COVID-19: Thailand adds UK, USA and others to list of high risk countries - new “self-monitoring” measure for travellers

[saengd]

8 minutes ago, scorecard said:

For Australia (and all countries) I guess that really means, in simple terms, protecting oneself so the virus doesn't jump to you (mostly handwashing etc.), and social distancing.

 

 

I think it means sacrificing one part of the population for the greater good, Wuhan was locked down or contained in order that the rest of the country had time to prepare.

[Canuck1966]

1 hour ago, saengd said:

Containment.

 

"China says the trend proves that its containment measures — which include a lockdown on nearly 60 million people in Hubei and strict quarantine and travel restrictions for hundreds of millions of citizens and foreigners — are working. And it has begun trying to promote its efforts as successful in propaganda at home and abroad".

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/07/world/asia/china-coronavirus-cost.html

Yeh but as soon as the quarantine is lifted, the wild animals will be back on sale, dripping with all kinds of viruses, the snot rockets shooting in all directions and phlegm flying all over the pavement. 

Just depends how many are immune after the quarantine is lifted

The way they were dragging the sick away to die, tends to make me believe the ones left over never fell ill with the virus

That's why the UK is trying the herd immunity 

[stouricks]

17 hours ago, Canuck1966 said:

We've got Easter soon too. A lot of travelling and family functions!

May as well cancel Easter then, it's only based on a myth anyway.

And can you get Covid from chocolate bunnies?    555

[izod10]

Friend (quite a few years older) flew back to UK last Monday,with his Thai wife ,for holiday,plus have eye surgery on NHS (pre-booked),now cancelled

  Feels like he has gone back to die,alongside Thai wife,not equipped to deal with cold weather/ immunity,imprisoned in house

 

  all that invested money,especially big lottery winners,all of it virtually wiped out,even pensioners,the  money pot cannot be filled if nobody working,worlds a'changing place

 

Thailand tho,probably best place to be,hot sunshine,virus killer,stay away from swimming pools,especially damp changing rooms,sea/sand better,gawd were all gonna die eventually,but not like this

[skorp13]

Does Thailand really expect tourists to spend their entire holiday in their hotel rooms? Guess tourism hasn't hit rock bottom enough.

[ehs818]

I also have plans to fly to the US in June, connecting both times thru S Korea. With these new requirements, and God knows what the US might require upon my arrival, looks like I'm going to cancel my plans and remain here. There's (hopefully) always next year, or perhaps it'd be possible to go much later in the year!

[Emwalio]

Due to fly to BKK from the UK next weekend but its hard to keep up with these rules! I know things will change in the week but as of right now will i need a medical certificate or visa before arrival or both? 

[Trek800]

Can anyone share their experience in Suvarnhabhumi from today? Do they really check all of those things?

I have Flight from Vancouver to Bangkok with stop in Seoul at the end of the month. Right now Canada is not yet in a list, so I should be fine I hope. As I understand transit passengers dont need health certificate from the doctor.

[SuwadeeS]

Since the statement of the ministry of health,

I really hope that the Thai economy gets hit very hard,

and the Thai Baht ends up in a free fall. 

How can people ignore such a statement of a public figure?

 

Even the PM should have kicked him out right away.

[Salerno]

5 minutes ago, Emwalio said:

Due to fly to BKK from the UK next weekend but its hard to keep up with these rules! I know things will change in the week but as of right now will i need a medical certificate or visa before arrival or both? 

 

Neither. You will "have" to fill in a T8 but whether they take it from you (or even ask for it) currently is doubtful.

 

Officially (but not currently enforced nor does anyone know how it would be):

 

Travellers arriving from the countries with ongoing local transmission are required to be under observation (supervision without quarantine) in order to ensure self-monitoring for no less than 14 days until the end of the infectious period or the reason for suspicion.

• Travellers must record their own symptoms in the reporting system and monitor their symptoms strictly as required by the MOPH.
• The traveller must notify the disease control officer about the places he/she visits, so that a surveillance officer can closely monitor his/her movement and contacts.
• If a traveller feels sick or suspects that he/she has a fever accompanied by at least one of the symptoms; such as, cough, runny nose, sore throat, and shortness of breath within 14 days of arrival into Thailand, he/she must inform a disease control officer immediately upon the symptoms onset or upon suspecting illness to be tested, treated, clinically diagnosed, isolated or quarantined.

[Guderian]

At least they're doing something, even if it's the final nail in the tourism coffin.

[mrfill]

3 hours ago, scorecard said:

A question for the experts (only the experts):

 

We are told that the virus started many weeks ago in a market in Wuhan, China, then quickly many local people infected and deaths and at the same time it spread to many parts of China and to other countries (e.g. Sth. Korea).

 

But now we see that the new infections number in the original city and surrounding areas and all of China are decreasing every day and now down to very small single digit numbers.

 

Sure lots of people quarantined and therefore (hopefully) less spread of the virus.

 

But my question is why have the numbers decreased enormously in China down to small single digit numbers? Seems to me (my assumption) that in the early days, with little information, vast numbers of people (the original virus start point and surrounding geography is very densely populated) would have been getting on with their daily activities and to some extend not that well informed, especially in the early days, I repeat my question, why did the total number of infections fall so much and so quickly?

 

Further. does the data suggest that the same big and quick reductions in new infections will happen in Italy, Sth. Korea, and in fact every country?

 

All information very welcome.

It seem to be fading in S Korea

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/south-korea-covid-19-reports-107-new-coronavirus-cases-12538008

[saengd]

1 minute ago, mrfill said:

It seem to be fading in S Korea

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/south-korea-covid-19-reports-107-new-coronavirus-cases-12538008

The word fading might just be a tad strong for what's really happening!

 

 

[justin case]

a nice clear message for people with non-o that have to leave the country would be nice, as in : you can stay here, no need to fly to re-activate your 90 days, but I guess that would be too much or normal thinking

[metisdead]

Some troll posts and replies have been removed. 

[Emwalio]

12 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 

Neither. You will "have" to fill in a T8 but whether they take it from you (or even ask for it) currently is doubtful.

 

Officially (but not currently enforced nor does anyone know how it would be):

 

Travellers arriving from the countries with ongoing local transmission are required to be under observation (supervision without quarantine) in order to ensure self-monitoring for no less than 14 days until the end of the infectious period or the reason for suspicion.

• Travellers must record their own symptoms in the reporting system and monitor their symptoms strictly as required by the MOPH.
• The traveller must notify the disease control officer about the places he/she visits, so that a surveillance officer can closely monitor his/her movement and contacts.
• If a traveller feels sick or suspects that he/she has a fever accompanied by at least one of the symptoms; such as, cough, runny nose, sore throat, and shortness of breath within 14 days of arrival into Thailand, he/she must inform a disease control officer immediately upon the symptoms onset or upon suspecting illness to be tested, treated, clinically diagnosed, isolated or quarantined.

I am a little behind on everything sorry as i am new to the forum i have been to Thailand a few times already and not sure what a T8 form is? And how would you go about notifying the disease control officer in the first place? Via application, email or over the phone?

[Mattd]

In answer to those that have asked if they are holding a passport of one of the countries in the list, would they be subject to the restrictions if coming from for example Malaysia or another country that is not currently on the list, then no you would not be subject to any of the self checking etc. UNLESS you have visited one of the countries on the list within the past 14 days.

The instructions are very clear, it states coming from, so would apply for any Nationality who has arrived from the countries on the list, including Thais.

[TheFishman1]

 I really don’t think this is going to help at all TIT

[Salerno]

8 minutes ago, Emwalio said:

I am a little behind on everything sorry as i am new to the forum i have been to Thailand a few times already and not sure what a T8 form is?

Have a quick look through this thread. There's an app but you can download the form from here to fill in prior instead of installing a "spy" app.

 

8 minutes ago, Emwalio said:

And how would you go about notifying the disease control officer in the first place? Via application, email or over the phone?

That's the $64,000 question. Last I read they where still working that out.

 

All reports I've read so far have said nothing has actually changed other than for those from the really dodgy areas. People have been handed back the T8 or not asked for it. Like you said though, in a weeks time who knows.

Edited March 15, 2020 by Salerno

[DoctorG]

BREAKING NEWS:

ScoMo has just announced that ALL arrivals into Australia will be required to go into self isolation for 14 days. Same as NZ.

[LukKrueng]

19 hours ago, keith101 said:

People will just stop coming and the economy will hit a new rock bottom so maybe all countries should close their borders except for there own citizens returning home .

As it is now most airlines have reduced or completely stopped flights to many destinations. If all countries close borders there will be no more flights and no one will be able to return home.....

[Mattd]

Apart from the obvious health concerns, I think one of the most concerning parts of this virus is the economic impact it is going to have on each and everyone of us, which at the current rate is going to be devastating on the world as whole.

Airlines are going to suffer enormously, with the knock on effect for airports and the service / supply industry involved there.

We could be in for a seriously bad recession like no one alive has ever experienced that may take decades to recover from.

[cubism001]

https://ddc.moph.go.th/viralpneumonia/eng/index.php  This does make sense after reading it 3-5 times. Scroll down then Look to the right side of the chart, with USA & UK at the bottom.  

[lemonjelly]

Off to Penang, will the border still be open next week, will I be stranded in Penang? Thank the heavens it’s not Kota Bharu anyway, catching cvd19 there would be a double whammy.

[The Alien]

This is all BS! Yesterday my friend landed from Zurich and came through immigration and custom within 15 mins. No health check and nobody asking to download App. 
The authorities keep announcing new rules daily but it’s all only on TV and newspapers.  

[ChipButty]

Stop worrying millions of tourist arrive next month in Thailand

Edited March 15, 2020 by ChipButty

[TTSIssues]

I still don’t really understand this: I am a UK citizen, a HK Permanent resident but have been in Singapore for the last two weeks. 
 

So can I come back to Thailand? It says HK travellers need a visa, but I am not on an HK passport. UK travellers need to self quarantine but I haven’t been in UK for nearly a year. Doesn’t say anything about Singapore but I am only a tourists here.
 

I guess the only way is to go to the consulate and ask, or book a ticket and see what happens. Anyone able to understand this better than me?

 

Many thanks !

Edited March 15, 2020 by TTSIssues

[ThailandRyan]

12 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Stop worrying millions of tourist arrive next month in Thailand

An I am the Pope......no ones travelling and TATS numbers will still show a huge increase.....

[Salerno]

9 minutes ago, TTSIssues said:

Anyone able to understand this better than me?

You're coming from Singapore where you've been for 2 weeks = just fill in a T8 just in case. No other restrictions apply.

[wensiensheng]

• Travellers must record their own symptoms in the reporting system and monitor their symptoms strictly as required by health authority.

 

 

hmm, what is this “reporting system”? Is it easy to obtain, operate and more importantly is the data robustly monitored?