Thailand red list: British tourists face huge costs in dash back to UK to beat hotel quarantine

[webfact]

Fran Greene (right) with her partner Conor Lyons (left). The recent graduates are stuck in Phuket, Thailand, after the Government announced it would move the country to red list restrictions (Picture: Fran Greene)

 

By Amy Walker

 

Traveller says she will stay on in holiday hotspot because quarantine will ‘bankrupt’ her and sorting flight before Monday deadline is ‘almost impossible’

 

British tourists have said they face huge costs and a desperate scramble to get home from Thailand before red list rules kick in on Monday – or risk becoming stuck in the country.

 

The Government moved the destination to its toughest level of restrictions under the traffic light system on Thursday.

 

It means arrivals will have to quarantine in a designated hotel for 10 days if they return after 4am on 30 August – at a cost of £2,285 for a single adult, plus extra charges for more adults or children in a room.

 

The Government said the move reflected “increased case rates” as well as “the higher risk” that travel from Thailand poses to UK public health.

 

Full story: https://inews.co.uk/news/thailand-red-list-british-tourists-costs-return-uk-hotel-quarantine-rules-start-1171583

 

-- Inews 2021-08-28

 

 

[tonray]

ahhh...those poor downtrodden global jetsetters.....hardships abound

[4MyEgo]

What can I say, travelling to Thailand with the amount of Covid cases per day would be concerning for the brightest spark not to come here.

 

Those that came here are obviously short circuited, in my opinion, selfish for another word, sounds harsh, but I said it, so, they can deal with it, not our problem, weep and whatever, no sympathy from me because you don't travel to hot spots in this climate and you don't trust governments ????

 

 

Edited August 28, 2021 by 4MyEgo

[tonray]

1 minute ago, 4MyEgo said:

What can I say, travelling to Thailand with the amount of Covid cases per day would be concerning for the brightest spark not to come here.

 

Those that came here are not only stupid in my opinion, but selfish, sounds harsh, but I said it, so deal with it, not our problem, weep and whatever, no sympathy from me ????

 

Wait for it....GoFundMe in 3..2...1.....

[RotBenz8888]

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

Traveller says she will stay on in holiday hotspot

And will that be for free? 

[Sharp]

Yeah right and how much will it cost to stay in Phuket if its months until delisted from the red list way more than 2k 

[starky]

2500 quid will bankrupt her? She should be working then not traipsing round the world during a pandemic. 

When the cases hit 2000 a day then 5000 then 10000 at any point did these flips think "oh I wonder ifThailand will get put on a red list?" Idiots.

Edited August 28, 2021 by starky

[Scrotobike]

3 minutes ago, starky said:

2500 quid will bankrupt her? She should be working then not traipsing round the world during a pandemic. 

When the cases hit 2000 a day then 5000 then 10000 at any point did these flips think "oh I wonder ifThailand will get put on a red list?" Idiots.

No sympathy here - I get travelling "home" to Thailand to see your family here but otherwise what sane person travels for "fun" now?

If nothing else the hospitals are at breaking point and if you need medical treatment for whatever it will be problematic.

[Karma80]

Australians > "Hold my beer".

[Miami007]

Not an endorsement of the effectiveness of the vaccines in the UK.

UK has more cases than Thailand - and both countries have the delta variant.

Not sure what danger a tourist returning from Thailand poses to the UK where community spread exists already.

 

These measures simply don't make sense

[Karma80]

Just now, Miami007 said:

Not an endorsement of the effectiveness of the vaccines in the UK.

UK has more cases than Thailand - and both countries have the delta variant.

Not sure what danger a tourist returning from Thailand poses to the UK where community spread exists already.

 

These measures simply don't make sense

The UK government views Thailand as having a very low vaccination and efficacy rate, together with rising cases. This could lead to new variant being imported into the UK. That's the logic anyway.

 

Can't say I blame them really. We're using Sinovac as a primary vaccine and shuffling people off to ATK testing.

[Greenwich Boy]

I arrived from the UK in May on a STV. Currently stamped in till November. If nothing changes and I can't extend further then it is 10 days in an amber country first or worse case the hotel quarantine.

Fully aware of the risks at the time of booking, anyone who wasn't should not have been allowed to travel without an adult. 

[Will B Good]

Trying to drum up some sympathy, but finding it difficult.

 

The risk of this happening was always on the cards.

[Gottfrid]

To travel without sufficient economy is always a risk. Not only during a pandemic. That is something people have very hard to get their head around. If you do not have a minimum of 4 - 5k left after travelling your should stay home and work instead. And that is a bare minimum! Idiots!

[fredscats]

They are going to be here for quite some time   maybe forever   Thailand ain:t getting rid of covid any time soon

[EricTh]

The question is how long will Thailand be on the red list....Do they have enough money to survive in Thailand?

[edwinchester]

25 minutes ago, Miami007 said:

Not an endorsement of the effectiveness of the vaccines in the UK.

UK has more cases than Thailand - and both countries have the delta variant.

Not sure what danger a tourist returning from Thailand poses to the UK where community spread exists already.

 

These measures simply don't make sense

UK has more reported cases for sure. Thailand only conducts 50k tests a day of which 40% are +ve. If Thailand tested 100's of thousands a day as in the UK their +be rate would be many times higher.

[wensiensheng]

27 minutes ago, Miami007 said:

Not an endorsement of the effectiveness of the vaccines in the UK.

UK has more cases than Thailand - and both countries have the delta variant.

Not sure what danger a tourist returning from Thailand poses to the UK where community spread exists already.

 

These measures simply don't make sense

I believe that part of the justification for the change is that Thailand isn’t doing enough genome analysis of its cases and so may not identify new Covid variants quickly enough. People traveling back to the UK might therefore bring back a new unidentified variant.

[Bruno123]

Wow... The article did say that she travelled to meet family; parents and younger brother.

Then some special comment of her needing £5k in back up funds on top of her travelling funds. Really? Which one of you graduated university with £10k in your bank account? If you had £10k then from where did you get it? 

Working whilst at uni? So it looks as if she worked to save money and travelled after graduating, to see family that she had not seen for two years.

 

But yet, the bitter and twisted comments came flying. Any perceived chink in the armour is attacked with both hands.

 

She should NOT visit family. She should NOT enjoy a holiday after study, work, saving. She should have 20/20 vision and be perfect; otherwise the pundits on this forum will savage her like wild dogs.

 

Way to go guys; you are making us proud.

 

[smedly]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Traveller says she will stay on in holiday hotspot because quarantine will ‘bankrupt’ her and sorting flight before Monday deadline is ‘almost impossible’

Just wait and see how that looks when you get a positive covid test in Thailand 

 

your government warned you against international travel - no sympathy from me 

[Blumpie]

You have to have a lot, a lot of money to travel in a global pandemic.  You have to be willing to jump through hoops that didn't exist and suddenly appear.

 

Less than zero sympathy.  If you think you got it bad, imagine being born in Afghanistan and suffering through what they are going through.  

 

Less than zero sympathy!  Get a go fund me page going.

[CharlieH]

Reported post removed.

 

Off topic removed.

[CharlieH]

Use the brains ! Fly to a non red area, stay there in quarantine as its vastly cheaper, then go to the Uk from there.

Rather spend quarantine in 5 star in Doha than grotty London at overcharged prices.

 

Just a suggestion

[Robin]

To anyone following the news, it is no surprise that UK has put Thailand on the Red List.  Maybe, when you are young and care-free, you do not bother with such minor details.  I would have thought that any travel during this Covid nonsense was liable to disruption at any time.  Easy to be wise after the event, but  Covid has turned so much upside-down that not wise to travel anywhere if you can't afford change of plans.  I cam to Thailand in Feb. thinking or hoping that all restriction would be over by now.  Luckily it is only inconvenient to b stuck in Thailand, not a disaster.

[gungadin1]

If you can do test to release day 5 from amber countries why can't you do same from quarantine hotel?the test is either valid or it isn't.

Also if you had a clear test before travel and test to release and vaccines what more do they want?

No other country bar 1 just ignores being double jabbed.Waste of time if it makes no difference

[Chris.B]

The cost of quarantine in the UK at £228 per day is extortionate but typical of how the UK treats its citizens. ☹️

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 hour ago, Miami007 said:

Not an endorsement of the effectiveness of the vaccines in the UK.

UK has more cases than Thailand - and both countries have the delta variant.

Not sure what danger a tourist returning from Thailand poses to the UK where community spread exists already.

 

These measures simply don't make sense

They make perfect sense as they were announced shortly after four new variants of the Delta strain were found in Thailand. The UK wants to limit its exposure to potential new strains. Completely understandable.

[Mr Meeseeks]

2 minutes ago, Chris.B said:

The cost of quarantine in the UK at £228 per day is extortionate but typical of how the UK treats its citizens. ☹️

 

Just rock up in a dinghy and you'll get a hotel room, meals and allowance free in perpetuity.

[Will B Good]

5 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

They make perfect sense as they were announced shortly after four new variants of the Delta strain were found in Thailand. The UK wants to limit its exposure to potential new strains. Completely understandable.

They did qualify that by stating they expect the variants to have no effect though.

 

Having said that, I think it is the correct decision. There is a serious lack of confidence in Thailands ability to add numbers up correctly.

[robblok]

3 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

They make perfect sense as they were announced shortly after four new variants of the Delta strain were found in Thailand. The UK wants to limit its exposure to potential new strains. Completely understandable.

Yes it is but maybe the uk could have given a larger timeframe or more warnings before. But yes I get it. Now a lot of Brits will have extra costs. Always hard making these kind of decisions no matter what they choose they are wrong same as in the Netherlands. Someone will always not be happy with it.