Sandbox tourists stuck in quarantine ask to go home

[ChipButty]

6 minutes ago, Caldera said:

The optics of this aren't great.

 

What would have happened if there had been 100 passengers on that particular plane? Quarantine for the whole lot?

 

Im not giving you 2 guess's could have been worse the plane could have been full

Edited July 9, 2021 by ChipButty

[ChipButty]

Whats them big planes called? imagine one of them full and one person tested positive holy smoke

[Tony M]

Doesn't that flight go on to Bangkok (Dubai-Phuket-Bangkok) ?   if so, is it carrying passengers (Dubai-Bangkok) ?  

[ThaiFelix]

Go home??  You cant go home till youve spent all your money!!

[tlandtday]

The govt felt the pressure to help the ailing tourism industry then decided to let a few trickle in on a half baked sandbox scheme.  Rather than allowing the tourists to travel normally as they had all been vaccinated they quarantine a bunch fo what could possibly be a false positive.  Either you believe these vaccines work or not and if they work then why are these people even being tested?

[ChC1]

20 minutes ago, mrfill said:

Indeed. The UK has just announced that from 16 August, anyone in England who has had both their Covid jabs will no longer have to self-isolate if a close contact tests positive for Covid.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-54239922

The irony is that this supposedly to be a very good news for Phuket Sandbox, so British tourists won't need to worry about 10 days lost in self isolation upon return!

 

But with the Dubai group saga, many British tourists would think twice before committing a trip.

Edited July 9, 2021 by ChC1

[philba]

51 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

let not be so negative guys lets get behind the program.

 

Unfortunately, it's only negative people that can get behind this program.

 

The rest go to ALQ....????????????

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, BestB said:

12 people arrived on 1 flight? Plane actually flew with 12 people on board?

 

What is the right thing to do in a situation like this? Let them roam freely and possibly infect others even though all vaccinated or discomfort for 14 days for the benefit of others?

None of the group have tested positive. 

- Preflight PCR test - negative.

- arrival PCR test - negative.

- day 5/6 PCR test - negative ???? 
 

If so, how much more proof & tests does there need to be before authorities accept these people are no risk ? 
 

They’ve been treated very poorly by a country begging for potential SandBoxers.

[richard_smith237]

26 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Whats them big planes called? imagine one of them full and one person tested positive holy smoke

Nothing… they didn’t quarantine anyone else on the flight (it’s a fair certainty that they weren’t the only passengers on the flight).

 

The only reason 12 of them were quarantined is be because they all registered as being part of the same group.

 

Had they just checked in & traveled individually - they’d all be enjoying a holiday right now!!! 
 

This is what’s crazy about this. 

 

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

3 hours ago, WhiteBuffaloATM said:

dont really understand why anybody would vacation outside their country during a pandemic

in my country hotels charge 3 times normal prices just because they can. hence

the flight here was full. even with all the flight and other costs it will cost me 25% of

what will cost in my country. and no som tam there

[herfiehandbag]

45 minutes ago, Caldera said:

The optics of this aren't great.

 

What would have happened if there had been 100 passengers on that particular plane? Quarantine for the whole lot?

 

Payday bigtime!

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

2 hours ago, chalawaan said:

if they are negative, the mandatory ASQ bills are all theirs to enjoy.

AXA Insurance cover ASQ hospital bills for asymptomatic patients

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

2 hours ago, Ganesh108 said:

If those tourists are all Arabs, I can imagine quite a few wild scenes during the 'negotiations'. 

here is an example of israeli arabs reaction for demand to get into quarantine hotel:

 

 

 

[natway09]

To be fair, where did the infected person come from, was he REALLY tested within 72 hours of flying, has he had both required shots  did he get infected in transit or 

brought it all the way from departure ?

IYou cannot always blame Thailland for this but as many have said above, why the Hades would you consider International travel anywhere at this time unless it was 

absolutely necessary

[Joinaman]

3 hours ago, Sharp said:

Fully vaccinated people walking around shouldn't be an issue unless the zero game is in play well then its goodbye Sandbox 

any reason why unvaccinated people should be an issue ?

Surely these smug people who have had the 2 jabs will not be effected either way, yet they can effect the unvaccinated by transmitting the virus to them .

The only difference is that the unvaccinated, may, possibly, could, if, they catch the virus and have heavy side effects from it, which the majority do not. 

If a unvaccinated person is allowed to fly, with people who have been vaccinated, who runs the risk ? 

surely it is up to the individual whether they take that risk, especially for the people, who for whatever reason, cannot have the vaccine 

 

[Cake Monster]

2 hours ago, BestB said:

12 people arrived on 1 flight? Plane actually flew with 12 people on board?

 

What is the right thing to do in a situation like this? Let them roam freely and possibly infect others even though all vaccinated or discomfort for 14 days for the benefit of others?

The issue now is, that if those 12 people wish to fly out of Phuket, and are allowed to do so by the Thai Authorities, what Airline will carry them as Covid Positive passengers

There will have to be a specially chartered flight at an astronomical cost.

It will not happen

These people are here until they are treated, and have all tested clear before they will be allowed to board any flight back to their Homeland.

And even then they will probably have to do another Quarantine session to be sure.

Surely the best thing for all concerned would be to allow these people to enjoy the rest of their Holiday freely and without restrictions.

If, and I say if, the population of Phuket is fully vaccinated as has been reported, then what is the problem. ???

What harm can they do to the fully vaccinated locals

 

 

[MajorTom]

25 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Nothing… they didn’t quarantine anyone else on the flight (it’s a fair certainty that they weren’t the only passengers on the flight).

 

The only reason 12 of them were quarantined is be because they all registered as being part of the same group.

 

Had they just checked in & traveled individually - they’d all be enjoying a holiday right now!!! 
 

This is what’s crazy about this. 

 

When reading the phuket news it sounds like there were only 14 passengers on that flight and everyone else was sent to ALQ.

 

"“The other 13 passengers on the flight have been considered high risk and taken to quarantine at an alternative local quarantine [ALQ] venue for 14 days,” Dr Kusak added."

[GrandPapillon]

I bet the tourists didn't see that one coming LOL

 

at least they won't get ripped off by the taxi mafia while in quarantine, so not all bad 

Edited July 9, 2021 by GrandPapillon

[gavlar]

4 hours ago, ezzra said:

Oh blimey .. they forget to put THAT in their Sandbox travel brochures...

Is it true that Thais returning on planes are not required a PCR test prior to arrival....surely this is not correct.

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, KarenBravo said:

Only 14 people on a flight? Hardly sustainable.

The airlines must be losing thousands of dollars per plane.

It didn’t say that. Just those people traveling in a group. 
 

Probably a few more on the flight. 

[richard_smith237]

15 minutes ago, gavlar said:

Is it true that Thais returning on planes are not required a PCR test prior to arrival....surely this is not correct.

 

it’s correct & has been known for a long time.

[Srikcir]

Instead of being sandboxed, they were sandbagged.

 

[richard_smith237]

37 minutes ago, MajorTom said:

 

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Nothing… they didn’t quarantine anyone else on the flight (it’s a fair certainty that they weren’t the only passengers on the flight).

 

The only reason 12 of them were quarantined is be because they all registered as being part of the same group.

 

Had they just checked in & traveled individually - they’d all be enjoying a holiday right now!!! 
 

This is what’s crazy about this. 

 

Expand  

When reading the phuket news it sounds like there were only 14 passengers on that flight and everyone else was sent to ALQ.

 

"“The other 13 passengers on the flight have been considered high risk and taken to quarantine at an alternative local quarantine [ALQ] venue for 14 days,” Dr Kusak added."

 

The Phuket news article is misleading.

 

‘Other’ news sources outline that the ‘tourist’ were traveling in the same group. 
 

[MajorTom]

7 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

The Phuket news article is misleading.

 

‘Other’ news sources outline that the ‘tourist’ were traveling in the same group. 
 

That is possible. Phuket news does some terribly confusing articles at times.

But i have not seen any clear info on this anywhere else. They talk about a travel group.

Is it all passengers on the flight in ASQ if 1 positive or is it not. I would certainly want to be 100% sure about this before i took the risk of using this sandbox system.

[rwill]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Dr Kusak explained that the 12 tourists who have asked to fly home were among the 14 people who arrived on Emirates flight EK378, which landed in Phuket on Tuesday (July 6). 

14 passengers on a Boeing 777.  That must have lost a bunch of money.

[kynikoi]

Really have to gloat. I knew this would happen.

 

Hospitalized at their expense with only the hope of insurance picking the costs up no doubt it will be a reimbursable situation. I wonder whether they will walk them to the ATM in Handcuff so they can make massive withdrawals and pay the bill.

 

How's that sandbox thing promo going now Phuket?

 

Phuket comedy gold that keeps on giving

 

Amazing Thailand

Edited July 9, 2021 by kynikoi

[kynikoi]

59 minutes ago, gavlar said:

Is it true that Thais returning on planes are not required a PCR test prior to arrival....surely this is not correct.

Well you would hope that even if the national is ill with covid that they would accept them into the country.

 

What isn't at all right is encouraging them to get on the plane in the first place.

[Boedog]

Well hats a SURPRISE didn't see that coming, the PM should fall on his sword and quit, ineptness and self importance at its best, l wonder how his 120 day plan too reopen the country is still on track. If people are still booking flights and hotels to go to the Sandbox they are delusional with lockdown the only option left for Thailand to somehow halt what is about to be a tsunami of infections you will be stuck in the sandbox .

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, MajorTom said:

That is possible. Phuket news does some terribly confusing articles at times.

But i have not seen any clear info on this anywhere else. They talk about a travel group.

Is it all passengers on the flight in ASQ if 1 positive or is it not. I would certainly want to be 100% sure about this before i took the risk of using this sandbox 

 

He was traveling in a tour group. 
 

Quarantining a whole plane load because one person reruns a positive test is extreme, even under the current circumstances. 
 

Its not going to happen, only the neurotic worry about such extreme measures.

 

That said; it could be possible you are placed in isolation if though contact tracing you were found to have sat next to someone on the flight who tested positive on arrival.

 

In this case the reaction to isolate the ‘tour group’ seems knee-jerk in the extreme. 
 

If they are continuing to test negative a week after arrival, they present no risk. 
Lets not forget, they are also vaccinated & likely vaccinated with a Pfizer or Moderna with 95% efficacy. 
 

 

[JCP108]

The Thai officials could somewhat save this by testing all these people a second time and, if those follow-up tests are negative, letting them go back to their sandboxing adventure. It could have been a false positive. Even if the original person tests positive on follow-up, the other people should be let out of their new prison if they each test negative on follow-up. If they did this, I wouldn't be so reluctant to come back to Thailand via this wacky scheme.