Travel agency TUI receives more criticism after Norwegian family was isolated in Thailand

[The Hammer2021]

2 hours ago, Cherrytreeview said:

Agree Dave.

It's beneath Brian to get involved with someone who comes on the board to bait and troll daily.

Just looking for a reaction.

Will always just say the complete opposite view, no matter what anyone says.

Not the only one that has appeared recently.

 

 

I agree!

[UKresonant]

16 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Sorry, but I think when travelling for  holiday in the middle of a pandemic you should be reading and investigating the situation more fully yourself and not relying on 'we got the impression'

Of course, then they could have decided not to go, no point in going on holiday, to give yourself more potential stress. The holiday company should promote it as a stress, risk, endurance and financial gamble. They probably had Relax on a lovely beach ???? , ????. Good article though, it will let more people know the reality of the situation.

[the green light]

7 hours ago, alyx said:

You cannot put the blame on them

I live here. I left in June to come back in November. I checked all the information regarding the entry. I read about the risk to be "interned" only when the first case came up...and that was a few days before departure..

The official agencies should lay it out in all transparency whereas there is no information but the choice between Test&Go (not anymore) quarantine, sandbox

Maybe the travel agency should have told them but the program details is definitely not exhaustive from the official side, at least a month ago 

You should check the title and the content of the new campaign: "the trusted destination"

Simply not fair to the tourists and alike.

you said :I live in Thailand"

you can afford the test  and time waiting and even going into  quarantine. you were lucky.

the government will not waste the time to perform PCR test upon arrival.. If infected the next trip is the hospital. that is the rule

 

these couple made the whole reservation at the same hotel in case of testing positive .

SHA hotel are not equipped to keep infected visitors >their quarantine rooms are usually reserved for the unvaccinated visitors. they are all government rules. changing depending where the winf is blowing.

 

TUI sells tour packages. the consequence of rules falls on the tourists themselves by doing what we call the "what if " game. They are so so and S0 stupid to drag the whole family to a pandemic place knowing that if one of them get infected they all be quarantine.

 

[ikke1959]

3 hours ago, sandyf said:

Absolute garbage.

You will see if there are again 20k or 30k people positive with no symptons and all in a hospital...

[AndresSP]

It's mindboggling how shortsighted those stooges in power really are to allow a few hospitals to pull this nonsense on Thailand's bread and butter tourists for a quick buck.
It'll be hurting not only regular folks but their own bottom line for a long time once the word is truly out in Europe & Russia.

[ikke1959]

1 hour ago, The Hammer2021 said:

A common but simplistic analysis.  No. It's about attempting  to control covid spread

OK.. but today a news story of a woman in Nakon Ratchasima, after 3 doses she has Omicron positive test and travelled with a bus on 29th December...How many did she infect already? It is in Thailand, and in the air and if we lock up everyone who is positive they can write there will be no lockdown, but than it is not necessary because everyone is in the hospital, which are overloaded or at home where nobody control them. You vcan't control something that is in the air and spread, and make you infected even without having any symptons....How do you know that you can infect someone if you don't know that you are carrying the virus???? It is only controlable if you know... 

[ikke1959]

2 hours ago, NobbyClarke said:

If they didn't know, where have you they been?

The world knows what is happening in LOS.

Blaming TUI is a pathetic excuse.

Why didn't they test the child along with themselves?

No sympathy whatsoever.

Nobody knows what is happening in Thailand because Thailand doesn't know it itself.. That is why the rules, news, and regulations change day by by day... Even now nobody knows if Tuesday the school will open.. No there is said no lockdown after New Year, but today is the 1st and another 2 days to go before it is the 4th and nobody will know what is happening. How can foereigners who want to come on holiday know what is happening ??

[alyx]

12 minutes ago, the green light said:

you said :I live in Thailand"

you can afford the test  and time waiting and even going into  quarantine. you were lucky.

the government will not waste the time to perform PCR test upon arrival.. If infected the next trip is the hospital. that is the rule

 

these couple made the whole reservation at the same hotel in case of testing positive .

SHA hotel are not equipped to keep infected visitors >their quarantine rooms are usually reserved for the unvaccinated visitors. they are all government rules. changing depending where the winf is blowing.

 

TUI sells tour packages. the consequence of rules falls on the tourists themselves by doing what we call the "what if " game. They are so so and S0 stupid to drag the whole family to a pandemic place knowing that if one of them get infected they all be quarantine.

 

I do not see your point. 

I am merely saying that there is a lack of information on behalf of the authorities.

Take any European countries: rules are clearly explained and they are explicit. No need to wait for the Lambda traveller to know about the outcome of a trip.

I do not understand the "not waste time with a PCR test": we had to take the test upon arrival and present a negative antigen test a few days later.

As for, I can afford the test and the quarantine,  it is definitely another matter. Furthermore,  you do not know my financial status nor the reason why I did not stay abroad longer

Whether I am happy with the regulations or not is not even to be considered ...what is of the upmost importance is that all regulations are given. and that was not (seems still not) the case

[Longwood50]

1 hour ago, herfiehandbag said:

Scandinavian governments are normally considered pretty trustworthy.

Well that is like saying the prostitutes in Phuket are more virtuous than those in Pattaya.  

I know of no government that does not control what is said to the public to either indoctrinate them or mislead them. 

[sandyf]

3 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Because they have half a brain and want to enjoy living. The dolts that follow the dubious, poxy rules to letter and 100% agree probably wear a mask when they brush their teeth. Quality of life? Not!

If you want your quality of life you should stay in your own back yard. You do not have the right to impose it on anyone else.

[sandyf]

48 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

You will see if there are again 20k or 30k people positive with no symptons and all in a hospital...

I can only assume you have never been to a Thai hospital during the pandemic. My next appointment is the 11th and like every other there will be more staff sat around than patients.

[Blumpie]

Were these people dropped on their heads?

 

I digress, at least the child didn't test positive when leaving thailand.  Not only would he be denied boarding but quarantined as well in a foreign country.  

 

I mean people are just stupid.  Really really really stupid.  

 

And Im' sorry this would have happened anywhere in the world, not just Thailand.  

[sandyf]

2 hours ago, billd766 said:

Thailand and MOST of its people are suffering

Bit of a narrow minded view Bill, it is only those that are dependent on foreign tourism that are suffering, and that has been shrinking since the pandemic started. They are certainly not suffering around where I live, the area has prospered quite significantly.

I have been over in Koh Chang last 2 days and the island was mobbed, quite a lot of Thai tourists like us on the We Travel Together scheme, I wouldn't have thought foreigners predominated. We had a run round the quiet side of the Island and called into a small resort in the back of beyond owned by the uncle of my wife's friend from Laem Sing, even that was fully booked

This morning we came back over to Laem Sing, gridlocked, been there about 3 times a year for the last 13 years and never seen anything like it. Went to our normal restaurant and struggled to get a table must have been about 3 to 4 hundred people, and not a foreigner in sight. At the end of the day who actually needs them.

If there is a lesson to be learned from the pandemic it is that governments have to look harder at self sufficiency.

Hope you had a good New Year.

[Kalasin Jo]

18 hours ago, daveAustin said:

To be fair, there’s no excuse for ignorance. Know the laws of where you’re going. Having said that, the policy sucks. Let’s hope that with enough bad press this ridiculousness gets ditched. Thailand, you will not attract 500 million tourists with that welcome. 

The policy not only sucks it is very costly I believe. Does any Covid 19 insurance cover asymptomatic hospital isolation?

[ikke1959]

1 hour ago, sandyf said:

I can only assume you have never been to a Thai hospital during the pandemic. My next appointment is the 11th and like every other there will be more staff sat around than patients.

Agh you know me????

[billd766]

25 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Bit of a narrow minded view Bill, it is only those that are dependent on foreign tourism that are suffering, and that has been shrinking since the pandemic started. They are certainly not suffering around where I live, the area has prospered quite significantly.

I have been over in Koh Chang last 2 days and the island was mobbed, quite a lot of Thai tourists like us on the We Travel Together scheme, I wouldn't have thought foreigners predominated. We had a run round the quiet side of the Island and called into a small resort in the back of beyond owned by the uncle of my wife's friend from Laem Sing, even that was fully booked

This morning we came back over to Laem Sing, gridlocked, been there about 3 times a year for the last 13 years and never seen anything like it. Went to our normal restaurant and struggled to get a table must have been about 3 to 4 hundred people, and not a foreigner in sight. At the end of the day who actually needs them.

If there is a lesson to be learned from the pandemic it is that governments have to look harder at self sufficiency.

Hope you had a good New Year.

Bit of a narrow minded view Bill, it is only those that are dependent on foreign tourism that are suffering, and that has been shrinking since the pandemic started. They are certainly not suffering around where I live, the area has prospered quite significantly.

 

But it isn't only them Sandy, but the loss of their income also affects the families that they used to send money to support. Add to that if they return to their families they are an additional mouth to feed on a reduced income.

 

It also affects the shops and food stalls where they used to work and now no longer spend it there. Add to that the ripple effect as with the bars closed there is a reduced demand for the beer and alcohol suppliers, the ice suppliers and even the ice factories etc in the longer term.

 

Back in the pre-Covid days if a bar closed the staff could easily be absorbed by other bars. but when 50 or 100 bars closed that doesn't work any more. If the leases don't get paid the bar/shop owner has less income etc.

 

It is the knock on or ripple effect like throwing a stone into a calm pond.

 

Granted there will always people that will still profit but even CP and the major companies will lose out on sales and get less profits and even they may reduce their staff to cut costs.

 

We had a reasonably quiet New Year but I am glad 2021 is behind us now.

 

I hope that you had a good one.

[Mitkof Island]

If I get dragged off to a hospital at least it will all be filmed and plastered all over the world. Foreigners that get put into this situation need to warn everyone to just avoid Thailand altogether. It is all about $$$ has little to do with Covid. The Thai government has done little to get booster shots to the population or any vaccines for children. That shows where their focu$ is. A sincere apology from the PM would be nice.

Edited January 1, 2022 by Mitkof Island

[Adumbration]

15 hours ago, DLock said:

I’m just surprised anyone still uses a travel agency.

It was endorsed by a dancing elephant.

[cncltd1973]

10 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

If being infected with Covid is confirmed it doesn't matter whether symptoms are displayed or not, the patient still has Covid.  It's about isolating the infected, not just the money.

Isolating is the world narrative, but hospitaling asymptomatic people is unusual and contrary to common sense, but it's Thailand's narrative for whatever reason.

[Albert Zweistein]

20 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Sorry, but I think when travelling for  holiday in the middle of a pandemic you should be reading and investigating the situation more fully yourself and not relying on 'we got the impression'

I mentioned before : Scandinavians are from a different planet but however they are nice people. ( When sober )

[Albert Zweistein]

A good warning to anybody especially when traveling with kids : STAY AWAY FROM THAILAND !

[Virt]

34 minutes ago, Albert Zweistein said:

I mentioned before : Scandinavians are from a different planet but however they are nice people. ( When sober 

Sober?

 

That's not a word Vikings are familiar with ????

 

As for nationalitees.

We're all different, but most of the time when I'm talking to staff, bar owners etc in other countries they like Scandic people as tourists, compared to some other nationalities.

We all have good and bad sides no matter what country we come from.

 

But i have never seen a sign in Thailand saying "No Scandinavian people allowed"

 

Yet.

 ????

[Stargeezr]

Here is a thought for members of the forum. if you were planning to travel to a foreign country

that speaks a different language, Not Norwegian, and even your second language English,  is also

their second language, would any of you even consider to take your likely unvaccinated 9 year child

to that foreign country?  This is a good reason why the parents were also made to go to the hospital

with their kid.  Would any of you want to leave your child by themselves in a hospital knowing that

  if they have COVID, you would not be able to go visit with them and then leave back to your hotel?

    The COVID pandemic has been all over the world for 2 years. Anybody who is still thinking that

taking some 10 day holiday with all the risks, is something smart to do is just dreaming. This Norwegian family 

has found out just how unwise that was.  Maybe in 10 days they will be able to go to the airport and head back home.

I have a feeling that they will have to do more procedures when they arrive back in Norway.

[Albert Zweistein]

1 hour ago, Virt said:

Sober?

 

That's not a word Vikings are familiar with ????

 

As for nationalitees.

We're all different, but most of the time when I'm talking to staff, bar owners etc in other countries they like Scandic people as tourists, compared to some other nationalities.

We all have good and bad sides no matter what country we come from.

 

But i have never seen a sign in Thailand saying "No Scandinavian people allowed"

 

Yet.

 ????

I think I mentioned they are nice people but just a bit from an other planet. I worked long enough with them to be able to judge them, they are very naive. I saved several times some of them by sending money when they got robbed or briefcase swapped on Madrid airport with all their belongings or ticket, passport and money stolen from the hotel room in Rio and more like this. I always got refunded and are still in touch with the ones who are still alive.

[DonniePeverley]

Package companies in the EU / Europe operate under different rules than merely just 'selling tickets' - they have to ensure the safety of their passengers, and are responsible to get them there and back (along with other standards). 

 

This might be an alien concept from someone in Asia or USA. 

[bbbbooboo]

Hmmm…. This sort of news will definitely encourage more people to visit Thailand. 

[sometimewoodworker]

12 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

But you don't need to be transferred to a hospital if no symptoms. ASQ Hotels (Alternative state quarantine) are designed to accommodate you for the entire length of stay be that 7 or 10 days or longer under the assumption you are positive until you leave.

The assumptions that you could quarantine in your hotel room was based on the very much lower transmissible variants. They had very much lower airborne transmission rates. Omicron and to a much lesser extent Delta changed that.

 

 Omicron Is easily transmissible by aerosol. ASQ hotels are not setup to isolate individual rooms from the general air circulation. Any half competent doctor or disease control specialist will tell you how bad they are at disease control specially for aerosol transmission.

 

The period of restrictions was never to confine proven positive individuals. Hotels were never envisioned to keep people who tested positive. 
 

The Quarantine period was always to discover if the individual was incubating the disease and keep them out of general contact until the incubation period was over and they were proved disease free.

 

The assumption was never that you were positive, it is that you could become positive and if you do test positive you will be immediately moved out of the hotel (designed for stay) into a hospital (designed for disease control)

 

[Bkk Brian]

2 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

The assumptions that you could quarantine in your hotel room was based on the very much lower transmissible variants. They had very much lower airborne transmission rates. Omicron and to a much lesser extent Delta changed that.

 

 Omicron Is easily transmissible by aerosol. ASQ hotels are not setup to isolate individual rooms from the general air circulation. Any half competent doctor or disease control specialist will tell you how bad they are at disease control specially for aerosol transmission.

 

The period of restrictions was never to confine proven positive individuals. Hotels were never envisioned to keep people who tested positive. 
 

The Quarantine period was always to discover if the individual was incubating the disease and keep them out of general contact until the incubation period was over and they were proved disease free.

 

The assumption was never that you were positive, it is that you could become positive and if you do test positive you will be immediately moved out of the hotel  (designed for stay) into a hospital (designed for disease control).

 

Nothing is perfect, you have to find a manageable way to get through this. Like I said They are using Quarantine hotels now for up to 14 day entries and they have been working very well.

 

As for Omicron being more transmissible through air, there is no evidence of that, only evidence so far is that it is 70 times faster inside human respiratory tract tissue.

[JustAnotherHun]

It has nothing to do with Omicron.

If tested positive while in ASQ you would have been transfered to a hospital. This rule exists since the beginning of sandbox/T&G.

The rules are clear. If you want take the risk, up to you.

But no reason to bash Thailand for that.

[Bkk Brian]

2 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

It has nothing to do with Omicron.

If tested positive while in ASQ you would have been transfered to a hospital. This rule exists since the beginning of sandbox/T&G.

The rules are clear. If you want take the risk, up to you.

But no reason to bash Thailand for that.

Thats not the point, when in ASQ you are treated as positive for the entire time you are there, many don't test positive until the end of the first week there, there have been minimal spread events in these hotels infact I can't remember reading about any. This system has currently worked very well for those travelling to Thailand who have not been vaccinated or coming from countries not on the official list.