US man stuck in Thailand after positive COVID-19 test

[webfact]

Minnesota man stuck in Thailand after positive COVID-19 test

A Minnesota man is stuck quarantining in Thailand after a surprise positive COVID-19 test.

 

By Paul Blume

 

(FOX 9) - Twin Cities-based attorney Lee Wolfgram spoke with FOX 9 from his private hospital room on the other side of the world in Phuket, Thailand.

 

His spirits were remarkably high given the circumstances as he keeps family and friends updated on his travel odyssey via social media.

 

"I have BBC. Sorry, channel 9, that’s all I get. I have a little couch, my bed. I have a little kitchenette… I guess for a jail, it’s not bad."

 

The retired army lieutenant colonel, aviator, and world traveler with business interests in Thailand jumped at the opportunity to be one of the first foreigners allowed back into the southeast Asian country during the global pandemic.,

 

Full story: https://www.fox9.com/news/minnesota-man-stuck-in-thailand-after-positive-covid-19-test

 

-- © Copyright  Fox 9 2021-08-04

 

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[RichardColeman]

Sure there will be a positive TAT spin on it later

[keith101]

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

jumped at the opportunity to be one of the first foreigners allowed back into the southeast Asian country during the global pandemic.,

A bad move that a lot of others are finding out , bet he wishes he had never come . The sooner they shutdown the Sandbox the better health wise but not financially the the residents . 

[sapson]

Come to Thailand promotions at Koh Tao death island and Covid special Phuket bring all the family! our hotels and hospitals need filling....

............... already extremely rich lives matter.

Edited August 4, 2021 by sapson

[bkk6060]

Tough luck. Being retired military he must have considered the risks.  Which, makes me surprised he came at all.

[kotsak]

1 minute ago, bkk6060 said:

Tough luck. Being retired military he must have considered the risks.  Which, makes me surprised he came at all.

Funny, I was about to write something similar... ????

 

He should have known that hope is not a strategy.. I hope all goes well for him.

 

 

[bbko]

" I have a little couch, my bed. I have a little kitchenette… I guess for a jail, it’s not bad."

 

Jail?!?

[Pattaya Spotter]

32 minutes ago, webfact said:

with business interests in Thailand

Would that be a rice farm in Issan ????

[steven100]

35 minutes ago, webfact said:

with business interests in Thailand jumped at the opportunity to be one of the first foreigners allowed back

does that mean he bought the thai gf a house and he wanted to be famous ....

[Mickeymaus]

Do yourself a favour and watch the video in the original article... Can't describe the situation better. 

 

 

Edited August 4, 2021 by Mickeymaus

[Mac Mickmanus]

6 minutes ago, bbko said:

" I have a little couch, my bed. I have a little kitchenette… I guess for a jail, it’s not bad."

 

Jail?!?

It seems he was making a joke .

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

36 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Sure there will be a positive TAT spin on it later

Well look at that impressive CV of his. Surely they weren't going to let one of the HIGHEST QUALITY TOURISTS just go like that?

[HappyExpat57]

You really should watch the video.

[smedly]

41 minutes ago, keith101 said:

A bad move that a lot of others are finding out , bet he wishes he had never come . The sooner they shutdown the Sandbox the better health wise but not financially the the residents . 

it depends on how long he was intending to stay, if 2-4 weeks then his holiday is ruined - if long term then he has lost his money on SHA hotel because as I understand no refunds are offered - looks like his insurance will cover the extra costs of hospital etc, I wonder how he caught it 

[stevenl]

2 minutes ago, smedly said:

it depends on how long he was intending to stay, if 2-4 weeks then his holiday is ruined - if long term then he has lost his money on SHA hotel because as I understand no refunds are offered - looks like his insurance will cover the extra costs of hospital etc, I wonder how he caught it 

Requirement of SHA+ hotels is that a full refund is provided.

Positive on arrival, so probably caught it in the days just before or after his PCR test back home.

[itsari]

26 minutes ago, bbko said:

" I have a little couch, my bed. I have a little kitchenette… I guess for a jail, it’s not bad."

 

Jail?!?

Quarantine is a kinder word than jail , yet it is the same result in that you loose your freedom of movement .

[cyril sneer]

doesn't this happen all the time?

[tonray]

42 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Tough luck. Being retired military he must have considered the risks.  Which, makes me surprised he came at all.

Aren't at least 85% of the ThaiVisa membership former Special Forces....(????????????????????)

[Espanol]

49 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Which, makes me surprised he came at all.

 

If you read the link, he has business in Thailand.

 

Most people going to sandbox are just people returning to Thailand or travelling in business, not tourists.

 

[Captain Monday]

He is not stuck in Thailand. He is stuck in a Thai mandated qua-ren-ten hospital. When he meets Government, for example US CDC, and airline rules his country of destination and transit he can travel.Is he ill? He may have been exposed months ago and they are using a more sensitive test. 

 

Until now he must wait for the Thai authorities to release him

 

The Micronesian island of Kosrae locked their own citizens out for more than a year. Repat flights were launched from Guam recently. The Micronesian  people, were mostly vaccinated except kids. They made them do a pre-quarantine on Guam and multiple tests. Then, they flew them to Kosrae for another quarantine. After all this still found one positive child by testing on Kosrae. The case was ruled "historical" and not infectious. 

 

https://gov.fm/index.php/component/content/article/35-pio-articles/news-and-updates/510-positive-case-of-covid-19-identified-in-kosrae-state-individual-isolated-asymptomatic-kosrae-now-in-covid-condition-3?Itemid=177

Edited August 4, 2021 by Captain Monday

[Espanol]

47 minutes ago, bbko said:

" I have a little couch, my bed. I have a little kitchenette… I guess for a jail, it’s not bad."

 

Jail?!?

Yes, he has been jailed in forced accommodation with no options to leave.

[Mickeymaus]

58 minutes ago, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

Well look at that impressive CV of his. Surely they weren't going to let one of the HIGHEST QUALITY TOURISTS just go like that?

Of course they were looking for high quality family tourists as usual. If I look at Pattaya. Very many businesses are closed. BUT they build or renovate bars like I have never seen before. Must have still a lot of money. 

[Ohyesuare]

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

Sure there will be a positive TAT spin on it later

He has spent 9 billion baht while in quarantine. 

[ArcticFox]

1 hour ago, bbko said:

" I have a little couch, my bed. I have a little kitchenette… I guess for a jail, it’s not bad."

 

Jail?!?

He's forcefully incarcerated, so yeah - jail.  A very, very expensive jail too no doubt.

Edited August 4, 2021 by ArcticFox

[ArcticFox]

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

Requirement of SHA+ hotels is that a full refund is provided.

Positive on arrival, so probably caught it in the days just before or after his PCR test back home.

Or a false positive on arrival.

[Mickeymaus]

7 minutes ago, ArcticFox said:

Or a false positive on arrival.

Not everything is up to you if you decide to spend your holidays here. But you must be very special not to see all these problems before you book. It seems to be only for real high quality family tourists. Somehow I have the feeling that I wrote a lot of garbage... Please forgive me. 

[Old Croc]

He knew the rules when he booked. There have been many changes, but the basic premise that you be free of the virus on arrival remains. A positive test means he is a health risk and cannot  proceed into the community. He must quarantine or return, if possible.  

Seems a relatively comfortable hospital room, he is sick with a highly contagious virus and it's normal to isolate such patients. Perhaps he could complain to his Embassy, Fox News and everyone else about the Thai tv programming!  I would back him up on this one!

The news interviewer made a big deal about X-rays from a distance. An X-ray operator has never remained in the room with me when I have one! 

 

Only 29 positive tests from 12,400 sandbox arrivals is a better result than I would have predicted.

What is easy to predict is that the naysayers and Phuket haters would seize on just one case to call the scheme a complete disaster. No surprises with these small minded people.

[Mickeymaus]

4 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

He knew the rules when he booked. There have been many changes, but the basic premise that you be free of the virus on arrival remains. A positive test means he is a health risk and cannot  proceed into the community. He must quarantine or return, if possible.  

Seems a relatively comfortable hospital room, he is sick with a highly contagious virus and it's normal to isolate such patients. Perhaps he could complain to his Embassy, Fox News and everyone else about the Thai tv programming!  I would back him up on this one!

The news interviewer made a big deal about X-rays from a distance. An X-ray operator has never remained in the room with me when I have one! 

 

Only 29 positive tests from 12,400 sandbox arrivals is a better result than I would have predicted.

What is easy to predict is that the naysayers and Phuket haters would seize on just one case to call the scheme a complete disaster. No surprises with these small minded people.

Yes, small minded people as you say. There is no problem = or is it not that simple? I think with rising numbers every day and limited health care options we are getting to the point that this is not funny anymore. Even if small minded people might think differently... 

[Mickeymaus]

12 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

He knew the rules when he booked. There have been many changes, but the basic premise that you be free of the virus on arrival remains. A positive test means he is a health risk and cannot  proceed into the community. He must quarantine or return, if possible.  

Seems a relatively comfortable hospital room, he is sick with a highly contagious virus and it's normal to isolate such patients. Perhaps he could complain to his Embassy, Fox News and everyone else about the Thai tv programming!  I would back him up on this one!

The news interviewer made a big deal about X-rays from a distance. An X-ray operator has never remained in the room with me when I have one! 

 

Only 29 positive tests from 12,400 sandbox arrivals is a better result than I would have predicted.

What is easy to predict is that the naysayers and Phuket haters would seize on just one case to call the scheme a complete disaster. No surprises with these small minded people.

It is not about Phuket haters. I lived there for many years. Apart from the dog <deleted> (never had worms like this before) and the tar on the  Patong beach (wasn't easy to remove) it was a great location - if you could avoid the small taxis waiting for prey. 

[mrfill]

2 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Tough luck. Being retired military he must have considered the risks.  Which, makes me surprised he came at all.

If he did consider the risks then his judgement is very poor indeed. If he didn't consider the risks then his judgement is very poor.

However, he signed up for Operation Sandbox and accepted all the T&Cs knowing what might happen. And it just has.

Defaming the hotel by accusing it of being a prison maybe not the smartest move. Perhaps a move to a government hospital could be arranged...