'You joking?': UK woman's Thailand holiday turns to quarantine horror

[poohy]

5 hours ago, petedk said:

The authorities publish all the rules about being tested and so on, but there is nothing about being quarantined in hotels and having to foot the bill. Likewise, if they are admitted to hospital after testing positive, but showing no symptoms, or because they sat next to a positive case on the plane, the insurance companies are not likely to pay out.

 

This should be stated clearer on the various websites

I am living here BUT i would assume as a tourist whatever you job etc YOU have insurance

Thailand says so, cant get in otherwise 

 

NOW this insurance everyone is making a song and dance about

 

it is useful and pays or is a complete waste of money and a fraud case!

 

Which is it?

[MrJ2U]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

 

"We were in an ambulance [and] now have to quarantine for 10 days... what is happening?"

Its in the large print.

 

She should have tried the, "I'm a Tic Tock user" angle.

Edited January 4, 2022 by MrJ2U

[WinterGael]

10 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

I'm sorry, regardless of whether this woman makes a TikTock living out outta this stuff it's stupid.

 

Who in their corn fed mind gets on a long haul flight to any tin pot third world country without knowing the risks that rules will change on a dime, and you risk either deportation or your two week vacation holed up somewhere in quarantine.

 

No sympathy sorry to say 

Totally agree with you.  At this time not only is travelling absurd, it is selfish... stupid is as stupid does.

[Liverpool Lou]

9 hours ago, Isaanlife said:

You get on a plain negative and hours later Thailand tells you that you are positive and to pay the quarantine.

 

Sounds suspicious?

Sounds suspiciously like the UK test could have been wrong, but, of course, that's never a possibility on this forum when Thailand is involved, eh?

[GrandPapillon]

the real issue is that Thailand is making silly rules for travelers, and showing their true colors

 

other tourist destinations do not have those ridiculous rules, and were doing fine

 

Thailand has no clue and really acting like a child with Asperger

[aldriglikvid]

I'm surprised by how many boomers here blaming the young couple. Please keep in mind that Thailand currently advertise as "Open for Tourism" and not only that; the details of you being forced for a 10day quarantine is not advertised at all (it's actually hard to find even in the fine print). 

 

So, I guess I'm a minority here - but; I do believe it would be in Thailands long term interest to clearly state the Risk/Return of entering (the now closed) Test and Go. 

[HashBrownHarry]

19 minutes ago, Dont confuse me said:

Aren't you required to do a pcr test 72 hrs before departing to Thailand which must be negative or your not allowed to travel? 

Or have the rules changed? 

Tests initially showed inconclusive then positive puts a question mark against the reliability of the test! 

You don't understand....

 

It's very possible to test negative 72 hours prior to departure, flight from UK let's say 18 hours ( early check in etc ) then couple hours getting out the airport to hotel / hospital for test. Can be close to 4 days, very possible to test negative prior to departure but postive on arrival.

 

It does n't suprise me at all.

 

 

[HashBrownHarry]

6 minutes ago, aldriglikvid said:

but; I do believe it would be in Thailands long term interest to clearly state the Risk/Return of entering (the now closed) Test and Go. 

Include Sandpit option in that as well.

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, aldriglikvid said:

I'm surprised by how many boomers here blaming the young couple. Please keep in mind that Thailand currently advertise as "Open for Tourism" and not only that; the details of you being forced for a 10day quarantine is not advertised at all (it's actually hard to find even in the fine print). 

 

So, I guess I'm a minority here - but; I do believe it would be in Thailands long term interest to clearly state the Risk/Return of entering (the now closed) Test and Go. 

I simply cannot identify with any idea that the couple themselves are anything other that stupid and at fault for not familiarising themselves with the potential consequences of testing Covid-19 positive upon arrival in a foreign country 22 months into a global pandemic. 

 

I’m sure they knew the risks but came unprepared for the consequences of testing positive. It difficult, but they are most certainly not deserving of sympathy. 

 

 

That said: Thailand has advertised itself as open and has not been forth coming in presenting the risks alongside its ‘we are open to tourists’ campaigns.

 

 

 

Each time I have arrived in Thailand over the past 16 months (ASQx2, Sandbox & Test&Go) the hotel has been unable to provide clear and concise information as to what happens if I test PCR positive.... 

’Taken away’ is the general answer.... Where?... ‘hospital’....  Which one? ‘Mai Roo’....  How long? ‘Mai Roo’ !!

 

While any traveller knows the risk, there is a general lack of clarity surrounding the consequences. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sleepwalker999]

Zero sympathy, no idea what people are doing travelling for holidays in times like this, such stupidity. 

[smutcakes]

1 hour ago, goatfarmer said:

What is the probability of turning up positive after just getting a negative result within 72 hours?

Umm presumably the same chance of getting a positive the day before, or the day after or a day the week before- last time i looked in some countries 100k + were catching it every day and those are just the ones who tested for it. I expect Covid is not aware of one's travel plans and does not act accordingly with them in mind...

[jacko45k]

Just now, smutcakes said:

Umm presumably the same chance of getting a positive the day before, or the day after or a day the week before

I suspect similar to getting a negative and then having 2 nights out in Treetown, a couple of massages, and dinner rubbing shoulders in a fast food place in Pattaya.......... oops now positive.

[James105]

29 minutes ago, Dont confuse me said:

Aren't you required to do a pcr test 72 hrs before departing to Thailand which must be negative or your not allowed to travel? 

Or have the rules changed? 

Tests initially showed inconclusive then positive puts a question mark against the reliability of the test! 

Most likely she had covid in the UK some weeks ago and like many had no idea she had it as has better things to do than test herself everyday if she doesn't feel ill.  The CDC say that people can test positive for up to 12 weeks after they have it.  She then gets an inconclusive test so they most likely ramp up the cycles on the next one to guarantee a positive result. 

 

Sounds to me like another innocent victim wrongly convicted and sentenced to 2 weeks imprisonment at great expense to either her or the insurance so someone can make a bit of money.  

 

Do they include the number of cycles used in the results?   I suspect not.   

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, sleepwalker999 said:

Zero sympathy, no idea what people are doing travelling for holidays in times like this, such stupidity. 

Zero sympathy agreed.....  because we all know, or should, know the risks we face. 

 

 

However, this could be the ‘normal’ for the foreseeable future. 

 

So, if people are prepared to take the risk of travel for a holiday or to see loved ones etc, then its fair enough, if they are vaccinated, take intelligent precautions and don’t complain or seek sympathy if they have to isolate because they have tested positive upon arrival. 

 

The other end of the spectrum sees everyone locking themselves away too scared to visit a supermarket, a restaurant etc....  International travel is not the only facet of our lives with risk and consequences....  and as with every risk we take, know the consequences and don’t complain if things don’t work out in our favour. 

 

 

 

[smutcakes]

1 minute ago, jacko45k said:

I suspect similar to getting a negative and then having 2 nights out in Treetown, a couple of massages, and dinner rubbing shoulders in a fast food place in Pattaya.......... oops now positive.

No doubt we will next have people complaining that their 7 day PCR test came back positive..... Oh Thailand are so unfair, scam, how can i be positive wahh wahhh wahhh...

 

What of course they will leave out is the fact as soon as they passed their initial test and go test, they spent the next 7 nights shagging pros and getting blitzed in crowded bars and pubs...

[smutcakes]

1 minute ago, James105 said:

Most likely she had covid in the UK some weeks ago and like many had no idea she had it as has better things to do than test herself everyday if she doesn't feel ill.  The CDC say that people can test positive for up to 12 weeks after they have it.  She then gets an inconclusive test so they most likely ramp up the cycles on the next one to guarantee a positive result. 

 

Sounds to me like another innocent victim wrongly convicted and sentenced to 2 weeks imprisonment at great expense to either her or the insurance so someone can make a bit of money.  

 

Do they include the number of cycles used in the results?   I suspect not.   

Yeah mate, i am sure you are well versed on 'cycles' of complex testing....

[James105]

Just now, smutcakes said:

Yeah mate, i am sure you are well versed on 'cycles' of complex testing....

1. I am not your "mate".   

2. Please feel free to enlighten everyone with your PCR test wisdom if you disagree otherwise your comment is as pointless as you appear to be.   

[smutcakes]

Just now, James105 said:

1. I am not your "mate".   

2. Please feel free to enlighten everyone with your PCR test wisdom if you disagree otherwise your comment is as pointless as you appear to be.   

I have no wisdom on testing of PCR or 'cycles'- i am not a doctor, a virologist and have not done the 10 years of training to be one, or to comment or make sensible educated things about complex parts of it. Hence i dont bother commenting on something i clearly have no/extremely limited understanding of.

 

Perhaps you can give us a route an branch explanation of the 'cycles;' you refer, or you can just copy and paste something you read off the internet?

[James105]

Just now, smutcakes said:

I have no wisdom on testing of PCR or 'cycles'- i am not a doctor, a virologist and have not done the 10 years of training to be one, or to comment or make sensible educated things about complex parts of it. Hence i dont bother commenting on something i clearly have no/extremely limited understanding of.

 

Perhaps you can give us a route an branch explanation of the 'cycles;' you refer, or you can just copy and paste something you read off the internet?

You literally just did comment on something you have just admitted you have no understanding of.   

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, James105 said:

39 minutes ago, Dont confuse me said:

Aren't you required to do a pcr test 72 hrs before departing to Thailand which must be negative or your not allowed to travel? 

Or have the rules changed? 

Tests initially showed inconclusive then positive puts a question mark against the reliability of the test! 

Most likely she had covid in the UK some weeks ago and like many had no idea she had it as has better things to do than test herself everyday if she doesn't feel ill.  The CDC say that people can test positive for up to 12 weeks after they have it.  She then gets an inconclusive test so they most likely ramp up the cycles on the next one to guarantee a positive result. 

 

Sounds to me like another innocent victim wrongly convicted and sentenced to 2 weeks imprisonment at great expense to either her or the insurance so someone can make a bit of money.  

 

Do they include the number of cycles used in the results?   I suspect not.   

 

A possibility, further tests will confirm. 

 

It is only paranoid foreigners who have levelled accusations at Thailand that it can ‘make a bit of money’... I don’t buy this possibility at all. The numbers of positive cases are simply too small.

Such arguments when using phrasing such as ‘wrongly convicted, prisoners, locked up’ etc simply point towards a negative bias and a degree of unbalance. 

 

 

Regarding the testing: When the lady tested ‘inconclusive’ it means that there was not enough DNA (reverse transcribed from rNA) to identify has a positive result after the set number of replication / application (ct) cycles, usually 35. 

 

Thus, it is necessary to take a new sample. It would usually be preferred that a patent waits a day or two to re-take the sample as an inconclusive test could be due to someone being at the ‘beginning’ of the disease cycle or at the very end. 

 

Thus: IF a re-test proves postive its possible that the lady was at the beginning of her ‘infection / disease cycle’.

 

But, IF the lab has simply retested the same sample with 40 amplification cycles they have generated a false positive.

 

Thus: as you wrote James105 it is important for any positive case to report the number of amplification cycles yet this is rarely done - the world has become more familiar with testing measures and the idiosyncrasies involved, a simple ‘positive' result is no longer acceptable and neither should it be. 

 

 

--------

 

IF I were to test PCR positive after 15 amplification cycles, I’d be quite acceptant of the results. 

IF I were to test PCR positive after 40 amplification cycles, I’d be demanding further tests to internationally accepted standards. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Phulublub]

4 hours ago, Orinoco said:

Well i thought the world understood Thailand tells Fibs a lot. 

Unlike, say, a recent US president?

 

PH

[Megasin1]

She should have tokked when she tikked because to be fair if you read the government travel advice on government.uk with an attention span of more than 7 seconds, Thailand is the last place in the world you would consider for your holiday, with or without the covid warnings.......bless her... ..I've struck her off my list of potential holiday advisors ????????????

[Phulublub]

20 minutes ago, James105 said:

Most likely she had covid in the UK some weeks ago and like many had no idea she had it as has better things to do than test herself everyday if she doesn't feel ill.  The CDC say that people can test positive for up to 12 weeks after they have it.  She then gets an inconclusive test so they most likely ramp up the cycles on the next one to guarantee a positive result. 

 

Sounds to me like another innocent victim wrongly convicted and sentenced to 2 weeks imprisonment at great expense to either her or the insurance so someone can make a bit of money.  

 

Do they include the number of cycles used in the results?   I suspect not.   

"Most likely..."?  "Innocent victim...?"  

 

Why not go the whole hog and accuse our hosts of making the results up or of deliberately infecting her with a dirty swab so that the result is positive and she really has covid?

 

PH

[smutcakes]

2 minutes ago, Phulublub said:

"Most likely..."?  "Innocent victim...?"  

 

Why not go the whole hog and accuse our hosts of making the results up or of deliberately infecting her with a dirty swab so that the result is positive and she really has covid?

 

PH

No mate everyone is in on it... the customs officials, the DOPH, the hotels, the hospitals..... they cannot wait to share that $1,000 bucks quarantine money......

[Phulublub]

45 minutes ago, GrandPapillon said:

the real issue is that Thailand is making silly rules for travelers, and showing their true colors

 

other tourist destinations do not have those ridiculous rules, and were doing fine

 

Thailand has no clue and really acting like a child with Asperger

A bit like the UK Government loudly trumpeting that people could go on holiday to all manner of places...South Georgia, Faroes, among them just so they could make the number as big as possible.  And Portugal...then three weeks later when some had booked, paid and even travelled, they about faced, forcing thousands to need to cut short their holiday and return home?

 

Surely only Thailand is that stupid.  Or not.

 

PH

[James105]

4 minutes ago, Phulublub said:

"Most likely..."?  "Innocent victim...?"  

 

Why not go the whole hog and accuse our hosts of making the results up or of deliberately infecting her with a dirty swab so that the result is positive and she really has covid?

 

PH

So there are no scams in Thailand on tourists?   Good to know.     

[Felt 35]

Well it can probably be different on the Thai Embassy website in UK / New Zealand (it shouldnt) but just checked a updated Thai Embassy website at homecountry and it not say in black and white that the travellers go straight in quarantine if test positiv on arrival. It just says hopes of tests there and here and I image many travellers go directly to the Thai Embassies websites to find info about travelling to Thailand and there are most likely as many who not check eventually any "small print" positive covid test arrival regulations. 

Felt

[The Hammer2021]

1 hour ago, GrandPapillon said:

the real issue is that Thailand is making silly rules for travelers, and showing their true colors

 

other tourist destinations do not have those ridiculous rules, and were doing fine

 

Thailand has no clue and really acting like a child with Asperger

Most countries  have similar  rules or had similar or even worse rules! Australia  and New Zealand  actually banned travellers...even their own citizens!! The UK and Europe  also have rules regarding testing and quarantine  protocols

[The Hammer2021]

16 minutes ago, Felt 35 said:

Well it can probably be different on the Thai Embassy website in UK / New Zealand (it shouldnt) but just checked a updated Thai Embassy website at homecountry and it not say in black and white that the travellers go straight in quarantine if test positiv on arrival. It just says hopes of tests there and here and I image many travellers go directly to the Thai Embassies websites to find info about travelling to Thailand and there are most likely as many who not check eventually any "small print" positive covid test arrival regulations. 

Felt

Caveat emptor Caveat emptor

[scorecard]

12 hours ago, Michel PUISSANT said:

"No one speaks english"

... Lol

I guess she hasn't realised she's in another country.