Contact with an Infected Person

[KhaoYai]

I'm not sure if there's been a change in direction on this - maybe I've missed something?

 

There have been several stories regarding those who have been sat near someone on their flight to Thailand who tests positive on arrival being required to quarantine in either a hotel or a hospital.  A Thai friend of mine who lives in Norway arrived in Thailand a couple of weeks ago to visit her family who she hasn't seen for over 2 years due to Covid.  After just a few days her mother tested positive and was taken in to hospital with very mild symptoms (another story in itself).  My friend and her daughter both tested negative and have been told to isolate in her mother's home where she had been staying.

 

Is it a case of one rule for them and a different rules for foreigners or have things changed?

 

I'm due to arrive on 30 December but half expecting a travel ban any day due to the rise in Omicron numbers in the UK.  I think its a given that there will be more likelihood of travelling with infected people due to rapid spread of Omicron but let's see. I'll be pushing my hotel for my PCR result as soon as possible and will get the hell out of there as fast as I can.  Suppose I get to my house before its discovered that I've been sat close to an infected person - what's the chances of me being allowed to isolate at home? Nil?

[Chelseafan]

I'm travelling on Sunday and thinking of sitting in the hold ????

 

[internationalism]

on flights it's only those seating directly next to you.

An empty seat between you or an isle is good enough.

On check on online and later at the airport you can chose your seat away from the other passengers.

Even at the gate to a connecting flight you can ask for change.

 

yes, even symptomatic patients are not always hospitalised, if there is shortage of beds.

yes, incoming travellers are to be hospitalised or put in hospitels, because they pay and because of the new variants 

Edited December 18, 2021 by internationalism

[KhaoYai]

43 minutes ago, internationalism said:

on flights it's only those seating directly next to you.

An empty seat between you or an isle is good enough.

On check on online and later at the airport you can chose your seat away from the other passengers.

Even at the gate to a connecting flight you can ask for change.

 

yes, even symptomatic patients are not always hospitalised, if there is shortage of beds.

yes, incoming travellers are to be hospitalised or put in hospitels, because they pay and because of the new variants 

My friend is an 'incoming traveller'.

[mtls2005]

"What if's" based on nine degrees of separation, with dozens of variables.

 

Impossible to assuage your fears.

 

Once you clear your Test & Go test (administered somewhere between airport and hotel) you can "Go".

 

7 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

Suppose I get to my house before its discovered that I've been sat close to an infected person - what's the chances of me being allowed to isolate at home? Nil?

The authorities might contact you subsequently, based on close contact on the aircraft or local ground transpo, to see how you are doing.

 

 

 

 

[internationalism]

1 hour ago, KhaoYai said:

My friend is an 'incoming traveller'.

yes, but it's about your journey, not hers.

She was tested negative 2x during her test&go and a few days later at her home.

She is also thai and authorities don't treat her that much as a milking cow, as foreigners, especially tourists.

As you are partially based in thailand you will have also rather liberal treatment in such situation as hers, because you will self isolate at your home.

In case of tourists they would rather not to be allowed to stay at any hotel, but put in AQ hotel for 5 days.

 

as to testing on arrival - the best is to go directly to hospital, after that to hotel.

That because hotels might be testing only at certain times, some 3x per day. After that sending samples to laboratory. There will be many h delay in this process.

 

Some hotels offer speedy testing 3h results - for 2-4.5k above the standard fees. Not worth.

I would rather stay at hotel for which you have already payed and recover after journey.

My flights are arriving late afternoon or late evening, so I do have to do overnight.

If somebody has arrival early morning there is a chance for an afternoon result. But it can also mean staying locked over 24h in the room for the next day.

Good to check with hotel all those details.

Most important - don't share transport from airport. Some hotels give private cars included in booking fees, some charge 500b to 2k

 

Edited December 18, 2021 by internationalism

[rwill]

It may have been different if her contact had been on the flight and not after she had already arrived.

[Enzian]

3 hours ago, internationalism said:

Most important - don't share transport from airport. Some hotels give private cars included in booking fees, some charge 500b to 2k

I'll give a plug to the Grande Centre Point Terminal 21. They quickly answered my pre-flight question whether the car would be private: it was, and the cost was included. A nurse gave me the swab about 12:30 AM and the result was in and free to go at 2 PM--but I was kept in the dark about the time of arrival of the result till almost it happened. (Also before picking that hotel I noticed that where a given hotel said the test would be processed, and where the government site said it would happen for a particular hotel were often two different answers.)

[internationalism]

but they do charge some minimum 2600b more than the cheapest offering the same (better) service.

If they took you directly from airport to hospital test, you would have your result before noon, and timing would be pretty much quarantined.

Your hotel sample was send to hospital only in the morning

[KhaoYai]

12 hours ago, Chelseafan said:

I'm travelling on Sunday and thinking of sitting in the hold ????

 

Well you're 'good to go' - tell me, have you been opening Asean Now every morning recently, hoping you wouldn't see the dreaded words 'Thailand closes its borders to the UK' (or any other country with high Omicron infection rates)?  I've another week of that to go. Hope you've got a big coat, I'm told its mighty cold on the hold.

[PBXVS1100]

Looks like flights have been canceled from uk now anyhow 

[KhaoYai]

6 hours ago, internationalism said:

On check on online and later at the airport you can chose your seat away from the other passengers.

Even at the gate to a connecting flight you can ask for change.

Only 9 seats available from Manchester to Abu Dhabi and NO seats available from Abu Dhabi to Bangkok.

[KhaoYai]

6 minutes ago, PBXVS1100 said:

Looks like flights have been canceled from uk now anyhow 

Nope, only British Airways.

[Chelseafan]

54 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Well you're 'good to go' - tell me, have you been opening Asean Now every morning recently, hoping you wouldn't see the dreaded words 'Thailand closes its borders to the UK' (or any other country with high Omicron infection rates)?  I've another week of that to go. Hope you've got a big coat, I'm told its mighty cold on the hold.

Hell yes, but its just one of many

 

"THAILAND CLOSE BORDERS FROM 4AM TOMORROW"

"YOUR FLIGHT HAS BEEN CANCELLED"

"UK IMPOSES NATIONAL LOCKDOWN FROM 4AM TOMORROW"

"THAILAND IMPOSING 14 DAY QUARANTINE FROM TOMORROW"

"THAILAND DIVERTING ALL INCOMING PASSENGERS TO THE MOON"

"PRAYUT ASKS ARMY TO REMOVE ALL SINGHA FROM THAILAND"

 

Seriously though, my only concern is that despite being triple jabbed,  I end up in frickin quarantine...

 

[hotchilli]

14 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

I'm due to arrive on 30 December but half expecting a travel ban any day due to the rise in Omicron numbers in the UK.

I'm very doubtful that Thailand will initiate a travel ban from the UK, if they do it will have to do the same for every other Euro country and that just isn't going to happen.

The procedures in place now will remain and as long as you're clear/negative leaving the UK everything will hinge on your PCR test upon arrival.

[internationalism]

1 hour ago, KhaoYai said:

Only 9 seats available from Manchester to Abu Dhabi and NO seats available from Abu Dhabi to Bangkok.

fly another airline where you can get 4 seats to sleep.

Most probably thai from london is empty, but it's bankrupt airline and flying with them is very risky. I think they don't fly every day anymore. You will have faster journey taking train to london and directly to bkk, than manchester-dabi-bkk. And much safer

[KhaoYai]

2 hours ago, Chelseafan said:

Seriously though, my only concern is that despite being triple jabbed,  I end up in frickin quarantine...

I have the same concerns but I really need to get there.  My house was broken into and I'm having real problems with the insurance, need to install additional security etc. etc.

[HashBrownHarry]

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

I'm very doubtful that Thailand will initiate a travel ban from the UK, if they do it will have to do the same for every other Euro country and that just isn't going to happen.

The procedures in place now will remain and as long as you're clear/negative leaving the UK everything will hinge on your PCR test upon arrival.

I'd also be very surprised if thailand ban travel from the uk however bringing back quarantine based on where you're travelling from is a string possibiliy.

 

Expected over 100K case in UK today - that's crazy they can still arrive in thailand under 'test and go' program - insane!

[KhaoYai]

25 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

I'd also be very surprised if thailand ban travel from the uk however bringing back quarantine based on where you're travelling from is a string possibiliy.

 

Expected over 100K case in UK today - that's crazy they can still arrive in thailand under 'test and go' program - insane!

Yes but so far, it appears that the pre-departure PCR and the testing on arrival is catching the Omicron cases that have arrived. So in that respect, the restrictions they have in place are working - for the moment.

 

Nevertheless, its something I've regarded as a possibility and although I may accept 1 weeks quarantine but I doubt any genuine tourists will. Given the speed that Omicron is spreading, it would not be long before they were banning or restricting travel from many other countries so it would more or less be the end of the re-opening.That would probably mean that thousands of Thai businesses that have been hanging on and clinging to the hope that things will start improving, will now go bust.

 

From the tourist's point of view, I wonder how the imposition of quarantine would affect their ability to obtain a refund?  I believe most airlines state that the flight has to be cancelled or travel suspended.  I know most have flexible bookings now and would probably allow you to postpone but some tourists might decide to go elsewhere altogether.

[Chelseafan]

1 hour ago, KhaoYai said:

I have the same concerns but I really need to get there.  My house was broken into and I'm having real problems with the insurance, need to install additional security etc. etc.

Good Luck with that. I've only built  the outer wall so far ????

 

[HashBrownHarry]

37 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Yes but so far, it appears that the pre-departure PCR and the testing on arrival is catching the Omicron cases that have arrived. So in that respect, the restrictions they have in place are working - for the moment.

 

Nevertheless, its something I've regarded as a possibility and although I may accept 1 weeks quarantine but I doubt any genuine tourists will. Given the speed that Omicron is spreading, it would not be long before they were banning or restricting travel from many other countries so it would more or less be the end of the re-opening.That would probably mean that thousands of Thai businesses that have been hanging on and clinging to the hope that things will start improving, will now go bust.

 

From the tourist's point of view, I wonder how the imposition of quarantine would affect their ability to obtain a refund?  I believe most airlines state that the flight has to be cancelled or travel suspended.  I know most have flexible bookings now and would probably allow you to postpone but some tourists might decide to go elsewhere altogether.

IMO there is no point with restrictions of any means, it's proven over the last 2 years whatever is put in place the invitable will happen.

 

They should just let it play it's course.

[KhaoYai]

5 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

IMO there is no point with restrictions of any means, it's proven over the last 2 years whatever is put in place the invitable will happen.

 

They should just let it play it's course.

With the exception of mask wearing, I agree.

[ILOVEBKKLONGTIME]

4 hours ago, Chelseafan said:

despite being triple jabbed,  I end up in frickin quarantine...

 

 

[KhaoYai]

4 hours ago, internationalism said:

fly another airline where you can get 4 seats to sleep.

Yeah right, just throw my ticket away and book with another airline...........right. Derrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

[KhaoYai]

6 hours ago, internationalism said:

but they do charge some minimum 2600b more than the cheapest offering the same (better) service.

I booked one of the cheaper hotels as I don't intend staying a minute longer than I have to.  I called them and asked about not sharing the taxi with anyone - done at no extra charge.

[internationalism]

6 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Yeah right, just throw my ticket away and book with another airline...........right. Derrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

many airlines has flexible covid policy, including cancellation and full refund.

You can give some reason for them - you believe in border closing

[KhaoYai]

29 minutes ago, internationalism said:

many airlines has flexible covid policy, including cancellation and full refund.

You can give some reason for them - you believe in border closing

Some are not actually that flexible, they'll let you change the date or even give you a credit note but they won't give you a full refund unless the flight is cancelled or you're banned from entry. Some do, some don't and those that do can take up to 3 months to give you a refund. 

 

You should also be aware that flight prices often rise as you get closer to the departure date - especially over the Christmas holidays. . If I was to cancel mine now, I could have to pay around £1500 with a different airline and/or face longer total travel times. Sorry but its a none event.

[connda]

13 hours ago, internationalism said:

on flights it's only those seating directly next to you.

An empty seat between you or an isle is good enough.

On check on online and later at the airport you can chose your seat away from the other passengers.

Even at the gate to a connecting flight you can ask for change.

 

yes, even symptomatic patients are not always hospitalised, if there is shortage of beds.

yes, incoming travellers are to be hospitalised or put in hospitels, because they pay and because of the new variants 

It's all about money.  If you pop positive farang?  You're an automatic ticket to a 100,000+ THB medical bill for a money-hungry private hospital that the government promises to feed rich farangs to.

But? You know that coming in.  Personally, with the exception of returning expats, who in their right minds want to bet they'll be a positive PCR test upon arrival or during their stay which may be a false positive.  You know what's going to happen? 
I'd never come here as a tourist under those conditions.  Especially with kids.  It's asking for a lot of unnecessary anguish. There are other countries you can visit with none of this drama and potential expense and forced medical incarceration.

[NoshowJones]

On 12/18/2021 at 8:32 AM, internationalism said:

on flights it's only those seating directly next to you.

An empty seat between you or an isle is good enough.

On check on online and later at the airport you can chose your seat away from the other passengers.

Even at the gate to a connecting flight you can ask for change.

 

yes, even symptomatic patients are not always hospitalised, if there is shortage of beds.

yes, incoming travellers are to be hospitalised or put in hospitels, because they pay and because of the new variants 

Yes, you have hit the nail on the head, "because they pay," but you missed out the word "plenty". Just another way for some people to take advantage of ordinary people by getting richer because of a pandemic.