What is the process if unexpectedly required to quarantine on arrival?

[net1510]

I am entering Thailand in a few days on a previously approved "Test and Go", one night in a prepaid Bangkok Hotel plan. What will actually happen if for some reason (+ test the most straightforward reason) if I am deemed required to quarantine on arrival at the Bangkok airport?

 

Has anyone been through this?

[Sheryl]

You won't be tested at the airport, you will be either tested at your hotel or driven by hotel car to a hospital for the test. results will come anywhere form 6-24 hours later. Usually 8-12 but to does vary.

 

If possible there will be a knock on your hotel room door (maybe a call from reception first) and medical staff in hazmat suits will take you immediately to a hospital.

 

What I do nto know is whether you will be able to have any say in which one. Each hotel approved for T&G or AQ has an affiliation with a specific hospital for the test and normally that is where they'd take you but it MIGHT be possible to negotiate to go elsewhere if you have a strong preference.

 

You will be kept in the hospital until you test negative and they will not test again quickly.

[herfiehandbag]

14 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

You won't be tested at the airport, you will be either tested at your hotel or driven by hotel car to a hospital for the test. results will come anywhere form 6-24 hours later. Usually 8-12 but to does vary.

 

If possible there will be a knock on your hotel room door (maybe a call from reception first) and medical staff in hazmat suits will take you immediately to a hospital.

 

What I do nto know is whether you will be able to have any say in which one. Each hotel approved for T&G or AQ has an affiliation with a specific hospital for the test and normally that is where they'd take you but it MIGHT be possible to negotiate to go elsewhere if you have a strong preference.

 

You will be kept in the hospital until you test negative and they will not test again quickly.

So, with my cynical/lived here too long head on, and stating the blindingly obvious, specific affiliation means a financial link and therefore "interested parties".

Likewise, once in a hospital and therefore paying, there is an incentive not too hurry in carrying out further tests.

 

This is a glaring weakness (or strength depending I suppose on your point of view) and one which I am sure is being exploited eagerly.

[Sheryl]

1 minute ago, herfiehandbag said:

So, with my cynical/lived here too long head on, and stating the blindingly obvious, specific affiliation means a financial link and therefore "interested parties".

 Not really.

 

In order to be approved as either a Quarantine, Sandbox  or (in the now ended system) Test & Go hotel, the hotel has to have an arrangement with a hospital for the PCT testing and to handle any medical issues that may arise (in fact they are required to have a nurse "on call" 24 hr)- obviously, hotels do not have labs so cannot do the test themselves nor do they have medical staff.

 

So they find a hospital to partner with in that regard. It does not necessarily mean the hotel owners  have a financial  interest in that hospital. In most cases they probably do not.

 

 

[herfiehandbag]

1 minute ago, Sheryl said:

 Not really.

 

In order to be approved as either a Quarantine, Sandbox  or (in the now ended system) Test & Go hotel, the hotel has to have an arrangement with a hospital for the PCT testing and to handle any medical issues that may arise (in fact they are required to have a nurse "on call" 24 hr)- obviously, hotels do not have labs so cannot do the test themselves nor do they have medical staff.

 

So they find a hospital to partner with in that regard. It does not necessarily mean the hotel owners  have a financial  interest in that hospital. In most cases they probably do not.

 

 

Agreed, at that level it is a straightforward arrangement.

The " interested parties" will be lower down the respective " food chains".

 

I appreciate where you are coming from, but cannot believe that there are no potential benefits available to those involved!

[net1510]

Another issue would be not a + test but a deficiency in my preflight test.

From the email that came with my Thaipass:

"Medical certificate with a laboratory result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected through RT-PCR test (issued within 72 hours before departure)". 

My flight is scheduled to land around 48 hours after my test certificate is "issued". However, it will be 71 hours, 35 mins after my appointment time to submit the sample for the test. Something goes wrong, delayed, etc and I arrive in Bangkok after more than 72 hours, I feel like I am going to be stuck, unable to book a better hotel to stay at, other than the cheap, basic one I booked for one night of test and go, extend out for 1 week.

 

If it really is "issued" I will be fine, but it really makes sense for it to be 72 hours from when the sample was taken. Worried it may be a language issue.

Edited January 3, 2022 by net1510

[Sheryl]

1 minute ago, net1510 said:

Another issue would be not a + test but a deficiency in my preflight test.

From the email that came with my Thaipass:

"Medical certificate with a laboratory result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected through RT-PCR test (issued within 72 hours before departure)". 

My flight is scheduled to land around 48 hours after my test certificate is "issued". However, it will be 71 hours, 35 mins after my appointment time to submit the sample for the test. Something goes wrong, delayed, etc and I arrive in Bangkok after more than 72 hours, I feel like I am going to be stuck, unable to book a better hotel to stay at, other than the cheap, basic one I booked for one night of test and go, extend out for 1 week.

 

If it really is "issued" I will be fine, but it really makes sense for it to be 72 hours from when the sample was taken. Worried it may be a language issue.

The 72 hours is before your departure time from original point of departure. . Makes no difference what time you land.

 

Note however that some transit countries require the test be done closer to departure time e.g. 48 hrs in I think Singapore (referring to departure to that country not the departure of the connecting flight out).

[net1510]

13 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Note however that some transit countries require the test be done closer to departure time e.g. 48 hrs in I think Singapore (referring to departure to that country not the departure of the connecting flight out).

Yes, I am transiting thru Japan and that is what had me thinking about it. Post in another forum of a passenger being denied boarding to his connecting flight due to more than 72 hours since his pre departure test.

[BritTim]

6 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

So, with my cynical/lived here too long head on, and stating the blindingly obvious, specific affiliation means a financial link and therefore "interested parties".

Likewise, once in a hospital and therefore paying, there is an incentive not too hurry in carrying out further tests.

 

This is a glaring weakness (or strength depending I suppose on your point of view) and one which I am sure is being exploited eagerly.

Most likely, the process of selecting a hospital partner occurred in a reasonable manner. The hotel had an incentive to have their application approved quickly, and a clean application process facilitates this.

 

I am sure you are right, though, about the hospital's likely reaction to the opportunity presented by your incarceration. Overcharging by private hospitals is epidemic in Thailand, and they will certainly hang on to you as long as possible unless they want your bed for a more lucrative patient.

[cnmltd]

A friend of mine from the US came and tested positive.

He has 2 Pfizer's and a booster in the US.  Negative test on the flight out.

He demanded to get another test and was told by the doctor,

sure he can have as many as he pays for. He can have 10, they can

all be negative. BUT, the first one was positive and that's the one that counts.

Wasted 7 days of his holiday, wasn't happy.

[John435]

Shout out to the Grand Palazzo in Pattaya. They picked me up from Bangkok, got me tested in Pattaya and had the results back to me 4 hours later. I felt very bad about leaving so soon.

[Tropposurfer]

21 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

So, with my cynical/lived here too long head on, and stating the blindingly obvious, specific affiliation means a financial link and therefore "interested parties".

Likewise, once in a hospital and therefore paying, there is an incentive not too hurry in carrying out further tests.

 

This is a glaring weakness (or strength depending I suppose on your point of view) and one which I am sure is being exploited eagerly.

Your clear and imagined assumption that Thai hospital services slow down in order to keep and therefore charge you for a longer period have in my years of experience (1 major operation and  other procedures requiring admissions) with Thai private hospitals (with high end comprehensive medical insurance) to be just that an unsubstantiated assumption based on no proof.

[NotYourBusiness]

12 hours ago, cnmltd said:

A friend of mine from the US came and tested positive.

He has 2 Pfizer's and a booster in the US.  Negative test on the flight out.

He demanded to get another test and was told by the doctor,

sure he can have as many as he pays for. He can have 10, they can

all be negative. BUT, the first one was positive and that's the one that counts.

Wasted 7 days of his holiday, wasn't happy.

That is rather shocking. These tests are not 100% accurate. There is a well established false positive rate, assuming all the protocols are followed precisely (a dubious assumption). It could typically be 0.5% or more false positives. Why is this information no published and taken into consideration?

[Guest Isaanlife]

13 hours ago, cnmltd said:

A friend of mine from the US came and tested positive.

He has 2 Pfizer's and a booster in the US.  Negative test on the flight out.

He demanded to get another test and was told by the doctor,

sure he can have as many as he pays for. He can have 10, they can

all be negative. BUT, the first one was positive and that's the one that counts.

Wasted 7 days of his holiday, wasn't happy.

That smacks of a financial scam.

 

If retested right away with a negative test, he still gets billed for 7 days.

 

How can this not be a financial scam?

[RocketDog]

15 minutes ago, Tropposurfer said:

Your clear and imagined assumption that Thai hospital services slow down in order to keep and therefore charge you for a longer period have in my years of experience (1 major operation and  other procedures requiring admissions) with Thai private hospitals (with high end comprehensive medical insurance) to be just that an unsubstantiated assumption based on no proof.

Your clear assumption that since it didn't happen to you it doesn't happen to others is naive.

Greed and deception are enduring qualities of human nature and are clearly acted out globally on a daily basis in a vast multitude of life situations. 

 

Why would Thailand be different? Call that an assumption too if you wish.

[Bangkok Barry]

59 minutes ago, Tropposurfer said:

Your clear and imagined assumption that Thai hospital services slow down in order to keep and therefore charge you for a longer period have in my years of experience (1 major operation and  other procedures requiring admissions) with Thai private hospitals (with high end comprehensive medical insurance) to be just that an unsubstantiated assumption based on no proof.

A close friend of mine was feeling sorry for himself and needed some TLC after being under job pressure, and he made up a story of being in a taxi that had suddenly braked to avoid a motorcyclist and had whiplash. Family took him to a private hospital in Bangkok, where they not only produced an x-ray supporting his fictitious neck injury but said he should spend at least one night in the hospital for 'observation'.

 

And I personally, soon after arriving to live in Thailand, visited a dentist who told me that I need to have four teeth extracted. I thought not, left, and 25 years later still have those teeth.

 

Never, ever, trust the Thai medical profession. In fact, if money is involved, never trust anyone. My wife's wedding ring needed to be expanded and we took it to a place to be done. Some months later, we were in a place with UV lighting and noticed some of the diamonds in the ring were a different colour under the light. We got it checked, and some of the diamonds had been replaced with glass. Normally, how would you ever know? A perfect scam.

[DrJack54]

Current article related to this OP.

in News Forum.

 

[khunPer]

Yes, to above post, there are plenty of horror stories in the news feed about positive Ciovid test and quarantine. Traveling to Thailand under a pandemic and the present conditions, you are taking a risk for being quarantineed. Make sure you have a proper insurance to cover you, also in case you are asymptomatic quarantines, or quarantines because you sat next to someone in the airplane that tests positive upon arrival.

[NoshowJones]

On 1/3/2022 at 10:36 AM, herfiehandbag said:

Agreed, at that level it is a straightforward arrangement.

The " interested parties" will be lower down the respective " food chains".

 

I appreciate where you are coming from, but cannot believe that there are no potential benefits available to those involved!

If what I keep reading here on AN/TV is true and there are people testing positive, not necessary after arriving at the airport, but anywhere, and being charged from 100.000- 200.000 Bt, then surely we have to believe that there are going to be benefits for people involved with Hospitals and Pharmacies, and very good ones at that.

[mikecha]

On 1/3/2022 at 4:52 AM, net1510 said:

Another issue would be not a + test but a deficiency in my preflight test.

From the email that came with my Thaipass:

"Medical certificate with a laboratory result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected through RT-PCR test (issued within 72 hours before departure)". 

My flight is scheduled to land around 48 hours after my test certificate is "issued". However, it will be 71 hours, 35 mins after my appointment time to submit the sample for the test. Something goes wrong, delayed, etc and I arrive in Bangkok after more than 72 hours, I feel like I am going to be stuck, unable to book a better hotel to stay at, other than the cheap, basic one I booked for one night of test and go, extend out for 1 week.

 

If it really is "issued" I will be fine, but it really makes sense for it to be 72 hours from when the sample was taken. Worried it may be a language issue.

Read 72 hours from test  if delayed that is the airline problem so long u checked in at the airport  before the 72 hours 

[Nino3]

On 1/2/2022 at 8:06 PM, Sheryl said:

 

What I do nto know is whether you will be able to have any say in which one. Each hotel approved for T&G or AQ has an affiliation with a specific hospital for the test and normally that is where they'd take you but it MIGHT be possible to negotiate to go elsewhere if you have a strong preference.

 

 

I recently spoke with representatives from Mandarin Oriental, St. Regis and Westin. My question was regarding Thai nationals testing positive upon landing. All confirmed that if the test is positive then that person can choose the hospital and is not required to use the hotels partner hospital. They are partnered for only the testing. Answer was the same for foreigners. Regarding foreigners, I would take this with a grain of salt and surely recommend you contact your hotel by e-mail to confirm. 

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

4 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Current article related to this OP.

in News Forum.

 

 

In that case above, the woman who tested positive but asymptomatic upon arrival was required to do hotel quarantine -- but was not sent to a hospital.

 

When it comes to asymptomatic positive tests here, the issue of simply being required to undergo extended hotel quarantine vs being sent to a hospital to serve out the same quarantine seems to be VERY unclear.

 

 

[poohy]

More importantly does the insurance which has been extorted out of you prior to gracing these shores immediately kick in ??

 

Locked up is bad out of pocket unacceptable 

[herfiehandbag]

1 hour ago, possum1931 said:

If what I keep reading here on AN/TV is true and there are people testing positive, not necessary after arriving at the airport, but anywhere, and being charged from 100.000- 200.000 Bt, then surely we have to believe that there are going to be benefits for people involved with Hospitals and Pharmacies, and very good ones at that.

Hmm yes. After all, if a positive test carries a price tag of 100k up, then an outlay of a couple of thousand to ' influence the result" is not exactly hard to understand.

 

Let me be clear, I am not suggesting that all Thai medical staff are corrupt, far from it, but here the stakes are remarkably high...

 

As an aside, I wonder how long before we see the first agent offering to take care of the test?

 

 

[Huckenfell]

Are these tests trust worthy that is free from scams.

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

In that case above, the woman who tested positive but asymptomatic upon arrival was required to do hotel quarantine -- but was not sent to a hospital.

 

When it comes to asymptomatic positive tests here, the issue of simply being required to undergo extended hotel quarantine vs being sent to a hospital to serve out the same quarantine seems to be VERY unclear.

 

 

There is a lot in that article that is impossible so I would take the quality of reporting with a hefty grain of salt. (For example that the whole thing happened immediately from the airport - there is no testing done at the airport, the test would have been done at either hotel or a hospitals and she would have booked already into an approved hotel for at least 24 hrs and then gotten the results).

 

It is not even totally clear she was not hospitalized. Altogether very garbled reporting.

 

 

[NoshowJones]

17 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

Hmm yes. After all, if a positive test carries a price tag of 100k up, then an outlay of a couple of thousand to ' influence the result" is not exactly hard to understand.

 

Let me be clear, I am not suggesting that all Thai medical staff are corrupt, far from it, but here the stakes are remarkably high...

 

As an aside, I wonder how long before we see the first agent offering to take care of the test?

 

 

Your last sentence, not just the test, but saving you from all the runaround whether you are going to Thailand or leaving Thailand.

This could be a money spinner for some agents, but they would have to play fair with their prices.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

11 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

There is a lot in that article that is impossible so I would take the quality of reporting with a hefty grain of salt.

 

I don't have any direct personal knowledge on this to share. But, apart from the UK woman's episode and whatever's gone on with that, there are quite a few member posts in another running thread on this issue that seem to be suggesting the following for someone who tests positive right now:

 

--if the person has medical insurance, they're referred to/sent to a hospital for quarantine.

 

--if the person doesn't have medical insurance, they're referred to/sent to a hotel or "hospitel" to serve out quarantine at their own expense.

 

It's really pretty hard to understand how the government's policies and practices on this kind of a fundamental issue can be so vague and opaque.

 

[sandyf]

On 1/3/2022 at 9:43 AM, net1510 said:

I am entering Thailand in a few days on a previously approved "Test and Go", one night in a prepaid Bangkok Hotel plan. What will actually happen if for some reason (+ test the most straightforward reason) if I am deemed required to quarantine on arrival at the Bangkok airport?

 

Has anyone been through this?

 

[orchis]

a  friend told me in detail; arrived 31 December:

"when you test positive, the hospital where you went to test will call you to inform you.
the hotel staff only informs you "the hospital will come to pick you up, same hospital as test'.
then an ambulance will come to get you, 3 paramedics in those spacesuits come to your room and accompany you with your luggage to the ambulance who leaves with vehicular beacons on but not the siren.
the paramedics speak thai, they know where you go. 
you had no choice of places to go.
the relationship hotel-hospital seemed geographical also, near each other.

then you will be placed-in this case- in the hotel wing of the hospital (Piyavate Hospital/ Maitria Hotel)
your documents will be photographed but no signing of hotel registration card, no copy of credit card taken, no deposit made.
copies of insurance policy made, if thai insurance it is made clear insurance will provide; hospital/hotel contacts insurance.
staff will tell you 2 weeks, nurse will tell you 10 day stay.

very simple food but healthy, though almost no fruit or even vegetables.
food will be dropped on side table in front of room, you put garbage outside by evening in closed plastic bag.
water and towels provided for 2 weeks. no housekeeping.

doctor calls to room, vital signs taken daily by nurse, lung xray on first day.
doctor calls with results of xray.
there is medicine in the room : favipirapir 200 mg first day: 2 x 9 (nine) tablets, then 4 days of 2 x 4 (four) tablets.
this one you have to take; this medicine is not approved in USA and UK
paracetamol, antihistamine and anti-mucolytic. these are optional.

you communicate through 2 apps (nurse and hotel), and 2 telephone lines (nurse/hotel)
there is a list on the app with (unhealthy) snacks and beverages.
there is a drop-off point where friends, family etc can leave food and necessities for you.
these will be inspected.
no alcohol, no smoking and also no delivery allowed of these."

if you need more details I will ask him. He tested negative 72 hrs before flight (PCR) and again ATK negative day before and  morning of flight in afternoon. ATK self test in room upon admission was positive. People on flights were very lax in wearing masks and staff didn't intervene, also crowding at transit and rushing at disembarking.