Opposition targets Test and Go for spreading the virus as government insists on endemic status

[jacko45k]

17 minutes ago, Gentleman Roy said:

Yes its all the horrible round eyed people who have a test before flight and a test on Day 1 of arrival that is spreading the virus.

 

Not the thousands and thousands of locals congregating in markets together and never getting tested or being tested.

 

No surprise Thailand is the most xenophobic country in the world as the horrible racism starts at the top.

 

 

 

 

No it isn't.... where do you come from?

[tlcwaterfall]

1 minute ago, jacko45k said:

No it isn't.... where do you come from?

Which country is the most xenophobic and racist in your opinion?

[BangkokReady]

Very sad to read.  Like most of the covid racism in Thailand, not only sad because of the racism, but because of the stupidity involved in anyone thinking this way.  (And yes, we know it's not everyone, but it's enough.)

 

There's such a strong feeling of a claim that the covid that is in Thailand already doesn't even register, just the threat from the dirty foreigners "spreading" covid here.

 

You might think I'm joking or exaggerating when I say good covid/bad covid, but it seems to be a reality.  And it's a view held by people going right to the top of the political sphere.

 

14,000 local cases vs. 150 foreign cases (not even necessarily brought in from abroad) is nothing.  If anything, it's evidence to let more people in.

[BananaGuy]

… there’s an Opposition ???

[BadSpottedDog]

While you have countries like India (and others) who have gone to this protocol. 
Interesting to look on this map. Thailand will refuse to compete with this.
https://www.travelpulse.com/

[jacko45k]

Just now, tlcwaterfall said:

Which country is the most xenophobic and racist in your opinion?

Japan possibly, China, Saudi, some Eastern European places, you know the ones who chant at international football matches. Many many before we get to Thailand.... which was seriously welcoming when I first arrived around 1982. 

[IamNoone88]

Self isolation by Thais generally does not happen. I have seen it many times.

[Clarkey611]

1 hour ago, dogfish180 said:

Extra income for the hotels and government of course!!

And for a nut in charge.

[aussienam]

4 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Incubation period for Omicron is short at 3 days.  Tourist arrives, tests negative prior to flying and then negative on day 1.  Travels around in tourist areas meeting people of all nationalities and many Thais in the service industries.  On day number 2, possibly becomes infected from contact with someone in the country.  Returns for a test on day 5 and viola the tourist/traveler or even expat like myself tests positive after catching a homegrown Thailand infection of omicron.  Many Thais my GF and her friends know are showing cold type symptoms and not isolating because they need to work and some have even tested positive on an ATK test, but since they feel fine other than the sniffles and a cough continue on with their daily activities........nuff said.

 

https://www.health.com/condition/infectious-diseases/coronavirus/what-is-incubation-period-omicron-covid-19

Exactly.  The possibility of acquiring COVID locally after day one is high.  Then at day five, if testing positive, you are going to be forced into a Hospital/Hospitel at your own cost as insurance won't cover you for asymptomatic, or very mild symptoms not requiring hospitalization. 

Then the stats accumulated by the relevant authorities for positive cases on day five - will they attribute the positive results as a result of the foreigner bringing it into the country, or will they concede that the source may also have been acquired locally?

Why can't foreigners who have their own accommodation here, who have returned from abroad, to self isolate at home?  Other countries are already doing this.  

[Tonypandy]

5 hours ago, smedly said:

exactly, foreign arrivals have alread had 2x tests unlike most of the locals they will be mixing with, who is infecting who is the question and the bigger question - with omicron does it really matter as western countries have pretty much reduced restrictions or removed them completely, why is Thailand always months behind the curve

 

seems the only thing that matters now is - are you vaccinated or (as increasing recent evidence is showing) have you already been infected with the virus which seems to offer the best protection - natural immunity that could last for years

 

this pandemic is coming to an end Thailand needs to get with the program

 

 

seems the only thing that matters now is - are you vaccinated or (as increasing recent evidence is showing) have you already been infected with the virus

 

 

Why is this the only things that matter?

[mickj88]

Is she sayiong that its foreigners spreading it or is she actually pointing out flaws in the test and go system?

The whole test and go has been a nightmare for myself and my Mrs and I am not even travelling to the land of not so many smiles.

1st I Booked all the stuff required for the thai pass , guess what Agoda sold me a sha+ hotel that wasnt on the drop down box on the Entry application. After 13 hours on the phone over 2 days to Agoda and messaging the hotel the hotel finally managed to get on the drop box.

Now as if that wasnt bad enough , yesterday she boards a plane in Manchester along with her Thai friend and some moron goes to the loo and sparks up a cigarette causing the plane to be delayed for nearly 3 hours.

This caused them to miss the connecting flight in Doha by 40 mins which then left them stranded in Doha while Qatar sorted out new flights, this was and 11 hour wait , meanwhile the Thai pass will run out as it was dated for the whole day they were stuck in Doha.

The hotel booking for both of them on Day1 and day 5 were now wrong and the day 1 day was for the day before they will now land.

Agoda would not change the dates as I had booked the booking even though the bookings were in their names.

On top of this it means when they land their PCR tests will be over 82 hours not the required 72.

I couldnt change the hotels with Agoda as was at work ( service engineer so on the road with no laptop). Fortunately between the 2 of them and Qatar they manaaged to talk with the hotel managers who moved the hotel dates ( no thanks to the useless prats at Agoda).

My worry now is that they will have trouble once they arrive at immigration but at least they are Thai nationls.

This is why the test and go system does not work - how many more people will arrive late due to delays in flights etc ,

My Mrs said there was lots of Thais on her plane that missed the connecting flight  so what a nightmare not only for the passengers but the hoteliers and the immigration and the airlines.

Too many things can and will go wrong for this system to run properly.

[Dazz1]

2 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

I cannot think of a good reason for the day 5 test, except that testing in general is a good thing. But Thailand would be better served if instead random sampling were undertaken to give the authorities a better understanding of the epidemic. 

The whole test and go is a scam!

[smedly]

17 minutes ago, Tonypandy said:

Why is this the only things that matter?

because I say it is.  

[BKKBike09]

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

This guy really needs to be put out to pasture.

I think you'll find he already is. Tourism and Sports isn't exactly a plum portfolio (as opposed to Energy, Health, Transport - the ones with the big budgets and mega-projects).

 

Is the '1944 Convention' a Buddhist or Christian era date, I wonder?

[PATTAYA12]

One of my workers returning back to Thailand in late afternoon for 1st day quarantine the hotel had no dinner service and he was told order in or you can go out to any restaurant with no results of the PCR test yet 

[BKKBike09]

1 hour ago, BangkokReady said:

Very sad to read.  Like most of the covid racism in Thailand, not only sad because of the racism, but because of the stupidity involved in anyone thinking this way.  (And yes, we know it's not everyone, but it's enough.)

 

Too right. This cretin also wants to bring back state quarantine for Thai nationals! 

 

From the source article: "Ms Treechada warned that the arrangements were not conducive to curbing the spread of COVID-19 in the kingdom because she feared it would let visitors carry the disease all over the country. She also claimed that the government was unable to control the current situation. At the same time, she called for the reintroduction of state quarantine for Thai nationals residing in the kingdom who she said should not have to fund expensive hotel bills to return home."

 

Yawn.

 

[zaZa9]

6 hours ago, daveAustin said:

No. It allows travellers to pick up the virus LOCALLY. Wakey wakey! And here was I thinking someone with some nous would could along to challenge the authority and their over the top requirements, but they go the other way. Shakes head. 

Exactly right. What a fool she is. The 'tourist' has had TWO negative tests BEFORE being allowed out and about in Thailand . With the fast acting Omicron rife in Thailand , it doesnt take a genius to work out where the foreigners  contracted Covid if they test positive on Day 5 ! As hard it is for Thais to face reality , Covid is here to stay , and in declaring it endemic , the Government is  subtley admitting to that. The 5th day test is a scam. May Buddha help Thailand if this is the intelligence of the opposition...

[spidermike007]

Thailand’s main opposition Pheu Thai Party has taken aim at the Test and Go foreign tourist entry scheme.

 

Big, big mistake. Picking up the xenophobia baton, and running with it, is not the way to gather support. This is just sheer ignorance. Foreigners are bringing very little Covid into the country. It is already here, so they are really the ones taking the risk by coming here, especially after being double vaxed with a quality vaccine, and being subjected to multiple PCR tests. Treechada Srithada is humiliating herself by talking such garbage. An opposition party has to have some credibility. Keep this up and any credibility you had is out the window. 

 

Admit the truth. Thailand needs international tourists 30X more than they need Thailand. And keep up this nonsense, and tourism is gone for good. It is on it's last legs as we speak. It quite possibly may NEVER recover. Thailand is being forgotten. Way too much arrogance, ignorance, hubris, xenophobia, lack of traffic safety, air quality, environmental safeguards, ability to keep the RTP in check, corruption, etc. Thailand is becoming irrelevant to the planet. 

 

Stop the nonsense. Man up. Shed the cowardice, and please start behaving as if there were some adults in the room.

[Cherrytreeview]

2 hours ago, Gandtee said:

I don't wish to defend this abysmal government but what other countries governments have controlled the virus?

It's nothing to do with "controlling" a virus that spreads as easily as measles.

It's everywhere. When Thailand tests more, they find more.

What it's to do with is an effective and timely triple jab campaign, so that societies can open up and live with endemic covid.

Thailand has failed miserably with it's vaccine campaign.

Instead they use xenophobic and unscientific politics with farangs entering the country.

 

Edited February 16, 2022 by Cherrytreeview
Edit

[pizzachang]

If the 'science' was followed this would be the 'normal' course of action. These facts suggest that restricting travel and not disease prevention is closer to the truth.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7709596/

[Jingthing]

What's the Thai word for scapegoating?

[Guderian]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Ms Treechada claimed this allows incoming travellers to spread the disease around the kingdom before a second test result.

Now the opposition hates us, what next? Will we see Anutin leaping to our defence and saying that the nice, clean foreigners couldn't possibly be spreading the virus around the country, lol!

[BangkokReady]

18 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

What's the Thai word for scapegoating?

"Farang kee nok".

[internationalism]

the majority on thailand pass and test and go are thai themselves. Not foreigners.

Many of those thai have second passport from countries they are settled now, they do travel on thai passport for easier entry (no insurance needed, free medical care if positive).

 

Where this lady was, when Thanathorn from future forward raised over a year ago an issue of vaccination program and was charged with lese majeste?

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Turbulent-Thailand/Thailand-targets-Thanathorn-for-questioning-king-s-vaccine-maker

 

because of the government reluctance to order proper quantities and from many different companies and reliance only on a locally made AZ, thailand was forced to buy 50mln substandard and expensive sinovac and sinopharm, and that's why only some 70% are fully vaccinated by now. With many boosters wasted in support of those poorer quality vaccinations.

 

Thailand began it's full scale vax program far behind the other countries, because they believed they can stop covid by crossing borders. That not worked, because illegal border crossing by thai nationals themselves, as well as migrant workers from birma and later from cambodia.

Illegal border crossing is on a large scale, thousands every day in any direction, untested and largely unvaccinated. That scale compares in numbers to legal entry into thailand with Thailand Pass, tests, vaccinations (many with boosters), health insurance etc. 

[Sydebolle]

Tell all these brainless brabbling talkers of nonsense to look at Brazil, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Senegal - just to name a few. 
No such idiocy like 1st/5th day checks, paperwork to no end, non-working apps across the board and the continued stirring of anti-farang hatred.

It is precisely such clowns who are directly responsible for the present situation and, instead of constructive approach, they destroy the little they have. I - for one - I am telling all my friends NOT to visit Thailand until normality and common sense is on its way back - unfortunately.

[internationalism]

37 minutes ago, pizzachang said:

If the 'science' was followed this would be the 'normal' course of action. These facts suggest that restricting travel and not disease prevention is closer to the truth.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7709596/

that link goes nowhere near your statement.

you linked to an article about ivermectin

[fulhamster]

Someone needs to explain to this woman that a tourist needs a negative test on Day 1 to be able to "roam freely"

And if negative, where has the virus come from if positive on Day 5 ??

 

[bluejets]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Ms Treechada claimed this allows incoming travellers to spread the disease around the kingdom before a second test result.

But...but...but....they've been tested before flying in, then tested the moment they arrive, both times clear ..............

[rainham]

Its always going to be someone else's  fault,pick any government in any country they all have their issues yet they simply blame any non native minority for all their problems and we all go along with it. fact is Covid is airborn yet a foreigner is responsible for infecting all our respective nations so we locked the doors it achieved nothing other than to make the poor even poorer then someone developed a vaccine which was discredited politically it saved millions of lives worldwide and was non profit not even so much as a thank you for that so far. well I'm saying it now thank you Astra Zenica you saved millions of lives and you never made a profit that's unheard of all the big companies around the world did nothing to help people apple, amazon etc did nothing big pharmaceutical companies used covid to earn money supermarkets put prices up petrol went up everything went up in price the world was facing a major disaster millions of people were dying and governmants and industries  profited from it. What are we?

Sorry for the rant 

[Roger Of Chai Prakan]

4 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

I cannot think of a good reason for the day 5 test, except that testing in general is a good thing. But Thailand would be better served if instead random sampling were undertaken to give the authorities a better understanding of the epidemic. 

In my humble opinion - and experience - a day 5 test is of more use than Day 1.  As Thailand Ryan says, arrivals pitch up here having had a PCR test up to 72 hours before departure, and may well pick up the virus on the journey here (airports, flights etc)  but will not be positive on the day 1 PCR test.  I was aware of a very mild sore throat on day 3 which alerted me to the possibility of having picked Covid up, tested negative with an Antigen test on that day and then positive on day 5 (both my own Antigen and the hospital day 5 PCR).  I was diagnosed as having Omicron, in a rural area that apparently has been the only case in the area, which suggests mine is not a local infection. As you say, the more testing the better.