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

[Liverpool Lou]

11 hours ago, Puccini said:

An NAAT can be an RT-PCR test, but it can also be any of a number of other test methods:

 

 

Quote

 

NAATs can use many different methods to amplify nucleic acids and detect the virus, including but not limited to:

• Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
• Isothermal amplification including:
  • Nicking endonuclease amplification reaction (NEAR)
  • Transcription mediated amplification (TMA)
  • Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)
  • Helicase-dependent amplification (HDA)
  • Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)
  • Strand displacement amplification (SDA)

 

Expand  

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/naats.html

NAATs are not PCR tests and, if you read it properly, nowhere in that duplicated link does it say that they are.

[skatewash]

Until the OP clarifies exactly what was written on the test results all we are doing is speculating.  How difficult is it to merely report exactly what was written on the test results under testing method conducted?

[Liverpool Lou]

3 minutes ago, skatewash said:

Until the OP clarifies exactly what was written on the test results all we are doing is speculating.  How difficult is it to merely report exactly what was written on the test results under testing method conducted?

...or post a photo of it here!

[herfiehandbag]

23 hours ago, internationalism said:

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

He may have been a casual reader of this forum, who has simply never before felt the need to post.

 

Being treated in this way (entirely credible) may have been the reason he decided to become active.

 

He has perhaps a profile which may have caught the notice of the corrupted within the system; yes even ( particularly)  in the flagship sandbox of Phuket. A holder of joint citizenship although nominally Thai and a long term resident in the USA (????), desperate to get in to the country to see his ailing mother (????) and because he has not been to Thailand for a while likely to be largely unaware of and unable to navigate various obstacles manufactured to put in his way. All this might make him vulnerable: to the minds of certain elements within the system -  a target? I wouldn't mind betting that if he had influential contacts, and been able to " lubricate" the process (????), which was probably the original expectation when the initial "problems" were detected, then they would have bent over backwards to get him in.

Edited February 15, 2022 by herfiehandbag

[Puccini]

2 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Just imagine being in line behind the OP at immigration!! Nightmare!

I understand that he never made it to the immigration desk, that he was turned around at the health check desk or whatever they call it. But then, the OP is so short on detail that it is impossible to know or even guess what really happened and how it happened.

[berrec]

Complaining to Thais to help resolve an issue, from my experience, is a lost cause in most cases.

 

They just want to get the monkey off their back and buck pass you on to another unless department or organization or take your mobile number, so they can pretend they care. 

[Stargeezr]

Yes some red flags. only 5 posts with this poster, and the USA was at fault for making sure that

all the forms were correct before letting this person leave the USA for anywhere in the world.

  We all know that it is not easy to travel internationally and here is some one who found that out.

    I wonder why this person could not have gotten a PCR test and waited for the results?

Sounds a bit fishy.  

[Orinoco]

The real Thailand shining through.

Totally disgusting way to treat people.

 

[Straight8]

On 2/14/2022 at 6:27 PM, Smokey and the Bandit said:

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

more like Thai bullying!

[Credo]

I always have to question the motives of people questioning a person like the OP.  He got a laboratory certified test in the US and would have no reason to doubt that it was acceptable.  Apparently, the airlines thought it was sufficient, but the powers-that-be decided differently.

 

Anyone who has ever run into the power of the people deciding whether to let you into a country, will know what this guy and his girlfriend were up against.  They do not have to give you any options.  In this case, it was a rather expensive quarantine.   Why didn't they take a PCR test at the airport and wait for the results?  Most likely that wasn't going to be permitted.  You don't get to decide what course of action to take, the officials decide for you.   

 

Sadly, this is a situation where a son will not get to see his ailing mother nor introduce her to his girlfriend.   Like a lot of things here, though, for a sum of money they were willing to accommodate him.  

 

The one thing I have learned from Covid is that the previous freedom of movement that we had was not appreciated and will likely be gone for the foreseeable future.  A lot of people have been separated from family and it's time they will never get back.

Edited February 17, 2022 by Credo

[RubbaJohnny]

Something I don't understand $16000 seems high?

 

16000 baht while a a few good lunches is barely $500 so I would Have paid up if only chance to see my mum under $250 EACH which does sound too cheap for fullboard Phuket ASQ Hotel.Over but equally $16k half a million baht seems crazy?

 

Could OP really confirm it was SIXTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ? TODAYS RATES XE.COM

 

16,000.00 Thai Baht =

497.44511 US Dollars

16,000.00 US Dollars =

514,689.59 Thai Baht

 

Edited February 18, 2022 by RubbaJohnny

[Chomper Higgot]

What kind of personality finds the OP’s report something to laugh about? 

[NanLaew]

On 2/15/2022 at 10:38 AM, fulhamster said:

Exactly what you should do.

 

Get this in the press back in the USA.

 

Circulate your experience to anyone thinking of travelling to Thailand.

 

Sadly, I think yours may not be the only incident like this,

If people were getting bounced regularly on arrival at BKK because they are repeating the OP's simple misunderstanding of the published TP test requirement that clearly state RT-PCR test must be the wording on the certificate, we would have heard about it loud and clear before this.

 

The OP's paperwork said NAA.

 

The OP's paperwork did not say RT-PCR.

 

It's irrelevant what certification airlines and transit airports will accept.

 

It's totally relevant to provide what certification the final destination will accept.

 

I honestly wonder who ties some people's shoes before they even head to the airport?

[richard_smith237]

I know this is closing the barn door after the horse has bolted but there is a quick solution to these issues.... 

 

Have someone ‘edit in’ the words RT-PCR test onto the certificate.

 

---------

 

I’ve made 5 overseas trips (and return) during Covid-19.... I’ve been forced to edit a number of my certificates to ensure they meet the ‘check-box standards’ of and overzealous jobs-worth. 

 

- I’ve had to edit in ‘RT’ before the PCR so that its clear the test was an RT PCR test. 

- I’ve had to edit in my Passport number on RT-PCR tests and Vaccine Certification. 

- I’ve had to ‘adjust the time’ so that my test falls within 72hrs (as I was just ’slipping’ outside of the 72 hr window from time ’test was taken to time of arrival in Bkk’).

- I’ve also fabricated a full PCR certificate when I new there was no requirement by the Airline or by the UK however, all it takes is someone unfamiliar with the exact regulation on check in (regs had changed the day before) and they’d refuse to check my family and I in. 

- I have had to edit in the word ‘Certificate’ on my letter of insurance cover, because I was nearly prevented travel on one occasions because they said my ‘letter of cover’ was not a certificate !!!  (I’d already entered Thailand with the same documentation from the same airport previously !)

A friend in the UK had to fabricate a QR code has the result of his sons PCR test was too late and hadn’t arrived by the time they’d left for the airport (the negative result arrived by e-mail shortly after they’d checked in). 

 

 

Ultimately - there is so much silliness, some people are avoiding common sense - the Ops story is a perfect example of this - Simply editing in RT-PCR test would have satisfied the mind of an idiot.

 

I treat it as ‘game’ - play the game and there are fewer hassles. 

People may not like editing documents - but its necessary if we are to avoid a ‘brick-wall’ moment as the op encountered. 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

On 2/14/2022 at 9:01 PM, The Hammer2021 said:

On 2/14/2022 at 2:50 PM, JideeS said:

When we went through Abu Dabi, Etihad had no problem with the COVID report

 

As for the hotel it was to be 52000 baht minimum for a hotel but there were none under 85000 baht. Her math was off but still a ridiculous amount….. and that is each

 

the COVID report says…. test type: NAA

this means “nucleic acid analysis” it’s a DNA test to determine if you are positive for COVID

Not a PRC test then?

Here is a crop from a recent RT-PCR test Certificate.

 

Where it mentions both testing of Nucleic Acid and RT-PCR. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 19, 2022 by richard_smith237

[Jimmyjo]

On 2/16/2022 at 12:20 PM, Orinoco said:

The real Thailand shining through

Yeah, how dare they not let someone in with incorrect paperwork.

It's not like their exceptionally clear guidelines haven't made it stupidly clear what the entry requirements are.

They should have just wanted him and everyone else thru the gates, and then watch all the usual posters on here whinge about the "type of tourists" they are letting in.

Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

[Jimmyjo]

On 2/14/2022 at 8:10 PM, peter48 said:

I cannot express in words the damage this does to Thailand.

Disagree.

The only damage been done is to the rep of Aseannow, with the usual posters coming in to slam Thailand, and back up a one post slander topic on Thailand.

Hell, the OPs numbers are not even correct, yet ppl run with them to use as something to bash the Thais with.

Pathetic.