1 hour ago, smedly said:

I have been warning about this in several posts on here for weeks 

 

This is nothing but a money grabbing scam and before anyone sets foot in Thailand they need to be aware of what could happen to them 

 

Meanwhile Denmark has just declared all covid restrictions have ended ......................everything 

 

They  now rate covid 19 as they do a cold or a mild flu and this is while detection rates are soring in the country 

 

is it time ?

 

I don't think the public have the stomach for any more of this, you cannot stop omicron from spreading  

Now or very shortly I would have thought a test before you leave home and mask wearing when you get get here should be enough I would have thought. 

It's really the uncertainty around being quarantined in an expensive hospital that's the real problem rather than procedures that you can plan for. 

2 hours ago, HappyExpat57 said:

Many of us in the same boat. This April was my family's annual reunion, this will be year 3 missed as well. I'd go in a New York minute if I didn't fear the convoluted return policies that change more often than I change underwear.

  We are also having a family reunion this coming April in Greece for Easter and while there we will look into moving our retirement base there and just visit Thailand for a few months . but not until these insane policies change, I had enough with all the BS here .

Everywhere I turn there is some hustle, if it's not one thing, it's another. 

I think the issue is finding private insurance companies, still afloat, willing to provide quarantine insurance.

 

The government needs to indemnify tourists up front against asymptomatic and mild COVID cases. Just have facilities bill the government directly.

 

Put that 700 baht, soon to be 1,000 baht, PSC to good use.

 

 

It all come down to.....

Do you feel Lucky?

99% of articles about this talk about how you just have to take two PCR tests and stay over night a couple days... usually they omit the important point of what happens if you test positive.  With Omicron being so infectious, I feel like I'm fairly likely to have this happen if I tried to enter Thailand right now.  

1 hour ago, arick said:

Price range from 30, 000 baht and up! You can pick your hospital out of the list. You can even pick a hotel up country you don't have to stay in Bkk 

And then they ferry you across the country, supposedly with you having Covid? Priceless!

7 hours ago, JayClay said:

Who is "they" and, if they're an official respectable medical body, do you have any links confirming that they "rate covid 19 as they do a cold or mild flu"?

you got all the info you need from my post - go look it up yourself - clue ...........Denmark

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

the guest has no choice but to be hospitalized at that specific hospital for 7-10 days at their own cost

Not true.

Some of our guests have been allowed to quarantine in their pre-booked private villa. As long as their symptoms are minor.

7 groups so far.

2 hours ago, kimamey said:

I'm planning on coming back soon but reading the full article is a bit worrying. If insurance covers it then ok but if not then it's a lot of money at risk.

Insurance is key.  Specifically one that also covers asymptomatic sickness.  Some won't cover your hospital stay unless you're sick.

32 minutes ago, kimamey said:

It's really the uncertainty around being quarantined in an expensive hospital that's the real problem rather than procedures that you can plan for. 

Yes, and this being Thailand, you never know whether the PCR tests and results are proper. That's why I plan to be away till late 2023, hoping that the pandemic is over by then, and Thailand unable to profit from it.

3 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Yes! More of this please. This is the kind of BAD international press that Thailand deserves and will hopefully embarrass them enough into dropping this shambolic, pathetic, ripoff system, which does absolutely F all regards the safety of the country… esp when people are picking the thing up locally. Drop this nonsense and bloody well grow up Thailand! 

Amen bro!

1 hour ago, Dukeleto said:

What’s the likelihood that the ASQ or SHA hotel has a kick back incorporated into the Hospital bill who their guests HAVE to go to? Further to that question, how likely are you now to get a positive result on your test and how do you verify the result without carrying your own test kits. And if you are carrying your own test kits which show you are negative and theirs are positive who is going to win and again how could you even verify your result if it has to go to a lab first. If you have been in Thailand for any amount of time you can easily compute that this scenario is all to easy occur. I concur with the stories Warning. It’s is far too risky stepping into Thailand as a tourist until all this nonsense is dismantled. Stop coming and it will happen much quicker. Keep coming and they will keep it running .

It's about the money. I did seven days at a nice fairly new hotel. I can't see this place having many customers if the quarantine is discontinued. Fairly large two seven story units.

2 hours ago, ukrules said:

Laughable system, once word of this gets around and by that I mean printed in every newspaper in Europe the tourists will abandon Thailand.

They were never coming to begin with.  I have friends in central america, no problems.  

41 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

If everybody stopped coming like Zero tourist might just make them think again, 

Well, maybe not zero. There will always be some fools who will still come, but I hope, numbers will stay low for the rest of the year, so authorities will have to adjust if they don't want to miss out on the growing tourism market.

Just now, Blumpie said:

They were never coming to begin with.  I have friends in central america, no problems.  

No problems other than a raging virus.  It's not good in that part of the world.  Ok if you're boosted, not so good if your not.

Off-topic question: If I'm just transiting through Suvarnabhumi airport and don't intend to go through Thai immigration process do I still need 50.000 $ insurance? Thanks.

I returned recently, and the threat of hospital imprisonment was very stressful. Thankfully, it all went OK. The whole process was too much work. And we spent 9,000 baht on one night in a hotel, plus $400 ($200 each) on rush PCR tests in the US, since our free tests did not come back on time. Now, add another nite to that. 

 

Few will come. And will the restrictions be abolished? Depends on whether you believe they are sincere about a tourism restart and putting the people back to work, or if you believe this was intentional sabotage, to get rid of nightlife and "purify the nation". I believe the latter. I really believe the Prayuth and Anutin hubris and ignorance is that deep. 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The SHA+ and ASQ hotels where the travelers are required to stay, must all have contracts with a specific hospital, usually a private hospital.

Do the hotels then get a "finder's fee" from their partner hospitals? Does the visitor get a refund from hotel when he has to cut short his stay because he has to go to the partner hospital?

Just now, klauskunkel said:

Do the hotels then get a "finder's fee" from their partner hospitals? Does the visitor get a refund from hotel when he has to cut short his stay because he has to go to the partner hospital?

You should know the answer to Q2... Thailand rarely does refunds. 

I have been advising friends in Australia of the situation and potential costs if they holiday here.

Until Thailand gets rid of these requirements, people working in the tourist industry will continue to suffer.

Unfortunately the way tourist are being treated is disgraceful scam after scam Insurance that does not pay out test a d go without quarantine this is just not true requirement to have phone capable of installing tracking devices it goes on and on. It is best to avoid Thailand at all costs until all restrictions of entry removed 

30 minutes ago, Polaky said:

It all come down to.....

Do you feel Lucky?

Knowing my luck, No

1 hour ago, JayClay said:

Who is "they" and, if they're an official respectable medical body, do you have any links confirming that they "rate covid 19 as they do a cold or mild flu"?

They being the Danish health authorities 

22 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Not true.

Some of our guests have been allowed to quarantine in their pre-booked private villa. As long as their symptoms are minor.

7 groups so far.

But 7 groups out of how many in total?

I just applied for the new so-called Test and Go on Feb 1. After reading this and a few other things I am almost hoping I get rejected. They once again have created a complicated mess. I came back twice under the old COE/quarantine system. It was better than this <deleted>.

15 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Well, maybe not zero. There will always be some fools who will still come, but I hope, numbers will stay low for the rest of the year, so authorities will have to adjust if they don't want to miss out on the growing tourism market.

Maybe to the point where the airlines will be thinking is it worth it, once they stop then what?

10 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I returned recently, and the threat of hospital imprisonment was very stressful. Thankfully, it all went OK. The whole process was too much work. And we spent 9,000 baht on one night in a hotel, plus $400 ($200 each) on rush PCR tests in the US, since our free tests did not come back on time. Now, add another nite to that. 

 

Few will come. And will the restrictions be abolished? Depends on whether you believe they are sincere about a tourism restart and putting the people back to work, or if you believe this was intentional sabotage, to get rid of nightlife and "purify the nation". I believe the latter. I really believe the Prayuth and Anutin hubris and ignorance is that deep. 

The stress is for real. I am currently waiting for my Pass to be processed and beginning to regret I didn't wait a little longer.

Private hospitals   the absolute scourge of ex pats life, criminals, criminal activities masked in white coats,do anything  lie cheat,operate on you,open you up even to get at that wallet of yours

4 hours ago, steven100 said:

This would have to be first most honest & accurate news article/report I have read for a long time.

 

not the usual tribe that is as murky as muddy water ...

it is being quoted in many foreign press agencies, articles, throughout Europe for some time now. 

Caveat emptor.

Buyer beware.

 

A sad state of affairs when a country puts a warning about travelling to it...