Covid-19: "Necessary" app to trace foreign tourists mooted for October

[Albert Zweistein]

16 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Contact tracing involves ‘everyone being tracked’

 

Thus: IF this suggestion is to work, it only works if ‘everyone' has an App on their phone which traces their movement. 

 

What will happen - everyone deletes the app from their phone !!!

 

 

Ultimately, IF Thailand wants Tourists they have to be treated with far more respect than the current sanctimonious ‘we can’t have them doing that’ suggestions. 

 

The current suggestion imply an upside-down mentality of the decision makers, that tourists are privileged to come to Thailand and not a mentality that Thailand is privilege to receive tourists. 

 

 

A Pre-Flight Covid-19 test (with a negative result) for every visitor to Thailand should be sufficient. 

If Thailand doesn’t trust that, test upon arrival should add an additional level of measure - from there on in the TM6 card and TM30 (reported by the hotels) should be sufficient to track any positive cases if necessary.

 

The objectives ’should’ be to keep the economy moving while maintaining the replication rate of the virus below R1. 

 

Thailands continued attempts at zero domestic cases is killing its own economy. 

 

 

 

 

 

I have started to doubt the zero domestic cases.

[oompie69]

Solution. Buy a cheapie and "lose" it somewhere. 

[chaihot]

2 hours ago, Winniej said:

There will be no way they will have an app ready in October unless it’s copied from someone else . Who is going to go on a holiday in the  next 6 months even if you can get out of your country which I think will be nearly impossible then come back  for two weeks isolation . I for one and I’m not the only one wouldn’t go on a plane load of people even if the holiday was free . 

There are two questions I have ... 

1.  Who is going to fly right now? and

2.  HOW are they going to fly?  HOW are they going to get into Thailand?

 

There is a pilot that I follow on social media.  He is a "plane repo" guy for when airlines say they are surrendering planes.  It took him 3 full days to get from LA to Malaysia; and that included a private charter from Phnom Penh to Malasia.  This was last week. 

 

How is the average person going to get to Thailand right now -- and at what cost?

[Robin]

Tracking App on their phones and Elite Visa holders only.  Making it very clear that only rich tourists are welcome now.  

At least we now know where we stand with the Junta.

has this lot never hear of the old Burmese currency scam?  when you arrive you have o change so many $$$ into Baht which cannot be changed back when you leave, so your minimum send is dictated by the Government.

Medical insurance must b bought on arrival?  

Visa fees increased 20x  

All this is guaranteed to increase tourism.

 

There will have to be a special concession for Chinese.

 

NB Any mobile phone can be tracked, as the network always knows which tower it is 'talking' to.   I can just see every arrival willing giving up their mobile number so hey can be tracked.  And what of those who 'make a mistake' when filling in their new arrivals form that require their mobile number?

[Robin]

Can someone please explain how tracking tourists will control Covid infections?

Will the App sound an alarm when the phone goes near a hospital??

Will tourists be required to wear a 'smart device' that alerts the Government when the user has a fever?

[Dionigi]

Just like the Thaichana app it will not work if the person does not have a phone or does not have constant internet services. Saw a man denied entry to Tukcom because he did not have a telephone and didn't think to write down a false one. I do not have internet access on my phone and only use wifi when out.

[5633572526]

20 hours ago, djayz said:

All fine and good, but how are these chaps going to differentiate between a "tourist" here for a few days/weeks and those of us who have lived here for a decade or longer? Are we going to be forced to install this tracking app too? 

A “dirty farang” is a “dirty farang” whether here for a day or a lifetime with this government.

[sandyf]

21 hours ago, sweatalot said:

 

Tracing foeign tourists is always inappropriate. When will they get this?

 

A surefire recipe to avoid them coming. Or is it this what they want?

Maybe when other countries decide it is inappropriate.

The English are obviously better at avoiding tracking than the Scots, In England they have about 75% chance of tracing contacts of infected persons whereas in Scotland it is around 98%.

[sandyf]

8 hours ago, Trujillo said:

Should we be putting apps on everyone's phone for the seasonal influenza? Should clinics have to turn in cases of venereal disease to be tracked?  

Those that continually refer to flu and other ailments really need to get their head out of the sand.

 

Patients hospitalised with Covid-19 are suffering from complications three months after being first discharged, a new study has shown.

Out of 110 patients who had been treated at Southmead Hospital in Bristol, almost three quarters (81) were still experiencing symptoms such as breathlessness, excessive fatigue and muscle aches when invited back for check-ups.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-patients-complications-covid-19-study-southmead-hospital-bristol-a9678391.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=INDNEWS%2320082020&utm_term=IND_Headlines_Masterlist_CDP

[Ugly American 2]

People say Americans  are racists! Thais are 1000% more racists than anyone!  All the want is your Baht. Give me Baht .. Give  me Baht... Give me Baht! Thais have become loud and rude like the chinese! Things have changed for the worst over the last 50 years!

[Henryford]

This will be as effective as  the current tracking systems in the Malls/Shops where everyone is Mickey Mouse and gives a false number.

[a977]

21 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

And what about millions of Thai’s employed in the Tourist Sector? the 17.6% GDP from Tourism? 

The 90% of Phuket who without tourism have no income?

 

What about when ‘you get car-jacked’ or robbed because people are so very very desperate they will do anything for food.

 

‘Better just keep them out’ is extremely short sighted. Its not a solution its a knee-jerk reaction. 

 

Thailand needs an intelligent and workable solution which provides a boost to the dying tourist sector and all the sub-trades to which money is filtered down through tourism. 

 

 

And where I pray in the government of Thailand are you going to find intelligent and workable people to actually think this problem through, what a joke a government full of ex Generals who have never fought a war let alone seen one and you want them to make an intelligent decision, even Pinocchio can't manage that trick

[CLW]

1 hour ago, sandyf said:

Those that continually refer to flu and other ailments really need to get their head out of the sand.

 

Patients hospitalised with Covid-19 are suffering from complications three months after being first discharged, a new study has shown.

Out of 110 patients who had been treated at Southmead Hospital in Bristol, almost three quarters (81) were still experiencing symptoms such as breathlessness, excessive fatigue and muscle aches when invited back for check-ups.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-patients-complications-covid-19-study-southmead-hospital-bristol-a9678391.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=INDNEWS%2320082020&utm_term=IND_Headlines_Masterlist_CDP

The question is how old are the patients and did they have underlying diseases?

[CLW]

44 minutes ago, Henryford said:

This will be as effective as  the current tracking systems in the Malls/Shops where everyone is Mickey Mouse and gives a false number.

What tracking system? When recently visiting several shops or attractions no one cared about this anymore. Just for show now...

[Dart12]

They gonna give you a smartphone when you arrive with no phone?  Sweet.

 

[Dart12]

45 minutes ago, CLW said:

What tracking system? When recently visiting several shops or attractions no one cared about this anymore. Just for show now...

Most don't even actually take the readings anymore.  They hold it up for less than a second and say 'ok'.  They don't even make it click lol.

[mommysboy]

Petty squabbling aside, this vaccine simply hasn't been adequately tested.  That's a potentially deadly risk the Russian's are taking on behalf of the world.  Better therapies are already reducing the death rate to near that of flu, and there's more coming along soon.  If a vaccine is to be done effectively we need at least 3 years- it's not just about finding one it's also about logistics, co-ordination, materials, cold storage, and training.  Even finding enough vials will be difficult.  

 

The old world has gone anyway- really we can't go back to destroying the planet-  and anyway the world economy has been teetering for a long time drowned by debt.  I'm not sure if this is about covid19, or the big recession that is just beginning to make itself known.

[LeoCesar]

Just his way to say:

Forigners stay OUT..

exept chinese of course.

[Marco100]

10 hours ago, InevitableCost said:

Guess a cheap burner phone will be part of the cost now I'm not installing spyware on my personal phone. 

Exactly , what a big fuss for an app . If the Gov opens the Country  to Tourist with need of app what's the issue? It would be great that they come to simplify process with Covid Negative Certificate , App , 2nd negative test Test at Thai Airport and go , no quarantine.  Than I think there is a limited chance of a bit of recovery 4th quarter 2020 .

[hotandsticky]

5 minutes ago, Marco100 said:

Exactly , what a big fuss for an app . If the Gov opens the Country  to Tourist with need of app what's the issue? It would be great that they come to simplify process with Covid Negative Certificate , App , 2nd negative test Test at Thai Airport and go , no quarantine.  Than I think there is a limited chance of a bit of recovery 4th quarter 2020 .

 

 

+1

 

Except that I think Q4 2020 is optimistic.

[orchidfan]

23 hours ago, BritManToo said:

My SIM is registered to my Thai daughter, they can track her all they want.

Mine is in my wife's name. And she's overseas. Good luck with that one.

[Aussie Col]

2 hours ago, LeoCesar said:

Just his way to say:

Forigners stay OUT..

exept chinese of course.

The problem they have is that Farangs spent money here. Chinese don't don't in real terms.

Farangs create far more jobs here with their spending than the Chinese

[poloshirt]

Have you forgotten you are in a police state?  Your memory take leave without telling you.

Thailand being a police state (has always been) will of course does what police state normally does. (i.e. keeping track of you)

Being a police state will keep those in authority in power, yes, it all boils down to power.

Oh, may be if you read a couple of books by Naom Chomsky you get what I meant.

By the way Naom Chomsky said-  America is a rogue state.

I believe there are only a few countries that are really democratic and free  (e.g. some scandinavian countries plus some small european states) the rest of the world are all police state. Some police state are very good at making the country looks democratic and even has election and free speech. (e.g. Singapore, a small tiny police state)

To put in simple words, say, if you form a government and you give real freedom of speech and follow democratic principle, you will soon be out of office. Because lots of people don't really understand democracy principle. Either the army will shoot you and take over or the opposition use nasty tactics to take over.

The intelligence of the citizens will determine if democracy will work in that country concerned.

Xi Ji Ping really wants to be emperor of China just that he is too shy to say so.(every chinese wants to be emperor of China since the beginning of time) Xi Ji Ping has changed the constitution and made his term of office without limit.

China considers Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Burma, Laos as younger brothers and China being the big brother looks after them. Vietnam war China provided many armaments and financial support. If you don't know this, then you haven't read enough of Chinese ancient history.

America should have invaded China 40 years ago now the US is talking nonsense about limiting Chinese power in the south china seas and those islands, it's too late. Why?  Because US is fading away. Have you ever seen an old sick lion on documentary films?

[ttkeric]

Why not observe the North Korean model? Pre-book, vetted, no stinking 'muricans and several thousand upfront. Then when you arrive, you're assign a handler or sixty, have all your personal electronics either confiscated or put under restricted use, and follow a strict, regimented holiday. 

[P100]

Why don't they copy a well working system, that of South Korea?! Korea opened borders for foreigners long time ago. They asked covid test from home then isolation for 1 day while doing one more covid test. If negative u can go but you are monitored 14 days. That means, every day you get a phone call asking about your health, you i stall an app and submit helth report every day. Your location is being tramsmitted too. After 14 days you are free, u can delete the app and no more phone calls. It is an effective system of surveillance and the impact is bearable.  Thais ask all sh*t of insurances, and documents and lock u into government operated resorts where they ripp you off as you have no choice but to pay whatever they ask.

[sandyf]

6 hours ago, CLW said:

The question is how old are the patients and did they have underlying diseases?

Why would that be a question. I would have thought that on the basis the study related to hospitalised patients then there is every chance that something necessitated being hospitalised in the first place, like Boris Johnson being obese. Those that died, died and of those that thought they had recovered nearly three quarters may have received a life sentence, I wonder if this is why Boris is keeping out of the way. It would appear that out of all the cases that went into that hospital with the virus, very few got away totally unscathed.

 

It would appear that age is more of a problem than was originally thought.

 

Coronavirus may stick to young people “like a tornado with a long tail,” the World Health Organisation has warned, amid growing evidence that younger generations are driving spikes in infections across Europe.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-young-people-who-infections-new-cases-a9679726.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=INDNEWS%2321082020&utm_term=IND_Headlines_Masterlist_CDP

[kingofthemountain]

16 hours ago, the green light said:

that is right and it does not matter

 

Remember the song" hotel California" " you can check in but you cannot chekout.."

So all of you retired in thailand.. you cant leave unless you want to pay a lot of money coming back.

Enjoy what you got.

 

 

 

 

 

I have no any intention to leave

Thailand is covid safe and Pattaya is

imo better now than it was in the last 10 years

very quiet and with a lot of incredible bargains

believe me, life is good here !!

Edited August 21, 2020 by kingofthemountain

[DrTuner]

1 hour ago, ttkeric said:

Why not observe the North Korean model? Pre-book, vetted, no stinking 'muricans and several thousand upfront. Then when you arrive, you're assign a handler or sixty, have all your personal electronics either confiscated or put under restricted use, and follow a strict, regimented holiday. 

I think they are in talks about it:

 

https://www.thaienquirer.com/17341/is-thailands-foreign-minister-refusing-to-meet-with-western-countries/

Quote

According to 11 diplomatic officials from 10 countries including members of the European Union, NATO treaty members and Oceania countries, Don has shunned meetings with ambassadors and officials from their countries and has preferred to hold discussions with diplomats from Russia, China, North Korea and other countries more sympathetic to the Thai political situation.

 

Nothing says "holiday" like having a cadre walk behind you all the time.

[Robin]

Sounds to me as if 'someone' in the government has just discovered the possibility of a 'tacking app' for phones.

What I fear will happen is that:

1.  Nobody allowed into Thailand unless they have an Elite Visa type, costing a lot of money.

2.  Every Arrival will have to install the special App.  Possibly by a gov. approved phone with SIM and app installed.  This phone will not be cheap. 

3.  Every arrival will have to buy approved health insurance, regardless of what insurance they already have.

4.  Covid testing on arrival.  Paid for in cash.

This government will imagine will give a big increase in tourist revenue and give enough surplus to buy submarines.

 

Not too difficult to guess how many tourist will come with all these safety precautions.  

 

Fellow Expats should begin to realise that in the Government's eyes ,we do not benefit Thailand, living with Thai wife and family.  What TAT and the rest of the government want is tourists who stay in expensive hotels, eat in expensive restaurants, travel about in limos and fall for all the scams, and go home after 2 weeks.

Fact is, if you are lucky enough to be in Thailand on  long stay visa, keep your head down and do not make the mistake of leaving the country.

[Flying Saucage]

40 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

I think they are in talks about it:

 

https://www.thaienquirer.com/17341/is-thailands-foreign-minister-refusing-to-meet-with-western-countries/

 

Nothing says "holiday" like having a cadre walk behind you all the time.

They want as few as possible western observers in the country during they transform its political system into a more archaic one, which also will become a vassal state of China then.