Tourist faces huge bill, separation from family after testing positive on arrival in Thailand

[webfact]

Credit: Richard Barrow

 

A tourist has revealed his anguish at the possibility of being hit with a large bill after falling foul of Thailand’s test on arrival policy.

 

The tourist, named only as Kirovs, told blogger Richard Barrow how he had arrived in Thailand on Nov 7. 

 

Kirovs tested positive on arrival in Thailand and was sent to hospital, where he will have to stay for at least 10 days, despite not having any symptoms. 

 

His family - wife and two children - were sent to hotel quarantine and are due to take another test on day 3 or 4. If they test negative they may be able to continue on their holiday without him. 

 

Kirovs estimates he may have to pay 350,000 Baht towards hospital and quarantine fees if his insurance provider won’t cover it.

 

“I knew that I was taking a gamble when I chose to buy plane tickets as soon as the Thailand reopening was announced,” Kirovs told Richard.

 

“We lost that bet.”

 

Richard Barrow also highlighted the plight of a man named James who found himself in an equally unfortunate situation after arriving in Thailand.

 

Despite himself testing negative, James shared a car from the airport with someone who tested positive, which for James meant he also had to go to hotel quarantine.

 

James said he was travelling to Thailand to be reunited with his wife. He was travelling with his friend who was visiting his girlfriend. It was his friend who tested positive.

 

“Upon arriving at the hotel, we both were tested at 2:30 p.m. and sent to our separate rooms. At midnight we both received a message, James said. 

 

“His said that he had tested positive and will be transferred to hospital, and mine said that mine is negative, but I’d need to stay in quarantine for 14 days”.

 

James said both he and his friend were not showing any symptoms.

 

While the chances of testing positive on arrival in Thailand are small, it is perhaps a risk simply not worth taking for some tourists. 

 

To date, approximately 25,000 tourists have entered Thailand since the country reopened to tourists on Nov 1. 

 

Only 26 tourists have tested positive.

 

However, the issue is compounded by the fact that there is next to no official information about the risks of travelling to Thailand and testing positive on arrival.

 

Despite the myriad of infographics, Facebook posts and tweets from the Tourism Authority of Thailand and other related agencies on the requirements for foreigners to enter Thailand, there is very little about what a positive test on arrival could mean for foreigners, especially those travelling in groups, as a family or with young children. 

 

Information regarding the impact of a positive test on arrival could (and should) be clearly publicised on the Thailand Pass website, which foreigners are required to upload documents to prior to travelling to Thailand.

 

Foreigners should also be urged to check with their insurance companies if their policy covers them for quarantine and other expenses in the event of a positive test. 

 

Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view

 

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[Bkk Brian]

2 minutes ago, webfact said:

Information regarding the impact of a positive test on arrival could (and should) be clearly publicised on the Thailand Pass website, which foreigners are required to upload documents to prior to travelling to Thailand.

 

Foreigners should also be urged to check with their insurance companies if their policy covers them for quarantine and other expenses in the event of a positive test. 

Not only if you test positive but as in the OP even if you test negative and were next to someone in the car or plane you still get carted off for 2 weeks. I doubt any International Insurance companies will pay out for this? Even if they do you also need to ensure they pay out there and then and not make you pay first.  Probably only Thai Insurance companies will cover this.

[Karma80]

 

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

Foreigners should also be urged to check with their insurance companies if their policy covers them for quarantine and other expenses in the event of a positive test. 

The trap is sprung! You have to make it out alive too.

Remember that test before you fly? Better hope you didn't get covid while you were playing in the covid capital of SE Asia.

 

Seriously though. Even with a robust insurance policy (very very few) that will genuinely pay for ALL your expenses in the event of an asymptotic test with no medically necessary treatment, nobody is covered for a quarantine hotel for being a close contact.

[Chris.B]

350,000 baht hospital bill, nearly £8,000 for 10 day stay! Must be a good room at 35,000 baht a night!

[John Drake]

3 minutes ago, Chris.B said:

350,000 baht hospital bill, nearly £8,000 for 10 day stay! Must be a good room at 35,000 baht a night!

Well, the Thais did say they were looking for millionaires. Now we know why.

[Karma80]

1 minute ago, Chris.B said:

350,000 baht hospital bill, nearly £8,000 for 10 day stay! Must be a good room at 35,000 baht a night!

I know someone who got hit by the private hospital for testing positive. 120,000 THB, no symptoms. The change will be for the quarantine hotel for the family. Please enjoy your holiday in Thailand...

[canopus1969]

Anyone who visits Thailand at this present time is crazy

[ukrules]

Big gamble visiting Thailand right now, make a list of different countries and what they do when someone tests positive.

 

Go to the places that don't lock you up.

[wprime]

Congratulations Kirovs. You're the reason we have these rules, because you can't be trusted to protect yourself from the virus before traveling.

 

Enjoy your 350,000 baht bill.

[JustAnotherHun]

7 minutes ago, wprime said:

Congratulations Kirovs. You're the reason we have these rules, because you can't be trusted to protect yourself from the virus before traveling.

 

Enjoy your 350,000 baht bill.

Congratulations. You're far ahead in the run to the "most-disgusting-post-2021" award.

[redsongthaew]

41 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

I doubt any International Insurance companies will pay out for this?

 

AXA have an excellent policy:

 

https://axaxl.com/insurance/products/security-risks

[tezzaaa]

Interesting post (+ good to know), does anyone know/recommend any Thai insurance that would  cover costs if found positive?

 

 

 

[tezzaaa]

Re: Axa policy.. Looking at the policy this is more for kidnappings and I'm not sure it would cover this.. according to Thai law this wouldn't be a wrongful detention ..

[Bkk Brian]

8 minutes ago, redsongthaew said:

 

AXA have an excellent policy:

 

https://axaxl.com/insurance/products/security-risks

Damn you made me click that link ????

[firestar]

9 minutes ago, tezzaaa said:

Interesting post (+ good to know), does anyone know/recommend any Thai insurance that would  cover costs if found positive?

 

 

 

AETNA (Ex Bupa) covers it too.

[richard_smith237]

26 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

35 minutes ago, wprime said:

Congratulations Kirovs. You're the reason we have these rules, because you can't be trusted to protect yourself from the virus before traveling.

 

Enjoy your 350,000 baht bill.

Congratulations. You're far ahead in the run to the "most-disgusting-post-2021" award.

Combined with most uneducated.....  they could have picked up the Virus at the airport, how can anyone protect themselves from that ?

[James105]

Hopefully this will serve as a warning to other tourists intending to come here and they can make arrangements to go on holiday to an alternative country.   Many people were asking the question of what happens if someone tests positive on arrival and of course there was no clear answer and many suspected it would be the absolute horror show that it is. 

 

This testing + quarantine on arrival + insurance + expensive imprisonment for positive test (or negative test when near to someone positive) will only stop when the tourists vote with their wallets as this will force them to come up with more sensible requirements to come here, such as simply showing proof of vaccination and nothing else other than passport.  

[wprime]

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Combined with most uneducated.....  they could have picked up the Virus at the airport, how can anyone protect themselves from that ?

Possible but highly unlikely that he'd test positive so soon.

[Mac Mickmanus]

12 minutes ago, tezzaaa said:

Re: Axa policy.. Looking at the policy this is more for kidnappings and I'm not sure it would cover this.. according to Thai law this wouldn't be a wrongful detention ..

I dunno , it depends on how you word it on your insurance claim . 

  *I had just arrived at the airport and then a group of three masked men came and accosted me , they stuck something up my nose and then forcible whisked me off to a room where they locked me in for 14 days and wouldn't release  me unless I paid them 325 000 Baht *

[HAPPYNUFF]

Not to say that   certain persons  perhaps  own  certain  ASQ  hotel  that just happens to need /want     high paying guests.

[Bkk Brian]

7 minutes ago, firestar said:

AETNA (Ex Bupa) covers it too.

My whole family has that but it does not cover us for testing negative and then being sent to quarantine for 2 weeks. 

 

Although living here we do have other Thai insurance that does, sort of.

[JustAnotherHun]

11 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Combined with most uneducated.....  they could have picked up the Virus at the airport, how can anyone protect themselves from that ?

And as it seems Mr. irov was qualified for the Thailand Pass. So he had to be double vaxxed and to provide a negative PCR test before boarding.

He might be infected 1 or two days before flight, then the pre boarding test would be negative. It could be a false positve test on entry too.

[gungadin1]

Axa cover everything that's why I went with them.I contacted customer services to go over every scenario before paying

 

[kwak250]

Not sure why anyone would want to visit Thailand at the moment.

 

Unless you have family here not sure what enjoyment you will get going to restaurants sipping apple juice.

 

350,000 hope they were gentle when they pulled your pants down

 

[PoorSucker]

6 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

then the pre boarding test would be negative

Or the preboarding test was fake.

In June a Swedish company got caught issuing 100.000 fake PCR certificates.

They just pocketed the test money and never did any tests.

Neat profit for more than 350 Mbaht for this company alone.

This market is unregulated, anyone can issue a PCR certificate.

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, wprime said:

5 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Combined with most uneducated.....  they could have picked up the Virus at the airport, how can anyone protect themselves from that ?

Possible but highly unlikely that he'd test positive so soon.

What are you suggesting then?  More PCR tests pre-travel quarantine ?

 

 

They could have caught it in the supermarket, walking down the street even a few days before the PCR test - its not as if they were partying or behaving recklessly. There is nothing in any of the articles to suggest that, yet you seem hellbent on victim blaming.

 

The very purpose of the 1 night PCR Test and Go procedure is to catch such events.

But, a second PCR test should be immediately provided to ensure no false positive. 

 

Additionally: The TAT, Thailand Pass, MoPH and Thai Authorities should make it very clear what will happen in the event of 'asymptomatic positives and proximity cases’ so that people can plan against them with adequate insurance cover. 

 

Blaming the ‘victims’ of this charade is very distasteful... some one is even being quarantined when he already tested negative (proximity case). 

 

I arrived in Thailand yesterday and asked the hotel staff what will happen if any of my family or I test positive - the answer was really unclear, they didn’t really know for sure.... I don’t think anyone knows until it happens. 

 

All we could do was keep a low profile for the build up to our return travel, but we still had to travel to the airport, over night in a hotel etc there are 100’s of potential exposure points even when being extremely careful. 

 

 

 

 

[chang1]

Wonder if the Thais, he was in contact with, get the same kind of bills.

[vandeventer]

59 minutes ago, Karma80 said:

 

The trap is sprung! You have to make it out alive too.

Remember that test before you fly? Better hope you didn't get covid while you were playing in the covid capital of SE Asia.

 

Seriously though. Even with a robust insurance policy (very very few) that will genuinely pay for ALL your expenses in the event of an asymptotic test with no medically necessary treatment, nobody is covered for a quarantine hotel for being a close contact.

And yet they still keep coming, word of mouth will catch up soon. If tourism is wanted here they will have to do better than this. Getting tested positive is easy even with all the good vaccines out there.

[arick]

1 hour ago, Chris.B said:

350,000 baht hospital bill, nearly £8,000 for 10 day stay! Must be a good room at 35,000 baht a night!

Where do you get the sum  350,000 on day  two. You can pay for three liver dissections at a government hospital for less then 350,000

[Dmitry2222]

That's why many people waiting for the rule changes and do not bought tickets. Sad story.