I love to visit Thailand but I am afraid of ending up hospitalized because I shared space or had a chat with a person that tested covid positive.

[ILOVEBKKLONGTIME]

I did some research, this situation has happened to several tourists, and they ended up paying between $5000 and $9500 USD from their own pocket because apparently, health insurances do not cover these situations (AXA seems to be the only one but is kind of unclear how much it covers as they say that they cover "relative costs" or something like that), they only cover situations where you tested positive, but they do not cover you if you tested negative and you have to be hospitalized just because of precaution due to being close to a person that tested positive.

 

I hope something changes about this because I love visiting Thailand, but this is a risk too big for me that I am not willing to take.

 

Here I leave you three posts that I found about this:

 

 

[ESLTeacher1989]

Are you being serious?

 

Just buy insurance (AXA or LUMA) which will cover you - even for asymptomatic infection.

 

What's the problem?

[HashBrownHarry]

If you're so worried it's better you do not travel at this time.

[bbko]

Easy fix, don't come.

[Joe2050]

Even posting message here is risky, are you well insured against the new COVID-ONLINE ?

[ILOVEBKKLONGTIME]

2 minutes ago, ESLTeacher1989 said:

Are you being serious?

 

Just buy insurance (AXA or LUMA) which will cover you - even for asymptomatic infection.

 

What's the problem?

Of course I am serious, and I am not the only one worried about this if you check the posts I pasted for you.

In one of the posts I pasted, AXA was discussed as an option, but somebody pasted part of the contract, and it was saying something like "we will cover reasonable costs of hospitalization...", so at the end you are up to the insurance company to pay you what they find "reasonable", and I do not know about you but I hate unclear contract terms, especially with insurance companies as they are known for making the business in such a way that they pay as less as possible.

 

I will check LUMA, thanks.

[ILOVEBKKLONGTIME]

3 minutes ago, Joe2050 said:

Even posting message here is risky, are you well insured against the new COVID-ONLINE ?

Is that supposed to be funny?

[Polar Bear]

Your title (hospitalization when testing negative but due to exposure) and the posts you are linking to (hospitalization when testing positive but asymptomatic) are two completely different things. It is possible to test positive after arrival, and if you do, you will be hospitalized, regardless of whether you are asymptomatic. There are several insurers that will cover you in this situation.

However, the quarantine (and test & go) regulations, also allow them to hospitalize you if you are identified as having been in 'close contact' with someone who tests positive, even if you are still testing negative. There have been a handful of cases of this happening. It's rare, but it is possible. As far as I know, none of the insurers will cover that. 

It's a risk, a rare one, but it could happen, and it's largely out of your control. On my recent flight back, I paid a little extra to choose a seat, so I had as much space around me as possible on the flight. I also paid a little extra for private transport to the 1 night quarantine hotel rather than a shared van. Did it make any difference? Probably not (although it was nice to have the extra space on the flight anyway). But those were the only things in my control, so I did them anyway. 

If you feel it's too great a risk for you, then your only option is not to come. 

Edited December 12, 2021 by Polar Bear

[ILOVEBKKLONGTIME]

28 minutes ago, Polar Bear said:

Your title (hospitalization when testing negative but due to exposure) and the posts you are linking to (hospitalization when testing positive but asymptomatic) are two completely different things. It is possible to test positive after arrival, and if you do, you will be hospitalized, regardless of whether you are asymptomatic. There are several insurers that will cover you in this situation.

The title of the posts I pasted are a bit misleading because they contain different case scenarios, one of them being covid negative but forced to go to the hospital due to exposure to a covid positive person.

 

This newspaper article also talks a bit about it:

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/thailand-pass-reopening-rules-paperwork-b1954324.html

 

"Another man, James, interviewed by Barrow tested negative, but the friend he shared a car from the airport with tested positive, so he has found himself stuck in hotel quarantine regardless.".

 

And yes, I agree, the best thing is not to visit Thailand until the situation changes.

Edited December 12, 2021 by ILOVEBKKLONGTIME

[Don Chance]

If you don't wear a mask in public you maybe stopped, asked for ID and search by police!  If you are drunk or suspicious a pee test is possible too.

 

You will also have to have your temperature checked regularly entering establishments even parks, show your vaccinate certificate to travel or enter areas like Koh San Road.

 

There is huge police presence everywhere in Bangkok.

[ILOVEBKKLONGTIME]

2 hours ago, Don Chance said:

If you don't wear a mask in public you maybe stopped, asked for ID and search by police!  If you are drunk or suspicious a pee test is possible too.

 

You will also have to have your temperature checked regularly entering establishments even parks, show your vaccinate certificate to travel or enter areas like Koh San Road.

 

There is huge police presence everywhere in Bangkok.

I knew about Kaosan Road but I did not know that you have to show the vaccination certificate to get in parks.

[Don Chance]

17 hours ago, ILOVEBKKLONGTIME said:

I knew about Kaosan but I did not know that you have to show the vaccination certificate to get in parks.

You don't. You have your temperature taken by a police officer. If you have a bit of a fever - off you go to be tested for covid!

 

KSR is dead. All the 7-11 have even closed up and left.  Young Thai's have taken over on some nights. I've seen many of them slip through without any vaccine proof. Farang will need their passport and vaccine proof.

 

Edited December 13, 2021 by Don Chance

[MixPiano]

40 minutes ago, Don Chance said:

KSR is dead. 

Dead? Go there on a Saturday, it's party like 2019 (at least until 11pm)

 

Quote

Farang will need their passport and vaccine proof.

No, foreigners don't need their passport. You need proof of vaccination and any ID will do (e.g. overseas driving license is fine).

[thaibeachlovers]

-i-am-very-afraid-of-the-possibility-of-ending-up-hospitalized-just-because-i-shared-a-space-or-had-a-chat-with-a-person-that-tested-covid-positive

 

IMO you are correct to be afraid. Apart from those enlightened places like NSW in Australia, the western government doom machine is alive and well and IMO looking for new ways to put the screws on their long suffering populations. IMO they seized on covid with alacrity as a very good excuse to do so.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 12/13/2021 at 11:06 PM, MixPiano said:

No, foreigners don't need their passport. You need proof of vaccination and any ID will do (e.g. overseas driving license is fine).

Just curious, but will the average official that is checking ID be able to read English, or whatever language the foreign driving license is written in, and if they can't, will they still accept something they don't understand?

[Denim]

On 12/12/2021 at 11:05 PM, ILOVEBKKLONGTIME said:

I knew about Kaosan Road but I did not know that you have to show the vaccination certificate to get in parks.

Some hotels also require proof of vaccination.

[1FinickyOne]

On 12/12/2021 at 6:33 PM, ILOVEBKKLONGTIME said:

Of course I am serious, and I am not the only one worried about this

As you should be - it's a pandemic and there are costs to all of us if just in life moments wasted and enclosed... sometimes I fear that life will never be the same again.

 

I have been telling friends to wait as being here/maybe anywhere is not as much fun as it used to be... 

[baz69er]

I was also worried, I took out covid insurance with AXA & off i went, I'm here now & have no regrets, just wear your mask when possible & sanitize your hands etc & you should be o.k......

[MixPiano]

11 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Just curious, but will the average official that is checking ID be able to read English, or whatever language the foreign driving license is written in, and if they can't, will they still accept something they don't understand?

Probably depends on the individual walking in and the individual checking the documents. I always show my English drivers license and the EU Green Pass App and never had any issue. Frankly, he just glanced at the documents and said OK. I guess if you show anything with a green checkmark on your mobile, it would also be accepted. I think they take it easier with foreigners. 

[Skeptic7]

????????????

 

Are you for real?!? How can you go anywhere or do anything then??? If you're this worried, you need to isolate yourself in an even tighter bubble than you already exist. Unbelievable. Literally don't believe you. ????

[Scouse123]

On 12/12/2021 at 6:33 PM, ILOVEBKKLONGTIME said:

Of course I am serious, and I am not the only one worried about this if you check the posts I pasted for you.

In one of the posts I pasted, AXA was discussed as an option, but somebody pasted part of the contract, and it was saying something like "we will cover reasonable costs of hospitalization...", so at the end you are up to the insurance company to pay you what they find "reasonable", and I do not know about you but I hate unclear contract terms, especially with insurance companies as they are known for making the business in such a way that they pay as less as possible.

 

I will check LUMA, thanks.

Your post itself and what you are writing here should tell you that you shouldn't be coming if you are so frightened by these possibilities.

[TropicalGuy]

 Can’t understand anyone dragging themselves or their family .traveling outside their location, under any pandemic restrictions, just for vacation. Stay in your country or state! Rather Dumb. 
 

And this overuse of “very” just has to stop …..please. Should be banned.

[richard_smith237]

7 minutes ago, TropicalGuy said:

 Can’t understand anyone dragging themselves or their family .traveling outside their location, under any pandemic restrictions, just for vacation. Stay in your country or state! Rather Dumb. 
 

And this overuse of “very” just has to stop …..please. Should be banned.

You can’t understand people wanting to visit family and loved ones ????

 

 

[blazes]

 

thanks for this comprehensive account.  It is a persuasive document -  persuades me that taking a vacation in Thailand for the next year or so will be off my wish-list.

The nightmare I fear would be (I have had 2 jabs and a booster) to go through all that bs of 72-hour testing, long flight, AND THEN on arrival at BKK  found to be symptomatic because I had been sitting on the plane by some unknown person who was symptomatic.

To me, what you describe (in interesting and literate detail) is a living nightmare.....

[killbill]

53 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

Your post itself and what you are writing here should tell you that you shouldn't be coming if you are so frightened by these possibilities.

I share the same concern as the OP. I want to visit Thailand and did plan to go. The issue raised byt the OP is real  for everybody that do not have a family or property in Thailand.  Some few days ago there were a post discusising the Thai Pass. It is the total of all regulations you must meet that make me delay my travel. Also considering that possible new rregulations my make return flight difficult.  

 

And to add to that - the risk of getting covid when travelling (I am dobble vax with booster) as apposed to stay at home and can avoid crowded areas.

[mtls2005]

How many instances of close-contact detention and non-insurance covered payment are we talking about? Three? Five? Ten?

 

With ~ 150,000 arrivals, the odds seem almost infinitesimal?

 

That said, the OP seems to be looking for some sort of guarantee, and I think that is impossible so best to put off your travel to Thailand.

 

 

 

 

[Polar Bear]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

How many instances of close-contact detention and non-insurance covered payment are we talking about? Three? Five? Ten?

 

With ~ 150,000 arrivals, the odds seem almost infinitesimal?

 

That said, the OP seems to be looking for some sort of guarantee, and I think that is impossible so best to put off your travel to Thailand.

 

 

 

 

I am only aware of 2. The woman on the plane to Phuket with another family who tested positive, and the man who shared transport to a test & go hotel with someone who tested positive. I am assuming that most tourists would shout about it, so it must be pretty rare.

[Finlaco]

@ILOVEBKKLONGTIME sent u a DM

[Polar Bear]

Richard Barrow just posted an update on this on FB. It looks like they have finally put some rules, or at least guidelines, in place.

 

New rules for high risk close contacts:

14 day quarantine in hotel for people in families/groups when one of them tested positive. Must do 3 x RT-PCR testing on Days 0, 5-7 and 12-13

10 day quarantine for sitting next to someone who tested positive on the plane. Must do 2 x RT-PCR testing on Days 0 and 5-7

Able to do activities in the hotel as long as they do not mix with other people

 

[connda]

You pay your money and you take your chances. 
Really, what do you want anyone to say?  "It's Safe!"  It's not.  You may get Covid or you may not.  It's as simple as that. 
If you are afraid of contracting Covid in Thailand and having the hassle of being hospitalize (you'll have insurance, right so you're covered) then stay at home.  Afraid = Stay away from Thailand.

It's a roll of the dice.  If you can accept the risk?  Well, welcome aboard. 

Nobody can make that decision for you or sugar-coat it.  It's up to you.