Visiting US army chief agrees to make his Covid-19 swab test public

By The Nation

 

US army chief, General James C McConville, undergoes a Covid-19 swab test upon arrival on Thursday (June 9). Photo Credit: SMART Soldiers Strong ARMY Facebook page

 

The United States army chief, General James C McConville, arrived on Thursday (June 9) on a two-day trip at the invitation of the Army and has granted permission for the publication of the results of his Covid-19 swab test.

 

The general and his entourage landed at Don Mueang Airport at 10.15am after completing an official visit of Singapore. The Army’s guests had to undergo Covid-19 tests immediately upon arrival.

 

Army chief General Apirat Kongsompong was at hand to welcome his guests as well as provide information on preventive measures Thailand has been taking. This is the first group of government guests to arrive after the fifth phase of the easing of lockdown measures was announced.

 

The guests and Thai Army officials are required to strictly follow measures set by the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), including ensuring seats in all vehicles are partitioned and that they are cleaned and sanitised as per the guidelines.

 

The vehicles must also carry alcohol based sanitising gel and pads, waste bins for disposal, radio for communication with the drivers as well as a disinfectant spray for the driver to use to sanitise the vehicle.

 

If this system proves successful, the government will use it for future official visitors.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30391022

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-07-09

 

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Zombies at work.

“Photo Credit: SMART Soldiers Strong ARMY Facebook page”

... says enough about this bunch of *****

omg

So no fifteen-night quarantine?  Hmm.

29 minutes ago, torturedsole said:

So no fifteen-night quarantine?  Hmm.

I expect that he had been in quarantine and tested prior to arrival. Last thing they want is illness while on a trip. It is the protocol that all NATO countries to isolate troops before they are allowed to travel.

 

US military getting Covid testing upon arrival is not only a good diplomatic gesture but respectful of Thailand's successful efforts to minimize spread of the virus. 

 

7 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

I expect that he had been in quarantine and tested prior to arrival. Last thing they want is illness while on a trip. It is the protocol that all NATO countries to isolate troops before they are allowed to travel.

 

The Americans arrived in Thailand after a stop-dash visit to Singapore, almost certainly no quarantine/isolation from Singapore to here. Need to track back and see what Singapore's protocols are for testing diplomats on visits like this, and what swab testing is going to show upon immediate arrival in Thailand, well within the perceived incubation period for this virus.

 

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The guests and Thai Army officials are required to strictly follow measures set by the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), including ensuring seats in all vehicles are partitioned and that they are cleaned and sanitised as per the guidelines.

 

The vehicles must also carry alcohol based sanitising gel and pads, waste bins for disposal, radio for communication with the drivers as well as a disinfectant spray for the driver to use to sanitise the vehicle.

If the general or any of the other 8 people in the delegation are already infected, it doesn't really matter how clean or sanitised their transport is, it isn't going to kill the virus. Being a VIP doesn't make anyone exempt from contracting it.

 

Still, may not be a bad thing, ask heads of countries like our Boris (UK) what his hospital stay was like because he assumed the virus defined victims by status only. He certainly isn't the only 'head of state' that is arrogant enough to believe this. May the general have many successful meetings during his stay.

12 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

It is the protocol that all NATO countries to isolate troops before they are allowed to travel.

That's nice. So the Chief of Staff of the US Army is going to stay in his quarters at Ft Myers for 14 days in order to make a trip to Thailand?

Yeah, maybe the trip should have been conducted on Zoom. But, certainly the extra precautions in screening for corvid 19, as the General and his entourage entered Thailand, should have sufficed. Plus, from the other side, the General's very low chance of contracting the virus in Thailand certainly played a part in the decision to allow him to travel here.

Anyway, screw the generals. What's needed is the instantaneous test that will allow money-spending tourists to enter Thailand virus free. Then, we'll be on the road to recovery. Looking at the current situation of extra precautions needed, as in the case of VIPs, ain't going to get us to business-as-usual.

Was it free or did he as a farang have to pay?