Warning against traveling to Thailand

[connda]

2 hours ago, potless said:

I can agree with that. Last month, on day 3 of my hotel quarantine, I was on the balcony at around 8 pm and noticed an ambulance parked below. A few minutes later, a man with a suitcase trundled up and entered the back of the ambulance and was then taken away. On the morning of day 6, I was given my 2nd covid test. That evening at around 6 oclock there was a knock on the door which I ignored. Then the bell rang. I went to the door with mounting trepidation and looked through the spyhole. Two figures dressed head to toe in plastic. I opened the door and one of the figures stepped forward. "Would you like some new bedding or towels sir? "

In the 2030s, that will be the new Tales Around The Campfire that we'll tell our children to scare the dickens out of them. 

[bullseye66]

I've said it before.....I'll say it again.....to travel to Thailand now as a tourist you've got to be either stupid or desperate.

[Wazoo]

Anyone?

 

If you are a resident on a retirement visa, I am assuming that if you are out if your province, ie away from your house where you can self isolated, that the same circumstances applie? 

 

[cyril sneer]

they probably deliberately test people positive on day 5

 

saw that kiwi juice trick on tiktok this morning

[connda]

26 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

 But you have no evidence of such collusion?

You're right.  I'm just interpreting what the journalist, Gregers Møller, wrote in his article:

"The SHA+ and ASQ hotels where the travelers are required to stay, must all have contracts with a specific hospital, usually a private hospital.
The PCR tests are performed by the hospital who has the exclusive rights to receive all the patients from the hotel they stay at."  (i.e., it's the hospital's responsibility to arrange lab-work)

"Collusion?"  Interesting word.  If you want to use that word then the journalist implies 'collusion' although my guess is that he has done his due diligence and has researched that the hotels, hospitals, and labs are 'following government regulations.'  If there are not contracts between hotels, hospitals, and labs - well, then it's the reporter's error.
However. my guess is that what you consider to be "collusion" is in fact the way the government has set up the Test&Go scheme.
Hotels, hospitals, and labs are just willing participants who see a highly profitable economic benefit from entering into such a contractual agreement.  If this isn't factual?  Contact the reporter, Gregers Møller, Editor-in-Chief • ScandAsia Publishing Co., Ltd. • Bangkok, Thailand.

As far as mentioning that such a "highly profitable...contractual agreement" could be exploited?

Well my friend - TIT - This Is Thailand.
https://thethaiger.com/news/national/thailands-score-drops-to-more-corrupt-on-organisations-corruption-perceptions-index

[thaimacky]

In my home country, travel agencies have been warning against flying to Thailand since the new Test&Go regulation. Alternatives are offered to customers everywhere. I know of well over 10 people who actually wanted to travel to Thailand but have now changed their plans.

[tomacht8]

24 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

 But you have no evidence of such collusion?

You don't need proof it, when it's official practice that there are extra price lists for foreigners in the hospitals, with sometimes 200%-300% higher prices for one and the same activity or operation. Morally, the medical oath here is subject to greed for money.

[The Hammer2021]

2 minutes ago, tomacht8 said:

You don't need proof it, when it's official practice that there are extra price lists for foreigners in the hospitals, with sometimes 200%-300% higher prices for one and the same activity or operation. Morally, the medical oath here is subject to greed for money.

Proof is useful. Without proof it's just hysterical slander. Another bonkers conspiracy  theory

Separate pricing is nothing to do with the lies being spread about labs lying and fixing results

[jacko45k]

4 hours ago, mikebell said:

Pure and simple scam - LOS at its worst.  How many new millionaires has Covid created here?  I want to visit family in UK but dread the return. My family will not visit me under this regime; we are effectively imprisoned in Stalag Thailand - unless we make the move out permanent!

Oh come now.... I know many Expats who got back here.....travelling back from here to UK is also no biggie....since Denmark etc are cancelling all restrictions now, I expect the world to follow... maybe not China....good I say on that. 

[Birdseye]

8 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.

100% This should be published in the UK and elsewhere to Inform tourists of the potential implications as explained in the narrative. People with family or businesses here may well have to jump through hoops to return but tourists on a 2,3 or 4 week vacation most certainly do not as there are easier places to go on holiday

[connda]

22 minutes ago, thaimacky said:

In my home country, travel agencies have been warning against flying to Thailand since the new Test&Go regulation. Alternatives are offered to customers everywhere. I know of well over 10 people who actually wanted to travel to Thailand but have now changed their plans.

I've kept all my friends who came here annually up to date with the Test&Go scheme as well as the warnings.  None of my friends from the US are coming here until after they drop this scheme and return to a semblance of normalcy.

[stigar]

28 minutes ago, thaimacky said:

In my home country, travel agencies have been warning against flying to Thailand since the new Test&Go regulation. Alternatives are offered to customers everywhere. I know of well over 10 people who actually wanted to travel to Thailand but have now changed their plans.

Same in my country.The incurancecompanies also complain about thailand.Its about time thailand learn their lessons.But i guess they will continue this style.

[Alidiver]

A couple, earlier this year returned.

In the SHA+ Hotel she tested positive and had to stay in hospital, he had to self isolate in hotel.

At the end of his isolation, he tested positive so had to isolate a further ten days.

I don't trust hotels, corruption is rife.

[Alidiver]

A couple, earlier this year returned.

In the SHA+ Hotel she tested positive and had to stay in hospital, he had to self isolate in hotel.

At the end of his isolation, he tested positive so had to isolate a further ten days.

I don't trust hotels, corruption is rife.

He ended up £5,000 out of pocket.

[Chongalulu]

10 hours ago, ThaiPauly said:

I want to go back to visit my family in the UK but am dreading returning to Thailand.

 

It's been over three years now and my young grandchildren hardly recognise who I am .

 

But coming back to this!!!

 

I'll just have to wait a bit longer, I had planned for later next month but articles like this scare the living daylights out of me..

 

Very informative article though

I’ve tentative plans for June /July. Perhaps when it finally dawns on them they’re ruining their tourist industry and the reputation and have another flip flop..Better to wait until uk summer anyway 

[overherebc]

Haven't seen mentioned what treatment you are offered/given if on positive test you end up in hospital for 10 days. 

Assuming you have no symptoms.

[thailand49]

Land of Scams continues!  Billions of programs, rules, the lights are on but no one is home!

Confusion no one knows the rules everyone does their own thing so typical anyone that has dealt with immigration living here is a prime example how the country is run and why all the critism as to why stay away.

[ChrisY1]

Insurance can only be claimed if one is "ordered" into quarantine, by a medical doctor.

I have heard on many occasions, it is the immigration police that do the ordering after the on-site medics, indicate a positive. 

[Chongalulu]

7 hours ago, ChipButty said:

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

BA have already given up ,handing back their slots to Thailand until at least October 2022.

[Chongalulu]

6 hours ago, drenddy said:

It's their (stupid) rules, but if you want to travel to Thailand, then you are accountable for your choice, whining after that is pointless.

Should I need to travel, I would definitely contact my insurance company, explain them how things are being done in Thailand and, if possible, have them to agree for any upfront payment requested by the hospital.

Tried that,couldn’t get a definitive answer. The problem is customer services is the front company. Claims will be handled by the underwriters (totally different) and so you won’t find out for sure until you actually claim. A lottery with the odds against you.

[spidermike007]

7 hours ago, dallen52 said:

Caveat emptor.

Buyer beware.

 

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

Yes. It is almost like they are saying wait, wait. Our destruction of the tourism industry is not complete. Give us just a bit more time to devastate it some more. 

 

Sorry to inform, but the destruction is complete. Tourism will never return to Thailand. Not in a meaningful way. 150 high caliber rounds into the heart of the Golden Goose. Sorry, game over. 

[spidermike007]

7 hours ago, dallen52 said:

Caveat emptor.

Buyer beware.

 

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

 

[kimamey]

7 hours ago, Leatherneck said:

Agree. The possibility of a "close contact" situation is nerve wracking since none of the insurance companies will cover it. When I came back last month, I didn't want to be near anyone...still don't.

If I lived in or near Bangkok it wouldn't be so bad as I could go home and stay until day 5 but I have to get to Mahasarakham first.

[sandyf]

11 hours ago, ThaiPauly said:

I want to go back to visit my family in the UK but am dreading returning to Thailand.

 

It's been over three years now and my young grandchildren hardly recognise who I am .

 

But coming back to this!!!

 

I'll just have to wait a bit longer, I had planned for later next month but articles like this scare the living daylights out of me..

 

Very informative article though

People  want to make a mountain out of a molehill.

I went to the UK in August, to get in I had to do pre departure and then 3 other PCR tests with 6 days quarantine in the Holiday Inn at my own expense. Should have been 10 days but I did test to release.

On coming back I had to do pre-departure and if that tested positive I would have been stuck in the UK for another 10 days quarantine at my own expense.

To get back I had to pay upfront for 15 days quarantine in ASQ to for the COE, that got reduced to 7 days on arrival with 2 PCR tests, day 1 and day 6. I had to initiate a charge back to get a refund from Agoda which they contested initially but eventually conceded.

Had I tested positive on the day 6 test I would have faced more quarantine.

Things are very much easier now, but still the whinging.

Maybe better if they went back to the mandatory 15 days for everyone, with that there was hardly anyone on the flight so little chance of catching anything and failing a post arrival test.

[stigar]

10 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Yes. It is almost like they are saying wait, wait. Our destruction of the tourism industry is not complete. Give us just a bit more time to devastate it some more. 

 

Sorry to inform, but the destruction is complete. Tourism will never return to Thailand. Not in a meaningful way. 150 high caliber rounds into the heart of the Golden Goose. Sorry, game over. 

I agree.And now Phuket also start the new testing after 5 days.Claiming that tourist have fake PCR-tests from their country.Well..its russians so im not surprised.

[kimamey]

3 hours ago, racket said:

The problem is, if they know in advance that your insurance will cover it then they will most likely put you on that quarantine list upon arrival. They’re most likely selecting a few percentages of random tourists to take advantage of them. This is what’s happening. 

On the first test that's certainly possible. On the second after 5 days you can use another hotel so they would have to have good records to work that scam and I'm not sure they're up to it.

I've no evidence for what you say but I wouldn't be that surprised if it's true. Whilst I don't approve of them defrauding insurance companies partly because we all end up paying for it and I know they aren't squeaky clean themselves but my main concern is paying large hospital bills myself rather than an insurance company.

[WEBBYB808]

Don't they have insurance for such issues?

[sandyf]

2 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

 But you have no evidence of such collusion?

Why on earth would you let evidence prevent a good conspiracy theory.

[kimamey]

8 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

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

Yes and I need to start looking at insurance myself. Does anyone know of companies that will cover you if you're asymptomatic?

 

On that point if you test positive wouldn't that count as being sick even though there are no symptoms? Many illnesses such as cancer don't have symptoms. I've just had my prostate removed due to cancer but there were no symptoms related to that. It was only due to the effects of the prostate being enlarged that I ended up seeing the doctor in the first place.

[kimamey]

8 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

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.

I'm not sure my wife would go for that? 

 

Best of luck