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

[redsongthaew]

17 hours ago, Capt Rob said:

Here is a link to a on topic article.

Basically it is " Buyer Beware " regarding insurance as they contract out of any Covid related liability.  Unless otherwise stated  https://indaily.com.au/opinion/2021/11/11/a-quick-trip-around-the-covid-changed-world-of-travel-insurance/?

Australian article but relevant.

I think you need to click the link in my post and actually look at the insurance type that I linked to.

[redsongthaew]

10 hours ago, Fab5BKK said:

When you say "Axa has an excellent policy", do yo mean:

1. I bought this policy AND I made a claim AND Axa did pay accordingly to the brochure

or

2. You read the policy online and you've the feeling that this policy is good?

or

3. You work for Axa?

 

Please clarify

 

BTW, they have an "excellent travel insurance policy" with coverage of personal items....

Great!!!

The trick is that, if you make a claim, they do want to see the original receipts / invoices for these personal items (socks, shirts, etc.). Who, in his right mind, would keep this kind of receipts?

 

If you bought the policy I linked to I don't think you would be submitting original receipts for personal items, as from what I understand, kidnappers don't usually let you out to do clothes shopping.

[ChC1]

On 11/10/2021 at 10:37 AM, ianguygil said:

Nor am I wrong about the UK. I arrived on August 29. I left on October 1. I did not talk about the rules today. I talk about when I travelled. 

 

As for your fantasies about the Thai authorities being dishonest and the Western ones being so clean and correct, it is the type of racism that always makes me wonder why foreigners are members of a Thai forum if they dislike Thailand so much. The numbers or people dying are comparable. If you look at the Excess Deaths in the UK, in the USA and Thailand, it seems that the UK and USA are way under counting. Russia is the worst, but the UK is no role model at all. 

No, the rule of UK is always being 'self isolation' if arrived from non-red countries and tested Covid after arrival, There is no forced quarantine hotels as long as you arrive from Green or Amber countries (and have not been to red countries in last 10 days). If you have symptoms, you can go to NHS and get treated. Still, no fee whatsoever.

 

So the poster was rightly point our your misunderstanding about UK system. You were wrong.

 

 

[JCP108]

7 hours ago, Kopitiam said:

Come to think of it, the option of Thailand proposing a 500 Baht Hospitalisation Fee for each arrival looks very attractive in this situation.  Furthermore, all visitors don't have to worry about insurance requirement for their Thailand Pass application.  Win-win for all.

I didn't think that the proposed 500 Baht fee was for that purpose.

[jacko45k]

14 hours ago, stigar said:

Last time i stayed 11 hours in hospital in BKK..48.000 bath..pay or they take my passport.Land of scammers.They wanted me to stay 1 day more.Told them to f... off.I went back to norway.No problems the doctor here told me.

Frightening that this situation can become blatant extortion. 

[Jeffr2]

1 hour ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

I was told by the AQ hotel that if anyone else on my plane is going to same hotel as me we will both be in the same van from airport.......

I'm pretty sure you can pay for private transport.  That's what we did for the Phuket sandbox.

[Sanookmike]

1 hour ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

I was told by the AQ hotel that if anyone else on my plane is going to same hotel as me we will both be in the same van from airport.......

Strange certain hotels must be doing their own thing, I know for a fact the one I booked is a private transfer and I saw others stating this but this was Bangkok and Pattaya. Phuket they seem to do their own thing so that could explain it if you are booked there. 

 

Easy solution for you is to just be awkward.. refuse to get in the van with somone else. You have good reason not too and I'm pretty sure they shouldn't be doing it, i can't remember the exact term I read (had a few singha's ????) but it was something like bio secure which is a private taxi with a bit of plastic between you and the driver.

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, JCP108 said:

I didn't think that the proposed 500 Baht fee was for that purpose.

My understanding is that it was intended to create a very large fund to cover medical/hospital expenses of foreign tourists who don't have/don't have enough health insurance cover for the period they are in Thailand.

 

But let's keep in mind that this needs to be approached in a way which doesn't generate some form of corruption (could easily happen) or some attitude of 'I used to take a 'special' health policy when I was away on holidays now I won't bother.

[Jeffr2]

8 minutes ago, Sanookmike said:

Strange certain hotels must be doing their own thing, I know for a fact the one I booked is a private transfer and I saw others stating this but this was Bangkok and Pattaya. Phuket they seem to do their own thing so that could explain it if you are booked there. 

 

Easy solution for you is to just be awkward.. refuse to get in the van with somone else. You have good reason not too and I'm pretty sure they shouldn't be doing it, i can't remember the exact term I read (had a few singha's ????) but it was something like bio secure which is a private taxi with a bit of plastic between you and the driver.

Looks like this!

[Jeffr2]

1 minute ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

With the taking of passport Isnt that illegal as its not yours--its property of your countrys gov.

I've never had to leave a passport, but have always had to put a deposit down immediately.  A few times, it was a very big deposit.  Quite a few tourists do leave the country before paying their bills. 

[ThailandRyan]

15 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

Looks like this!

Need bubble suits for all of the passengers as well, might as well put everyone in a PPE suit with an APR

[Jeffr2]

10 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

Id be tempted to walk but they prob would nab me if i escaped.....i thought the hotels tout a "private" ride....quickly changed that tune...

And they should be held liable should someone get pulled if sitting in same van with a positive covid dude

That picture was from a friend last week in Bangkok.  Our ride in Phuket was in a normal sedan.  No shield.  The driver wasn't even wearing a mask.  But it was a private vehicle.  After a long flight, waiting for others in a cramped van isn't fun. LOL

 

[Jeffr2]

1 minute ago, ThailandRyan said:

Need bubble suits for all of the passengers as well, might as well put everyone in a PPE suit with an APR

Yeah, it's pretty bizarre here.  We just did a long trip.  To the US, several places in Europe, and transited in UAE.  Around 15 airports in all.  NEVER saw anything like we did on arrival here in Thailand.  Beyond bizarre.  I lost it when they asked for my docs for the 4th time at the airport!!!

[sandyf]

On 11/10/2021 at 1:39 PM, ukrules said:

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.

Where would that be?

Nearly every country in the world will quarantine those that test positive on arrival.

Laos will quarantine all arrivals for 14 days as a matter of course.

[jacko45k]

32 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

With the taking of passport Isnt that illegal as its not yours--its property of your countrys gov.

Yeah well arguing that point with several immigration police having just arrived might be tough. You might be correct though as someone I knew had his passport held by a hospital until he paid the bill... he got a lawyer involved ,and got it back.. and promptly got on a plane leaving the bill unpaid!

[Jeffr2]

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Asia-Insight/Tourism-proves-hazardous-to-Thai-hospitals-financial-health

 

The Public Health Ministry said unpaid bills at hospitals across the nation came to 448 million baht in a year through September 2019.

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, Jeffr2 said:

I've never had to leave a passport, but have always had to put a deposit down immediately.  A few times, it was a very big deposit.  Quite a few tourists do leave the country before paying their bills. 

Which is why you'll sometimes find a hotel where the daily rate must be paid every 24 hrs and in advance.

 

Plenty of hotels also encounter guests who disappear and take the towels, hair dryer, mini-bar contents etc. 

[Danderman123]

29 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Asia-Insight/Tourism-proves-hazardous-to-Thai-hospitals-financial-health

 

The Public Health Ministry said unpaid bills at hospitals across the nation came to 448 million baht in a year through September 2019.

I vaguely recall reading that tourists were to be charged some fee upon entering Thailand specifically to cover unpaid hospital bills.

[Jeffr2]

1 minute ago, Danderman123 said:

I vaguely recall reading that tourists were to be charged some fee upon entering Thailand specifically to cover unpaid hospital bills.

Here's what I just read:

https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/tourism/thailand-to-introduce-300-baht-tourism-fee-to-insure-foreign-visitors-manage-tourist-destinations

[elgenon]

No symptoms for either. And the government not sure of the efficacy of their tests? Hmmm.

 

"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. "

Has anyone found an insurance policy that would cover possible quarantine costs? 5555 What company would be that foolish?

The policy would have to cost, umm, maybe $20,000? $30,000? $40,000? No problem for the rich tourists they want? But, then they got rich by not wasting money.

[John Drake]

12 hours ago, Kopitiam said:

Come to think of it, the option of Thailand proposing a 500 Baht Hospitalisation Fee for each arrival looks very attractive in this situation.  Furthermore, all visitors don't have to worry about insurance requirement for their Thailand Pass application.  Win-win for all.

They've already done this a few months ago. Now, they want the insurance on top of it.

[James105]

41 minutes ago, John Drake said:

They've already done this a few months ago. Now, they want the insurance on top of it.

They have clearly already divvied up the theoretical profits from all the 500 bahts amongst themselves, already decided how they were going to spend it (cars, boats, hookers, drugs etc) and one of them has asked what happens if the hospitals have the temerity to demand some of this money to cover unpaid hospital bills.  The solution to that problem is of course insurance so they do not need to spend any of the 500 baht to cover unpaid hospital bills on unpaid hospital bills.       

[Nickelbeer]

This is the kind of situation that warrants a government "extraction", but those are reserved for Diplomats and other useless elites.

[anchadian]

UPDATE: Kirovs tells me his family have been released from quarantine after testing negative for 2nd time. However, he doesn’t have any news about his fate. He is expecting to stay in hospital for at least 10 days. But they are not clear if he needs to do quarantine after that.

 

https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1459028062343892993

 

[aussiexpat]

Richard Barrrow update on the shared cab

 

"James, another close contact after sharing a hotel transfer with someone who tested positive, says his hotel are saying he cannot do a 2nd test and must stay in quarantine for the full 12 days. Kirovs’ family was released after 4 days. I cannot find where this is written down. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Tourism Authority of Thailand don’t seems to know too. They referred me to speak to the Ministry of Public Health who set these rules."

 

I don't understand why he would need to do 14 days quarantine when unvaccinated tourists can come in and do 10 days. Also why does Thailand always refuse getting a 2nd test

 

https://www.facebook.com/100044288176713/posts/447470250072577/

[Bkk Brian]

2 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

Richard Barrrow update on the shared cab

 

"James, another close contact after sharing a hotel transfer with someone who tested positive, says his hotel are saying he cannot do a 2nd test and must stay in quarantine for the full 12 days. Kirovs’ family was released after 4 days. I cannot find where this is written down. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Tourism Authority of Thailand don’t seems to know too. They referred me to speak to the Ministry of Public Health who set these rules."

 

I don't understand why he would need to do 14 days quarantine when unvaccinated tourists can come in and do 10 days. Also why does Thailand always refuse getting a 2nd test

 

https://www.facebook.com/100044288176713/posts/447470250072577/

You are not the only one who does not understand, looking at it, its a clear scam and with the The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Tourism Authority of Thailand not even knowing then thats just confirmation that it is.

[choff56]

On 11/10/2021 at 3:46 PM, LivinLOS said:

And heres the real heart of the problem.. They dont have clear defined policies that are then stuck to.. On anything.. 

One persona has 10 days hospital.. Another has 14 days quarantine.. The famiuly might get allowed out after a test on day 3 or 4.. Maybe.. Who knows.. 

Its entirely at the mercy of Somchais random mood on the day.. Like immigration.. Like motor vehicle sales and inspections.. like.. Etc.. 

That’s because grey areas are great money earners

[sandyf]

5 hours ago, elgenon said:

No symptoms for either. And the government not sure of the efficacy of their tests? Hmmm.

 

"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. "

Has anyone found an insurance policy that would cover possible quarantine costs? 5555 What company would be that foolish?

The policy would have to cost, umm, maybe $20,000? $30,000? $40,000? No problem for the rich tourists they want? But, then they got rich by not wasting money.

My policy had an overseas quarantine allowance and it didn't cost me anything.

[Fab5BKK]

20 hours ago, redsongthaew said:

 

If you bought the policy I linked to I don't think you would be submitting original receipts for personal items, as from what I understand, kidnappers don't usually let you out to do clothes shopping.

OK, let me rephrase it:

 

When you say "Axa has an excellent policy", did you mean:

1. You did buy this policy AND you did make a claim AND Axa did pay accordingly to the brochure

or

2. You just read the policy online and you've the feeling that this policy is good?

or

3. You work, directly or indirectly, for Axa and you're very keen to promote their products?

 

Please clarify

 

Why do I ask for your clarification? The same company seems to have an "excellent travel insurance policy" with high level of coverage for personal items....

However,

The trick is that, when you make a claim, they do ask for the original receipts / invoices for these personal items (socks, shirts, etc.). Who, in his right mind, would keep this kind of receipts?

 

If they're "picky" to reimburse the theft of personal items (less than Euro1,000), how can we trust the same when the amount of money involved is much higher?

[mbenson]

Astounding Thailand: We got rid of the risque and added many risks!