How much for a stay in a Covid hotel?

[heybruce]

I friend of mine was diagnosed with Covid and immediately placed in a "Covid hotel".  She has been told she must stay for 14 days.  She doesn't know how much it will cost her, but knows it is not free.  Does anyone know how much the government is charging foreigners sent to a Covid camp or hotel?  Does she have any alternative to staying and paying the the hotel she was placed in?

 

Thanks for any help.

[jackdd]

I don't think that there is a fixed rate, it probably depends on the hotel.

[Bill97]

16 minutes ago, jackdd said:

I don't think that there is a fixed rate, it probably depends on the hotel.

Yes it does.

 

Why can’t she ask?  Phone in room?

 

or you call her hotel and ask for her?

[GrandPapillon]

if you have no money to pay, do they kick you out? :)

 

[Bill97]

3 minutes ago, GrandPapillon said:

if you have no money to pay, do they kick you out? ????

 

It is called deportation

 

or jail

[jackdd]

1 hour ago, Bill97 said:

It is called deportation

 

or jail

Should be a civil case, so no deportation or jail

[Bill97]

1 minute ago, jackdd said:

Should be a civil case, so no deportation or jail

You are dreaming

[jackdd]

9 minutes ago, Bill97 said:

You are dreaming

I'm willing to learn. So please quote the law which somebody who doesn't pay a hotel bill is violating and which would get him put into jail and deported.

[heybruce]

7 hours ago, Bill97 said:

Yes it does.

 

Why can’t she ask?  Phone in room?

 

or you call her hotel and ask for her?

I think she has mild to moderate Covid, about like the flu.  I suggested she ask, but her focus is not at its best now. 

 

Also, she'll probably only be told the rate at the hotel she was place in.  I was hoping to find out about rates in general.  She heard of a person in a different hotel who is being charged 3000 baht a day, which is a budget breaker for her.

[Dante99]

Hotel makes price, not government.  Bangkok prices 14 day go from 35,000 up and many 50-100k.  Might find cheaper, I did check all sources.

 

Edit to add

 

Check Agoda, they have some cheaper ones.  But moving her may be expensive if possible.

[Derek B]

It should be the first question to those officials sending anyone anywhere I would of thought.

 

14 hours ago, heybruce said:

Does she have any alternative to staying and paying the the hotel she was placed in?

I thought this was possible when booking in advance - not sure about after arrival.

However now she really needs to call reception if the room rate info is not posted in the room (or perhaps you could enquire on her behave).

[heybruce]

17 minutes ago, Dante99 said:

Hotel makes price, not government.  Bangkok prices 14 day go from 35,000 up and many 50-100k.  Might find cheaper, I did check all sources.

 

Edit to add

 

Check Agoda, they have some cheaper ones.  But moving her may be expensive if possible.

 

16 minutes ago, Derek B said:

It should be the first question to those officials sending anyone anywhere I would of thought.

 

I thought this was possible when booking in advance - not sure about after arrival.

However now she really needs to call reception if the room rate info is not posted in the room (or perhaps you could enquire on her behave).

She's not a recent arrival who tested positive upon arrival, she's an ex-pat resident who went to get tested when she felt ill and was immediately sent to the hotel.  Her doctor tells her that the cost will be dependent upon how serious her illness is; reasonable, but not helpful. 

 

As noted, she isn't thinking at her best now (I don't either when running a fever) so I thought I'd make some inquiries on her behalf.  I'll get back with her and  suggest she ask for the room rate.  BTW: she is sharing the room with another Covid patient.  I don't think she was given a choice in that either.

[Henryford]

You can bet it won't be cheap, probably 2-3 x times the hotel's normal nightly rate.

[NoshowJones]

5 hours ago, Henryford said:

You can bet it won't be cheap, probably 2-3 x times the hotel's normal nightly rate.

Yes, This is Thailand. We are in a pandemic. Shameful hotel owners taking full advantage.

Hope the OPs GF recovers soon.

[CartagenaWarlock]

Does she have a covid insurance? It just boggles my mind that people who cannot afford to pay out-of pocket don't buy insurance and people who can do buy. That's the difference between a rich and a poor person. I have 100 mil in banks but I bought a covid insurance. I don't buy regular insurance because I have 12K USD sitting in my HSA cards (accepted by any hospitals in Thailand) and I have a high deductible health insurance that pays 50% when in Thailand. 

[elektrified]

Have you perused Facebook for this topic? There are many on there. If she didn't have the money why then didn't she ask to be sent to the government facility? There are a number of farangs who have posted that they were taken to a private facility, didn't have the money, and asked to be transferred. There was no charge for the first day or two as they awaited to be transferred and no charge thereafter for the government facility. All medicine, food, transport costs, etc. covered by the government.

 

The only thing that seemed weird to me was the requirement to take 200% (or higher) dose of the recommended dosage of the antiviral drugs used to treat Covid-19.

 

[heybruce]

6 hours ago, elektrified said:

Have you perused Facebook for this topic? There are many on there. If she didn't have the money why then didn't she ask to be sent to the government facility? There are a number of farangs who have posted that they were taken to a private facility, didn't have the money, and asked to be transferred. There was no charge for the first day or two as they awaited to be transferred and no charge thereafter for the government facility. All medicine, food, transport costs, etc. covered by the government.

 

The only thing that seemed weird to me was the requirement to take 200% (or higher) dose of the recommended dosage of the antiviral drugs used to treat Covid-19.

 

I wasn't aware of the government facility option.  I would appreciate more details from anyone who can offer them.  I will ask her about if she knows about that option.

[NancyL]

A quick check on Agoda or Booking.com should disclose the hotel's regular rates.  And yes, the "Covid rate" will probably be 2x-3x because it includes food, testing, etc.  

 

I sure wouldn't want to share a room with another Covid patient although it will reduce the price.

 

If she has health insurance, does it cover Covid?  Mine does and I'd check myself into Bangkok Hospital if diagnosed.  Might as well have the best.  I checked; they can handle mild-to-moderate Covid.

[heybruce]

11 hours ago, NancyL said:

A quick check on Agoda or Booking.com should disclose the hotel's regular rates.  And yes, the "Covid rate" will probably be 2x-3x because it includes food, testing, etc.  

 

I sure wouldn't want to share a room with another Covid patient although it will reduce the price.

 

If she has health insurance, does it cover Covid?  Mine does and I'd check myself into Bangkok Hospital if diagnosed.  Might as well have the best.  I checked; they can handle mild-to-moderate Covid.

She doesn't have health insurance.  She's young, and like many young people incorrectly decided it was an unnecessary expense.

[it is what it is]

why doens't she simply ask hotel reception? assume she has a phone either in the room or mobile, phone number will be available on website, or email the hotel, again email address will be on the web site... easy...

[robblok]

1 hour ago, heybruce said:

She doesn't have health insurance.  She's young, and like many young people incorrectly decided it was an unnecessary expense.

If you read on the forum its mainly old expats now complaining about the insurance thing. I was young too when i got here and took insurance. Cost me more then i claimed I admit but I had / have a peace of mind. 

 

She should try to get transferred to those state facilities, im sorry i can be more helpful but maybe get a Thai speaker to do some enquiries and let her check with the hotel what the costs are.

 

But seriously they were offering covid insurance for a 1000 bt now its a bit more expensive i really dont understand those people.

 

But now i understand the Thai government more why they want people to have health insurance. (I hate it as it affects me even though i got a good expat health insurance).

 

Anyway get a Thai speaker to help im sure there is some gf or bf or friend that could help her out ? The longer she waits the more it costs. 

[heybruce]

Funny how a simple "How much..." question invites "Did she...", "Why doesn't she...", "Is she...", etc replies but no answers.  Funny but typical for TV.

 

She did ask about costs and moving, she was told she couldn't move without a doctor's permission.  I'm sure this will prompt many replies about how she should respond to that, but the fact is that she is sick and doesn't have a combative personality and she's doing as told.

 

She also doesn't have insurance.  Second guessing the wisdom of that now is pointless.

 

She has been told that she will have to spend two weeks in the "Covid hotel" and, if she is then healthy, spend ten days in a quarantine facility.  Total cost, if her condition doesn't worsen (she's doing reasonably well now) will be 35,000 baht.  She will be allowed to pay in installments, but doesn't have the details of the installments at this time. 

 

Please don't ask about the two weeks plus ten days requirement; I don't know why and won't speculate.

 

I'm still a little curious about what kind of experience other people in a similar situation have, but at this point the situation for her is set and won't change.

[NancyL]

It seems that she's received the answer she needed.  Good to learn they will work with her on payment in installments.  Many hospitals and care facilities here will. 

 

I hope she is able to fulfill that payment obligation and learn from this experience.  The time to purchase health insurance is while you are young and healthy.  When we first arrived, we purchased our international health insurance policies.  At that time, when my husband completed the insurance application, he responded to the question about hospitalization history by writing "birth".  The insurance agent didn't understand his response. 

 

Since receiving the health insurance policy, he's reached the age when many of his peers start to think about buying health insurance.  Like then, he now has what would be considered pre-existing conditions and a couple hospital stays.  Nothing too expensive, but all covered by that health insurance purchased when we first arrived.  

[heybruce]

17 hours ago, heybruce said:

Funny how a simple "How much..." question invites "Did she...", "Why doesn't she...", "Is she...", etc replies but no answers.  Funny but typical for TV.

 

She did ask about costs and moving, she was told she couldn't move without a doctor's permission.  I'm sure this will prompt many replies about how she should respond to that, but the fact is that she is sick and doesn't have a combative personality and she's doing as told.

 

She also doesn't have insurance.  Second guessing the wisdom of that now is pointless.

 

She has been told that she will have to spend two weeks in the "Covid hotel" and, if she is then healthy, spend ten days in a quarantine facility.  Total cost, if her condition doesn't worsen (she's doing reasonably well now) will be 35,000 baht.  She will be allowed to pay in installments, but doesn't have the details of the installments at this time. 

 

Please don't ask about the two weeks plus ten days requirement; I don't know why and won't speculate.

 

I'm still a little curious about what kind of experience other people in a similar situation have, but at this point the situation for her is set and won't change.

A quick correction to the above:  She has been told that if she is doing well she will be allowed to quarantine at home after her two weeks, but can expect phone calls three times daily to check and make sure she is actually staying home.