

 

[triffid]

there are two seperable aspects to this thread.  first, the risk to health of travel to thailand;   secondly the risk of difficulties being imposed in future by countries to which the op would aim to return.

 

personally, and on current information - if it's reliabile -  the risk to health may be small and perhaps can be kept to manageable levels. the vast majority of the comments above relate to this aspect.

 

but the second aspect, of unimpeded return to europe, would matter to me.  i wouldn't want to be barred, or face difficulties, or be quarantined when i try to return.  therefore until the uk and eu countries relax their current official caution on thailand i would postpone travel to thailand until the coronavirus situation eases.

 

[as an aside to the topic, i wonder what evidence there is of a material drop in european arrivals in thailand or of european residents going (or staying) away temporarily from thailand, or of reductions in flights or prices among airlines.]

[Isaanbiker]

Would I cancel my holiday in the US because there's a mass shooting?

 

Nope. If I were you, I'd enjoy my holiday, perhaps not travel to places where mostly Chinese tourists are.

 

  I don't think that I have a bigger risk now getting the Coronavirus. 

 

   

[Eindhoven]

On 2/7/2020 at 2:25 PM, UKresonant said:

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!

 

That's a good point. Have they now set up hand sanitiser at the biometric scanner points? If not, they will be actively spreading the disease.

They were none when I went through.

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

2 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

Would I cancel my holiday in the US because there's a mass shooting?

this relativity logic is twisted. first, experts don't know nothing about this virus, hence they call it

'novel". it can mutate aggresively and resist any immune system defences.

second, we don't know how mortal is this virus not only because we can't trust the chinese (some experts say the real number of deads from the virus is thousands and even tens of thousands) but also simply because most people who will die from the virus just got infected. it will take few more

weeks until the new infected will start dying, and than you will understand.

 and last, you can't compare a new threat to old known ones, like mass shooting / car acidents, ext. we 

allways must protect our lives according to the latest information available, and this virus is a new

situation that demands new precautions.

(and once you know and learned about a life risk, than you act accordingly. for example, i , and other thai people i know, never take any mini van taxi after i learned how angerous they are).