November reopening: Bangkok called the Hub of Swabs!

[webfact]

Picture: TNN

 

A Bangkok Metropolitan Authority spokesman announced plans for the reopening of Bangkok on November 1st.

 

They will create  "swab hubs" in the Thai capital, said Pongsakorn Kwanmuang who was keen to follow through on PM Prayuth Chan-ochas earlier statements about reopening the country.

 

But two important matters need to be addressed, he said in a report by TNN.

 

He said that Bangkok needs to try and prevent transmissions among residents and foreign visitors so screening points will be set up along the lines of Phuket.

 

In Phuket this is done at hotels but City Hall will set up "swab hubs" to test foreign visitors throughout Bangkok. 

 

They will then be quarantined while they wait for results.

 

Other measures will be in place to prevent the spread of Covid at Bangkok's nightlife that is expected to reopen on December 1st.

 

Measures are likely to include carrying out antigen tests and giving vaccinations at Bangkok's tourism spots, said Pongsakorn. 

 

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[Pravda]

I'll just say what many are thinking 

 

Finally a hub

 

 

[gk10012001]

uh, are they saying they will be stopping foreigners that are walking around and swab them? 

[BangkokReady]

Quote

Bangkok called the Hub of Swabs!

I prefer bilge-rat or knave, but as pirate insults go, I guess it works for Thailand.

[CANSIAM]

'Swab Hubs' for the locals to protect the fully vaccinated negative tested tourists soon to come..........

[RichardColeman]

 

41 minutes ago, webfact said:

Measures are likely to include carrying out antigen tests and giving vaccinations at Bangkok's tourism spots, said Pongsakorn. 

If they switched to antigen tests on arrival at the airport and free release into Thailand , I'd be all for it.

 

I think it's something they could organise quite easily and with tourism numbers quite low to start with and a massive airport there'd be plenty of room to do it.

 

I'd recommend also a second free test to all those found positive to test for false positive anti-gen

 

 

 

[smedly]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

City Hall will set up "swab hubs" to test foreign visitors throughout Bangkok. 

 

They will then be quarantined while they wait for results.

oh boy, another nail in the touism coffin 

[smedly]

54 minutes ago, gk10012001 said:

uh, are they saying they will be stopping foreigners that are walking around and swab them? 

yup

[scorecard]

All very nice but when will Australians be added to the list of countries which can enter Thailand? 

[ourmanflint]

Never mind what you're doing, stop now, get swabbed and wait 30 minutes for the result.... eff off!

[Will B Good]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

"swab hubs" in the Thai capital,

They are going to be a big plus when tourists read it in their travel brochure.

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

 

If they switched to antigen tests on arrival at the airport and free release into Thailand , I'd be all for it.

 

I think it's something they could organise quite easily and with tourism numbers quite low to start with and a massive airport there'd be plenty of room to do it.

 

I'd recommend also a second free test to all those found positive to test for false positive anti-gen

 

 

 

Agree, seems to me that with some planning clever planning and organizing of swab materials/locations/staff/processing this could all be done at Swampy then just one step to get to the 1 night hotel and wait for the report.

 

Further, seems that when travelers arrive at Swampy they are deemed to be a Covid 19 risk to Thailand, so why would then be allowed to travel around Bkk to a testing hub and then to a hotel, all before they are 'passed' (get negative report).

 

All the more reason to keep the arrivals at Swampy until swab is taken.

 

The Thailand Pass process 'map' says traveler must submit details of hotel, so:

 

- Will there be a list of acceptable hotels for the 1 night stay?

- Will that list actually be the current ASQ hotels? (But with no PCR tests.)

- Can traveler leave the hotel as soon as negative report received by e.mail?

- If traveler arrives at Swampy early morning/breakfast time flight, swab taken quickly and processed at the airport, then traveler then goes to 1 night hotel, then negative report gets to the traveler later same day, can traveler leave the hotel immediately or must stay overnight, or?????

 

 

Edited October 16, 2021 by scorecard

[2long]

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

 

If they switched to antigen tests on arrival at the airport and free release into Thailand , I'd be all for it.

 

I think it's something they could organise quite easily and with tourism numbers quite low to start with and a massive airport there'd be plenty of room to do it.

 

I'd recommend also a second free test to all those found positive to test for false positive anti-gen

 

 

 

I couldn't have said or written it better!

[2long]

I'm sorry, but the 'test on arrival' and going into a forced hotel for as long as it takes Thai people to do something is still a prison quarantine and will deter thousands of the millions that the TAT tw*ts think are queueing up to visit this fine land.

 

Anyone who's double jabbed and tests negative before getting on the plane should have the freedom to walk out of the airport and go where they like! 

[scorecard]

30 minutes ago, 2long said:

I'm sorry, but the 'test on arrival' and going into a forced hotel for as long as it takes Thai people to do something is still a prison quarantine and will deter thousands of the millions that the TAT tw*ts think are queueing up to visit this fine land.

 

Anyone who's double jabbed and tests negative before getting on the plane should have the freedom to walk out of the airport and go where they like! 

Agree, and perhaps add pass a well proven/accredited rapid test, all done within 15-20 minutes of arrival.

 

All done, away you go, start your holiday.

 

 

[khunPer]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Other measures will be in place to prevent the spread of Covid at Bangkok's nightlife that is expected to reopen on December 1st.

I remember that it was recently said in the that you shall wear face mask at all time to be safe...

[scorecard]

I can't read a few areas of the Thailand Pass graphic, can someone please share what it says:

 

ITEM 1 - With dark blue box at top with label 'Data Filing' then 3 bullet points (I can't read the period marks):

• Passport
• ........  ...... Certificate
• ........ Booking

ITEM 2 - Next to ITEM 1 - Two dark blue boxes with small writing including QR Code. But I can't read the words (both boxes) before 'QR Code.

 

Appreciate some help to get full details of the above.

 

Thanks, much appreciated.

 

 

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, smedly said:

oh boy, another nail in the touism coffin 

Oh, boy, another "another nail in the tourism coffin" comment.

[MaiChai]

You need a pcr test to get on a plane so why do you need a further test when you arrive in Thailand? Especially if you are fully covid vaccinated. Its OTT.

[bkk_bwana]

3 hours ago, gk10012001 said:

uh, are they saying they will be stopping foreigners that are walking around and swab them? 

No, of course not. Neither the aseannow article or the referred article in Thai says that. The 'swab centre' (in Phuket) is where visitors go if you were contact traced or you suspected you had been exposed, or had symptoms. In Bangkok, visitors who need to be tested (for the same reasons given above) will use these swab hubs that will be conveniently located in tourist areas - rather than having to find a local swab centre in a local district. There have been lots of these centers set up all over the country, when they have outbreaks in the last few months. Nothing new here, only making it easier for tourists. It sounds quite sensible to me.

[sqwakvfr]

You can have as many "Swab Hubs" as you want but if the number of laboratories is the same then it will be longer than just a "one night stay in ASQ"?   I wonder what the reaction will be  when people  are told "sorry you pay for one more night because lab is busy"??  This sounds like overkill because if new arrivals are : 1) Double vaccinated with approved vaccines 2) Have a negative RT-PCR test 72 hours before departure then conducting another PCR test upon arrival probably would not indicate a new infection which might have been caught while traveling.  The best indicator of a possible infection while traveling might be to conduct another PCR test between 3 and 7 days after arrival.  Anyway 555 and good luck on this November 1 opening.  

[Cake Monster]

1 hour ago, 2long said:

I'm sorry, but the 'test on arrival' and going into a forced hotel for as long as it takes Thai people to do something is still a prison quarantine and will deter thousands of the millions that the TAT tw*ts think are queueing up to visit this fine land.

 

Anyone who's double jabbed and tests negative before getting on the plane should have the freedom to walk out of the airport and go where they like! 

I am not condoning the way that things are for any Tourists that arrive in Thailand, but it is Thailand, and as such if these are the requirements for a Holiday within the Country that the Thai Authorities have imposed, then so be it.

The Tourists always have an alternative choice, and as I suspect, many will take that choice.

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, scorecard said:

I can't read a few areas of the Thailand Pass graphic, can someone please share what it says:

 

ITEM 1 - With dark blue box at top with label 'Data Filing' then 3 bullet points (I can't read the period marks):

• Passport
• ........  ...... Certificate
• ........ Booking

ITEM 2 - Next to ITEM 1 - Two dark blue boxes with small writing including QR Code. But I can't read the words (both boxes) before 'QR Code.

 

Appreciate some help to get full details of the above.

 

Thanks, much appreciated.

 

 

Does anybody have a very clear copy of the whole Thailand Pass process schematic?

 

Can you please share. Thanks.

[sirineou]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

They will create  "swab hubs" in the Thai capital, said Pongsakorn Kwanmuang

I am sure he did not say that, I am sure what ever he said he said it in Thai and the person who wrote this article translated it as such knowing that the (whatever this forum is called now) crowd will get a rise out of it. 

[Deli]

20 hours ago, 2long said:

I'm sorry, but the 'test on arrival' and going into a forced hotel for as long as it takes Thai people to do something is still a prison quarantine and will deter thousands of the millions that the TAT tw*ts think are queueing up to visit this fine land.

 

Anyone who's double jabbed and tests negative before getting on the plane should have the freedom to walk out of the airport and go where they like! 

But you would take axay an extra earner for the Govvernment and overpreiced ASQ & SHA+ brothels

[samtam]

22 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

 

If they switched to antigen tests on arrival at the airport and free release into Thailand , I'd be all for it.

 

I think it's something they could organise quite easily and with tourism numbers quite low to start with and a massive airport there'd be plenty of room to do it.

 

I'd recommend also a second free test to all those found positive to test for false positive anti-gen

 

 

 

 

20 hours ago, scorecard said:

Agree, seems to me that with some planning clever planning and organizing of swab materials/locations/staff/processing this could all be done at Swampy then just one step to get to the 1 night hotel and wait for the report.

 

Further, seems that when travelers arrive at Swampy they are deemed to be a Covid 19 risk to Thailand, so why would then be allowed to travel around Bkk to a testing hub and then to a hotel, all before they are 'passed' (get negative report).

 

All the more reason to keep the arrivals at Swampy until swab is taken.

 

The Thailand Pass process 'map' says traveler must submit details of hotel, so:

 

- Will there be a list of acceptable hotels for the 1 night stay?

- Will that list actually be the current ASQ hotels? (But with no PCR tests.)

- Can traveler leave the hotel as soon as negative report received by e.mail?

- If traveler arrives at Swampy early morning/breakfast time flight, swab taken quickly and processed at the airport, then traveler then goes to 1 night hotel, then negative report gets to the traveler later same day, can traveler leave the hotel immediately or must stay overnight, or?????

 

 

As far as I know PCR tests are taken on arrival in Hong Kong. Passengers have to wait 3 hours for the result, before they are transported to their quarantine hotel. Not sure if it's possible to get results of PCR in 3 hours in Hong Kong why it's not possible to do the same here.

[samtam]

18 hours ago, scorecard said:

Does anybody have a very clear copy of the whole Thailand Pass process schematic?

 

Can you please share. Thanks.

https://asq.in.th/thailand-pass

 

This seems to be the clearest one I can see. Tried MFA website, but "No Record"!

 

Some of the unclear wording is spelled out underneath the graphic.

The website is not up yet.

Anyway, it will change, as it's "pending approval".

Edited October 17, 2021 by samtam

[asiasurfer]

Sounds like a great holiday destination... ????

[GeorgeCross]

the newspaper that can't be named is curretly running a story where they are talking about "blue zones" being set up in pattaya, chiang mai (and the others?)

 

for the first 7 days inbound tourists cannot leave and if (tested again?) covid free can travel freely outside with writtent permission from authorities.

 

not sure how they intend to enforce but tracking apps come to mind.

 

either way this fully open thailand is sounding a whole lot like another sandbox setup to me.

 

meanwhile 10s thousands of locals will be "freely" moving in and out of these blue zones with impunity. what a joke.

 

 

 

Edited October 17, 2021 by GeorgeCross

[Smokey and the Bandit]

21 hours ago, MaiChai said:

You need a pcr test to get on a plane so why do you need a further test when you arrive in Thailand? Especially if you are fully covid vaccinated. Its OTT.

Yes completely OTT, but just think how much money will be generated by forcing incoming passengers to have an expensive PCR test and then forced into staying at a quarantine hotel for a day?? The Thai government don't miss a trick where money is concerned!!