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

[daejung]

12 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

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.

In that case, can you refuse quarantine, hospital and just fly back to your home country ?

[Danderman123]

How does someone who is fully vaccinated, tested recently and then travels in a taxi with another person, test positive hours later, based on getting infected in the taxi? 

 

Maybe someone can get infected 2 days before flight and test positive the day after the flight, but it's impossible to get infected one day and test positive the next. 

[gungadin1]

10 hours ago, mrmicbkktxl said:

AXA Thailand?

Yes

[PadPrikKhing]

51 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

How does someone who is fully vaccinated, tested recently and then travels in a taxi with another person, test positive hours later, based on getting infected in the taxi? 

 

Maybe someone can get infected 2 days before flight and test positive the day after the flight, but it's impossible to get infected one day and test positive the next. 

Right, it cases where that happens it is much more likely that it's a false positive.

 

Are you guys saying that Thailand is not even doing follow-up confirmation tests after these highly unlikely positives occur in people who had just tested negative immediately before flying? If they aren't, that would be extremely suspicious or amazingly stupid. It is the only logical (I know, I know...) and scientific thing to do after a highly unlikely positive test. They should be eager to run a challenge test, maybe even two, to verify whether or not the positive upon arrival test was a false positive.

[aussiexpat]

AXA seems to be a popular choice for insurance as it covers asymptomatic. Well I've just read every word of the policy fine print and as expected it definitely doesn't cover forced quarantine while testing negative.

 

What did shock me though is that you appear to only be able to make a claim after you have discharged from hospital. So if someones bill is 350,000 baht, they would have to pay it and hope for the best to reclaim as much as possible (as I'm sure they won't discharge you without payment)

 

[godonnet]

Sorry if I breach any rules here, but is the current government just stupid? Don't they see that stories like this will come out and make it big in the foreign media? Don't they see that it will hit themselves in the a*s?!

 

How incompetent is it possible to be?  I am astonished they thought this was a good idea. 

[daveAustin]

13 hours 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.

What a nasty piece of work. Here’s hoping karma finds you well, and soon. 
 

[daveAustin]

This is the very reason wouldn’t want to travel there right now. About time Thailand knocked this idiotic rule on the head. If you’re sick, hospital. If not, quarantine is perfectly fine. A child could work it out. Oh wait!

[bangkokbonecollector]

1 hour ago, aussiexpat said:

AXA seems to be a popular choice for insurance as it covers asymptomatic. Well I've just read every word of the policy fine print and as expected it definitely doesn't cover forced quarantine while testing negative.

 

What did shock me though is that you appear to only be able to make a claim after you have discharged from hospital. So if someones bill is 350,000 baht, they would have to pay it and hope for the best to reclaim as much as possible (as I'm sure they won't discharge you without payment)

 

Yea it is a scary thought but should also be looked at if you will indeed incur that much in costs. The minimum cost just for stay and observation could be as low as 30k. So you are looking at having to front 30k to 350 000k depending on your health, vaccine status and age.

[bbbbooboo]

Hmmm….I have no respect for people who seek to make money out of someone else’s misfortune( not that I’m saying that Thais would stoop so low?)

[AndresSP]

The most disturbing part about this story is the Thai authorities withholding info about the consequences or, some might say, straight up deceiving unsuspecting travelers. Disgusting

[MaiChai]

Hope the international press pick up on this story up. What they don't tell you will happen if you arrive in Bangkok and test positive!

 

Most people who are vaccinated will suffer bad flu symptoms for a couple of days if they get covid; they certainly don't need to go to hospital unless their health deteriorates.

[chrisandsu]

15 hours ago, canopus1969 said:

Anyone who visits Thailand at this present time is crazy

Which is why I’m not and won’t until this craziness is over . 

[bangkokbonecollector]

If you want to avoid testing positive then the only thing you can do is self-isolate at home for a period of time before you fly. I understand this is not possible for some as they are now not working from home.

 

As some have previously stated, there is no way in hell you are testing positive for covid from the airports, plane and immigration you have just been through. So every and any precaution you can take in the weeks leading up to your flight will help. I feel that the father probably caught covid from one of his children as is the current situation, at least in the UK.

 

I reckon the extended quarantine due to close proximity to someone who tested positive can be haggled.

 

Chok dee everyone ????

[hotchilli]

15 hours ago, webfact said:

“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.”

You sure did.

[bangkokbonecollector]

44 minutes ago, MaiChai said:

Hope the international press pick up on this story up. What they don't tell you will happen if you arrive in Bangkok and test positive!

 

Most people who are vaccinated will suffer bad flu symptoms for a couple of days if they get covid; they certainly don't need to go to hospital unless their health deteriorates.

It is true but not everyone is and would be as responsible as you would like them to be.

 

I think they should be concerned about new strains then old strains coming in. The old strains are already in Thailand so what difference does it make.

 

[Joules]

Any "tourist" that come here is a damned fool!

[Joules]

2 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

That would be me--I land next week right on Loy Kratong --hope I get a lantern at swampy

The you are crazy.  At least you know the score and are willingly taking the gamble.

[ThailandRyan]

9 hours ago, JustAnotherHun said:

It seems you have no idea what you're talking about.

Worlds most contagious virus? BS!

Anyone who's infected is taken to a hospital? LoL! As long as you're tested positive but asymptomatic, you do not need any treatment and surely not in a hospital. Otherwise there would be MILLIONs of people in each country staying in hospitals. Positive but asymptomatic means quarantaine at home, nothing else.

Not here in Thailand unfortunately. You as a tourist are moved into an AQ location or a facility at your expense.

[ThailandRyan]

5 hours ago, daejung said:

In that case, can you refuse quarantine, hospital and just fly back to your home country ?

That was done during the first week of the Phuket Sandbox. A group arrived 1 of them positive the others put into quarantine, but then were allowed to fly back home.  A wasted vacation for all.

[Seeall]

16 hours ago, redsongthaew said:

 

AXA have an excellent policy:

 

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

Until proof they pay I never trust them... 

[jacko45k]

16 hours ago, JustAnotherHun said:

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.

Nonsense that a person testing positive on arrival can be subjected to extreme financial burden. Sure, it isn't the best decision to make the trip, with this potential mishap hanging over your head.... 

I would expect the airline to cover it, or Thailand itself.... the numbers testing positive are extremely small. Thailand imposed the conditions to fly in, the airline is responsible for making sure passengers are not infected. 

[Darksidedude]

How is it people are testing positive when they have a neg result before flying,

 

How long is the incubation period, like say if you touched someone or something that had C-19 when would you be positive and thats if you did get it

[Scott]

A post with false or misleading information has been reported and removed.  

 

[jacko45k]

Just now, Darksidedude said:

How is it people are testing positive when they have a neg result before flying,

 

How long is the incubation period, like say if you touched someone or something that had C-19 when would you be positive and thats if you did get it

Does it matter? To board, they have to have been tested a maximum of 72 hours prior.... 3 days of wandering about there to get infected. Travel time of 24 hours including packed in a tube and airport....

Then the possibility you, or one of the other passengers has a fake test certificate!

 

As to your question:

It can take almost a week after exposure to COVID-19 to have a positive test result.

 

[Catoni]

11 hours ago, whaleboneman said:

I'm in Costa Rica now. PM me if you have any questions. I'm trying to stop posting here but I still am a follower.

Thank you.  Take care.  I love Thailand and miss it very much. Been there twice.  Once for four months.  
But with the way things are now……looking at Sri Lanka, Belize, Costa Rica and Equador.  Not an easy decision.    And there are other places I am also thinking about.

   I appreciate your offer of answering questions.  Thank you very much. 

[stereolab]

12 hours ago, RafPinto said:

Better before flying, buy a few test kits. When they test you positive in Thailand, do your own test and if it shows negative, challenge them.

Good luck with that, Thailand Doctors do not like being challenged.

[thaivisareader]

As stated before, Aetna covers covid expenses up to your plan's limit, then 80% of any costs running over that limit. No pre-pay. Aetna acquired BUPA Thailand awhile back.

 All that aside, with so many much better, happier options in the West, why  come here now unless returning expat to reunite with family? It's not the country you remember, not a fun place anymore, far from it. Nothings really open-open. Rules, zones, over pricing, checking this and that, unpopular dictator ruler. Unreliable testing, no one knows the true covid numbers. Rip offs from day one until you're finally, hopefuly able to get out.

[yogi yogi]

17 hours ago, canopus1969 said:

Anyone who visits Thailand at this present time is crazy

elaborate

[Chongalulu]

17 hours 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 ..

You’re  the bloke in the pub with the dumb look on his face while everyone else is laughing at the joke . ????