Covid-19: Foreigner fined 20K for breaking quarantine - health certificate didn't help him; Thais warned they are next

[webfact]

Covid-19: Foreigner fined 20K for breaking quarantine - health certificate didn't help him; Thais warned they are next

 

Picture: Daily News

 

The governor of Buriram province in north eastern Thailand announced that a foreign man back visiting his wife from one of the four countries on a risk list has been fined 20,000 baht for not properly quarantining for 14 days. 

 

Even though the foreigner said he stayed in his rental car and had a health certificate from his country that didn't save him.

 

Now the governor and medical staff in the province have warned that Thais back from Bangkok - now considered a risky area itself - face 20,000 baht fines for not going into quarantine. 

 

The foreigner in the Daily News story was not named and his nationality was not given - he was from either Italy, Iran, China or South Korea. 

 

Residents of the Jira Nakhon housing estate had complained about the foreigner breaking quarantine after he arrived to visit his wife. 

 

The foreigner accepted that he had been out but said he had not got out of the car.

 

The "Buriram Healthy Passport" application showed his movements.

 

Governor Thatchakorn Hatthathayakul said he arrived at Suvarnabhumi at 9am on the 19th of March. 

 

He then went to Pattaya for a night where he rented a car. 

 

Next day he left Pattaya at 6 am and drove to Buriram arriving at 1 pm. He stayed at the apartment of his wife. 

 

He went out in the evenings and on the 22nd went out but did not get out of the car. 

 

All this amounted to not following the terms of his quarantine. Even though he had a health certificate from the country where he began his journey that was not sufficient to save him from being fined 20,000 baht. 

 

The governor said he was sorry to foreigners that these had to be his measures in the circumstances; people who own places like hotels who do not report quarantine infractions will be similarly fined. 

 

He went further: Thais returning from Bangkok and surrounding provinces (known as Phuttamonthon) must observe a 14 day quarantine when going to Buriram or they too will be fined 20,000 baht. 

 

Dr Withit Saritdeechaikul who was also present at the meeting at Muang Buriram police station echoed these statements. 

 

He described Bangkok and surrounding areas as a danger area and people returning would be fined 20,000 baht for breaking quarantine under Article 34.

 

He further stressed that health certificates were of no use. 

 

Thaivisa notes that tens of thousands of Thais and migrant workers have been leaving Bangkok - many on crowded buses and trains - after much of the city was effectively locked down. 

 

The crowds have been heading for hometowns in the provinces and borders. 

 

Source: Daily News

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-03-24

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[Boomer6969]

Fair enough.

 

Just wonder, what he's been up to during the night in Pattaya. Imagine he was positive! 20k is very reasonable price for irresponsibility.

Edited March 24, 2020 by Boomer6969

[ThreeEyedRaven]

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thais returning from Bangkok and surrounding provinces (known as Phuttamonthon) must observe a 14 day quarantine when going to Buriram or they too will be fined 20,000 baht. 

And the people who have left Bangkok to go home are responsible enough to self quarantine themselves are they? I will believe that they will all get a 20,000 fine, when they go out having fun, rather than 500 and a wai, when I see it.

[unamazedloso]

punish foriegners first and thais second or maybe....

Anyway, people do the right thing. Just been watching videos of people suffering in hospital. It aint pretty to say the least. Stay safe, be smart, stay at home as much as possible.

[BigBadGeordie]

I recently returned from a trip to Pattaya to Buriram. I have been under self isolation since 19 March.

Registered on the app and temp checked twice a day.

Bit bored, but when I look at the fantastic job being done by health care workers on the TV and all I have to do is sit on my <deleted> and do nothing, it puts it all into perspective.

[darksidedog]

41 minutes ago, webfact said:

The "Buriram Healthy Passport" application showed his movements.

And I am sure that every one of the tens of thousands jumping on buses out of Bangkok yesterday were faithfully loaded into this system too, right? It is too much to hope for that none of those leaving were infected and laughable to think that all of them will self quarantine, but I suspect very few fines, if any, will be levied on any of them, especially not 20,000 a hit.

[Moonlover]

Our Phoo Ya Ban has made it very clear apparently. Anyone returning from the infected areas must go into self isolation.

 

And we won't be needing any officials to police it. She seems to have put the proverbial 'fear of god' into the villagers to ensure compliance. Policing will come from within.

[WineOh]

any excuse for a quick palm greaser, eh boys? ????

[The Farang]

6 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Our Phoo Ya Ban has made it very clear apparently. Anyone returning from the infected areas must go into self isolation.

 

And we won't be needing any officials to police it. She seems to have put the proverbial 'fear of god' into the villagers to ensure compliance. Policing will come from within.

They get paid to snitch on foreigner's.  What's the number to call again? 1179?

[Matzzon]

If they really had been looking and registering all Thais that has been coming back to Buriram the last 3 days from Bangkok, they easily would have been having a minimum of 10 to fine. Instead they choose to fine a foreigner. Shameful behaviour. If they said they fined 10 Thais and 1 foreigner, then I wouldn´t say anything, but this is just for show.

Not saying that he was right to go out. He should pay a fine, but so should a guaranteed minimum of 10 Thais in Buriram too. Not a chance they have total control over that. As I say, shameful and racist behaviour.

[KeeTua]

"He then went to Pattaya for a night where he rented a car."

 

The 20K fine might be less painful than having to explain to the wife why he spent a night in Pattaya.

[from the home of CC]

good. The same will happen in Canada shortly also due to morons not caring about anybody but their own selfish interests. Other countries are also hinting at this due to their citizens displaying their sub IQ's also..

[EricTh]

The risk list is not 4 countries but 8 countries with Korea at the bottom.

 

Switzerland will exceed Korea soon.

 

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

 

The governor's info is outdated.

Edited March 24, 2020 by EricTh

[Ian Nagle]

53 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

Fair enough.

 

Just wonder, what he's been up to during the night in Pattaya. Imagine he was positive! 20k is very reasonable price for irresponsibility.

What about if you don't have 20k. I can't see many Thais having that kind of money. All things considered feels like a Police shakedown.

[Moonlover]

1 minute ago, 4MyEgo said:

I have been dreading the Songkran period this year, this one is going to be the one to remember, what those numbers rise, sorry to say.

You won't be remembering this one pal. It's been postponed and I suspect it will probably be cancelled altogether.

[MJCM]

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

Our Phoo Ya Ban has made it very clear apparently. Anyone returning from the infected areas must go into self isolation.

 

And we won't be needing any officials to police it. She seems to have put the proverbial 'fear of god' into the villagers to ensure compliance. Policing will come from within.

You are lucky that you have a good Phoo Yai Baan.

 

Won't say anything about ours ????

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, The Farang said:

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

Our Phoo Ya Ban has made it very clear apparently. Anyone returning from the infected areas must go into self isolation.

 

And we won't be needing any officials to police it. She seems to have put the proverbial 'fear of god' into the villagers to ensure compliance. Policing will come from within.

 

1 hour ago, The Farang said:

They get paid to snitch on foreigner's.  What's the number to call again? 1179?

The relevance being what exactly?

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, from the home of CC said:

good. The same will happen in Canada shortly also due to morons not caring about anybody but their own selfish interests. Other countries are also hinting at this due to their citizens displaying their sub IQ's also..

The PM in the UK has been lambasting citizens for ignoring these common sense rules about 'social distancing'. Just yesterday I watched a video of the hoards of people visiting the Snowdonia national park in north Wales.

 

I would agree that getting out for some fresh air and exercise makes sense, I do it every morning. But not all heading for the same place!

[thedemon]

From South Korea according to Richard Barrow's tweet.

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

You won't be remembering this one pal. It's been postponed and I suspect it will probably be cancelled altogether.

Yes aware of Songkran being cancelled, however I was referring to the "Songkran period", as people are still returning to their villages to visit family, many people having no work from companies/factories/businesses closing. 

 

In our village alone we counted at least 20 vehicles with Bangkok car number plates over the last two days, that said, I read people were leaving in their droves on buses and trains before the shutting down of Bangkok, so if anyone has the virus has driven to their village or been on a bus/train, watch those numbers spiral over the next few weeks.

[Matzzon]

2 hours ago, KeeTua said:

"He then went to Pattaya for a night where he rented a car."

 

The 20K fine might be less painful than having to explain to the wife why he spent a night in Pattaya.

Have you ever though about that he might have friends he know in Pattaya? Maybe he was tired after travelling?

I am not saying that he didn´t do anything wrong, but there are actually people that are not cheating their wife. Just saying it´s bad to drag everyone down just because you have first hand experience.

[Chazar]

When I was in Global House the  other day the  staff were  still  all huddled together, one pair were mock  bumming each other.I  kid you  not, meanwhile local Tesco has decided to stick a waste  of time heat sensor  test on entry.............I  declined and left the tester  looked startled as this meant I was  within 2 cm of the testers  hand and  he may well be infected so no thanks, then on my way back passed  many motorbikes many with a mask on,  but of  course no  helmet, everyone  knows the risk from Covid  19 is way wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy  higher than splitting  your head open and dying  on the road here............4  deaths  now and just a  paltry 65+  a  day on the roads.....you  know it  makes  sense

[4MyEgo]

6 minutes ago, Chazar said:

When I was in Global House the  other day the  staff were  still  all huddled together, one pair were mock  bumming each other.I  kid you  not, meanwhile local Tesco has decided to stick a waste  of time heat sensor  test on entry.............I  declined and left the tester  looked startled as this meant I was  within 2 cm of the testers  hand and  he may well be infected so no thanks, then on my way back passed  many motorbikes many with a mask on,  but of  course no  helmet, everyone  knows the risk from Covid  19 is way wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy  higher than splitting  your head open and dying  on the road here............4  deaths  now and just a  paltry 65+  a  day on the roads.....you  know it  makes  sense

I think the problem most people don't understand here is that they really don't know what most health experts fear and I say that because they don't go about saying what that is, because they don't want to create fear and panic, albeit one or two might have opened their mouths, and that is, the influenza is a human virus and our immune system does recognise these viruses and will do their best to fight the virus back, those strong enough win, those not strong enough may die and believe you me a lot die every year from the (human virus) influenza.

 

The above said the Covid-19 is a virus which infects animals, which has made its way into humans and our immune systems cannot fight it because our immune systems doesn't recognise the virus attacking, albeit some people have minor symptoms, others die, there is no real reason or explanation for this at the moment, however what they are worried about is it mutating, as I believe it has already done so, e.g. Italy has one strain and other countries have another strain, with Italy coming off worse with the strain that it has, now if this virus mutates again, this will be a  whole new ball game that we are not prepared for.

 

Nothing to do with helmets, people dying from lack of helmets etc etc so I wouldn't worry about others, just protect yourself best you can and avoid being in close contact with others until they can jab this MF sooner than later because, as I said, it it mutates again, who knows what part of the human body it will attack and how much more sever will the virus attach, most probably a lethal attack on everyone that comes in contact with it ?

[bender92]

3 hours ago, unamazedloso said:

punish foriegners first and thais second or maybe....

Anyway, people do the right thing. Just been watching videos of people suffering in hospital. It aint pretty to say the least. Stay safe, be smart, stay at home as much as possible.

I'm  going to the food courts as long as they're open.

[Aland]

13 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

I think the problem most people don't understand here is that they really don't know what most health experts fear and I say that because they don't go about saying what that is, because they don't want to create fear and panic, albeit one or two might have opened their mouths, and that is, the influenza is a human virus and our immune system does recognise these viruses and will do their best to fight the virus back, those strong enough win, those not strong enough may die and believe you me a lot die every year from the (human virus) influenza.

 

The above said the Covid-19 is a virus which infects animals, which has made its way into humans and our immune systems cannot fight it because our immune systems doesn't recognise the virus attacking, albeit some people have minor symptoms, others die, there is no real reason or explanation for this at the moment, however what they are worried about is it mutating, as I believe it has already done so, e.g. Italy has one strain and other countries have another strain, with Italy coming off worse with the strain that it has, now if this virus mutates again, this will be a  whole new ball game that we are not prepared for.

 

Nothing to do with helmets, people dying from lack of helmets etc etc so I wouldn't worry about others, just protect yourself best you can and avoid being in close contact with others until they can jab this MF sooner than later because, as I said, it it mutates again, who knows what part of the human body it will attack and how much more sever will the virus attach, most probably a lethal attack on everyone that comes in contact with it ?

https://swprs.org/a-swiss-doctor-on-covid-19/

[OnTheRun]

3 hours ago, unamazedloso said:

punish foriegners first and thais second or maybe....

Anyway, people do the right thing. Just been watching videos of people suffering in hospital. It aint pretty to say the least. Stay safe, be smart, stay at home as much as possible.

Sound advice

[Skallywag]

No one questions why anyone would marry a foreigner and not live with them?

Come on people. 

People who treat marriages here in LOS like a long time bar girl situation are unwanted and unwelcome IMO 

You either stay free and partake in freelancers/GFs or you marry and settle down.

You want both, good luck with that.

[Kerryd]

So travel between the provinces is still OK (for Thais) so long as they "self quarantine" when they get home ?

I've been told (by some Thais) that they are not allowed to travel home to Sa Kaeo province. They went to Lop Buri last week and say they've been told they can't leave now.

[Jip99]

4 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

So travel between the provinces is still OK (for Thais) so long as they "self quarantine" when they get home ?

I've been told (by some Thais) that they are not allowed to travel home to Sa Kaeo province. They went to Lop Buri last week and say they've been told they can't leave now.

I know a Thai who traveled from Pattaya to Sa Kaeo 2 days ago - no problems.

 

How can they be stopped? There are no road blocks to my knowledge.

[Kerryd]

7 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

I know a Thai who traveled from Pattaya to Sa Kaeo 2 days ago - no problems.

 

How can they be stopped? There are no road blocks to my knowledge.

Yeah, I think she's pulling my leg. I should hop on the bike and ride to her home just for giggles and to see the look on her face.