A nightmare - testing positive on arrival in Thailand

[anchadian]

Today’s special newsletter is about the nightmare that falls upon you if you test positive on arrival in Thailand. This is what happened to Kirovs, a tourist who came to Thailand with his family. He is now in hospital and his family are in hotel quarantine. The second story is from James who is considered a close contact as he was in the same car from the airport as someone who tested positive. Neither of the people who tested positive have any symptoms and they are now desperately trying to find out if their insurance will cover the large hospital bill.

 

https://www.getrevue.co/profile/richardbarrow/issues/the-nightmare-of-testing-positive-on-arrival-in-thailand-848695?via=twitter-card-webview

[Bkk Brian]

Nightmare indeed even if you test negative but are a close contact:

 

Story 2: Tested Negative but is a Close Contact

This second story is by James. Shortly before midnight, the hotel texted him to give him his test results: “The covid test you are negative but you can’t leave here because your friend covid test result positive. You quarantine this here 14 day.” The reason they gave him was because they came to the hotel in the same car. This is his story.

[asiam110]

None has been proactively offered a second PCR test yet, one says he has finally confirmed one but nothing about outcome yet,  also I'd probably try insist it's done my another hospital, why aren't they being done by default? ah 350k lovely.

 

This whole thing stinks of corruption, if I do follow through with thailand visit, ill need to carefully choose my hotel based on their partner hospital although they are probably all corrupt and greedy to some extent

Edited November 9, 2021 by asiam110

[Gsxrnz]

This will be the first of many reports yet to come.  Only 10 or so testing positive thus far is surprisingly low and probably so because the statistical probability of randomly testing positive has been skewed by the pre-departure negative test requirements.

 

As arrivals increase (that is, if they do increase) the laws of statistical probability means that a greater percentage will test positive on arrival.

 

My prediction - if they get to anything like 200,000 arrivals per month they will see circa 2% (4,000) testing positive, and that will be a world of hurt for a lot of people. The horror stories enforced  expensive hospital quarantine will get out into wider circulation and the arrival numbers will drop like the proverbial brick.

 

It will be about then they will do one of two things.  Close the border again or more likely, throw their arms in the air and stop the ridiculous charade.

[tlcwaterfall]

23 minutes ago, asiam110 said:

None has been proactively offered a second PCR test yet, one says he has finally confirmed one but nothing about outcome yet,  also I'd probably try insist it's done my another hospital, why aren't they being done by default? ah 350k lovely.

 

This whole thing stinks of corruption, if I do follow through with thailand visit, ill need to carefully choose my hotel based on their partner hospital although they are probably all corrupt and greedy to some extent

Agree with you and we all need to make sure our insurance covers us if we test positive. And that the insurance company pays the hospital direct and none of this customer pays first and gets reimbursed later on rubbish..

[grain]

Guys who were living in Thailand, or frequently visiting, pre-pandemic and want to get back as they have property/belongings/wives/tiraks/families. I get it. People who want to come in for business/work. I get it. People who want to come for tourism/holiday must be insane.

 

And I've been saying this for the past year: When tourism starts up again there's going to be an almighty eruption of greed and fleecing the foreigners to try and make up for all that lost income. It's going to be ugly. 

[internationalism]

39 minutes ago, Gsxrnz said:

This will be the first of many reports yet to come.  Only 10 or so testing positive thus far is surprisingly low and probably so because the statistical probability of randomly testing positive has been skewed by the pre-departure negative test requirements.

 

As arrivals increase (that is, if they do increase) the laws of statistical probability means that a greater percentage will test positive on arrival.

 

My prediction - if they get to anything like 200,000 arrivals per month they will see circa 2% (4,000) testing positive, and that will be a world of hurt for a lot of people. The horror stories enforced  expensive hospital quarantine will get out into wider circulation and the arrival numbers will drop like the proverbial brick.

 

It will be about then they will do one of two things.  Close the border again or more likely, throw their arms in the air and stop the ridiculous charade.

no, the percentage will be similar to what's now.

If they do remove need for pre-departure test (planned for the beginning of the next year) than this figure will rise.

 

For phuket sandbox it was 0.33%, early Test&Go 0.12% but falling now for 0.09%.

There must be some change in pandemic situation abroad, large winter out brakes, new mutations resistant to old jabs, which might cause such big rise as you suggest. Passengers slipping through the first test, also getting in contact at airports, on airplanes.

 

Those 200k monthly would be well into the next year. So far they are expecting only some 60k to January

Edited November 9, 2021 by internationalism

[brewsterbudgen]

Absolutely crazy.  Hopefully it will get publicised internationally and they will change the policy very soon.  Covid craziness abounds here!

[TheFishman1]

If you say the guy test positive then how come they’re not quarantining all the people that sit next to Man the airplane TIT

[mrmicbkktxl]

I thought everyone needs a COVID insurance before can enter Thailand.Then what is the problem about hospital bills?

[Bkk Brian]

Sadly this is a small but real risk of traveling to Thailand, even if the sometimes confusing paperwork doesn’t put you off. Something to think about, and I can’t see many short-term holiday-makers even considering Thailand with these risks.

https://twitter.com/pakhead/status/1458094687894573065

 

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, mrmicbkktxl said:

I thought everyone needs a COVID insurance before can enter Thailand.Then what is the problem about hospital bills?

I think because hospital bills for covid treatment are very different to quarantine bills just because you are asymptomatic but are still required to be locked up. Thats why you have to be very diligent on the insurance you take out and make sure it covers this.

[Salerno]

1 minute ago, mrmicbkktxl said:

I thought everyone needs a COVID insurance before can enter Thailand.Then what is the problem about hospital bills?

Some people don't do their due diligence and find their insurance won't pay out - it's on them, but of course some would rather spout BS and blame everyone but the real culprit.

[TheFishman1]

So you flying to Thailand in the next day one or two people test positive they were on the plane do they then quarantine every passenger that was on the plane if you’re taking to the hotel in the minivan and somebody test positive that was in the van does that mean everybody has to quarantine for 14 days that was in the van including the van driver who then came in contact with all The staff that in the hotel do they all get quarantine I think many people that hear this will be afraid to even come to Thailand and fear of being quarantine for 14 days or worse than that having to spend days in the hospital TIT

[bojo]

5 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Sadly this is a small but real risk of traveling to Thailand, even if the sometimes confusing paperwork doesn’t put you off. Something to think about, and I can’t see many short-term holiday-makers even considering Thailand with these risks.

So true, but I think that if there are genuine tourists coming to Thailand, who perhaps don't follow the forums like TV and aren't perhaps regulars, there's no way that they would consider that in the extremely unlikely event that they would be frog marched to hospital for a two week stay at some extortionate expense to themselves (or hopefully their insurance company's upfront cost covereing??), they wouldn't even be thinking that through.......I can't even see there being small print/info anywhere for that scenario.....................God forbid

[4MyEgo]

All I can say is thank Buddha this is Thailand, I mean could you imagine the scams that could start from this, e.g. 10% kickback to the person doing the swab to the unsuspecting visitor, off he goes to the hotel for quarantine or hospital, charges varying in degree.

 

Like I said, lucky this couldn't happen in Thailand, jet ski's and other things sure, but this is too big, right ?

 

Edited November 10, 2021 by 4MyEgo

[pizzachang]

And this, after restrictions lifted !

[nickmondo]

people wont be coming, and their decision not to travel is absolutely correct based on this information

[brewsterbudgen]

36 minutes ago, nickmondo said:

people wont be coming, and their decision not to travel is absolutely correct based on this information

Yes. Far too early for tourists to consider Thailand as a normal holiday destination. 

 

I suspect things will change soon. 

[Bkk Brian]

Thailand's MFA spokesman batting this directly back to Richard B and Pakhead in a tweet, the message, its a sacrifice you must make.

 

"I think risks that come with travel during these days are there where ever one goes around the world. But we all have to do our part. If I were found positive when arriving abroad, esp if I don't speak local language... (1/3)

 

....I'm sure I would hv a less than pleasant experience, vacation expectations altered (hypothetically). But after it all, I'd realize that understanding risks is the lesson of the day. Being + upon arrival in Thailand is not a sad humiliating story but rather of sacrifice and.. (2/3)

 

.. responsibility, as no one is more entitled than others. Thailand is one of the 1st to spearhead new normal travel. This is leadership that comes w/ responsibility for strict implementation as well as to constantly improve & address inefficiency where it arises. (3/3)"

 

https://twitter.com/NatapanuN/status/1458231975957856257

 

Edited November 10, 2021 by Bkk Brian

[hotchilli]

17 hours ago, anchadian said:

Today’s special newsletter is about the nightmare that falls upon you if you test positive on arrival in Thailand. This is what happened to Kirovs, a tourist who came to Thailand with his family. He is now in hospital and his family are in hotel quarantine. The second story is from James who is considered a close contact as he was in the same car from the airport as someone who tested positive. Neither of the people who tested positive have any symptoms and they are now desperately trying to find out if their insurance will cover the large hospital bill

Som nam na... come to Thailand and take your chances.

[robblok]

2 hours ago, mrmicbkktxl said:

I thought everyone needs a COVID insurance before can enter Thailand.Then what is the problem about hospital bills?

That is indeed a really good point, only those with fake policies would be in trouble. Anyway I fully support the insurance drive, however it should be more flexible for those that have policies already that might not align with their time of stay. This just shows how important it is to have insurance.

 

But yea big question is will it be reimbursed. I would say so as its goverment rule.

[spidermike007]

They still do not get the social media thing. News of this atrocious and totally uncivilized behavior will be global by tomorrow. And if Thailand was hoping for 100,000 tourists a month, cut that by half. Smart. Real smart. 

 

15 foreigners test positive, and we are still the zombies. Yeah, right. 

Edited November 10, 2021 by spidermike007

[robblok]

Thailand is not the only country with rules, in the Netherlands they are now complaining about the rule change in Austria that makes it hard for people to go. Because of covid. 

 

Travel is not the same, accept or don't travel its that simple. I would not go if it was not needed. People acting like Thailand is the only country with covid rules is crazy. 

[richard_smith237]

17 minutes ago, robblok said:

Thailand is not the only country with rules, in the Netherlands they are now complaining about the rule change in Austria that makes it hard for people to go. Because of covid. 

 

Travel is not the same, accept or don't travel its that simple. I would not go if it was not needed. People acting like Thailand is the only country with covid rules is crazy. 

Absolutely agree Rob..... 

 

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve read complaint about the strict entry requirements and process and then go on to state that ‘no other country...... blah blah’.....

 

Meanwhile, many of my friends and friends of my Wife are going through difficulties meeting requirements and jumping through hoops trying to get into other countries. 

 

In the absence of knowledge of the entry requirements some complainers feeling hard done by believe Thailand is deliberately being difficult to foreigners - unfortunately, flawed thinking such as this is a common trait among many own this forum who lack the critical thought.

 

 

 

[bradiston]

16 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Absolutely crazy.  Hopefully it will get publicised internationally and they will change the policy very soon.  Covid craziness abounds here!

It appeared in the UK's Independent on 9th. Credit to Richard Barrow for following these stories up, and first publishing them, and all the other work he has done. Enough of the sell out theories already!

[robblok]

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Absolutely agree Rob..... 

 

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve read complaint about the strict entry requirements and process and then go on to state that ‘no other country...... blah blah’.....

 

Meanwhile, many of my friends and friends of my Wife are going through difficulties meeting requirements and jumping through hoops trying to get into other countries. 

 

In the absence of knowledge of the entry requirements some complainers feeling hard done by believe Thailand is deliberately being difficult to foreigners - unfortunately, flawed thinking such as this is a common trait among many own this forum who lack the critical thought.

 

Many countries have rules and they are complained about by many in my country. So indeed Thailand is not the only one. People still want to go back to the old times (i bet everyone wants that) however that is just not happening, nowhere. Even in Norway they are bringing back the covid pass.

 

Personally I am most <deleted> off about the insurance thing, as it does not take into account those who have yearly insurance for health. Its quite normal to pay per year and strange if one has to change his or her insurance validity each time one travels. They should either look in the past and see that someone has been holding an insurance already and is diligently paying in it as not to harm those who did have an insurance in Thailand. This is just for those who have always refused to get insurance.

 

Im sad about this as it has been in the news so much people getting away from hospitals not paying and go fund me to get money. These people are the reasons for the new rules. That is why i was always so negative with my comments on these topics as I could see that it would cause trouble in the future for us who do follow the rules. 

 

Its always like this some people abuse the system and then those that follow the rules have to bleed for this. Strangely a lot of people seemed to sympathize with these people and were proud of not having insurance. Sad that it has to come this far.

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

Thailand's MFA spokesman batting this directly back to Richard B and Pakhead in a tweet, the message, its a sacrifice you must make.

 

"I think risks that come with travel during these days are there where ever one goes around the world. But we all have to do our part. If I were found positive when arriving abroad, esp if I don't speak local language... (1/3)

 

....I'm sure I would hv a less than pleasant experience, vacation expectations altered (hypothetically). But after it all, I'd realize that understanding risks is the lesson of the day. Being + upon arrival in Thailand is not a sad humiliating story but rather of sacrifice and.. (2/3)

 

.. responsibility, as no one is more entitled than others. Thailand is one of the 1st to spearhead new normal travel. This is leadership that comes w/ responsibility for strict implementation as well as to constantly improve & address inefficiency where it arises. (3/3)"

 

https://twitter.com/NatapanuN/status/1458231975957856257

 

He's right. No good crying about it after, but how it's handled raises a some serious questions.. But one of these cases at least merits further investigation. Even if insured, the procedures seem unclear and haphazard. The Thai government should lay down what they are in clear black and white. Forewarned is forearmed.

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, koele2 said:

Anybody in the same plane with a person who tests positive for covid will be forced to quarantine at a pre determined hotel for 14 days at their own expense.  According to the hotel’s owner that people will be forced to stay in and the govt official who will get a cut of the profits.

I thought all bars were still closed ??

..... in which bar do you hear that golden-droplets of barstool tosh ?

 

Your rumour is of course utter poppycock, unsubstantiated made up rubbish.....

[JonnyF]

It was only a matter of time. Many of us had predicted such a scenario. Like someone else said, worth the risk if returning to family or work but why anyone would take this risk for a couple of weeks holiday in Thailand while most things are closed is beyond me.

 

12 hours sitting on a plane in a mask waiting for a stick to be shoved up your nose to see if you're going to be locked up for 2 weeks. I can think of better ways to relax.