Thailand vacation turns to three days in transit hell courtesy of Thai immigration.

[JideeS]

So we have been rebooking this trip at great expense for 3 years and finally decide to go. My mom lives in Bangkok, is 80, has had a stroke, and is in a wheelchair. As of now I don’t know when or if I will ever see her again.
We jumped all the hoops, insurance, pre-booked hotel, pre paid COVID tests on arrival, and took a hospital administered  PCR-COVID test in advance. We were cleared for Thailand Pass and the Phuket sandbox. I have dual citizenship and was attempting to enter on my Thai passport. We left Monday from Washington DC to Phuket via Abu Dabi. We traveled 30 hours get to Phuket and they are checking off paperwork and say that the COVID test lab results from the hospital doesn’t say PCR. They absolutely will not let us enter due to not being able to comprehend that this was a lab report that can’t be altered to say PCR. We asked if we can get someone in the US to verify this, can we enter, and we were told yes. Mind you it’s 1 in the morning in Virginia USA but via email we had the doctor write and acknowledge that this was indeed a PCR test. Even after this hard fought run around they still wouldn’t except it, as it was hand written. We were told our only options were to spend $8000 for each of us to quarantine a week in a government hotel or go back home. We weren’t about to spend $16000 for what equates to a week in prison. So we wait in what I guess was formerly a smoking room turned into human meat storage locker…… for about 14 hours until our return flight. While we were forced into cold storage  they made us pay to be guarded and we were not offered or allowed to get anything to eat or drink other than bathroom water. I can’t even explain the mental and physical trauma we have been through. This was my girlfriends first time air traveling. Three days of being trapped without being able to wash yourself or change clothes is absolutely disgusting. Thank goodness for the bum guns in Abu Dabi airport. Three days of sitting or laying in uncomfortable positions has left me feeling physically broken. I am so completely heartbroken and blind angry that I was in Thailand and so close to mom….only to be turned away.
 

[Chelseafan]

Sorry to hear of your troubles but I am surprised that you didn't check the lab report to ensure it stated PCR. I am also surprised that the Lab. didn't have the sense to add PCR onto the report. 

 

Being half Thai you will know how obsessed bureaucrats are about paperwork and if it aint correct there's very little you can do. Perhaps you could go back to the airlines as they are supposed to check that your paperwork was in order before boarding but I don't think you will get anywhere

 

[daveAustin]

What a sh,t state of affairs, and frustrating that Thailand continues to complicate things and get it all wrong. Get it in the papers. 

Hope you can see your mum.

[Nino3]

"We were told our only options were to spend $8000 for each of us to quarantine a week in a government hotel or go back home. We weren’t about to spend $16000 for what equates to a week in prison."

 

Stupid question but...... Just to be clear, the amounts you stated are in Thai baht correct? 

 

My understanding is that the error should have been caught by the airline and you never been allowed to board. Was this also not flagged in your Thai Pass application?

 

This is the problem with government being dependent on airlines to do the governments job. 

[JideeS]

4 hours ago, JideeS said:

So we have been rebooking this trip at great expense for 3 years and finally decide to go. My mom lives in Bangkok, is 80, has had a stroke, and is in a wheelchair. As of now I don’t know when or if I will ever see her again.
We jumped all the hoops, insurance, pre-booked hotel, pre paid COVID tests on arrival, and took a hospital administered  PCR-COVID test in advance. We were cleared for Thailand Pass and the Phuket sandbox. I have dual citizenship and was attempting to enter on my Thai passport. We left Monday from Washington DC to Phuket via Abu Dabi. We traveled 30 hours get to Phuket and they are checking off paperwork and say that the COVID test lab results from the hospital doesn’t say PCR. They absolutely will not let us enter due to not being able to comprehend that this was a lab report that can’t be altered to say PCR. We asked if we can get someone in the US to verify this, can we enter, and we were told yes. Mind you it’s 1 in the morning in Virginia USA but via email we had the doctor write and acknowledge that this was indeed a PCR test. Even after this hard fought run around they still wouldn’t except it, as it was hand written. We were told our only options were to spend $8000 for each of us to quarantine a week in a government hotel or go back home. We weren’t about to spend $16000 for what equates to a week in prison. So we wait in what I guess was formerly a smoking room turned into human meat storage locker…… for about 14 hours until our return flight. While we were forced into cold storage  they made us pay to be guarded and we were not offered or allowed to get anything to eat or drink other than bathroom water. I can’t even explain the mental and physical trauma we have been through. This was my girlfriends first time air traveling. Three days of being trapped without being able to wash yourself or change clothes is absolutely disgusting. Thank goodness for the bum guns in Abu Dabi airport. Three days of sitting or laying in uncomfortable positions has left me feeling physically broken. I am so completely heartbroken and blind angry that I was in Thailand and so close to mom….only to be turned away.

 

[CharlieH]

Terrible state of affairs !

 

As usual boils down to PAY THE MONEY !

I am beginning to think the whole damn thing is nothing to do with health, its just another money grab.

Any excuse to find fault to get the money.

As wrong as it is, I bet an envelope would have resolved the issue, as  MONEY rules.

 

[JustAnotherHun]

Unbelievable what these morons did to the OP!

Was it impossible to get a printed document of the hand written statement of your US doctor? ButI guess, even if you got one they would have found another reason to deny entry.

I hope you and your GF can get over it soon and you can see your mom before it's too late.

[Caldera]

Unsurprisingly despicable, what a nightmare!

[internationalism]

your papers suppose to be checked in washington and at transit in abu dabi (those in transit might be less stringent, because they don't use computer system, just glance on documents).

you could write again to laboratory for yet another confirmation. Possibly with QR code, so can be uploaded to covid application.

quarantine for 7 days is from about 12k bht.

You, as thai citizen, have free medical care, including medical in private hospital (that privilege is only until 1.03).

I am not sure why you have opted for phuket sandbox, if you could get Test&Go in Bangkok (which is operational again from 01.02 and takes max 7 days to be processed). 

Possibly in BKK they are more welcoming than in phuket mafia ridden environment.

In BKK they had in November special emergency teams which were helping travellers to sort out any formal problems (booking new, proper sha+ hotels, outdated CoE, thailand passes etc). Possibly those teams are still operating

 

Edited February 14, 2022 by internationalism

[Guderian]

This must be one of those "THAILAND - NEW CHAPTERS" things that they were promoting last week as the vibrant new face of tourism in the country. "THAILAND - NEW CIRCLES OF HELL" sounds like it would be more appropriate.

[bosun]

At first reading a sad story but on reflection many things don’t add up … as several posters have said Etihad require a PCR within 48 hours of departure to transit Abu Dhabi. It seems extremely unlikely you would have been allowed to board in the US without this. An American PCR lab report .. surely much easier than the doctor, who in the US is very accountable, writing a handwritten note..? Then $US 8,000 per person for a quarantine hotel..?.. Phuket has set up a quarantine hotel near the airport in Nai Yang for those who test positive but are Asymptomatic. Clean and basic and a fraction of your quoted cost..

So i would now on reflection say a “sad story” aimed at yet another round of Thai bashing. 

[Letseng]

11 hours ago, daveAustin said:

What a sh,t state of affairs, and frustrating that Thailand continues to complicate things and get it all wrong. Get it in the papers. 

Hope you can see your mum.

I feel sorry for the person. But the airline shld have never allowed boarding.

I'm puzzled why a lab test was not clearly specified by the hospital doing it. As every country has diff. requirements what the test cert. has to specify, the traveller should have known.

The lab I went to in Munich knew what the paper has to show for entry to TH, so did Qatar Airways.

 

[Letseng]

5 hours ago, JustAnotherHun said:

Unbelievable what these morons did to the OP!

Was it impossible to get a printed document of the hand written statement of your US doctor? ButI guess, even if you got one they would have found another reason to deny entry.

I hope you and your GF can get over it soon and you can see your mom before it's too late.

I don't think it is just Thai authorities being awkward. The poster didn't do his homework either. It is no secret what the PCR test report has to state: e.g. method of testing. 

[RJRS1301]

18 minutes ago, bosun said:

At first reading a sad story but on reflection many things don’t add up … as several posters have said Etihad require a PCR within 48 hours of departure to transit Abu Dhabi. It seems extremely unlikely you would have been allowed to board in the US without this. An American PCR lab report .. surely much easier than the doctor, who in the US is very accountable, writing a handwritten note..? Then $US 8,000 per person for a quarantine hotel..?.. Phuket has set up a quarantine hotel near the airport in Nai Yang for those who test positive but are Asymptomatic. Clean and basic and a fraction of your quoted cost..

So i would now on reflection say a “sad story” aimed at yet another round of Thai bashing. 

The person has relayed THEIR experience, yet somehow how you see it fit to victim blame, and call it Thai bashing.

Do you KNOW his story is incorrect? Doubt it very much.

 

[geisha]

Couldn’t you have asked for a PCR test on the spot and waited in the “ holding cell” or a SHA room ??? Sounds a very strange story. Surely, the next day when hospital could be contacted you could ask for confirmation that it was PCR for immigration?  What actually was written on the Lab test ? Sounds very strange to me. I’ve had plenty, and they all mention the RT PCR details. 

[EricTh]

@JideeS

 

I am shocked that Thailand treats foreigners this way, they should at least let you be able to order food and water via the restaurants at the airport.

 

Maybe you should complain to the Thai embassy back in your home country.

 

The problem with the USA is that most non-government documents even the vaccination record is hand-written which is open to fraud, so I can understand why Thai immigration didn't accept it.

 

I thought you can only get the Thailand Pass if the PCR test was valid before boarding the plane? 

 

Edited February 14, 2022 by EricTh

[JayBird]

It's possible everyone looking at the documentation, except Thai immigration, realized it was a PCR test.  

 

Perhaps it said polymerase chain reaction, and that confused Thailand.

[daveAustin]

40 minutes ago, bosun said:

At first reading a sad story but on reflection many things don’t add up … as several posters have said Etihad require a PCR within 48 hours of departure to transit Abu Dhabi. It seems extremely unlikely you would have been allowed to board in the US without this. An American PCR lab report .. surely much easier than the doctor, who in the US is very accountable, writing a handwritten note..? Then $US 8,000 per person for a quarantine hotel..?.. Phuket has set up a quarantine hotel near the airport in Nai Yang for those who test positive but are Asymptomatic. Clean and basic and a fraction of your quoted cost..

So i would now on reflection say a “sad story” aimed at yet another round of Thai bashing. 

People have been charged silly amounts to quarantine.

Always potential for new (and existing banned) members to troll post of course, but I wouldn’t see this one as a pretext for any Thai bashing (guess the Thaier than Thai would see it that way), more a valid reason to put this rubbish gov in the spotlight. 

[internationalism]

13 minutes ago, EricTh said:

@JideeS

 

I am shocked that Thailand treats foreigners this way, they should at least let you be able to order food and water via the restaurants at the airport.

 

Maybe you should complain to the Thai embassy back in your home country.

 

The problem with the USA is that most non-government documents even the vaccination record is hand-written which is open to fraud, so I can understand why Thai immigration didn't accept it.

 

I thought you can only get the Thailand Pass if the PCR test was valid before boarding the plane? 

 

legally he is thai (mother living in bangkok), travelled on thai passport.

certainly it was not thai immigration, who stopped his entry, but airport health officer.

Checking up all paperwork is done before immigration. If stopped by immigration it's airport detention centre, not a former smoking room.

Not only royal thai police immigration department is corrupted, but also health authorities.

I would suspect collusion between them and some hotel owner.

 

personally I would not put too much attention to a poster who just happen to register to post his terrible story    

Edited February 14, 2022 by internationalism

[dj230]

It sucks you had to go through that but it is clearly stated that the test must be RT-PCR, did you get travel insurance?

 

It's easy to blame Thai immigration but this was your fault for not preparing the proper documents for entry.

 

Also $8000 for quarantine? I paid $1000 for 15 days in a ASQ hotel, food, transport from airport, 3x covid tests included. 

Edited February 14, 2022 by dj230

[The Hammer2021]

If the document administrators and officials in other countries in labs, airports, check in in the USA and ME had been as diligent and efficient as the Thai immigration officials this would not have happened. The Thai Immigration were doing their job better than other countries. I get a strong sense of self  pity and angry entitlement  from the OP and wonder if this caused additional friction. If he wants to see his mum it might be easier to fly out to see her by himself rather by bringing the whole circus along. For anybody reading this sad tale: check your documents!

[Smokey and the Bandit]

57 minutes ago, bosun said:

At first reading a sad story but on reflection many things don’t add up … as several posters have said Etihad require a PCR within 48 hours of departure to transit Abu Dhabi. It seems extremely unlikely you would have been allowed to board in the US without this. An American PCR lab report .. surely much easier than the doctor, who in the US is very accountable, writing a handwritten note..? Then $US 8,000 per person for a quarantine hotel..?.. Phuket has set up a quarantine hotel near the airport in Nai Yang for those who test positive but are Asymptomatic. Clean and basic and a fraction of your quoted cost..

So i would now on reflection say a “sad story” aimed at yet another round of Thai bashing. 

You may have have found some inconsistencies the OP's comment, but "Thai Bashing" are you serious??

[connda]

Some of us keep warning you folks not to come here.  Then you come and we hear the horror stories. 
What can we say?  "Told you so?"  To late for that 'eh?  Very sorry to hear but not surprised in the least.

Edited February 14, 2022 by connda

[NanaSomchai]

13 hours ago, JideeS said:

for about 14 hours until our return flight. While we were forced into cold storage  they made us pay to be guarded and we were not offered or allowed to get anything to eat or drink other than bathroom water.

Uhhhh okay, everything I've read is deemed "acceptable" by Thai immigration standards until the "we were not allowed to get anything to eat or drink other than bathroom water" part.

 

THAT is a very serious violation of your basic Human Rights, which should not be taken lightly.

 

You need to ask for a supervisor and explain calmly that you need to get anything to eat at this point, it is a human right, there are even medical treatments and pills that must be taken along with a meal, hence why it is important that they let you eat something, they cannot just lock you up and throw away the key for the next 14 hours.

 

If they insist, bring it to the mainstream press attention and see how it goes down. The Thai immigration will back down from that stance instantly. Trust me. There is no Thai immigration law that states "aliens who are subject to immigration control must be deprived from nutrition" or something alike.

 

Get the story to the press including the "we starved for 14 hours" part. This is going to backfire, not even a Thai judge would stand behind that stance.

 

The immigration officer is abusing his authority.

 

Edited February 14, 2022 by NanaSomchai

[internationalism]

19 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

If the document administrators and officials in other countries in labs, airports, check in in the USA and ME had been as diligent and efficient as the Thai immigration officials this would not have happened. The Thai Immigration were doing their job better than other countries. I get a strong sense of self  pity and angry entitlement  from the OP and wonder if this caused additional friction. If he wants to see his mum it might be easier to fly out to see her by himself rather by bringing the whole circus along. For anybody reading this sad tale: check your documents!

from my experience it's the opposite.

Check in personel are very careful in "ticking" all required documents on the computer. Many travellers are refused check in, almost happen to me once and had to argue, just because I got one document on my smartphone, not printed (delayed test result came during my journey to the airport).

Same with transit airport. Passengers refused entry, luggage offloaded, delayed departure - as explained by the captain on one of flights.

In thailand it's just a glance.

My Thailand Pass was with a wrong date (I had one for a month ahead). It was immidiately spotted at check in and transit, but not in thailand. QR code was valid on scanning, so they did not bother with a different month (january, instead of december).

I don't think anybody would be refused entry to thailand, unless forgery.

 

Edited February 14, 2022 by internationalism

[NanaSomchai]

28 minutes ago, EricTh said:

I am shocked that Thailand treats foreigners this way, they should at least let you be able to order food and water via the restaurants at the airport.

 

Maybe you should complain to the Thai embassy back in your home country.

Correct, food (at least every 8 hours) is a very basic human need it is covered by the Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as per below:

 

https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights

 

"Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control."

 

Basic. Human. Rights.

 

Also if they try to mess around with you and tell you "This is Thailand, we follow Thailand laws", then you need to remind them this:

 

Thailand was among the first 48 countries to endorse the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

 

So technically this also applies in Thailand.

 

!@#$ing. Basic. !@#$ing. Human. !@#$ing. Rights.

[The Hammer2021]

4 minutes ago, internationalism said:

from my experience it's the opposite.

Check in personel are very careful in "ticking" all required documents on the computer. Many travellers are refused check in, almost happen to me once and had to argue.

Same with transit airport. Passengers refused entry, luggage offloaded, delayed departure - as explained by the captain on one of flights.

In thailand it's just a glance. My Thailand Pass was with a wrong date (I had one for a month ahead). It was immidiately spotted at check in and transit, but not in thailand. QR cod was valid on scanning, so they did not bother with a different month (january, instead of december).

I don't think anybody would be refused entry to thailand, unless forgery  

I don't disagree but if the document  was faulty how did it pass all the way to Thailand? Do you think it was a forgery?

[The Hammer2021]

1 minute ago, NanaSomchai said:

Correct, food (at least every 8 hours) is a very basic human need it is covered by the Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as per below:

 

https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights

 

"Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control."

 

Basic. Human. Rights.

 

Also if they try to mess around with you and tell you "This is Thailand, we follow Thailand laws", then you need to remind them this:

 

Thailand was among the first 48 countries to endorse the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

 

So technically this also applies in Thailand.

 

!@#$ing. Basic. !@#$ing. Human. !@#$ing. Rights.

Yeah but Thais don't think food is important..lol

[Liverpool Lou]

13 hours ago, JideeS said:

We were told our only options were to spend $8000 for each of us to quarantine a week in a government hotel

$16,000 (THB520,000+) for the two of you for one week's quarantine?   

 

With a claim like that, how much credibility do you think the rest of your "story" has?

[Denim]

I feel a hub in the making.

 

 

Edited February 14, 2022 by Denim