Sandbox tourists stuck in quarantine ask to go home

[ChC1]

3 hours ago, Sheryl said:

The obvious solution is to accept only those vaccinated with AZ/J&J/Pfizer or Moderna. But politicallt difficult for government to do that while still probiding Sinovac and Sinopharm to its own population.

Strange. The government and the media was very successful to promote Clean Thai Dirty Covid ridden Farang stereotype. I am sure the media gurus in Thai government has no trouble to create a propaganda to show inferior farang must have stronger AZ/JJ/Moderna/Pfizer to be safe while Thai is more superior and can do better with Sinovac/Sinopharm. 

 

The only problem is how not to upset the big bully bear north of the boarder by effectively downgrade the sino- vaccines while give some wiggle room for cash rich middle eastern tourists who is likely to have had the sino- vaccines.

[Sheryl]

19 hours ago, hotchilli said:

What would you suggest 50/50 ?

Of course they would all have to be quarantined.

They did nto quarantine all passengers.

 

I assume the selection had to do with seat proximity and also possibly whether traveling together as a group (in which case will have mingled at the airport etc).

[gim12]

in case you missed my initial post of the following here it is again, if you want to fly into the USA but are covid positive or might be and dont want to be quarantined after a false positive  you can fly into Tijuana Mexico (no tests required) and then legally enter on foot through the San Ysidro (San Diego/tijuana checkpoint)immigration checkpoint at the border, then catch a taxi to the san diego airport. no tests required for folks entering on foot. The US govt likes to only inconvenience tourists and citizens  flying in and not the untested day laborers flooding in-that would be racist.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, Sheryl said:

They did nto quarantine all passengers.

 

I assume the selection had to do with seat proximity and also possibly whether traveling together as a group (in which case will have mingled at the airport etc).

So if the infected one was sat near you in the boarding lounge, brushed past you in the aircraft isle as they were boarding and stowing their hand baggage, walked past you to go to the toilet, touched everything in there and someone followed, that doesn't count?

Only if they were in an adjacent seat?

[david555]

3 hours ago, gim12 said:

in case you missed my initial post of the following here it is again, if you want to fly into the USA but are covid positive or might be and dont want to be quarantined after a false positive  you can fly into Tijuana Mexico (no tests required) and then legally enter on foot through the San Ysidro (San Diego/tijuana checkpoint)immigration checkpoint at the border, then catch a taxi to the san diego airport. no tests required for folks entering on foot. The US govt likes to only inconvenience tourists and citizens  flying in and not the untested day laborers flooding in-that would be racist.

Like the Chinese proverb...." A house can have more doors  ....you must use the one is open" ( wai emoticon)

Edited July 11, 2021 by david555

[david555]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

So if the infected one was sat near you in the boarding lounge, brushed past you in the aircraft isle as they were boarding and stowing their hand baggage, walked past you to go to the toilet, touched everything in there and someone followed, that doesn't count?

Only if they were in an adjacent seat?

"Sandbox vacation" = " a lottery vacation system" with many possible trap in it....

 

Do not forget to pack your credit card ...you could need it 

Edited July 11, 2021 by david555

[pookondee]

On 7/9/2021 at 6:20 PM, riclag said:

What would one  expect in the future when traveling to  popular Tourist destinations !

Similar scenarios  ! Something to ponder when making vacation plans !

I'm afraid these people who want to leave Petri Phuket ,to go home ,are stuck there until the quarantine ends .

Sad !

 

They could well be stuck there a lot longer if they dont satisfy the conditions of flight/entry where they are returning.

 

So now they lose their hotel accommodation and are taken to quaranrine?

Where they will stay until testing negative, with the added risk of going into visa overstay if their recovery is slowm

 

And what happens then?

Go from Covid prison to immigration prison?

 

Sounds like the holiday from a horror movie to me.

[Tony125]

There are 'more consequences to Covid-19 than just death,' doctor weighs in on importance of vaccinations

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/there-are-more-consequences-to-covid-19-than-just-death-doctor-weighs-in-on-importance-of-vaccinations/vi-AAM0nFA

[Tony125]

13 hours ago, Sheryl said:

With Sinopharm which is only 50% effective at reducing symptomatic infections and may be even less effective (or even not effective) at preventing asymptomatic infection. Also seemingly not effective for Delta variant.

 

As long as they accept vaccination with Sinopharm and Sinovac, we will keep seeing positive cases among the arrivals.

 

The obvious solution is to accept only those vaccinated with AZ/J&J/Pfizer or Moderna. But politicallt difficult for government to do that while still probiding Sinovac and Sinopharm to its own population.

Vaccinated people can transmit the delta variant—and 3 other things to know about the dominant Covid strain

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/vaccinated-people-can-transmit-the-delta-variant—and-3-other-things-to-know-about-the-dominant-covid-strain/ar-AALY0ZX?li=BBnb7Kz

[Sharp]

I'm totally lost on Phukets stupid requirements! 

[Tony125]

NYC COVID-19 infection rate on the rise

 

Coronavirus infection rates are rising again in New York City as the virulent Delta strain spreads quickly among unvaccinated people   (that's unvaccinated  people)

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/nyc-covid-19-infection-rate-on-the-rise/ar-AAM0yXz?li=BBnb7Kz

[J Town]

48 minutes ago, Tony125 said:

NYC COVID-19 infection rate on the rise

 

Coronavirus infection rates are rising again in New York City as the virulent Delta strain spreads quickly among unvaccinated people   (that's unvaccinated  people)

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/nyc-covid-19-infection-rate-on-the-rise/ar-AAM0yXz?li=BBnb7Kz

And over 99% of US folks in hospital due to Covid are unvaxxed. Kinda hard to ignore statistics like that.

[Sheryl]

13 hours ago, Tony125 said:

Vaccinated people can transmit the delta variant—and 3 other things to know about the dominant Covid strain

 

Vaccinated people, if/when they get it, have much less virus in the nasopharynx so are much less likely to transmit the virus. It is nto totally impossible, but unlikely. Hence the US CDC guidance that vaccinated popkle can stoop wearing masks.

 

Of course in Phuket there is the problem that most of the vaccinated locals are nto protected against the variant at all.

[Sheryl]

18 hours ago, hotchilli said:

So if the infected one was sat near you in the boarding lounge, brushed past you in the aircraft isle as they were boarding and stowing their hand baggage, walked past you to go to the toilet, touched everything in there and someone followed, that doesn't count?

Only if they were in an adjacent seat?

The scenarios you mention ("walking past you" etc) are extremely unlikely to lead to infection.

 

It is nto only immediately adjacent seats that are quarantined, they take a swathe around it - several rows before and after etc.

 

But nto hte entire planeload, that would be unreasonable.

[Tony125]

Taiwan buying Pfizer

 

BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines coming to Taiwan, Chinese agent says

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/tsmc-foxconn-process-signing-deal-024618611.html

[Tony125]

17 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Vaccinated people, if/when they get it, have much less virus in the nasopharynx so are much less likely to transmit the virus. It is nto totally impossible, but unlikely. Hence the US CDC guidance that vaccinated popkle can stoop wearing masks.

 

Of course in Phuket there is the problem that most of the vaccinated locals are nto protected against the variant at all.

 

Hundreds of Thai medical workers infected despite Sinovac vaccinations

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/hundreds-thai-medical-workers-infected-092123931.html

[GrandPapillon]

you would think that 1 year of covid in total lockdowns would have given plenty of time to prepare when a vaccine was ready, but no, not in Thailand LOL

[Sheryl]

5 hours ago, Tony125 said:

 

Hundreds of Thai medical workers infected despite Sinovac vaccinations

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/hundreds-thai-medical-workers-infected-092123931.html

Sinovac is not effective against Delta virus.

 

In addition, it is not clear if even for the variants it is effective against, Sinovac reduces asymptomatic/mild infections. The mRNA and viral vector vaccines do, however

[wasabi]

I think we all know sandbox needs to be renamed to Sand Trap. Imagine all the golfers they'll attract. 

[pookondee]

18 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Vaccinated people, if/when they get it, have much less virus in the nasopharynx so are much less likely to transmit the virus. It is nto totally impossible, but unlikely. Hence the US CDC guidance that vaccinated popkle can stoop wearing masks.

 

Of course in Phuket there is the problem that most of the vaccinated locals are nto protected against the variant at all.

Thats interesting you should say that.

So, by this reasoning

(less virus in the nasopharynx) 

shouldnt that also be the case with Asymptomatic people?

 

They would appear to have no virus at all in the nasopharynx, so how can they spread that which they dont have?

 

It sounds like a lot of what we've been told is total nonsense.

The whole thing about those having no symptoms whatsoever, but still being spreaders sounded like hogwash from the start to me. 

 

[bberg]

On 7/10/2021 at 4:07 PM, Rhacsyn said:

Just to clarify a couple of points and continue my post from yesterday. I am a sandboxer in day 8.

 

There were 142 passengers on the flight in question (2 first class, 30 business and 110 in economy). Therefore not ALL passengers were transfered to ALQ.

 

My AXA insurance would NOT cover me for ALQ unless i had tested positive. It is Covid specific insurance.

 

The 12 who tested negative but were part of the travel group and put in ALQ are returning to UAE and have been given a full "refund". This news is just appearing on Phuket News / Times. I do not know yet if there will be any other form of compensation (TAT have apparently offered some form of holiday voucher but I am too scared to write that...)

 

 

Hi,

 

Slightly of topic but a warning using AXA Thailand insurance. 

 

I recently applied to Non-immigrant O visa and was granted the visa. One of the requirement was COVID19 insurance covering 100K USD. 

I bought 6 months insurance at 15K baht. 

The application for Non-immigrant passed and was received.

 

Due to changes in work schedule I could no longer use the VISA for the intended travel,

I have tried to cancel the insurance which was bought at AXA, to my surprise they refuse to cancel the visa and refuse to follow their own cancellation policy.   

 

I am aware I am not following your question fully but I want to send a message of do not use AXA Thailand insurance, they have been rude and ignorant in answering and refuse to follow own cancellation policy. I will have to accept my 15K baht insurance is lost unless AXA changes their attitude towards "valuable customer" as they refer to in their advertisements.  

 

[Tony125]

On 7/12/2021 at 6:02 AM, Sheryl said:

Sinovac is not effective against Delta virus.

 

In addition, it is not clear if even for the variants it is effective against, Sinovac reduces asymptomatic/mild infections. The mRNA and viral vector vaccines do, however

Malaysia to stop using Sinovac vaccine after supply ends - minister

 

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/1-malaysia-stop-using-sinovac-114941202.html

[david555]

On 7/15/2021 at 8:05 PM, Tony125 said:

Malaysia to stop using Sinovac vaccine after supply ends - minister

 

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/1-malaysia-stop-using-sinovac-114941202.html

They could secure Pfizer .......But 

Thailand strugle to get any one other..

...now this is best proof of incompetance 

 

Edited July 17, 2021 by david555

[ChC1]

On 7/15/2021 at 2:02 PM, bberg said:

Hi,

 

Slightly of topic but a warning using AXA Thailand insurance. 

 

I recently applied to Non-immigrant O visa and was granted the visa. One of the requirement was COVID19 insurance covering 100K USD. 

I bought 6 months insurance at 15K baht. 

The application for Non-immigrant passed and was received.

 

Due to changes in work schedule I could no longer use the VISA for the intended travel,

I have tried to cancel the insurance which was bought at AXA, to my surprise they refuse to cancel the visa and refuse to follow their own cancellation policy.   

 

I am aware I am not following your question fully but I want to send a message of do not use AXA Thailand insurance, they have been rude and ignorant in answering and refuse to follow own cancellation policy. I will have to accept my 15K baht insurance is lost unless AXA changes their attitude towards "valuable customer" as they refer to in their advertisements.  

 

I don't understand your complaint.

 

You bought the insurance for the visa. The visa is issued so the insurance stands.

 

Now you want to cancel the insurance, on what ground? Could you share the AXA cancellation policy?

 

Since the visa is issued on the consideration that you are eligible holder for the insurance, I don't see why AXA would cancel your insurance and refund, or it may become visa fraud, as insurance is a supplement document for the visa. Even though you claim you no longer need the visa, but yourself can not cancel the visa, only Thai authority can. 

 

Hence AXA is rightly so to refuse your refund as they can not verify whether you intend to travel or not. If you have your visa refused you may have a chance to cancel. But in your situation, it is you OWN CHOICE not to travel, thus AXA is rightly so to refuse you refund.

[Tony125]

On 7/12/2021 at 6:02 AM, Sheryl said:

Sinovac is not effective against Delta virus.

 

In addition, it is not clear if even for the variants it is effective against, Sinovac reduces asymptomatic/mild infections. The mRNA and viral vector vaccines do, however

1.4 billion doses later, China is realizing it may need mRNA COVID vaccines

 

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/1-4-billion-doses-later-003055601.html